WEBmikey

Momusu at Anime Expo Part 4

2009-07-09T11:55:00.006-05:00

Welcome to the last part of my Morning Musume encounter at Anime Expo, my final chance for autographs (using my priority ticket from the Q&A panel)! The session was scheduled to start at 11:00 AM, so Dae and I decided he would drop me off around 8:00 AM. I actually woke up about 3:30 AM feeling anxious and excited, and drifted in and out of sleep, checking the web on my iPhone the whole time. After I got dressed, at 6:20 AM someone posted on Twitter that the line was starting and 50 people were already there! When Dae jumped out of the shower I told him the news, and he was nice enough to get me to the convention center in record time. The line started outside, and I was really worried that I was too late, but soon as it became more organized and we moved inside, things started looking better and better. Finally we got official line place numbers, and since I was hoping for something lower than 150, I was thrilled to get number 83! All that was left was two more hours of sitting on the floor, playing with my iPhone, talking with Dae (who wasn't waiting in line, but came to visit me), and getting nervous!

Finally the magic hour arrived, and they started taking two people at a time from the line - it seemed to move at about two people every minute and a half, so I had lots of time to freak out before they got to 83! Everyone was getting nervous and taking deep breaths, but before I knew it I was entering the room and there was Morning Musume, sitting at a long table in their "official order", wearing a different set of outfits (just like the one Sayumi is wearing in this photo), and waving at me while I waited in line! It was so unreal that the tears started falling right away - totally happy, crazy tears (and believe me, I was not the only one who cried!). I tried to pull it together so I would be able to talk while I waited, getting my Platinum 9 Disc CD booklet ready to go.

Before I go on, I have to say that the most amazing part of this experience was how incredibly warm and giving everyone was! I had expected them to be a little timid or overly polite, but they instantly reacted like best friends. The only way to describe it is that they made me feel like they had been waiting all day just to meet me (even though it was the other way around)! Although some of this is playing the part of perfect Jpop idols, I know their appreciation for their fans is genuine, and they were actually having fun meeting everyone!

Suddenly it was my turn, and Ai-chan just lit up in front of me! I stepped forward and got a handshake right away. (I had read comments from previous autograph recipients about forgetting to shake hands, so I made a point of shaking everyone's hand twice - once before the signing, and again afterward! All of the girls did that nice two-handed clasp, too!) I was able to say something in Japanese to everyone (there was a translator, but she didn't have to help!), of course starting with a big hello and ending with thank you. I told Ai-chan that I cried when I watched her fantastic performance in Cinderella The Musical. She looked right up at me with the brightest face and said "Oh thank you!" It made me feel like I was the only one who had ever said that, although she has probably heard it a million times - that's how gracious everyone was!

Next was Risa, and I told her that I'm a huge Disney fan, too, so she replied "I love Disney", which was cute. Eri was a little quiet but very warm, and she made a point of asking if she should sign over her photo or on top of the lyrics on the next page. Next was Sayumi, who was too cute for words, energetically shaking my hand and saying hello! I wished her a happy birthday, she said thank you and that she was turning 20 and becoming an adult. I replied "But Sayumi will eternally be the cutest!" She knew what I was going to say halfway through my sentence, since she starting giggling and twirling her fingers on her cheeks, looking up at me with those giant eyes! I thought I was going to die, but I had to move on to Reina, who was also full of energy and happily said hello, although while she was signing, she was pretty focused (since her signature is complex!). I told her that I always listen to Five Stars (her radio show) and she thanked me. Next in line was Koharu, who was beautiful and fun, but when she turned the page in my CD booklet and started signing, I somehow looked down and thought she was on the wrong page. I made a kind of gasp and Koharu stopped signing, then I realized I was nuts and said everything was OK! She was a little confused, but it was no big deal. Aika was very polite and has such tiny teeth when she smiles.

Only a few minutes had gone by, and I was already up to Jun Jun, who is amazing looking in person, and she reacted like she just couldn't wait for me to get there! In case anyone doesn't know, Jun Jun and Lin Lin are both Chinese and had to learn Japanese when they became members of Morning Musume. Because of my own struggles learning Japanese, I mentioned her Japanese and English were both very good, and she seemed excited about the compliment. Lin Lin was sweet as she signed my booklet, and I had to make a joke and ask if she was bacchiri (back when she didn't know much Japanese she would always say she was bacchiri, or perfect), and that got a nice laugh. For the entire autograph session I was totally focused on the member in front of me - there were assistants and cameramen and once the translator asked me if I was crying, but I was almost oblivious to it all!

I left the room feeling on top of the world, looking around at all the other stunned fans, and called Dae to let him know my dream had come true! We had a quick sandwich while I told Dae all of the details (probably over and over again). The rest of the day was spent at a wonderful 4th of July party with Ernesto, but I'll save those details for another post. Although I've been a Morning Musume fan for a long time, I never dreamed I would ever have this opportunity, and I still can't believe the whole thing happened - from the airport, to the concert, to the autographs! Now when I watch them on TV shows and concerts it feels completely new knowing that they actually talked to me and held my hand. I don't care how crazy that sounds, but it was definitely a memory I'll cherish forever, and I'll always be a Morning Musume fan!

Momusu at Anime Expo Part 3

2009-07-08T12:15:00.002-05:00

At last it was Morning Musume concert day! Even though Dae and I already had our tickets to reserve our row, I still wanted to get there early to try for a good seat in the row (and also because I was so excited that I just wanted to be there waiting). So we showed up to the familiar line-up in the sun for about an hour, talked with several fans we had met on previous days, and watched all of the glowstick trading going on. (Glowsticks are a tradition at Morning Musume concerts, and the color of the glowstick signifies which member you're cheering for. I asked Dae to take me to Party City the night before to buy pink glowsticks for Sayumi!) We were all talking about the autograph situation yesterday, and Dae had decided not to suffer through a long line again (since he was only there to support me, after all), so he mentioned he had a priority ticket that he wasn't going to use. Immediately people started bidding (up to $40, even though the ticket was only a chance at an autograph), but Dae ended up giving it to a young guy who was in the Army, who used his two-week leave just to come see Morning Musume!

Soon they let us in for seating, and we ended up only a couple seats from the end of the row (it really didn't matter at all, since the whole row was a great view). It was still two hours until concert time, but we had fun watching everyone get their glowsticks going and chatting with this guy from Seattle who knew all the dances to Morning Musume's songs (he played them on his phone, and both of us sang along while he performed the moves). The time passed really quickly!

Finally the lights went out and the crowd went nuts (on their feet for the entire concert, naturally)! I was excited that they began with a special introduction video on the big screens (just like I've seen in all of their Japanese concerts), and then the girls took the stage. They started the show with Mikan, which has the lyric "Life is one time" and the message about living life to the fullest - that was all it took to start my eyes tearing up, since seeing this concert was something I never thought I'd be able to do, and I felt so happy that I was actually there making a dream come true! They did lots of recent songs, some cute introductions, one fast costume change, and an incredible medley of the past 12 years of Morning Musume hits. I sang along with every song, screamed my head off, and kept my arm in the air waving glowsticks the whole time! There's no way to know for sure, but I think one of Sayumi's waves was directed at me!

After a solid hour of music, they had to announce the winners of the Morning Musume video contest (which had been going on for a few weeks), so as an added bonus I got to see former Momusu leader Hitomi Yoshizawa and Tsunku, the creator/producer of Morning Musume, on stage! Truthfully, the announcements went a little long and kind of brought down the energy of the concert, but it was still great to see more Jpop personalities. Thankfully, Momusu did a quick reprise at the end, but unfortunately there was no encore (definitely due to Anime Expo time constraints). Even though the concert didn't have the huge sets and lights like the arenas they play in Japan, it was still an incredible show! The girls' energy was at 150% the whole time, and I thought their singing was excellent (usually when I watch a concert DVD there is at least one moment when I realize someone has missed a note, but I didn't notice a single mistake this time)!

After the show, Dae and I went for a beer, and a few fans that had been sitting behind us complimented me on knowing all the lyrics, which was cool. Then we headed to Little Tokyo for some great sushi, sashimi and plenty of sake, ending a totally fantastic day! I went to sleep anxious about the possible autographs the next day, which I'll write about tomorrow.

Momusu at Anime Expo Part 2

2009-07-07T19:00:00.004-05:00

On with more Anime Expo details! The next day was the official start of the convention, so Dae and I arrived early for opening ceremonies, since we knew Morning Musume would be there. At first we thought there was no line at all, but we soon realized that almost all lines at Anime Expo were outside in the sun (because of fire code/traffic reasons inside), so we worked on our T-shirt tans a little. We got pretty good seats (around Row 15), and took a couple naps since it got started 45 minutes late. It was worth the wait, though, since this was my first glimpse of Morning Musume (un-masked) on stage, wearing their frilly outfits from Shouganai Yume Oibito! Non-flash photos were allowed (the only exception for the "no Momusu photos" policy at the convention), so I took a few grainy shots at max zoom. All of the honored guests were extremely impressive and interesting, but truthfully I spent the whole hour looking at Morning Musume and waving if they looked my way!

Immediately after opening ceremonies, the next job was to try to get one of only 300 guaranteed autograph tickets from buying Momusu merchandise. We got there as fast as we could, but soon realized the line was already over 500 deep (we later found out it had started at 4:00 AM!). I was a little bummed about missing out, but decided to use the time to start waiting for the Momusu Q&A panel, even though it was three hours away. Of course, there were already lots of people in line! After lots of confusion, the staff eventually decided to move us into the panel room for the previous guest (who was the immensely entertaining Toshiyuki Morikawa - I'll write about him later!), and when he finished, Dae and I were able to jump up to third row for Morning Musume!

When they first walked in I couldn't believe how close we were, since I could smile at them all and there was no doubt they were actually smiling back at me! The crowd went crazy, and listening to the girls (in both Japanese and adorable English) was fantastic. My selfish fanboy strategy was to try to get the attention of the members who weren't currently talking, so they could smile and wave back at me (I got the best reactions from Reina, Jun Jun and Lin Lin)! I was totally on the edge of my seat for the whole hour - it was such a great time.

After the Q&A, they handed out 500 non-guaranteed "priority" autograph tickets, and since we were up so close, Dae and I got them! Then they announced the location for autographs, so we ran (along with everyone else) to the exhibit hall, only to find the information was incorrect. Fans were wandering around everywhere, asking staff questions, and finally we got the correct answer and made it to the actual location. By that time, other people that solved the mystery first were lined up, but we were still feeling hopeful. Unfortunately, after the hour and a half was up, they closed the door while we were about 100 back in line. That door closing was a depressing sound, but we were told our priority tickets would still be good on Saturday. (Even though I was bummed, I felt better when I met the guy who was only 7th in line when they closed the door!)

After using up all of our adrenaline that day, all we could do was get some food (and ice cream!) and crash at Dae's condo. At least we had plenty of rest before the concert the next day!

View photos: Anime Expo 2009
Watch video: Morning Musume at AX Opening Ceremonies

Momusu at Anime Expo Part 1

2009-07-06T20:03:00.002-05:00

It's time to begin my Morning Musume at Anime Expo story! I'd rather write impressions instead of a journal, but I guess chronologically is the only way to tell everything. Right away I discovered that the key to this whole trip was staying up-to-date with my iPhone - without constantly checking Twitter and forums I would have missed so much! The first bombshell happened while I was still in the Austin airport, since someone found out Morning Musume's flight number from Japan, and fans started preparing to meet them at the airport. Although I was worried about being late to the convention center, I decided I had to take the chance, since the airport would be kind of a guaranteed way to see them from 10 feet away. Dae and I hung out in the terminal with about 100 or so other fans (who had a big welcome sign), and after waiting forever for them to get through customs, we finally saw them walking our way! Everyone was screaming, and the girls looked so cute (even though some wore face masks) and waved to us as they walked by. Dae shot a great video, and for some reason Reina appeared to point right at Dae's camera! (Soon my pal Ryan discovered someone else's airport video online and could hear my voice in it.)

My first impression of seeing them was that they are much smaller and delicate than I imagined. Of course I was looking for Sayumi, and she seemed so much shorter than she looks on TV! It was fun to see their different reactions - some seemed pumped about being in Los Angeles, some seemed a little timid or scared, and I think some were surprised to see American fans waiting for them. But they were generally bubbly and all smiles, and it was cool to know they had seen us. There's something awesome about knowing that at some level my fandom was now known by the artists themselves - like a small personal connection!

After calming down from the awesome airport sighting, we went to the convention center for the first of many huge lines (mostly outside in the sun). After extra waiting because of computer problems, we finally got our badges and immediately went to the concert ticket line, which was huge - I thought for sure we would have bad seats for the show. But when we finally got to the front, they gave us Section C, Row 7 - I couldn't believe it! So the first day was a huge success, and Dae and I celebrated by meeting Ernesto for mohitos, then Mexican food with flaming margaritas. It was a great start to my Jpop adventure! (I only have video posted today, but I'll work on getting photos up tomorrow.)

Watch video: Morning Musume at LAX

Shinjirarenai daiseikou

2009-07-05T21:19:00.001-05:00

I'm home from Los Angeles and Anime Expo, and the trip was better than I ever dreamed! I have so many details that I want to write about, but it's going to take me a few days of posts to get to it all. For now I'll just say that I got to be part of the screaming fans to greet Morning Musume when they arrived at LAX, I got to wave and smile at them from 3rd row seats at their Q&A panel, I had amazing 7th row seats to their first concert ever in America, and then I actually got their autographs (shaking each of their hands twice and saying something to each of them in Japanese)! It took about 20 hours of waiting in lines (over four days), but it was worth it and I would do it again! It was such an emotional, uplifting, dreamlike experience, and now I'm a bigger Morning Musume fan than ever! My pal Dae was the most incredible friend, since he drove me around and waited in all these lines just as a favor to me! It was awesome to see Ernesto again, too - the three of us shared fantastic dinner and drinks, as well as the ritziest July 4th party you can imagine. Enjoy my precious autographs and keep reading this week for more WEBmikey fanboy stories!

View photos: Morning Musume autographs

Yume mitai kamo

2009-06-30T18:07:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow morning I'm flying to Los Angeles for Anime Expo 2009, and I couldn't be more excited! Although I'm a huge anime fan and have been to a couple anime conventions in the past, I'm actually only going this time to see the first Morning Musume concert ever in the continental US! It's going to be a crazy few days of waiting in lots of lines, but I'm up for the challenge (and so is my pal Dae, who is doing me a huge favor by going with me)! Just seeing the concert is going to be amazing, but it would be a dream come true if I can manage to get an autograph (there will be three sessions, but the chances are slim with 40,000 people at the convention). Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to the trip, which includes getting to go to a July 4th party with Dae and Ernesto! I can barely think straight right now, so I'm just going to watch a Morning Musume concert DVD and hit the sack. Stay tuned to Twitter for updates on my adventure and wish me luck!

Superman/Batman Vol 1 / Public Enemies : 4 of 5

2009-06-29T17:21:00.002-05:00

Every now and then you can find a nice DC Comics graphic novel available on PaperBack Swap, and since I already own Volume 2 of this series (which I got as a side-effect of my crazy scavenger hunt video project), I snatched this first volume up the moment I saw it. I'm glad I did, since I was really impressed with the story and artwork, and now I want to check out the rest of the saga! Although there have been many stories featuring Superman and Batman together, I love the way this one is written using parallel narratives. The inner dialogue of both Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne is presented in different color text blocks, and it's fascinating to constantly read what they are thinking (which is often contradictory, but always respectful of the other hero). In this story, Lex Luthor has become president, and blames a huge Kryptonite meteor headed for Earth on Superman, putting a billion dollar price on his head. Of course, this attracts tons of villains (and even heroes, too, since Luthor represents the US Government), so this book is filled with guest stars! I really enjoyed the battles with Hawkman and Captain Marvel, as well as the climax with Luthor in his mechanized armor, but unfortunately the final solution to destroy the meteor was a little dumb. However, the way this story is told more than makes up for that fault, and it's worth it just for the opening segment of Superman and Batman's origin flashbacks, presented from the exact point of view of baby Kal-El and young Bruce (brilliant!). I guess I'll have to re-read Volume 2 now that I've decided to keep going with this series!

The Pleasure of My Company / Steve Martin : 4 of 5

2009-06-27T19:59:00.002-05:00

Since I enjoyed reading Shopgirl so much a few years ago, I've had this more recent Steve Martin novel on my Amazon Wish List for a long time. But after I signed up for PaperBack Swap, I quickly found this book was available, and so The Pleasure of My Company became my first "free" book! Lately I've been reading so much manga and other comics, so it had actually been awhile since reading an actual novel, so I planned on starting out slow, but soon I had to sit down and keep reading all the way to the back cover. I knew right away I would enjoy and relate to the main character, Daniel Pecan Cambridge, who lives alone in Santa Monica and enjoys his simple life, even though he is plagued by some of the craziest mental issues you can imagine (his biggest phobia is stepping off a sidewalk curb, so he finds routes that let him cross opposite driveways, and he constantly keeps the total light wattage in his apartment to a fixed number!). Of course, he's also a genius who can construct gigantic mathematical magic squares, and he has a healthy fantasy life that involves possible relationships with Elizabeth the realtor (who he observes from his window), Clarissa the student psychologist (who visits him weekly), or Zandy the pharmacy clerk (who he visits during his regular treks to Rite Aid). Steve Martin is a fantastic author (his skill definitely outshines his acting career), and when he writes in the first person as Daniel, every thought and emotion feels real. I love how he understands that solitude can enhance the senses, making every small detail a symphony of beauty or sadness, and the plot truly explores if there are many "takers for the quiet heart" in the world. Of course, the story is full of hilarious moments as well, but I appreciated much more the moments that brought an unexpected tear!

Walt Disney Treasures / Dr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh : 3 of 5

2009-06-25T11:58:00.001-05:00

I've finally finished watching all the DVD sets that I got for Christmas, and it's only June! This is the third set of the Walt Disney Treasures 2008 releases, and truthfully, I had never heard of this story before (even though apparently it was highly requested!). The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh was first presented as a three part series on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color in 1964, and then later it was re-cut into a feature film, and this set includes both versions (which is kind of a bummer since it's the same thing twice). After watching it (along with Walt's introductions, which are always fun), I can easily see why this was a popular story, because it's exciting, mysterious and creepy all at once! Dr. Syn is the vicar of a small English town, who becomes a kind of Robin Hood smuggler at night, dressed in a mask and using a horrifying voice! He distributes his smuggling profits to the poor to help them pay their taxes to the king (just prior to the American Revolution), as well as rescuing prisoners and other daring acts! The character of Dr. Syn, played by Patrick McGoohan before he became famous as The Prisoner, is fascinating, since he is cool and calculating like Sherlock Holmes, but almost terrifying as the Scarecrow, riding on his horse with his wicked laugh. Of course, the show has a great theme song (in the same storytelling style of Davy Crockett), and all of the costumes and sets are top-notch (the show was actually filmed on-location in England in authentic churches and castles). There are a couple short but nice documentaries on the DVD, and it was really interesting to learn why Walt made so many live action films in England (after the war, profits made in England were frozen, so he had to spend the money within the country). Besides the fact that the second DVD is kind of a repeat of the first, this is a fantastic set, and I really enjoyed getting into an awesome Disney adventure that was completely new to me!

Hello! Project 2009 Winter: Wonderful Hearts / Elder Club : 4 of 5

2009-06-23T12:24:00.002-05:00

This two-DVD set contains the last big Hello! Project concerts before the huge mass Elder Club graduation, so I had to get this DVD just for the historical significance. Actually, I thought the actual graduation ceremony would be on this set, but that's another DVD that I have on the way! The first DVD is the Wonderful Hearts concert, which was totally enjoyable. I thought using Resonant Blue as the opening song was a little strange since there are really only two singing parts with about twenty girls on stage, but at least the dance was cool. Mako-chan returns to help out as MC, but unfortunately her voice just isn't near as good as Yaguchi's (who normally does these things). I loved watching Lin Lin and Jun Jun and seeing how their personalities have developed so much lately, and I was impressed with how well Berryz Koubou sings live. But the important part of this set is the second DVD, which is the final (except for the graduation) Elder Club concert. I had a fantastic time watching everyone and thinking about their long careers and everything they've been through. Without them, there would be no Morning Musume for me to enjoy! Yuko is truly the foundation of the whole thing, and you can just see how much she appreciates her fans and really cares about Hello! Project. It was so cool to see little reunions of all the past groups one last time - Tanpopo made me cry, Biyuuden was great (Yui's boobs haven't changed a bit), and I was really psyched to see GAM again. Unfortunately, they wasted a little time with a song from Mano Erina (the exact same thing she sang on Disc One!), but most of the concert was focused on former members of Morning Musume, finishing up with a great melody at the end! Both concerts were really fun to watch, and had plenty of points that made me cheer and cry. Moments like these make it really fun to be a Hello! Project fan!

Three Small Things 6.22.09

2009-06-22T12:24:00.002-05:00

Even though it's a giant multi-month task, I'm really enjoying reorganizing my entire photo library into iPhoto. What I like about it is that I'm forced to take at least a quick glance at every single shot I've taken since 1999, and often I find things I never knew I had! For example, during my first trip to Japan, Barron took a picture of me with a Godzilla poster. I was only a casual Godzilla fan then, but now it's so cool to know that the movie is Godzilla vs Megaguirus, which was current in the theaters at that time!

I have had tremendous success with PaperBack Swap, and now I have so much to read that I don't know where to begin! I've been really lucky with posting books that people want (they are usually snatched up the moment I make them available), so it's been no problem getting credits to use. I have received about 10 books (some manga, graphic novels, and even a hardback book), and all of them were in great condition! I'm always tempted to keep browsing around the site, but I need to catch up with some reading first!

I'm suffering from double vacation excitement right now, since I have two incredible trips coming up! In less than two weeks, I'm going to Anime Expo in Los Angeles for the Morning Musume concert (as well as some good times with my pals Dae and Ernesto), and just this weekend I booked a September vacation to Walt Disney World with my pal Melinda. My brain is simultaneously dreaming about the concert and thinking about all the Disney fun in store. Now I'm using every spare moment to scour the web for inside information about Morning Musume autograph sessions, as well as planning which Disney restaurants to book for reservations!

Pinocchio / Platinum Edition DVD : 5 of 5

2009-06-18T12:41:00.003-05:00

I finally got around to watching the first Disney Platinum Edition release of the year, and it�s always a joy to experience a true classic like Pinocchio again! Even though it seems silly to keep buying these movies when they are re-released on DVD, I�m always satisfied with the awesome new bonus materials that Disney includes. This time there�s a full hour-long documentary, featuring all my current animation heroes that I love to listen to, and I really learned a lot about this 1940 masterpiece that some call the �ultimate animated film�. It never occurred to me before that Pinocchio was a bridge between the shorts animators and what would soon become the Nine Old Men, so this film is just bursting with talent (and since the studio was flush with cash after the success of Snow White, they spared no expense!). Eric Larson�s animation of Figaro the cat makes him one of my favorite characters (I especially love the white dry-brush technique on his fur!), and I�m always amazed at the incredible camera angles used, such as the shot from above as Honest John, Gideon, and Pinocchio sing their way through town (just think about what it takes to accomplish that and your mind will boggle!). Of course, there are other fascinating techniques like the breakthroughs in water effects, but I also enjoyed finding new details like the Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland books (movies Disney would make in the future) in the background as Jiminy Cricket opens the film. Along with the great documentary, there�s a cool re-enactment of a �sweatbox� session (where animation is viewed and scrutinized) with an actor playing Walt in the shadows (with a pretty realistic voice), as well as lots of discussion about how live-action reference footage was used by the animators. Of course, there are huge image galleries available, but this time they also included some 360-degree rotations of original maquettes. Every scene of Pinocchio is filled with rich detail, so much that it�s estimated it would cost $100 million to create this masterpiece today. As always, I had a fantastic time watching it again, and I�m sure I�ll be watching it a few more hundred times in my lifetime!

Annual baseball adventure

2009-06-17T17:33:00.002-05:00

Last weekend my pal Barron and I drove to Arlington for our yearly Major League Baseball game, and this time we took along Barron's oldest son, Bay. The weather was beautiful and Barron's Prius was super-comfortable, so the trip was a breeze. The game was the Texas Rangers versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, and we were both rooting for the Dodgers (they are Barron's favorite team, and I wanted the Rangers to lose since that helps the Angels!). It was fun to see Bay's reactions to the ball park, since this was his first time to see a pro game, and I tried to enjoy watching everyone eat awesome junk food, since I kept my diet intact (I actually limited myself to one peanut per inning!). There was some nice action in the game, but there were also some incredibly slow sections, which gave me time to do exciting experiments with Bay like watching cotton candy dissolve in Sprite! The Dodgers ended up winning 6-3, and we all went home happy. I was pretty tired from sitting outside in 95 degrees so long (thankfully we had shade!), but it was so worth it. I wonder who we'll go see play next year?

Land of the Lost : 2 of 5

2009-06-16T11:58:00.002-05:00

I am seriously late with this review, since I saw Land of the Lost with my parents in Oklahoma City over a week ago, but better late than never, right? Even though I was a fan of the Saturday morning live-action TV series, I probably wouldn't have seen this movie on my own, but it was a perfect light-hearted comedy to enjoy with a beer in the balcony of the Warren Theater. Will Ferrell has really been churning out mediocre movies lately (I wonder if he will ever make something totally funny again?), but at least Land of the Lost could draw on the original series for laughs. My favorite moments of the film were when they brought up lyrics to the TV theme song (talking about going on a "routine expedition", or screaming "the greatest earthquake ever known"), and along the same lines, it was fun to see Will sing the song around the campfire. I enjoyed Cha-Ka and their cave home, but the best part was the Sleestaks, who looked absolutely identical to the way I remember them, even though they could have created something much more menacing with today's technology. Of course, there are some good dinosaur special effects and action sequences, but simply not enough laughs (was this supposed to be a comedy or an adventure movie?). Actually, the funniest moments happen at the beginning and end of the film when Will is interviewed by Matt Lauer, who does a great job playing himself. I wouldn't really recommend Land of the Lost to anyone except Saturday morning fans, but I still had a good time watching it with Mom & Dad.

Godzilla / Final Wars : 3 of 5

2009-06-15T11:59:00.004-05:00

Even though I watched Final Wars, the last Godzilla movie made so far, a few years ago, I decided I had to check it out again so I could totally say I've watched all 28 Godzilla films in order (which makes this a re-review)! Now that I've seen them all and my brain is filled with Godzilla history, knowledge, and appreciation, I have to say that Final Wars didn't impress me near as much as it did when I was a novice Godzilla fan. There are certainly some fantastic aspects, like seeing so many monsters in one movie (and actually knowing who they are now!), as well as lots of classic actor cameos, but the balance between the "human story" and the "monster story" is way off, especially for a grand finale film. For example, there are plenty of long sequences like motorcycle chases and hand-to-hand battles between the Earth Defense Force humans and the humanoid aliens, but no one watches a kaiju film to see martial arts! Instead, the monster battles are sometimes ridiculously short, making it seem much too easy to defeat these huge beasts. Even so, it's great to see classic kaiju that haven't shown up in ages (I loved seeing Ebirah again!) rendered with modern special effects. Although I'm not so much into CG in monster movies, I have to admit that Rodan's flight through New York City, bursting apart buildings by sheer wind force, was definitely spectacular! I also liked Godzilla's moves against King Ghidorah, especially when he uses one of Ghidorah's heads to blow off the other two. The characters aren't too bad (Miyuki the biologist was super cute!), but as I said, they just got too much screen time in comparison with Godzilla. Overall, Final Wars isn't a terrible film, but it's barely half as good as the previous two or three Millennium movies, so it's a bummer to think of it as the last Godzilla film ever. I hope someday Toho decides to bring Godzilla back, but until then it's been a complete blast to watch all 28 movies, and I wouldn't mind doing it again!

Old band clips with iMovie 9

2009-06-13T16:15:00.003-05:00

Transitioning to my new iMac has been really cool for lots of reasons. First, it helped me get some files organized that I had forgot I even had, such as tons of short video clips (mostly shot with still cameras using movie mode) that needed a little editing! Next, it gave me a great excuse to try out iMovie 9. I'm kind of an "expert" when it comes to the old iMovie HD, but after I saw how radically they had changed the application in the last version if iLife, I didn't even bother upgrading. But since the latest iLife came with my iMac, I wanted to see what it can do. It definitely takes some getting used to, since almost none of my "skill" applies to this version! But for short clips, the transition and title capabilities really make it worth it (I would never use it for a long project, but I hope to be learning Final Cut Express in the future!). Finally, the speed of my new iMac really made it a joy to mess with this stuff!

So, I have three "never before seen" clips of a couple of my bands. The first is my old jazz combo Stella, back in the days when we played some crowded, well-paying gigs! The next two are Halloween shows of the Greatest American Heroes playing in costume at the Carousel Lounge. It's fun to watch people dancing, and it's also quite historically important to have preserved footage of Ernesto dressed as Jeannie!

Watch video: Stella
Watch video: Greatest American Heroes 2006
Watch video: Greatest American Heroes 2008

Star Trek Year Four: Enterprise Experiment / DC Fontana : 4 of 5

2009-06-12T12:50:00.003-05:00

Since I really enjoyed reading the previous Star Trek Year Four graphic novel, I was excited to discover this new five-part saga, actually written by DC Fontana, one of the most popular screenwriters for the original series! She does an incredible job of weaving together an incredible tale that works as a kind of sequel to no less than three original series episodes: The Enterprise Incident (where they steal the Romulan cloaking device), Errand of Mercy (where the Organians halt the Klingon/Federation war), and even The Paradise Syndrome (where Kirk loses his memory and becomes an Indian). DC Fontana really knows her stuff, making sure all the parts of the plot fit together nicely, and including classic characters such as the Klingons Kor and Koloth, as well as animated series characters like Mr. Arex (who plays an important role). I loved the character insight (especially in McCoy's flashback memory of his daughter's graduation), as well as the small details like the old space suits they wore in The Tholian Web. The awesome story is the real star of this book, but the artwork is also spectacular (even better than the previous collection)! All of the main characters really look like the actors (even the Klingons), and the use of colors really has the feel of the original series. As a bonus, the text of Fontana's story proposal is also included, which is really interesting to read to see how she developed the plot. More than any other Star Trek comic book, the Enterprise Experiment really captured every aspect of the original series perfectly. I only wish there were more books in this series for me to enjoy!

Godzilla / Tokyo S.O.S. : 4 of 5

2009-06-11T12:25:00.002-05:00

Unlike the other Godzilla movies in the Millennium series which all stand alone (and keep rebooting the timeline), this 2003 film is a direct sequel to Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla, finishing up the Kiryu (Mechagodzilla's name) saga. It also has direct ties to the original Mothra, since the main characters are Shinichi Chujo (played by the same actor from the 1961 film!) and his family. I'm so glad I had just watched Mothra, since these details would have meant nothing to me before! In this movie, Mechagodzilla is being repaired from the last film, but the Small Beauties from Infant Island (who look cuter than ever) show up to tell Chujo that Godzilla's bones (which make up Mechagodzilla's "skeleton") must be returned to the sea, or Godzilla will keep attacking! Of course, Mothra is there to help, and looks better than ever with lots of insect fur, tiny legs, and beautiful color. The CG work of Mothra's flight is fantastic, though I still prefer to see the real-life creature on wires. On the subject of special effects, there are some incredible compositing shots (such as soldiers standing in front of a giant iconic Maser cannon), and the kaiju battles are great (though it hurts to see Godzilla bite off one of Mothra's legs!). Not only do the fights feature Godzilla, Mechagodzilla and Mothra, but two newborn Mothra larva twins are born and swim to Japan to help out. I really enjoyed the characters this time around, especially because of the ties to Mothra, and I thought Shun (Mechagodzilla's mechanic who saves the day) was much more interesting than Akane in the last film. The DVD includes some cool behind-the-scenes material, showing how a particular shot was done followed by the finished scene in the film. Other reviewers may not agree, but Tokyo S.O.S. is definitely one of my favorite Millennium series films! Now I've actually watched all 28 Godzilla movies, but I still have to view Final Wars again to complete my project!

Five days in OKC

2009-06-10T12:20:00.001-05:00

I spent the past few days with my parents during my typical summer trip to Oklahoma City, and we had a great time together as usual! I got to enjoy Mom's cooking (which was like heaven after my recent dieting), and it was nice to see all the improvements Mom & Dad have been making around the house, including the nice new swing and furniture on the patio. Of course, we had to get our slot machine fix at Riverwind Casino, so we went three times (winning-wise, one day was terrible and one was fantastic!). We also saw a movie in the Warren Theater balcony, watched some old video tapes that I dubbed onto Mini DV, and I got to dig through three boxes of childhood books (I found some incredible Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica stuff!). On top of all of that, most of my time was spent getting Dad up to speed with all kinds of technology! We did lots of iPhone and iTunes stuff (he's really excited about burning CDs now), but the coolest thing was hooking up the new huge Samsung TV with wireless internet and Yahoo TV Widgets! It was really amazing to see my latest Twitter and Flickr updates right there on the TV. As always, it's kind of a bummer to get back to real life, but it sure was a nice way to spend a five-day weekend!

Mothra : 3 of 5

2009-06-04T06:48:00.002-05:00

While I was reading all about Eiji Tsuburaya, I got excited about seeing the original 1961 Mothra, since I had only seen her (yes, Mothra is female) in Godzilla movies. Unfortunately, there's not a current US DVD release of this landmark kaiju film, but Showa Video came to my rescue again (I definitely recommend them for any kaiju emergency!) with a great widescreen DVD with excellent English subtitles. I really enjoyed the movie, although it was a little different than I expected - I was hoping for something more like Rodan (one of the most "realistic", best-paced kaiju movies ever), but Mothra is a little less serious, especially since one of the main characters is a famous Japanese comedian. There's some extra comedy added by the large amount of actual spoken English (not dubbed, but part of the original film), which just comes across terribly (it's also somewhat funny that America is represented by the fictional "Rolisika", and Mothra attacks the sprawling "New Kirk City"!). However, I did enjoy the slow build-up (Mothra's egg doesn't even hatch until the 45-minute mark) and the use of lush color and music. Speaking of music, everyone loves the classic Mothra song sung by The Peanuts (the original "small beauties"), and their harmony is simply mesmerizing. The effects are a mixed-bag, but do include some fantastic scenes of larval Mothra swimming across the ocean while jets drop fire-bombs, and there are some awesome miniatures (really detailed signage!) and optical compositing (although for every great shot, there's also a bad one). I guess since Mothra and Rodan both attack basically the same way (via wind damage), I've been spoiled by the excellent effects in Rodan, which seemed a little better even though that's an earlier film. The real appeal of Mothra is the story itself, which has a King Kong feel with an island expedition and an evil tycoon who exploits via show biz, and of course Mothra herself is just a beautiful, mystical creature. I'm really glad I decided to buy this DVD, since I soon discovered that the next Godzilla film on my list is directly tied to the storyline of this movie!

Manga Mentions 6/09

2009-06-03T12:25:00.001-05:00

Dr. Slump Vol 18: I�ve been reading Dr. Slump since around 2005, and I�ve really enjoyed Senbei and Arale�s crazy adventures (plus I thought it was cool to get into characters that just about anyone you meet in Japan will know!). Overall, this series was a little too long, but I still loved this final volume, which managed to introduce some new characters at the last minute (Biker Boy riding his motorcycle with his bare butt showing was hilarious)! Most of the book is filled with another Penguin Gran Prix, but the end is still really touching, including just about every character from the entire series. I�m going to miss them!

Kaze Hikaru Vol 12: Although I�m a big fan of this series, this volume was pretty much filler. I enjoyed the emotions expressed about Yamanami�s seppuku from the last volume, and there�s a semi-interesting plot about Soji�s old love Sae, but generally not much happens (there�s also a re-introduction to the whole story which is kind of a re-run). Of course, the artwork is still stunning, though! I�m hoping the next volume will get some more action or romance going.

Hikaru no Go Vol 15: Finally something interesting is happening in this story, although I think 15 volumes is way too long to make it to this point! Sai (the Go master spirit that haunts Hikaru) disappears, and Hikaru travels around to several historic sites in Japan looking for a way to get him back. Even though Hikaru has become a Go expert, without Sai he wants to give up the game! I hope it doesn�t take too much longer to get Sai back in the story, or at least start explaining why he was there in the first place.

Monster Vol 13: I�m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel with this series, so I decided to kick it into high gear and read two volumes this month. I�m always amazed at how seemingly unimportant new characters are introduced with full background stories, such as the criminal who helps Tenma escape from jail. Eva has some interesting flashbacks about her former marriage with Tenma, and a new lawyer enters the picture to help Tenma�s cause.

Monster Vol 14: A lot of stuff is revealed at last in this volume, so I read it cover to cover in record time! Thanks to some childhood flashbacks, we get to see what went on at the Red Rose Mansion, as well as it�s connection to those creepy children's books. I was pretty shocked to see Johan dressed as his sister Anna, which is making the gears in my brain start to turn. The entire series has finally been published, so I�m going to focus on Monster for a while (just a few more volumes to go)!

Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters / August Ragone : 5 of 5

2009-06-01T11:58:00.003-05:00

Although I'm pretty close to finishing all my Christmas DVDs, it takes me longer to get through my Christmas books! I've been reading this incredible biography sporadically for several weeks, and I finally finished it since I've been so fascinated by Godzilla movies lately. Eiji Tsuburaya is the father of Japanese special effects, who pioneered all of the filming techniques that we associate with kaiju movies today. His life was really interesting, and made me think of Walt Disney in many ways, since he always took risks (financial and otherwise) to continually improve his methods. Not only was he technically brilliant, but his studio was also responsible for creating many Japanese hero icons, such as Ultraman! After covering his childhood and early interest in miniatures and film, the book quickly starts covering each of Tsuburaya's movies with interesting anecdotes about their development and shooting - there are so many incredible films mentioned that I want to watch them all! I enjoyed learning more about the philosophy of Japanese special effects, embodied by a great quote that mentions how many shots would have been cheaper to film with actual tanks, cars, and so on, but miniatures were used to convey a sense of wonder. The quality of this hardcover book is simply amazing - its graphic design is bold and artistic, right down to the quality of the paper. I could go on and on about the photos, which are truly a delight for any kaiju fan. There's just something awesome about seeing Eiji standing in the middle of a miniature city, smoking a cigarette and talking to Godzilla! I can't imagine a better book on this subject ever being produced, so I definitely recommend this fantastic work to any fan of Japanese film (Godzilla or otherwise).

New iMac bliss

2009-05-31T14:08:00.002-05:00

Although I use my MacBook 90% of the time, I still like having an additional desktop Mac to encode DVDs, download torrents, and other long-haul tasks like editing videos. I've been using a Power Mac for the past four years, which was a screamer when it came out, but lately I just felt so behind the times using a non-Intel Mac. I've been eyeing the new iMac for a long time, since I love its simplicity, and last week I finally got one! I thought it would take forever for me to get everything moved and setup how I want, but I actually blazed through the job in a couple evenings. There are lots of things I'm really happy about, starting with the 24-inch screen, plus I hooked up my old Cinema Display as a second monitor (which just worked like magic the moment I plugged it in). The new tiny keyboard took a few minutes to get used to, but I love the small footprint. Although I've avoided iPhoto for years, I've finally decided to use it now, and I'm having a blast running through my entire photo collection and watching it do face recognition on my pals! I've also decided to start using Time Machine, so I won't have to mess with my usual monthly backup (except for my MacBook, but I may remedy that in the future). This weekend I've really enjoyed using it and enjoying that elegant Apple feeling - I'm really happy with my iMac!

Memorial Day starving

2009-05-31T13:52:00.000-05:00

On Memorial Day my pals Jonathan & Anne-Marie had a fantastic cookout at their house, which was a lot of fun! Amazing looking food was everywhere, but believe it or not, I didn't eat a bite of it since I'm dieting right now. Of course, I still had some wonderful drinks (the bar was setup for mix-your-own Mint Juleps and Mohitos), and Jonathan bought a couple nice cigars for us to enjoy. It was a simple, relaxed, and peaceful time with friends, followed by a great Memorial Day nap!

View photos: Memorial Day 2009

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla : 3 of 5

2009-05-30T05:45:00.003-05:00

I can't believe I'm already up to the 26th Godzilla movie, released in 2002. This is the fourth Godzilla film to feature Mechagodzilla (hence the somewhat awkward title), so I was really curious to see how he would be re-imagined this time around. It turns out he's just a massive weapon developed by the Anti-Megalosaurus Force (AMF) to fight Godzilla, and he even gets a name this time, Kiryu. The twist is that he's controlled by advanced "DNA computers", and they use bits of Godzilla's own DNA (obtained from his actual bones after his destruction in 1954 - yes, this is yet another reboot!). This one little fact sets up the best scene in the movie - when Kiryu hears Godzilla's roar, his DNA goes berserk and Mechagodzilla goes on a rampage (definitely a little embarrassing for the AMF)! The characters are a little sappy this time, since Akane (an AMF soldier looking for a reason to live) has some moments with the scientist's daughter that seem pulled right out of a Japanese TV drama, but the kaiju fighting is fantastic (I've become a connoisseur by now!). I loved the fierce contact and the rotating camera moves, which must have been really difficult to pull off, but unfortunately it seemed all of the aircraft were completely computer-generated. Kiryu's ultimate weapon is the Absolute Zero Gun, and there's an incredible shot where a misfire takes out three buildings instantly! There are also a few special scenes for Godzilla fans of all types, including flashbacks from Mothra and War of the Gargantuas, a cameo by Kumi Mizuno (my favorite Godzilla actress), and even baseball great Hideki Matsui knocking one out of the park (of course, his nickname is Godzilla!). Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla is a fast-paced, action-packed film, and although I prefer a slower, more menacing pace, I could definitely watch it again anytime. Two more Godzilla movies to go!