Oh my poor neglected blog. Who would've thought that blogging would require so much work? It's rather hard to keep up when the world is so full of distractions... Guess it's high time I get my act together and finish all those pending reviews. Been working on bits and pieces without managing to focus long enough on just one to bring it to completion. And of course, September rolled in and I had to follow my weekly dose of Dexter and Merlin, which screwed up my one blog entry a week tenet (yeah right, wishful thinking) and by the time October came, I had to finish my long overdue assignment of typesetting episodes of Sukeban Deka for SkewedStudios Fansubs and Scanlations (sigh*). So to make a long story short, I suck at multi-tasking, hence the sorry state of this blog.
Given that I haven't published anything in over a month, I decided to make an extra effort to get this thing updated. The gameplan was to take care of all my backlogged entries this November (or at least try to cut them down to half) and abstain from starting on another series till I'm done working on my current line-up. Sounds simple enough, right?
Well, I could not have been more wrong. True to form, I already violated the said rule when I spent the past weekend sloughing through the mess that my sister laughingly referred to as Buraddi Mandei. And here I thought Security Police had the over-the-top-anti-terrorist-scenario-trophy in the bag but it appears that Falcon and a bumbling counter-terrorist division known as Third-i, along with a bunch of misguided kids would have to take home the award. Which reminds me, our copy of Bloody Monday 1 & 2 is now up for adoption.
This drama has a virtual menagerie of birds and insects, sloppy assassins who can't even be bothered to use a silencer (let alone be expected to tie their rebonded hair), an incompetent government agency with an acronym that fails to command respect (PSST!), and children of a cult leader who like to go by a certain letter in the alphabet. Furthermore, pretty boys and seductive girls are abound, plus the clickity-clack of the computer keyboard's there to signify that the earth....errrr world... is safe and sound.
What more can you ask for? It's just twenty or so hours of non-stop plot twists that defy logic and explanation, apparently, the whole thing is too complex and only a mathematical genius can map out the equation... NOT! But who cares about such trivial things when people are searching for a cure to a virus and life as we know it is threatened by a nuclear explosion? Right? RIGHT? Anyway, if there's anyone out there who would like to give this drama a shot, I'd be more than happy to leave the darned thing inside a toilet tank under lock and key. Details as to the stall number and the location of the public toilet where the said package can be picked up will be texted to you as soon as you pour your heart out online and pledge to join my army to restructure Japan and whatnot. Go save the earth, why dontcha? Reduce, reuse and recycle.
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Go save the earth, why dontcha? Reduce, reuse and recycle.
ReplyDelete^lol That is gold :)
truth be told, I did enjoy BM S1 for the most part (the first half really) because of the trippy pace & well, you know, Mr M.H. If he wasn't in there, I probably wouldn't have even gone near the series to begin with.
btw, gaha @ your sister calling it "Buraddi Mandei." i remember struggling to say the word "bloody" properly for weeks myself... in fact, engrish altogether is slowly creeping into my everyday vocab. the other day at work i accidentally slipped a "sankyou" outta my mouth, much to many colleagues WTF? expressions... not cool... lol
well! i'm definitely looking forward to what your blog has in store! no pressure on the updates lol but i most definitely know how you feel with the distraction factor... & multi-tasking! but it's always better to do one thing at a time well than do many things at the same time haphazardly right? (at least that is what i keep telling myself lol *checks own last blog post- details: over a week ago. two sentences* >_>;;;; haha)
I wish I could say I enjoyed BM but I did not. For some reason, I'm kinda immune to the pretty boy that is Miura Himura-- must be one of my special abilities haha! It's probably because I first saw him in 14-sai no haha, thought he was a cute kid and that was it. He was kinda bad in that one or wasn't performing at par with Shida Mirai and the rest of the cast so it was easy to dismiss him.
ReplyDeleteMust say that I wouldn't have finished BM without my sister. She'd watch the whole thing and I'd just sit through some parts, take a nap when I get annoyed at how very few people die of gun wounds (despite all the gun-pointing), come back after an hour or so and ask if anyone died yet and then my sister would proceed to give me a run through of the stuff I missed out on, which apparently wasn't much. Funny thing about it is that my dad would even sit in to watch an episode or two and at the end of it all, he'd say something like how all the kids in the series needed psychiatric help. ^^
About the engrish--- my mom would sometimes say "sankyou" too and then my sisters and I would look at each other and think how our mom is so not cool. Lol, so yeah, watching dramas is sort of a family affair.
I'm likewise looking forward to your next blog post. I've heard and read mixed reviews of Bad Guy so I'd love to hear your take on it. :)
my mind's a jumble of all the things i wanted to say...
ReplyDelete(1) seriously, lmfao @ your BM rant!!! i could just imagine you rolling your eyes + tearing your hair out + banging head on table while typing that hilarious capsule review. i think you perfectly summed up everything wrong with that show -- although like jicks i did enjoy the first half of BM 1 and was also more lenient towards its shortcomings because of the presence of -- ehem -- of -- uh... sato takeru, lol.
(2) man, i agree, the earth vs world confusion was just bloody whack! (and i laughed a full minute 'coz of that "reduce, reuse & recycle" bit!!!
(3) it took me 2 readings of this blog post to realize the mental link between your title and bloody monday, lol. me is slow most days, see XP
(4) your family sounds like a lot of fun to be watching dramas together! (your dad's comments = gold!!!) and why do i have the feeling that your sister is a bigger miura fan than you are? hehe
(5) i'd heard great stuff about sherlock from my friend (who's crazy over brit shows), and now your effusive praise has pretty much settled the issue. this is going on my western to-watch drama list fo' shizzles, along with the good wife and vampire diaries, woot!
@ zooey & jicks
(6) i know i know, backlogs suck!!!, no question. so does multitasking, lol. (someday i will get myself diagnosed by a developmental pediatrician or child psychologist just to confirm that i am indeed autistic because i'm incapable of multitasking.) anyway, just want to share that whenever i get hit by writer's blog -- er block, and start whining about it to my best friend (which happens, like, every other day lol), she simply says, "don't feel like you're obligated to come out with new content every week or so. just write and post whenever you can. either way people will still read it." XD
so i guess what i wanted to say is, no pressure from my end either. =D when i click on either of your blogs and don't find new content, it doesn't make me impatient or cross; instead it just whets my appetite even MOAR!!! knowing that whatever you'll be posting next is gonna be awesome. and that's the honest truth ;-)
p.s. both your "sankyou" stories are hilarious!!! these insidious little engrish words do have a way of worming into your subconscious, don't they? XD i'm guilty of the same thing too, and sometimes i even catch myself going "maybe...?" in random, unrelated situations, lolz
I'm kinda immune to the pretty boy that is Miura Himura-- must be one of my special abilities haha!
ReplyDelete^lmao, that's a pretty special super power to have. If only I was born with it too... maybe they could invent a vaccination one day lol Haven't seen 14-sai no Haha (recommended?) but I have started Binbo Danshi, ultimately for this Miura boy... except I've stalled. After episode 1. lol. But I will force myself to complete it eventually ><;
My Dad watched Bloody Monday, too! He said he liked the terrorist action but I have a good feeling his interest had more to do with Kichise Michiko xD My Mum would stroll in & out but would always comment on how nice-a-looking boy Miura was & I would be vigorously nodding my head in agreement lol
re Bad Guy post, I'ma thisclose to hitting the "PUBLISH," button but all I need is a little more... time hahaha
Finally, *raises glass to zooey & E.G.*, "Here's to having writer's block & sucking at multi-tasking!!" xDD But, in all seriousness, I completely agree with E.G.'s thoughts.
Make every post count!
Haha zooey,
ReplyDeleteI'm in a similar same dilemma, I got like half a dozen unfinished reviews and translations on my blog, started subbing at viikii and got another subbing project and some paper work on my desk(top) I suck at multitasking cause i keep multi-ing till I forget about the tasks. But then yay for procrastination and self-delusion. ;) Ahem
Love your bashing of BM, it sure deserves it. I was leninet on Ep1, too but neither for M.H nor S.T (cause I got that rare talent, too. They just don't move me). Instead Nari's grin is what kept me sitting in front of the screen, non-stop cussing the writers and directors ;)
Must be lovely to watch drama with the family, I also loved the part bout your mum.
Looking forward to more posts...while trying not to feel pressured to reanimate my dying one ;)
Gahhh!!! Sucks not to be able to go online during the weekends, hope they get those phone cables fixed soon. I'm now typing away at the office, looking over my shoulder... must not get caught... @_@
ReplyDelete@ E.G. - Sato Takeru... right! (lol) Yes, my sister is the big Miura fan. I reckon she can sit through anything (ahem, Gokusen 3) as long as she gets to stare at his pretty mug. I can tell though that she got a bit bored halfway through BM because she started to focus on which celebrity Narimiya Hiroki reminded her of. According to her, Nari looks a bit like Jiro Wang. By season 2, she's on to how his cheekbone structure is similar with that of Lee Seung-Ki's albeit his bleached hair reminded her of Lee Hong-Ki (You're Beautiful). What a way to spend sembreak, eh?
Was planning to use Miura's image for this post but I didn't like how he looked shocked/stunned in almost all of the screencaps. It reminded me too much of Han Hyu-Joo's 3-expression repertoire in Dong Yi that's why I ended up with Sherlock's pink lady.
@ jicks - Wow, congrats on starting Binbo Danshi... must make a mental note to watch the last 3 episodes of it. 14-sai no haha can be a tad melodramatic but the lead actress and the ones who played her parents were superb in it (notice no mention of Miura here... lol *super powers on!* :D).
Kichise Michiko is quite the looker, right? Can't blame your dad if he tuned in for her. I bet half of BM's male audience sat through it because of the gun-toting femme fatale. Seriously, how many can perform a hit in a short dress, faux fur coat, decked in lipstick and rough?
Just saw your post on Bad Guy... and must now watch it next week since your opening paragraph told me I shouldn't miss out on it. :)
@ arakira - Haha, I can totally relate with the non-stop cussing while watching BM. November 1 was a holiday so the family was all cooped up during that long weekend, hence the BM marathon. Oooh... we share the same talent of not being moved by M.H. or S.T.? We must definitely start a league. Lol x)
Fansubbing is indeed hard but it's fun, too, at least until it lumps itself with everything else that you have to do. That is so cool that you've started subbing at viikii, a lot of people look to that site to watch dramas and they usually have subs up within days after the broadcast. Best of luck with your new hobby/distraction, I'm sure a lot of people will appreciate your hard work.
@ E.G., jicks and arakira
So here's to the best people I know afflicted with the blog procrastination bug-- may you always have enough time and energy to go about everything you want to accomplish-- cheers to multitasking. :)
P.S. There. Finally settled on a BM image. It was a choice between this pic or the one where he just banged his head on the table trying to disarm that bomb on the plane... Would've picked something more appropriate and representative of his good looks but I think his expression on the said pic captures how I feel about my unfinished blog entries.
ReplyDeleteAlso edited this post because I've decided to give Sherlock its own entry. Hopefully, it won't take forever for me to finish it.
Haha, it was more entertaining to read your post than to watch the series. I watched four episodes of season 1, and couldn't help laughing.
ReplyDeleteYou like Dexter, huh. It's also my favorite series. :)
I used to love Sukeban Deka when I was small.
I had the yo-yo.
It was a choice between this pic or the one where he just banged his head on the table trying to disarm that bomb on the plane...
ReplyDelete^^The one you shunned would've represented my way of coping with writer's block lol ;)
******SPOILER ALERT******
Agree re Kichise Michiko, even I found myself a lil mesmerised by the woman at times lol She probably remained the coolest thru the two seasons. It was kinda sad when she died in S2... & left us with a bunch of crazed morons/loonies/...er, characters lol
And we're back online (insert sigh of relief*).
ReplyDelete@ Chuks - Nice that you could laugh through BM, I remember myself groaning in disgust and throwing my hands up in the air in annoyance a couple of times. I initially watched 3 episodes of it and decided to stop about 2 years ago... I only resumed watching it when my sister decided to sit through it.
And yup, Dexter's one of my favorite series. I think they've done quite a good job in translating the character on t.v., in fact, the last three season's more interesting than the books that Jeff Lindsay published following Darkly Dreaming Dexter.
As for Sukeban Deka, I still can't wrap my head around the idea of a juvenile delinquent/undercover agent wielding a metal yo-yo, but it is a fun series, old and dated as it may be. Plus, Asamiya Saki strikes me as a totally reformed teen. x)
@ jicks - Haha, I think I've banged my head on the table a few times as well, grappling with words...struggling with blog entries...I still am actually. I'm typing this right now all slouched over, with a haggard look on my face, just about ready to give up blogging for the day... Arghhh...must not reach for copy of Sungkyunkwan Scandal...must resist... @_@
Kichise Michiko's always typecasted as the sexy siren or vixen with something up her sleeve-- gotta admire her for exuding so much sex appeal. 35 and still the object of every male fantasy...hate her! (Lol) No, seriously, she's like a drama staple-- need someone hot, mysterious and alluring? Chances are Kichise Michiko would get the gig. ^^
*sending message to zooey telepathically* Don't fight the urge... Don't resist... Blogging shmogging. Go watch Sungkyunkwan Scandal!
ReplyDeleteIs typesetting the same thing as hardsubbing? If so, can you show me how to do it or can you point me to where I can find an idiot-proof tutorial? You see, there's this show that just finished airing but I was so enthralled by it that I'm still having major withdrawal symptoms. So, I want to learn how to hardsub the .avi files, convert and burn them on DVD format so that I can re-watch it on the TV. Any help is much appreciated!
@ doozy - Haha, I actually started watching Sungkyunkwan Scandal. Thought it was okay but wasn't bowled over... I must really be growing old or I've turned into a very jaded kdrama viewer-- there were too many things in it that reminded me of at least half a dozen other dramas. Would've thought it brilliant if it were a parody but right now I'm leaning towards the hodgepodge-harmless fun category. I'm still gonna try and finish it though because Yong Ha and Jae Shin are damn entertaining. These 2 supporting characters just light up the small screen. ^^
ReplyDeleteAs for your question, the actual hardsubbing is done by the encoder. Typesetting deals with styling the onscreen text (dialogue, notes, signs, etc.) and to a certain extent, they also add in the fx (for tokusatsu projects).
I'm not a techie person but I'm quite sure you can skip the hardsubbing part and go straight to converting the files to dvd format. If you're keen on learning how, you can try any of the tutorials listed over at the After Dawn site. Was planning to try using Avi2DVD a while back but I gave up since it'd take forever working on our clunky 5-yr old computer (in order to address the situation I ended up buying a divx player). Might also take a few tries before you're satisfied with the picture quality, so I wish you the best of luck. Fighting! :)
@ zooey - Lawl, your sister's funny! (but, um... who's Jiro Wang?) And I like her even more just 'coz she's a Miura fan, hahaha. Mebbe she can tag along on our still-unscheduled okonomiyaki date-o? XD
ReplyDeleteBtw that photo of Miura screaming "frussstrayyyshunnnn" at the top of your post? Gold! Just in case you were feeling extra frustrated, I would've suggested a screencap from the scene where...
****SPOILER ALERT*********
... Fujimaru's Newspaper Club friend Hide dies. *sniffle*
/end spoiler
@ doozy - I'm no techie either, but wishin' you good luck on the hardsubbing and/or converting to DVD, girl! I've heard hardsubbing is a rather bloody process. My best friend tried her hand at it with the drama Resurrection -- tedious work, but still doable. Or you can take zooey's advice and stick to softs but change the format to DVD. Ganbare! ^^;;
Sorry to butt in, but I can't help it whenever a Fahrenheit boy is mentioned lol E.G., re Jiro Wang, he's a member of Taiwanese boy band Fahrenheit. Also an actor, usually the second lead who doesn't get the girl lololol (notable series, Hana Kimi, It Started With A Kiss... both recommended xDD )
ReplyDeletezooey! I forgot to comment that I would have to disagree with you sis... well, now that I think of it actually, MAYBE the style of their smile but apart from that... I think Jiro is far cuter xDD Looks prettier dressed as a girl too lololol
@doozy, power to you for dipping into fansubbing! I second E.G's "Ganbare!" Us crazy fans owe it to you guys <3
@zooey, E.G., and jicks
ReplyDeleteTHANKS a bunch guys! :)
@ E.G. - Oooh, good screencap suggestion. I remember that part of the series quite well. But I think no one's as frustrated with that part as the audience... I mean, wtf, can't they just give the boy his medicine NOW before running along?
ReplyDeleteMy sister is kinda funny-- the type who'd finish a series (no matter how lame or stupid) as long as her fave actor/performer is in it. She's actually very handy, I can always count on her to tell me the ending. I'll ask her if she wants to tag along. :)
Jiro Wang btw, is the actor who played the Taiwanese counterpart of Toma's character in Hana Kimi.
@ jicks - I think my sister gauged the whole similarity thing via the hair color, skin tone and the smile. Come to think of it, they do look alike somewhat... Though, can't argue with you that's he's cute.
By far, the funniest one in Hana Kimi. Loved his antics so much that I even finished his series with Rainie, ToGetHer. Tried watching Momo Love and the X-Family but bleh... turns out I'm not that big of a fan. Lol x)
I love the Taiwanese version ver of HanaKimi & would agree with you about Jiro in the series. I also loved the girl who played Julia ^_^
ReplyDeleteI like Jiro but probs moreso as the second guy so, I salute you for even giving MomoLove & The X-Family a shot because girl, you definitely have more courage than I do lol (may attempt Momo one day though, since 2 Fahrenheit boys usually make things easier to stomach... for that reason, I made it out of Romantic Princess alive lol)