Videos: HollyHock Radio 08.22.2009 Part II

Happy New Year, everyone!!

Hopefully you had good food, drink and, most importantly, company!

MICHIDO has had a really eventful year! Just to list a few of the highlights:

We were able to have a smashing time at AM2 and meeting with some awesome bands like heidi., Sadie, SCANDAL and KanonxKanon.

We were able to experience 雅's talent in person while writing our first concert report in hopes of sharing the experience with you all.

We had another team member, Kyuuppa, join the team and released our first ever drama subs.

And, most importantly, we were able to enjoy all of your continued support even when we were absent.

Thank you so much for supporting us, and please continue to look forward to more MICHIDO content in 2012!

Meanwhile, here's to jump start 2012 with our first post--a video!

Enjoy! And, of course, 明けましておめでとうございます(Happy New Year)!




Please let us know what your favorite MICHIDO post was and why! What posts really stuck with you? Was it the yakiniku personality quiz? The GazettE's Shoxx v.128 interview? Let us know!

You should also make it a New Years Resolution to catch all of our updates with an Email Subscription and by following our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!

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Radio: G-Men X feat. the GazettE, Special 2009

Hello everyone! Here's our holiday present to you all!

I hope none of you have forgotten this super hilarious special G-MEN Xseries with DJ Takuya from outer space. Previously the manly bassist Reita was investigated, this time it's Ruki's turn!

Curious to know what the findings are? Keep reading to find out!

And the investigation continues!

---

Takuya's From the Milky Way : Space G-MEN X, the GazettE Special

HOST：TAKUYA
GUEST: the GazettE
BROADCAST TIME：October 8th 2009 (24:00-25:00)

Takuya: Annnnnddd~we're back again. Brought to you live with the members of the Gazette...except Ruki. He's not here? Huh?! He isn't even in the studio!

The Gazette: He's there, he's there! (laughs)

Takuya: Pheww, thank goodness! I thought he really went back home! (laughs)

the Gazette: Ahahahahahaha

Takuya: Now, with Ruki, on vocals!

The GazettE Invesitgation Files: Ruki

Aoi: Yes! I've been waiting for this! I've been waiting for this y'know! Ye~s! Bring it on!

The Gazette: Hahahahahahaha

Takuya: Because you're done with your part of the investigation, right?

Aoi: Yes! Yes!

Uruha: (quietly) Yup

Takuya: (laughs) You're really excited, aren't you!

Aoi: Yes!

Uruha: (quietly) Yup

Takuya: According to everyone here, Ruki's good feature is...he has good taste!

Aoi & Reita: Aaah--

Uruha: Yup yup

Aoi: Umm, well that's nice

the Gazette: Ahahahahaha

Takuya: But Aoi, you wrote that down, “Ruki has good taste”

Aoi: Ah but...well, okay yeah he does. According to us, right! But really, he has the best tastes among the five of us...definitely~

Takuya: He has some pretty good design skills right?

Aoi: Well~

Kai: Pretty exceptional

Aoi: Huh?

Kai: He's pretty exceptional (laughs)

the Gazette: Ahahahahaha

Aoi: You traitor! (laughs)

Kai: I'm going to be next (laughs)

Takuya: Mister leader, stop baby-sitting everyone (laughs) Next, Reita says he has good taste in food. He must have some pretty good tastes, eh.

Reita: Yes, like, when we're together and I'm thinking about ordering take out but not sure what I should get. I'll ask Ruki “Hey, what are you getting?” and we end up getting the same thing, something I always end up getting...Ahhh! He has good taste!

The Gazette: Ahahahahaha

Reita: No, seriously, there wasn't any mistake!

Takuya: So even without seeing what you might be interested in, there's nothing wrong with what he chooses?

Reita: Absolutely nothing wrong. Seriously, the eye he has for these things is incredible (laugh)

Uruha: That's awesome (laughs) Usually when I see Ruki eating it makes me want to eat it too.

The Gazette: Yeah!

Takuya: Ahh~I see! What he's eating seems to look good, is that what you mean?

Uruha: Yeah! There's that too.

Reita: Yeah, there is.

Aoi: It really does look like it tastes good.

Takuya: And what Kai wants Ruki to change is Ruki's slow eating.

Kai: Ahh! He talks too much. When he starts talking, he can't stop! And also when he's eating he doesn't move his chopsticks. He eats the slowest!

Takuya: I see! Moving on, what Uruha wants Ruki to change. It's...only one word. “Noisy” is what you have written down.

The Gazette: Ahahahahaha

Reita: Eh?? (laughs)

Uruha: He is noisy!! (laughs)

Takuya: Is he really that noisy?

Uruha: He is! And there's even a time for it!

Takuya: Ah!! But, what Aoi wrote down is a little different. “For the sake of his throat I want him to stop talking for a bit after the lives.”

The Gazette: Ahahahahaha

Aoi: Yes yes yes~ I'm considerate aren't I☆

Takuya: and for Uruha he's “noisy” (laughs) Uruha, you're worried about Ruki's throat too!

Uruha: Well, I am a bit concerned. Ahhh, yeah that's what it is, I'm concerned!

Aoi: Well, he is noisy. (laughs)

Uruha: Yeah, and he's loud.

Aoi: So today, when we were on our way here I was sitting next to him! Man, he was noisy!

The Gazette: Ahahahahaha!

Aoi: And I was like, “Are my ear drums going to be worn down?” (laughs)

Takuya: After lives, what kind of things does Ruki talk about?

Aoi: That's... actually I don't even get what he's talking about.

Takuya: Huh?

Aoi: He just talks to himself whenever he wants.

Takuya: Alone?

Aoi: It's like he has no friends (laughs)

Takuya: What, hey guys! That's when you should listen to him! (dry laugh)

Kai: When he was talking to Reita, the subject didn't focus on Reita but shifted to me in a flash! (laughs)

Uruha: Yeah! (laughs)

the Gazette: Ahahahahaha

Uruha: (laughs) Yeah, it's really scary!! We can't even make eye contact with Ruki.

Kai: Seriously! I was shocked! (laughs)

Reita: He's cute, though (laughs)

Takuya: Uruha, you said you don't listen even when he's talking, but...you should still listen...

Uruha: I said that, huh, but Ruki being Ruki, well, anyone would be like that...

Kai: He keeps looking for someone to listen to him

Aoi: That's the problem, you know... (laughs)

the Gazette: Ahahahahaha

Reita: Hey!!! (laughs)

Takuya: All right, and in regards to Ruki's good and bad points, they're actually the same!

Reita: Eh?!

Takuya: He wrote things like being selfish, short tempered. I wonder about this too. Does he know how everyone feels?

Kai: Him short tempered? I don't think so.

The Gazette: Ye~ah

Reita: Yeah, but...like (Uruha accidentally covered the mike)

Uruha: Ah, sorry go ahead

the Gazette: Ahahahahaha

Uruha: (laughs) I want to know too.

Takuya: Yes Reita, please go ahead (laughs)

Reita: Even though he wrote down that it's something he wants to fix, he also wrote it down in the “good traits” section. There's no sense of him wanting to fix anything at all (laugh)

the Gazette: Ahahahahaha

Reita: That guy...(laughs)

Uruha: No feeling of that at all (laughs)

Takuya: I see... But being selfish can also be a good thing...

Reita: Well, there's a good time and a bad time.

Takuya: And what he wants to change is, sleeping in late and his good point is also sleeping in late.

Reita: See, he has no intention of changing himself!

The Gazette: AHAHAHAHAHA

Takuya: Wouldn't it be better if he changed that?

Uruha: He definitely won't change that!

Aoi: It's useless!

Takuya: When is he like this?

Uruha: Well...

Aoi: It's ALWAYS!

Uruha: Yeah, ALWAYS!

Reita: Well, Aoi is a little...

Aoi: OI OI OI OI OIIIIIIIIIII (he covers what Reita has to say)

Reita: Ah! But today, right~TODAY!

(Seems like Aoi was late today)

Takuya: During meetings, who arrives the latest?

Aoi: Everyone gets picked up from their home, right? He doesn't come out of his place at all!!! Even though we're waiting in the car.

Uruha: Ah! Yeah!

Aoi: Hey, you're like that too!

Uruha: Ah! I am but I've been to Ruki's place and he didn't even come out at all!!

Takuya:What was he doing?

Uruha: Even though I called him he said, “Yeah, okay okay.” I get the mail, and even went to get coffee and he still isn't here! Then, after about 20 minutes he comes and says “Yo!” (dry laugh)

Takuya: After 20 minutes? That's...he's definitely busy with something right?

Uruha: Well, I was just, “Um, yeah, okay let's go.”

Takuya: You're so nice! Uruha, I have a better impression of you now.

Uruha: Ahaha (laughs)

Aoi: No wait, the three of us~me, Reita and Kai have done that at Uruha's house too!

Uruha: Ahahaha

Reita: Yeah!

Kai: We did, we did! It's pretty much the same thing!

Takuya: So everyone does it! I see! Ah, I wonder how Ruki is doing. Is he still there? Ah he just did a peace sign (laughs)

Reita: He's enjoying himself, eh.

The Gazette: WAHAHAHAHA (roars with laughter)

***
Takuya: Ruki, welcome back.

Ruki: Ye~s. I'm back~(in a girly voice)

Reita: What the...

Takuya: Huh? He changed his character? (laughs) Well, the investigation will continue! Final person! Mr. Leader, Kai!!

Reita: Ah~oh ho ho ho!

Takuya: Are you all right?

Kai: Please be nice to me!

The Gazette: Ahahahaha!

Kai: Please be nice (laughs)

Takuya: Why has your voice gotten so timid, Kai? (laughs) All right, please, step outside the studio~

---

Anddddd that is a wrap...well only for Ruki's part. We hope you enjoyed it and tell us what you like or dislike in the comments about Mr. Sunshine—Kai to prep for the next and last part of the G-men X series!

If you like how classy Ruki is, then you ought to join the classy bandwagon by getting an MICHIDO Email Subscription!

If you prefer a Ruki who knows he has faults but doesn't really give a damn, then give our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube some follows and likes!

⇦ Also, if you can, don't forget to share how much of a selfish classy guy (notice how no one denied that, but only denied him being short tempered??) Ruki can be with the buttons on the left!

Don't forget to check out the previous sections!
Aoi ・ Uruha ・ Reita

And, last but not least, happy holidays everyone!

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Subtitles: Kaito Royale Episode 2

Long time no see! Apologies for the long wait--Episode 2 of Kaito Royale is finally here! A very special thank-you to timer Miyavi for helping us out~

The only firm rule we have is that you do not stream our subs. Please honor our only request. Uploading them to streaming sites make other people money with the ads on their page while the people who put in the time to sub dramas, us included, make no profit, ever.

Last, but not least, if you want to link or upload our sub file elsewhere, make sure to credit and link back! And, if you want to translate to another language, please let us know first. :)

So without further ado, if you are willing to agree to our requests, then access the subs here. For those with the version of the episode with the introduction at the beginning, click here for subs that fit the timing. As like last time, here are a couple notes regarding what when on in the drama.

Mobage
A social networking app that you can play games in. Previously only in Japan, you can now get Mobage games as they expand to the US!

Helene Kingdom
Doesn’t exist. Could be in reference to Greece, but the way that it is referred to in the drama does not directly indicate this. Though, Nemesis is, after all, a Grecian goddess (of revenge, btw).

MI6
The near equivalent to the CIA for the United States, it’s a British intelligence service. Its internal counterpart is the MI5, which can be compared to the FBI, responsible for internal affairs. From what I know, MI6 has no connection to creating actual security systems like it is in the drama.

Fermat’s Last Theorem and Wiles
A math theorem stating that if there no three positive integers a, b, and c, can satisfy the equation aⁿ + bⁿ = cⁿ where n is greater than 2. The Wiki article gets really confusing as it was probably written by a math guy for math people, but in case you’re a math person and are interested, you can learn more about it here.

The problem that they mention in the drama though, is that they were having trouble proving it true by proving its opposite false.

That's it for the notes in Episode 2. I've already started part of Episode 3, so hopefully I'll be seeing you all again soon! If you missed out on the notes from Episode 1, you can find them right here.

If you like goddesses of revenge, then don't forget to get a MICHIDO Email Subscription!

If you love some really good-looking thieves, then you should give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr!

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Live Report: L'Arc~en~Ciel 20th Anniversary Live

20 years later, and L’arc~en~Ciel only got more amazing.

On November 30th, it was a chance to return to my source of love for Jrock with a screening of L’arc~en~Ciel’s 20th Anniversary Live in San Francisco.

The actual live was held for two days in Tokyo's Ajinomoto Stadium on May 28 and 29th, 2011.

I’m going to admit that after sitting through the Hatsune Miku screening, I was much more excited for L’arc since I would actually know the musicians and the songs that they were performing. The screening also held a more special place in my heart simply because they were when I discovered that Jrock was incredible.

To prep for the screening, I went through YouTube to listen to some of my favorites songs and found clips from the 20th Anniversary live. These low quality previews gave me some idea (perhaps too many ideas) about what to expect during the screening, and it was enough to get me excited to see everything on the big screen and in high definition.

There were some ups and downs though.

To keep the downs short (there really weren’t that many), watching the live screening was essentially the same as watching a live DVD on your own computer. I was perhaps expecting something more interactive because of Hatsune Miku.

The Vocaloid screening had many enthusiastic cosplayers and the audience in the theater was more interactive with the concert. The L’Arc audience was much less vocal and kept a more respectful silence, only occasionally clapping along to certain songs and cheering whenever one of the band members flirted with the cameras filming them.

I was also looking forward to certain clips I had seen on YouTube, particularly one where different singers sang the opening to Honey on the screens (even SID’s Mao, who was mistaken by someone as a member of Alice 9, and ABC’s Yasu made a cameo!), but with the time restriction, Honey wasn’t one of the songs that made it into the screening.

But the ups definitely outnumbered the downs.

Since the footage was edited, that meant that the audience got more chances to see the band close up. Hyde also gave the cameras treats by occasionally interacting with the cameras close by. At one point, when the audience in the Ajinomoto Stadium was singing back to the band, Hyde held the microphone up to the camera, gesturing for whoever was watching to sing along.

Hyde also rewarded everyone when he lay down on the stage on his side while still singing and gave the camera a smoldering look that was meant to seduce the viewers’ socks off. Besides the seductive look though, the fact that he managed to keep his singing volume and depth consistent was, in and of itself, very impressive.

The next member who got the most screen time was Tetsu with his signature flashy pink bass. He was spectacular, as usual, for his wide range of backup vocals, and as far as bassists go, he was very interactive with the audience. As someone who didn’t quite pay attention to the back up vocals in recordings, this screening definitely increased my appreciation for Tetsu.

It was also touching to see the bassist occasionally survey the packed stadium with an expression that seemed as if he was about to cry from seeing all the fans that had come to support them.

Ken and Yukihiro received the least screen time. Part of this was due to Ken simply moving around nonstop. With what screen time he did get, he was running to the side wings to lavish the fans with attention.

Yukihiro was clearly heard, but most of his shots were profile views in between his cymbals and flash of drumsticks. He did have a particularly impressive drum solo which ended with a dramatic bang--he finished by literally punching one of his cymbals.

The stadium audience also were featured prominently in the concert. One of the best parts of the screening was when the cuts panned to show the entire audience as they waved their glowsticks in unison to a song. Since the sky was darker than usual with the rain and the stage lights were minimalized, the entire stadium looked as if it was an entire city from the air with its soft neon glows.

Throughout the two hours of screening, which covered both days of the concert, only one MC was included in the last half hour. Hyde essentially thanked all the staff and fans that had continued to support L’arc throughout the band’s history. It was a pleasant change to see Tetsu and Ken stand respectfully in their areas of the stage while surveying the thousands of fans that had braved the unpredictable rain to see them.

All in all, the screening had some obvious missing elements since it wasn’t a real concert, the but the band did not disappoint at all. L’Arc performed to their fullest, and it was incredible hearing songs from nearly a decade ago come to life again on the Ajinomoto Stadium stage.

The screening was an excellent teaser for when the band will perform in New York on March 23, 2012 at Madison Square Garden Theater. Unfortunately, it’s also a sad reminder that there is no scheduled show (yet!) for the San Francisco area.

For those of you who have gone or will go to the screenings, let us know what you think! Did you wish for more close ups of Hyde? Were the harmonica lickings not enough for you? I personally would have loved to see more of Tetsu tossing fresh bananas out to the audience, but alas, the banana basket could only hold so many bananas.

On to the setlist!

First hour/Day 1 at Ajinomoto Stadium:
1. In the Air
2. Caress of Venus
3. Dune
4. Blurry Eyes
5. Lies and Truth
6. Flower
7. Shout at the Devil
8. Anata
9. Niji

Second hour/Day 2 at Ajinomoto Stadium:
1. Ready Steady Go
2. Heaven’s Drive
3. Driver’s High
4. Drink It Down
5. Shinsyoku - lose control-
6. Stay Away
7. Link
8 Hitomoi no Jyunin
9. Good Luck My Way
10. Bless

If you enjoy Hyde trying to seduce your socks off, don’t forget to follow MICHIDO with an Email Subscription!

If you’d rather eat one of the bananas Tetsu kissed, then you can’t go wrong with a follow on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr!

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