エゴサ[egosa]
Hi how are you doing? It’s getting warmer and warmer in Japan, and this shall end Spring. That’s so fast. Around my place, the cherry blossoms were good last week, but not anymore. That’s also fast.
Anyway, I am here to make a new post.
If you happen to be an artist like an idol, a singer, a manga-ka (comic artist), an actor, a blogger or like that. Do you want to see how famous you are or simply how people feel about you or what you are doing? Screw up your courage, and do google your name or you will see.
This is, you can say, エゴサ[egosa] to mean egosearching. エゴサ is an abbreviation of エゴサーチ[ego search]. This is actually one of the vogue words last year 2016, but it started from about 10 years ago. The fact that egosearching has become remarkable like this, is because lots of people are depending on the net, I suppose so.
Well, when I started out this blog, I used to think like, ah I want more people to come to read. Fortunately, people dropped by or visited here, and sometime said something. That made me happy. Some of my posts got trackbacked by someone, and I went to see how they did. I have not seen such a bad thing as far as I am aware, but oh hell, what if I got insulted elsewhere? I am gonna google my name, bangin…
No way. There is no point. You can’t do anything if you care. So what is the point in egosearching? You know, it’s a good thing to know how you are evaluated, so when people do egosearching, they want to know that. Accept such a nice complement like, ah his song is beautiful or her cosplays are so cool, they want to feel good. But if you happend to encount such a bad thing like, I don’t like his blog, what do you say?
Once you found it, you got obssessed with that. So you do egosearching more and more…it is said that this is one of net addiction, or インターネット依存症[internet izonshou]. Please come off it. No good things come out. Even if you accept such a bad evaluation about you, and improve yourself, someone else would point out something else. It never ends. Going to lose yourself. Here is a good explanation.
This is a good example. A donkey and one old couple. Both get on the donkey, they would say, oh poor donkey! It feels heavy! So the old man gets on, they would say, oh poor old woman, just the old guy feels comfortable! The old woman get on, they would say the other way around. Neither gets on, are they stupid? Don’t they know how to get on a donkey?
SO WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!?
See? Nothing can satisfy all. No matter how good film comes out, all the people on the earth never get satisfied. In real life, there are so many contradictions. You finish the work for the day, and going to leave. Behind you they would say like, is he serious? Isn’t he helping the others? You trying to help the others, they would say like, ah is he working for the extra payment of overwork?
In real life or on the net, all we need is スルースキル[through skill]. We say スルー[through] to mean to ignore or pretend not to see. スルースキル means such a technique of ignorance. Just take up good things and don’t care about bad things. Because they would tell you directly if it is not really really good. Like you are not always on time or your hair is messy for the interview. Not behind you, but directly. Let’s tell. We humans can speak.
ねえ…普通なんか言わないの？
Speaking of スルースキル, I so admire Kotomine Kirei from Fate/Zero. There is a scene the naked Gilgamesh is in front of him with an arrogant looking. Kirei never points out. Is he sure? Seriously, how do you try not to say something when a naked guy is sitting in front of you? Kirei has a great スルースキル, you know.
デブ活 [debukatsu]
It’s unavoidable. From time to time, we have a turning point. How many turning points do we have? Okay let’s see…select school you enroll, job hunting, and spouse hunting…yes, whenever you do something like this, lots of trials or hardships come to you. That’s so stressful.
Nozomi is engaged in debukatsu.
However, there is a pretty easy trial. Just keep eating, KEEP EATING! So you will get fatter and fatter. Nothing to think about. Go on eating. That is デブ活[debukatsu]. デブ[debu] is fat or fat-ass, and 活[katsu] stems from 活動[katsudou] or activity. Before I mention デブ活, I shall explain proper terms which we use 活[katsu].
就活[shu-katsu] or job hunting is the most common to use 活[katsu]. 就活 origins from 就職活動[shu-shoku katsudou] at right. 就職[shu-shoku] means to get a job or being employed. Other terms got coined from this.
婚活[konkatsu] or spouse hunting. I think I have already introduced this before. 友活[tomokatsu] means mate hunting. Makes me laugh a bit because it sounds like it so difficult to make friends. 友[tomo] stands for 友達[tomodachi] or friend. Normally, you get in a new class, and start to say hello to your next guy so you will be surrounded by some other classmates. Should be a piece of cake. But, not necessarily. Some people can do it easily, others can’t. Even that, unless you move, no friends come to you. That is why you need to do action named 友活[tomokatsu].
This is Debu Live, not Love Live (warai).
So what does デブ活 mean anyway? Pretty simple. That is an abbreviation of デブになる活動[debu ni naru katsudou] or action to get fatter. What’s the point? This is irony for oneself. For example, a friend of yours is trying to go on a diet. She always saying like, “Oh I need to lose weight for this summer!” But next day, she is uploading some pics of lots of sweets or beef on twitter. Yes, she is engaged in デブ活[debukatsu]. You point out like, “hey! You said you want to lose your weight, didn’t you?” She would even say like, “yes but I am engaged in デブ活[debukatsu].”^^ She is not willing to go on a diet in the first place.
But do not say debukatsu to your friends because this is irony. Only those who are actually engaged in debukatsu can say debukatsu. Or else, I might say like, “hey! Why don’t we do デブ活 tonight?” which means let’s get a pizza and beer or something like that.
シャフ度 [Shafudo]
I have lost my password to log in here. How long have I left my blog? Well, what shall I say first…okay, hi I am bangin, Japanese cosplayer, and the owner of this blog, Japanese words of anime fans, by anime fans, for anime fans. I shall introduce you those words which stem from anime or Japan’s subculture. I mean, they are otakish words, you know.
Anyway, I almost forgot to write in English. No no, my English is sucks in the first place. Takes much time to make a post. Well, days ago I got an e-mail from someone who asked me to make a post here. Oh no, thank you. Somone is still following my blog! Then I do, for sure.
If you are following any anime series from the anime production, Shaft[シャフト], you might have found one thing. It always happens, frequently happens. She looks down…he looks down…and they have an exultant look or that kind of look. Yes, that is シャフ度[shafudo], or shaft angle. シャフ[shafu] is from Shaft, and 度[do] means angle. In this case, 度 is technically 角度[kakudo] or angle. Whenever you are aware of this angle, you are watching anime by Shaft.
Speaking of Shaft anime, I can think of Bakemonogatari[化物語], Arakawa Under the Bridge[荒川アンダーザブリッジ], Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei[さよなら絶望先生], or Dempa Onna and Seishun Otoko[電波女と青春男]…but wait, Revolutionary Shoujo Utena[少女革命ウテナ] is also made by Shaft. 懐かしいね！
シャフ度 can be frequently seen in the anime series by Director Teruyuki Shimbou[新房照之] who has been working for Shaft. Especially, it seems like this started from Bakemonogatari.
It’s always so hard, isn’t it? Shadow and light are so hard. This is important when we talk about シャフ度. Not only looking down, but you have to bend down backwards like an arc. This is easy to say, but hard to do!
Come to think of it, there’s one more Shaft’s technique. That’s 黒板ネタ[kokuban neta]. 黒板[kokuban] is a blackboard and ネタ[neta] is a topic or just a troll. You see this on the blackboard in the classroom. The board is full of off-topic words or nonsense. This is the idea Shaft often uses. Well, I feel we always need to fill in the blank on the blackboard, no?
てへぺろ [Tehepero](๑≧౪≦)てへぺろ
Hi everyone. Oh no, I have left my blog for too long. I even forgot to write in English! Does anyone help me with my terrible English? My blog has been 終わコン[owacon], you know. So many nice comments from the viewers! What am I doing! I’ve got to do something!
Let’s get going, anyway. I swear myself that I could post one or two more topics to introduce a new word. Today I gotta introduce…let’s see…
What about てへぺろ[tehepero]? I know most of you guys are frowning because this term has been already in the mainstream. Well, let me explain even that. If you can type てへぺろ, please do that. Maybe you would see some emoticons like (๑≧౪≦) or (｡･ ω<)ゞ. てへぺろ itself has no point, but this is to express how shyly you are smiling at yourself. Especially this is mostly used when you goof up or make a tiny mistake. When you spill water, what would you do? When you accidentally put the papers through the shredder, how are you going to remove your blush? Let’s smile shyly and stick out your tongue.
てへっ[tehe] is to describe such a shy smile in order to cover your mistake. I think you can see this in shoujo manga or something like that. A pretty girl is smiling with てへっ. Also, please watch out. If she sticked out her tongue, you could see ぺろ[pero] written next to her. Both are onomatopoetic words. てへぺろ is a hybrid of these two words. So if you cover your mistake, let’s say (｡･ ω<)ゞてへぺろ♡. Don’t be shy.
So who started this term? Yes, her name is Youko Higasa[日笠 陽子], who voices Mio in K-ON! In the radio program she featured, she used to say てへぺろ. The other seiyus started to copy that, and then most K-ON fans followed that…eventually, てへぺろ got in to the mainstream. Today, even non-anime fans are using てへぺろ. In 2009, てへぺろ was at the top of the current words among anime fans, but this has been common among general people 2011 onwards.
What? Only young and cute girls can use it? Don’t say that. Once again, don’t be shy! If you softly knock your forahead with てへぺろ, that would be much better.
[Cosplay] Vocaloid!
Hi, everyone how’s the things? I am doing alright. OMG, now it’s December? This year is going to end soon…alas, how come time flies? I go to work, cosplay, and meet people…these things repeat and repeat. Oh come to think of it, I met up the blogger who comes to my blog, tasukihoneybunny in October. Well, we met up in Ikebukuro and had dinner. Thank you for the meeting, I enjoyed. I like to meet people from everywhere because whatever they talk about is new to me. I am all ears.^^
So, let’s start today’s entry. I have never been interested in Vocaloids, but sometimes I have to learn and try new things even if I am not willing to. Yes, vocaloids are quite a good example. The vocaloids I have known are Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Len&Lin, Megurine Luka, Meiko, and Kaito. What is vocaloid? Now there is no need to explain, but if you are interested or would like to know about it more, you can check here. It’s a singing voice synthesizer programmed by YAMAHA. You can compose a song and make a vocaloid sing your song. The vocaloids have a decent singing voice even though it sounds like a robot to me. Of course you can get your vocaloid to sing whatever you want it to sing.
Of course, this vocaloid things are amazingly popular among cosplayers. The interesting point is, costumes are different depending upon the song. Some of them are very gorgeous and cool. You know, I can’t even count the number of the songs. It’s really countless. One of my internet friends, Hinano told me she likes Megurine Luka. I wonder if she still follows. Anyway, I had to learn some songs in case I speak to new cosplayers or go to karaoke with my cosplaying buddies. The vocaloid I have cosplayed is this.
This is Kamui Gakupo which is voiced by Japanese V-kei singer, Gackt. This cosplay was very challenging and difficult. The character is hard to understand because once again, the theme is different depending upon the song. The song I tried with my friend is Ryu no naku hakoniwa yori 龍ノ啼ク箱庭拠リ[From the miniature garden where the dragon howls]. This costume is so heavy that it was hard to move and strike a pose. The wig is also heavy! What is this? I am like アゲ嬢[agejou]! 何これアゲ嬢みたい! If nothing else, this costume somehow reminds me of takaradsuka. It’s so elegant…
This photosession took place at the museum and the rose garden. The photographer Maah-san brought the cosplayer he associates, and she cosplayed Megurne Luka. She is a really nice cosplayer, and I think she makes a wonderful Luka. The museum was a bit too dark, but Maah-san tried his best. I would like to say thank you to the two. Also, as for the rose garden, it was a bit pity because it was too early for roses. Even that, the photographer Yoru-san did a great job. Read the rest of this entry »
終わコン [owakon]
Hi everyone, how are you doing? I am doing okay. It’s still humid, though. I wish fall could come soon. Well then, this blog is supposed to introduce new otakish terms, but I think I have posted too many cosplaying entries. So, I shall make an entry, quickly!
You know, we never know what is coming in the future. Never know what will happen. No one knows what is sure. The same goes to fashion or trend. Apparently, it looks very odd, but once it gets in the trend everybody else goes for it. However, nothing is everlasting. Once we get cool down, it will be a history. So we go for something else. That is about it. Fashion or trend never last so long.
Yes, we anime fans would be following current shows, I mean, the series being on the air now. Once it is finished, new season comes, meaning new series would start. How many of you are still following past series which were popular years ago? How many of you still remember some old series and all of a sudden feel like watching them again? Even if everyone else makes fun of me, I would keep loving what I loved. This is why I gotta introduce this term, 終わコン[owakon].
終わコン[owakon] is an abbreviation of 終わったコンテンツ[owatta contents] which means out-of-fashion. 終わった[owatta] is a past tense of 終わる[owaru] meaning to end. In this context, contents mean video, music, novel or whatever for entertainment. 終わコン is actually used to deny such trendy stuff or simply joke such out-of-fashion stuff. Okay, we know Tiger&Bunny is very trendy. Since the first season was really nice, Sunrise announced they made season 2. Of course, T&B fans were happy, but meanwhile anti-T&B fans would be saying T&Bは終わコン[T&B wa owakon]. I don’t think so if you ask me. There are still lot of T&B fans around me. If you insist T&B is not 終わコン, you could say 終わコン（笑）. Please refer to スイーツ（笑）.
So what does 終わコン origin from? The anwer is The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi[涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱]. When you hear of this anime, what would you say? “Ah it brings back memories,” or “it’s 終わコン.” That’s all. Five years ago, Haruhi was the core of the trend. When I started to be a cosplayer, at least more than 10 Haruhi cosplayers were at the event. A lot of Haruhi dancers uploaded the video on Youtube. However, the fame didn’t last so long. I must say Kyo Ani goofed up. If they had done much better, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. I am sure you know what I mean if you used to follow Haruhi series.
The Haruhi fans died to see Season 2, but it took much time from Season 1 to 2. Some of them got bored to wait. To much worse, remember Endless 8? Yes, the first 8 episodes on Season 2 are almost the same story. It was kind of tricky. In this episode, Kyon has to re-do the same loop again and again because of a certain reason. He got in the endless loop. Of course, the cinematography was not exactly a carbon copy, but it tired the fans because they had to watch the same episode for 8 times. Meanwhile, in the anime Lucky☆Star, Konata cosplays Haruhi’school uniform or even some of the characters from Haruhi show in the episode. The female saiyu who voiced Haruhi turned out to be a bitch. In this way, Kyo Ani went too far. As a result, the fans are left and said ハルヒは終わったコンテンツ[Haruhi wa owatta contents].
Well, in my opinion not I don’t like 終わコン. Because I loved it, there is no reason I hate. As you may know, my cosplays are 終わコン because I am not following current series. People ask me, why don’t you cosplay someone from Kuroko no Basuke or Uta no Prince-sama? I am not that interested. Midorima is cool, though. If I cosplay a basketball guy, I will do Rukawa Kaede from Slam Dunk. Yes, it’s 終わコン. In fact, I used to be a big fan of Suzumiya Haruhi, and have cosplayed before. Now, almost no one cosplays this series. The current series you might be watching will be 終わコン someday. For sure. Even if everyone else is left, I would keep loving it. What is wrong with 終わコン? No need to be so shy. Just follow what you want to follow. No matter how many years past, great things are great, that’s why.
[Cosplay] Prince of Tennis
Hi everyone, it’s been a while again. Spring has come, and it is getting warmer here in Japan. It’s a good thing because it’s kind of easier for us cosplayers to cosplay. I have been cosplaying as usual, and having fun. I wish I could upload photos here blow-by-blow, but I have no time to do so. So that is why I always choose which cosplay to upload here. Of course there was a time I could do well, and the other way around. I would like to upload only things I could do my best.
A while ago, I found a nice cosplay event around my place. That happened at the indoor studio where had an open-aired tennis court. Tennis court? Yes, the cosplay I did was Prince of Tennis. How many of you know this anime? Even though this manga is from the weekly magazine, Shounen Jump, I doubt this is not as popular as Naruto or Bleach. Can you find this manga in your language?
Anyway, I asked two friends of mine out for this event as they are big fangirls of Prince of Tennis. At first, I was planning to cosplay Tedsuka Kunimitsu and my friends was going to cosplay Yukimura Seiichi and Sanada Gen’ichirou. But one of the two asked me to cosplay someone else.
“Why don’t you cosplay someone else? I have seen your Tedsuka before. You can use my costumes,” she said. Yes, she cosplays a lot of players from this anime. So I decided to choose him from her costumes.
Yes, he is Atobe Keigo[跡部景吾] from Hyoutei Academy, which is a big enemy for Seigaku. Atobe is the manager of the team, and he is, as you may know, a really narcissist, but his play is so cool and great. He is always self-confident and calls himself 俺様[ore-sama]. 俺[ore] is the most casual form to mean the first person, and 様[sama] is the politest honorific. So do you see? Since Atobe uses 俺様 to call himself, he is very arrogant. But you know, I think it’s not a bad thing because it is said that most Japanese guys are 草食男子[soushoku danshi]. Maybe it is good that there is one or two guys like Atobe. Don’t say ＊ただしイケメンに限る.
While I was changing in the room, I got so nervous because I didn’t think Atobe suited me. After I changed, we stepped into the tennis court. There were three groups of PoT cosplayers, and they were surprisingly looking at me. Because I was the only one guy who cosplayed PoT. Having said that, I must say I could really enjoy cosplaying Atobe because it was kind of easier for me to act him rather than Tedsuka. Atobe always has a self-confident look on his face. You can say it’s ドヤ顔[doyagao]. I think I fall for someone like Atobe. Maybe because I am totally different from him. I think I want to be like him. Note that this cosplay is based on the original comic, not the anime, which means the hair color is light-brown, not grey. Oh yes, I have to mention one more thing; look at the mole beneath my right eye. We say this 泣きボクロ[naki bokuro]. You might have seen this on your favorite character. And needless to say, if you feel fetish for this, you have 泣きボクロ萌え[nakibokuro-moe].
I shall dedicate this cosplay to my internet friend, tasukihoneybunny who is a big fangirl of PoT. Enjoy, 俺様の美技に酔いな. Read the rest of this entry »
僕と契約して○○になってよ！[boku to keiyaku shite xxx ni natteyo!]
It’s December, and this year is going to end soon. Looking back, so many things have happened…good things and bad things. Of course, I mustn’t forget about the terrible earthquake. But luckily, I am alive and doing okay.
I have cosplayed so much, maybe too much. Of course I shouldn’t forget what I am supposed to do here in my blog, yes I’ve got to introduce a new term, haven’t I? Okay, let’s start. Because I am a cosplayer, we are aware of what series are the most popular. Tigar and Bunny, Ao no Exorcist, and Uta no Prince-sama(I want to cosplay Tokiya) were really popular. Also, there is an unforgettable series, isn’t it? Yes, that is 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ [Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika]. 魔法少女 [Mahou Shoujo] means a wizarding girl. Yes, there are a lot of anime which follow mahou shoujo, but Magika is absolutely particular. You’ll see what I mean if you watch it.
Put aside the outstanding storyline, let’s review the history of mahou shoujo anime series. Mahou shoujo is, needless to say, a genre of moe bishoujo anime, and always attracts a lot of fans. A cute girl who can conjure is charismatic for most girls and always grabs men’s hearts. Long time ago, in such an anime just the heroine is a mahou shoujo. If you think of mahou shoujo anime, would there be more than two or three mahou shoujo? But when I was a kid, only the heroine was a mahou shoujo, and she always helps people with her magical power. Speaking of such a heroine I might say Sally from 魔法使いサリー [Mahoutsukai Sally], or Mami from エスパー魔美 [Esper Mami](she is a psychic, though). They go to people who need help, and save them. For what purpose do they use magical power? That is to help people.
But in the next generation, mahou shoujo evolved out of what they used to be. There are more than two mahou shoujo in the series. They would quest the world and use magical power to fight against the evil. Yes, I would definitely think of Magic Knight Rayearth in which three wizarding girls quest. Before, what a mahou shoujo has in her hand is mostly a broomstick or a wand, but they might have a weapon like a sword or a bow and an arrow. Mahou shoujo not only help people but fight for justice. Speaking of which, Mahou shoujo Lyrical Nanoha has more than two wizarding girls although just Nanoha is in the title. Meanwhile, there is a type of genre called 戦闘美少女[sentoubishoujo] or a fighting girl. In this genre, there are always girls who battle with evil. Maybe they can use magical power. Like I mentioned Magic Knight Rayearth, they could be either Mahou shoujo or Sentou bishoujo. I shall leave it to you. Sailor Moon or Precure could be both. Anyway, why are there more than two wizarding girls after 1990’s? I assume that most girls wish they could fight like boys and adore a strong friendship such as One Piece. So this genre is something most girls want to follow. If the series have several unique girls, it might last very long like Precure or Oja Majo Doremi. Even my niece really loves Precure series.
Having said that, here is a definitely different type of Mahou shoujo, yes, that is 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ [Mahou shoujo Madoka Magika]. I don’t want to give away any spoilers in case you haven’t watched this anime, but there are two terms to introduce. Both coming from the episodes, so please mind spoilers. The heroine, Kaname Madoka is a normal school girl who has a gentle dad, mom, and a younger brother. One day, a new girl named Akemi Homura transfers to her class and for some reason she warns Madoka not to be a mahou shoujo. Soon after, Madoka encounters a cute creature named Kyuubee, and it says 僕と契約して魔法少女になってよ！[boku to keiyaku shite mahou shoujo ni natteyo!] or why don’t you have a contract with me and become a mahou shoujo? This contract is too fateful, but if you have a contract with Kyuubee, you can grant one wish of yours. But you have to be a mahou shoujo. Once you become a mahou shoujo, your daily life would end. Kyuubee doesn’t explain what will happen to a mahou shoujo. Yes, he is so cruel though he doesn’t even care. In this way, lots of mahou shoujo have sacrifised their own lives. That is why Kyuubee’ line got so popular out of the series. You can replace mahou shoujo by anything else.
Meanwhile, there is one more thing which made this anime so popular. That is what happens in episode 3, meaning Mami’s death. Yes, she dies in the middle of the battle. It happens in one moment; the monster bites off Mami’s head when she gets careless. Here comes another term, マミる[mami-ru] meaning this kind of situation. Don’t let your guard down, otherwise you would die in a moment.
So far we have seen encouragement, friendship, and justice in mahou shoujo anime, however, everything is not necessarily good. Fighting against evil is very dangerous. Magical power is not only to save people but to use for your own. You can make your wish come true, but you have to give up so many things once you become a mahou shoujo. Little girls would say like I want to be like Cure White when I’m grown-up, but mahou shoujo is a steep and horrible world. If you want to keep your daily life, don’t get yourself into such an extraordinary world. In many ways, this anime is absolutely a new type of mahou shoujo anime. So what type of mahou shoujo would come next?
Lastly, since I am a cosplayer, I have to say this; 僕と契約してコスプレイヤーになってよ！[Why don’t you have a contract with me and become a cosplayer?] No, don’t get a contract!
[Cosplay] Kichiku Megane
I am so sorry that I haven’t updated my blog. It’s been a month since my last entry! Darn it, let me promise I will make another entry tomorrow. Well then, I have been working on Saturday and Sunday since this July because we need to save power. It’s all because of the earthquake happened in March. Meanwhile, I am off on monday and tuesday. That means I can’t join any cosplay events because most events happen on weekend. I can’t even see my friends…so I wish this summer could end as soon as possible. From next month, my holidays are going to be on weekend as before. Oh here comes a new term to introduce, 生きつら[ikitsura]. 生きつら is an abbreviation of 生きるのがつらい[ikiru no ga tsurai, or tough to live on]. This means as it is, but lately I have seen this a lot everywhere. In my case, it’s too tough because I can’t cosplay with my friends. But don’t get it wrong. Actually when we use this, you have someone you really really love in your favorite anime or manga. Because your love only exists in the fantasy, it is too tough for you to live on in the real life…So mostly we say like xxxが好き過ぎて生きるのがつらい[xxx ga sukisugite ikiru no ga tsurai, or love xxx too much to live on]. Here is one more thing. Suppose here is something you are really looking forward. Maybe next week or next month it will happen. So that is why it’s tough for you to live until that happens…Maybe I would like to say like 来月まで生きるのがつらい[raigetsu made ikiru no ga tsurai, or it is so tough to live until next month].
Anyway, as I have said, I can’t join cosplay events so the left ways are a private or outdoor photoshooting. Luckily, my friend asked me out for the private photoshooting. We cosplayers share the studio for one night as it is much cheaper than daytime. Last saturday, as soon as I finished the work, I went to the studio and had a photoshooting all night long…and I cosplayed him.
He is Saeki Katsuya[佐伯克也] from Kichiku Megane[鬼畜眼鏡]. In fact I have cosplayed him before, but I wanted to improve it. I got a new wig for him, actually I cut and styled myself this time. When I cosplayed him before, I didn’t know how to do make-up. Now I do. And Katsuya is a salaryman so I wanted to place him in such a setting. At this studio, there was a computer on the desk and a bar. Both shows in the game, I took them. And…since it was a indoor studio, I wanted to make it more erotic. So please, viewers’ discretion is advised. Read the rest of this entry »
[Intermission] Interview with bangin -4th Anniversary!- （４周年記念スペシャル）
Omg, OH MY GOD! It’s my 4th anniversary for this blog! I don’t believe it…no words to describe this feeling now. All I can say right now is, thank you very much for following my blog. If you happen to be a lurker, I would like to say hello and thank you as well. I still remember when I started this blog like yesterday. The regular visitors those days, alas, are all gone. Well I don’t know. I wish they were still interested in my blog. Anyway, although it is still July, so many things have happened this year. Maybe it is too much. So I nearly forgot my anniversary. Just like the 3rd anniversary, I got an interview hours ago.
–Hello, bangin. Nice to meet you. Shall we start?
Yes, nice to meet you too. Sure we can.
–First, happy 4th anniversary.
Thank you very much. I am quite happy that I could keep this blog so far…I can’t realize even now.
–I must say I am terribly sorry about what happened in Japan. That earthquake, I mean.
Well…yes, I shall accept your words. Of course I feel so sorry for those people who are living in that area.
–So, what I would like to ask you this time is, about your cosplay stuff. I am sure you have been a cosplayer for almost 4 years because I know your first cosplay happened just after you started this blog. I noticed you have been cosplaying a lot lately. Have you had a change or something in your mindset as you have cosplayed so far?
When I started to cosplay, I just enjoyed wearing the costumes I wanted to wear or act as I like. As I told you last year, I did an actor thing for two years and a bit. So I really like to be in the character I cosplay. That never changes no matter what.
–Why I asked above question is because your pictures have been better than before. Better than those photos shown last year.
I think that is thanks to the camera and the photographer. One of my best photographers is Hajime who is also a cosplayer. She spoke to me because I cosplayed Naoe Nobutsuna in Mirage of Blaze which she really really loved. She helped me with my cosplay because I had almost no photographers at that time. And the photos she took were very nice. Her camera was Nikon D40 which was far better the camera I had. She loves to take “cosplaying photos,” not portraits.
–What do you mean by that?
I didn’t see the point at that time, but now I see. You know, cosplaying photos are pictures which clearly shows the mood of the series you cosplay. Not only a model, but a location, a camera thing, and photoshop have to work together. If you cosplay someone from Evangelion, the photos have to show that neutral mood of the anime. That is a cosplaying photo. I think that is an artwork. As I worked with Hajime, I started to love those photos she could take for me. But even that, I didn’t have such a skill like her because I didn’t have a digital single-lense reflex(DSLR). So I decided to buy it. This is how I bought my camera, Nikon D90 with a single focus lense.
–Sounds so expensive.
It is. But not so much. Because the latest version is Nikon D3, D90 got the price down. Anyway, I seriously learned how to use it in order to make cosplaying photos like Hajime did for me. But that was not enough.
–Why?
Actually, I tried to find some more photographers who could help my cosplays. I could find one or two. I hate to say, but none of them were good. Even though they were using a much better camera with a better lense, those photos were unsatisfying. The reason is only one. They are not otaku. They don’t know who I cosplay, that’s why.
Naoe Nobutsuna from Mirage of Blaze
–So you saying, otaku or not. Is that such an important thing?
Absolutely. Those photographers sure take good portraits. But it doesn’t mean they are good cosplaying photos because, once again, they don’t know who I cosplay. They don’t love who I cosplay. Hajime loves the characters I cosplay, that is why she can create cosplaying photos. How could we take out the mood from the cosplayer? Only those who love the character know how to.
–Ah, so love is everything for cosplayers.
Yes, love conquers all. We say 愛[ai] to mean love. If you are just a consumer, all you need is 萌え[moe], but if you want to create something, you need 愛. We cosplayers love characters we cosplay more or less. In order to make such photos, we do whatever. Sometimes, I had to ask people for a permission to take cosplays, or go to so a faraway place…That is because I love my characters. Having said that, Hajime doesn’t know all of my cosplays. So I had to find someone else if she didn’t know my character. Not anyone is good. They have to love the character I cosplay as much as I do.
–I see…so this is why your photos have improved.
Thanks to my friends, I could make it alright. I told you before, I was always a minor character like a waiter A when I was in the drama group. After all, I was never the lead. But I wanted to be all this time. That is why I became a cosplayer. Because cosplay always makes my wish come true. However, I found cosplay is not something I can do myself. Because you need someone who helps you with your cosplay. To create an artwork called cosplay.
The chime is ringing.
–Who is it?
I have no idea…I’ll go and see.
Takano: Hey man. Can I come in?
–Excuse me, sir. Are you the editor-in-chief of the Emerald department, Mr. Takano from Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi?
Takano: You are having an interview. Should I come back later?
–Oh no, it’s okay. We are almost done. What do you have in your hands?
Omg, Takano-san…is this…
Takano: ４周年おめでとう。
–That is very sweet. Why don’t we toast together?
Oh yes. I gotta go and get a glass.
All: CHEERS!
４周年、ありがとうございました！これからも頑張りますので、どうぞbanginを宜しくお願い致します！
Series: Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi [世界一初恋]
Character: Takano Masamune [高野政宗]
Cosplaeyer: bangin
Photographer: Uo-chan
Japanese words of anime fans, by anime fans, for anime fans 