[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
[Cosplay] Hakuouki -Okita, Saito- Part 1
It’s July. How come times goes by so fast? Now it’s getting humid, but we refrain from using an air-conditioner because we have to save power. Ah I wish summer ends soon.
If you have followed my blog, you might know I have cosplayed Hakuouki[薄桜鬼] a few times. The character I cosplay from this series is Saito Hajime, and I have cosplayed with Chidsuru, Toudou, and Harada so far. This time, I could finally cosplay with Okita Souji [沖田総司]who is one of the Shinsengumi members. In this series, Okita is depicted as a bit mean guy although he is seriously sick. I think he is one of the most popular characters. No. 1 is Hijikata, 2 is Okita, and 3 is Saito.
I had never cosplayed with him, so I was really pleased. Also, the best thing is the location we used this time. Here is a certain themed village where a lot of shooting take place. Even real actors come. I could book this place, and took the Okita cosplayer and the photographer. The weather was not so good, but rain could make this cosplay better. Please enjoy the real samurai drama! Read the rest of this entry »
ママ友 [mamatomo]
Here comes a rainy season in Japan, which means it’s been humid and muggy. I don’t like it. Though I like hydragea. How’s in your country? Anyway, I need to make a post as I shouldn’t leave my blog.
Now, there is a remarkable TV drama series named 名前をなくした女神[Goddesses who lost their names]. Most of my friends are following this soap opera, and even my elder sister got hooked. This drama features five mothers who battles in the society. You might be thinking of women who are actually working, but no. I mean, they are mothers who face confilct in the mothers’ community. The more I watch this drama, the more I feel scary. Does this kind of thing really happen?
The key word in this drama is ママ友[mamatomo] which means mom buddy. If you happen to be a mother, you would have a child who goes to school. Sometimes you need to go to school to talk to the teachers or to pick up your child. So you would see other mothers. You would have to make friends with them because your child and their children are friends. You are mothers who can share joy and pain to raise a child, and in order to let your child have fun, you need to join such a community by mothers…but that is a prelude to the hell.
The lead is Yuko who has a gentle husband and a good boy. Seemingly, there seems to be no problem in her family. But as her son goes to school, she has to experience such a stressful relationship of other mothers. The most troublesome thing is rumor. Once someone starts a rumor about you, it would be a nightmare. That would spread out in one day, and next day you would be an outcast. In the episode 1, there is a mother who blogs for her family. After she uploads her child’s photo on her blog, someone takes it for the child porno. To much worse, not only her child, but his classmate is in the photo, she is terribly accused of by mamatomos. So she becomes an outcast, and in the end she tries to kill herself.
Sounds far-fetched? No, this kind of thing happens. I just asked my elder sister as she has a son. At the school her son goes, mothers have to show ID to pick up their children. Also, they are not allowed to upload any photos of other children. No one says so, but that is a rule. You shouldn’t talk about your family too much, you mustn’t show off something, and blah blah blah…
Oh no, it is very tedious. If I were a woman, I wouldn’t endure something like this. The world of mamatomo is so awful. What does this title, “Goddesses who lost their names” stand for? In this drama, mothers never call their names each other, but use their children’s names. For example, if your son’s name is Terry, you would be called テリ―君ママ[Terry-kun mama]. If your daughter’ name is Sally, you would be called サリーちゃんママ[Sally-chan mama]. This really happens. Even my elder sister is called like this way.
There are other sayings in addition to ママ友. オタ友[otatomo] is otaku buddy, ネトゲ友達[netoge tomodachi] or online game buddy, コス友[costomo] or cosplay buddy. Some of my friends use リア友[riatomo] in order to categorize your friends. リア[ria] of リア友[riatomo] stands for real, which means friends you hang around with no specific interests. For example, your childhood mates or classmates. In other words, they are not your friends while you place in your community. Suppose here are two friends of yours. One is a person who can share your otakish interest, and the other can’t understand that kind of thing. I am not gonna say which one is your true friend, but do you think you can decide? オタ友[otatomo] is a friend only when you want to talk about your otakish hobby. In other words, he is not your friend anymore without it. Personally, I do not like this way. So long as they know who I am, they are all my friends. I am an otaku, and a cosplayer. As long as they accept the real me, I don’t care who they are. I mean, they are cosplayers or not, otaku or not. It doesn’t matter. I just want to look for such friends. True friends do not require such a thing, I believe.
[Cosplay] Rainbow -Nisha rokubou no shichinin-
I must say sorry because so many of you don’t know about this anime. As you may know, some of my cosplays are too minor such as Antique Bakery, or Fullmoon wo sagashite. Even though there are so many fans, most cosplayers don’t cosplay a character from such a minor series. But I do. This is why people say I am rare. Anyway, my favorite series are Mirage of Blaze, sweet pool, and Hakuouki…yes, they are for otome or fujoshi. But this time, how come I love Rainbow-Nisha rokubou no shichinin-[二舎六房の七人] that is neither shoujo manga nor BL series? Besides, this is not even from Shounen Jump, but a weekly magazine named Young Sunday.
This story’ setting is in the early of 1930’s when it was a bit after Japan was defeated in the war. The leads are seven delinquent young boys in the jail. Even though they are having a lot of terrible times, they strive to live on for their own. Sometimes it is too painful to see as the boys are hit by the mean guardman or get sexually hurt by the doctor. But even in such a hell, they never give up and face to the reality. No matter how hopeless it is, they belive in each other and keep going…I don’t even remember how much tears I shed while I was watching this anime. Maybe I tend to love a jail thing such as Shawshank Redemption, Prison Break, or Lucky Dog. Yes, including this anime. Anyway, I decided to cosplay him.
He is Minakami Mario, called Mario by his inmates. In fact, he doesn’t seem to be the lead first as this anime has two parts. Mario is actually the hero in Part 2. I shouldn’t give away any spoilers, so I can’t say why Mario becomes the hero. I would be very pleased if you could try this anime.
This series is minor, so almost no cosplayers do this anime…but it’s fine. I just cosplay who I want to cosplay. Popular or not, it doesn’t really matter. The thing is, I love it or not. Having said that, I am still lucky as a friend of mine likes this anime. I asked him to take my Mario cosplay, and did this photoshooting together. This cosplay requires such a old-looking spot because the setting is in the early of 1930’s. But my friend found a perfect spot for this cosplay. I think it really fits! Enjoy. Read the rest of this entry »
[Cosplay] その執事、オトメン[The Butler is an otomen]
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Sebastian Michealis. I am a butler who is working for my goshujin-sama, bangin. I am terribly sorry since he hasn’t updated this blog. I shall apologize to you all. As you may know, there are a lot of concerns in Japan. However, my lord is doing his best, and he always hopes things are going to be better. Also, he really wants to say thank you as lots of his readers encouraged him. I am quite pleased as well.
My lord won’t come home tonight since he has to work overtime, so I, Sebastian Michealis shall be humbly at your service.
[Cosplay] Sakura -桜-
I am sorry that I haven’t been able to update this blog as I am kind of busy now. Earthquake still happens here and there. I don’t want it anymore, but we don’t know when it happens next. Tomorrow? Five minutes later? No one knows. That is why we have to do whatever we want while we can, right? Me, of course it’s cosplay! I think I stuffed my schedule because I have no off-days this month.
No matter how terrible it is, spring comes. That means cherry blossoms [sakura] come to bloom. I saw so many people having a party with beautiful cherry blossoms. We say 花見[hanami] to mean an outdoor party with cherry blossoms. Meanwhile, this is the best chance to cosplay with cherry blossoms. As it disappears in one week or so, we can’t miss the right time. Last weekend, me and my friend had a photoshooting at the park. Though there were so many people, we could take a lot of nice pictures. Both of us cosplayed Saitou Hajime from Hakuouki as this series goes so well with cherry blossoms. They were in full bloom so we had no words to say…
Sakura is ephemeral like a life. Life is so long, but short. No matter how tough it is, tomorrow comes. Spring comes. And cherry blossoms are in full bloom and disappears…If I could say cherry blossoms stand for hope, I want to survive. I am here, and I will be there. Let me promise this, I will walk with you. Read the rest of this entry »
[Cosplay] Nodame Cantabile -Part 2-
Even though there are so much concern, we’ve got back our daily lives. Trains work, and delivery is okay. Food is still late, but not so much. The only thing we are scared of is the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima.
Having said that, more and more people refrain from having fun in consideration of those people who are living in the disaster area. Because of this, restaurants, hotels, amusement parks, wedding churches are too slow. They even cancel their own wedding ceremony. We often say 自粛[jishuku] to mean such a voluntary restrain. Meanwhile, some people critisize those who have fun in this situation. Of course such a mood is coming to cosplayers. I have seen a lot of debates, I mean, to cosplay or not to cosplay now.
I have no idea. Because there are too many opinions, so I can’t judge what is right. I just asked some of my friends or colleagues at work how they feel about 自粛. One guy told like this; those who have a normal life should go on having a normal life. If we don’t do anything, don’t purchase anything, don’t go anywhere, it would make things worse. What we can do is to retrieve a normal life as soon as possible. Go to work, eat, sleep, and go out weekend to have fun, that’s it. Meanwhile, we should do for the victims like doing a donation, saving power and water or whatever.
Besides, a friend of mine whose hometown is the disaster area told like this; she hasn’t seen any cosplay photos of her friends since the earthquake, nor even heard they have fun. She seems to feel sorry because she knows her friends refrain from having fun. As this situation persists, she feels they can’t have fun because of her.
No matter how much we feel sorry for the victims, it changes nothing, saves nobody. We had better do what we can do. I have been thinking a lot what to do. I mean, I should stop cosplay or not. But if there is only one person who enjoys my cosplay, I will cosplay. That is what I can do. So I decided to join the cosplay event with my friend last week. The cosplay we did is Nodame Cantabile. If you have been following my blog, you might have seen part 1. After that me and the Nodame cosplayer decided to do part 2 in which Chiaki and Nodame have a session. She started to make her dress for the concert, and I tried to find the concert hall to cosplay.
Museum in Yokohama
This is how we arrived at the memorial hall in Yokohama city, Kanagawa pref. The cosplay event takes place sometimes, but because of 自粛 or power saving this event might have been cancelled. But luckily it took place, so we joined. The setting was so beautiful, but the lighting was too dark to take a picture. However, the two photographer who have helped me joined as well. The devastation maniac Muen Kashi and the photographer NOBORAN kindly helped Chiaki and Nodame to do a session. Let’s go, Nodame. We’ve got to play for the people who are living in the disaster area in order to send our music, hope, and love. Read the rest of this entry »
[Cosplay] When the Next Rain Comes, We Will
So trains have started to move, and the power is working. Some services are still late like delivery or the likes. There is a long line in front of the gasoline stations. What I am concerned is the nuclear thing in Fukushima. I hope they could be fine, and I shall express my heartfelt sympathy to the people who are living in the disaster area.
Well…so many of my cosplay friends are talking about what we shall do or what we can do. We shouldn’t cosplay now or something like that. I don’t really know. But no matter what happens in the world, even if no one knows there is tomorrow, I want my blog to be here with you. While you are here, I want you to be here with me. There is nothing I can give you, but if you kindly allow me, may I show you my cosplays?
Like someone pointed out, I learned how to do make-up. Now I got my brand new camera, Nikon D90, so I want to re-cosplay my old characters to make it better. So this time, I cosplayed my very first character. That’s him.
He is Oono Suefumi[多季史] from Harukanaru toki no naka de -Maihitoyo-. This anime is based on the same title otome game in which the heroine gets summoned by a mysterious voice into a totally unknown world in order to save it from the evil. Of course she is surrounded by several good-looking men and you can pursue your favorite.
If you let me mention Suefumi, I must say he is a really heartbreaker. I would like you play the game or see the anime. The heroine meets him on the bridge in the rain. Even though he is so nice to her, he doesn’t remember who he is. So she decides to help him to remember who he really is…Oh no way, I couldn’t stop crying when I watched the anime for the first time. Of course he is my No. 1 in this series even now. Please play the music before you see, thank you. Read the rest of this entry »
昭和臭 [shouwa shu]
The terrible thing is ongoing in Japan, but I do want to keep this blog because, thank you very much, I have a lot of people who support me. That is why…I shall make a post as usual.
Junk parts for transistor radios in Akihabara
So this time, I shall pick up a funny word, 昭和臭[shouwa shu]. 昭和[showa] is the name of Japan’s era, and this had lasted from 1926 to 1989 before the current one, 平成[Heisei] came. Now it actually is Heisei 23rd [2011], but around Heisei 10th or so, 昭和臭[showa shu] is used to ridicule such an old thing or to point out it’s out of date. 臭[shu] means odor. In a good way, I could say it’s a retro style or classic but if not, it’s out of date. If you don’t want to sound “odor,” you could use 昭和風[Showa fu] or 昭和テイスト[Showa taste]. 風[fu] means vibe. Look at some examples.
This is a telephone as you can see. This type of telephone is called 黒電話[kurodenwa], or black telephone, and very old type. I think this doesn’t exist anymore unless it is in a film. Of course it doesn’t record messages. I am from Showa period so I still remember this type of phone. But if you happened to be born 1991 onwards, you would have no idea. And what about this?
Yes, this is a transistor radio. After World War 2, people used to rely on transistor radios to get information. People actually made a radio themselves using some small parts. If you happen to be in Akihabara, just go and see the outlet next to the station. You will see a lot of junk parts even now. This station has already been re-constructed, but only this outlet still remains. I might say this outlet is 昭和臭. I don’t mean to ridicule, though.
Of course there are a lot of anime series or manga in Showa era, but they don’t necessarily count 昭和臭. How do I say…such a retro character design or cinematography, we might say 昭和臭. As I said, I was born in Showa. But even if I see Heisei anime series, I might say 昭和臭. There is the other way around. Recently, I watched the anime Bokurano[ぼくらの]. Even though this anime was aired in 2007, I just thought it was made much much longer time ago. Then when does this story happen? It’s not officially decided, but Ushiro’s birthday is 2017, apparently the story takes place in 2030 or so. Even that, it looks so old, doesn’t it? Especially Daichi…
Then do you think Rainbow -nisha rokubou no shichinin- counts 昭和臭? This story takes place around Showa 30th[1955], but I don’t think it counts because the design doesn’t look so retro although the clothes they wear fit in the anime. Out of topic, I really like this anime because my favorite seiyu, Rikiya Koyama stars. Also, Megumi Hayashibara narrates the story.
When I speak to my friends, sometimes I feel a generation gap because I have early 20’s friends. I talk about CLAMP anime, they mention Code Geass, but I prefer X. They might ridicule it’s 昭和臭 though I don’t think so. Well, good anime is good no matter how many years pass. In the end, we always conclude that we share good anime series regardless of the generation gap.
By the way, long time ago someone told me that my face fits the characters of the 80s/early 90s. Then should I cosplay the characters from that era? Aside from the topic, I am so pleased to have a lot of messages from you. I don’t know what to say, what to do…what I should do. I am not too sure if this is a good thing or not, but no matter what happens, if tomorrow more terrible thing happens, I just want to make you happy. My blog is always full of happy mood so long as I live on. That is how I felt after watching Bokurano. So that’s why…I would like to do what I can do.
だから見ていて下さい、私の…コスプレ― Read the rest of this entry »
[Intermission] I am okay
If you have heard of what had happened in Japan, you might be worried about me. Yes, I am okay now. Yesterday while we were working, I felt the shaking. First I didn’t care that much, but it was getting very hard and finally I placed myself underneath the desk. The shaking lasted very long, it seemed to be so long. Things were messed up all over. The ceiling was nearly destroyed. If it were a bit harder, the ceiling would have been fallen down. My place was magnitude 6 and a bit.
Anyway, after the shaking we all got out of the office and got together at the park. We waited for the direction which announced what to do. The lucky thing is I am just a チャリリーマン so I could come home. But most people had to stay at the office because the trains were stopped.
My mobile has been out of order because of this earthquake, so I can’t contact my people. Hopefully I could speak to my elder sister and nephew. A few hours later I could reach to all of my family. My apartment was okay, and some things came out of the drawers or fell down. But it wasn’t a big deal. My computer is okay, so this is the only one way to contact now. My cosplay friends are saying they are okay on the bulltien board, so did I. And when I checked my mail, I got a lot of messages to make sure I am okay.
Once again, I am okay. I shouldn’t die here! Until I cosplay Gakupoid…I have a mission to give moe to all the anime fans. And I really want to say thank you for your concern. こんな私でも心配してくれるなんて…とても嬉しいです。
Love, bangin
Japanese words of anime fans, by anime fans, for anime fans 
