Song Saturday: J-Pop And J-Rock Music Block

This blog was originally published on Blogster August 2, 2013.

How's it going Xangans and Blogsterians? This week, I am going a slightly different route for Song Saturday here at Blogster. So, I chose to share some popular J-Pop and J-Rock music videos.

Most of these songs have been featured in Anime such as NANA, Jigoku Shojo (Hell Girl), Vampire Knight, and Death Note. I am unsure if Girugamesh ever had their song, "Volcano" featured in an Anime.

While watching the former music televsion network, IMF in 2006, the network introduced me to the J-Rock band's music video for their song, "Volcano."

IMF was abbreviated for the International Music Feed. It REALLY sucks that IMF no longer exists. It was a lot like the original MTV from the 1980's except it was a 24-hour international music televsion channel.

IMF was especially educational because viewers had the opportunity to learn about foreign entertainment, cultures, folklores, etc.

While sorting through my J-Pop and J-Rock music choices on YouTube, I struggled to find the Japanese music videos with English subtitles.

I constantly watched these music videos and wanted to share them on Blogster with the English subtitles. Then, everyone can undersand what they are saying.

Here's some Japanese Music Trivia for you:

1) Olivia Lufkin's music has been used in both Anime and Japanese Dramas (J-Drama). Most of her songs were on the soundtrack to the Anime, NANA. Olivia's voice was also dubbed into the Anime for the character, Layla Serizawa.

NANA is a Josei (Womens) Anime about romance and rival J-Rock bands. If you ever have the chance, I recommend watching it.

Olivia Lufkin "A Little Pain" Olivia Inspi' Reira [Trapnest] (2006)

 

2) Mamiko Noto is not only a singer, but also a voice actress. In fact, she has done the Japanese voice for the protagoniat Ai Enma in the Shojo Supernatural Horror Mystery Anime, Jigoku Shojo (Hell Girl).

I have watched all 3 seasons of the Anime and Mamiko normally did the ending theme songs for the Hell Girl franchise.

In fact, this music video for her song, "Karinui" (Basting) was the original ending theme song for the Anime and has the Ai Enma doll.

In a sense, Mamiko Noto's giving a nod to the protagonist she voiced in Hell Girl. Damn, is that doll creepy!

Mamiko Noto "Karinui" Hell Girl Soundtrack {2005}

3) Kanon Wakeshima's songs were used as ending themes for the Shojo Horror Action Anime franchise, Vampire Knight. "Suna No Oshiro" (Sand Castle) was featured as the ending theme song for Vampire Knight: Guilty.

Kanon Wakeshima "Suna No Oshiro" Vampire Knight: Guilty Soundtrack {2008}

4) I think the Japanese Rock band, Nightmare is famous for being used in the Shonen Supernatural Thriller Mystery Anime, Death Note.

During Season 1, "The World" was Death Note's original opening theme song. All the while, "Alumina" was the ending theme song. I ALWAYS favored Nightmare's song, "Alumina" over "The World."

Nightmare "Alumina" Single {2006}

5) When I originally saw this J-Rock band, Girugamesh on TV with their music video, "Volcano," I remember how they really blew me away.

BTW: Girugamesh is the Japanese romanization for the ancient Sumerian king/demigod, Gilgamesh.

Girugamesh "Volcano" DVD Single {2007}

So, this concludes my J-Pop and J-Rock Music Block for Song Saturday.

What are your thoughts about these Japanese Rock bands and singers? Let me know what you think in the comments section below!

Chiller TV Or Not So "Chiller TV"?

 This blog was originally published on Xanga February 3, 2013.

Chiller TV or not so "Chiller TV"? 

That is the question I have been asking myself for a while. Originally, I started watching Chiller TV for Horror Anime such as Descendants of Darkness (Yami no Matsuei) and Tokko.

Considering that Chiller TV is Syfy's sister channel, I should've known the network was going to be a disappointment. Once it turns March 1st next month, it will be 6 YEARS, since Chiller was launched. After 6 years, some of us Horror fans already lost interest.

Chiller TV looks like a network that was only launched 5 minutes ago. Most of its programming consists of censored Horror Movies and TV shows in syndication.  

NOTHING about the network "chills" me to the bone. I have watched movie trailers both old and new, as well as movies on other networks with more frightening scenes than what is being aired on Chiller. Is that pathetic or what?

NBC Universal owns Chiller TV AND Syfy. Both have phenomenal special effects used in their commercials to help promote each network. yet their content is like eating a Shit Sandwich.

Sometimes, I watched Chiller TV to help me fall asleep in the morning because I have Chronic Insomnia.

Does anybody other than myself find that last statement to be somewhat abnormal?

Horror was NOT  meant to be used as a sleeping aid. It is meant to frighten its audience to the extent, that we are too scared to sleep for days, not bore us to sleep. I understand that Chiller TV is supposed to be low budget.

If NBC Universal is advertising Chiller TV and Syfy, the quality of programming should be much better than they are on both networks. 

Maybe LESS time and money should be spent on their promos and MORE time and money should be spent on their content.

Chiller TV should NOT  repeatedly marathon the same shows everyday, while occasionally airing new Horror countdowns and documentaries like some fine china. 

It would not be so bad, if Chiller left every syndicated movie and TV show UNCENSORED.

Horror is not meant to be censored. If Chiller TV is supposed to be attracting Horror fans, the network is doing a poor job of it.

When it comes to airing content, Chiller TV should be a premium channel like HBO, Starz, Encore, etc; Chiller TV should be an UNCENSORED Horror network, that can be watched on basic or premium cable and satellite packages.

By Chiller not being included on Time Warner's basic cable package, its viewership is extremely niche. Only those with Direct TV and Dish Network can watch Chiller. 

Coming from a Horror fan and author, Chiller TV is disappointing. When I see a channel for Horror fans, I expect to watch independent, mainstream, and banned movies that were too controversial to be released in movie theaters.

At the rate Chiller TV is going, the network would be better off airing R.L. Stine's Goosebumps TV series from the mid-90's, which used to air on Nickelodeon.

Don't get me wrong, I do NOT  hate R.L. Stine's novels. He's like the Stephen King for pre-teens and younger. Also, I find Stine's novels more entertaining than King's.

However, I like movies based on Stephen King's novels better than movie's based on R.L. Stine's.

Anyway, with decades worth of Horror movies, Chiller TV could air so many of them throughout the hours. 

Instead, the network's programmers choose to air censored, syndicated shows from over 10 to 30 years ago. Follow those same shows up with films, which have terrible script writing and talentless, unknown actors we don't care about watching.

If NBC Universal and Chiller TV want to maintain their viewers and attract more fans, they should modify the network's programming. Chiller's programming is barely worth watching, most of the time. I occasionally watch the channel for their documentaries.

Chiller TV's programming is starting to mimic music channels. Just like MTV and VH-1 spend most of their time discussing music videos from the last 10 to 30 years, Chiller mostly wastes time discussing Horror films throughout the decades.

That is when the network OCCASIONALLY decides to air a new Horror documentary.

For the love of God, Chiller TV, please air uncensored Horror and NOT  "child-friendly" content. STOP discussing Horror and START showing it. Be like Nike and "Just DO it," already! 

Trust me, your ratings would probably soar, if you actually aired something, that Horror fans WANT  to watch.

Do you agree or disagree? Let me know what you think!