I haven't really seen many Haikyuu fans talk about the IRL Japanese Men's Volleyball team and... y'all are absolutely SLEEPING on them
Their athleticism and skill is off the charts, not to mention have you seen them?! Bc I certainly had not. So here, have some of my personal highlights to bless your dash 🔥 (stick with it until the end for a special treat)
Takahashi Ran
Onodera Taishi
Kunihiro Shimizu (apologies for the horrid stock image but I couldn't resist this pic 🥵)
Fukuzawa Tatsuya (retired 2021 but we must still stan)
Yamamoto Tomohiro
Otake Issei
Oya Masaki
Takahashi Kentaro
Nishida Yuji (aka Monster of the Vertical Jump)
And finally... captain, oh captain. Ishikawa Yūki
So if you ain't yet watching the Japanese men's volleyball team... get on it because you are missing. out
I just watched DSOD again... For the first time in what felt like decades to be honest.
Everytime I watched the movie up until now, my heart shattered into pieces the moment Atem left Yugi and his friends without any chance of him returning another time. This time however, it was different.
The final moments of the film played, they graduated, said goodbye to Tea who was on her way to America... Everybody was moving on, becoming an adult, live their lives. The series... Has ended. It is a happy ending. Yes. But it is also sad knowing that Kazuki Takahashi will never bless us with any content ever again. No more drawings of Mai and Joey relaxing at the beach, no more concepts of Seto's and Yugi's game development future.
No more genuine love and appreciation for the world and characters he has created. I know that Takahashi gave Konami the rights to Yu-Gi-Oh!. I know that Konami is - at the end of the day - a company in a capitalistic society, focused on making more and more money. But at least for me - at the center of it all will always be the creator himself. Takahashi has my utmost respect for creating this world and the characters and never losing sight of what he wanted this franchise to actually be - A story about friendship and personal growth through hardship.
I don't think words can truly express what impact this show had on me - Watching it as a child, my first childhood crush, being very passionate about the story and characters, yet incredibly unenthusiastic about putting effort into learning the TCG, watching Duel Monsters, GX, Season Zero, YGOTAS, 5D's. Finding a home and family within this universe, going back to it during tough times. The memes, the parodies, the OCs, the games, the fanart, the song covers, the incredibly sappy and sometimes outright horrendous fanfiction... Sometimes on my part, I do admit.
Back when the news first came out that Takahashi had passed away I didn't know how to word my emotions... Infact, I still have my attempt saved as a WIP.
I am incredibly sad that he has passed. But he left something for all of us. And I am so grateful that he created Yu-Gi-Oh! And got to give these characters the story and happy ending they deserved. And this show is something we can keep with us for our entire lives, even though the creator has already passed away... and keep creating.
I know I sure as heck will even if it will just be for myself.
I remember Tsunku saying more recently back in 2005 he wanted Sayu center and Reina vocal lead but UFA wanted to push Ai and Miki. That made sense, they were way more popular than those two. But the Mizuki push is unhinged because Maa was way more popular and even now Ayumi is most popular. Wtf are Tsunku and UFA thinking? No wonder so many fans are switching groups.
[VIDEO] Musical JAMIE: The Musical "JAMIE" is Now Available to Watch Online
With the double cast of Morisaki Win and Takahashi Fuu as Jamie New, both versions of the Musical "JAMIE" have been made available to watch online.
Both versions feature Sato Ryuji as Dean Paxton.
NOTE: On the broadcast day, Yabe Masaki (the W-cast for Dean) had been a close contact of someone who had tested COVID-19 positive. During this time, Ryuji took on the role as an emergency replacement. Because of this, Ryuji performed for five consecutive performances on three consecutive days without a break.
PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT
Dean Paxton is a classmate of Jamie who bullies Jamie for being gay and for wanting to be a drag queen. However, Ryuji puts his own spin on the role, bringing to life a Dean whose confidence and popularity hides a boy who is as conflicted and insecure as the Jamie he bullies.
Even as he watches Jamie grow into his own, Dean finds himself being pushed to the fringes, and we watch as Dean’s shields crumble, leading to the final explosive but also incredibly sweet confrontation between him and Jamie.
Ryuji’s Dean has a subtly different relationship with Win’s Jamie and Fuu’s Jamie, and an incredible chemistry with both of them.
CAST
Morisaki Win / Takahashi Fuu (WATWING) as Jamie New (W-cast)
Aran Kei as Margaret New
Tamura Meimi / Yamaguchi Nonoka as Pritti Pasha (W-cast)
Sato Ryuji / Yabe Masaki (DISH//) as Dean Paxton (W-cast)
Ito Kanoko as Fatimah
Ota Masaki as Mickey
Kawahara Kazuma as Sayid
Konishi Eito as Cy
Suzuki Emiko as Bex
Tano Yuuka as Vicki
Frank Rina as Becca
MAOTO as Levi
Higuchi Asami / Misaki Rion as Miss Hedge (W-cast)
Nagano Akihito as Tray Sophisticay, Laika Virgin
Keigo Yoshino as Tray Sophisticay, Hugo Battersby / Loco Chanelle
Izumi Yohei as Laika Virgin
Hosaka Chizu as Ray
Ishikawa Zen as Hugo Battersby / Loco Chanelle
Imai Kiyotaka as Jamie's Dad, Sandra Bollock
STORY DESCRIPTION
The Japanese version of the West End production "Everybody's Talking About Jamie", the Musical "JAMIE" follows the story of Jamie New, a 16-year-old teenager who fights against prejudice and bullying to become a drag queen.
TO WATCH THE STREAMS
Streams of both the Morisaki Win and Takahashi Fuu versions are available. Ryuji plays Dean in both versions.
To watch the streams, please refer to this link: HERE
This is a really interesting and good combination. Reina has the immaculate vocal control of Sakura, but a more jigoe-style vocal timbre, which Maachan has as well, but Reina has taken care of her voice a lot more so Reina's timbre is bell-clear. Meanwhile, putting Maa on harmonies reins in how much she can go wilding, since she has to follow Reina's extremely precise lead. What works especially well is that these are utterly on the same wavelength on how to handle the rhythms and enunciations.
In fact, one might argue that this version would be closer to the Tsunku demo than the original 1st-2nd gen MM version. (This isn't a comment on which style is better.)
Reina does have a stronger handle on vocal interpretation than Maa. She knows that phrases have a thrust to them, that they should always go to a deliberate destination. Maa is more focused riding that groove, finding the little syncopations that others miss.
This particular performance also beautifully highlights just how good this song is, which runs the gamut of short flows of notes to sensual curving around the long notes, lower pitched rhythm vs. smooth falsetto, all backed by faux-latin percussion vs. long keyboard chords, and then the empty spaces all given insistent momentum by the swelling melody on keyboard octaves.
Just immaculate craft from top to bottom.
It's time for the next voting phase of the H!P M3 Grand Prix.
If you oshi anyone seen here, be sure to participate!
Current Circuit
Semifinal Match 1
Round 5 Match 3 (redux) / Semifinal Match 2
OG Legend
Semifinal Match 1
Semifinal Match 2
Other Platforms
Google Form
Twitter
Instagram Story Highlight
Oh yeah, I must also mention something: Given that we're at the semifinals, this means that the results of these matches don't just determine the finalists. The losers of the respective matches will have one final chance at the podium in a third place match.
Good luck to your oshi (be she your kamioshi or otherwise)!
Thank you to those who voted and signal boosted.
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...well, it would have been had Lily Gladstone won. But awards season is OVAH! The Oscars have been handed out. Here are 2024's Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actress and Actor winners.
They have joined a great club.
THEY ARE THE CHAMPIONS!
Best Picture
OPPENHEIMER
Best Directing
Christopher Nolan
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Cillian Murphy
The elusive Malachy Murphy on hand.
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Emma Stone
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Robert Downey Jr.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Da’Vine Joy Randolph
*Issa Rae peeping in.
Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
American Fiction (Cord Jefferson)
Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet and Arthur Harari)
Best Animated Feature
The Boy and the Heron
Best Documentary Feature Film
20 Days in Mariupol
Best International Feature Film
The Zone of Interest
Best Animated Short Film
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko
Best Live-Action Short Film
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Best Documentary Short Film
The Last Repair Shop
Best Cinematography
Oppenheimer (Hoyte van Hoytema)
Best Costume Design
Poor Things (Holly Waddington)
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Poor Things (Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston)
Best Original Song
“What Was I Made For?” from Barbie (Music and Lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell)
Best Original Score
Oppenheimer (Ludwig Göransson)
Best Production Design
Poor Things
Best Film Editing
Oppenheimer (Jennifer Lame)
Best Sound
The Zone of Interest
Best Visual Effects
Godzilla: Minus One (Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima)