Girls’ Generation ~ GENIE (Japanese Ver.)

28MB 4:23 H.264/AVC 480×272 PSP Ready

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Credit: source vid. srx0126@jpopsuki

While I still like (love) the original more, the Japanese version is really good too.

I like how they’ve changed up the video a little. Not keeping the choreography would have been just wrong, so I’m glad they kept it. I liked the outfits in the original more too, but it would have been extremely boring if everything had looked the same as if they had just made a Japanese voice over of the original video.

I’m not sure about Tae-yeon’s hair style where they’re wearing the green outfits though.

KARA ~ Mister Live@Music Core 20091017

35MB 3:09 H.264/AVC 480×272 PSP Ready

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Credit: source vid. iHopper@jpopsuki

This is another good performance of Mister. This one sticks out a bit with the colours though .

I watched the Japanese blu-ray version of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind last night. For the Blu-ray version the movie has been restored and the picture quality is great. They haven’t retouched things like the film grain and the occasional crooked animation cell, but left it as it was in the original film, which keeps an “authentic” feel.

What’s good about this release is that it’s region free, full HD and has good English subtitles. The Japanese audio is linear PCM stereo. Dubs and subtitles in more languages are also included, but the menus are all in Japanese (even the audio and subtitle options).

It’s been a while since I last saw this movie (I have it on DVD too), so I noticed some things that I had kind of forgotten. I really like the story about Nausicaä. I’ve read Miyazaki’s original manga too (a few years ago). I highly recommend it. The story there is much more complex and detailed than in the movie, but the essence is there in the movie too.

Some things that are clearer in the manga is how much people respect Nausicaä — I was really moved by this while reading it — and the rage she feels when her village is attacked. It’s there in the movie too. The scene where her rage wells up and she loses control leaves an impression.

There are some things that aren’t in the movie that I found interesting. For instance how they obtain technology by excavating the ruins of the old fallen civilization. There’s also more details about how the Sea of Decay works and how it came to be. I also “liked” the notion that if the people in Nausicaä’s polluted world were to breathe clean air, their lungs would bleed. I feel like reading the manga again now .

Is that a fox-squirrel in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

To go back to this particular release, the blu-ray disc is pretty expensive. It’s a Japanese release after all. I bought it since this is one of my favourite movies. It will most likely be released in other countries at a lower price and other language options, but for me this version is perfect.

The disc comes in a nice packaging that also includes a miniature version of the (Japanese) Nausicaä guide book. The book is really small. Like a match box.

You can check out High-Def Digest or Asian Blu-ray Guide for full resolution screen shots.

f(x) ~ Chu~♡ Live@Music Core 20091121

32MB 3:09 H.264/AVC 480×272 PSP Ready

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Credit: source vid. Shalnark@jpopsuki

One thing that I find a bit unfortunate is that they show close-ups of the members during the, in my opinion, coolest dance move in the choreography. It’s the part when they step in place and move their shoulders during “do it, do it Chu~♡” and put their arms out and then point forward. I thought it looked cool in the music video, but I guess they had to put the close-ups somewhere .

HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR ~ Re:ache

32MB 5:01 H.264/AVC 480×272 PSP Ready

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Credit: source DVD from GKJaylee@jpopsuki

As of this release I guess the band is officially broken up.

This week some of the stuff I’ve ordered has started dropping in. A couple of days ago I got the posters (KARA and YUI) that I ordered as well as the CDs and Blu-ray that you see in the picture. Yesterday my latest two figures arrived and today I picked them up.

There’s Momohime by Alter and Seena by Max Factory, both of which I’ve mentioned before. Both figures are really great. I’m super happy with them.

I only took a quick picture, but the detail level on the Momohime figure is very good, and so is the paint job. The design is really solid. You can choose if you want her to draw the sword (like in the picture) or wield it. You can replace the left sleeve with another one that makes her hold the sword in a different way. The right hand can also be replaced with a hand without a sheath.

The Seena figure is also great. A bit bigger than I thought (I forgot that it was 1/7 scale). You can take off the sarong if you want. To do this you have to remove the upper half of her torso (takes some wiggling). It works just like on the Alter Kanu figure that I have. The seam is just under the bikini strap, so you almost can’t see it. This Seena figure is just how I imagined it to be. Great sculpt. The hair isn’t super detailed, but I really like how it shows the light breeze that’s blowing.

The Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Blu-ray comes in a pretty exclusive box. There’s a guide book (in Japanese) included, but it’s very small. It’s like a match box. I think it’s a miniature version of a guide book that has been out before. I haven’t watched the Blu-ray yet, so I can’t say anything about the quality at this point. I might write a review of this edition when I’ve watched it.

4Minute - I My Me Mine Live@Inkigayo 20100808

40MB 3:22 H.264/AVC 480×272 PSP Ready

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Credit: source vid. shisch@jpopsuki

The girls are extremely professional though and continues with the performance, which was being broadcasted live.

Luckily no one was injured.

BoA ~ Hurricane Venus

25MB 3:14 H.264/AVC 480×272 PSP Ready

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Credit: source vid. bbongsil@jpopsuki

It’s a pretty “normal” music video, but I like it more than Game. They got better use of the “Matrix” photo rigg in this one.

I really dig the “angelic” outfit and makeup.

KARA ~ Wanna

25MB 3:51 H.264/AVC 480×272 PSP Ready

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The DVD I took this from actually has English subtitles for the dialogue in the video, but I think you can understand what’s going on without them .

Perhaps Ji-young’s character in the video should work on her communication skills a little, so that she doesn’t have to pull a Misery and break the poor guy’s leg to be able to confess her love .