.:m e m o i r s:.

I'm on dreamwidth!

honooko — Fri, 05 May 2017 12:46:58 GMT

Friendly reminder to all you lovely, beautiful people: I'm on dreamwidth, also honooko! Add me there. I'm unfortunately no more active there than here really, but I do still sometimes post. AND, abscondpress is there and more updated than on here!

So: NEW FIC IS ON DREAMWDITH AND ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN! FOR DIFFERENT FANDOMS EVEN!

I love you all and miss you bunches. <3

honooko — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:13:40 GMT

RIGHT SO.

I am officially leaving LJ. Basically it boils down to LJ being asshats and I refuse to put up with it anymore. Dreamwidth has made importing journals so painfully easy I had no excuse anymore, and they are rolling out a comm importing feature in the near future, so abscondpress, falseicon and several other comms are coming with me. I may cross-post here on occasion, but I will primarily be on Dreamwidth.

Dreamwidth has, for the next ten days, totally free registration instead of invite codes, so GO and make one. Move with us. If we as a fandom(s) relocate our comms, then fandom comes too. Let's stick together. Let's GET THE HELL OFF THIS SINKING SHIP, AMIRITE.

So, yep. I'm honooko @ DW. JOIN ME. There may be porn. :|b

I have too much time on my hands.

honooko — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:27:06 GMT

T-this may come as a shock to some of you, but I am actually a huge nerd.

I KNOW, I KNOW. IT'S DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE. I UNDERSTAND IF YOU NEED TO TAKE A SECOND JUST TO COME TO TERMS WITH THIS LIFE-ALTERING REVELATION.

Finished? Okay, awesome.

Animemories: A Podcast
Remember that series you watched in real media player when you were 13? And how awesome it was? This podcast is about revisiting those series' and deciding if they really deserved the affection we had for them. Good plot? Good characters? Or were you just easy to please?

First episode: Inuyasha 1-50!

Download the .wav here. 232.6 MB, 23 minutes.

Yes, there will be more. Please comment if you take it, I want to know your thoughts ~~ON YAOI.~~

honooko — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:07:23 GMT

ATTENTION!

If you have received an email from me with the subject line something like "check out my girlfriend's self-video!" do not open the email. I opened it after getting it from a friend (but did not click the enclosed link) and just opening the email spread it to me.

If you opened it, change your password and log out of your account. Run a virus scan.

Sorry for the trouble. =_=

Public post!

honooko — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:29:40 GMT

RE: readywithmusic.

Just to clarify some things, as a kind flister expressed concern that I'm stepping on toes: readywithmusic was not created to be competition with stillness_storm.

I have been a member of, and participant in, stillness_storm since its creation. I have and will continue to participate in challenges when I am able (hell, I just did this week.) It's a good comm that's been around the block a few times, and it's still going and still producing fantastic icons.

readywithmusic was created for a handful of reasons:

1. The first and biggest is that in every fandom I have been in before Arashi, there were at least four icontests which meant that I could make and submit icons all over the place. I am not, and never will be, cut out for LIMS contests, and stillness_storm is the only other active Arashi icontest I'm aware of.

2. stillness_storm is a stillness contest. readywithmusic will allow animated icons for specific challenges (I am still deciding whether every-other-challenge will work or not.)

3. There are aspects of stillness_storm that I would change, if I ran it. But since it's rude and unreasonable to suggest someone change the way their community is run, especially in ways that would make more work for the mods, I decided it would be better to make my own, run the way I would run it, and let that be that.

4. readywithmusic, as I mentioned above, is run differently. It allows 3 icons, to raise the entry count. I use a voting method that prevents icons from placing in more than one slot. Icons can, however, place in both the normal running, and a special category, as I think that certain icons deserve first AND 'best ____'. I will be handicapping my own entries in two ways: docking myself points automatically to lower my chances of placing, and should I place, I will not enter the next week's challenge.

As stated, these differences are things I did not feel I had any right suggesting to stillness_storm, as they change the structure of the community significantly.

I don't believe that readywithmusic will 'steal' iconmakers from stillness_storm, because iconmakers make icons. It shouldn't matter how many icontests there are; if you can make 2, you can make 5. We have different challenges, different deadlines, and different systems. We are different communities.

So please; take a look at stillness_storm AND readywithmusic. Join the challenges that inspire you. Vote for the icons that impress you. This isn't a popularity contest; this is just an attempt at opening up some new space for additional creativity. ♥

PS: I would really love to affiliate with stillness_storm, if they're interested? I need to send another PM, I think my first one gotten eaten...

honooko — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:20:34 GMT

Post is public!

WHOEVER WROTE MY JE HOLIDAY FIC IS AWESOME.

I love it! THEATER! Dancing! OHMIYA! Sho's relief! AIBA AND TERRIBLE FOOD. Jun in charge! fjdshkjhjkfhkds. Everyone just go read it right now, okay. You won't regret it.

THANK YOU, ANON-SAN! ♥

honooko — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:59:01 GMT

To people in US (and possibly Canada,)

I found out last night that an old and dear friend, Rob, was diagnosed at the end of July with an aggressive T-cell Lymphoma. Rob needs a bone marrow transplant to survive, and no one in his family is a match.

Rob is one of those people you just like. He's friendly and reliable. I have a voicemail on my phone that I have saved since December 31st, 2005, wishing me a happy new year. Rob is on the list of my big-brothers-who-aren't. And he is dying. He's 23.

Please, please. Visit Rob's site and find out if you are a bone marrow match. You might be the one to save his life.

Heat wave health warnings!

honooko — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:46:04 GMT

ATTENTION ALL PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING THE HEAT WAVE!

A large part of our region is on extreme heat alert. This means that some areas will be experiencing weather 92F~100F or higher over the coming week.

We're not used to this kind of weather, so I just want everyone to be really careful. I was born in Phoenix, and they taught me about heat exhaustion and heat stroke when I was a wee little thing. All of these are very dangerous conditions that should be watched for in yourself and in others. All of these conditions can cause confusion, meaning someone may be experiencing them without realizing it.

HEAT EXHAUSTION
Symptoms
* Heavy sweating
* Paleness
* Muscle cramps
* Fatigue
* Weakness
* Dizziness
* Headache
* Nausea/vomiting
* Fainting

If you are experiencing several of these symptoms, get out of the heat immediately. Go inside, ideally somewhere with AC. Drink some water (slowly!) or an electrolyte-rich sports drink and place a cool compress on the back or your neck or forehead. Lie down if you can. Heat exhaustion can easily lead to heat stroke, so be careful.

HEAT STROKE
Symptoms
* Same as Heat Exhaustion, only severe
* High body temp
* LACK of sweating (meaning you have officially run out of hydration)
* Red, flushed skin
* Rapid pulse
* Difficulty breathing
* Neurological symptoms (confusion, disorientation, hallucinations, agitation, strange behavior)
* Seizures
* Coma

Heat stroke is a serious medical emergency. If you see someone who may be experiencing heat stroke, call 911 immediately, as it can be fatal.

HYPONATREMIA (TOO MUCH WATER!)
Symptoms
* Confusion
* Lethargy
* Agitation
* Seizures
* Coma

Too much water can actually be fatal. Water is not a substance your body can absorb straight; it needs electrolytes like sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate in order to process it. In hyponatremia, you lack enough electrolytes to take in the water, and the water basically poisons you. This condition is rare, and usually occurs when athletes drink too much water, but it can happen to people during extreme heat waves as well. Drink water, but also consider alternating glasses of water with Gatorade. Eat a banana; they're full of potassium. If you see someone who may be experience hyponatremia, call 911 immediately, as it can be fatal.

MOST IMPORTANTLY!
Please, please keep an eye on the people around you. These conditions often cause confusion, meaning the victim may not realize they are in trouble. If you see someone acting oddly or showing some of these symptoms, please stop and ask them if they're okay. There is unfortunate phenomena called the Bystander Effect: when in a group, people are less likely to offer help or aid to someone in need because they assume someone else will. This is not the case. If something seems off, don't walk away. Follow your gut; you just might save someone's life.

Feel free to link to this post, so others can be on alert!

Seriously. Cut it out.

honooko — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:52:23 GMT

PET PEEVE:

"For Kami's sake" or "Thank Kami".

神, [kami]. (n) god; deity; divinity; spirit; kami.

Okay, I am not an expert on Japanese religion. But I did get a fair bit of studying during a Japanese culture class, on specific points. This was one of them. I am repeating it as it was explained to me, so if there is a discrepancy in the details, feel free to correct. This is just kind of an overall WHY YOU SHOULD NOT DO THIS thing.

'Kami' is not a singular entity. You see, yes, the word can be translated as 'God'. But it doesn't mean the monotheistic God, it means 'god' in the sense of a title. Not a name, like the Western Judaeo-Christian 'God'. Kami are (NOTE THE PLURAL) a mixed concept. Because Japanese religious traditions are a mish-mash of Shinto and Buddhism (with a twist of Western traditions they think are shiny, like Christian style weddings) kami is a term that covers a lot. It can mean Shinto-style spirits (roughly correlating to the Western 'soul' concept, only not limited to humans) or specific Shinto gods (like Ameterasu), Buddhist-style Bodhisattva, etc. 'Kami' is a classification of being, not anyone specific.

'Kamisama' is a reference to a specific being, usually the one you are directly appealing to or (in some stories) appears before you. It's also a title, the way "Your Majesty" is a title; you call them that because it's respectful and their official title, not his name. When you are at a shrine, the shrine will often have a specific deity the shrine is for, and then when you pray, you're appealing to THAT SPIRIT.

I can understand people getting confused on this, because translations usually just substitute "Oh my god!" whenever a 'kami' reference is made, but the two are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. Kami CAN refer to gods, but does not mean the same thing as the Western "God."

So please. Stop thinking you're all cool by inserting "kami" when you mean "God". It's really, really annoying.

MONOTHEISM, THIS IS NOT. >:/

JE Music Pimp!

honooko — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:33:40 GMT

Lu asked for my top 25 JE songs. I figured aside from Heavenly Psycho, iverin had K8 covered, plus TOKIO, V6, and KinKi Kids, so here I am with a few senpai, a few kouhai, and mostly My Boys.

I am nothing if not predictable. XD

All are upped on MU, with a full zip at the end. Some of the files are m4a as I ripped them directly and didn't at the time realize my iTunes was set to rip as m4a instead of mp3. They should still play, but if you have any trouble, let me know.

Top 25 JE Songs (in no particular order whatsoever!)

1. Heavenly Psycho - 関ジャニ∞
This song is awesome. The videos on youtube from the concert (no idea which one) are awesome too; I am particularly fond of the Ryo version because he does this awesome little dance move which I cannot describe. Also, Ohkura has my favorite voice in the group. :D

2. サクラ咲ケ - 嵐
Hello, favorite Arashi song of all time. No joke. Also, the PV is the greatest thing to ever happen to 2005.

3. 虹 - 二宮和也
I actually can't even begin to describe how much I love this song. I know it by heart, I sing it often, and it's just. So freaking pretty.

4. 宙船 - TOKIO
A+++. I don't have a lot to say about except that it's awesome.

5. UTAO-UTAO - V6
Sakamoto has a very unappreciated voice. Meaning it's awesome and you all should agree with me on this. ♥

6. きっと大丈夫 - 嵐
This song came out three days after I joined the Arashi fandom. The PV is that sort of mindblowingly gay happy explosion that can only be likened to what would happen if a unicorn and a basket of puppies melded together and then turned into a Japanese boyband group. (My analogies are so awesome, Y/Y?)

7. 素晴らしき世界 - 嵐
This song made me cry when I was watching the One con digest DVD. It's just… really kind of bittersweet, and there's something really beautiful about all the harmonies. The lyrics are great too. I just love it.

8. Yes?No? - 嵐
I really like this song, but I'm not sure if that's because it's independently awesome, or because I play the One con performance in my head whenever I hear it. Probably a combination of the two.

9. Take me faraway - 大野智
I think this is one of those songs where you realize Ohno has an incredible voice. Also, the note at roughly 3:10? That's a really amazing hold. You can actually hear him gasp at the end of it. Color me impressed.

10. Hello Goodbye - 相葉雅紀
I have always really loved Aiba's voice, but this song… I don't know. I just really like it a lot, and I'm not sure I can tell you why. XD

11. 夢でいいから - 桜井翔
This is such a great song; not only does Sho sound great, but it's just really fun. Also, the perf? Suit and cane, bitches. HELL YEAH.

12. truth - 嵐
As the theme song for Ohno's drama 'Maou', the entire tone of this song is kind of tense and dark and angry… but in a poppy boyband kind of way. Um. It's hot? Also, Nino wears leather pants in the PV. :Db

13. 仮面 - タッキー＆翼
I am fond of T&T, but only in certain moods, mostly because their music has a tendency to sound really, really similar. And if I hear 'Venus' one more time, someone is getting punched in the throat. KAMEN, however, is a totally cool song.

14. SIGNAL – KAT-TUN
The only KAT-TUN song I will likely ever have on my iPod. It came out while I was there, and I actually think it's a really great song. And I like Koki's voice a whole lot when he's not rapping, apparently.

15. サヤエンドウ - NewS
fdjkshjkhfd THIS SONG IS SO GREAT. Watch the PV, seriously. MASSU WITH FOOD ON HIS HEAD, IT WILL NEVER GET OLD. ♥

16. Cherish - NewS
I really like this song! It's sweet.

17. Naked - 松本潤
I think Jun sounds really nice in this song, and it's kind of sexy in a subtle way (unlike many of his other solos, which are laughable precisely because of how "hot" they attempt to be.) Jun wrote the lyrics himself for this one, and it kind of shows; he's not one for unnecessary words.

18. 風の向こうへ - 嵐
Olympics image song! Very, very fun, and I am of course utterly smitten with Nino's note at the beginning. He plays guitar in the PV, it's cute.

19. Gimmick Game - 二宮和也
THIS SONG. Okay, so, backstory is that Nino composed, arranged, and wrote the lyrics for this song. The lyrics are really bitchy; they mention how pissed off she (from a female point of view, like a suspicious number of the songs he writes) is at the guy she likes, and how he doesn't fool her for a second but she wants him for herself anyway. I refer to it fondly as his "bitchy latina" solo, and like to picture him performing it in a denim miniskirt ala Koda Kumi.

20. Yabai-Yabai-Yabai -松本潤
This solo is the funniest shit ever and worth it purely for the lol-factor. I mean, during the cons, he walked on the ceiling. If that's not a yabai situation, I don't know what is.

21. Sketch - 嵐
Arashi's 5th anniversary song. Nino composed it, and they all wrote the lyrics together. There's a "slow" version and a "fast" version, but the slow version is literally just the fast track slowed down. I like the fast/normal version better.

22. Can't Let You Go - 桜井翔
I really love this song, and it contains one of my favorite lines ever in Sho's rap: 「もっと、もっと、もっと　ずっと　きっと　もっと」 Isn't that just really fun to say? And a neat little wordplay all around.

23. Top Secret - 大野智
Another Ohno solo. This one is one of his "dance" songs, so watching the perf on youtube is really worth it; boy can pop and lock like nobody's business. I also like the lyrics.

24. 夜風 - 相葉雅紀
As previously stated, I really like Aiba's voice. It has this smoky, earnest quality to it that really is nice to listen to! And he gets some very well-written songs.

25. Once Again - 嵐
I was debating between this song and 'How to fly', and I ended up picking this one because I think it has a really interesting energy to it. I love the pause of silence before they go, "STAND UP!" Plus, celtic-style fiddles. ♥

FULL ZIP FILE: Here!

PSA: MERLIN.

honooko — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:52:31 GMT

YOU GUYS.

MERLIN.
All caps thanks to _becca84_!

~THE STORY~
Once upon a time, there was this totally adorable skinny country boy named Merlin. Merlin is utter dork and fail and really a Very Nice Boy! Unfortunately he's got this problem... no, don't worry, it's not VD. He just has a bad habit of levitating things with his mind and making his pretty blue eyes go all goldy.

His mum is, understandably, a bit worried. You see, in the kingdom Merlin lives in, that's magic. And Magic is punishable by swift and highly public beheading. Awwwwkwaaaaard. So Merlin's mum Hunith sends him off to be taken care of by Gaius, your neighborhood court physician!

Gaius' response to Merlin's Little Problem is something along the lines of HOSHIT ~DESTINY!~

Through a series of lolz, Merlin ends up stuck with Prince Arthur ~~Pratdragon~~ Pendragon.

The rest of the series is pretty much a lot of ~DRAMA~ intermixed with Arthur and Merlin's incredibly unsubtle UST.

No, I am not making this up.

~THE CHARACTERS~

MERLIN EMRYS - Well, first, there's Merlin. He's young and cute and just happens to be a warlock. You know, like it goes. Merlin's hobbies seem to be Getting Into Trouble, Talking Back At Inopportune Moments, and Accidentally Making His Eyes Go All Goldy. Also sometimes he's gay in Arthur's direction.

Actually, he does that a lot.

ARTHUR PENDRAGON - Arthur's the prince. He's also a total PRAT most of the time. Probably because, you know. He's the prince. So everyone usually falls all over themselves to make him happy and amused and such, and Merlin... doesn't. In fact, Merlin proves his Epic Ability to get into trouble by telling Arthur he could take him down (this was before he knew Arthur was the prince, in all fairness.) But even as the series continues, Merlin pretty much fails at treating Arthur like anything but Arthur, and for his part, Arthur seems to (in general) appreciate it.

He also has this ~~gay~~ really strong attachment to Merlin pretty quickly which, uh. Has to do with ~Destiny~, but also might have to do with Merlin's really cute big ears. Just a guess.

UTHER PENDRAGON - Arthur's dad, the King. Uther's the reason why any who practice magic are executed; there's a backstory to that, by the way. He's rigid in his stance on magic, and can be (and usually is) completely unflinching in his rule. Basically, when Uther says jump, you say how high whilst fluttering in midair.

Arthur isn't entirely sure his father is right about everything, and there's a lot of resistance on his part about certain things; it's just one more example of how Arthur will be a better king than his father. Unfortunately, Arthur is still unwilling to outright disobey Uther unless dire circumstances dictate, so there's some Angry Nostril Flaring about stuff.

GAIUS - Gaius is the guy Merlin comes to live with. He's the court doctor and an ex-sorcerer; when Uther purged the kingdom, Gaius "gave it up" and went to straight up science. He spends a lot of time raising his eye brows in Merlin's directions and sighing heavily over his antics, but he's repeatedly said that Merlin is like the son he never had, and I love Gaius a whole lot.

MORGANA - Morgana is Uther's ward; she came to Camelot when she was 11 after her father was killed at war. Uther dotes on her in kind of a strange way; she's one of the few people he generally allows to openly criticize him. She's also really hot. Which... is probably not related, but whatever.

She and Arthur spend a lot of time snitting at each other. There's some sort-of UST between them, but half the time they seem to just be barely resisting the urge to kick each other in the face. The other half, they are delightedly ribbing each other. That said, Morgana cares about Arthur a whole lot in her own way, and man, when she's afraid for him, she is totally terrified. Basically, she's awesome.

GUINEVERE (GWEN) - Gwen is the daughter of Tom the blacksmith and Morgana's maidservant. She's adorable and quite cheeky, and she and Merlin meet when he's in the stocks being pelted with rotten food. They hit it off right away. Gwen has a rather adorable habit of backing herself into ridiculous verbal corners and then babbling her way out again.

Also, Merlin's her type. Only not Merlin. Not that there's anything wrong with Merlin! He's just not--er, she isn't--GWEN HAS TO GO FOLD SOME CLOTHING NOW.

I ♥ Gwen.

THE GREAT DRAGON - The Great Dragon is the last of his kind; all the other dragons were slaughtered at the start of Uther's ban on magic, and this one, the last, was chained up beneath Camelot. He's been there roughly 20 years, and as Dragons usually are, he knows the future. Or at least, vaguely. He and Merlin have a very odd relationship; Merlin goes to him for advice, and the Dragon responds in cryptic statements which drive Merlin crazy.

Also, the Dragon has a tendency to say things like, "You are two sides of the same coin" and "you are his other half" and "your destiny is to be by Arthur's side, Merlin."

You can see why fandom has taken to cheerfully calling him the Slash Dragon. He seems to be just as invested in The Gay as we are.

CONVINCED? GOOD. You can download direct from dramatic_eps, or stream on both www.surfthechannel.com or www.sidereel.com. TONS of fic can be found, although as always when starting in a new fandom, I recommend hitting up tomomichi for reccs, because Becky knows what she's doing.

COME ON, YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO WRITE ME FIC. :Db

Arashi families.

honooko — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:08:22 GMT

EDITx2: I haven't updated this post in a long time. Many corrections have been offered in the comments; I'm updating now, but PLEASE READ THE COMMENTS BEFORE OFFERING YOUR OWN CORRECTION! It might already be there.

EDIT: Now public!

still_ciircee posted some SUPER AWESOME FICBITS here and mentioned that she only knew Aiba's little brother's name. I randomly have a lot of information about their families, so!

Sho's Family
Sho's father is Sakurai Shuuji(sp?), a politician. His mother we believe is Sakurai Yuko (sp?) (Chiyo and I went on a google-fu spree), a professor of English Lit at a women's college (this was the name of a professor of English Lit at a women's college in Tokyo; I don't remember the name of the school anymore, sorry!) His younger sister is five years younger; her name is Mai, and she's done some print modeling. She works at NHK They look very similar! His younger brother Shu is 13 years younger than him. Apparently the Sakurai family have a tradition of naming their boys to all have the intials S.S. Shu is apparently a big Aiba fan. XD

Ohno's Family
Ohno's mom is awesome. Also they look very similar, apparently. His sister Mina is two years older than him; she had a baby (a girl!) in 2006, but I'm not sure if she's married/moved out. EDIT: She is indeed married! Ohno's father is hardly ever mentioned; he's a standard business man of some sort. XD They are all pretty close from the sounds of it, and Ohno spends a lot of time just hanging out with his parents. They kick his ass at Wii Bowling on semi-regular basis.

Aiba's Family
Aiba's mom is kind of amazing too. Aiba's family owns a Chinese Restaurant, and Aiba's father (Katsuhisa) is the head chef. His mom (Makio) is the head hostess. Aiba's younger brother is ~~two~~ four years younger, and his name is Yuusuke. He was allegedly demonic as a kid. He's in training to take over the restaurant so Aiba won't have to. Aiba doesn't live at home anymore, but he goes back to visit a lot.

Nino's Family
Nino's parents got divorced before he joined JE, but we're not sure of exact dates. He lives with his mother (who's name is Kazuko; lol with me fandom) and his sister, who is older by 2 years, has moved out (but seems to come home a lot, because again, Nino mentions her ALL THE TIME XD.) They are a really dorky family, and Nino's nikki entries about them usually have an air of OH MY GOD I AM RELATED TO CRAZY PEOPLE. It's pretty fantastic. His father is/was a professor of Japanese cuisine at a culinary school, which is apparently how Nino ended up with Kitchen Skills. EDIT: And according to a recent interview, his mother was his father's head assistant, hence how they met/ended up getting married. He described it as "forbidden love." XD By Nino's own admission, he's not particularly close to anyone on his father's side of the family, father included. His house is attached to a factory owned by his maternal grandfather that makes windshield wiper arms. EDIT: Nino is also the only boy in his generation of the family, which is also kind of hilarious. Anyone who knows The Only Boy In A Family Of Women probably gets what I mean. XD

Jun's Family
Jun is the most tight-lipped about his family out of all of them. He grew up with his mother, father, and sister (2 years older), but that's pretty much all we know. He moved into his own apartment a few years ago, so he and Aiba are the only ones who don't live with their parents.

So, yes. Everything I know about Arashi's families!

Fic wishlist meme!

honooko — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:57:08 GMT

Have you ever just wanted to write someone something, but have no idea of what they would like? Maybe you want to surprise them, and asking them for a request would take the fun out of it. Even better, you could have all of your favorite fic ideas out there so when you're having a bad day, your friends could just pick from the list and brighten it up.

The Fic Wish List Meme
Ganked from agirlcalledkil; check out her list too!

Rules: List 1-10 pairings/prompts that you have been dying to read. Maybe it's a really rare pairing or something you've requested on any of the past smut memes which haven't been fulfilled. When you see this posted on your friends' journals, you may do one of the following:

- Write it.
- Link to one that's already been written, whether by you or someone else.
- Nothing, but karma will get you. >_>

There are no length or rating limits, and prompts may be duplicated (PLEASE). Be specific in your prompts particularly in reference to preferred smut content, seme/uke order, and any other requirements that may hinder your appreciation of the fic.

There is no deadline for this, but once your ten prompts have been written to your satisfaction you are welcome to make a new post starting over. You may write your own prompts if you want. If your tastes change, you can certainly switch out one prompt for another at any time.

1. Yamada Tarou Monogatari, Takuya/Taro. They've been dating for MONTHS and Taro suddenly and inexplicably realizes this. As in, they were dating... but it never occurred to him they were dating. Bonus points if they've been doing Other Stuff and he still didn't think they were dating. ILU TARO, YOU ARE DENSE. ♥
HERE, by capncosmo! ♥!!!!

2. Nino/Jun domesticity. Their snark must be lovesnark. Like, "Your ass looks as big as Okinawa in those jeans." "...So, you've been staring at my ass." "I'm like a moth to the light?"

3. Ohmiya Friends With Benefits. As in, we like girls! But you're hot and you're here, so wanna fuck? :D ♥ And nobody angsts over it.

4. The first time Chibi!Sho goes to Chibi!Nino's house. Remember, Sho is stupidly rich and Nino is tragically poor. Nino is probably both aware and nervous about this. Shyness, awwww.

5. Arashi as girls. Not like, they turned into girls, but like, they have always been girls. Bonus points for femmeslash. ♥
HERE. waxrose IS MY HERO NOW. ♥

6. Oguri Shun/Jun (Nino can be added in for extra fun if you feel up to it.) Late night drinking and camaraderie.

7. Ohnomama and Ninomama having a long conversation about whether their sons are Doing What We Think They're Doing (And If Not, How We Can Convince Them To Go For It, As Clearly, They Get Along Suspiciously Well.)

8. Midsummers Night's Dream: Ohno is Oberon, Nino is Puck, Jun is Titania (DON'T JUDGE, YOU KNOW IT'S PERFECT) H!S!J as the assorted fae, Aiba as Lysander, Sho as Demetrius, Aoki Sayaka as Hermia, and Shibata Rie as Helena. YOU CANNOT TELL ME THIS WOULD NOT BE THE BEST THING EVER.

9. DBSK get a tour of Tokyo by Arashi, their guides. The pair-ups are preferrably: Ohno+Yunho (LEADER^2), Jaejoong+Jun (Cooking Mamas), Nino+Changmin ("We wouldn't dream of misbehaving! 9_9"), Aiba+Junsu (TEEHEEHEEHEEHEE etc.), and Yoochun+Sho ("...so you rap and speak english? Me too!")

10. ARASHI PORN. ♥ (I really like frottage, btw, so if you really want to make me sparkle at you, there's your ticket.)

♥ Kil's List
♥ Bei's List
♥ Deni's List
♥ Pixi's List
♥ Kari's List
♥ Cyn's List
♥ Kami's List
♥ Whitney's List
♥ Ankh's List
♥ Kate's List
♥ Beeve's List
♥ Jo's List
♥ Gwynn's List
♥ Kya's List
♥ Iris' List
♥ Liz's List
♥ Anmi's List
♥ Anamuan's List
♥ JadedFrenzy's List
♥ Maya Morning's List
♥ Pero's List
♥ ThaWrecka's List
♥ Yamapea's List
♥ Tiina's List
♥ Erica's List
♥ Andii's List

LINK ME TO YOURS TOO, GUYS. ♥

Ohmiya: The who, the why, and the gratuitous cute.

honooko — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 03:03:13 GMT

EDIT: May 8th, 2007. Updated some info and added new "evidence"! :D

So, karinberry asked me to write up an Ohmiya pimp post. And... I sort of got carried away. A little. Maybe. Aaaaaanyway, here it is, in all its nine-pages-in-Word-single-spaced glory. This post will stay public for the public to enjoy.

Once again, as with the Arashi Pimpost: Feel free to link this entry!

Ohmiya: The who, the why, and the gratuitous cute.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In that sense, ten pictures are worth ten thousand words, one hundred, one hundred thousand words. So how many words can be said about people who have had thousands upon thousands of photos taken of them?

Ohno Satoshi and Ninomiya Kazunari met in 1997 or 1998, presumably during work for 'Kyo to Kyo'. Ohno was Arashi’s wild card; he’d spent most of his Juniors years in Kyoto, a member of Musical Academy, while the other four had high visibility spots on TV in Tokyo. Nobody really knew Ohno. EDIT: Though apparently Nino did know him enough to be pinned down by him. ♥

EDITx2: Nino finally cleared it up some. Back in the day, they did work on the '97 'Kyo to Kyo' together, but didn't interact much. Around this time, he and Sho ran into Ohno at a Jrs volleyball event, and they ended up talking. Nino admits that he was drawn to Ohno because neither of them really wanted to be in Jrs, and they talked about what they wanted to do once they left Johnnys. Then they all ended up playing volleyball together. He refers to it as "playing with my two best friends".

And yet, in this clip, mere months (maybe even weeks?) Nino has already progressed to calling Ohno by a rather intimate nickname: Oh-chan. This is odd for a number of reasons. First, he doesn’t know Ohno that well. Two, Ohno’s older than him. Three, Ohno is his senior in terms of Johnny’s hierarchy. Normally, Japanese rules of formality would dictate that Nino call him ‘Ohno-kun’, like everyone else does. But Nino calls him ‘Oh-chan’.

Since that time, Ohno and Nino have actually teamed up and formed the comedy duo, Ohmiya SK. They perform funny skits during the concert runs, and are never recorded. This is where the pairing name came from; how many of your pairings made their own name?

In this essay, I’m going to try and explain why I’ve come to believe that there is something between these two men. I’ll show you examples of closeness and intimacy between them, in interviews, TV, photos, and Nino’s own blog. From there, I hope you’ll be able to draw your own conclusions, and I welcome any additional sources you may have.

Much of the evidence involving words, such as text and TV appearances, are from Nino’s side of things. You are welcome to accuse me of a bias towards Nino (which admittedly, I have), but the honest truth of the matter is that Ohno is a quiet man and more often than not doesn’t say a hell of a lot. Fortunately, Nino is more than chatty enough to make up the difference.

Verbal/Written Evidence

Casefile #1: Nino’s Game Nikki
Nino is first and foremost an idol. But secondly, he is a gamer. The kind of gamer that frequently takes his PS2 (or PS3 now, I suppose) with him when he has to leave town for something. The kind of gamer that spends all day on his day off trying to beat that one last boss in order to get the sixth ending. The kind of gamer that referred to finding the last PS3 in Akihabara (eg. Tokyo’s Nerd Captial) as “Destiny”. Nino is a tech geek at heart, and has a Nikki (translations courtesy of this lovely lady), a sort of blog that he updates from his cell phone, and other people read from theirs. His is called “Game Nikki” for rather obvious reasons, but games aren’t the only things he writes about. Sometimes it’s about work, or about something interesting he saw on TV, or about what he did that day.

And frequently, he mentions Ohno.

Take, for example Nino’s entry on September 9th, 2006:

It’s the first time！

First time in my life.

clothes…giving that to another person
[…]
the name of that person is…。

Ohno Satoshi

very happy (;^_^A

he looked very happy too

I’ve read back several months, and been a frequent follower of the translations of Nino’s Nikki. And from what I’ve seen, he rarely mentions any of the members by name… except Ohno. Whenever he talks about Arashi getting together as a group, he always singles Ohno out and makes some comment, be it that Ohno seems “genki” (energetic, hyper, excited) [October 10th, 2006] or how hard Captain was working [November 11th, 2006]. Occasionally, he will mention Ohno with seemingly little connection to his topic. For example, take this entry from October 1st, 2006:

Surprise！

Because yesterday was a long awaited break

I was wondering where I should go.

in the end, I stayed at home the whole day

It has been a long time since I watched the real-time broadcast of『Mago Mago Arashi』

Went to Kyoto ne
Went to the hotel that Captain stayed before ne

As you can see, mentioning that he stayed in a hotel that Ohno had been to seems a bit random, even for Nino. The only explanation is he was excited to discover that connection. Another example, from November 11th, 2006 (during the Korean concert series):

I am hoping for that tension will be high.

I didn’t play with Captain but was working hard during rehearsals ♥

Or this October 10th, 2006 entry, where he was discussing going to see a play an acquaintance was in:

Everyone.

has worked hard

Before it started.

《The next time I come and watch is probably Captain’s stage play》

this was what I thought.

So what does all this tell us? Well, clearly Ohno means a great deal to Nino, because he mentions him and thinks about him fairly consistently. He singles Ohno out when mentioning group activities, and when discussing MagoMago shootings, he only mentions the ones he is in with Ohno. If you want to be cynical (which I tend to be on the subject of slash, as it keeps me from becoming one of those ‘rabid’ yaoi fangirls we all love to hate) you can say that it shows what very close friends they are. They hang out, they ‘play’ together, and they give each other gifts for no reason.

EDIT: Another recent Nikki entry refers to Ohno's appearence on the show 'Hanamaru Cafe'. It's a sweet nostalgic piece, I think, that really shows off Nino's appreciation of Ohno.

But if you want to get a little more theoretical, it’s not very hard. Look at Nino’s entries, and compare his mentions of Ohno with that of someone you know who has a very big crush. The random mentions, the excitement to be around them, the excessive use of hearts, the somewhat out of character generosity (Nino is a notorious cheapskate, and yet, bought Ohno an entire suit, one of the most expensive kinds of clothing for men). It’s very similar, isn’t it? His attitude towards Ohno seems almost ridiculously adoring.

As I’ve said: I do ship them, and therefore will make these “leaps”. Feel free to draw your own conclusions from the Nikki. But we’re not done with text evidence yet!

Casefile #2: Interviews
I had the incredibly good fortune in summer of 2006 to actually see one of Arashi’s concerts, on the Arashic tour. July 22nd, in the Yokohama Arena, second show. Yes, I remember that specifically. You would have too. But we’ll get to that later; first I want to talk about the concert pamphlet.

Besides being an absolutely gorgeous little book, it featured extensive interviews, with the members individually, about themselves and how they saw the others. It was really interesting to read about, partially because it gives a very clear picture of how close these guys really are (despite Nino insisting it would be bad if they got too close; I don’t understand what he means by that yet). Now, I read little to no Japanese. I can recognize the members’ names, a few basic kanji, and the kana. That’s… pretty much it. So imagine my frustration to be scanning over the ‘What you think about the other members’ section and not being able to read what they thought about each other!

But my attention was draw instantly to Nino’s section. Why? Because just like in his Nikki, Nino singles Ohno out. Everyone else’s paragraphs were divided, one little section for each member. Nino’s, on the other hand, was divided into two pieces: “Captain” and “Members”. Curious, isn’t it? Why would Nino break from the mold? (And “because he’s Nino” is probably a good answer.) A kind soul on livejournal translated:

Let's start off with Captain, shall we? Captain is a very kind person. Even if it's the most unpleasant job... we will do it when it needs to get done. That's the type of person he is. Also... he keeps on telling me these days that he wants a chainsaw... but I don't get him at all (laugh) He's kind but he's also a weirdo...(laugh) It's not like I understand everything about him.

The rest of the paragraph is a tangent about the members and how they are all well-mannered people. But again, the fact that Nino singled Ohno out is curious, to say the least. Let’s look at Ohno’s on Nino, shall we?

Nino never changes... I was really happy when I noticed that he hasn't changed a bit since he came back from LA. I think he has this "core" self and that never changes. He still plays games all the time. And his actions never change either. I'm sure he's changing inside. He's going through a lot and maturing while he experiences a lot of different jobs, but that doesn't show on the outside. So when you just see his actions, he’s not changed since he was a kid. But I’m sure he has grown a lot inside.

Rather deep for Ohno, don’t you think? Ohno is very much a quiet observer, watching the people around him and noticing things that might be missed by other people. At first glance, he seems kind of slow and spacey, but in truth, I think he’s one of the smarter members. Ohno recognizes things in people, changes and growth. It’s these qualities that make him actually a pretty good group leader!

It’s also worth noting that the other members sometimes offhandedly mention Ohno and Nino being together. For example, MatsuJun’s section about Ohno:

[...] But he gave me a text message two minutes before the last day of my play. I think he wrote it with Nino...

The next thing I want to draw your attention to is really a crossover with photoshoots, but I think it’s worth noting. During interviews, the boys are notorious for chatting with each other. Some of my favorite moments are things they’d said offhand, and it was recorded by the staff. For example, this picture:

To translate, Nino’s bubble says, (roughly, again, my Japanese is amateur at best) “If [we’re talking about] SEXY, then it’s got to be Ohno Satoshi.” Meaning, if you want to know who the sexiest is, then the answer is Ohno. Now, I find Ohno very hot. But out of all five? He’s definitely not the first one people think of when you say ‘sexy’. Unless you’re Nino, in which case, he is. Apparently. And for the curious, Aiba’s bubble says, “That’s definitely not a mistake!" (Correction of my failure Japanese thanks to Cheri. ♥)

As Alice says, curiouser and curiouser.

Casefile #3: Television
TV moments are also excellent places for shippers to get fodder. For the moment, I’m going to focus on what they said rather then what they did, because that’s an entirely different section. So.

MagoMago Arashi, August 19th, 2006, in the group talk at the end, Sho asked the group what they would like to do before the end of the summer. I have transcribed the conversation for your convenience! (The clip can be seen on youtube here.)

Sho: In this summer, is there something that you really want to do? Which Arashi member do you want to do it with, and where would you go?
Aiba: Ehhh, it’s hard to choose.
Ohno: I want to go to an uninhabited island with Nino.
Nino: *covers face in embarrassment*
Ohno: I want to make a start.
MatsuJun: Start what?
Nino: *laughs hard*
Sho: No one moves there?
Ohno: That’s why I want to go!
Sho: I see.
Ohno: There’s no one there. I won’t move there! Or else I’ll die!
All: *laugh*
[...]
Nino: I want to… go with Matsumoto-kun… to BBQ.
Ohno: I just said I want to go with Nino! *broken heart image on screen* Why’d you wanna go with Matsumoto!
Aiba: Wait, wait, wait, everyone we aren’t in a one-sided love by the way.
Ohno: Why don’t you want to go make BBQ with me! Why are you so mean to me!
Nino: *laughing* Okay, then I can make BBQ with this one.
Ohno: No, no, no way it’s too late. *laughing*

So what’s worth noting about this exchange? Well, first of all, the completely random nature of Ohno’s scenario. An uninhabited island, with just Nino? Smells a bit like a lovely little gay tropical retreat to me. But that isn’t the main point. When viewing this clip, pay attention to Nino’s expressions. As a general, Nino tends to hide what he’s actually feeling, and only present a rather snarky, silly kind of persona. He doesn’t show a lot of emotion. But here, you can clearly see his embarrassment. He hides his face when Ohno announces his plan (something he usually only does when being complimented), and his laughter is a bit forced. And then he states he wants to BBQ with Jun, as if to negate the close nature of Ohno’s plans. But Ohno uncharacteristically bursts out with various hurt statements (and a joking puppy-dog face), until Nino corrects himself.

So, we have: Ohno being very talkative on the subject of Nino, Nino being shy about Ohno’s idea, Nino attempting to change the subject, and Ohno refusing. The broken heart image is cute, but not really something worth analyzing as it is fanservice-y in nature. The conversations are not scripted or even really planned beyond what Sho is supposed to ask. This was an actual half-joking exchange.

On Kodomo no Bangohan, as well as being ridiculously adorable, we are given a glimpse of what Ohmiya are like in a situation where they have to rely on each other. Nino appears to have a phobia of diapers, because as soon as one needs to be changed, he runs to Ohno. Even more interesting, while Ohno has no idea what to do either, he doesn’t protest and tries anyway. Recently they used a teamwork-style of changing; Nino got it off (then ran to the hallway to breathe) and Ohno cleaned up and got a clean one back on. Nino checks in on Ohno’s cooking, complimenting and encouraging him when it seems like it’s going well.

Nino generally takes on the ‘wifely’ duties (I mean no disrespect when saying that; I mean, the role the Japanese wife is expected to fill) by keeping an eye on the kids, folding laundry, and cooking. Ohno takes the father role, playing with the kids, disciplining when necessary, and bathing the boys (when there’s a girl involved, she is either not bathed, or old enough to do it alone.) As a unit, considering they have pretty much zero experience with kids, seeing as they are both the babies of their families, they work remarkably well. Aside from nearly losing a little boy the first time they were on the show, they’ve had no mishaps. And to be fair, four kids at once is a lot, even for the experienced babysitter.

EDIT: On a recent episode of 'Utaban', Nino told a rather amusing anecdote. Apparently, Ohno had been out drinking with a friend and friend-of-friend, and discovered that FoF was a fan of Nino's. Being the... semi-drunk and helpful person that he is, Ohno called Nino up right away. At 1am. When Nino was trying to sleep. Even more, when Nino didn't answer, Ohno kept calling. Finally on the third try, Nino picked up because he thought it might be something important, but Ohno just said, "Nino-chan, aishiteruyo~♥" (Quick Japanese lesson; there are varying degrees of ways to say 'I love you'. Most common is 'suki', translating roughly to 'like'. A little above that is 'daisuki', 'big like/love'. Couples use this one, as do parent/child relationships and such to show a very strong, semi-permanent bond. But Ohno used 'aishiteru', a very very very strong 'love', as in the forever-and-ever kind of strength. Some married couples don't even say this, ever. It's too strong for most people to say comfortably. Admittedly, Ohno was drunk here, but alcohol has the tendency to give quiet/shy people a little more courage, yes? XD)

Visual Evidence
Casefile #4: Television
“Now wait a minute!” I hear you all cry. “We already covered TV!” Not so, my young slasher friend, not so. We covered what they said on TV, not what they did. I promise, there will be gratuitous capspam. Prepare to squee.

PDFs: Public Displays of Affection
Perhaps the strongest evidence for Ohmiya is how they behave around each other. They are ridiculously physical with each other and seem to have no care as to where they do it. Most of the time, neither even seem fully aware of the motions. What do I mean by PDFs?

I’m glad you asked.

PDFs between Ohmiya include, but are not limited to: hugging, arms over shoulders, arms around waist, holding hands, chin on shoulder, hair petting, ear petting, hand-on-thigh, sleeping wrapped tightly around each other (see clip below), full-blown ass molesting, kissing.

You think I’m exaggerating. You’re thinking, “She’s taken perfectly innocent friendly gestures and misinterpreted them for her evil, boyband-slashing ways!”

Well, little slasher, I’m going to be honest with you. I squee shrilly and flail my arms in glee whenever these two so much as look at each other. Every bumped knee is another notch on my fangirl belt. However! I am also a dreadful cynic, especially where real men are concerned, and am the first to admit that most “pairings” have got nothing every remotely beyond platonic going for them. This may get me lynched, but in KAT-TUN fandom? I think Akame is a load of crock.

Note to self: once this report is finished, finalize your will.

But Ohmiya, Ohmiya has basis! Ohmiya has evidence! Ohmiya sleeps in the same, one-person futon in their underclothes, wrapped tightly around each other only to spring suddenly apart when a camera is noticed! Suspicious, say I. Suspicious.

“You whore!” You cry. “I want to see the boys in bed together!”

Fear not, little slasher. It is here on youtube. Watch, and you will understand what I’m talking about.

While we’re on the subject of this clip, I’d like to point out a few things. Firstly, Ohno wasn’t even supposed to be in that room. It has no English subs, so let me explain. Sho is telling Aiba (who is holding the camera) about how he was late eating dinner. Nino volunteered to share a room with him so he wouldn’t be alone when he finished. Sho leads them to his room, and sees in his futon, Ohno and Nino woven together. Ohno sees the camera and leaps to the other futon, as if whatever he was doing he really shouldn’t have been. Nino, noticing Ohno’s sudden disappearance says groggily, “Ah, is it morning already? Morning.” (Note: Nino is not a morning person, and rarely aware of his surroundings after he’s woken up.) Laughing, Sho and Aiba make a beeline for MatsuJun’s room (who is sleeping alone) and tell him what they’ve seen. Ohno appears, and MatsuJun says, “Again?” Ohno laughs awkwardly, almost flinching when they turn towards him, and they say their goodnights.

Now, I’m a really touchy-feely person. I like to hug my friends, cuddle with them, sit in their laps, flop on them, etc. I have no problems with getting close to people. But there are only two people I would snuggle with like that, and one is my dear cousin, the other my best friend. And even then, I’m not sure I could handle being that close.

This was the second clip of Arashi I ever saw. Ever. A year ago was the first I’d heard of them, and I have literally spent this entire time trying to come up with a platonic reason for that embrace. And I can’t find one. Admittedly, Japanese boys are far more comfortable touching each other than American ones, but the point remains. This pair seems to completely ignore personal space when it comes to each other. And I love it.

Arashi no Shukudai-kun is Arashi’s newest variety show, and it is fairly ripe with PDFs. Ohmiya sit on a couch alone with each other, and even though they have an entire couch, they are almost constantly sitting hip-to-hip. Aiba and MatsuJun also have an entire couch to themselves, but they sit at opposite ends, and almost never touch. Ohmiya often put an arm around the back of the couch, and if you’re watching, it’s not hard to catch Nino playing with Ohno’s hair on the back of his head. Ohno sometimes puts his hand on Nino’s thigh, and my favorite episode showed him patting said thigh soothingly after Nino start wailing about being teased.

The most recent example of Ohmiya being touchy-feely on National television? The camera panned to them, and Nino was quite clearly rubbing Ohno’s ear. And Ohno looked for all the world like a sleepy, pleased, fat cat. He even had a smug little smile on his face. Here, have a screencap!

Another example of closeness on Shukudai-kun? In the five second clip they run after the ending notes for the show, those of us that were still watching were treated to Nino sitting right up against Ohno with an arm around him, and Ohno not minding one bit.

On MagoMago Arashi, there’s even more ridiculous cuteness.

(Moments after the above cap, Nino kisses Ohno on the tip of his nose. No, I'm not kidding.)

I think what draws me to these PDFs is the totally unselfconscious nature of them. Half the time, Nino is touching Ohno without noticing he’s doing it. Ohno will move closer to Nino without realizing it. They are pulled to touch each other in a completely non-fanservice-y way. When Arashi does fanservice, it’s all very obvious and deliberate. These moments are almost accidental, leaving the viewer feeling a bit like they’d been peeking in on a private moment. Part of what I adore about them is how genuine all these gestures seem.

And how they never seem to mind giving people “the wrong idea”.

Casefile #5: Pictures
Photoshoots are by their very nature somewhat inorganic. You are told perhaps an overall theme, and given props to work with, but not actually posed like most people think. A truly good model never has to be told how to move; they just know. You pick a starting point and keep moving, changing ever so slightly, pausing with each shift, until the roll is empty.

Arashi have been doing shoots for a very long time, and have gotten to the point where they can chitchat as they work, hence the bright smiles and laughing faces mixed in with serious smoldering looks. The members are often split up (because five guys on one page can be a bit of a squeeze), and Ohmiya gets paired up a lot. It’s the way they act when paired up that interests me most. Observe the following picspam!

(For more images and these in HQ, feel free to poke around in my Ohmiya gallery.)

You see? I can’t even quite explain it the way I’d like, because it’s something… intangible. There’s an energy there between them, a relaxed comfort with each other that speaks of a very good relationship outside of work.

Conclusion: Friends, or more?
I have in this essay given you all the obvious pieces of the puzzle. But there are gaps of course; I will never be able to definitively say whether they really are ‘together’. And I certainly can’t decide for you. It’s up to you to put this puzzle together and choose which picture you think fits best. Even more important, there are always more pieces to find and examine; this game isn’t finished yet. All I can do is tell you what I think.

Personally? I think there is something between them. I think there’s an attraction, feelings beyond the platonic. Whether or not they’ve acted on this obvious chemistry, I haven’t decided yet. And neither do I believe it’s as clear as “gay or not gay”; sexualities don’t work like that. It isn’t black and white; it’s a continuum that’s based on who you love, not what. As a bisexual female, I can tell you it’s not that easy to just say “I like these kinds of people.” There are always exceptions to the rule.

Nino has had girlfriends. We know this for a fact. So he clearly likes females. But I actually suspect Nino is bi, and I can’t really tell you why except my intuition suspects it. In my mind, it’s not a very unlikely jump to make. Ohno doesn’t seem to really like anyone that way (although he did have an on-and-off again dancer girlfriend in his late teens) and is really only close with Arashi and childhood friends.

Even if Ohno and Nino are just very good friends, it’s still damn cute, and I hope they never, ever stop.

My final word?

(It reads "Baka uke", which I feel doesn't need to be translated. XD)

PSA: Arashi

honooko — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 07:46:39 GMT

SON OF EDIT: Feel free to link this post! The point is to pimp to others, so no need to ask! :D

EDIT: Updated May 30, 2008!

Once upon a time ~~in February ‘06~~ umbrellaofdoom linked me to a video on youtube, because she touted it as "the gheiest dance there ever was". Anyway, long story short, I fell in love with a Japanese boyband. But not just any boyband; these boys sing, dance, act (in movies, TV, AND stage), as well as many other things that are too numerous to list in the preface.

Yes. There are parts. I recommend taking copious notes; there will be a quiz at the end of the lesson.

Arashi has stolen my heart ~~and raped my wallet~~ through their ability to be sexy AND dorky. Plus? They are genuinely nice boys. As you will see.

But first, the key to any boyband; PICSPAMS!

i. the real reason Arashi is so damn popular.

ii. so, tell me! WHO ARE THOSE HANDSOME BOYS?!

Ohno Satoshi 大野智 - Leader
Ohno is, despite his baby face is the oldest of the group. I should point out that in that photo, he's nineteen. And has a really deadly pout, obviously. He spent most of the first three years looking like a kicked puppy. But don't be fooled; despite the face, he's really a great big dork. He has the best voice in the entire band and fantastic pitch and range. He's also seen on stage fairly often; more than any other member. He thinks of himself as a dancer, and choreographs his own solos with wild success. Ohno is a very accomplished artist, of many mediums, although he prefers drawing and clay, and has even had his own artbook published and a travelling exhibition.

Sakurai Sho 櫻井翔 - the Rapper with a BA from Keio
Sho is the tough-guy rapper. He's got the voice, he's got the moves, and he's good at giving attitude on camera. Except... he's a really nice guy. No, really. He is. He's intelligent, and actually got his BA in Economics from the Japanese Ivy League, Keio University (whilst STILL IN THE BAND). He loves children, and makes time just to help his kid brother with his homework. He has a bit of temper if he’s left waiting for food, but the other guys exaggerate it to annoy him. His two 'faults', if you can call them that, is that he fails MISERABLY at sports that aren't soccer and can't draw to save his life. Really super fail. It's hilarious. ♥

Aiba Masaki 相葉雅紀 - the Biggest Twelve Year Old Ever
Aiba-chan (yeah, 'chan'. He asks to be called that) is a very special kind of cookie. He's pretty, tall, and has a lovely smoky sort of voice. But he's... well, put simply, not very bright. The segment on Arashi's weekly TV that was named for him? Consists of absolutely absurd experiments from his adorable brain. To allow you to full appreciate how... special Aiba-chan is, I've listed some of the past 'experiments'.
- If you put a goldfish (in its bowl) on a turntable, will it get dizzy?
- What happens if you blow bubbles in a -50C freezer?
- How do Australians draw poop?
- Can you sail a giant origami boat?
- How many firecrackers does it take to blow up an ostrich egg?
- Can you knit with noodles?
- Will sucking the air from piman peppers help you breathe underwater?

And so on. He's openly the perviest of the bunch and tends to see phalluses in things. He also has a really adorable giggle.

Ninomiya Kazunari 二宮和也 - the One Who Just Wants His Damn Gameboy
Nino is sarcastic and verbally abusive, but only in the most loving of ways! He's just as much of a dork as the others. Nino plays often hilarious pranks on the other guys, but is clever enough not to fall for it when they try and do it back. He plays video games almost obsessively, and also composes and plays the guitar very well. His treatment of Ohno can be interpreted as sexual harassment in most countries, but Ohno doesn’t seem to mind. He's a dedicated actor, on TV and more recently in movies. He’s also my favorite. ♥

Matsumoto Jun 松本潤 - the Girly Man of Sex
MatsuJun tries to be tough, he really does. He's aloof, and has trouble getting close to people, so he just sort of... goes off alone. But it's hard to be tough when your biggest vice is fashion, you paint your fingernails, and you have hips like his. He's VERY pretty, despite frequent teasing about his eyebrows. He loves the band a whole ton, and is usually in charge of putting together their concerts, from design to set list. MatsuJun is the star of several popular TV dramas (Gokusen, Kimi wa Petto, Hana Yori Dango, Bambino), movies (Hana Yori Dango Final, The Last Princess) and wants to be a king. No, not kidding. He really does. ~~Can I be queen?~~

iii. repeat after me: FANSERVICE!
Part of what makes Arashi (and Johnny's Entertainment) so wonderful is their unabashed slash fanservice. These guys are very clearly great friends, but the potential for it to be more is played up like CRAZY. And the best part is that you can slash them ANY WHICH WAY. Personally, I feel Arashi/Arashi is the way to go. So many options! ORGY, FTW!

The PROOF:
- Ohno and Nino are sleeping together. No, really.
- Aiba forces his love on Nino, with the help of the others.
- Nino stealth kisses Sho on a PV shoot.
- Nino molests Ohno during a concert. He does this a lot.
Oh my god. I love these boys. YOU ALL MUST LOVE THEM TOO. SRSLY.

iv. but really, folks. it's all about the music.
All are uploaded on MegaUpload, because it doesn’t expire. XD

A-Ra-Shi - Their debut single. Look how cute and little they were! And I told you Ohno had the best voice. I would like to point out that they still know this choreography, ~~seven~~ ~~eight~~ NINE years later.

Sakura Sake - I love this song. No, really. It was one of the first ones I heard, and the PV? So many kinds of awesome. Keep your eyes on Ohno at the very end, and don't be drinking anything. ♥

Kitto Daijoubu - This is the most fabulously gay PV you will ever see in your entire life, I swear to god. It's also a VERY AWESOME SONG! You cannot watch it and NOT be happy.

Lucky Man - This song is so stupidly fun to do with them during concerts.

PIKA★★NCHI DOUBLE - This is one of my all-time favorites. I mean, Sho's part towards the middle? Gets me every time. Love, love, love.

Aozora Pedal - This song brought tears to my eyes when I first heard it. It's so, so heartbreakingly bittersweet. Gah. ♥

Youtube links here, because I don’t have the clipped versions of these:
La Familia - Jun's solo from 'Iza NOW!'. He wrote the lyrics himself, for the other guys. Sweet, ne? Please to be watching his awesome model-walk.

Top Secret - Ohno's solo from 'Iza NOW!'. He choreographed this himself. And, hot damn. Hot. Fucking. Damn. *_______*!

Can’t Let You Go - Sho's solo from ‘Time'. Guuuuuuuuuuuuuuh. ♥

Friendship - Aiba-chan's solo from Time'. The Jrs costumes don’t make sense to anyone, don’t worry. XD

Niji - Nino's solo from Time'. Nino wrote the lyrics to this song. Also, glasses. ♥

I have the complete discography, and am more than happy to upload songs if you really can’t find one. But your first places to look should be: onlyarashifiles, je_media, and Arashian. If only because you’ll find it right away that way. XD

v. tv will melt your brain, unless it improves your Japanese!
Arashi star in SEVERAL weekly TV shows. I was fortunate enough to discover them through youtube, and FURTHER fortunate to see some actually ON TV in Japan. I will give a rundown here, then supply links as to where you can watch/download them!

C/D/G no Arashi
This is their long-running weekly TV show, which airs at nearly one in the morning and consists of almost pure dorking. C no Arashi is the first season, and it's really hard to find this one. There's ONE episode on youtube, and I've yet to be able to find downloads for it. D no Arashi is much easier to find, and pretty much awesome. G no Arashi is the newest season, and has made me appreciate Sho's failure at sports far more. ♥ EDIT: As of NOW, Arashi no Shukudai-kun is the newest season of their shows! G officially ended on September 27th, with a two hour special! YAAAAAY~!
On youtube.com: search for any of the following. "C no Arashi", "D no Arashi", "G no Arashi", "Cの嵐", "Dの嵐", "Gの嵐". Downloads Himitsu or Arashian. You can find “D no Arashi” subbed at taijiproject!

Arashi no Waza-ari, Nama Arashi, Arashi no Shukudai-kun
Sometimes Arashi goes for broke and does talk-show style stuff. All the above listed are their guest shows, where they have weekly guests and talk and do generally silly things. As usual. Arashi no Waza-ari and Nama Arashi are quite old; Nama Arashi ended in 2003, and Waza-ari ended in 2004. Shukudai-kun is the newest of Arashi's shows and is currently running.
On youtube.com: You can find clips and sometimes whole episodes of Waza-ari and Nama. Downloads: Arashian, onlyarashifiles, or forgyoza.

MagoMago Arashi
MagoMago is pretty much the boys pairing up and spending the day with an elderly couple as their fake-grandkids. They help with chores, learn about the couples and their lives and crafts, and are pretty much adorable. If Ohno's involved, he will probably be seen drinking with the grandpa. Arashi is good not just for your Happy Parts; they're good for the community. ♥ EDIT: MMA officially ended after a two year run.
On youtube.com: search for "Mago Mago Arashi". Downloads: Himitsu or Arashian.

Kodomo no Bangohan
A new sub-section of MagoMago (they alternate each week) featuring Arashi in pairs going to couple's houses and babysitting so Mom and Dad can have a romantic night out. The boys have to cook for the kids, and then the kids decide who's food was better. Loser does the dishes. It's kind of the most absurdly darling thing ever, and I highly, highly recommend it. EDIT: With MMA, Kodomo no Bangohan has now ended.
Downloads: Arashian or onlyarashifiles.

Golden Rush Arashi!
An extremely short-lived show, it ran 23 episodes following the end of Mago Mago Arashi. Aiba hosted, and while it was a nice idea, the show tended to drag a bit. It was intended to be somewhat informative on various subjects (green tea, kitchen gadgets, squid, etc.) but… well, it was kind of boring.
Downloads: Arashian or onlyarashifiles.

Himitsu no Arashi-chan
HnA basically took the idea of GRA and made it awesome. Instead of a guest teaching Arashi about a subject, the boys are the ones in charge, presenting their topics in snappy grey and black suits. The topics vary widely, but focus on the theme of industry secrets: what sort of secrets do photographers have? Magicians? Cashiers? Aquariums?
Downloads: Arashian, onlyarashifiles, or forgyoza.

VS Arashi
The premise here seems to be Arashi battling guests in a variety of oversize arcade games. They catch falling poles, they stand on a high bridge and catch color-coded balls, they stack coins as they circle on a rotating table, they climb a rock wall!... actually, those are the only games they’ve done so far. At the end, they vote amongst themselves on who was the most ‘dame’ (no good) that day, and drop him through a trap door. A+++ HILARITY.
Downloads: Arashian, onlyarashifiles, or forgyoza.

Tensai Shimura Doubutsuen (Aiba-chan only)
Oh my god, I adore this show. Aiba is hilarious, because he is so funny with the animals. And kangaroos scare him, evidently. Which is of course why they keep SENDING HIM TO PLACES WITH KANGAROOS. His engrish is also awesome, because it rivals that of Akanishi Jin (of KAT-TUN) for sheer grammar rape. VERY VERY DANGER!
On youtube.com: search for "Tensai Shimura Doubutsuen". Downloads: Arashian or forgyoza.

Utawara (Jun only)
Jun cohosts this weekly show which features various musicians. Finding whole episodes is hard, but clips featuring Jun are not. I'm particularly fond of how excited he gets whenever the rest of Arashi is featured. He also adores any and all children that happen to come on the show. XD EDIT: Utawara is now over.
On youtube.com: search for "Utawara Jun".Downloads: Arashian.

J-dramas
All the boys have been in dramas at one point or another, including the short Arashi drama called "V no Arashi". But the ones you'll see MOST are Nino and Jun. Nino's credits include 'Minami-kun no Koibito', 'Stand UP!!', 'Yasashii Jikan', ‘Haikei, Chichiuesama’, and ‘Yamada Tarou Monogatari’ (which Sho was also in!) Jun lists many popular ones that nearly everyone knows, such as 'Gokusen', 'Hana Yori Dango', and 'Kimi wa Petto', and ‘Bambino’. Sho played the lead in 'Yoiko no Mikata', and had parts in 'Kisarazu Cat's Eye', plus the aforementioned ‘Yamada Tarou Monogatari’. Aiba was in an old one years ago with Yamapi called ‘PPOI’, and ‘Mukodono!’. Ohno doesn’t do dramas often, but starting in July ’08, he’s starring in ‘Maou’, based on a Korean drama. Basically, they've all done the drama thing.
On youtube.com: search for any other above. They get pulled often, but are quickly re-upped. Downloads: jdramas or Arashian.

Movies
Again, they've all done it at least once, be it in one of their OWN movies ('Pika☆Nchi Life is Hard Dakedo Happy', 'Pika☆☆Nchi Life is Hard Dakara Happy', or 'Kiiroi Namida') or independent work.
Nino: 'Letters From Iwo Jima', 'Ao no Honoo'
MatsuJun: 'Boku wa Imouto ni Koi o Suru', 'Yonimo Kimyouna Monogatari', 'Tokyo Tower', ‘Kakushi Toride no San Akunin’, ‘Hana Yori Dango: Final’ (not yet released)
Sho: 'Hachimitsu to Clover', 'Kisarazu Cat's Eye -Japan Series-', ‘Yatterman’ (not yet released)
Aiba: 'Shinjyuku Shounen Tanteidan'
Ohno: ‘Speed Star’, ‘Tensei Kunpuu’ (stage play released on DVD)
Downloads: jdramas or Arashian.

vi. when all else fails, SPAM.
And now, for random clip spam. ~~Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.~~

YABAI YABAI YABAI. Yes, MatsuJun is very gay. Thank you for asking. ♥
Ohno and "Sammi" from his solo concert. XD
Cosplay! Aiba’s mad because his isn’t funny, just kind of normal. XD
I think I read an orgy fic like this once…
Aiba speaking English. HE TRIES SO HARD. ♥
Ohmiya SK tell you the Do’s and Don’ts of Arashi concerts. As accompanied by Sho!

Convinced? Good. NOW GO WRITE ME SOME RPS FIC, SRSLY.♥

vii. i told you there'd be a quiz.

Okay, now it's time to test your knowledge of Arashi. This page alone isn't going to get you the answers; you'll only ace it if you've really done your research. If you DO ace it? CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'RE A SUPERFAN! If not, no fear! There's always time to learn more. ♥

1. Who in Arashi needs corrective lenses?
a. Sho and Nino
b. Nino
c. Ohno and MatsuJun
d. MatsuJun and Nino
e. None. All the boys have perfect vision!

2. Whose family owns a Chinese restaurant?
a. Aiba-chan
b. Sho
c. MatsuJun
d. Ohno
e. Nino

3. Who is bilingual and speaks decent English?
a. MatsuJun
b. Sho
c. Ohno
d. Nino
e. Aiba-chan

4. Which member is the tallest?
a. Sho
b. Ohno
c. MatsuJun
d. Aiba-chan
e. Nino

5. When I say, “CHESTO!!!” who do you think of?
a. Ohno! He’s such a dork.
b. Nino; the word is finished with a Tarzan chest pounding!
c. Sho! It’s a sign of courage.
d. Aiba-chan, of course. He’s the only one that silly.
e. MatsuJun said it in one of his drama roles!

6. Somebody dinged Aiba’s car when he let them drive it. Who?
a. Sho
b. MatsuJun
c. Nino
d. Aiba-chan
e. Ohno

7. One of the boys is actually a lefty! Who?
a. Ohno
b. Sho
c. Aiba-chan
d. Nino
e. MatsuJun

8. Who has a “sixth sense” about paranormal activity?
a. Sho
b. Ohno
c. Aiba-chan
d. MatsuJun
e. Nino

9. Who lived in Hollywood for six weeks during a movie shoot?
a. Nino
b. MatsuJun
c. Aiba-chan
d. Sho
e. Ohno

10. Ohno’s previous nickname was ‘Riida’ (Leader), but he’s got a new one! What is it?
a. Sammi
b. Oh-chan
c. Captain
d. Satoshin
e. Oh S

BONUS! When I say “LUCKY!” you say...?
a. “DUCK!”
b. “MAN!”
c. “LUCKY!”
d. “DOG!”
e. “DAY!”

How to get your score: Each question is worth ten points. For every correct answer, add ten to your score. If you get everything including the bonus question right, you SHOULD have 110 points.
0-30 points: You're still learning and exploring Arashi, and that's okay!
40-60 points: You're moderately familiar with the random Arashi trivia, but there's room to learn more!
70-90 points: Nice! You're about even with most of the Arashi fandom.
100-110 points: ARASHI DAI-FAN! Congrats, you're OBSESSED!

ANSWERS: To get your answers, highlight the following block!
[1. d, 2. a, 3. b, 4. d, 5. c, 6. b, 7. d, 8. c, 9. a, 10. c, Bonus: b.]

honooko — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 04:43:51 GMT

Travel blog!

oretachinotabi

honooko — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 01:30:14 GMT

freewrite + motto = incoherance TO THE MAX!

honooko — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 03:32:17 GMT

Man, nothing ruins an evening like bad yaoi. Really bad yaoi.

I have made absolutely no progress on essay #2, so I'm going to free-write in this entry to... I don't know. Work it out, I suppose.

The prompt is to choose and discuss a quotation or personal motto that "reflects your values and beliefs and tells us something about the kind of person you are." And since I actually have a motto, it shouldn't be this hard. But it is, because how do I explain why it means so much to me?

I don't want to tell the story that caused this motto. It's pointless, and I've told it enough as is. And I'll admit, a big part of my reluctance has to do with not wanting that woman to have anything to do with my sucess.

No regrets. No regrets. It means never doubting yourself, even when everyone else does. It means accepting the past, no matter how painful. It means making choices for yourself, because it's your life. It's about taking responsiblity for what you've done, because life doesn't have a 'reset' button. It means that "step nine" becomes completely irrelevant. It means that given the chance, you would live your life exactly the same way.

But at the same time, it doesn't mean 'I never make mistakes'. Because I do; I'm only human. I've screwed up before, and I'll screw up again. I can't predict the future, and I don't pretend to be infalible. But I won't waste time wishing I could take it back and prevent the error, because what would I have learned? Nothing. I've seen down the path that leads to regret, and I got off it.

It's about balance. I will make mistakes, but I will grow from the experience. It's about acceptance. I can't do it over again, so I won't wish that I could. It's about self, because in the end, that's all I really have that's truly mine. I only get one shot at living, at being myself, and I refuse to waste it.

I've not struggled like some people. I haven't suffered like some people. But I'm not some people, and I've had enough dark times to know that I don't want to go back there. I refuse to go back.

'No regrets' means I don't need to beg forgiveness to be happy; as long as I forgive myself. But mostly? It means exactly what it says.

I regret nothing. And I always will.

Best. Joke. Ever.

honooko — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 08:22:48 GMT

A man and a woman were sitting beside each other in the first class section of a jet liner. The woman sneezed, took out a tissue, gently wiped her nose, then visibly shuddered for ten or fifteen seconds. The man went back to his reading.

A few minutes later, the woman sneezed again, took a tissue, wiped her nose, then shuddered quite violently once more. Assuming the woman might have a cold, the man was still curious about the shuddering.

A few more minutes passed when the woman sneezed yet again. As before, she took a tissue, wiped her nose, her body shaking even more than before.

Unable to restrain his curiosity, the man turned to the woman, and said, "I couldn't help but notice that you've sneezed three times, wiped your nose, then shuddered violently. Are you okay?"

"Sorry if I disturbed you," the woman replied. "I have a very rare medical condition. Whenever I sneeze, I have an orgasm."

The man, more than a bit embarrassed, was still curious. "I've never heard of that condition before," he said. "Are you taking anything for it?"

"Yes," the woman nodded. "...Pepper."

A girl has her pride, after all.

honooko — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 06:31:54 GMT

You know what's intensely satisfying?

Meeting with people I knew in what amounts to Junior High (read: Homeschool Center), people that made my life HELL, people who hurt me physically and emotionally, and knowing that at the end of the day, I'm still two years smarter, two years stronger, and lightyears beyond their full potential.

Being a full 8 inches taller doesn't hurt either. Who's short now, bitch?

It feels good. A tough road, with plenty of bumps along the way, but good.

Five years ago, I was 4'8", 76 lbs. My hair was 37" long, and the braid went halfway down my thighs. I was scrawny enough to be targeted, and loud enough to ask for it. I was different enough to stick out, and stubborn enough to not want to ever back down. When a teacher tried to tell me that I was wrong because I didn't believe in Creationism, I quit her class and boned up on Darwin. When I wasn't any good at one sport, I tried another. When a student started dragging me around the school (literally) by my hair, I cut it to a bob. When people tried to pick me up (again, literally), I kicked and bit them. When nearly everyone told me I was a monster, I stuck behind my choices.

Now I'm bigger, stronger, and just as stubborn. I can look at everyone who ever put me down, and I know that I'm better then that, then them. I grew up, and I believed in myself because I knew I could do it.

So even if my life is hectic, I've come so much farther then they tried to say I would.

Just you wait. While they're 'fitting in', I'll be busy achieveing something great.

And for the record, there's only so far sports can carry you. That spot is about 17 miles back.

honooko — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 21:58:38 GMT

Lately I've been hearing a lot of people say, "Is ____ gonna have to choke a bitch?" I wondered, in my nerdy way, where this phrase had come from, because I'd not heard it until about two weeks ago.

So I googled it.

Turns out, the number one connection to the phrase is Wayne Brady.

honooko — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 08:13:34 GMT

I just handed him his ass on a plate, via IM.

No weasel has gotten the better of me yet. You're just another head mounted on my wall, dipwad. :D

Ficbit for kaitou_marina

honooko — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 22:07:30 GMT

Ask, and ye shall recieve.

[Title] The Other Boy
[Author] honooko
[Rating] G
[Notes] Riza + Alphonse gen fic, at the request of kaitou_marina.

Edward and the Colonel argued, often. Loudly. And at great length, with many colorful words (from Edward) and an overabundance of bad short jokes (from the Colonel). They often would banter back and forth for an hour or more, and anyone with eyes (or ears) could tell they secretly enjoyed it.

Which is probably why Riza Hawkeye found herself spending much of this time in the company of the younger Elric brother. She’d noticed that Alphonse was often shafted to the side in the presence of Edward, and it was with slight annoyance that she realized she didn’t know him very well.

Their talks were comfortable, with topics ranging from dogs to stubborn men with martyr complexes. Sometimes they discussed their respective childhoods. Riza relayed nearly-forgotten tales of weekends at her grandfather’s, playing chess and learning to shoot a rifle; Alphonse told amusing anecdotes about beating his older brother at nearly every competition suggested.

Riza had always known on some level that Alphonse and Edward would succeed in their mission, and Alphonse would be restored to his body. It seemed inevitable, and the Colonel always spoke about it as such. It had never once occurred to her to wonder what the result of the change might be.

Roy lost some of his soul when Edward disappeared. His face (now one eye less) was more drawn, tired. His age was apparent in the way he walked, and the way he accepted bad news: as if he’d been expecting it all along.

But when she had gone to deliver a message to Alphonse, a month after Edward’s disappearance, she had been shaken.

A boy, a ghosting image of his brother, greeted her at the door. And he didn’t ask after Black Hayate, because he didn’t remember the animal. He didn’t remember her, either. He didn’t remember any of them.

As far as Riza was concerned, both Elric’s had disappeared that day.

honooko — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 19:24:00 GMT

Hey friends!

I need a quick beta for two ignorance_s ficbits. I got an entire Plot Arc bunny, and these are the middley bits. They juct need a quick run-over for flow and word choice. Anybody wanna help me out? Please? :D

CODY AND SAM, GET HERE FASTER. GAAAAAH.

I go to eat lunch now. Rawr.

P.S. Do As Infinity makes it hard to stay angsty. I just wanna rock out now. Me and my emo hair are gonna headbang now, plzkthnxbai.

honooko — Fri, 20 May 2005 21:45:08 GMT

Fandom Quiz!

1. Edward Elric = Temari. Why?

2. Jean Havoc = Gourry Gabriev. Why?

3. Genjo Sanzo = Watari Yutaka. Why?

First to get all correct wins a drabble! :D