Wednesday 27 August 2014

Kodoku no gurume Season 4 Ep 8

Just out!

Asagaya Station. 

Goro-san sees a boy playing this interesting retro curiosity & decides to play also.  Nostalgic, he says. First time, loses. He unzips his purse & the unzipping sound is so funny ^_^ So auntie & frugal.

 
 
 

Eh? Nande? Unable to beat the machine, he wonders why.


Decides to go in...  & comes out with...


Decides he's gonna beat this thing... Dumps the load of coins on top of the machine & start!! Goro-san fast beat music starts into the opening song!  

 

He goes to a client's billiard place & tells the client to take his time looking at the designs on his laptop.  Goro-san then watches someone play. And while watching... he suddenly gets...


He goes back to his client who is still undecided,  quickly takes over the laptop by turning it to his view, hurries over the item choices without even giving the client a chance to think... Then abruptly wraps it up, shuts his laptop, eagerly puts it back into his briefcase, all smiles saying "no, thanks" to another drink & off he goes with the client unable to stop him.

(Ohh... what a handsome, sexy billiard man profile in the 3rd pic, although he actually isn't handsome. Front view looks lecherous & untrustworthy when he rubs his jaw. He is however quite cute at the end when he pouts & mumbles at Goro-san having left.).

 
 

I'll tell you which site to watch online Kodoku no Gurume Season 4 Special/ Ep 7/8 for $8. No download required. Paypal accepted. Local ATM transfer accepted.


Wednesday 20 August 2014

Kodoku no gurume Season 4 Ep 7


Just out!


Goro-san is very funny when he's about to pray when interrupted by a man who calls him. He looks to the man & quickly looks back to the "god" as if the "god" is a person he was about to talk to & he's being rude.

Then he has this funny expression when he claps his hands. It's funny they actually filmed him like this so playfully in front of a "god"?

 
 

HAAHHAHAHAHAHA!!! The customer says in English, "Go to hell. Make my day.". And Goro-san with that "Gee..." look, decides to play along with a serious face & says in English, "Oh..shit.".  HAHAHAHAHAHA!!


While talking to the man, Goro-san is all smiles, he's hardly recognizable. The moment the man walks away, Goro-san's smile disappears so fast.  This is not the first time he smiles for appearance's sake (he can be such a faker). ^_^

 

Hahaha... He eats pasta like eating ramen. He's giggling with the sauce on his mouth. Strangely, it looks very delicious the way he eats with chopsticks. The slurping sounds... MMmmmm...

 


Saturday 16 August 2014

Howl's Moving Castle & Google Doodle


For lack of good anime to watch (= Bishounen), I  am now re-watching Howl's Moving Castle since triggered by Google's interactive doodle.  Fabulously clear view of the movie at the site that I'm watching from!

I didn't know the author passed away in 2011. Bro told me when I mentioned about the Google doodle.

When I read what she died of, it wasn't surprising (even though the article didn't state if smoking was the cause). Authors are usually chain smokers. From her photo, she looked like she smoked a lot. 

I find it's a knowing waste. Knowing because she must have known what smoking would do. It's a myth that smoking enables people to think better. Research shows there is no enhanced thinking ability difference between people who smoke & those who don't.

In fact,  smoking destroys DNA.  Together with the lack of enhanced thinking ability & increased risk of the disease, smoking is useless.  Not only does it not help,  it shortens lifespan which could have been further used for writing more of her books that she was planning on doing.

It is an addiction that cannot be easily stopped. But between being able to live on to write more & being dead before she could complete, which would she have chosen? Unfortunately, I think she might say that without her smoke, she wouldn't be able to come up with the books. In which case, it might be said that stopping smoking isn't any better than being dead before she can complete. This is the myth that smoking helps people think better.

It's a brilliant idea that turning the dial by the door will change the location outside. Absolutely brilliant. I don't know if it's truly original or someone out there has something like that before hers. I would never have thought of it. Very beautiful & fun idea.

The first time I saw Howl's Moving Castle anime, the name Diana Wynne Jones didn't ring any bells. It was as if it was the first time I came across the name.

But actually, when I read about the book titles that she was famous for writing, I realized that I had actually read her before, when I was in my teens.  In fact, I have the hardcover book that I love in my old study cupboard: Charmed Life.

At that time, Charmed Life really blew my mind. I fell in love with the man, can't remember his name. It was very sexy, suggestive, even though nothing sexual happened (not even a kiss, of course since it's a book for young persons).  I really liked the story (though I can't remember now).  Something about a cat? Magic.

Hmm... I usually take note of the author's name. I don't know why I didn't for this Charmed Life. I think I only started to take note of authors' names when I was in my 20s. 

[Update 17 Aug Sun:  I think the author's name didn't impress upon me because it wasn't a book I chose. It was a book that I won in a story-telling competition, I think. In those days, I used to participate in such competitions. Also, the author's name was too long to remember.  Even recently, when I read her name, I always think it's "Diane" in my mind. ]

The book is in my cupboard that's currently unreachable due to Bro's stuff in front blocking the glass doors. But I remember it's there together with my other books. Blue cover. Maybe I should get it out? Bro is going to be very difficult ... I think, to convince him to move his stuff... He's going to make a lot of noise.

Anyway, here's Google Doodle sequence of the 4 door sceneries every time the dials turns by itself. That fire is Calcifer. Brilliant idea for Calcifer as well! I don't know how she thought of it!  A difference however, is that the dial is square in the doodle, whereas it's a disc in the Howl's Moving Castle anime.

 
 
Howl's Disc:

Hmm... from reading about the Google doodle, I clicked on Miyazaki's photo at the side & read that his latest movie The Wind Rises didn't do well.

I saw the trailer. Well, it's no wonder.  He is showcasing his love for the power of flight that he loves so much.  But why can't he draw more attractive characters? Bishounen? Bishoujo? Howl is at least passable. He could have been handsomer.

[I didn't even know he had a new anime out. After Howl's Moving Castle & the awful Ponya ("Ponyo" after Googling)... I stopped watching out for his anime. Till now, I still don't know what Ponyo is. Bro keeps saying it's a girl goldfish. ]

Miyazaki's anime always has that classic Miyazaki look. Only his Studio Ghibli can do it. It's hard to describe. Everything is rounded, classic, beautiful with very soft, natural realism of nature vistas that grabs me,  the amazing details & play of light & color (in Spirited Away), the softness in the realism of the movements.  I feel embraced the moment his anime opens to my view.  It draws in the heart & soul.  His love for the beauty of the European countryside mixed with Japan in his mind, is very unique.

I think for The Wind Rises, he might have cut corners with the details (fewer details) since from what the article said, his movies cost a lot to make but don't make profit. (I haven't watched The Wind Rises).

His Spirited Away was his best. After that, downhill.

"But the studio has the same style that Miyazaki is known for. Is it boiling down to people balking at watching Studio Ghibli films because Miyazaki’s name isn’t attached anymore?"

That's not true. The technology of Studio Ghibli is the same but the stories & drawings are poorer.  Nothing to do with his name.

The fact that Howl's Moving Castle was not his own original story, already disappointed me. But I like the rather (passable) handsome & sexy Howl & the music.  I have the CD, by the way.


Thursday 14 August 2014

Kodoku no gurume Season 4 Ep 6


This time, Goro-san meets up with a customer who wants to organize a single mother event. Quite a pretty woman, but not young. Around 30~40, I would say. Still, quite pretty. She's the shop owner selling flowers.

I'm surprised it's drizzling (supposed to be hot summer?) & this is a very nice western-looking bridge with him walking with his transparent umbrella (which is surprisingly big).

 
 

After that... it's Indian food! As usual, he's over-thinking the menu... But his total selection is really, very yummy-looking! Good choices! I quite like Indian food as well... if they are hygienically prepared.  A pity they've also got foreigners in Japan... but this cook can speak Japanese. This is the actual cook in the shop, not actor (3rd pic). Smart to have a Japanese waiter.

 
 
 

Mango Punch first. Then Cheeze Pizza:

 
 

I love the way Goro-san tries to approach the pizza with his open mouth. He goes in, hesitates, goes in again, hesitates... then bite! MMmmmmm!!!

 

Other yummies...

 

Mutton Curry with Mint Leaves:

 

And once more....  that "I'm in Heaven" look:

 



Saturday 9 August 2014

Kodokunogurume Season 4 Special Edition! Hakata business trip


I just finished watching this special Aug 9 episode aired at 4pm Japan time today.  It seems longer than the usual.

This time, Goro-san is in Fukuoka on a business "conference" trip to do a presentation on French Bordeux wine & they even have time to show the hotel room that he stays in.

He arrives & overhears 2 ladies saying that it's 35 degrees C. He starts fanning himself from a free fan that he got from the reception counter inside the airport.



He drops by an Udon shop. Very traditional shop.  Strangely empty (like Spirited Away anime) & looks like our Singapore Kopitiam (coffee shop)  except that it's OMO (one man operation). Strangely interesting big metal cauldron with hot water & hot soup in a clay flask hanging inside.

 

 He comes out to serve Goro-san.



Very simple udon. Spring onions & spice condiment by the side for Goro-san to put in. Reminds me of the udon I ate at a train station.  Plain-looking & delicious.



This is soft tofu skin with the spring onions & spice condiment on it:


This looks like our Yong Tau Foo Tau Pok. Tofu skin wrapping fish paste:

 

The strangeness of it... Goro-san eats while the owner takes a break, smoking & reading a newspaper that a previous customer left behind. The Japanese have very quirky sense of humor...



At the presentation... after Goro-san was done explaining... this guy has fallen asleep.



After that... he goes to a shop where people look at him weirdly when he says he don't drink alcohol. The 3rd pic is Saba (Mackerel). 

 

Secretly giggling... because it's so good with rice...

 

Natto...
 

After tasting the Natto, he starts stirring it vigorously while looking left & right...like he's got something secret & special & hiding it.


He adds the stirred Natto into his rice. Then... there's Chawanmushi... with Nemako (mushrooms) inside.

 
 

Hotpot:


He orders porridge... that's "delicious" & "wonderful":


And when a guy wants to pour him a drink & he says he doesn't drink... everyone stares at him again. Goro-san says "Deja vu".


At the end, there's something very interesting. The manga creator Qusumi visits the shop & discovers they serve thin pieces of daikon with a thin slice of lemon in between & a dash of salt on top of these daikon sandwiches. This shows how sharp the chef's blade is... to cut the lemon so thinly. Wow.


Next telecast (Ep 6) will be on 13th Aug at 11:58am Japan time. ^_^