Nothing Taboo

Arashi's 36th single, Meikyuu Love Song (Labyrinth Love Song), is the theme song to Sho's 'Nazotoki wa dinner no ato de' drama airing on Fuji TV this Autumn.

The song is described to carry a positive forward-looking message. Another Arashi-like supportive song. ^^

Release date: 2 November 2011

There are two editions: Limited and Regular.

Limited Edition - 1 470 Yen (~US$19.20)
Tracks:
１．迷宮ラブソング - Meikyuu Love Song
２．タイトル未定Ａ - Untitled A

DVD:
迷宮ラブソング（ビデオクリップ） - Meikyuu Love Song (Video clip)
shinseido.co.jp/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Catalog.woa/wa/detail?r=JACA-5285/6

Regular Edition - 1 260 Yen (~US$16.50)
Tracks:
１．迷宮ラブソング - Meikyuu Love Song
２．タイトル未定Ｂ - Untitled B
３．タイトル未定Ｃ - Untitled C
４．タイトル未定Ｄ - Untitled D
５．迷宮ラブソング（オリジナル・カラオケ） - Meikyuu Love Song (Original Karaoke)
６．タイトル未定Ｂ（オリジナル・カラオケ） - Untitled B (Original Karaoke)
７．タイトル未定Ｃ（オリジナル・カラオケ） - Untitled C (Original Karaoke)
８．タイトル未定Ｄ（オリジナル・カラオケ） - Untitled D (Original Karaoke)
shinseido.co.jp/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Catalog.woa/wa/detail?r=JACA-5287

Ooh... The coupling songs!!! The one in the LE is not included in the RE. The RE has 3 new tracks. What can they be?! This is only the second Arashi single for this year. They're making it worth the wait huh? ^^

Hmm... No Making Of? But then again, J-Storm likes to announce certain details quite close to the release dates. Still, that's a total of 5 new songs Arashi are releasing! ^o^

Please do tell when the other sites open their pre-orders. Thank you. ^^

Arashi Mannequin 5 Autumn SP online voting!

Voting for Mannequin 5 Autumn SP is now up online!

https://cgi.tbs.co.jp/ppshw/arashi-chan/2607/enquete.do#

Voting period: 18 Sept (Sun) 10:00 a.m. ~ 25 Sept (Sun) 8:00 p.m. 

100 voters will get the chance to win original stickers in a lucky draw.

The mannequins up for battle are:


 

Fill in the form: (Ones with the red star are required)

 
So pleased that they directly address the overseas voters this time.  They are expecting and welcoming us to participate in the fun. ^^

So which mannequin took your fancy? 
Who do you think are behind the genius get ups?
Can you guess which one is Sho's - the master of strategy?
Did Jun rip off an entire outfit again?
Had Nino been stalking again?
Which style did Ohno envision?
Will Aiba finally win?! XD

oin the fun and cast your votes now!

The Mannequin 5 Autumn SP will air on 20 October 2011. Can't wait to see what Arashi were up to... ^^

Arashi Poem Recital for Marching J Special Movie

That ver. 1 bit in the title makes me wonder if there are other versions as well.
Although it can be like Arashi's Carnival Night Part 2 where we never got to hear the first version. XD

Anyway, watched Arashi's video already. In it, each member recites a poem amidst beautiful and serene scenery. Lots of greenery. The video is about 5mins 20secs long.

Order of recitation: (with rough translation of titles)
Nino：「勇気の系譜」（宮澤章二） - [Yuuki no Keifu - Pedigree of Courage] by (Miyazawa Shouji)
Aiba：「いのち輝くとき」（宮澤章二） - [Inochi Kagayaku Toki - The moment life shines]
Sho：「自分の一歩」（宮澤章二） - [Jibun no Ippo - My own step]
Ohno：「馴れ」（あいだみつを） - [Nare - Grow accustom] by (Aida Mitsuo)
Jun：「七夕風景」（宮澤章二） - [Tanabata Fuukei - Scenery at Tanabata (festival)]

Except for Ohno, the rest recited poems by Miyazawa Shouji.

Sho's venue reminds me of Dear Snow PV.
I wonder where they filmed their scenes. Their location scouts are good. ^^

The clip as a whole is very refreshing. I expected something with Arashi having a group conversation or giving a lighthearted encouraging speech or something along those lines.
So them reciting poems is an unexpected change from their usual stints. ^^

Marching J SPECIAL MOVIE - From 15 Sept 2011

Marching J has announced a new charity project: 'Marching J SPECIAL MOVIE'.
They have set up special charity video contents on Johnny's net and Johnny's web.

www.johnnys-net.jp/j/info_dekirukoto.html

The videos can be purchased by all. No need for membership.

Each video is 315 Yen (inc. tax). (~US$4.10)
200 Yen (~US$2.60) will be donated to the Tohoku earthquake charity with every purchase.

Viewing period: 30 days from your purchase.

The list of movies by Johnny's talents is available here:
secure.johnnys-net.jp/marchingj/

Marching J SPECIAL MOVIE (List with my rough translation below)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
近藤真彦: スペシャルメッセージとコンサートダイジェスト1をお届けします。
Kondo Masahiko: Special message and Concert Digest

少年隊: ｢PLAYZONE HISTORY｣ACT 1をお届けします。
Shonentai: [PLAY ZONE HISTORY] ACT 1

岡本健一: ｢いつまでも 離さず｣ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEOをお届けします。
Okamoto Kenichi: [Itsumademo Hanasazu] ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEO

~~~~~~~~
SMAP: SMAP Marching with Appreciation PV（感謝をこめてマーチングする）をお届けします。

TOKIO: 近日公開予定 (To be announced in a few days).

Kinki Kids: 光一から｢5分でわかる『Endless SHOCK』｣を、剛から｢LOVE｣ピアノ演奏をお届けします
From Koichi - 'Understanding 'Endless SHOCK' in 5 minutes'
From Tsuyoshi - Piano performance of 'LOVE'

V6: メンバーからの｢V6 live tour 2011 s**y.Honey.Bunny!｣グッズ紹介をお届けします
The members introduce their ｢V6 live tour 2011 s**y.Honey.Bunny!｣ goods.

~~~~~~~~
嵐: 朗読－言葉ノチカラ－ver.1をお届けします。
Arashi: Recitation - Kotoba no chikara (Power of words) - ver. 1

タッキー&翼: ｢Journey Journey～ボクラノミライ｣MUSIC VIDEO（Marching J Ver.）をお届けします。
Takki & Tsubasa: [Journey Journey~ Bokura no mirai (Our future)] MUSIC VIDEO (Marching J Ver.)

NEWS: NEWSシングルコレクションをお届けします。
NEWS single collection

関ジャニ∞: To be announced.

~~~~~~~~
KAT-TUN: メッセージ＆｢勇気の花｣のアカペラをお届けします。
Message & an acapella of [Yuuki no Hana (Flower of Courage)]

Hey! Say! JUMP: ｢SUMMARY 2011｣パンフレット撮影のメイキングをお届けします。
Behind the scenes of the pamphlet photo shoot for [SUMMARY 2011]

Kis-My-Ft2: デビューまでの軌跡をお届けします。
Tracing the journey towards their debut

~~~~~~~~
生田斗真: パンドラの匣をお届けします。
Ikuta Toma: Pandora's box

赤西仁: スペシャルメッセージと｢JIN's Life in LA｣映像をお届けします。
Akanishi Jin: Special message and a clip of ｢JIN's Life in LA｣

~~~~~~~~
A.B.C-Z: コンサートダイジェスト1をお届けします。
Concert Digest 1

関西ジャニーズJr.: コント Marching J Special 1をお届けします。
Kansai Johnny's Jr.: Marching J Special 1 comedic sketch

ジャニーズJr. (Johnny's Jr.): To be announced

内博貴& Question?: ｢僕らの声～願いを込めて～｣スタジオライブをお届けします。
Uchi Hiroki & Question?: Studio live of [Bokura no koe~ Negai wo komete~] (Our voices~ With our wishes~)

~~~~~~~~~

If you guys have watched any of the videos, what do you think?
How long is the video? Same length for each of them?
About Arashi video, what are they reciting? Thank you. ^^

Once again, 200 Yen (~US$2.60) will be donated to the Tohoku earthquake charity with every purchase.

Also, Happy 12th Anniversary Arashi! 5x12 Yay Yay Yay!!!! ^o^
Purchasing the video would be a great gift to celebrate their anniversary, I'd have thought. ^^
Have a great day everyone~<3

「櫻井翔の“いま そこにいる人々”『命の現場』」 - ' Sakurai Sho no "Ima soko ni iru hitobito" [Inochi no genba] - "The people living there now" by Sho Sakurai [Scenes of life]. (roughly translated)
Air date: Wed, 7 September 2011 (on NHK)
Time: 6:55 p.m. ~ 7:49 p.m.

This is a very nice documentary. I can only give fangirl review as opposed to a review on the documentary subject as
I can't fully grasp the information and details presented. ^^;; So watching with the fangirl-goggles on...

The show opened with Sho's Kono mama motto. I can't help but smile every time I listen to this song. ^^
I noticed that they use Arashi's songs throughout the documentary. That was a nice touch.

Sho is very charming, sensitive and people can't help but like him after meeting him. :D
People seem to respond and open up to him easily, I think.

Anyway, when he met with a paralyzed ex-wrestler they talked about the man being able to karaoke.
The man said that he also sang Arashi's songs, but complained that most of Arashi's songs are on the 'high' side.
(High pitch? I don't know much music jargons and etc. ^^;;)
Sho said that was probably because the songs were geared towards their female fans.
(I suppose he meant Arashi's songs were designed so that women can sing them easily at karaoke?)
The man suggested that perhaps Arashi's songs could be done in the lower scale next time. ^^

Well, that was the gist I got from their conversation. Need a better translator for that. ^^
I thought that was interesting. I never thought that as a factor of consideration when choosing songs for their album.

Would love to watch the documentary again with subs. It's not a heavy documentary to digest in my opinion.
Though at times I felt that they were showing the issues through rose-tinted lenses...
(Might change my mind with more understanding of the details given... ^^;)

What do you guys think?