MUSIC: Riff Rain (2008)

Riff Rain
2008
School Food Punishment

If I hadn’t heard their song Futuristic Imagination for the anime Eden of the East, I would never have thought of checking out School Food Punishment. Because they’re called School Food Punishment. It makes me think of a scattered and noisy band.

I really, really wish they had picked a better name because it definitely does not suit their sound which is the beautiful mix of pop-rock and a dash of electronica resulting in post-rock.

Riff Rain is their third mini-album and all the tracks are neatly done and arranged. The piano and drum mix plus the “effects” is interesting and melodic. Coupled with Yumi Uchimura’s vocals, the songs become very easy to listen to.

The second track, Feedback, feels like an attempt at a very big arrangement but it falls short. This along with Killer are a bit on the heavy side which drifts towards pop-rock and this makes them feel a bit uninspired or uninspiring.

The more light or upbeat songs like Flow and Egoist bring out the better side of School Food Punishment. The music is better, complementing the vocals.

The song Futari Umi no Soko is a highly recommended track. It has a fairly simple arrangement, rather light, bordering on slow but is ultimately very catchy and the vocals just flows with the music very well.

FINAL RATING
[4] out of [5]

MOVIE: Welcome to the Quiet Room (2007)

Welcome to the Quiet Room
(クワイエットルームにようこそ)
2007
direction: Suzuki, M.
screenplay: Suzuki, M.

quickie:
An aspiring writer living with a TV comedian wakes up to the bright lights of a psychiatric ward which is more like a rehab for girls with eating disorders

general impression:
Funny, Quiet.

lows:
Scenes are a bit disjointed, characters could have used more depth, the fact that the psychiatric ward only has anorexic and bulimic patients, offers no peace for people who can relate to Yuki Uchida’s character

highs:
Ryo as Nurse Eguchi, funny moments, doesn’t say anything about sanity or insanity

notes:
I suppose some might be tempted to recall movies like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest or Girl, Interrupted. Movies have dealt with the whole concept of sane people having dysfunctions, subtly stating that we’re all crazy anyway.

Personally, I thought Asuka Sakura (Uchida) is one of those sane people with your average amount of dysfunction. She’s constantly trying to cope with some undefined obstacle by hiding in idiotic television shows, standing very close to the edge until she loses her balance and falls.

Although the movie still lacks that emphatic touch, it does evoke the sense of being lost. Where do these people go? They’re not crazy enough that they set their hair on fire but they’re not functioning well enough without alcohol, nicotine, sleeping pills or just a daily dose of stupid TV shows.

As the movie points out, we’re only sane if someone says so. In Asuka’s case, her claim to sanity is a pothead who shows his butt on television for a living. Does that make sense?

Miki’s (Yuu) logic presents the fact that you have to be crazy to be able to live with everyone else. She develops an eating disorder after she realizes the truth: someone else who deserves the food she eats is starving. And she is unable to deal with that.

What is sane? To know this truth and escape from it?

The movie is easy on the eyes but it lacks a “feel” which make it seem average at best. However, the actors are delightful and the writing is a step above your typical Thursday movie.

Watch this movie, if only for Nurse Eguchi played by Ryou. Hilarious.

FINAL RATING:
[3.5] out of [5]

MOVIE: The Machine Girl (2008)

The Machine Girl
2008
direction: Iguchi, N.
screenplay: Iguchi, N.

quickie:
“YOU KILLED MY BROHTER! RAWR!”

general impression:
Campy. Mostly good for laughs.

lows:
Degree of violence ranges from hilarious to disgusting.

highs:
Tempura arm! Sentai poses! Drill bra! Oh yeah, and strong female protagonist.

notes:
Assuming you won’t be looking for the meaning of life here, Machine Girl is an absolute laugh trip. It’s, of course, a bad movie with cheap effects, a questionable plot and average (bordering on awful) acting.

There are times when you’re laughing at the violence and times when you’re cringing so I suppose this movie is still not for the squeamish. Like most Japanese movies, lots of high pressure blood squirting all over the place.

If you watched Planet Terror, there’s a good chance that you might start comparing the two. That would be up to you. I prefer taking The Machine Girl as this disgusting funny movie rather than the action film that Planet Terror was.

It’s cheap, disgusting and funny. What else is there to say?

FINAL RATING:
[2] out of [5]

MUSIC: VOICE (2008)

VOICE
2008
Nakashima Mika

Life, It’s Too Late, Eien no Uta, Sakura Hanagasumi (Dashi Dance), Confusion, I Don’t Know, Shut Up, Orion and Focus.

Was anything left out?

Mika’s latest album contains a total of sixteen tracks. Minus previously released singles and a couple of b-sides, she offers us five new songs.

Life, although dated, is a good song and would have set a good mood for the album if Sakura Hanagasumi didn’t follow it immediately. Even with a different Daishi Dance version, I still prefer skipping this song. The cover for its single may have something to do with it but it is just dull.

Focus gets a slight rearrangement but is still a generally OK song. ConFusion still sounds like a rather good upbeat song reminiscent of Mika’s Nana days unlike I Don’t Know and Shut Up. I don’t think the Mica3Chu songs should have been in the album. They sound way, way out of place.

Orion is still the same (which is sadly, rather bland).

I am glad that It’s Too Late is here. It’s a good reminder of why I liked Mika in the first place. It’s a good pseudo-jazz pop song. In line with that, Trust Your Voice (see Mika’s right wrist) is quite a catchy track. It’s less jazz and more produced pop but it has the right amount of thought in it.

Anata Ga Iru Kara , previously released as a digital single, is similar to Joy. Simple chords, simple happy thought to leave you smiling. My Gentle Men also has a simple melody but it’s a rather so-so ballad. I don’t get anything from it. The same goes with Flower of Time.

The album closes with Koe, which I think is meant to highlight Mika’s voice. If you liked Oborozukiyo~Inori, you might find this OK. It’s an oddly arranged ballad which, again, does nothing for me.

The sad thing about Voice is that it contains too many recycled material. That’s not really a bad thing but the five new songs are too weak. She’s been in this business long enough and sadly, she has not created a voice of her own to listen to. She actually seems to be losing it.

I personally like Mika as an artist and I’ve always enjoyed her music. Which is probably why (although I still like listening to this album) I’m truly saddened by her slow slip into mediocrity.

FINAL RATING:
[3] out of [5]

MUSIC: Orion [SINGLE] (2008)

ORION
2008
Nakashima Mika

It seems that Nakashima Mika got herself inked. That’s the first thing I noticed about this single.

Orion is Nakashima Mika’s return to ballads after her act as Mica3Chuu. For her older fans (the people who loved her before Nana), this release is quite pleasing.

There’s really nothing new about the arrangement and the lyrics doesn’t stick to one’s head very easily but it is quite nice to hear Mika’s voice again. It isn’t as interesting as Sakurairo Mau Koro or even I Love You. As a huge fan of MUSIC and YES, I know that she can do better than this.

The b-side, Focus, is two steps more interesting than Orion. It’s more like Carrot & Whip. Happy beat, more instruments backing her up.

Since I love Mika, I’m going to say that she’s entitled to a few weak songs. The fact that she got a tattoo makes me overlook that anyway…

FINAL RATING:
[3] out of [5]

MUSIC: Somaru Yo [SINGLE] (2008)

Somaru Yo
Chatmonchy
2008

There are actually three songs in this single. It ends with the very upbeat RPG which encourages rocking, passionate girls to laugh like an idiot (which, I suppose should be taken positively). RPG follows Ai Suteta which is obviously a love song. However, these two songs are completely overshadowed by the first track.

The true, true reason to want to listen to this release by Chatmonchy is the a-side, Somaru Yo. I fell in love with this song right after watching its PV. Usually, I prefer Chatmonchy’s quirky, happy songs but Somaru Yo is just beautiful.

The melody sets this melancholy mood and Eriko Hashimoto’s voice is not too high and is actually pleasant to listen to. It captures a very, very empty feeling and expresses it quite eloquently. That is, if my Japanese is correct.

If you’re a not a smoker and not a social smoker but you smoke a cigarette every now and then not to impress anyone, not to look cool but to fill a certain, nameless void in your life – this song will touch your nicotine tainted organs. Somaru Yo is a pretty song about someone who finds comfort in a little white stick. It’s not patronizing, it’s not encouraging. It’s very matter of fact and I do believe it now ranks among my favorite songs.

FINAL RATING:
[4] out of [5]

Post script: an English translation of the song that I made is available HERE

MUSIC: The Return of the Chlorophyll Bunny (2003)

The Return of the Chlorophyll Bunny
2003
OLIVIA

In this (mini) album, Olivia opens with more ambience and less rock. The first two tracks, Dreamcamp and Skip to a Little, are slower than her previous works. This gives us the opportunity to actually hear Olivia’s voice with minimal production. It’s actually heavier and deeper, less annoying than the usual high-pitched JPop voice. But then again, Olivia’s not very usual.

The Return of the Chlorophyll Bunny sounds different from Olivia’s previous releases because you can actually hear the musical instrument in the background. I don’t actually usually pay attention to these things so when I notice them, I’m pretty sure something is up.

I wouldn’t say that this release is better but it does deviate. The sound is more solid (yet still accessible) rock rather than an eccentric, experimental, trip hop style.

In terms of song title and song style, this is Olivia’s most accessible album yet. There are no quirks and the songs are actually easy to sing along to. She’s beginning to sound like Evanescence way back when they released Origin.

FINAL RATING:
[3] out of [5]

MUSIC: Merry & Hell Go Round (2003)

Merry & Hell Go Round
2003
OLIVIA

I’d describe Merry & Hell Go Round as ‘ambient gothic’ but then again, even I don’t know what exactly that means. The first two tracks, SpidER Spins and Denial, feel like they belong to a film about vampires. Not the Nosferatu, disfigured vamps but the hot vampires that this generation might associate with Stephanie Mayer. I haven’t actually read her books but I do love vampires so the fact that Olivia’s music can be associated with bloodsuckers is quite good.

While Blind Unicorn continues with a rock sound, Olivia breaks the monotony with Cupid. The track throws in her dark trip hop style that I have become quite fond of.

The album closes with a lot of noise. Sugarbloodsuckers is the experimental rock side of Olivia and I won’t say I like it. I actually cringe at the track. But if you listen carefully, you’ll hear Olivia singing these aria-like bits. The mix is not that bad but I don’t think I’ll ever be a fan of this style.

FINAL RATING:
[3] out of [5]

MUSIC: Internal Bleeding Strawberry (2003)

Internal Bleeding Strawberry
2003
OLIVIA

You do have to at least love Olivia for using these quirky album titles. Thankfully, it matches her music.

Internal Bleeding Strawberry contains seven tracks of pretty solid music work. The opening track, Sea Me, carries a heavy pop rock sound which continues on to Solarhalfbreed. The lyrics melt into the sound which is, to me, a good thing. At least it doesn’t clash with it.

The lyrics can be a little strange e.g. Color of Your Spoon. I have no idea what Color of Your Spoon means and sue me for wondering if it’s something sexual. I actually like this song most (out of all Olivia’s work) because it’s catchy. The beat is slow and the way she sings is very soothing. It makes me feel very light.

This (mini) album is interesting enough. Olivia’s voice in Into the Stars is a little high but it’s something you can overlook if you manage to appreciate her style. Dress Me Up will test your like for her as she sings: “Don’t dress me up. I’m already dressed. Do you like my shoes?”

I suppose the reason why I find listening to Olivia pleasant is because it’s a bit different. If you like a splash of color… on your spoon, you’ll like this.

FINAL RATING
[4] out of [5]

MOVIE: Lovely Complex (2006)

Lovely Complex
2006
direction: Ishikawa, K.
screenplay: Suzuki, O.

quickie:
Tall girl, short guy. Romance and comedy ensues.

general impression:
It falls a little below enjoyable

lows:
The minor characters are a little too minor, the quirk seems forced

highs:
Genuine effort of the lead characters to be as happy and charming as possible, funny if you tilt your head in a certain angle

notes:
I watched the movie after watching the anime (the review of which I might get around after a few years…) and was severely disappointed.

I have never been a big fan of the shoujo genre but Lovely Compex – with the funny accent and the splash of colors – was something I actually sat through and enjoyed. Risa, the protagonist, is your typical angsty teen yet she pulls off the melancholia with her sunny disposition and a slight oddness. Ema Fujisawa, who portrays her in the movie, actually did pretty OK in capturing the melodrama that is Risa. Teppei Kokkei who portrays Ootani pulls enough attention from his fans and I suppose he’s not part of what’s bad about the film.

The downside of the movie is the fact that the supporting cast is so weak. Not that the minor characters ever stole the show from Risa in the anime but they did their part in making the story fun. The movie cast was just… bleah. Bland and sometimes even offensive.

The story is pretty average but that’s not really the point. The manga and the anime barely makes it past average. The success is from the funny way that the story was told. The film kind of missed that.

FINAL RATING:
[2] out of [5]