After a long day at work, I’ve decided that tonight I’m gonna’ sit on my ass and relax all evening.
Mom’s got the Trick or Treat-ers covered while Dad’s watching the World Series, and all the while I’m just taking up space on the couch.
Truly an ideal Halloween for an Azn Badger with a 50 hour work week.
Anyway, Game 4 of the World Series just ended, and Dad’s flipped on Ernest Scared Stupid, so I think watching that takes priority over any more writing for tonight.
Man, watching this brings back so many childhood memories of Jim Varney movies…
I think I liked Ernest Goes to Jail the best out the Ernest series, though Camp was pretty good too.
Ernest Scared Stupid will always stick in my memory though, as a surprisingly scary movie from my childhood.
I shit you not, watching that one kid with the glasses fall in the mud, and seeing that fuckin’ troll get the jump on that little girl in her bedroom were scenes that were truly fuckin’ scary to me back in the day.
Call me a pussy, but Ernest Scared Stupid was one of the scarier movies I can recall seeing as a kid.
Anyway, happy Halloween everyone; thanks for reading!
So, I bought Demon’s Souls from a friend the other day.
He told me he played it for 5 hours and then called it quits.
This is coming from a Korean fellow that specializes in, as he phrases it; “beasting” games faster than they can come out.
As fate would have it, there would be no “beasting” of Demon’s Souls for my Korean buddy.
In fact one could go so far as to say that the game “beasted” him.
Despite this, like a fool I thought I could do what my friend could not.
Before I bought the game, I read scores of reviews singing the praise of Demon’s Souls, and heralding it’s difficulty level as the Battletoads equivalent to the modern era of gaming.
While it does indeed seem like it could be a great game, make no mistake; Demon’s Souls is a punishingly difficult game, to the extent that it feels borderline unfair.
As of writing this, I’m barely 2 hours into the game, and I’ve done exactly nothing.
My first created character was a Barbarian.
I set out into the game with the mindset of creating a Conan-esque tank, however to my surprise; the Barbarian was just about the worst choice to do so, at least in the beginning stages of the game.
Turns out, despite their inherent physicality, Barbarians start out the game with no armor, and some of the worst equipment imaginable.
Not good when the game derives most of your survivability from your equipment and armor rather than your stats.
Despite spending about an hour getting a good feel for the timing and nuance of the game’s control scheme, (while dieing about 9,000 times…) I found that; for a beginner level player, a Barbarian was simply too fragile for my skill level.
Enter my second character within an hour of starting the game, a much sturdier and well-equipped Knight.
Well, after dieing every 5 minutes as my Knight, I think I can honestly say that he’s probably going to be my primary character from now on.
Every time I play Demon’s Souls, I feel like I’m moving a half-step forward, only to get thrown 20 feet back every 5 minutes.
When I said the game felt borderline unfair, I was referring largely to the checkpoint and currency systems.
The checkpoint system is a pain in the ass because, well; near as I can tell there are none.
This wouldn’t be a problem except, unlike friendlier games like Diablo; Demon’s Souls has no “scroll of Town Portals.”
Not only that, Demon’s Souls thoroughly rapes you by forcing you to reclaim your “souls” (money) while wading through every enemy in the level up to that point.
Enemy placement is always the same, and any entry or exit of a level causes them all to respawn.
My main issue with the currency system, is not that you lose all your money when you die, but that there’s no banking or storage system in the game.
Do I really have to carry all of my wealth on me at all times?
Seriously man, if you had 5,000 souls of demon’s in your possession would you go walkin’ around with ’em in your wallet?
No, you’d put ’em in a fuckin’ bank.
That being said, the currency system is largely why I’m “nowhere” in the game as of yet.
Simply put, I can never survive long enough to save up my money to purchase items with.
Not that there’s any items I want/need anyway.
I suppose it doesn’t help either that I haven’t the slightest clue how to level up my character…
Anyway, I’m whining; so I’ll stop now.
As it stands, Demon’s Souls is a brutally difficult game, but for drastically different reasons than I am accustomed to in my “hard games.”
When it comes to twitch reflexes and memorization I.E. Contra, Raiden, Devil May Cry; I have no problem.
In the case of Demon’s Souls though, the game’s difficulty comes largely from the stringent rules of it’s gameplay, as well as the fact that timing and precision are the order of the day, rather than quick reaction time or fancy button combinations.
It’s a frustrating and loathesome game that truly hates it’s players, but truth be told; I actually feel compelled to keep trying at Demon’s Souls.
After a few years of getting raped by Battletoads, I put my controller down and said “No Mas.”
Though I’ve only spent a few hours with Demon’s Souls, those few hours have shown me that; despite all the teeth-gritting frustration, there still may in fact be a game worth experiencing hidden beneath it all.
Quite possibly the finest image I've ever produced...
Greetings true believers!
Yesterday was the first day I invited a guest contributor to post on this blog.
Yesterday was also the first day my blog ever scored more than 450 hits.
Not only that, today the Azn Badger’s blog was fortunate to score over 3,000 hits.
… So am I to understand that my blog’s best days are the one’s in which the Azn Badger let’s someone else do the writing?
Ouch.
… Nah, I’m just Joshin’ yah’, I’m happy as a clam!
Thank you Mencius, for you contribution, and more importantly; your promotional efforts.
The success of this blog would be 3,000 something hits less without you.
Anyway, hope you like my Stallone/Ultimate Warrior mural.
I assure you, it was crafted with pure love.
Oh yeah, and Photoshop…
I’m not about to make any promises for what the future holds for this blog, (I learned my lesson about 15,000 hits ago…) however I will say that a potential podcast is definitely in the works, as well as maybe a stupid homemade action movie or 2!
That being said, thank you for your readership, expect more fun and insanity in the days to come.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the first (well technically second…) guest post on the Azn Badger’s blog!
After months of not-so-subtly prodding at my friends to give me a hand/break in posting on this blog EVERY FUCKING DAY, one of my closest of pal’s has finally stepped up to the plate and allowed me to post a comic of his!
Anyway, the author of said comic is listed as “red13,” however because I’m a dick, and like to treat my friend’s like shit, I will henceforth be referring to the contributor of this comic as “Mencius.”
That being said, the comic in question is an homage/parody/play on the online PC game, Minecraft.
I myself have not played Minecraft, nor know anything about it, but I can definitely fake it by throwing Wikipedia quotes at you!:
“Minecraft is a sandbox building[1][2] game which allows players to build constructions out of textured cubes in a 3D world. It is currently in development by Markus “Notch” Persson on the Java platform. The gameplay is inspired by Dwarf Fortress, RollerCoaster Tycoon, Dungeon Keeper, and especially Infiniminer.[3][4]Minecraft was developed for about a week before its public release on May 17, 2009 on the TIGSource forums, where it gained a considerable level of popularity. It has been continually updated since then, and while still an alpha release, it has garnered hundreds of thousands of sales and critical notice and acclaim from many reviewers.”
There, you now know just as much as I do about Minecraft!
Anyway, my buddy Mencius made this comic (for fun, not posterity) based around the basic premise tha- Oh, fuck it, I’ll just let him explain it:
“Minecraft will see updates to its multiplayer where players can take damage – leading to the inevitable creation of servers which give players a bit more of a challenge than they’re used to. This comic is about what I imagine a part of Minecraft’s future will look like.”
… I don’t get it.
Enough jibber-jabbin’ and talkin’ wise an’ otherwise though, let’s get to the comic, shall we?:
(Please open the image in another window or download it. The comic is too large for the post width of my blog, so it has been condensed somewhat.)
Hope you all enjoyed it, please remember to thank my buddy Mencius for his contribution to the blog!
Seriously man, thanks a lot, I just snagged Demon’s Souls tonight, so I definitely don’t need the extra stress of having to pound out a blog post for tonight…
Give me a break will yah’, work was particularly brutal today…
Anyway, today we’re gonna’ be taking a look at the Top 5 Chinese Songs That Keep The Azn Badger From Stabbing People.
Unlike the previous 2 iterations of this list, this time around there’s an extra rule involved in my selection process.
Said rule would be:
No Jackie Chan.
Being as I have a fairly extensive collection of Jackie Chan songs, I think it would be best to save them for a list of their own at a future date.
Remind me to get back to this at a future date, as I genuinely like a lot of Jackie’s songs, and would love an opportunity to talk them up at some point.
Anyway, that being said; let’s get to the list:
5. Babylon In The Orient – Shanghai Restoration Project
You know this is gonna’ be a fucked up list when I start things off with a joke entry.
Babylon In The Orient, while sung in English (barely…) by a Chinese person; is the quintessential Azn song.
Mind you, that’s “Azn” not “Asian.”
The difference being defined by the amount of hair gel and “street” sensibilities present in the Asian person in question.
Consisting of little more than the words “holler” and a few extra tidbits here and there, the song captures the sound and feel of the Azn archetype so perfectly, that it’s tune springs to mind every time I see (or hear) a rice rocket or Asian guy dressed like a 300 lbs. Black guy.
Needless to say, Babylon In The Orient is a song that makes me laugh on account of how insanely Azn it is.
While it’s indeed a shitty song, the point of this list is that it consists of songs that keep me from stabbing people I.E. make me happy.
Babylon In The Orient makes me happy, though in a “so bad it’s good” sort of way.
In my book that counts for a lot.
4. Into The Future – Andy Lau
Ah, the “Great Un-Aging One,” Andy Lau.
Andy Lau is like the Tom Cruise of China.
He’s been consistently playing handsome, energetic and suave young men throughout his entire career despite being about 10 years too old to do so for, well, over 10 years now.
Truth be told, I haven’t really seen many Andy Lau movies, but the man has one helluva’ a reputation; as is evident by my knowledge of him despite having little to no interest in his career.
That being said, I think it’s funny that #4 on this list comes from the soundtrack of a movie I haven’t seen, and is sung by an aging pop-star I barely know of.
That’s right folks, the kung fu movie obsessed blogger that is the Azn Badger has not seen Stephen Chow’s Shaolin Soccer.
Know what else is fucked up?
I haven’t seen Kung Fu Hustle either!
Despite this, I stumbled across the theme song for Shaolin Soccer at some point, and while it doesn’t make me want to see the movie any more than before, it’s an energetic and fun song that always puts a smile on my face.
Someday I’ll see Stephen Chow’s movies, but until then; I’ll settle for listening to the soundtracks.
3. Shan Shan Re Ren Ai – Elva Hsiao
Elva Hsiao is yet another artist I ran across while perusing the now defunct Azn music forum I used to frequent.
Near as I can tell, she’s basically the Taiwanese equivalent to Madonna, only prettier and without the nasty gap in her teeth.
Oh yeah, and I’m guessing she doesn’t live out her days pretending she’s English like Madonna either.
Anyway, I only really ever heard 1 single of Elva Hsiao’s, called Diamond Candy.
Being as it was a single, there really wasn’t a whole lot to listen to, but the songs “More More More” and Shan Shan Re Ren Ai (whatever the fuck that means in Mandarin…) struck me as surprisingly catchy dance songs.
While “More More More” got brownie points from me on account of featuring Wu Jing in the music video, ultimately I felt Shan Shan Re Ren Ai was the better song.
I wouldn’t be surprised if I ended up listening to more of Ms. Hsiao’s work in the future.
2. Huo Yuan Jia – Jay Chou
In case you haven’t noticed already, many of the songs on this Top 5 come from the soundtracks of Chinese movies.
Huo Yuan Jia just happens to be the theme song for the movie of the same name, otherwise known in the U.S. as Jet Li’s “Fearless.”
It also happens to be a song by the juggernaut of Taiwanese pop music, Jay Chou.
Unlike most Asian pop-idols, I happen to like Jay Chou.
He started out his career as a writer, and as a legitimately accomplished musician behind the scenes, he’s definitely earned his stripes.
Despite all that, the point is:
I like his sound, and he’s made more than a few songs I happen to like, so he’s cool in my book.
I can’t say I’m terribly excited about his recent forays into action cinema, most notably in the upcoming Green Hornet movie; however despite that, he’s still cool in my book…
… Provided he doesn’t make a fool of himself in that movie.
Anyway, Fearless was a pretty spankin’ movie, but the one memory I’m able to carry with me wherever I go, is the tune of this song.
Man, I wish American movies would have badass theme songs like this one…
1. A Man Ought To Be Strong – CHINESE PEOPLE
Really, how could a kung fu movie obsessed person like myself make a Chinese music list without throwing A Man Ought To Be Strong into the top spot?
As a Chinese folk song, as well as the theme of the seemingly endless Once Upon A Time In China film series, A Man Ought To Be Strong is, from my perspective, the spirit of China in song form.
While there are scores of versions of this song, (including 1 by Jackie Chan) this version, sung by a choir as opposed to a single vocalist, is easily my favorite.
As I said, this song basically symbolizes China in my eyes, making it all too appropriate that the best version of it be sung by a bunch of anonymous Chinese as opposed to some pop-star.
Anyway, this song is awesome.
Everyone should hear it at some point in their life, so if this was your first time, I’ll just say, “You’re welcome.”
Not only that, I read, and dissected Beowulf for school within a month of seeing the movie.
That being said, I know the story.
Well, no; that’s not entirely true, but for the purposes of this post bear with me.
If you ask me, the original Beowulf story (well, the translated/updated version that we all read today anyway…) was trashy and uninspired, even for it’s time.
The composition of the story is fractured, the characters are barely 2 dimensional, and the whole thing is downright caveman simple.
What I mean to say is:
Beowulf was a campfire story for DUDES, a story meant to entertain on the most visceral of levels, and one that was seemingly thrown together on the fly one night, probably by a drunk-ass dude with PTSD from killing and raping 5,000 women and children.
Wow, that was graphic.
Anyway, what follows is an intentionally stupid and ridiculous summary/reenactment of the original telling of the Beowulf story as I know it.
Try to picture this being told around an old-world viking campfire.
Please enjoy, and bear in mind, this post was brought to you by a 4 year college education:
“Okay, so there’s this monster, uh, Green- (no, wait…) Grendel! Yeah, that’s right, Grendel!
One day, Grendel showed up at some castle, and was all like:
“IMMA’ KILL ALL’AH’ YOUSE’!”
With that, Grendel started cuttin’ bitches, so the peoples in the castle whipped out their celly’s and called the pimpest dude in the neightborhood:
BAY-O-WOLF.
Yeah that’s right, BAY-O-WOLF.
Only thing is, he’s so fuckin’ BADASS that he spells it “Beowulf,” ’cause he’s all like:
“I don’t want suckah’s soundin’ out my name n’shit. That’s some bullshit right there, son…”
Anyway, Beowulf shows up and is all like:
“Yeah, I’ll kill your monster, but first let us all get drunk while I take some ‘roids and whip out my cock… Y’know, as a sign of good sportsmanship.
Don’t question me, I’m BADASS.”
Right as the parties startin’ to die down, Grendel busts down the door on a bad trip or some shit and is all like:
“IMMA’ KILL ALL’AH’ YOUSE’!”
So, these 2 guys bein’ the dudes that they are, Beowulf and Grendel end up drinking themselves stupid.
Naturally, again; dudes that they are, the 2 of them get into a slap boxing/wrestling match, presumably over who the better Bond was, Connery or Moore.
(It was Connery…)
Despite what began as a friendly contest, Beowulf somehow accidentally tears Grendel’s arm out of it’s socket.
That, my good friends, is what shall henceforth be known as a “party foul.”
Anyway, that’s the story! Goodnight!”
Inevitably, gathered around a campfire with nothing else to do, someone would eventually have to ask:
“Really? That can’t really be the end, can it?”
Not wanting to upset his testosterone and boose juiced audience, our storyteller would most likely do what he could to improv a second act for the story:
“So, *cough!* turns out Grendel had a mom…
Not only that, Grendel had, uh, a SAVAGE BEAST of a mom that was 10 times more SAVAGE than him on his most SAVAGE of days!
Yeah, that’s right, SAVAGE!
‘Cause, y’know how mothers are, am I right guys? *Wink* *Wink*
……….. How come nobodies’ laughing?
*Ahem!* Anyway, Grendel’s mom shows up at the castle and is all like:
“IMMA’ KILL ALL’AH’ YOUSE’!”
So then Beowulf, fresh after having just bedded every lady in waiting in the court, is all like:
“Yeah, ‘imma kill that bitch for yah’, just let me get juiced up and nak- (no, wait he already did that) I mean, juiced up and shit-faced and I’ll get right on it.
Then maybe I’ll get naked and score some poontang afterwards…”
(Hold for applause)
Yeah, thought you guys would like that part…
With that, Beowulf, being the BADASS that he is; goes and puts the ground and pound to Grendel’s mom like she stole from him.
Seriously, that bitch got tapped out so fast, The Flash was like “Waddah’ fawk jus’ happened!?”
During the after party, Beowulf gets laid, gets hammered, and becomes king. The end.”
Despite the storyteller’s pleas though, inevitably some other loudmouth jackass would demand that the story keep going.
Hoping to satisfy his audience, and finally bring an end to the epic monstrosity he had birthed that evening, the storyteller would ultimately go balls-out with his final act, intentionally jumping the shark for fear of further demands of continuance:
“Okay guys, this is really the end now, so don’t ask for any more story tonight, ‘k?
So a bunch of time passes, and Beowulf’s real old n’shit, right?
He’s still king n’all, but he’s real fuckin’ old is all.
Anyway, everything’s good n’shit, but then A FUCKIN’ DRAGON shows up, and Beowulf’s all like:
“I’m old and the evils of gravity have made me ashamed to disrobe in public anymore, but imma’ kill the FUCKIN’ DRAGON for everybody, ’cause goddamnit; I’m BADASS and that’s what I do.
… Even though the dragon hasn’t really done anything to warrant it’s killi- Goddamnit I’m the KING, and I’m BADASS, so this is fuckin’ happening… Right now!”
With that Beowulf heads down to the FUCKIN’ DRAGON’S house and starts wreckin’ shit like no other while his little buddy Wieglaf hangs back and is all like:
“Oh snap! Beowulf’s a fuckin’ beast!”
Shit goes wrong though, and Beowulf falls on his knife or some shit, leaving Wieglaf to pwn the FUCKIN’ DRAGON on his own (with a little help from aimbot…).
Anyway, Beowulf dies or some shit, I don’t know; I’m tired let’s go to bed.”
Well, folks, that was my summary/reenactment of the first telling of the Beowulf story.
Hopefully you all enjoyed it, and/or learned something!
Hello all, and welcome to another edition of the Azn Badger’s Top 5 Songs That Keep Him From Stabbing People!
Last time around we tackled the Top 5 Japanese songs, and in keeping with the “Azn” portion of the title of this blog; today we’ll be delving into the realm of Korean music!
Before we begin, let me just say this:
I don’t speak Korean.
I know how to answer a phone, say “thank you,” and rattle off a handful of ethnic slurs, but that’s just about all the Korean I know.
Huh, that’d be one hell of a phone conversation:
“Hello? You *bleepity bleepin’ BLEEP*! Thank you! *CLICK!*”
Anyway, my interest in Korean songs springs almost entirely from hanging out with my Korean (between the 2 of us, we refer to Koreans as “Krns” pronounced “Kerns”) buddy from up the street.
He used to have an extensive library of Krn music, much of which I acquired from him at one time or another.
As a result, much of my favorite Krn songs are slightly outdated, being that they’re from the early 2000’s.
That being said, let’s get to the music:
5. Freaky Game 108 – Soul Dive
This song was one I stumbled across about a year ago when I was perusing an Azn music forum for new tunes.
I got a lot of great music out of that forum, and Freaky Game 108 was one of my favorites.
The album as a whole was shitty, but the one song was pretty freakin’ sweet.
Regardless, I love the pumping, almost dance track-like beat of this song, coupled with the rap style lyrics.
Like every other song on this list, I don’t have a fuckin’ clue as to what the lyrics entail; however this has never been a problem for me as long as the tune is good.
Remember, I’m a hummer not a singer.
4. Get Them Hands Up – 1TYM
I fuckin’ love 1TYM.
Ever since my Krn buddy and I used to pretend we were cool by cruising around in high school blasting their music through the speakers of his Corolla, 1TYM has been one of my favorite Krn music groups.
Sure they’re “happy rappers.”
Sure they look ridiculous.
Sure they’re a shitty rap group that were popular for 5 minutes.
Despite all that, I’ve got more of their tracks in my library than any other Krn band, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Of those tracks, Get Them Hands Up is easily my favorite, right next to “Hello!”
It’s got an awesome and fairly intricate beat, a nice flow; and most important of all, one of the catchiest and most satisfying choruses I’ve ever heard.
Seriously, I can’t recite it worth shit, but you better believe I’ve caught myself trying to in the shower every now and again.
3. The Last Scene – Roller Coaster
This song is what my Krn buddy and I used to refer to as the “Abercrombie and Fitch” song.
I dare you to listen to this song without picturing, even for a moment; a fuckin’ clothing commercial or fashion exhibition.
It just fits too well.
Despite this, the toe-tapping, yet surprisingly mellow beat, coupled with the smooth, yet vaguely emotionless voice of the lead singer, make for a song that as easy to lounge to, as it is to cruise down the highway to.
It’s a wonderful song, and is actually one of the very few mellow tunes that I keep on my Ipod.
2. Jeez! – B2Y
Jeez! was another song that I acquired from that one Azn music forum awhile back.
As a 2 girl, 2 boy band, B2Y is just what you’d expect:
A generic Azn pop group.
Despite the stigma surrounding this, (one that I happen to subscribe to in most cases) I’ve gotta’ say, Jeez! is a really fun song.
Just like 175R’s Yume De Aeta Nara from the other day, Jeez! is very much a disco-pop song, although in this case the disco element is very much at the forefront of things.
In my book, that’s a very good thing.
The energy of this song is just so goddamn cotton candy sweet, that’s it hard for me to think of any legitimate reason why anyone wouldn’t like it.
Oh yeah, and did I mention is has a really fuckin’ catchy chorus?
Tonight was pumpkin carving night at the house of the Azn Badger.
I’ve been “a little too old” for Jack O’ Lanterns for probably 5 years now, but as long as my mother insists on keeping the tradition alive; I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.
That being said, this year my dad “acquired” (don’t ask…) about 6 big ass pumpkins, leaving me, my mother, my brother and his girlfriend with our work cut out for us.
As far as annual pumpkin carvings go, this one was a lot of fun.
Not only that, but as you’ll see below, the pumpkins ended up pretty awesome.
We’ll start off with the Azn Badger’s:
Don’t mind the smudged mess in the top-left corner. That’s just my brother…
BOO-YAH-KA-SHA!!
That’s what I call a mother-fuckin’ pumpkin!
In case you couldn’t tell, the face was somewhat influenced by the Predator of the franchise of the same name.
Oh yeah, and the eyes came from Venom from Spider-Man…
Yeah, I have no original thoughts whatsoever.
ANYWAY, next up is my brother’s pumpkin:
The first word that came to mind when I saw my brother’s pumpkin was “cute.”
That’s right, I called a man’s pumpkin “cute.”
I’m not a fairy or anything, I’m just calling it like it is.
Also, don’t go make any assumptions about my brother just ’cause his pumpkin’s cute n’shit.
My brother’s a fuckin’ PIMP, and don’t you forget it, son.
Not ghey.
Next up is my brother’s girlfriend’s pumpkin:
Described by it’s creator as looking vaguely like a “confused baby,” this pumpkin has as much capacity to inspire as it does terrify those that gaze upon it.
Honestly, looking at this thing gives me the willies.
It’s like one of those faceless white masks that that one breakdance troupe wore awhile back.
You know it’s a face, you know it’s female; but you haven’t the slightest clue what it wants from you/wants to do to you.
That being said, let’s move on to my mom’s pumpkin before I die a horrible The Ring-esque death as a result of looking at this pumpkin for too long:
My mom is… “Artistic”… Yeah, we’ll go with that…
This was another “cute” pumpkin, though “odd” would probably fit just as well too.
The construction of it is actually kind of interesting, as the massive “nose” of the pumpkin is actually attached to the lid portion of the top of the pumpkin, which causes the whole thing to look kind of like a Spartan helmet.
Again, I have no original thoughts of my own. All I know is taken from movies and videogames.
*Ahem!* Anyway, my mom always goes out of her way to make fun and decidedly original pumpkins every year, and this time around was no exception.
Anyway, just thought I’d share some photos and save myself an evening of writing.
In light of my ongoing blood feud with my virus infected laptop, I figured it would be a good idea for me to take the time type up an article (or 2) regarding a therapeutic topic.
In this case, said topic would be songs that keep me from stabbing people AKA songs that, for whatever reason; make me feel happy.
Being as I am indeed an Azn Badger, with relatively Azn interests; much of my song library consists of Azn tunes.
That being said, I foresee this post being part of a series, so I’ve thusly labeled this one the “Japanese Edition” of this particular Top 5 list.
Anyway, the only requirements for entry on this list, are that the track must indeed be a song; meaning it must have lyrics, and in this case, it must also be Japanese.
Expect other versions of this post for the next couple of days.
Apologies in advance to those that truly don’t give a shit about music, much less of the Azn variety…
Anyway, let’s make with the list!:
*PLEASE NOTE, I DID NOT WATCH ANY OF THE VIDEOS BELOW, SO DON’T COMPLAIN TO ME IF THEY’RE OBNOXIOUS, STUPID, ANNOYING, OR ALL OF THE ABOVE.*
5. Sanpo (A Walk) – Azumi Inoue
That’s right folks, #5 on my list of Japanese songs that keep me from stabbing people is the opening song from My Neighbor Totoro.
Honestly though, you can’t mention “happy” without including Totoro, can you?
This song brought me much joy as a child, both in English and Japanese, and it continues to put a smile on my face to this day.
Hell, being as it’s written for kids, it’s one of the few songs on this list that I can actually understand 100% of.
Azumi Inoue has a wonderfully sweet voice that’s perfectly suited for the Blue’s Clues-y, Wiggles-esque, sugar-coated pre-schooler nursery rhyme feel of the song.
The only other song I’ve heard her perform was Chiisa Na Inori (Tiny Prayer) from the Guyver Image Album, (yeah, I actually went and bought it…) and I’ve gotta’ say, the woman’s got some pipes.
Not necessarily of the “strong” or “booming” variety, but I think “sweet” describes her sound pretty well.
4. Yume De Aeta Nara (If We Met In A Dream) – 175R
DISCO POP = FUCK YES.
Yume De Aeta Nara was a song featured in the first film in the Kamen Rider Den-Ou series.
Around the time the movie came out, I was knees deep in my own personal period of “Tokusatsu Revival.”
Just a year or 2 before, I had rediscovered Ultraman and Kamen Rider; and so when the movie came out, I was really fuckin’ excited.
Like, REALLY excited.
Anyway, while Den-Ou was perhaps one of the best Tokusatsu series I can recall, the first movie of course turned out to be kind of “meh,” leaving me with a sour taste in my mouth until fairly recently when the Den-Ou franchise miraculously resurfaced.
That’s a story for another day though…
So anyway, the movie sucked, but the one awesome thing I took away from it, was this song, Yume De Aeta Nara, by 175R.
I’ve never heard any other songs by the group, but honestly I don’t feel I need to, as this one has since provided me with more than enough enjoyment.
Like I said man, disco pop is THE SHIT.
When it comes to making an Azn Badger happy, few things do it better than a disco beat and nostalgic ties to Kamen Rider.
Initially starting as a manga, and then later serving as the inspiration for countless videogame characters, an anime series (or 2), and even a legacy of real-life pro-wrestlers, Tiger Mask is brilliant to the point in which I’m actually jealous that I didn’t come up with the idea.
Really, I ask you, who the fuck wouldn’t enjoy a story about a man in a tiger mask wrestling the shit out of dudes, while protecting the children of the world from an evil Illuminati-esque organization?
Anyway, the song I chose for this list comes from the 1980’s anime series, and as such, it’s sound bears the remnants of the enka style of vocalization that was popular in the post-war period.
By the way, enka is THE SHIT.
That being said, the enka style of the lyrics, combined with the almost spaghetti western-like music, make for a wonderfully cheesy and over-the-top theme song to a cheesy and over-the-top hero.
By the way, I should’ve included this song on my list of ways I keep sane at work; ’cause I have a tendency to sing it when I’m on the shipping line…
I’m not retarded.
I swear.
2. My Lonely Town (Mai Roneri Taun) – B’z
Oh B’z, how the fuck did I live without you?
Seriously, B’z is a Japanese band that’s been around FOREVER, but me being me, I didn’t find out about them until 2004 when their lead guitarist, Tak Matsumoto; composed the soundtrack for the movie Ultraman: The Next.
Come to think of it though, news of stupid-ass movies about dudes in rubber monster suits duking it out seems to be how I get most of my news from Japan, so I guess that makes a fair amount of sense…
Anyway, I was really impressed with the soundtrack for that movie, (another one that I eventually bought) so I looked up the composer, which led me to B’z, which led me to finding a mega-awesome band that I hope will continue being awesome for years to come.
My Lonely Town is an unbelievably awesome song from B’z(‘s?) most recent album, Magic.
When I first put this song on, I was reading the Wolverine comic, Old Man Logan; and I gotta’ tell yah’, it just fit too fuckin’ well.
Seriously, My Lonely Town has a big, loud, Bon Jovi-esque rock sound to it, but at the same time it also has some amazing string work that gives it an epic, again, almost spaghetti Western-like feel.
It was a brilliant case of right song, right book, right time.
1. Let It Go – Yuna Ito
This one is special.
I can’t really put my finger on it why, but for whatever reason; Let It Go has been my favorite song for almost a year now.
I don’t have “favorite” songs.
I have songs I like, but never “favorites.”
This song is one of the few exceptions I can name off the top of my head.
Songs from Transformers: The Movie and the Rocky series don’t count, ’cause those are built in.
Seriously, I didn’t “choose” to love those songs, they chose me.
*Ahem!* Anyway, Let It Go is sung by Yuna Ito.
While it lends no credence as to why I like the song so much, it’s interesting to note that she’s a hapa girl.
That is, she’s half Korean, half Japanese, raised in Honolulu.
Way to represent the local people… By leaving the country and making music in a foreign country.
All kidding aside, while the music is definitely the biggest selling point for me in this song, with it’s beautiful, and surprisingly almost country-esque string work coupled with an unrelentingly upbeat tune, I have to say Ms. Ito’s voice is pretty fuckin’ good.
I’ve never really paid much attention to vocals in songs.
Like I’ve said in previous posts, I was a “hummer” as a kid; and thusly kept music in my head rather than songs.
That is to say, while the other kids annoyed their parents by singing “Under the Sea” at the top of their lungs everyday, I was busy pissing off my folks by incessantly humming music from Snow Bros. and Mega Man 2.
I can’t explain it, but for some reason I have a lot of trouble understanding the lyrics to songs, regardless of language.
Despite this, from what I know of Japanese pop music, Yuna Ito is a rare talent.
Near as I can tell, most Jpop stars are, like our own American ones, studio musicians I.E. pretty people that can do just enough of everything to appeal to the core demographic.
They have flat voices, and more often than not; hide behind backup dancers, high production value music and voice modulation.
Ms. Ito, while most likely guilty of all of the above, actually seems to have a genuinely strong singing voice.
While I’m probably wrong, my first thought process was that it may be a cultural difference.
She may be fluent in Japanese, and indeed have lived there most of her life for all I know, but being raised in Hawaii, as an American; would most likely lend some boldness to her style of singing.
It seemed to be the case for Utada Hikaru, who was from New York; so I don’t exactly feel dumb for making this assumption.
Anyway, if ever the Azn Badger seems primed for a stabbing session, just remember to put on Let It Go, or any of the above mentioned Japanese songs, and chances are you’ll be just fine.
For the past year or so, I’ve had Malware attacks on my computer every couple of months or so.
I’m not sure if it’s a new one every time, or just a single, tenacious virus that continually goes dormant and resurfaces from time to time, but either way; Malware has been a thorn in my side for some time now.
Now, before you judge me, and call me some sort of technical newb or some shit; bear in mind that I am not a technical person.
Truth be told, I fuckin’ hate computers.
Honestly, if not for the computer being such an essential tool in this day and age; I really would prefer to stay away from them.
You see, computers; and indeed most of the software that run on them, are tools that deal in intangibles and rules.
For instance, when you’re working on say, Adobe Photoshop; you aren’t every actually putting your hands on the project you’re working on, rather you are manipulating the digital “object” within the confinements and restrictions of the toolset provided to you.
That’s where computers and the Azn Badger don’t mix.
You see, I tend to “feel my way around” most things in life.
I’m more of a sketch artist as opposed to a T-square wielding engineer.
I rarely ever use the right tool for the job, which often results in me getting things done; but not without exerting myself 10 times harder than I needed to.
That being said, when it comes to digital toolsets, or computers in general; you can’t really get away with this course of action.
You can’t “play” with a computer without first knowing “how.”
And that’s why things like Malware always manage to fuck me over for days, if not weeks at a time.
I’m familiar with the most basic means of combating them, however the Malware I’ve had for the past week or so has really got me on the ropes.
Needless to say, this new one is kind of tricky.
It’s far less visible than any other Malware/virus I’ve dealt with, largely because it doesn’t mess with my browser window or throw pop-ups at you like most others do.
No, this one is even courteous enough to give you an hour or so to play around on your computer before it affects anything at all.
Near as I can tell, whatever this thing is, it grabs hold of your memory and chokes it’s ass out, ’cause after an hour or so of tooling around on my computer; everything just grinds to a halt.
My main issue with this virus, is the fact that; despite the hour or so it gives me, that isn’t nearly long enough to run a virus scan.
My virus scan program, along with the whole computer, craps out probably 45 minutes to an hour before it can finish, allowing me to see that my computer is indeed infected, but not giving me enough time to quarantine/delete the infestation.
Some of the viruses that have been showing up in the scans (before it craps out mind you) are as follows:
Tracking Cookie
AdRotator
Gen-Koobface
Gen-Deskryp [OSK]
Anyway, this has been yet another whiny rant from the Azn Badger.
Sorry about that.
I promise, the fun will return once I finally get my computer back to normal.
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