17.45, Konica Minolta planetarium Manten
I guess the creative designers of Miraikan, the Future museum in Tokyo, would agree with me - sakanaction suits the Universe the best, at least among modern Japanese musicians. It's my first time in Manten, and I've only been to a couple of other planetariums, but I swear I've become a planetarium fan, and particularly of Konica Minolta. This quality of sound and projection is astonishing.
It's my intuition. Insight. Second sight. When I doubt, I doubt. When I don't, I seldom make mistakes. If I see that this movie is different from the beginning, then it proves to be different to the end.
story and characters
When I tried to retell the story to my friend, I realised how plain it is. She is emotionless, he is sneering at her, she is in trouble, he lifts her and brings to the infirmary accompanied by some solemn music. Others try to split them but they won't let them. Then he learns of her dream and decides to let her go by lying that he does not love her any more, but she then understands it was a lie. What can be easier?
In fact, it gets very sweet by the end and I would probably throw rotten tomatoes at such scenes
if not for that fact that something makes it different from your usual Japanese romantic movies. And that something is...
acting
Well, undfortunately I am not speaking of the main Heroine, Komatsu Nana, because she was your usual pretty Japanese girl who looked like she had to use eyedrops in the scene when her heroine was crying.
And that infamous Japanese romance! Not suspicious at all, aha.
Okay, okay, I'll finally tell you what's good in this movie. I think you guessed already, if you saw the cast.
I mean, I'm not a fan of Yamapi, even though I've seen a lot of movies with him. I kind of admire him from afar, I'm not a fangirl, I don't swoon when I see him. I simply think he's attractive and plays his roles a bit better than other actors do, because I do think Japanese cinema actors, as opposed to theatre actors, suck at acting, since most of them are there for their looks.
But here Yamasisa (as my friend once called him and that became the way we call him among ourselves and therefore the way I am used to call him) was so incredibly hot I almost evaporated during the first 10 minutes. I loved his acting, I loved how he portrayed the character, I loved his changing facing expressions.
Other actors were just normal, I wouldn't mention anyone in particular, but maybe, just maybe, Kotaki Nozomu was cute. Oh yes he was. Extremely. Yeah... It titillates my maternal instinct. Not that I find him attractive, but rather I want to punch other children who are offending him. or give him a candy...
music
Like I said, this is a movie that looked not alike other ones that I've seen, and when the end titles start, I suddenly hear this masterpiece
Not a touching song by Shiina Ringo, not a cute one by Ikimonogakari, not a pompous song by some band like Alexandros, not a glitzy piece by Juju, but an extremely stylish, slow, picturesque 'hasu no hana'. I couldn't wish for a better ending.
Though I can't say I liked the OST particularly, the 'epic song' in the epic scene was really impressive =)
conclusion
As a person who cannot sit still when he knows there is an original work this movie is based upon, I started reading the manga already. And what was my surprise when I saw that the movie scenario was better. Those moments showing how the teacher could read the Heroine's emotions by her subtle gestures, those moments when they both doubted and reflected their feelings, even the romantic moment in the classroom - all things that happened in the first volume very quickly, took some time in the movie and therefore, were much more profound and expressive. To be honest, after the first 4 chapters I just stared at the screen and thought - 'if in the manga she yielded so fast, what are the remaining 9 volumes about?'
song of the day - 'Omotesandou 26ji' by sakanaction
11.00
Finally we're here! Omotesando! Oh, how I wanted to see it and to have a walk here. This part of the street is narrow and does not look like a big boulevard, but the famous brands have their shops here just one after another.
11.30
This is finally the 'boulevard'. And here is Norihiko Dan's work! Wow.
I guess we can create a collection of Christmas-tree-resembling-weird-things already
I'm so glad the weather is fine. The boulevard is even better than I expected.
First 'kukuruza' ('corn'), then what... Ryabina ('rowan')?
15.30
I'd say that I liked 'Night on the Galactic Railroad' by Kagaya better than this Fuji-san fantasy, but it was still very beautiful
We're from here!
A long-awaited lunch. The Japanese do love Italian cuisine, even at a planetarium.
16.20
No to boring selfies!
Yes to huge yellow half-eggs!
16.30
Even though if I could choose I'd say I want to live in a noisy busy big city, visiting Osaka and Tokyo neighbourhood made me think those small towns are really cute. It's not that I changed my opinion, but look at this...
Native Russian language speakers will understand.
Again, NO to boring selfies.
There was an apartment house called 'haide-ru be-ru'. I am pretty sure it was 'Hider Bell'. Why not? It's a name easy to sing.....
20.15
Let's go to the Ikebukuro West Gate Park! Oh, where is it? Where did it hide? Erm... So, we're standing in the middle of it right now, right?
20.20
Let me take a photo with you. Now stand here. To the left. Ok. SYMMETRYYYY!
You think so, too?
Music~
20.00
Ok, so I'll jusy buy that dress for my mom and we'll get going. 8 o'clock? Oh no... Don't tell me... The shop is closed already!
21.00
Thank you Google for creating Street View. I'm not sure I'd find the bar without your help.
23.30
Goodbye, small cute bar. Goodbye, cute bartenders and staff. I love you~
song of the day - sakanaction, 'music'
It was playing at the 'Miraikan' museum and was the perfect choice to fit the atmosphere.
9.25
Since I've noticed a poster saying that there is a museum of Mucha in the Sakai city neighbouring Osaka, I couldn't miss it. That's why we had to get up at 8 and start packing to manage to get to the museum and back by the time we need to get to Shin-Osaka station for our Shinkansen. Now that everything's packed we're ready to leave. I guess for a hostel, this was an extremely good, convenient and cosy hotel.
10.05
When I see Mucha's works I lose my mind...
12.20
About to board the Shinkansen. Finally my dream has come true. Shinkansen-bento, wait for me!!!
13.30
They have a special bento celebrating half-a-century to Shinkansen trains. Have a nice meal, +U-tan
And me, too
14.00
I know it's always like this - scenery that you see from aboard a train or a plane looks much more attractive than if you saw it real. It's because the inability to touch it makes it more mysterious. However, I's still say I'd like to visit Nagoya some day and probably several other smaller cities situated on the shore.
15.30
We're finally on Odaiba. For some reason, it has never been an attractive place to me, but now I guess it's my favourite place in all Tokyo. The sea, the sunset and the beautiful blue glass that many buildings are made from.
17.45
I never imagined there would be something like this inside the building...
KIETA! KIETA! kawa wa nagareru...
17.40
By the time we got to the Team Lab exhibition the talk-show with its leader, mr. Inoko, whose interview impressed me so much, had already ended. I doubt, though, we could've enjoyed it very much. Instead, we're enjoying their works. It did look great in the programme, but I couldn't imagine it feels this wonderful to be within the flower stream yourself.
The works created on the basis of traditional Japanese paintings do look good, too
and +U-tan sure liked the room for children very much. I'm feeling like her mom =)
However, this is what I consider the greatest work by Team Lab ever
upd.:
The official website of Team Lab says that this video is a kind of a contribution to a prominent Japanese animator whose swiftly moving mecha in 'Ideon' earned him a fame of a master who is able to create a 3d-like experience in 2d, and gave birth to a special name to a phenomenon when objects that fly inside some space create an impression of a trapeze show: Itano circus
To gen an impression of what it's like just type 'Itano circus' or 板野サーカス in YT and watch a few vids
19.38
Just were passing by this wonderful stand...
19.45
U-tan wants to get on the Ferris wheel. There's no helping it, though it's really cold.
19.50
Goodness gracious! They did it! There is a heater under the seats! Why didn't they think of it in Osaka???
20.00
We're finally at Venus Fort. It does not look like a very attractive or special shopping mall from outside, nor it does impress you as soon as you enter from the side of the Ferris wheel situated next to it. However, finally getting to the main part of it... Christmas market,
illumination,
fountain,
halls made to resemble European streets with blue sky
21.30
Going to the hotel. I hope we won't be late for check-in. The Ferris wheel we were just in is visible in the window of the automatic self-moving train of the Yurikamome line.
23.50
We got lost when we went to a combini. Streets and intersections looks so alike in Japan. Especially at night.
It's Christmas Eve tomorrow. Everybody tries to decorate the streets as possible.
