astromantic

毎日grind, 毎日rhymes

Author: astromantic

  • Best of 2017: Japan 🎶

    Best of 2017: Japan 🎶

    This isn’t a sponsored post y’all, I’m just a Spotify stan. I listen to it at work, in my car, at home… (kind of, my iTunes library is deeper lol).

    Last year I set out to listen to more Japanese music outside of my favorites, and I’m pretty happy about that choice! With some effort, I was able to discover a lot of new and great artists. Japanese music is notoriously difficult to find (even with an Amazon JP account there’s a region block, so buying digital music is impossible), but Spotify Japan’s presence has made it just a bit easier. Some playlists I like to follow:

    – Tokyo Super Hits!
    – Tokyo Rising
    – Road Trip To Tokyo
    – Early Noise

    You can find more on their page. It really is just a treasure trove of stuff — just now I found Asano Tadanobu’s band (SODA!)…

    Unfortunately there’s still a lot that’s widely unavailable, but I think it’s getting better. I’m hoping there will be a big shift come Tokyo 2020, but ANYWAY. Here are my favorites for last year: (more…)

  • Now Playing #3.5: MAGIC IS EVERYTHING

    But first, a treat for the senses:

    (more…)

  • A year in dramas (2017).

    A year in dramas (2017).

    明けましておめでとう! ✨

    Famous last words from my 2016 roundup, about 2017: “Maybe this’ll be the year I break 40?” Well…

    JAPAN
    Furenaba Ochin*
    Sennyuu Keiji Idol Deka Dance*
    Yuusha Yoshihiko to Michibikareshi 7-nin*
    Juken no Cinderella*
    Naomi to Kanako*
    Unmei ni, Nita Koi*
    Lunch no Joou*
    Unubore Deka*
    Quartet
    Shinya Shokudo 4*
    Keiji Yugami
    Kurokawa no Techo
    BORDER: Shoudou
    Kahogo no Kahoko

    KOREA
    Tomorrow With You
    Mystery Queen
    The Best Hit
    Forest of Secrets
    Rescue Me

    CURRENTLY
    Totsuzen desu ga, Ashita Kekkon Shimasu
    Okaasan, Musume wo Yamete ii desu ka?
    Samurai Gourmet
    Hito wa Mita Me ga 100%
    Okusama wa, Toriatsukai Chuui
    Prison Playbook
    Ito-kun A to E

    * did not air this year

    TOTAL: 19

    DISMAL. I couldn’t even break 20! I think school being a bit more difficult than usual (and starting a new job) was what lead to a big dip in my viewing habits after the end of January. I can usually make time to watch just about anything (2015-2016 I was working full time), but not this year. I am pretty proud of what I was able to watch though. As far as favorites go, Quartet and Forest of Secrets were my top two, but the latter is the best overall. It was just so dang good! And you know I love a drama when I dedicate separate posts to it on a weekly basis, hehe.

    (more…)
  • FINAL FANTASY 30th Anniversary: 自立

    FINAL FANTASY 30th Anniversary: 自立

    First: Merry Christmas! 🎄🎅❄️

    The Final Fantasy series turned 30 last week, and earlier this month I flew to Toronto to attend the Distant Worlds concert! I was originally supposed to go to the Chicago show in the fall, but I spent too much money in New York this summer and had to cancel. Fortunately my friend and I were still able to find tickets to this show.

    There are a lot of games in this series that I haven’t played (basically anything that isn’t IV, X, XII, or XV lol…), and since I’m sipping the Final Fantasy Kool-Aid again, I really want to play those classics. Luckily for me, Steam has all of them on sale for 50% off! I’ll keep y’all posted on how that goes, lmao. (more…)

  • You did well.

    A fun bit with all the members. There’s not much I can say that I’ve not already said or thought or cried over but… thanks for the memories, Jonghyun. You will be missed.

  • Fall ’17, Part 2

    Fall ’17, Part 2

    You can see part 1 here. Like a bum, I accidentally titled the post “fall”, when it should have been “autumn” to match all the other times I’ve done it! 😒 Oh well.

    [white_box] Contains light spoilers (very, very light) for Wise Prison Life, also very text heavy because I am lazy. Pictured image is from Keiji Yugami, episode… something. [/white_box]

    (more…)

  • spooky selection 🎃👻🌙

    spooky selection 🎃👻🌙

    How you know I’ve been busy: this post has been in my drafts, unfinished, since the end of October! But I don’t want to wait another year for Halloween to roll around, so I’m posting it now. 15 days before Christmas. Hahah.

    While thrillers and supernatural elements are a dime a dozen in dramas, I don’t think I’ve actually watched anything that is straight up horror. I could be wrong and such a drama might exist… if that’s the case, please let me know! Until then, here are some dramas that can make you just a little bit uneasy (lol). (more…)

  • midsummer shower

    It’s late at night and I’m in my feelings again, what’s new? But oh man. I did not know that my favorite song from Fantôme, and quite possibly my favorite Utada Hikaru song of all time, had a music video. Watch it, feel it, and be healed.

  • “Oh, my friend. Let’s leave again next time.”

    1N2D is a show I really grew to love over the summer. Watching it after work was always really healing and also very hilarious. I always hate admitting I have a favorite member of a group or a show because the diplomatic thing to do is to like everyone the same, but Kim Joo-hyuk in all his “old man” glory was my favorite up until he left the show. RIP 구탱이형. You’ll definitely be remembered.

  • Now Playing #3

    Now Playing #3

    The rigors of school are finally getting to me, so I haven’t been able to do much outside of playing Fire Emblem Heroes and enjoying that #babydolphin life. Speaking of which: this was also such a terrible time to go from 50% F2P to 100% F2P. IS hit us with that surprise Tempest Trials/Ayra banner and I don’t have any orbs, money, or patience to roll on it after the hell that was the Performance Banner. :\ Anyway.

    Against my better judgement, I started Fire Emblem Awakening on Thursday and I’m already into it. Yes, I should have started Echoes instead, but the heart wants what it wants and right now it wants to marry Robin to Frederick. I almost picked mRobin since my last avatar in Fates was a girl, but I couldn’t resist that sideswept lewk!

    Three days a whole weekend of being sick later, I’m now on chapter 12 or 13 and I suspect that I’m halfway through the game. I’ve hit the point where I’m now agonizing over who to pair Eligible Bachelor No. 1 Lon’qu with. SO MANY OPTIONS.

    (As for Persona 5, let’s not act like it won’t take me 5 years to beat that game. Just kidding…)