In defense to Jason Castro

After youtube hunting and reading articles about Jason Castro and the general opinion on him, I am put in a position where I am obliged to say something in defense to him.

Not simply because he is quite good-looking (an observation all female fans alike have realized), but based on his overall package. For me, American Idol is all about people with 1) great, magnetic personality, 2) a unique melodic style, and 3) a good voice. Castro possesses all three of them.

Let me elucidate. If you close your eyes and listen to a Castro-sung song, you can immediately point out that it's the dreadhead singing. If you close your eyes and listen to a Sayesha performance, you will probably have a hard time guessing.

And if you are asked to recall the greatest performances of this season, I would bet that you would remember Hallelujah and Somewhere over the Rainbow, because of how different and beautiful it was interpreted. Not saying that these are the only memorable songs, because I am a true blue Cook fan as well, and I believe that Cook is still more deserving than him.

What I find unfair is when Castro is judged as not wanting it enough, based on the norm of what "wanting it more" is. Castro has always been laid back, and always will be. That's him. Just because he doesn't tell the judges how much he's put his all into the songs doesn't mean he wants it less. Just because he doesn't close his eyes and bob his head and belt doesn't mean he's less passionate.

The main attraction w/ Jason, for me, is exactly the fact that he is different. We don't need replicas of current pop stars, we need new talents. Castro is a new talent. He's a fresh new face, a fresh new voice, and I believe he should be praised for that. He's had his ups and downs in AI, but his uniqueness has always been prevalent in each performance. That's all that should matter.

Neil.... Diamondzz.zzzz...zZZzz...zZZzzzz....

I didn't expect much from this week. For one thing, I didn't know who Neil Diamond was. The only tiny thing I knew about him was that he sang "I'm a Believer", a song which I wouldn't pick out of a hypothetical 200,000-mp3 collection.

I did, however, expect that the week will be decent. Instead, I almost dozed off in the middle of the show, and in my disgust, I left my favorite couch and decided to go back to my work.

Yes, you heard me right. Work was more pleasant than watching the whole AI Neil Diamond episode.

For one thing, Neil Diamond wasn't much of a coach. His deadpan, albeit deep and soulful voice could hardly enthuse you to look forward to the performances; he didn't give any good feedback and criticisms to the contestants. The songs were just as disappointing, the melodies were way too simple... bordering on mundane.

It's not a surprise, therefore, that none of the top 5 pulled off a hot performance, despite what Randy said of David Cook and Archuleta. All the performances were lukewarm, some of them just a tad warmer than the others.

All I can say is that after being disappointed by this week's episode, I am not looking forward to tomorrow. I have no idea whatsoever who is going to get canned. Maybe it should be Paula Abdul instead, for being more of a psycho this week than any other.

I'm still rooting for Castro and Cook though, and I'd very much like to forget this night and pass this off as a nightmare.

Penelope - A brilliant execution of an otherwise cliche plot

The premise isn't very new. Save for the pig snout, the movie is founded on your basic fairy tale elements of unconditional love and a prince charming.

Once the movie begins however, you will realize that the execution of the movie creates the magic, and excuses the simple plot. Humor peppers many scenes, the direction is entertaining through and through - doesn't ram life lessons down your throat, or make you gag at the cheesiness of the lines and situations. Instead, everything is quaint, almost surreal.


The acting was a primary moving force in the movie as well. Christina Ricci's charm contributed greatly to the ambiance. James McAvoy made for a great unconventional modern prince charming and his own journey of freedom was poignant. A lot of characters were explored, instead of focusing mainly on Penelope, and everyone really contributed to how colorful and animated this movie was.

All in all, I do believe that this show is an underrated viewing pleasure. I would watch this over and over. It is the type of movie that leaves you smiling hours after the end credits. It is a movie that reminds us of striving for our personal freedom, and of accepting ourselves for who we are first and foremost.

David Cook and "Innocent"

David Cook surprised me by performing Our Lady Peace's "Innocent" this week. I was obviously thrilled to know that we have the same favorite band, but I felt anxious when he announced his song, because his voice and Raine Maeda's voice are very different. But David Cook is as talented as an American Idol contestant can get, so I was hoping he'd pull it off.

By the end of the performance, I was left with mixed feelings. The beggining was very rough as he tried to find his correct tone, but by the middle, I started enjoying it. As a whole, he was good, but not fantastic. It was an apt song choice based on the lyrics, but perhaps he could have chosen another OLP song.

I still give David Cook props for taking on such a difficult song. I personally believe "Innocent" is one of the hardest OLP songs to sing, because the range stretches from the very low to high. And interpreting the raspy quality to Raine Maeda's voice isn't a no-brainer.

For those who have not listened to the original version of Innocent, here it is:







Just a few minutes ago, I was able to listen to the full length studio version of David Cook's rendition of "Innocent", and it certainly redeemed him big time. He sang it way better! Not as great as Raine in my opinion, but Cook did what he does best - he made it his own! Here it is:







David Cook is amazing.

Akihabara at Deep

So I'm currently watching the Akihabara at Deep series, mainly because Toma Ikuta stars there, and I must say this show is quite... unique. Seeing Akihabara for the first time in TV makes me want to go back to Japan and visit Akihabara, it looks like a very interesting place to go to!

The show basically revolves around otakus and their world - Akihabara. The story starts with three specific otakus - box, page, and Taiko, each with their own shortcomings - Page, played by Kazama Shunsuke, talks to people mainly through his computer and has self-confidence issues (part of the fun of this show is listening to him find his voice and stutter). Box, played by Toma Ikuta, is a good-looking man who ironically has a hard time dealing with women. Taiko, played by Hoshino Gen, mysteriously freezes sometimes. It's quite hilarious seeing his head up in smokes and his eyes all crazy looking. Likewise, they also have their own strengths which, together as a team, help them accomplish things. Later on, they meet up with 3 more otakus and together, they solve the Akihabara's problems and more importantly, their own quandaries.

I have yet to finish the series, but it's interesting, that's for sure.

This is a funny scene where the 3 otakus try to track down Akira:

Japanese English

The name of the game is simple. The students (several TV personalities) should not laugh while this man speaks english. Hilarious, I cried in laughter!!!

ten ten ten ten ten ten ten ten ten ten!

Toma Ikuta - The underrated talent (And 2 Toma Ikuta wallpapers!)

I've been browsing around for some good Toma Ikuta sites and it really depressed me to realize that there are only a few of them. Toma Ikuta is one of those unique talents who have not gotten such a good break. He has yet to achieve the superstar status that Matsumoto Jun and Kimtaku have achieved.

Knowing this, I am dedicating this post to Toma Ikuta - the underrated talent. I feel that he deserves more publicity than he is getting. He is a versatile actor, with roles ranging from the nerdy Otaku at Akihabara (at) Deep to a man out for a vengeance in Hana Yori Dango.

He has a charming exterior, with an intensity to him that allows him to play passionate roles, and a soft, humorous side to him that helps him play lighter shows. There is something unique with the way he laughs, and it's quite catching. This 22-year old deserves that big break at fame.

I've made two wallpapers for him, hope you like them. I made the theme a little on the white side, since Toma Ikuta's favorite color is white.




And a buddy icon to highlight his laugh:



Click here to see all my Ikuta Toma goodies and posts!

And please: Leave a comment if you're a fellow Toma Ikuta fan.

Quality TV going down the toilet

This just in from "Watch With Kristen" gossip (http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/index.jsp?uuid=a646413a-9a63-486b-96b6-8c9f5b6aa503)

Veronica Mars' future is bleak. The article says, and I quote:


"At a CW press conference, Dawn Ostroff told reporters that Veronica as we know it is over, but that she is talking to Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell about a future project.'

I just checked in with Rob Thomas, who tells me:

'I haven't heard about a future project yet, but I suppose I'd listen. Would love to work with Kristen again, however.'

When I ask point-blank if VM is over, Rob tells me:

'I believe we're out of hope.'"

This news absolutely sucks. This clearly tells me that quality TV viewing as we know it is going down the drain. Hell, Veronica Mars has only been the show that's allowed me to say that there are still quality TV shows left.

I don't know why shows I love get cancelled prematurely - eg. Roswell. What are the majority of TV viewers looking for that the can't find in Veronica Mars? What is it about the common TV viewer that is different from the cult fanbase of Veronica Mars? What could possibly be more interesting about farmers looking for a mate?

And what good was winning 2nd place in the Save One Show and getting 1st place in Teavee to our cause? When are they going to review that whole Nielsen box rating scheme anyway?

This is absolutely depressing.

Let's still vote at Teavee for Veronica Mars to show how much we love the show and how much we believe in the witty private investigator and her awesome cast. Let's hope that they realize what a mistake they're making, cancelling Veronica Mars.

Hana Yori Dango Wallpapers and Buddy Icons!

Some Hana Yori Dango goodies for you: from Oguri shun icons, Junpei icons (gotta love him despite his evil-ness), Nishikado icons to Makino-Domyouji icons and 1 happy ending wallpaper :) Here go the icons:












And the wallpaper! Now if you haven't watched the last episode of season 2 then this may be a bit of a spoiler:




Hope you like them. Would love to get a comment :)

Hana Yori Dango Wallpaper

The Ebisu Garden Place is where everything began.

It was at that fateful day in the rain where Makino had reluctantly met Domyouji, still unsure of this ill-tempered man and what his intentions were.

It was the symbol of Domyouji's devotion to her - how he waited under the rain, cold and shivering, on the verge of a fever... waiting for Makino. Later on, he would wait again for her... till night fell. It was also the symbol of Makino's love for him - calling him up to meet with him, when she felt all hope was lost and Domyouji had forgotten her. It was her place of solace, where she could drift into her own world, lost in thoughts of him.

And yes, there was much pain attached to this court as well. Misunderstood events, outside forces that wished for the lovers' demise. Words that shouldn't have been spoken, words that could have been spoken.

In the end, however, their life becomes a fairy tale. This place had finally brought them their happy ending, never to be shattered again.

This wallpaper celebrates The Ebisu Garden Place and the memories - all the hurt, the laughter, the love, the sacrifice - that this seemingly nondescript plaza has given way to.



If you love the wallpaper, I'd appreciate comments. Thank you =)

Oguri Shun Wallpaper

3 variations for Oguri Shun Wallpaper:





Hope you guys like it :) Leave a comment if you like it.

Elimination Songs from American Idol Season 1 to Season 6

I'll admit it. I'm crazy. I spent some time off my busy schedule to figure out all the elimination songs from season 1 to season 6 and figure out if there are artists that future AI contestants should probably not attempt to sing; that is, songs made by artists that have caused the most number of contestants to be eliminated.

And here are the results!

#1 Killer: The Supremes
Hit List:
Season 2 Where did our Love Go - Julia
Season 6 You Can't Hurry Love - Brandon
Season 2 You Keep Me Hangin' On - Vanessa
Season 3 You Keep Me Hangin' On - Leah
Speaking of Diana Ross, another one on the hitlist by Diana Ross is Season 2's Rickey singing Endless Love

Tied at #1: Donna Summer
Hit List:
Season 1 Last Dance - Ryan
Season 5 Last Dance - Brenna
Season 4 On the Radio - Vonzell
Season 3 No More Tears - Diana

Big Contender: Stevie Wonder
Season 4 All in Love is Fair - David
Season 6 If You Really Love Me - Jared
Season 5 Overjoyed - Sway
This is of course excluding Mellisa during Stevie Wonder Night since one would have inevitably been eliminated because of a Stevie Wonder song that night.

And then a few other contenders with 2 eliminations each:
Alicia Keys
Season 5 If I Ain't Got You - Shontai
Season 4 You Don't Know my Name - Aloha

Bonnie Raitt
Season 6 I Can't make you love me - Amy
Season 6 Something to Talk About - Sanjaya

Elvis Presley
Season 3 Jailhouse Rock - Jon Peter
Season 5 Suspicious Minds - Chris Daughtry

Faith Hill
Season 2 Breathe - Julia
Season 4 When the Lights Go Down - Celena

Gloria Estefan
Season 3 Music of My Heart - John Stevens
Season 6 Turn the Beat Around - Haley

Lonestar
Season 3 Amazed - Matt
Season 4 I'm Already There - Anthony

Nat King Cole
Season 5 That's All - Ace
Season 5 When I fall in Love - Kevin

Nina Simone
Season 6 Feeling Good - Leslie
Season 6 Feeling Good - AJ
Same song, same season, same night... creepy!

Peggy Lee
Season 6 Fever - Nicholas
Season 1 Glory of Love - Christina

Ray Charles
Season 4 Georgia on my Mind - Nikko
Season 5 I Believe to my Soul - Elliott

Taylor Dayne
Season 2 Love will Lead you back - Carmen
Season 4 Love will Lead you back - Mikalah

The Temptations
Season 4 Get Ready - Sarah
Season 1 My Girl - Ejay

Perhaps this may mean something to future contestans... Perhaps not. If you can sing well, then by all means, sing the risky songs (ie Elliott Yamin singing Stevie Wonder). It's just a tad interesting to see an elimination summary (at least it was a tad interesting for me tallying it)

Elliott Yamin's Movin' On in Three Flavors

Movin' on is one of the funkiest, jazzy beats I've heard ever. You just can't help but move to the beat. It's a very catchy song, and Elliott's funk and soul really shines through.

Check the song out in three flavors:

The album version:



Dang this song is so hot.

The live version with all the instruments:



Elliott Yamin has really grown from the first time we saw him. He's more confident, and that shows in all those runs he gives in his performances. He's not afraid to take chances with the song and he really grooves up the performance even more.

The live acoustic version:
is in


http://www.wired965.com/dm_images/audio/070424123851.wma (10:36)

All I can say is: "Wow".

Only problem now is deciding which is the best among the 3 :)

Favorite American Idol Performances for Seasons 4 to 6

These are my favorite American Idol performances for Seasons 4 to 6:

Elliott Yamin: Moody's Mood for Love.
This was the song that really made me fall in love with his voice. I only listened to the song for the first time and I could not get enough of it. The song never ceases to give me goosebumps and a smile.


Blake Lewis: Time of the Season
First of all, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Zombies. And their songs are hard to really sing well, much more sing as your own. But Blake Lewis managed to own that song. He is in all aspects a star, he has a unique talent and good performance skills.


Chris Daughtry: Hemorrhage
Hell yeah. He rocked the house that night. I think it's safe to say he sang it better than Fuel did.


Melinda Doolittle: Funny Valentine
Goosebumps all over. Her interpretation of the song was impeccable


Constantine Maroulis: Bohemian Rhapsody
It's hard to make that song work, but he did.



Mario Vasquez: How Can you mend a Broken Heart
check out time 1:44 especially (loved his performance of How Can you mend a Broken Heart). He was a cinch to win had he not left


anwar robinson: moonriver
His voice was really fantastic but he seemed to have lost confidence on his latter performances (a dang shame)


nick pedro: fly me to the moon
hot. if it weren't for sanjaya, he would have stayed on and showed us what he got.

Love Revolution

I have finally finished watching the subbed drama Love Revolution. After years of agony, waiting for someone to sub the show, SARS Fansubs and Mugen finally answered my prayers. I have written a short synopsis of the show below, to convince you that this is a very good show

Love begins at their 30's for Dr. Asaoka Kyoko and Mariko Endo, a heart surgeon and a stewardess, respectiveley. It all begins on their trip to Rome, where Kyoko chases after a man who had inadvertently lead her on, only to find that he was merely being polite. What's worse, the man was dating a nurse at Kyoko's hospital!

Before their trip ends, an old lady predicts that Kyoko will find love and get married in Rome, riding atop a beautiful horse. Immediately, the revolution of love takes its course when, during the plane ride home, Kyoko manages to help a chef (Fukuda) with his stomach ailments. The chef turns out to be from a prestigious restaurant in Tokyo called Il Porcellino. He falls head over heels for Mariko.

Once in Tokyo, Kyoko begins to wonder if the old lady was true, knowing her unlucky track record in love. Being a very intellectual, career-oriented, and independent lady, men find her a tad intimidating. In truth, however, Kyoko deals with a lot of insecurities and finds it hard to express herself. Mariko, on the other hand, who has a bubbly personality, has better luck with men, as she also sparks interest from the chef's friend, Yoshida.


Things finally start to pick up for Kyoko when she meets a mysterious silent-type actor, Yabuki Mamoru, who secretly holds a flame for Kyoko, and a playboy news reporter, Suga Eiichiro who is everything but discrete about his affections for Kyoko.

The love revolution continues.