the GazettE – Guren

Another song from the GazettE, this time it’s their latest song Guren (紅蓮, means red lotus if you directly translate the characters from chinese).

Here are the lyrics:

http://www.jpopasia.com/lyrics/7786/gazette/guren.html

Yet another soulful piece from the GazettE, so enjoy the music!

P.S.: See Ruki lick the microphone!

Sec 3 Adventure Camp at Kota Tinggi

I’m back from the sec 3 adventure camp~! Got a tan, bug bites, a nasty bruise on my left calf, scratches from trekking and lots of stuff to say, so you might want to consider getting a cup of coffee/milo/teh tarik before reading this.

Day 1/23.06.2008

Something stupid just had to happen at the Tuas customs. 2 brats plus a metal barrier equals to us getting ashamed by them. A few hours later, we have arrived at Kota Tinggi Rainforest Resort! Yeah, it’s a resort and also an adventure camp site as well. We moved over a hanging bridge (still hadn’t master how to walk across after 5 days) and assembled in the canteen. Instructions were then given after lunch and we checked into our tents. Following that was low elements course and team dynamics, which tested how we work together as a team. Want to try drinking a cup filled with water spitted by everyone in the group?

Fast-forward to after wash-up and dinner, we headed off for a cruise on a river to see fireflies. Oh, for the first time, I see them! This must be what people always say as the ‘wonders of nature’. That night did not pass by quietly, due to everyone being too hyper on the first day. i think I finally fell asleep at nearly 12 midnight?

P.S.: Saw a couple doing a wedding photoshoot. The bride’s gown has a really nice skirt!

Day 2/24.06.2008

At 6.30am, when I looked towards the mountains surrounding the campsite, the view looked so much like the Lava Plateau of Joaquin in Granado Espada. Our program for today was water activities, after we started on the nature elements course. There was this water activity called Indiana Jones which is really memorable as nothing beats seeing everyone fall in the pool work together to get everyone across the “bridge”. Then everyone grabbed 8 tubes for the 2 groups and headed off to the river behind the campsite for the next activity: river cascading. Oh man, it is so fun! It resembles the mini version of white water rafting, just not as treacherous. Given the chance, I will definitely go on it again! Right after that, we had a quick wash with a hose before putting on safety jackets. We’re heading off for a jump off the jetty into the 3m deep lagoon!

Went 3-man kayaking after lunch, which is more dangerous then kayaking alone. Really, I have no idea what to do if we capsized. Had another round of jetty jumps as we had extra time on our hands, followed by shower and dinner before we head off for the confidence jungle night walk. Seriously, the walk did not do anything to help boost my confidence of walking in a path at night with no lights but the stars and the moon to accompany me. Instead, it seemed to have worsen it. At the end of the walk, we had to wait for the rest of the people, so I saw stars for the first time in my life while waiting for them.

P.S.: It had been a real quiet night, I think everyone is worn out from the different activities we had been doing.

Day 3/25.06.2008

We’re heading off to trek up Mt. Panti today, so everyone had an early breakfast before heading out. I’ll summarize it all up here as there’s nothing much to say. I hurt my gluteus maximus today, from slipping off the slippery yellow mud patch simultaneously with my classmate while going down the mountain. Who knew, the patch of mud is actually hard. Didn’t fall prey to a leech for the entire trek, thank goodness~

Instructor Melvin gave a live concert today and this lead to an inspiration for our campfire performance. Thanks Melvin, for your song “Love, Me” and for your super-exaggerated actions during the chorus. Now, for the first time in my camping experience, I’m truly looking forward to the campfire.

Day 4/26.06.2008

Ah~ abseiling is so much fun~ so is going down the zip line. However, the rock wall posed a huge problem to me as I couldn’t find a good foothold while going up. One accomplishment though, I fooled my classmates and form teacher with a very silly game by Kaen that really caused them to almost whack me with frustration when they found out the answer to the game.

The campfire was a blast! Silly slides in the beginning plus entertainment segments by 2 of our instructors Wen Jie and Melvin has allowed me to truly enjoy this night. Plus our performance went really smoothly and I didn’t get any stage fright, all thanks to everyone cheering around me to allow me to momentarily forget about the audience. Thanks everyone, for participating in the cheers!

P.S.: I saw the couple mentioned above take more photos by the lagoon when I was at the extreme sports tower. Then later another couple came in at the resort. The bride had a really weird skirt that poofed out in ruffles and had trailing parts around the skirt. And she’s wearing boots! One of my classmates had the cheek to say it resembled cosplay… *face palms and whacks*

P.P.S.: I received my first camp T-shirt!

Day 5/27.06.2008

The final day… not much to say, but the boys part of the campsite is damn filthy! Melvin made a show of using a lighter and an insect repellent as a flame thrower to burn the flies that had been bothering us ever since our first meal in camp.

Here’re some thanks…

Thank you Melvin and Dee, insructors assigned to groups 7 and 8 for looking after us for the past few days. You both had been motivating us, helping us and entertaining us throughout the whole camp, so I’m really grateful for such wonderful insructors like you guys.

Thank you 3E3, for participating in everything with all you’ve got, especially in the performance. I know some of you guys did not really enjoy doing the cheers, but I did see that you guys had done your best, so good job to you all!

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So here I end my recollection of the Sec 3 Adventure Camp at Kota Tinggi, Malaysia. Thanks to this camp, I found out a real lot more of myself, and I have gained more confidence around my classmates better than the past 5 months. THANK YOU!

The GazettE – Cassis

Am bored, nothing to write about my life now, just that i’m heading off to Kota Tinggi, Malaysia tomorrow for a 5D4N adventure camp for the sec 3 cohort of my school. not that anyone misses me or something… and right after that, kai’s picking up male musk’s justocorps costume on saturday and on sunday, toy con at suntec city~ no time to rest at all… here’s a song from the Visual Kei band The GazettE, Cassis. It’s one of their more soulful ones. In fact, it’s actually a love song!

The Music Video

 

And the lyrics

http://www.jpopasia.com/lyrics/5965/gazette/cassis.html

Have fun listening! I so love Aoi’s custom-made guitar…

Another fusion

For my pal, Kai. Here’s the completed picture of the female musketeer of the MMORPG, Granado Espada.

Please click on the image for the full view. Thanks~

Full view (please twist your head)

My favourite shot

Some edits using photobucket’s editting option:

Will be adding a small phrase to this pic soon.

I think I improved a little on JRock clothing…

Dos and Don’ts: Cosplayers

Some dos and don’ts for cosplayers in attending events and photoshoots.

In a major event (Cosfest, Cosplay Matsuri, EOY)

Do:

1. Be gracious.
2. Be alertful for any HJJs lurking in the event area.
3. Report any HJJs you see by blatantly humiliating them for what they are doing and addressing them directly. Here’s an example: “Excuse me, can you please stop taking such annoying photos?”
4. Help any cosplayer you see who’s being harassed by a HJJ.

Don’t:

1. Get yourselves into a yaoi/yuri/het shot with a cosplayer you don’t even know unless you’re enthusiastic about the pairing you’re doing. If not, you might just regret what you’ve done…
2. Think that the HJJs are funny/cute and let them do what they want.
3. Do disrespecting things that will ruin our and your reputation.
4. Accept the HJJS invitation for a private photoshoot.
5. Accept any requests to be a model for some company you have never heard of.
6. Publicly humiliate yourself.

In a photoshoot at a public place

Do:

1. Take care of the place. It doesn’t belong to you, so please do.

Don’t:

1. Vandalise/dirty/litter the location for the place doesn’t belong to you but the goverment.
2. Be so much of a nuisance to people that you end up being “kicked out” of the area.
3. Hinder others in the vicinity.
4. Do disrespecting things that will ruin our and your reputation.
5. Publicly humiliate yourself.

Ya ha! Time for songs!

Brain refuses to work with me~ The list of dos and don’ts for cosplayers awaits! Please churn your brain for more dos and don’ts while you listen to this song, ‘kay? =3

I’ll start off with a soulful song sang to the tune of “You Raise Me Up”. Opening song of GONZO’s anime, RomeoxJuliet, Inori ~You Raise Me Up~ by Lena Park

Lena Park – Inori ~You Raise Me Up~ (RomeoxJuliet Opening Theme)

Romanji Lyrics

Urunda hitomi no oku ni
Kawaranu kimi no sugata
“Doko made sekai wa tsuzuku no”
Todaeta hibi no kotoba

Kogoeru arashi no yoru mo
Mada minu kimi e tsuzuku
Oshiete   umi wataru kaze
Inori wa toki o koeru

Kasunda chihei no mukou ni
Nemureru hoshi no souwa
“Akenai yoru wa nai yo” to
Ano hi no tsumi ga warau

Furueru kimi o dakiyose
Todokanu kokuu o aogu
Kikoeru   yami terasu kane
Kimi e to michi wa tooku

Kogoeru arashi no yoru mo
Mada minu kimi e tsuzuku
Oshiete   umi wataru kaze
Inori wa toki o koeru

Kogoeru arashi no yoru mo
Mada minu kimi e tsuzuku
Oshiete   umi wataru kaze
Inori wa toki o koeru

Inori wa toki o koeru

Kanji Lyrics

うるんだ瞳の奥に
変わらぬ君の姿
「どこまで世界は続くの」
途絶えた日々の言葉

凍える嵐の夜も
まだ見ぬ君へ続く
教えて　海渡る風
祈りは時を越える

霞んだ地平の向こうに
眠れる星の挿話
「明けない夜はないよ」と
あの日の罪が笑う

震える君を抱き寄せ
届かぬ虚空を仰ぐ
聴こえる　闇照らす鐘
君へと道は遠く

凍える嵐の夜も
まだ見ぬ君へ続く
教えて　海渡る風
祈りは時を越える

凍える嵐の夜も
まだ見ぬ君へ続く
教えて　海渡る風
祈りは時を越える

祈りは時を越える

English Lyrics

In the depths of my tear-filled eyes,
Is your everlasting beauty.
“How far does the world go?”
Those words from our bygone days.

Even on those freezing, stormy nights,
Though you are still out of sight, I continue on.
Please tell me, ocean-crossing winds,
That my prayers will pass through time.

Beyond the misty horizons,
Stars are fabled to lie.
“Dawn will surely follow every night.”
The sins of my past laughs.

I try to embrace you trembling with uncertainty,
But I look up at the empty sky beyond reach.
I hear the chime that illuminates darkness,
Showing me that the path to you is still far.

Even on those freezing, stormy nights,
Though you are still out of sight, I continue on.
Please tell me, ocean-crossing winds,
That my prayers will pass through time.

Even on those freezing, stormy nights,
Though you are still out of sight, I continue on.
Please tell me, ocean-crossing winds,
That my prayers will pass through time.

My prayers will pass through time.

http://lyrics.darkmirage.com/?SongID=93

 

Fusion of 2 complete different things

Yes, it’s a fusion of 2 cultures that are damn unlikely to clash ever. Unless a fan decides to draw it (like me, which I then failed utterly) or cosplay it (Is this even possible?! And will people know what you’re cosplaying?!). What is this fusion? Here’s the answer:

Please click on the images for the full view. Thanks~

Granado Espada + JRock/Visual Kei = … …

Here are the four main guys of the picture (in case you’re still clueless about who’s who).

The Fighter

The Musketeer

The Scout

The Wizard

Now for some more shots of my favourite guys… X3

Here’s an edit of the above pic, resulting in a banner:

I suck at JRock clothes…

Dos and Don’ts: Civilians

Here’s a little guide for all on some simple etiquette civilians should have in an event. I will be explaining each of them, but some are pretty straight forward and basic.

In an event (like Cosfest, Cosplay Matsuri and EOY):

Do:

1. Keep all comments to yourself, unless they are positive comments that go in the lines of “Wah, chio!/OMG the costume!” Negative comments are disliked by everyone, including us cosplayers, for we are humans too. If you tend to blurt out anything that comes to your mind immediately, stop yourself before someone complains about the attitude of the civilians in events in the forums. For people with raging hormones: Please restrain yourself and not condemn yourself infront of others. 

2. Know where you’re stepping your foot. A cosplayer might be wearing a costume with a trailing dress or cosplaying as Agito/Akito of Air Gear, which has parts of their precious costume trailing behind them. One step on the wrong place could cause the cosplayer to torture you for ruining their costume hurt themselves by tripping over, so be careful, especially when you’re squeezing in a crowd.
3. Ask the cosplayer before taking a photo of them. They have the right to reject for personal reasons. Also, you might capture even more beautiful memories on film rather than seeing them arrange their costume if you asked them.
4. Thank the cosplayer after taking some photos of them.
5. Respect the cosplayer’s privacy.
6. Be polite.
7. Ask the cosplayer before touching/inspecting a prop up-close.
8. Thank the cosplayer for letting you handle their precious prop.
9. HAVE FUN! 8D

Don’t:

1. Comment on things that are out of your range.
2. Take shameful photos of the cosplayer ie. upskirt shots etc.
3. Pester when they ask you to leave them alone politely.
4. Touch a prop without given permission from the owner.
5. Orgy/Gang bang/Rape the prop when it’s in your hands.
   
6. Run away with the prop in hand. The cosplayer will plan your bloody murder the next time he/she sees you.
7. Glomp a cosplayer. This is an important rule for civilians who know the cosplayer. You will ruin the costume and break the cosplayer’s heart.
8. Rape a cosplayer just because you’re a hardcore fangirl/fanboy of the cosplayer or the character.
9. Ask obscene questions that will breach the cosplayer’s privacy.
10. Become a Hentai Jiji (HJJ).

A New Page

It’s just too boring to stick with one topic… so I’ll add in a new page for the sake of keeping this blog alive while I push Granado Espada aside to concentrate on my studies. who knew, I can actually do it! 8D

This page is a link to my cosplay projects, so have a look around there when you have the time. It’ll be a collection of past, present and future projects on costumes and props. Photos will be added in too for those who crave a little visual entertainment.

For the clueless: If you have some unnamed questions regarding cosplay, I hope this little FAQ will give you your answers.

1. What is cosplay?
2. What do cosplayers do?
3. How much does an average cosplayer spend on a costume?
4. Is this hobby worthwhile?
   

Short for costume play, cosplay 1st came from Japan, the heaven and place of birth of Anime and Manga. You could classify this as an hobby. Do not mess up cosplay from dressing-up, for they are 2 complete different things. Cosplay comes from putting on costumes, wigs and make-up of a certain character that appeared in a published Manga/aired Anime. Dressing up is simply the donning of clothes that one does not wear everyday, like Lolita and Punk clothing. Props and accessories relevant to the costume can be worn with the costumes for both aspects. Thus, if you happen to bump into a Lolita-wearing young lady, take a good look at the costume before calling her a cosplayer. She could be just someone who loves to wear a dress of frills and laces, unless you can see that she is cosplaying a character from an Anime/Manga that wears a Lolita, i.e. Rozen Maiden.

This is a typical day for a cosplayer at an event:

Meet up with teammates (if said cosplayer is in a team) or friends. Head to event location. Walk around the area, accepting requests to take photographs from photographers (both casual and professional). Watch the programs on stage (Optional). Have dinner with friends or teammates (if said cosplayer is in a team).

Simply put, cosplayers show off their gear at the event and accept photo-taking from various members of the public. To be embarrassed in front of cameras or a crowd is something a new cosplayer has to overcome.

An average cosplayer spends a few hundred on a costume, but this amount can be a very huge range. You can spend literally nothing on a costume (Death Note’s L, in which you happen to have everything you need in your closet) to more than $1000 [Trinity Blood and/or Granado Espada's range of elaborate costumes (Yes, Kai, this is taken frm your case :P)]. It all depends on the source of your costume and if you opt to make a complicated prop. Some tailors give really good prices for high quality clothes, so always ask the ’seniors’ for the best tailors to approach. Props can be a pain in the neck, so ask for help before starting to do a prop. In the process of asking for help from a tailor, the printer’s your best friend. Try to print some pictures that provide a good view of the costume you plan to do for the tailor to refer to while making. If you can get shots of various angles (like the basic front, back, side views), all the better. It’s better to provide more than less.

In my opinion, yes – Cosplay is a very worthwhile hobby. Many people warn you about the dangers of meeting online friends, but in this case, you can consider meeting your team members and forum buddies as a must. New-comers who join this hobby will find it scary at first to cosplay alone, thus having some friends to tag along will be a very good thing. Take this chance to meet with that gal in the forums who humoured you so much or the guy who gave you priceless tips on making your prop realistic. This is just the same as friends you see around you, whether in your workplace or school. You also get to be in the limelight with that costume you painstakingly worked on just for that day and spread a sensation across the community of cosplayers and fans. Who knows, you might bump into your classmates while being amongst the group of cosplayers who shared happy memories with you. If you do not wish to spend a whole lot of money on a costume, bring your camera and spare batteries and memory cards, a few friends and head down to an event and experience being amongst cosplayers. You will never forget that day.

If you wish to be part of the cosplay action, here’s a forum that majority of the cosplayers gather in.

http://sgcafe.com/ (set in Singapore)

For the old pros: VegaHighwell from SGCafe greets everyone from the forums who bumps into here~ XD