この場所を知らず 夢の地を目指して
夢の地に着いて この場所を知らず
Though I did not know the place, I set out for the land of my dreams.
Having arrived at the land of my dreams, I found I did not know the place.
キノの旅 第四話 Kino's Journey, episode 4
夢の地とはどんな場所なのか、ちゃんと考えたヒトはどれぐらい居るのか、
全て解っていないのに、それでも 着く勇気を持つヒトってどれぐらい居るのだろう。
How many have truly thought about what the land of their dreams would look like?
How many have the courage to arrive at the land of their dreams despite not fully knowing that land?
Showing posts with label On stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label On stories. Show all posts
December 08, 2013
August 11, 2013
Midnight Bakery
Today while eating breakfast (at around 1 in the afternoon because it is the weekend) I thought about how the shape of bread in Canada and Japan are different. In Japanese supermarkets, most of the bread I see tends to be square, and the size is roughly half a typical loaf of bread that you would see in Canada. One reason is likely that Japan is relatively hotter and more humid than Canada so the bread doesn't last as long.
Canada's typical bread loaf looks more like Kogepan:
The top is rounded, and the bottom is kind of square.
Bread in Japanese supermarkets are almost always sliced. In Canada, you can get sliced and unsliced, which sit next to each other at the grocery store, and typically the unsliced bread is slightly cheaper.
Of course, both Canada and Japan have all sorts of different breads and bakeries available so you can often get similar breads in both countries.
Recently I watched the winter drama Mayonaka no Panya-san.
It's a slice-of-life story about a bakery that opens only from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. based on the manga by Oonuma Noriko.
While slice-of-life works well in manga and animation, I don't usually do slice-of-life dramas, but this one was decent. I watched it after a stressful time and it gave me tranquility. My chinchilla also likes relaxing shows a lot more than mystery/suspense types.
The main character Kurebayashi Yousuke is played by Takizawa Hideaki of Johnny's Entertainment.
I've known about Tackey for quite some time but have never watched any of his dramas.
(I did try to watch Antique, which was a well received story with a similar setting but didn't in the end.)
Tackey's filled out and looks cooler in his 30's, and was a good choice for the role of the kind bakery owner.
The role of boulanger went to Kiriyama Akito, who was a kid not too long ago but does a good job with this older brother character, and demonstrates that he could suit a variety of roles and age ranges. I didn't know that Kiriyama was from Johnny's as well, but looking at his personality I did inadvertently think, "He must be from Osaka." Lo and behold, I was right. (There's a sort of stereotype that the Kansai west region of Japan has more outgoing/comedic people, while Kanto east, where Tokyo is, has the more formal/proper/rigid population. It's kind of like California v.s. New York.)
What spoke to me in the first episode was when the character Nozomi, who lives at the bakery, gets picked on at school by another girl and they all end up in a parent-teacher meeting. Kurebayashi offers breads from his bakery to the student and her mother, saying that he thought maybe the two girls fought because they were hungry, since when people get hungry they become irritable (so true), but he gets laughed off for being an idiot by the student, who says she's not hungry. Kurebayashi says,"Then what are you lacking that makes you so angry?" In Japanese, one common way to say "I'm hungry", onaka ga hetta, more literally means "the stomach is lacking".
I am in agreement with the midnight bakery idea and have thought of the concept myself (except as a cafe). I would like to see more places come into being that allow people to have a retreat from their thoughts or troubles. Nighttime has a mysterious aura for me, and a lot of emotions and thoughts often pop up then, as do sudden urges for cake, sweets, and food in general. Though, instead of 11 p.m. I'd probably want one that starts closer to 9 p.m.
I'm sure that this drama will be the force behind a sudden income spike in the Japanese baking industry. One type of bread that is virtually nonexistent in Canada is the iconic melon bread of Japan, featured prominently in this drama. I'm not a particular fan of melon bread but I do love a really good one. Like all cakes and breads, a good melon bread from a good bakery is completely different from regular melon bread. The next chance I get to spend time in Japan, I am definitely going to find a good bakery like Boulangerie Kurebayashi. If anyone has suggestions, be sure to let me know!
Canada's typical bread loaf looks more like Kogepan:
 |
| Kogepan, the burnt toast |
The top is rounded, and the bottom is kind of square.
 |
| The top part doesn't always look so perfect depending on when and where you buy Photo credit: dunbarsystems.com |
Bread in Japanese supermarkets are almost always sliced. In Canada, you can get sliced and unsliced, which sit next to each other at the grocery store, and typically the unsliced bread is slightly cheaper.
Of course, both Canada and Japan have all sorts of different breads and bakeries available so you can often get similar breads in both countries.
★★★
Recently I watched the winter drama Mayonaka no Panya-san.
It's a slice-of-life story about a bakery that opens only from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. based on the manga by Oonuma Noriko.
While slice-of-life works well in manga and animation, I don't usually do slice-of-life dramas, but this one was decent. I watched it after a stressful time and it gave me tranquility. My chinchilla also likes relaxing shows a lot more than mystery/suspense types.
The main character Kurebayashi Yousuke is played by Takizawa Hideaki of Johnny's Entertainment.
I've known about Tackey for quite some time but have never watched any of his dramas.
(I did try to watch Antique, which was a well received story with a similar setting but didn't in the end.)
Tackey's filled out and looks cooler in his 30's, and was a good choice for the role of the kind bakery owner.
The role of boulanger went to Kiriyama Akito, who was a kid not too long ago but does a good job with this older brother character, and demonstrates that he could suit a variety of roles and age ranges. I didn't know that Kiriyama was from Johnny's as well, but looking at his personality I did inadvertently think, "He must be from Osaka." Lo and behold, I was right. (There's a sort of stereotype that the Kansai west region of Japan has more outgoing/comedic people, while Kanto east, where Tokyo is, has the more formal/proper/rigid population. It's kind of like California v.s. New York.)
 |
| Kiriyama on the left, Takizawa on the right Photo: jenewsdaily.wordpress.com |
What spoke to me in the first episode was when the character Nozomi, who lives at the bakery, gets picked on at school by another girl and they all end up in a parent-teacher meeting. Kurebayashi offers breads from his bakery to the student and her mother, saying that he thought maybe the two girls fought because they were hungry, since when people get hungry they become irritable (so true), but he gets laughed off for being an idiot by the student, who says she's not hungry. Kurebayashi says,"Then what are you lacking that makes you so angry?" In Japanese, one common way to say "I'm hungry", onaka ga hetta, more literally means "the stomach is lacking".
I am in agreement with the midnight bakery idea and have thought of the concept myself (except as a cafe). I would like to see more places come into being that allow people to have a retreat from their thoughts or troubles. Nighttime has a mysterious aura for me, and a lot of emotions and thoughts often pop up then, as do sudden urges for cake, sweets, and food in general. Though, instead of 11 p.m. I'd probably want one that starts closer to 9 p.m.
I'm sure that this drama will be the force behind a sudden income spike in the Japanese baking industry. One type of bread that is virtually nonexistent in Canada is the iconic melon bread of Japan, featured prominently in this drama. I'm not a particular fan of melon bread but I do love a really good one. Like all cakes and breads, a good melon bread from a good bakery is completely different from regular melon bread. The next chance I get to spend time in Japan, I am definitely going to find a good bakery like Boulangerie Kurebayashi. If anyone has suggestions, be sure to let me know!
August 06, 2013
どこでも Door
「どこでもドアというのは、どういう構造なんだろう？」
- Galileo, 第八話
"How exactly does the Dokodemo Door work?"
- Galileo, episode 8
教えてー！ガリレオ先生！
April 14, 2013
I am Here.
Her:
The human race is weak, ugly, jealous, and hate those with more than them. Strangely enough, it's the talented that have it rough. That doesn't make any sense, does it? That's why I'm going to change it.
Him:
That's a pretty crazy goal.
Her:
Maybe, but I still think it's better than doing nothing and being dead inside like you.
I hate that you affirm people's weakness in that way.
Him:
She is suffering because she is gifted.
It wouldn't have been a problem for her to hide it and get along well with others.
That's what most people in the world do.
But she didn't. She absolutely would not lie to herself.
I began to think the two of us were rather similar.
Surprisingly enough, "Yahari Ore no Seishun Love-Com wa Machigatteiru" had something real to say in its first episode. When I dropped by I noticed the official website had a cool play on words by plucking out parts of its long title: "Ore ga Iru".
October 28, 2012
Magi
 |
| Magi animation theme cover |
My first big exam is finally over (I sound like a schoolgirl) and today I started watching the anime Magi. It's supposed to be like a new take on/based off of One Thousand and One Nights, which to date I have not yet read even though I keep telling myself I want to and plan to - the English version, at least. Japan has always liked to take the recognizable traits of other cultures and incorporate them into anime, but it's been a while since an Arabian-styled series if there ever was one, so I think there is some anticipation for how this series will play out.(I'll bet Aladdin's blue-haired cuteness is helping to up the show's popularity.)
I'm not so sure about the show's "deciding who will rule the world" deal, but so far the episodes are a fun and fast-paced adventure. The point that I am reminded of again with characters in this anime, as well as with other characters in anime such as Luffy and his crew in One Piece, is how characters like Ali Baba (as he is portrayed in Magi) are "just ordinary people" who go on a great adventure, by a turn of events coupled with their personalities, desires, and beliefs that move them to take certain actions.
It reminds again about the concept that you just have to prepare yourself through your every day so that you are ready when your big opportunity comes along... so that when your big adventure happens you are ready to jump on the magic carpet and fly with it. (I was going to say "roll with it" but that was too much of a pun...)
I also really liked when Ugo the djinn (who by the way is voiced by one of my favorites Morikawa Toshiyuki, who in recent years started his own voice company and school AXL ONE) offered to grant Aladdin a wish, and Aladdin asked Ugo to be his friend. If I ever meet a genie imma ask it to be my friend too~
March 19, 2012
小さな 一歩
小さくても、おもいっきり一歩を踏み出せば、扉はきっと開かれる。
...Even if it's small, if I take a step with all my might, surely a door will open.
恋愛 NEET, episode 1
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