egad, it's dusty here

[nekokoban]

THEORETICALLY I still have this journal, don't I.

Hi everyone I'm working on those fic prompts people gave me like a week ago orz orz orz I AM LIKE THE MOST EASILY-DISTRACTED THING IN THE HISTORY OF FOREVER AND A DAY.

So I have a new schedule at work! I am now 8:30 - 5 (as opposed to 9 to 5:30), but it is ... surprisingly difficult to adjust to even just a half-hour, because I am a terrible nightowl and if it were up to me, I'd go to bed at two and wake up at ten every day. Okay, that's a lie. More like go to bed at two and wake up at nine-thirty and even then that'd be pushing it, one way or the other. On the other hand, getting home half an hour earlier is completely A-OK with me.

My June feels like it was incredibly jam-packed, even though in retrospect, I didn't ... do that much? I saw my aunt and uncle for dinner, I went up and harassed harukami and mackzazzle and the Laser-Eyed Super-Smart Cat Of Doom for a weekend, I ... did ... other things ... ? Watched Doctor Who and started Life on Mars and went to the Freemont Solstice Parade and there are things I am so forgetting. Somewhere.

And then 4th of July weekend, while everyone and their grandmother was at AX, zinjadu and I combined our magical planning powers and got theladyfeylene up for a long weekend. :D In our truest fashion, we had adventures in the sense of her plane got in early, we had the wrong phone number, her cell had died, and I proved myself to be the most oblivious person in the world. (No, really. APPARENTLY someone can be yelling my name and waving at me and I will still walk right past them until they are in my face going HI! >_>a On top of the hilarity of Haru and I missing each other for nearly half an hour at the ferry, when I was flopped on the bench behind her and she was pacing in front of the exit and NEITHER OF US THOUGHT TO ACTUALLY LOOK AROUND sob, I think this probably bodes poorly for me if I ever go somewhere to meet people.) We got mobbed by squealing ravers on the bus, discovered a fantastic new Japanese resturant in the ID, and there was a lot of just hanging out and watching Top Gear.

Somewhere in me I have an essay on the ending of Doctor Who season four and inherent tragedy and characters, but it's not going anywhere right now.

Instead, I will say that I really like Junjou Romantica/Egoist/Terrorist and I like sunny days when the weather is still cool, and HEY YOU SEATTLE FOLKS I know that Jessie is arranging things but you guys should totally come see WALL•E with me because I didn't get to when everyone else went and it looks so cute and I hate going to movies by myself, I'm so lame ;;. Okay? Okay. :|b

Comments

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the English can't exactly show Nowaki's keigo. :X It's so weird reading it in English and having Nowaki be so casual with Hiroki when in the Japanese he's kind of 尊敬するing.

Plus, I don't agree with their translations all of the time. :/ I thought it was a "wakattemasu" that they translated into "I know," and I could see how that could happen even though I didn't think it was appropriate in that context. But then I rechecked, and it turned out to be a "hai." T_T (this is in volume 4, the nickname chapter where Hiroki says, "I'm cold" and then Nowaki replies with either "I know" or "hai" depending on the language, and I feel this can lead to different interpretations.)

It gets really fun if you start reading the Junai novels and using those to interpret Usagi's character XD Which I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to be doing.


For me it's Egoist > Romantica > Terrorist, just because the 17 year age difference is kind of squick and because Miyagi pissed me off so much in Egoist >( Well, and Egoist is my favorite, so when I picked up volume 5 and saw there was some brand new couple that wasn't Egoist filling the pages, I got kind of miffed. I HAVE RECONCILED WITH THAT THOUGH. Now I just like it the least because of other, more valid reasons XDD

[nekokoban]

Nooo, I've been listening to the drama and -- Nowaki is amazingly polite for a guy who's so passionate. *g*

Hmmm, I can sort of see where you're coming from, but I actually like translating it as "I know." Because essentially Hiroki is telling Nowaki he wants to be held, and translating it directly as "yes" sounds ... a little awkward? I feel like translating it as "I know" sort of works -- because Nowaki's answering Hiroki's subtext, rather than his actual text, and oh man don't I sound laaaame. XD

--Do you know if I can find the Junai novels on that comm, because I've listened to at least Junai Romantica and had to keep PAUSING because it was just so ridiculously over-the-top clichetastic that I had to just giggle a lot. XD

I actually find Miyagi hilarious. :(b And the age gap probably would squick me, I think, if it had been the other way around -- given that Shinobu is the one driving the relationship, even if Miyagi tops, I'm a bit better with it? Also, I just liked the graveside scene a lot. ._.a

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

I don't think I would have translated it as "yes," but I think if you put Hiroki's literal meaning into the sentence, it would be weird?
Hiro: "Hug me."
Nowa: "I know."

:X That's why I might have put it as "Got it" or something like that. (ALSO, I saw somebody going on about how this can be interpreted as Nowaki saying "I know that you are emotionally cold" or something like that. :X Which of course doesn't work given the Japanese samui and tsumetai are different, but... yeah.)

I think I saw links to the novels the other day. Somebody had posted them and I had to refrain from downloading because they are in the mail, dammit! COMING ANY DAY NOW. :X


Yeah, the graveside scene won me over, but I didn't have that for most of it XD Like, I had read volumes 1-3 through scanlations, then I went to Japan in 2005 and bought up to volume 5. I wanted more Egoist, but there was terrorist instead. I didn't get the graveside scene until I came to Japan in sept 2007 XDD And even then I didn't actually _read_ the terrorist until I did the write-ups for the JR comm. So for the longest time, I was bitter at Terrorist.

Shinobu's antics are what won me over for the series though. He's just so hilariously funny. XDD I hope Nakamura writes a big crossover at some point, because I'm pretty sure Shinobu and Hiroki would be pretty hilarious together.

[nekokoban]

Well, I sort of interpret Hiroki's phrase as -- "I want you to hug me" rather than "Hug me" which is just nitpicking at this point. *g* And I mean, even if Nowaki is responding to what Hiroki MEANS, he's also responding to what he SAYS, so literally -- "I'm cold I need/want a hug" and "I know" work for me? I DUNNO. XD

Still, how much do I love that there actually IS a spinoff novel series for "Akikawa Yayoi"? It's hilarious, and when you get the novels, you have to tell me about themmmmmm. :3

The graveyard scene really kind of clinched it -- I love Usagi's romantic moments (and his stupid ones, let's be honest), but Miyagi finally letting go and moving on was really touching to me. And it's not huge or dramatic or fireworks, it's just, "Sensei, I've fallen in love again." I wibbled. >:

... I suspect that the series can't end till at least Shinobu graduates and gets into M College, and has to deal with Oni Kamijou for a few classes. I might cry a little if it doesn't go there. *g*

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

?? Shinobu is going to T-dai, as a lawyer. :O Happens in volume [something past 6 but before 10].

The latest chapter of Romantica has a kind of time-skip, so that it's the start of Misaki's 4th year. I wonder if Egoist and Terrorist will follow that time skip.

downloads for the novels!! *stares at the shiny download links* D: D: D: but I know I'm not gonna like reading it on screen as much as on paper.

[nekokoban]

... somehow I TOTALLY MISSED THAT. Sob. Did I mention about being oblivious, I think I did. XD

Timeskip, huh? Innnnteresting. Can I harass you for summaries, or are they posted anywhere already. :(

.. ... ... I'm at WORK, and yet-- and yet! I really want to. (I also didn't know there was already a Junai Egoist 3, but of course that's the one that's not scanned. XD) BUT THANK YOU FOR THE LINK, I SHALL ABUSE IT PROPERLY LATER♥

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

I have summaries all the way up to volume 10, and the latest two chapters are on my to-do list. XDD

I also made a TIMELINE. Took me forever and a day to make it, so I'm extra proud. XDD


Basically though, romantica act 17:
It's valentine's day-ish. Misaki gets a part time job at Marukawa shoten, sees Usagi-daddy while he's there. Usagi-daddy is a prick, follows him home. Gives Usagi pictures of marriage candidates. Asks Misaki to dump Usagi as thoroughly as he dumped Haruhiko. Usagi gets really pissed, drags Misaki out of the apartment. Usagi-daddy just follows, and as they're arguing, Usagi almost gets run over by a car. Misaki sort of saves him, and scolds him loudly. He scolds usagi-daddy too XD so now Usagi-daddy sees how deep their feelings are, or something, and he acknowledges their relationship.
Misaki also bought chocolates for Usagi for v-day. THEY ARE SHOMIN CHOCOS. (Usagi's expression is SO CUTE).

Act 18:
It's the start of Misaki's 4th year. Takahiro and Manami's son is starting to walk, he's so CUTE. And then Takahiro mentions that Misaki needs to enjoy this last year, he'll be moving out soon. BWUH? Well, yes! The agreement was that Misaki lives with Usagi until Misaki graduates. So after that, Misaki has to go out into the real world and be a MAN. ;_;
Usagi later asks what to do about this; he's perfectly willing to tell Takahiro about their relationship, but Misaki is kind of not happy about that.
Thankfully, before there is too much thinking involve, they get interrupted! A PLOT DEVICE COUSIN APPEARS AGAIN! Except instead of falling for Misaki, Shiiba Mizuki is all over Usagi. And Usagi is actually nice to him, and tolerates him a lot more than all of his other relatives, so Misaki feels threatened. He has a jealous fit, Usagi is happy.
It ends with Mizuki deciding to stay in the apartment for longer. ^^;;

[nekokoban]

SUMMARIES, SWEET. :Db E-even if I don't really like the cliche of PLOT DEVICE MOVING IN, I'll wait to see how this rolls, first. Thank you for the summaries! \o/

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

I can't get over the fact that Usagi named Takahiro and Manami's kid "Mahiro" (same kanji and everything). Will their second child be Takanami? XDD

I wonder if the Summer 2008 issue will have a Romantica chapter in it. And while we're at it, what magazine do I need to stalk for Egoist/Terrorist chapters? >_>; The printing schedule is so annoying.

[nekokoban]

... well, it's not like Akikawa Yayoi's fans seem to NOTICE that every single seme in the author's novels seems to be "Akihiko," even if the uke went from Takahiro to Misaki. XD

(Mahiro is kind of a cute name, though. I like it.)

What's wrong with it? All I know is that it's published in one of the Asuka offshoots, but that's about it. o_oa

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

It runs "once in a blue moon" (how one of my scanner friends put it) and the different series run in different magazines, from what I heard? As in, Romantica is in Ciel Tres Tres, but Egoist/Terrorist are in some other magazine. :X Of course, she hasn't written anything other than Romantica in a while. (Unless you count that super short valentine's chapter for Egoist, which was SO SHORT it hardly even counted. >O )

No, no, the Egoist books have Nowaki as a seme! :D And I'm sure if Akikawa Yayoi ever writes a Junai Terrorist series, it will feature Miyabi Yoh as the seme, with Nakatsuki Shinobu as the uke XD

I do wonder how Usagi would know about them though. He barely even interacts with Nowaki*, I can see him having chats about relationships with Hiroki's boss XDD

*(VERY EVIDENT FROM THE NOVELS, because while Hiro is a bit more uke than "in real life," Nowaki is a lot more RAPIST XO )

[nekokoban]

... that is TRAGIC, sob. :( (Also a bit confusing, so I'm glad that they compile everything for the volumes, because I would hate to have to go chasing after three separate series just to get the whole Junjou set. >:) And as much as I love Romantica, Egoist is my favorite. Sob.

Oh, you're right! But those are relatively new! I bet the fans were a bit shocked! XD (Interestingly, the Junai Egoist dramas have Inoue Kazuhiko voicing a "Professor Tanaka" instead of Miyabi, I wonder if this was something that got changed later on?)

And, well. Hiroki canonically is a blabbermouth when drunk, and apparently Usagi is still friendly with the Kamijou parents, so. WHO KNOWS, maybe they meet occasionally and Usagi gets Hiroki drunk for material. Sob. (Also, maybe I misinterpreted the dramas, but I didn't get the impression that Junai!Nowaki was more rapist? Have you heard the dramas? Am I nuts? HELP ME. XD)

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Hiroki is soooooooo out of it when drunk XDD That's the best part of the Junai novels, the little comics at the beginning and the end. In the third one, Hiroki's all drunk (while Usagi is dead tired and wants him to leave, of course), and Hiroki starts saying how Nowaki's not as nice/good as Usagi wrote him, and then he goes on about how in love he is, and OH, AKIHIKO WOULD NEVER UNDERSTAND. Which pisses Usagi off so much, that he starts prodding Hiro for more infos XD "Did I tell you about when he went abroad?" "Nope." "It's a long story." "Do tell."

That actually surprised me a bit, that Hiroki wouldn't mention in an entire year that Nowaki was gone. >_>;;; and that Usagi didn't notice.


ANYWAY, the rapist parts. I think it was volume 2 or 3, not sure which one, but Hiroki is hanging out with Akihiko a lot and confiding in him. Nowaki gets SUPER JEALOUS and thinks that Hiroki is gonna leave him for Akihiko that he rapes Hiroki. :X Hiroki shouts "stop" and "it hurts" and everything. And there was no lube involved. I know this for a fact, because they actually talk about lube in the novels (vs. in the manga where we're supposed to assume that all proper preparations took place). Of course Nowaki regrets it immediately after that, so he disappears.
Hiroki of course forgives him almost immediately, so he decides to track Nowaki down (a couple of days later). Nowaki immediately apologizes, but Hiroki says, "No, don't worry about it, it was kind of my fault too."

Maybe I should download the novels just so I can find the exact quote, but yeah. >( That pissed me off a lot. And that's when I decided that Usagi doesn't know Nowaki at all.

[nekokoban]

Oh, they have those bits in the dramas, too -- they're pretty hilarious. XD Oh Hiroki, you try so hard, and yet you're kind of adorably fail. XD

... that must be in v3, unless they condensed the Junai dramas more than I thought they had; Akihiko doesn't get mentioned at all in the first two volumes, and they're kind of with the cliches, sure, but not necessarily of the rapist-seme/raped-uke style.

Honestly, the Junai series is a lot more heavy with the cliches and tropes -- Usagi-daitentei isn't exactly being his most creative or sensitive with them. >_> And I would imagine Hiroki probably pitched a fit at the idea, because you know he reads those, even as he's going "kldjaourioa;er" at him and Nowaki being characters in an Akikawa Yayoi novel.

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

Yeah. XD Although if you go by the drama CDs, Nowaki reads them too. (Erm... I forget which one, but I think it was an extra CD possibly based off some official DJs. Hiroki was listening to the Romantica drama CD, Nowaki asks what it is and recognizes the author as one of Usagi's pen names. And then shows that he knows the contents as well as Hiroki XD)
Heck, one of the novel comics shows Nowaki accepting the delivery of 99 Junai Egoist books (Hiroki's attempt at making the series unavailable), I can't imagine him not reading even one. XDD Although Nowaki also says that he gave one of them to a nurse at the hospital, and she replied that she'd already read it -- "it's a pretty popular series."


Yeah, the cliches are what made it hard to read the Junai Romantica ones. Egoist was still sort of okay, possibly because I like the characters more, but I could call nearly all the events in the first Romantica volume. Classical love story misunderstandings and whatnot. I can only assume that Usagi-daitentei uses his BL novels as stress relief, and that his REAL novels are absolute masterpieces of literary work. :X

[nekokoban]

Oh, I remember that bit! Poor Nowaki, he was so confused at the shipments of books that came to his doorstep. XD (And I can't really imagine that HE'D be pleased with the idea that he'd ever rape Hiroki; it's probably a good thing Hiroki's boyfriend and childhood friend don't seem to interact much.)

I think that's actually what they say at one point? Usagi mentions how the BL novels are just his fantasies and such, and I would imagine they're a lot easier to write than the books where he won those two prestigious literary awards whose names I have totally blanked on. Sob.

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

OMG, while searching for spoilers, I found this comic:

http://yad.bufsiz.jp/Egoist/ill-comic/ego_comic-1.jpg

That makes me laugh a LOT. (it's work safe, although Hiro has his shirt open.)

[nekokoban]

... the link isn't working for me. D: Can you upload it anywhere, or is it just my workplace is blocking it? D:

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

http://pics.livejournal.com/yhibiki/pic/0000ac7y

The link worked for me, so maybe it's blocked? Or maybe it doesn't allow hot-linking >_>;; ANYWAY, I assume your work hasn't blocked LJ since you're replying to me XDD

[nekokoban]

... s-sob

I'm home now, and it's STILL not working. .___.a Do you have it locked or privatized?

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

OKAY WHUT even I don't have permission. :/

The entire picture thing is being screwy for me though.

Alright, I set it to a public image now. It was set to "all friends" before, so it SHOULD have given you access, but it doesn't seem to like that LJ-login add-on that I have for firefox. :X does it work now?

[nekokoban]

IT WORKED \o/

... and wow, that's. Gosh. I don't know, Nowaki, what do you do when he says that, instead? XD

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

WHIP OUT THE FANS? Call Usami-san over?... Lol, Hiroki keeps them both around for that reason. Nowaki is his heat pack, Akihiko his cool pack.

(Is that why Hiroki couldn't date Shinoda? His temperature was too normal? XDDD )

[nekokoban]

Now, now, I doubt Nowaki would call Usami-san for anything if he could absolutely help it. XD He'll figure something else out!

(POSSIBLY. Shinoda was just too normal to punch through Hiroki's set up defenses the way Nowaki did. IT'S LIKE FATE OR SOMETHING. \o/)

[yhibiki.livejournal.com]

I BET WHATEVER IT IS, IT ENDS IN SEX. Because all BL adventures end in sex. (After which, Hiroki will yell about how he's so much hotter now than before.)

YES, 運命！ or possibly HITSUZEN? (... What did Nowaki have to trade Yuuko for Hiroki, and did he REALLY get a good deal out of it? XDD )