Mudbray (in Japanese: ドロバンコ “Dorobanko”) is a GROUND-type Pokémon first found in the Alola Region. It is termed the “Donkey Pokémon”. It appears to us as a donkey (aka a “jackass”) or mule. Mudbray evolves into Mudsdale — the “Draft Horse Pokémon” (in Japanese: バンバドロ “Banbadoro”) at level 30, where it remains a GROUND-type. (Bulbapedia reference here.)
Could Mudbray be a mule too? Not technically, since they call it the “donkey Pokémon”. Donkeys, burros and mules all share some resemblance in form however, so I will still use “mule” type names. A mule is produced when a male donkey is bred with a female horse (mare). Another mule-like animal the “Hinny,” is produced when you breed a male horse (stallion) to a female donkey.
Did anyone ever try breeding a male Mudbray with a female Mudsdale, or a female Mudbray with a male Mudsdale? Go try that at Paniolo Ranch!
Mules are bred to be smaller, but stronger and more durable than a horse. Mules are less obstinate than a donkey. Donkey’s are hard to get along with. There is a reason why donkeys are called “Jackasses”. Jackasses are narrow minded, and they will not listen. Mules are thus a better choice to be a pack-animal. However, hybrid mules are usually sterile and unable to breed offspring.
When breeding goes wrong at the Paniolo Ranch
“Knoxville” might be a good Mudboy name, after actor Johnny Knoxville who starred in the “Jackass” movie and reality TV show of the same name. I never saw it, let alone ever “tried it at home.” Apparently American audiences thought it was hilariously funny to watch people fall down. Also, lot of people in Knoxville, TN also like to get “down and dirty” like a ground-type should.
They call her “Bucky Becky”. Just be careful with the teeth there Becky.
“Democrat” could be another good donkey name, as the jackass is the symbol of America’s Democratic Party. (Off topic: Elephants are the symbol of the Republican Party, so you could name your Phanpy or Donphan a GOP themed name, then have them all battle in one big double battle.)
… it lost, but it had such potential!
A great name for a donkey is “Quixote” after Don Quixote the story, the play and the movie. Perhaps “Donkey Oatey” or some variation. Go ahead, and dream the impossible dream.
It used to be that the Pokémon Name Censor would not let you use the letters “ass” – not even in names with the word “grass” as part of them. Apparently this has changed, so “Ass” names will now work, particularly within your own Sun and Moon game. Suggestions: “AllAbotD.Ass” or some variation.
Sometimes the law … is an ASS!
Teachers might like to use names like “ASS=U+ME” after the old saying – What happens when you assume? … you make an ASS out of YOU and ME. Ha Ha.
“Eddie” after Eddie Murphy who played “Donkey” in the Shrek movies.
Not Eddie Murphy
“My Fav Honky” or “Favrit Honky” is good, if you remember the line in the Steve Martin novelty record “King Tut” (linked here). The record was actually not funny at all, but when he performed it on Saturday Night Live or in concert, it was much, much better with Mr. Martin making his wild-and-crazy Egyptian arm movements.
“Buried with a Donkey – He’s my favorite Honky – King Tut ! ”
The name “Brayboy” is a play on the words”bray” and “playboy” because jackasses do bray like — well — like jackasses. Plus, most “playboys” are narcissistic jackasses. They think they are “Plow Boys” though.
Sometimes you can base a name on which “Hidden Power” it can learn. For example, “Assisgrass” learned “grass type” as its Hidden Power.
Other famous donkeys include “Eeyore” from Winnie The Poo, “Benjamin” from George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” and the funny sounding “Baba Looey” from the old Hanna-Barbara cartoon Quick Draw McGraw.
You could play with Burro names, like “BurroSupreme” for Taco Bell lovers. “Paco Packo” or similar — since burros are good pack animals.
The name “Forty Acres” or “40 Acres” would work for a mule, after the famous American expression regarding the lost “American Dream” — “Where is MY 40 acres and a mule?”
I like the name “Okey Dokey” for a donkey or a draft horse.
Mudsdale is a “draft horse” or workhorse, bred to pull a wagon load. Such horses were not bred to be racehorses, however some racehorses are bred to be “mudders” — able to run fast in muddy tracks. Thus, you should breed your female Mudsdale to be an effective ground type. “His mudder was a mudder” is a common phrase for bookies handicapping a race. Thus you should use a mudder-type name — I suggest “Tuff Mudder” or “Mudder Effer“.
Mudsdale’s signature move is a kicking move: “High Horsepower“. Kicking-type names like “Kick-Grass” — or horsepower type names like “500 Ponies” may work. “Horse Sense” might make sense.
A good name for a horse is “Hot-to-Trot“. Oh — and you may want to view my suggestions for Ponyta and Zebstrika for other equus suggestions. I would like to someday compose an all-Equus Pokémon team. You could have Clydesdale, Mudbray, Rapidash, and Ponyta. Plus, Zebstrika and Blitzle could be there too.
Mudsdale also appears to have dreadlocks or a braided mane. You could try “braid” type names — but I can’t think of many.
Found on Deviantart website. I might name a Mudsdale “Greco-Roman” now.
You could base names on the large hairy hooves this horse breed has — “Horseplop“for example, after the sound of hooves clopping down the road. “Cloggs” might resonate, if you like that type of shoes.
I would like to use the name “Kadiddlehopper” after the famous Red Skelton character Clem Kadiddlehopper . Unfortunately there are too many letters. Maybe just “Kadiddle” would be a fun name for a plucky horse companion. The Mudsdale which I raised to battle the Alola Champion was called “Diddly Doo” — after the phrase made famous by Simpson’s neighbor Ned Flanders.
Mudsdale is obviously based on a “Clydesdale” horse. We all know about Clydesdales from watching Budweiser beer’s Super Bowl commercials. When I was just a kid, and my teenage friends and I would illegally sneak and drink beer, we would call them “Butt-weipers.” (Everything was funnier back then.) Thus, Clydesdale names might be “Clyde” or “Bud Wiser” for males. You could use horse names like “Happy Hoofer” (after the “Happy Hooker” books and advice column) for female Mudsdales.
The late TV announcer Ed McMahon was long associated with the Clydesdales. He was also famous for his drinking. When I used to see the McMahon-narrated Clydesdale commercial of the horses pulling a big wagon packed tall with cases of beer — I would joke “Yup, they are on the way to Ed McMahon’s garage.”
McMahon was Johnny Carson’s sidekick – or second banana – but he had a great jovial laugh which made him agreeable to everyone. So name your Pokémon “McMahon”, “HiYo!” or “Sidekick”, especially since Mudsdale has strong kicking moves.
You know, I can do a pretty good Ed McMahon imitation. I know that it is dated, but just listen to my loud, boisterous laugh:
Today, let us drill down and mine more nicknames for Pokémon Black and Pokémon White characters. Drilbur (in Japanese: モグリュー “Mogurew”) is a Ground-type Pokémon. Drillbur’s category is “Mole Pokémon”. Drilbur was a popular baby form.
Drilbur evolves into Excadrill when raised to level 31. Excadrill (in Japanese: ドリュウズ “Doryuzu”) is a dual-type Ground and STEEL Pokémon. Excradrill’s category is “Subterrene Pokémon”. (“Subterrene” might actually be a good nickname right there!)
I named a Drilbur “6.02 x 10~23” (unfortunately you cannot use exponents in the nickname creator). Oh – but I had to use the upper-case letter “O” in place of zero! I found out that there is a limit to how many numbers you can use in a nickname. I never thought of it before, but someone could otherwise use a phone number as a name, so it makes sense.
Chemistry class? … remember that chick you tutored in Chem 101? Sing it Elvis — “Are you ready for the final solution?”
E.C.: “Sparks are flying from electrical pylons … snakes and ladders running up and down the nylons …
“The chemical term “mole” is usually abbreviated as “mol” which saves all kinds of space in scientific writing …
Wait — that is American actress Gretchen Mol. Sorry my mind wandered in class again.
Right … forgive my digression … a mol has a value of 6.022140857(74)×1023 mol−1 — also known as Avagadros Constant. Thus, I have named some Drilburs “Avagadro” or “Avagadro’s #”.
Perhaps you could name your mole after famous people with moles. “De Niro” or “De Niro’s Mole” for example. (Denny is NOT making this up – “Robert De Niro’s Mole” has its own Facebook page, I just looked.) The term “mole” can also mean “Double Agent” in various spy thriller novels. Excadril is a dual-type Pokémon, so why not?
“Whack-a-Mole” could be a funny name .. or maybe just “Whack“.
Everyone loves whacking to that arcade game!
Ahem … moles are similar to “shrews” which are another type of burrowing rodent. I named a female Drilbur “Tammy Shrew” after “The Taming of the Shrew” by Shakespeare. Ha. William Shakespeare — come -on Bill, don’t say that. There is no part of a lady that looks like a furry rodent.
If he was actually trying to tame her shrew, he sure missed way too high.
I sometimes name a female Drilbur “Lovely Rita” after the Beatles song “Lovely Rita Meter Maid“. Drilbur looks like it has a sash across the chest, as in a crossing-guard or meter-maid’s uniform. As Paul sang: “With the bag across her shoulder, it made her look a little like a military man … wank, wank, wonk, wonk”. I used “Edward S.” after the movie “Edward Scissorhands “, but then realized it was pretty stupid.
Excadrill names I have used include “Excedrin” after the headache medicine. Yup, an Excedrin and a Gatorade will set you up for a another big lunch after you have had a hard night.
Ha Ha. This angry little guy was made into a meme. Ha.
I sometimes use “Roto-Rooter” after the famous plumbing company. Seriously, they can use that burrowing drill to unclog any hairy plumbing mess.
If you have seen the movie, you know that pipes are about to be cleaned.
These moles like to burrow, so I was thinking the more literary spelling “Burroughs” after author Edgar Rice Burroughs. The name “Furrows” or “Good Furrows” is elegant, I think and inspires fantasies about farming.
I have used “Drillbits” for cute little Drilbur, and “Drill Press” for the more intense drilling that the larger Excadrill can do. “BlackNDecker” might be a good name for a drill, as the Black and Decker company makes tools.
Weedle (in Japanese: ビードル “Beedle”) is a BUG & POISON dual-type Pokémon. The pointy-headed little grub evolves into Kakuna (in Japanese: コクーン “Cocoon”) at level 7, where it remains a BUG & POISON dual type.
Kakuna in turn, evolves into Beedrill (in Japanese: スピアー “Spear”) at level 10, where it is still a BUG & POISON dual type.
Wanna see the slow reveal? Click here. Actually you can level up a Beedrill faster than this … but WHO CARES!
Beedrill can Mega Evolve into Mega Beedrill by using the Beedrillite stone.
Image from Bulbapedia.
A lot of trainers do not name a Weedle, as they expect that they will just level it up anyway, and would have to change to a more appropriate name. My favorite name for Weedle is “PowerPoinT” as in all the Microsoft Powerpoint slide shows you enjoy sitting through. These can bug you or make your head feel like it has been poisoned alright. You might use “PPT file”, “Attachment” or some variation. The name is still appropriate when players reach Weedle’s final form — Beedrill.
Readers: I have already written a “Pokemon Nicknames” post for Kakuna two years ago. The original post is linked here.
One of my favorite nicknames for a female Beedrill is “Honey Horné” named for a character from the “Wayne’s World” movie.
Here is that inspirational clip about the horny hornet:
Other names I like to use: “Charlotte” for females, as in the Charlotte Hornets NBA team. “Bonnet” is also good — as in when someone has a “bee in their bonnet”.
“HoneyDripper” for the 1980s musical collaboration between Robert Plant and Brian Setzer. who derived their name from Roosevelt Sykes , an American Blues Singer also known as “Honeydripper”. Do you remember?
I also like “Thrill Me” as a play on “drill me” I suppose. I was thinking of that song, “Thrill me, kiss, me kill me” … um … however it goes. Sing it Zooey.
Others? “BuzzFeed” to “make fun of that terrible website. “Drone Strike” for the military drones which can execute a terrorist without a trial. “MellowJacket” in order to calm this Yellow Jacket bug. Maybe “Sting” for the singer of the 1980s band The Police. “Stinger” might be bland, but combine it with “Vodka” for the mixed drinkVodka Stingers? How about “Black Decker” after the company which makes drills and power tools?
PROLOGUE: I am a lot happier now. I was a little bummed that all the AKB48 Family videos — which includes those by the JKT48 sister group — have been banned from being seen or shared America. I wanted to see more Haruka Nakagawa performances, especially leading up to her graduation later this year. Ding-dang it — I am not allowed to view JKT48 Official Channel – even though I subscribed! Fortunately, some YourTube users in Indonesia posted some great LIVE performances from the past couple of years.
There is a great series from this user and others which feature the girls performing in their home theater in Jakarta! It is like you are right there in the front row. Several hour-long shows have been posted — however I wanted to at least share this Yasushi Akimoto song: “Tanjoubi No Yoru”. JKT48 sing it in an Indonesian dialect, which translates the song as “Malam Ulang Tahun”. There is even a little English thrown in as you will hear. Full lyrics are available linked here.
It would be a cute and fun Idol show to watch. Image standing in the from row and seeing Harugon and Melody and all the others so close up.
I have not seen so much tender thigh meat since I was on that tour of the Tyson factory!!!
(Denny imitating Dr. McCoy’s famous “I’m just an old country doctor …” quote):
I’m just a big fat fanboy, but these stage shows are great to watch and listen to at work. I can re-size a window, work around it, then imagine that I am right there in the JKT theater, while I spend several hours processing requests for agricultural fertilizers.
These shows may not be as elaborate as the stage show of a big American rock band, but I love watching them. The girls wear a variety of great Idol outfits. Some songs are cute, some are sweet, and some are pretty sexy. (Well, they are all pretty at something.)
I love the individual beauty of each of the ladies. The JKT48 girls have an amazing array of attractive faces. Each one is more lovely than the next. No, they do not look like supermodels. Arguably, they look like “just your average pretty girl” — if you know what I mean. You know, like that really unique-looking, but also very pretty girl who works the checkout at the supermarket? You know, like that super-stylish pretty girl you always see in the coffee shop? You know, that really pretty friend-of-a-friend’s friend? You know, like that quiet, but very pretty girl you see on the bus all the time? You know, that real girl you would rather have a million times over any Hollywood actress?
These videos show that the JKT48 team are real girls. Sure, each has talent to varying degrees, and it has been fun to watch their talents grow. There is nothing phony about the JKT48 girls. These girls are not just models. Better! — they have natural beauty. All are Indonesian (except Haruka), but there is a great diversity of faces in the group … those magnificent faces .. those uniquely beautiful, … wonderful … life affirming faces. Each one is its own universe …
… Its own lifetime. Really, any one of them would be a dream girlfriend. If I were a young man, I would share my life with any of them. You can see why a guy would be willing to get up and go to work every day. Did you see those faces? Those heavenly thighs? You can see why a guy would dedicate his life to making his dream girl happy. I’d even talk to an insurance salesman.
Have fun re-sizing your windows, but get back to work on those data forms …
Is it just me — or are this world’s women getting more and more beautiful? Maybe I have that perspective, because I am just so old, well past the midpoint of life. I can even see the abyss from my vantage point. We should appreciate and celebrate beauty and fun more often. We are here on this Earth to love each other, not to make trouble, create pain or hurt each other because we buy a different brand of socks. I know now what is truly important now: Find a pretty girl, then get your face between her thighs. Make babies … then love them. This is what I want to be on my tombstone*: Denny’s advice: “Worry less about stupid stuff … and eat more pussy.”
I would rather watch the JKT48 girls sing and dance more than any of the edgy, progressive, supposedly significant singer songwriters I grew up with. I know what you are going to say Bob: “Denny, when you were a young new-wave-arty-punk-rocker you listened to those deep, dark artists, who you thought were so earthshakeingly profound. You used to write about INJUSTICES! … about all the SHIT in society! … art that was about all the PUKE!!! …”.
Well, I don’t want to see the shit and the puke anymore.
I want to see my sweet JKT48 girls wearing pretty dresses – singing about love, being loved and giving love.
Starlight: *Actually, cremate my body, and mix my ashes into the fertile Indonesian soil. The dark, rich, moist, volcanic soil. Mash me deep into Melody’s furrows – er, .. I mean … uh … deep into the agricultural field, that is wet with anticipation.
Nothing says love … like a chocolates box filled with earthworms? Well, how about a holiday created by a candy corporation?
Today’s music history lesson takes us all the way back to 1981 for a track from Devo’s innovative “New Traditionalists” album. Way back then DEVO were video poets. They were creative, they were funny. I loved their retro-cool pop cultural references — and their takes on the old sci-fi movies, health films, 1950s politics, etc. They were despised by the mainstream American culture of course. Want to get beaten up? Say that you liked Devo. I have fond memories of these Kent-State-University-art-students-turned-new-wave-pop-stars. This song — “Love Without Anger” featured a mixture of costumes, stop-motion animation, quirky retro references, subliminal messaging and a couple broken eggs. (Lyrics here.)
Oh, it really takes me back to when I was just a spud. Kids, back when Devo started their careers, there was no MTV, and rock music videos were seldom seem. I know, that “Barbie and Ken” animation bit looks like something directly out of “Robot Chicken“. It is crude in comparison, but that is part of its retro-charm. I also believe that this MV inspired Seth Green to create his series.
If you find this MV to be quirky and amusing, please check out the Devo playlists on YerTube. Tell ’em “Boogie Boy” sent yas.
Starlight: 1981 — my period of surfboards and plastic hair.
Sit back down you! If you are drinking my beer, you are going to have to listen to my “old man” music. Forget that “hippy-hoppy” crap for a few minutes, and learn some music history.
This is “Dogs” by Pink Floyd, from their great 1977 LP “Animals”. The record was a concept album (slight sarcastic inflection in Denny’s voice). Each song title describes a different domestic animal. The central theme is that people often are like the animals. Each describes some of the worst aspects of humanity. People might be greedy pigs, are often docile sheep, and may live in a dog-eat-dog world.
You are going to need the lyric sheet. I am posting the full lyrics at the end of this post, if you want to view them while you listen to this SEVENTEEN-MINUTE PROGRESSIVE ROCK SONG.
Oh, right you use your phone for everything. Try to follow along. The song is about how people act like aggressive dogs. The song is directed at businessmen in particular. My favorite lyrical part captures very clearly how I view the cutthroat world of business.
After a while, you can work on points for style.
Like the club tie, and the firm handshake,
A certain look in the eye and an easy smile.
You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to,
So that when they turn their backs on you,
You’ll get the chance to put the knife in.
The song then describes one unlucky company man who dedicates his life to pursuing money, but in the end has accumulated nothing of true value. Near the end he faces disillusionment with the corporate world, and how one must act in order to survive in it. The ruthless businessman must face death, realizing that he is unloved, and has wasted his life in the pursuit of financial gain. Someday you will understand the meaning of the line: “it’s too late to lose the weight you used to need to throw around.”
I can remember seeing Pink Floyd performing this live on their 1977 tour. During this song, the band had inflated blimps which hovered over the stage. The blimps were of such as objects as a car, a TV set, refrigerator, etc. All of these are objects which the protagonist sacrificed his life for.
Oh, you want to hear more of my “war stories” from rock life in the 1970s do you? Let me tell you a little more about the Pink Floyd 1977 tour. The band would only play five cities in North America. I saw them in Cleveland, Ohio.
It was a hot and humid summer day. Fortunately it was partly cloudy, thus I avoided a lot of sunburn …
“General Admission” – meaning you have to fight drug addicts for a place on the baseball field close to the stage.
80,000 potheads filled the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. I may have been the ONLY CLEAR-HEADED person in the entire stadium.
I hate marijuana. It never made me “high” — just stupid. It was tough growing up in the 1970s when so many of my peers were using weed to attain euphoria. Everyone else would mellow out and feel great. Marijuana turns me into a paranoid psychopath. Lucky you if you can use it as a euphoric … er … I mean, to treat your glaucoma. Luckily I attended this drug fest accompanied only by my stoner friends and a gallon jug of green Gatorade. (My anti-drug stance will have to wait for another post. I know, I’m a hypocrite because I drink like a tree). I don’t like drug culture, but I love the “altered state” which Pink Floyd transported me too. Hypnotic, perhaps ethereal, but with a small sense of underlying dread.
Denny is NOT making this up: To this day I can remember how the show opened. The crowd was waiting for the show, when all of a sudden a 747 jet airliner flies DIRECTLY OVER THE STADIUM. I mean it flew just above the top of the structure. No one had ever seen anything like it. In my minds eye, I can still remember … at least I think I do … maybe I embellish it now … seeing people inside the plane WAVING OUT THE WINDOW. That is HOW CLOSE the band plane flew to the top of the stadium. It was very quick, and as far as I know, there is no photographic evidence of the flight.Today (post- 9/11) of course, you could never get an airplane that close to that big of a crowd. I would find out later that Pink Floyd was cited for the FAA infraction.
The stoned crowd was of course freaked out. While we sat there all agog, no one noticed that the band had already taken the stage and was already playing “Sheep”. This was a great practical joke on a crowd that was already hallucinating. I guess we really were all easily manipulated sheep … good one guys!
Find the young Denny.
Oh, back to “Dogs” … there is that one part right after the “dragged down by the stone” lyric where the word “stone” is repeated, then phased-synthesized so that the word slowly becomes a sound instead of a word. It is a good example of the dreamlike steam-of-consciousness aspect of Pink Floyd music. Also, if you are listening to this — your dog may come running into the room, as the song also has some real dog-barking, and synthesized dog sounds. Legend has it — there are also sounds which only a dog can hear are included. Test it out for yourself.
What do you mean it is depressing? Of course it is dark … it is ART! A lot of Pink Floyd is kind of depressing … and kind of scary. Like a bad dream.
It was a great show. The band played the full “Animals” and “Wish-You-Were-Here” albums. The WYWH set had a big-screen animated movie to accompany it. I once saw a song from it on VH1, but I have been looking forever for the full movie. Like a lot of PF, it will put you into a trance.
Unfortunately, people CAN be animals. I saw a lot of bad behavior. Plenty of mean dogs, sloppy pigs and clueless sheep. One of my friends had his pockets picked and lost his ticket, There was a lot of fighting between the druggies of course. The police were harassing a lot of the stoners, but there is no way that they could arrest all 80,000, so they had to let a lot of drug use slide.
I was very saddened to see that inebriated fuckwads kept trying to take down the animal balloons as they flew over the crowd. Jerks were grabbing the tethers. At one point, the show had to stop so that an announcement could be made to stop pulling down the pig.
REFERENCES:
See this radio station blog for further description, but it looks like they got it mostly right.
You gotta be crazy, you gotta have a real need.
You gotta sleep on your toes, and when you’re on the street,
You gotta be able to pick out the easy meat with your eyes closed.
And then moving in silently, down wind and out of sight,
You gotta strike when the moment is right without thinking.
And after a while, you can work on points for style.
Like the club tie, and the firm handshake,
A certain look in the eye and an easy smile.
You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to,
So that when they turn their backs on you,
You’ll get the chance to put the knife in.
You gotta keep one eye looking over your shoulder.
You know it’s going to get harder, and harder, and harder as you
get older.
And in the end you’ll pack up and fly down south,
Hide your head in the sand,
Just another sad old man,
All alone and dying of cancer.
And when you loose control, you’ll reap the harvest you have sown.
And as the fear grows, the bad blood slows and turns to stone.
And it’s too late to lose the weight you used to need to throw
around.
So have a good drown, as you go down, all alone,
Dragged down by the stone… (stone … stone …)
[instrumental]
I gotta admit that I’m a little bit confused.
Sometimes it seems to me as if I’m just being used.
Gotta stay awake, gotta try and shake off this creeping malaise.
If I don’t stand my own ground, how can I find my way out of this
maze?
Deaf, dumb, and blind, you just keep on pretending
That everyone’s expendable and no-one has a real friend.
And it seems to you the thing to do would be to isolate the winner
And everything’s done under the sun,
And you believe at heart, everyone’s a killer.
Who was born in a house full of pain.
Who was trained not to spit in the fan.
Who was told what to do by the man.
Who was broken by trained personnel.
Who was fitted with collar and chain.
Who was given a pat on the back.
Who was breaking away from the pack.
Who was only a stranger at home.
Who was ground down in the end.
Who was found dead on the phone.
Who was dragged down by the stone.
——————–
Regarding the “Animals” album: I wondered why there were not more songs about more animals. If people behave like Sheep, Pigs and Dogs, then why not “Monkeys”? People basically are like monkeys, so why not another animal song. Yes, humanity is often ape-like. We are basically “monkeys” … just a bunch of wild monkeys. Just a bunch of masturbating, feces-throwing, infant cannibalizing monkeys.
Of course — if I like something too much that must mean that there is something wrong with it. Makes sense… maybe. True, my Iwasa Misaki addiction got to be so bad that I had to have an “intervention”. I have enrolled myself into a 12 STEP PROGRAM in order to kick my Iwasa-habit. Yes, it is my big announcement …
The following is my 12-Step program to sober up to harsh reality.
Oh, I’m going to need two more, dear girl.
Step One: First one has to ADMIT that one HAS a problem. I accept the fact that I have long failed to recognize my Wasamin problem.
I am a fanboy, and Iwasa Misaki is my oshi. I will finally admit, I had a hard time confessing it to Wasamin. Look at that impatient face.
Step Two: I believe that I must turn to “A HIGHER POWER” and ask for help.
Ok, a higher power … um … Mr. Akimoto?
Step Three: I will turn to our fellow men and women, particularly those who have ALSO STRUGGLED with the same addiction. I would use any help.
Yes, our fellow men and women — with the extra hands.
Step Four: I have made a LIST of the situations when I am most likely to listen to Iwasa Misaki. At the computer, while driving, while working, while fantasizing.
Someone should write these down. Write something Iwasa …
Step Five: I will try to AVOID those situations … or put on a Todd Rundgren record instead. Oh, yay … the 70s … ugh.
Yes, I will try to keep my hands busy. NOT going over to YouTube …
Step Six: I am ready to ACCEPT HELP friends give me. I will not make fun of other’s musical tastes, unless it is rap crap.
Back to metal I guess. Party on Garth, Party on Wasamin.
Step Seven: Continue to HOPE. I earnestly hope that OTHER MUSIC will help. Oh my Buddha, just no country music recorded after 1974.
Buenos Tacos, Senorita Misaki — Try some Mexican jumping bean music!
Step Eight: I have made a list of persons I HAVE HARMED and to whom I hope to appologize. (I think my wife is getting very impatient waiting for me out in the car.)
I don’t think I’ve ever seen her angry before: “But you look so cute when you get mad … come here you.”
Step Nine: I promise to DO ALL I CAN to make those amends. Maybe cut my Google image Misaki searches down to maybe a few hours every day.
It took me less than two hours to use this … er … I mean … find this!
Step Ten: I will continue to make lists and REVISE them as needed. Oh yeah.
I’m making notes, and a list … Still trying to read the notes …
Step Eleven: I am in turn willing to HELP OTHERS who may come to me in their hour of need with their own particular idol addiction.
Selfies? No need to go it alone, Iwasa.
Step Twelve: … er… um …SCREW THIS … What? … No Misaki-san? … NO WAY! … Forget it!
Starlight: I am outta here … on another Iwasa bender …
Oh, I have been getting enka-denka-doo-ed these days. I know that I am Wasamin-crazy, but I have it under control! I can quit anytime I want.
Ahem …Let me share this nice YouTube post of Iwasa Misaki singing “Tsugunai” つぐない which translates as “Atonement”.
She sang this on her great Enka album “Request Covers” released a couple of years ago. Wasamin recorded several songs made famous by well-known Enka artists of years past. What a great record.
The cover for “Request Covers”.
This is a more recent performance. Here she sings a shorter version than what is on her record, but still it is great to look at and listen to. She wears an amazingly beautiful dark kimono .. as I have come to expect when she performs on this Japanese variety show. Enjoy this slide set! I also downloaded this to MP4 , which my PS3 up-converts — and it LOOKS AMAZING!!!
The sound is just YouTube. The song sounds a lot better on my iPhone with my Nakamichi headphones. You can really hear the enka-quivering in Misaki-san’s voice, and the instrumentals are fantastic. The “tango”-like organ work provides a great musical backdrop for this nostalgic-tragic love song. If you ask me, the tone of the woman protagonist is a little “passive-aggressive”. She is saying goodbye but she is actually begging, and is trying to hide her disappointment and bitterness. You could figure that out. Here is what Wasamin is actually singing:
“Atonement”
In the room exposed to the western sun
There always remains your scent
If I live here alone, I must always remember you
So, I will leave here, by keeping the scratch on the wall as it is
After atoning for our love, we must be separated
Please don’t forget about me although I have been such a woman
You have been too sweet to me
You have been innocent like a little boy
We are going to be strangers tomorrow
I only care about you left behind
Please cut down smoking
Instead of living by being attached to the past
You should find a lady more attractive than I
Because atoning for our love becomes a burden for me
I will try to leave this town and live alone
I will have to drink alone
I will have to dream alone
We are going to be strangers tomorrow
After atoning for our love, we must be separated
Please don’t forget about me although I have been such a woman
You have been too sweet to me
You have been innocent like a little boy
We are going to be strangers tomorrow …
The song was written by Araki Toyohisa and Miki Takahashi. It has been recorded many times, in Japanese and Chinese. It was made most famous by Cantonese Enka-singer Teresa Teng. (That is until Misaki-san of course.) Get me drunk at the Karaoke Bar and I WILL SING IT!
Asahi soft drink corporation has released new promotional commercials for their product line of “WONDA” coffee featuring AKB48! WONDA promotional campaign spokes-idols are AKB48 members Haruka Shimazaki (島崎遥香), Mayu Watanabe (渡辺麻友), Minami Takahashi (高橋みなみ), Yuki Kashiwagi (柏木由紀) and Yui Yokoyama (横山由依).
They are pretty cute “Japan-is-crazy-type-commercials” which we all know and love. (But nothing as crazy as the music video at the end of the post.)
I actually liked the older WONDA cans when they had the photos of the members on the cans. Then, you could really “open up a can of Paruru”!
I’m gonna open me a can of Shimazaki-san !!!
Still, I would like to have the promotional poster!
You can see more commercials — one featuring each member for each day of the week — at the post by AKB48-Daily linked here.
Oh, and these commercial themes are also going to be worked into a new AKb48 music video. Here is the “short version”. The record company does not trust me with the long version. It is still 1:30 of funny.
Starlight: From the Sun to Neptune. Not all that long this time!
Likes: Pop Culture, Humor, Japanese Culture, Iwasa Misaki, Hanako Oku, AKB48 History, Kurosawa films, Kimonos, Anime, Lolita fashion, Buddhist philosophy, and finding the perfect nicknames for my Pokemon.
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Denny Sinnoh 
Written
on May 23, 2015