Venus Fort, Shopping, Food and Cars!

Going back to December 2010 in Tokyo and I decided to visit Odabai Island and Venus Fort. So what is Venus Fort? 

Well, it's a place with lots of interesting stores. 

Stores for older people and for younger people. And the young at heart.

Along with interesting services. Like weddings. Yes, you can get married at Venus Fort. Actually wedding photos here would be very beautiful. 

The reason why is because of the architecture inside Venus Fort that replicates an Italian city. 

 

Complete with arches, statues and more.

Like this beautiful fountain. 

Reminds me so much of the Venetian in Los Vegas, right down to the day and night lighting.

There are vintage cars in the History Garage and people dressed up as characters

And the occasional Italian street.

 I was hungry since I didn't have breakfast.

 So I sat down at Cobara Hetta for a dish of pasta interpreted Japanese style.

 It was interesting with okra, salmon, mentaiko, nori and grated daikon. The soup and salad were very good too.

 The best part was the view from my table.

(this post was originally posted December 2010)

Ryux Kuruchi～Oichi～Video Translation

So it was Mana's two day birthday shows at Pleasure Pleasure in Shibuya on March 19th and 20th. And as usual, Moi dix Mois performed the song "Immortal Madness". As I've blogged about, part of the fun of this song is the band sometimes changes part of the lyrics. One version is "Sexy Pretty Mana-sama" where everyone was suppose to do specific hand motions. Well, it seems that Mana changed the phrase to something else. And at the first show, Seth didn't sing it quite the way that Mana wanted it to be said. So at the second show...well, Ryux put a video of what happened on Twitter. I've attempted to translate what was written in the video. 

Here's the link to Ryux's tweet with the video https://twitter.com/RYU59/status/1505571535276281856

And here's the translation. I've color coded it to match the video, for the most part. If you are colorblind, you might want to copy and paste what is below if you need to change the color.

Seth：Eh～Today, Mana-sama made a complaint about yesterday's Seth.

Well～that's right.

Mana: The way to say "Kuruchi～Oichi～" is different

Seth：When。。。

Ryux: Kuruchi～

Ryux: Kuruchi～

Seth:  No, I laughed too。。。

Come on! And "Oichi" is like this. (During the choreography lecture)

Mana: In the acclaimed pressure point.*

Ryux: It doesn't stop。。。I can't laugh。。。

Seth：Yeah, maybe。。。

Ryux: Congratulations to Mana → meaningless*

Seth：Right now, I think I've got a pressure point

Ryux: It's time for pressure point time, everyone.

Seth：It's a pressure point time. Yes.

Ryux: Please take a look.

Seth：Thank you everyone. This is my first time so far w

Ryux: Kuruchi～Oichi～

Seth：I～Hifu www I'm going!!!!

Come on! Come on!!!!

Seth and Ryux: Kuruchi～Oichi～

Kuruchi～Oichi～

Kuruchi～Oichi～

Kuruchi～Oichi～

Ryux: Kuruchi～Oichi～

Seth：Is it okay to go to the end Mana-sama?

Mana: Mana-sama, I couldn't stand it and left (to) the stage sleeve myself

Ryux: This is an incident!

Also "Je t'aime Mana-sama～🤍"

Do you want to start over?

Mana: "It may be impossible, laugh at that voice." → listening to Seth.

Seth：This is already an incident, so w

Let's get it back!!!

Let's go back to "SEXY PRETTY ANGEL"

Ryux: Oh really?

Seth：This is impossible anymore w

Yes, the end www

Ryux: "Kuruchi～" is over?

"Kuruchi～" is over?

Is it the end of "Kuruchi～"?

Seth：Is no good anymore。。。 Ryo-chan www

THE END

*→ meaningless, I think Ryux was saying there was no reason for him to be doing it, it was just random.

*ツボ, tsubo, has a couple different meanings. A specific land measurement, pot, and pressure point. Pressure point made the most sense here (also because it was written in katakana like acupressure would be written). Just to add for those who may not know it, that since Mana tries to keep a stoic expression, it would be a pressure point to have to try and keep a straight face in this situation. Which is why Mana left the stage for a moment.

"w" is laughing

Because someone asked, "Oichi" is a name given to girls, it can mean "in city" also. Oda Nobunaga's sister's name is one example. As for "kuruchi", it seems to be a place name in Okinawa. I can't find an actual translation. If it is written in katakana it can mean "gulch", which is a ravine. Totally obscure, it can also be the name of the black finish on a knife or sword. I have no idea if Mana was referring to either of these, or he just like the sound of the two words. Oichi who has a black aura? Has Mana been playing Segoku Basura? Who knows?

Edited to add that I received a comment from someone in Japan who said that it could be "painful" for "kuruchi" and "delicious" for "oichi". Both words are normally spelled with "shi" instead of "chi", "kurushi/苦しい" and "oishi/美味しい". They said it is a child's way of saying the words.

 

Mana's Showa 50 Male Interview

Just for Mana's birthday, I've translated another interview. This time it is the article that appeared in Showa 50 Male, Vol.011, released June 11, 2021 (昭和50年男Vol.011). I decided to only translate the main body of the article. I believe most of the text in the purple boxes is informational, about Mana's career. As I've stated before, I'm not a trained translator so please pardon any typo's. And now, the interview.

♱♱♱♱♱♱♱♱♱♱

An unprecedented visual kei boom has arrived!

Mana talks

The truth of the band that overturned common sense

A visual kei that shocked the music scene in the latter half of the 90's with a gorgeous look that transcended the boundaries of men and women. I was there. We approach the break situation.

Interview / text: Tetsuo Yamaguchi

Before the category "Visual Kei" (V Kei) was born, the "makeup band" culture that was underground.

The support base had been expanding since the early 1990s, and popular bands in the indie world such as PENICILLIN, ROUAGE, and Laputa made their major debut in 1996, and they became an over-ground presence. And in 1997, MALICE MIZER, Fanatic Crisis, La'cryma Christi, and SHAZNA, who will be called "Visual Four Heavenly Kings", became major players.

SHAZNA's major debut single "Melty Love" recorded a huge hit with sales of 880,000 copies, and V-kei developed into a social phenomenon. By the way, GLAY's best of album "REVIEW-BEST OF GLAY" won the 1st place in the Oricon annual album ranking of this year. There are probably many men in 1975 who bought a CD and sang at karaoke.

Among the four V-kei heavenly kings who swept the scene in 1997, MALICE MIZER was the most original. Hard rock and heavy metal were the royal road lines in the V-kei at that time, and it was a fairly rigid world, including fierce action on the stage.

Under such circumstances, Malice Mizer emerged as a distinctly different existence in the scene at that time, such as Gothic and aesthetic visual images and songs reminiscent of medieval Europe, and gorgeous stage sets. Therefore, they were called "Ultimate Visual Kei" and "The Ultimate Visual Kei". Like many people, the author, who was a student at the time, was the one who was surprised to hear "What the hell!!" when he first saw MALICE MIZER.

I told Mana, the guitarist who led MALICE MIZER, about that, and he said with a soft smile, " I was shocked by that".

"MALICE MIZER had the theme of breaking the concept of rock. I wanted to do something new in music and visuals, so if I was trapped there, nothing would start. That's why it was formed with the consciousness of an art group rather than a band. Until then, the visual scene was a sports club, but MALICE MIZER was a literary one. I didn't often hang out with anyone. That's partly because I didn't have that kind of constitution (laughs) "

Aiming to be a group of artists who are not bound by the concept of Rock

First of all, we look back on 1997, which is the theme of this time (for the magazine issue) and the year when they made their major debut. "I think I went to shoot a promotional video for the French major debut single for about a week. I think I was busy starting from there, but going to the majors didn't change the flow suddenly. That's because it was a major (label) after making a run-up in indie music. It was a well-established theory that when you go to a major (label), there are various instructions from the record company, but in the case of MALICE MIZER, all of our opinions passed. "

MALICE MIZER had a completely self-produced music video that was rare at that time. Mana was the leader and held the wheel, but at the root of it was a thorough DIY spirit. 

"In the indie era, when taking an artist photo, we searched for a location by ourselves, and when we put an advertisement in a magazine, we did the block copy without asking the designer. I basically didn't have the idea to leave it to others".

"For example, a three-band battle against a band, everyone hates top batters. But then, I wanted to do our match first. We were preparing the set ourselves, so we had a reverse rehearsal (rehearsal was in the reverse order of performing, so MALICE MIZER would rehearse last and play first). Then, you can set it during the rehearsal. So I put the pillars of the Parthenon Temple, the trees, the chairs of the European gardening set, etc. I carried all the (stage) sets by myself, so the tour was divided into two high ace units. One for equipment and one for (stage) set. "

The indie era when the uniqueness was immediately accepted was not so (did not happen immediately). 

"If they tried (wanted) to listen to rock music, I think there was rejection. But I didn't want to worry about that kind of opinion. When I do something new, criticism always happens. Someone who thinks strangely. I was confused because I wanted to invite people who thought that they had never seen such a world to a world of fantasy and extraordinary life. "

The light and shadow of the unprecedented boom felt by the final weapon of V-kei

In 1997, the name "Visual Kei" entered the living room. But, as always, it's a big boom and at the same time it's distorted. Let's touch the light and shadow that Mana felt in the unprecedented Visual Kei boom.

"At MALICE MIZER Lives, I used to say 'Cosplay is welcome'. Cosplay has become global thing now, but at that time both were underground. I had a desire to do it. Along with that, I also wanted to make Gothic culture take root in Japan. Instead of just wearing flashy costumes, I also added fashion culture to it. I wanted to, so in 1999 I launched a brand called Moi-même-Moitié and launched Gothic & Lolita. As a result, I thought it would take root. "

The V-kei break connected all cultures and the people who gathered there, and became a big movement. Against such light, It seems that Mana has no negative thoughts, that the shadow part does not come to mind.

Only - this was upended. "When I was in high school, I was in a punk band, wearing a red mohawk and a studded leather jacket. As soon as I graduated from high school, I left my hometown, so people knew me at the time. From the point of view of those people, seeing me dressed as a woman to express the world view of MALICE MIZER, 'What?' they probably thought. Various speculations spread, 'Son, what happened ...?' It seems that my parents were confused in various ways (LOL). Was that the only problem? When my band was born, there was a feeling that V-kei had become established as a culture. Many bands were still in turmoil, and some of them are bands that performed live at Nippon Budokan. However, it was a lonely situation, that we (MALICE MIZER) had not been reached (by other bands) by the end of 90's.

"From that time, I thought that there would be no band that exceeds MALICE MIZER in the future. Since we came out, who were proud of being the 'ultimate weapon of Visual Kei', that a band that exceeds that impact would (also) come out. I wonder if it can't be helped that it hasn't been done. "

(I believe Mana was talking about there wasn't a major band in the same vein as MALICE MIZER. X-Japan, and other bands like them were major bands but they did not create a performance on stage.)

During Mana's in-debut, Mana repeatedly said, "I don't really care about things around me." This was Mana's apology, which included Mana's self, but in the world today, it may be too buzzing, how many likes, and the opinions and reactions around Mana. .. The Japanese may have a habit of following to the right for a long time, but there may be places where the Internet society where everything is visualized is accelerating it. That's why Mana, who can thoroughly persevere in what Mana likes and what Mana believes, looks strong and beautiful.

"I'm still wearing dark makeup, blue lipstick, and what I'm doing hasn't changed for 30 years, and I'm not going to change it. It's my favorite thing, so I feel like I'm doing it forever." 

Mana's Pop Beat 08-1998 Interview Translated

 For a very long time, I have wanted to translate this interview. I have not seen a translation online. Maybe because some of the subject matter might have been though of as controversial? (Personally I don't think so, but others may have)  Unfortunately the images were not clear enough. But finally, thanks to a very kind person who provided me photos, I have been able to to translate Mana's 1998 interview with Pop Beat.

So let's return to the world of 1998, Japan. Mana's answers are in quotation marks. All other is Pop Beat. I've put a few explanations in parentheses, for clarification. Please pardon any errors, I'm not a trained translator.

Male or female?

Mana's sexuality

Mana finds out why she exists, and even her current style. Why he is her.

His reason for being her. 

The first MALICE MIZER personal project that started this month is Mana-san, who is in a good mood. The theme was "man and woman", but Mana was shooting in Mana's own clothes. .. .. Are both like women? (lol) Gentle flared pants, punky and hard clothes, both look good (the legs are also beautiful!), And the interview goes from "Mana-san's theory of men and women" to a deep story. .. .. Are you thrilled by the radical content of the explosive remarks?

Today's outfit is your own?

"Yes. "I'm a transvestite enthusiast (lol)". I mean, it's the clothes I usually wear. When I go to a party or a secret playground, I dress like this and wear make up there. When I go, there are a lot of flashy people, so this is normal. "

Do you not mind how it appears to other people? 

"I don't care. I don't really care about how other people see it, I don't care. Fashion is my way of life. Generally, Japanese people are too suitable (uniform) for others. No matter how germane (being appropriate) is popular, I don't think so. When I thought about it because it was popular, I wasn't myself. Wear the clothes you want to wear, if you don't do what you want to do, there's no point in living."

But why are you wearing women's clothes?

"I like women's clothing better. The waist is narrowed and the shoulders are flashy. Whether it's clothes or buildings, I was interested in designing anything, there aren't many types of men's clothing designs, right? I started to buy women's products that are fun in design by nature. .. .. ”

When did it start?

"At the end of my teen years. The trigger was, I needed it when in a plastic band (may be a reference to the Bubble Era/New Wave type music in Japan. Plastics were a very popular band at that time). Plus, by seeing the reason for my existence, my way of life and clothes gradually changed. I've said that I had come to understand what suits me and how to maximize my personality. When I was a teenager, I was influenced by various things that I saw and imitated them, but when I was in my late teens, I started to see my ego (self). At that time, I realized that I was not a hard man. I left being the hard side of the man to stubborn people (lol), after thinking of pursuing something that only I can give. I'm going to be a woman with a core, a woman who is confident in her way of life (lol). I mean, in my life, I have to do that (lol)."

"For example, when you decided to "do a woman" did you lose interest in women? .. .. ..

"No, I like women (lol), even now."

Is the woman you like also a woman with a core like what Mana-san does?

"It's close to the woman I want to be ... that I feel like (lol). Basically mysterious, I like mysterious women."

The ideal female image for Mana-san. .. ..

"Women like those in shojo manga"

What would you say more specifically?

"The point is to be more feminine. I don't think it's feminine if you're Burikko (contrived femininity, pretend cuteness) or if you feign a woman's sex appeal. I wonder if someone can produce an invisible femininity. There are some gestures, but it's a messy place ... For example, the expression of casual words makes me feel surprised, or I can be a little attentive. No matter how beautiful a person is, if I can't do that, I think it's useless. And women must be mysterious and bold (everyone laughs). Boldness is necessary. Being only modest is not a woman. I want you to show boldly where you show it boldly. Don't always be passive. The balance is important, that is, there is also an offensive (lol)."

What should I apply to that statement? .. .. (lol). On the contrary, what is the imaginary male image that you wanted to be like?

"Hmm ... I wanted to be a man who appears in shojo manga. He had long limbs, and as a fantasy, he was tall. Rare for the gender, about 185 cm. I admire the world of shojo manga "

Is it the world of shojo manga again? (lol)

"I'm not an adult yet. I'm pursuing the world of shojo manga, and I can't see reality (lol)."

Was there a man you longed to be when you were little?

"Well, when I think about it, I am not longing for it now. Some rock musicians I liked, but now that I'm expressing it, the influence hasn't come to an end. What I liked was Shibugakitai (1980's boy band) (lol). It was cool at that time. The song they sang is written as "virgin shock"” shojo-teki shōgeki” and read as "virgin shock"” vu~ājin shokku", so the sense was cool (lol). I'm a fan, but it's interesting that each of the three dances differently isn't it (lol)? For a while, I was aiming to be the 4th Shibugakitai. For example dance practice (lol). "

Has Mana-san been dressed as a woman since you went to Osaka and started a band?

"I was a woman, that was the way I lived. Apart from that, I'm not going to be a transvestite in the future, and I'm not pursuing transvestites, but I have my own music, a world view, and costumes on top of that. It s not just that I want to make a difference as a woman, I'm expressing my view of this world in fashion. So, in my case, rather than playing a woman, at that time, because I am suppose to be (a woman)."

Do you mean you're a woman?

"As well as a woman, also as a Yōsei (alluring spirits, fae). When I am a woman, even if I look like a woman, I have a man in my kokoro (heart, soul, inner self). This is dangerous (lol). I see a man looking at me, or a woman in the mirror, but the spirit is a man. Then I'm trying to do something I shouldn't do ... "

Should not do???　　

"Yes (lol). Is this story difficult?"

Yeah.

"To put it simply ... I wonder if I want to experiment in different ways (lol)."

After experimenting, if you take off your clothes, the body there is a man, isn't it? .. .. Maybe (lol).

"Yes (lol). That "maybe"(lol), maybe (lol)."

Hey, uh?

"Yeah yeah, I'm kidding (much laughing). I don't want to be a woman. Somehow, I am a man, no matter how hard I try, so I can't be a woman, right? That side feels good. With an erotic and violent feeling (lol)."

Do you feel like you are enjoying your life twice?

"I enjoy it. It's about going between men and women."

After all, if you wear a skirt, can you enjoy yourself differently?

"It feels good to wear a miniskirt, doesn't it? It's absolutely appealing for women to wear short skirts, so wearing a skirt will increase it (lol)."

What? (lol)

"No (lol). With trousers, the "invisible fashion (undergarments)" are blocked. By wearing a skirt, you can't usually see it, but sometimes you can see it. That tension (lol). Then as a woman, I think I'll try various fashions that can't be seen. I'm still fashionable according to the concept of clothes (lol)."

Amazing!!! (lol)

"Of course, Because it would be strange if Lupine III's trunks were under the frilly clothes that I wore in that shooting for a separate volume of Pop Beat (Editor's note, sold on July 4th). The underwear was also Aozukin-chan's specification　(Little Blue Riding Hood) (lol). When wearing black clothes, I like black underwear. After all, don't do it half-hearted. Depending on the concept, various underwear is used properly, so the drawers are colorful (lol)." 

Mana as Aozukin-chan

Underwear thief looks happy (lol). I would like to ask Mana-san, who lives such a wonderful way, the definition of masculinity and femininity.

"Hmm, that's right ... "likeness" is difficult. Basically, it's a difference in body. With mentality, I don't think there's a difference between being a man and a woman. Rather than that, myself, born on earth, what if I could find my existence? It's not that I have to be masculine because I'm a man, but that person himself explains the reason for his existence. I think it would be nice if I could find it, so in that sense, I think it's better to be independent of gender, such as men and women."

Do you mean that human beings shouldn't worry about their gender in their lives?

"Really. Mostly, I don't know who decided the common sense and preconceived ideas that are overflowing in the world now, but it is doubtful whether it is correct in itself. If that is the case, I think it's better to create your own common sense within yourself. I believe that what is right is right, and I am walking my way now, but when I realize the reason for my existence and see the way to go, it is strange to the world. Even if you think about it, you can be proud of yourself and you will not be scared. "

It's a courageous remark (lol). But isn't the public wind strong?

"It's strong and natural. On the contrary, it's better to be strong. Without that kind of thing, nothing is born. I'm boring, so in this way, I've been developing new things myself. I'm a human being who must always seek stimulus. So it's a little bad for my parents, but I'm going to dress up as I like (lol). Parents, and teachers, I'm a really hard person (lol). "

In other words, for Mana-san, there is no definition of masculinity and femininity.

"Yes. Before that, what is important to humans is the mind and soul. There is a place to return to that soul, and there is only one place for men and women. Well, that is MALICE MIZER. You might know if you look at the stage, ha ha ha... "

Moi dix Mois Dis inferno XVIII LIQUIDROOM Live Stream

2020 was a difficult year, for so many reasons. Because of the pandemic, performers were especially hit hard. Many live shows were cancelled, including the Moi dix Mois Mana Birthday Sabbaths in March. Fast forward to the end of the year and more being known about how to reduce risk from the virus. Moi dix Mois returned to the stage for their annual end of the year show, Dis inferno~LAST YEAR PARTY. This time the venue was the LIQUIDROOM and many precautions were taken to protect both the staff and audience. In addition, there was a Moi dix Mois first. The show was filmed and then released online for a limited time. Which was wonderful for fans who could not travel to Dis inferno XVIII. So here is my review of that.

Each member walked on stage to the music of "En Lumière". Mana walked out with the ESP jeune fille X Ferrum -Cross Ray illusion- guitar. Right away they began playing the hard hitting "deus ex machina" with Seth on lead vocal and Ryux doing backing death vocal. This was the same opening as last year's Dis inferno. During the song Mana and Seth switched places with Mana standing center stage. This happened a number of times during the show and it looks great. 

"Welcome! We are Moi dix Mois!" shouted Seth in Japanese as a very intense "Front et Baiser" was next. In normal times there are cheers and people call out the names of the performers. While everyone clapped, I think the feeling of energy was not as present as it usually. I do think it may have affected the beginning of the show. Japanese audiences are usually polite, the virus increased that. Despite that, I am always impressed at how well the band plays. It's a credit to the talented and experienced musicians of Moi dix Mois.

I want to comment on the sound. I was wearing studio head phone for my first viewing and the sound was actually really good for this live performance. I could hear the individual instruments and the three vocalists, along with the high and low ends. However many people are use to having the low end boosted so the sound may seem a little less than what they are use to. Along with that, I could swear there was a live keyboardist, something I don't remember as much from actual performances. For cameras, maybe there was four or more. Given the short turn around time from the day of the performance to the start of streaming, they did a good job. I've seen a few online live streams which didn't look or sound this good.

The beautiful opening music to "Solitude" began and the stage lights brightened to show Ryux playing lead guitar and Sugiya on stand up bass for a bossa nova rendition of "Solitude". This was similar to Aristocrat Kitchen Knife shows last year, except there were no maracas. After a chorus, the band switched to the rock version with Mana now playing lead guitar and Sugiya on his usual bass. There was some concern noted online by attendees as to how the two versions would be put together. The comments about the editing was that it was well done. 

"The other side of the door", a homage to Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" quickly followed "Solitude". It has developed into a more driving song with heavier bass and drums and Seth's growling vocals. This was followed by the quick tempo "Eternally Beyond". The precision of playing is really shown here. I believe I caught Mana looking satisfied and relieved more than once during the show when songs ended.  

And then "a ghost whispers" began. Purple lights spread out behind Seth, looking like wings, with one purple spot light shining down from above. This was the first time the dramatic song was performed worldwide. I did miss sitting in the audience with the sounds swirling around me. I know I mentioned before that this song may be a tribute to MALICE MIZER Kami. Mana was on Twitter one night, showing something that had belonged to Kami. Later Mana tweeted that he heard a loud noise in the hallway that made him jump. My impression is that the song grew out of this and Mana remembering Kami at that time.

It was time for the Mana talk. "Agnus Dei" played while Seth began the MC. Usually it is Bach playing during these talks. My guess is that because of the filming, Mana didn't want to worry about copyrights or perhaps wanted to spotlight Moi dix Mois music. The message from Mana was that they are planning to have three days of birthday shows, but no information is available yet. Mana was wearing the Moi-même-Moitié Chiffon Shirring One-piece, which I wish they would have available again. Accenting all the black was the Blue Jewel Cross Pendant, along with a Frill Choker, the long ruffled chiffon vest and Demonia boots. For the first part of the live Mana wore the Lace Face Mask.

As for Seth, he had on the Moi-même-Moitié Ritual Print Gilet and Metal Emblem Necklace over an ascot, along with the addition of several braids accented with purple. Hayato's new hair cut was a partial shave and bright red hair. He was wearing the High Neck Puff Sleeve Blouse in black. I have that shirt in blue, it's really nice. Sugiya and Ryux were both wearing Moitié designed outfits including overskirts and the Rose Cross Pendant. Hayato was also wearing the pendant. One other thing to note was Ryux's hair. With the enhanced air circulation it flowed and moved, almost like a lion's mane. 

There was more talking than usual from the members, and it was refreshing to see them interact beyond just playing music. Maybe because it has been over a year since they last performed together? Sadly my ability to understand spoken Japanese is not great but I did catch that Ryux tried to get different sections of the audience to clap since they could not yell, also he mentioned Mana's Moi-même-Moitié YouTube cooking videos.

"MAD INGRAIN~Experience~" was the first song after the MC. It's a special session with Sugiya and Hayato. This also occurred at last year's Dis inferno. Sugiya played stand up bass for part of the song. The song shows off their skills and Hayato's double kick drums. 

"Dead Scape began with just Sugiya and Hayato. Ryux and Mana returned followed by Seth. Mana played the ESP jeune fille X lazuli -Cross Ray- guitar center stage for most of the song. The energy level definitely had increased. 

"Perish" is an amazing song to see played live. The staging this time was the best that I've seen. Only back lit in blue with Mana's white cross glowing, lighting Mana's hand as he played, everyone in silhouette created a dark and intense feeling. It was an amazing image for the song along with being the best version I have heard Mana play. Ending with only the cross lit on the stage, I can only hope that this performance will be saved so everyone can view it. It was outstanding.

"Perish" was followed by the ethereal "Twilight Flower". This might also have been the first real world performance of this dark waltz. Swaying in the misty air, there was an otherworldly feeling. Next was "Immortal Madness" turning the energy up.  Usually people shout in response to Seth's commands during this song. No doing that this time. So Seth requested that everyone do "heart hands" to "Dix Love" during the song, and then jump in unison further along in the song. 

The powerful "Night Breed" was introduced by Ryux. Mana was definitely channeling his inner heavy metal guitarist at this point. The ominous "the Prophet" continued the hard rock assault. Seth's elegant voice was countered by Ryux's death vocals. Last song was called out and then Seth began "Ange~D side holy wings~". Seth's vocal strength was showcased along with the precision of the band. At the end of the song Mana took a bow and blew kisses to the audience after the band left the stage.

And now thanks to Mana uploading the video, I can add "Ange~D side holy wings~" to this post. Here is the video of the song. 

After a long break where clapping audience member normally would shout "Moi dix Mois", the encore began. With stage lights flashing, "Destructionxx" began to play. This was the same as the second 2019 Aristocrat Kitchen Knife show honoring K. Then band members came out. Ryux, Sugiya and Hayato wearing Moi dix Mois shirts and Seth in his fur coat with a lace shirt underneath and two wide belts, similar to his outfit from last year's Dis inferno. Ryux was also wearing his black fur coat.

"Beast Side" began with Ryux playing bass and Sugiya playing lead guitar for first part using the ESP guitar that Mana's cousin Katsuo gave Ryux. Hayato stayed on drums. Seth appeared holding K's guitar. He walked to the side where Mana usually stands.

Then Mana walked out to the middle of the stage holding the Moi dix Mois megaphone. I admit that I screamed a little when I saw this, even though it was late night here. In prior shows Mana plays drums because he loves playing drums. But because of the virus it may be why this was changed. It was an excellent decision because it looked great! 

Seth shouted out the first "Beast Side" and then Mana took over from there lip syncing to Seth's voice while Seth played K's guitar.

Mana began with the megaphone and then switched to a white E-II-ESP ARROW. Mana had changed into studded wrist bands, Moi dix Mois Face Mask and the Mana-sama Super Dollfie oversized shirt with a spiderweb scarf, perhaps in honor of K. The symbolism of a spider goes back to when Kami passed away, representing the cause of it. 

Seth continued singing the song while the three guitars rang out and the audience raised their hands in unison. Seth ended with holding up K's guitar.

Usually Ryux holds K's skull lighter and plays the guitar using it during "Beast Side". I noticed at the end of the song Ryux was running it along the strings of Sugiya's guitar.

"forbidden" was the last song played with Sugiya going back to bass and Ryux now on Katsuo's guitar. Once the song ended the band stepped forward. Seth gave instructions to the audience as the band members social distanced on stage. Normally there would be balloons falling at this point but because of the virus, that did not happen. Instead Seth asked everyone to clap ten times. I think then Seth called out "Happy New Year" in Japanese, which caused Ryux and others to laugh. The last part of the Dis inferno was everyone jumping together. A recorded version of "Je l'aime" began as the band members took bows and waved as they left the stage. Mana was the last to go, bowing and looking a little emotional.

And that was the end of the show. I am very grateful that I was able to watch it every day while it was available. Congratulations to Mana for creating a great show, given all the restrictions. I do wish that at least some of the songs could be offered again by Mana. We will have to wait and see what is planned for the new year. Mana has written that there will be more in 2021, both with Moi dix Mois (Birthday Sabbaths if possible) and Moi-même-Moitié.

(photos are all from Moi dix Mois Mana, Ryux and Seth's Twitter)

Something about Ｍana-sama in Yukata Enjoying Somen Noodles During Hot Summer in Japan

Summer is over and there may not be a lot that we have to look back on, in a friendly way, but there was one thing we were able to enjoy and share in. That was enjoying the Mana in Yukata making negashi somen video. And while most of us do not have a somen noodle slide, it was still possible to make and enjoy cold somen during the hot summer days.

 

Chilled somen is not difficult to make, and Mana showed how to make excellent eggs to go with it. So what I am going to share in this blog is a little information about the dipping sauce tsuyu or mentsuyu.

There are a lot of recipes on the internet, with various ingredients and amounts of how much to put in. So I will share a little bit about the ingredients that can be used. Since they are basic staples for Japanese cooking, it is worth trying to find them. The first staple is sake. You could use regular sake, but it is nice to have a bottle of cooking sake on hand. Cooking sake tends to have less alcohol but also have salt which regular sake does not have. 

Something that works in place of sugar or with it is the second staple, mirin. While sugar could be substituted, I find mirin has a nice distinctive flavor that is found in so much Japanese food. It is also a rice wine like sake, but with a higher sugar content. Like all of the ingredients, there are many good brands, but I prefer a glass bottle because the top closes better.

The third staple is soy sauce or shoyu. So many varieties out there! What I have right now in this photo left to right is a special shoyu from Hokkaido, tamari, usukuchi light color shoyu, and less salt shoyu. 

I use the Hokkaido shoyu for sashimi and sushi dipping and other dishes where shoyu is a stand-alone ingredient. While somen isn't a gluten free dish unless gluten free noodles are used., tamari can still be used to make gluten free sauces. Usukuchi is sometimes used in some Japanese dishes. I find less salt or reduced sodium shoyu is good not just for health reasons, but also for taste. It is up to each person as to what they want to use. I do think it is worth it to try different shoyu, because there can be differences in flavor. 

The fourth staple of Japanese cooking is dashi. Again, there are a lot of recipes online and just as many varieties of dashi. Basic dashi consists of three things. Water, konbu and katsuobushi. Konbu is a dried seaweed. It is thick and for cooking you can buy it in large pieces and cut off as much as you need. Konbu is used in various ways so it's worth searching for it to have in the kitchen. You can even use it in non-Japanese cooking. Add to a broth or sauce or rice for additional umami. Finely shredded konbu can be used as a topping for okonomiyaki and rice.

As for katsuobushi, that also comes in various forms. Katsuobushi is dried smoked bonita, a skipjack tuna. In Japan, some cooks have it in blocks which they shave with a katsuobushi kezuriki. While it helps to use larger pieces for making dashi, outside of Japan it's the smaller shavings that are usually in stores. These also work, just a little harder to remove from the dashi broth.

While dashi does take time and effort to make, it is definitely worth having. An easier way is to find instant dashi. Which also comes in a lot of varieties. If you want basic dashi stock, there is instant dashi for that. There is also dashi that can be used for making ramen, like the anchovy iroko dashi. Another instant dashi that I like is the Shimaya tennen dashi. As you can see, it also has shiitake mushrooms and anchovies in it. I use these and also make dashi, depending on the dish.

Of course, there is another way to have tsuyu. You can buy it premade. I do think it's fun to make dishes from scratch, but sometimes it's not possible to find all the ingredients or there isn't enough time cook it. So nothing wrong with using good premade items.

I hope you enjoyed my blog post. Here is the Moi-même-Moitié video of gothic elegant Chef Mana making somen noodles.

It's Mana's 『Elegant Gothic Fruit Paradise』 Sangria!

One of the fun things in the Moi-même-Moitié Salon is that Mana gives hints as to what the next cooking video will be. So it was perfect timing for the 『Elegant Gothic Fruit Paradise』 sangria. Because I had just bought a pineapple.

The first step in making Mana's sangria is to find as many different types of fruit that is out there. I was able to find everything that Mana used, except chunks of aloe vera. For the record, there was pineapple, lime, lemon, apple, kiwi, watermelon, melon, and two types of cherries. I went with Bing and Rainier cherries.

I was looking forward to making this sangria, because it reminded me of one I enjoyed at the Portland restaurant Ataula. So to honor that sangria, I added something extra. Pomegranate seeds. Because Pomegranate sangria is delicious.

I would guess that most people are familiar with red sangria. But white wine works very well with fruit. The above stated pomegranate sangria is a white wine sangria. As for what white wine, I think something a little sweet and less acid works well with Mana's sangria. As for me, I went with the Charles Shaw chardonnay. It was a good choice.

I will say, this is a labor intensive drink to make. First up I cut the pineapple. Not fancy like the video. Although I do think pineapple is pretty just as it is.

Something different, a yellow watermelon! Because of the pandemic, it's a little difficult to shop here. The store I went to did not have regular watermelon, but they did have these cute little yellow watermelon. So I went with this. And yes I gave into cutting out the pieces in hearts and flowers.

It's a simple recipe. All the fruit goes into a pitcher or container. After that, pour in as much honey that you want. It's a totally subjective measurement. 

I mixed the honey into the fruit and then poured in the wine. Then mixed some more.

I think serving it with ice is refreshing. The chilled liquid keeps the fruit fresh. 

Just one more photo of this fun festive Elegant Gothic Fruit Paradise. And for the record, I did make more pineapple version to go with Mana's pork curry. That was really good too!

That was a lot of fruit. I enjoyed eating some of it separately, with a little more honey and brown sugar. I also added a few blueberries.

Here is Mana's video for the sangria. You can watch it and all of the other Mana cooking videos at the Moi-même-Moitié YouTube Channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp24JyPNmvF0jPJoLLX-r2w