September 5, 2008
-
Drive!
Whaddup?
Perhaps I’m trying to get back into a more regular updating habit, perhaps this has just been an eventful week. Well, either way, it’s been eventful. Mostly in a bad way. On Tuesday I found out that my international driver’s permit, which expressly states on the front “valid for 1 year from March 25th 2008″ has in fact expired! Huh? I know. Apparently it’s cos all international permits are dated 1 year from the date you enter Japan, regardless of what they say. Only in Japan is this the case. (Sasu ga Japan.) So, now driving is officially illegal for me I’ve had my days severely cut into by travelling time, relying on trains, not to mention having to go through the bureaucratic strife of obtaining a Japanese license. Luckily on Tuesday I had no classes and my kouchou-sensei let me go early to start sorting things. He and the kyoutou-sensei (deputy-head/vice-principal) helped me big-time in getting sorted, not to mention coming through for me when I lost my wallet amidst the brain-fried stupour I always fall into when I’m stressed by time-limits, bureaucratic stipulations and anything that involves organising under stress. (I got my wallet back, incidentally.)
I met an Altia staff member in Ena who drove me to Gifu around lunchtime. In Gifu we had to get my license translated then took all the necessary paraphinalia (all sorted at school that morning, with help from my teachers) to the motor licensing authorities who checked some boxes, crossed some ‘i’s, dotted some ‘t’s (wait….) and stamped forms here, there and everywhere. Now I have to go back next week, quite literally at the crack of dawn, to take an eye test, the accommodate the odd formality and hopefully receive my new license. I am at least lucky not to be American or Chinese in this instance. If you’re from the States or China or a bunch of other places whose driving standards Japan does not hold in high regard (I got that straight from the horse’s mouth. Sorry guys) you have to take a basically take your driving test again, by Japanese standards, and be put through 10 times as much bureaucracy!
Anyway, I was up at 6 that day, out of school before lunch, in Gifu City by 2 and heading to Nagoya by 5. The lady who had kindly accompanied me all day was returning home and dropped me off at Nagoya Station. I boarded my train at 7 but didn’t get home till gone 10?? Why, you apathetically don’t care to ask? Basically a guy jumped in front of the train, making himself very much dead. We all know this is a big thing in Japan, the “train jumper.” I seem to recall Mario’s train being held up for the same reasons at NUFS one time? (If Darth Panda actually used Xanga anymore maybe he could tell me?) I was in the front carriage so felt the impact quite heavily, even felt the train rock as, I can only assume, it rode over his body. The next 2 hours were spent at a stand-still, listening to the occasional announcement, (the important bits of which I couldn’t make out. All I ever got was the constant “the police are here and dealing with the situation. This will take a little more time. We apologise for the wait” over and over.) It’s very weird to feel that someone just died mere feet from where I sat. Weird to think his body was right below me. What’s weirdest is I’d expect to be feeling something. To feel disturbed or unsettled. I don’t. I seem quite cold to it. Sometimes it seems like I just switch from uber-empath who absorbs painful thoughts and feelings to a pretty cold, ruthless individual. No idea…..
OK. Something fun now. The Foo Fighters doing what they always do. A great song accompanied by an hilariously goofy video!
One more random thing. Inspired by Mike’s geekiness and his latest post about speculations over Batman III I got a little game for ya; pick any one of us and a hero and/or villain from comic books who you think we could play in a movie! Do this before or after your main comment, either’s cool. Explanations would be good but not necessary. You can do the same person multiple times and feel free to agree or disagree! It’s a bit NUFS-centric but anyone can join as most regulars here know at least me and Matt! I’m gonna start the ball rolling with:
Sarven
Villain: Ra’s Al Ghul (Batman)Matt
Villain: Kabuto Yakushi (Naruto)Jen
Hero: Starfire (Teen Titans)
Villain: Harley Quinn (Batman)Balex
Hero: Kakashi Hatake (Naruto)Calex
Hero: Neji Hyuga (Naruto)Mike
Hero: Angel (X-Men)
Villain: Archangel (X-Men)(Gonna keep adding more as I think of ‘em.) I don’t know why. Just my gut. OK, hope this proves fun. Peace out! “From friends who never loved you even half as much as me….”
Comments (17)
Fir… First Post?!? (It’s been a while)
As very recently discussed via cmail, I too had problems with a train suicide today, but to clear up any misunderstanding I wasn’t on the train he jumped under. I’m assuming it was a he. No, the train was coming out of Shimbashi when he took his leap apparently. Selfish son of a bicchu.
So! My recommendation:
Matt
Green Goblin
…just think about it. You know… you know it makes sense.
Balex
Anarky
Mario
The Penguin (Thought I was gonna say the Joker?)
Wow that’s crazy, I didn’t get first post…no just kidding. That’s crazy that someone jumped in front of the train and you noticed it. Were you pissed off that it made you late like the other Japanese probably were?
As far as acting chops I think everyone can say that they’d like to play a villian, I know I would. Some, however, just can’t be bad. Here’s my casting:
Sarven = Cyclops, hero X-Men (leader, smart, uhh must think of something negative ahh can’t)
Who could not see Sarv play Cyc?
Dave = Nightcrawler, hero X-Men (that character is just cool and also emo)
I liked X2, but honestly Dave would have made Nightcrawler look so much kewler than Alan Cummings.
Matt = Spider-man, who the hell doesn’t know him? (nimble, cracks stupid jokes)
Matt’s got that edge and athleticism to pull it off.
Balex = Deadshot, villian Batman (he’s a sniper wielding killer)
Besides my head still hurting, Deadshot would be perfectly played by Balex. He’s like the evil Bond of Batman.
Mario = Bane, villian Batman
Mario’s a monster now, really.
@invisiblebalex - I CAN see it. It’s kinda funny too….
@ShinRaijin - Mario as Penguin? Mwaaahahahaahaaa!!! Dunno why that never occurred to me…..?
@theender1 - Yeah, those X-Men tests we took sprang to mind for me too. I also thought of Matt as Spiderman (agility, stupid jokes, totally with ya there) but I guess I get too wrapped up in Tobey Maguire’s very emo, very INFP Spiderman. Matt does have a distinct emo side but not quite in the same way. Still, I can see where you’re coming from! Deadshot! OF COURSE! So obvious for Balex. And he has the whole gentleman sniper thing going on too. I actually thought about him a 1 point (since he makes an appearnace in the Gotham Knight animation they made, but didn’t remember the character’s name……
Still trying to pin someone down for you, Mike….. Hmmm
I was actually hesitating between deadhot and Anarky for Balex
@moss_icon - Don’t get me wrong but I never really saw Spidey as Tobey. He was just too geeky. I know Parker was a lab rat but never over the deep end like Tobey.
I remembered those tests, I just think those characters are spot on for you two.
you could always just paint mike green and make him the hulk… otherwise you could go old school and he could be he-man.
@Robinsama - !!! He-man! That is totally old-school and when you mentioned it I totally imagined Heman with Mike’s face – it fits pretty well! Although not a comic or anime, I can see Mike as Arnie in Predator specifically. Strangely not so much the other movies like True Lies, and I don’t know why… maybe just cos I’ve seen predator a bazillion times more than any other arnie movie!
@moss_icon - For Mike, aforementioned He-man, Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer for heroes. As for villains, I was going to say Sabertooth, but he gets kinda lame in the movies (i hear in some comics he is portrayed really cool). I’m sure there is a much better fit that we are totally missing.
@ShinRaijin - the Penguin!! Totally fits, and I can imagine him doing the funny quacking noise he does in cartoons when he laughs ”wah wah wah wah”
@theender1 - Yeah I always get cyclops in those tests, as I also get the red ranger and other leader type characters – the downside is always that they are so straight-laced and ‘go team’ that none of the team listens to them >_<” ah the irony.
As for villains, I can see Ra’s Al Ghul’s point of view and agree with him in many ways, so if I ever turned to the dark side I can totally see myself becoming a lot like him. He is Lawful Evil, and I am very strongly Lawful Neutral, so I’m only one step away! Although his goal is to bring down the decadent city of Gotham and reduce it to chaos (which some people would say makes him a chaotic alignment) he is totally Lawful Evil through and through. He has his own code (albeit twisted), and he follows the duty bestowed upon him by his predecessors. He puts huge value on loyalty and commitment, and the responsibility to complete ’the cylce/way of things’ as they have been done throughout history. Also, the motivations for cutting down Gotham is to bring things back into balance, the way they should be (in their view point). Lawful Evil. The best kind of Evil.
Though I don’t wanna die under a burning house >_<”
CAlex is the Beast, right?
You hahve forgohhtten that if Mahhtt were a villain, he would be a mehmber of the gahlactic seeehhhnet…
Ahlso, this Fooh fighters video is my fahhvourite… I like the crying scenes and how his tuhhrning of the vehicular steering deviihhhhce does not match the rooaahhhd.
This mendokusai bureaucracy of which you speahhk sounds perfehhhctly logicahhl to me. Suhhhch and efficient systeehhhm must hahve been created by a neimoidian geeeehhnius!
Wow, this comic books thing is hard for me, um…
Dave:
Tuxedo Mask! (yay, top hat!)
You are a lucky man to have only limited requirements for getting a Japanese license… I was told the Japanese driving test is like “tea ceremony on wheels.” It’s not about being a good driver, but about going through the odd motions that Japanese has deemed characteristic of safe driving (like checking under the car for cats or small children before getting in, sort of thing). I think I’ll keep my distance, considering that I had to take the lame-o American driving test twice to pass….
And relief about the wallet, ne? (mine almost got sucked into the ocean last weekend… not a good feeling)
“By the power of Grayskull!”
I feel the need to throw some more out there, namely Sarv’s and Dave’s.
Sarv =
Jubei from Ninja Scroll, he has a kind of care free attitude, but when he gets into action he’s all Sarv.
Magneto, here’s a villian, to me he’s kind of like the polar opposite of Cyclops. But truthfully, I HAVE seen Sarv move metal.
Dave =
Kakashi from Naruto. He’s a quiet, and a reserved teacher. Even when he’s all business he still is reserved and controlled. I think Dave could make a good Kakashi.
Tetsuo Shima from Akira. What a cool character.
Morbius a Marvel anti-hero. He’s a vampire torn between what he is, what he has done, and what he has to do.
Robin =
I can’t get that freakin get up you wore for Halloween at NUFS out of my head, it was one of the best. Kind of reminded me of a character from Pulp Fiction or some new age Samurai. So if I were directing a film I would make a part specifically for you. I could totally see you in a new Blade Runner movie or something like that.
@theender1 - I think we all can see you as He-Man. I wasn’t gonna mention it, in keeping with the comic thing, but hey, it was bound to come up! I do have a new one for ya though….
Mike
Hero: Angel
Villain: Archangel (X-Men)
Same character but good and bad, respectively.
Funny. I always saw Balex as Kakashi. Find it kinda funny to be typed as “reserved and controlled,” considering my outbursts at times….. Tetsuo! Haha! There’s a character I totally relate to, though.
@hlcampbell - ”sorry, you just ran over a cat or small child, or both. you fail the driving test”. So something i could imagine a bureaucratic driving instructor in Japan saying
@theender1 - no one is meant to know my secret. I’m sure I could possibly move a spoon that was on a slope or teetering on the edge of a table, during an earthquake, if I put my mind into it (so punny!)
@moss_icon - archangel - agree!
Also, Holly’s character?
Angel/Archangel sweet, I dig it.
Can’t say which of us is the more Kakashi-esque, Dave, but if we’re talking Ninja I’d liken you more to everyone’s favourite, Grey Fox! Think about his quest to be reunited, albeit briefly, with Snake (Matt) for a fight to the finish and I feel there’s an emotional parallel. Oh wait, this was supposed to be all comic books. I guess if we get into game characters the conversation will get a LOT longer.
As for Anarky and Deadshot, I’m not really familiar with the characters so it’s difficult to pass comment (I grew up with the 2000AD comics, not DC and Marvel).
Um, Holly as Black Cat?
I feel a bit under-qualified for this, since you guys all seem to know way more about comic books, so i’ll just throw a funny one out there….for now at least.
Mario: Snarf
@the_greatest_pip - hahahaha….you don’t know how perfect that one is!