Issei Sugimoto - With My Best Wishes

...With all my surprise, someone uploaded this wonderful song written by Issei Ambo (Issei Sugimoto) which is also one of my favourite songs since 2009. Since that night (yes, it was a night of January I think) it became my favourite piece of music played entirely with guitars.

It was published in 1997 in a compilation album called "Guitar Monster Vol.2"

It's difficult to write about how it felt the first time I heard it, but it was surely a shock: I didn't expect such a WONDERFUL song from Issei. But, don't misunderstand: I don't want to say that Issei isn't able to write songs like these; I meant that I couldn't believe in my ears that someone could create such perfect music.

I've never been able to express in words the beauty of this melody and the feelings that aroused in my heart, but this time I want to try my best to do it.

The first time I heard it I felt like my heart could burst, and this "pain" gave me the feeling that I could cry (and that's what I did). It was like a concentration of various good feelings that a body can't actually sustain. At the same time it gave me the feeling of nostalgia, and I strangely could see in my mind the picture of Issei playing that song while sitting on a sofa and smiling to his guitar. I know, it seems a bit strange but this is what it felt like.

I remember that Issei uploaded some photos of his copy of the compilation album some months ago... Let's see if I can still find them [...] Yes! Found them! HERE & HERE ! Wonderful ❤

Ah! Another thing! He played "With My Best Wishes" at his live session on March 28th 2011 (Yes, the one with Jiro): you can't even imagine how much I was envious of all the people who were there listening to his live performance! (And yes, of course I was envious for Jiro Waku's performance above all!)

Well, here I've finished. I hope you'll like this song and, if you are a fan of the 3rd Period of WANDS, you'll understand my feelings and you will maybe prove them too!

See ya ☆

Inoue Takehiko Illustrations

So, here it is what I wanted to show you. You already know that I'm a big fan of Slam Dunk... and yes, I still didn't own the Illustration Book. Why? Because I was looking for the Italian edition before going to buy it online from Japan. I've been looking for it for about 4 years but I couldn't find it anywhere. So, last month I decided to ask my mum to buy it for me as a present for the end of the school year and she said "yes", so I started to look for information for the payment on Amazon.jp. Everything went well and I received it at the end of the month of June, 6-7 days after the order. The Japanese edition is cheaper that the Italian edition, plus... IT'S BETTER! The only thing that was expensive was the shipping costs... but... it was worth it. Now I feel completed!!! Ahahah! How much I've been looking for it... I deserved to have the Japanese edition!!! *smells the Japanese paper* It smells of Japan!!! (???) xD

Pack from Japan arrived! (2)

Hello guys!

Today I'm back with a new blog post that I should have written some days ago... but I have to feel in a good mood to write on the blog so, sorry!

Anyway, like the title of the post says, my friend Komarin sent me another pack (Yes, she's so kind with me!!!) and it arrived after about one month. (She sent it on May 23rd and it arrived on June 22nd)

This time too, she sent me a very nice newsletter of the 3rd period of WANDS that she didn't like! But for me it's a precious good of the fanclub! (Happy me! ~ ♥ ) And of course she sent me also a lot of beautiful things, I'm so moved! ~ ♥

So, here the photos:

The official envelope with still the logo of the 2nd period ^^" I suppose it is one of the first newsletters of the 3rd Period

This is the newsletter! It seems to be a presentation of the new band's composition: in fact, on the right there are (probably) the biography of each members and on the left there is (again, probably) a letter written by Shinya Kimura, maybe to let all the fans know about the changes into the band.

I think I will ask my father's colleague's wife who is Japanese to translate the two newsletters... I hope she will accept because those two newsletters could be useful for me to understand more things about the 3rd Period which still has, unfortunately, many mysteries for me.

If I'll be able to have the translations I'll surely write them here in the blog.

Anyway, I have another thing to talk you about, but today is already too late, so I'll write about it another day, ok?

Now I want to say thank angain my friend Komarin! Thank you!!!

Bye! ♥

Byakuyakou (白夜行)

(Kou Shibasaki - Kage)

Between these last two days I've been watching this wonderful Japanese Drama: Byakuyakou. It seems that this drama had had success, so they made two films: one is Japanese, the other is Korean.

Well, I chose the drama because a Youtube channel I follow, started to upload the first episode (which is the prologue). I've been impressed by it and I decided to look for the subtitled episodes.

I really liked this drama, it was very deep and left me very sad, at the end. The two main characters, Ryoji and Yukiho are extremely beautiful, I've been impressed by the two actors, Takayuki Yamada (Ryoji) and Haruka Ayase (Yukiho), because they've been able to get into the characters and to act perfectly... well, they didn't seem to be acting... they really seem to be them.

I particularly loved Ryoji, that sweet boy whose the only sun is Yukiho. He changes over the time and becomes more and more cool, strong but in the same time he becomes sensitive and he starts to pine inside of himself.

The soundtracks were also beautiful, especially the ending song, which is perfect to represent the sadness of this drama.

If you haven't seen this drama yet, do it, it worth it.

Just follow your Imagination

I've always believed that, when you make a dream (or a nightmare), this is caused by many thoughts and experiences you've done in a certain period of your life which, for many reasons, have reappeared in your mind.

These are, mostly, very beautiful (or terrible) experiences that changed you someway.

In the same way, there is another part of yourself which makes "dreams without sleeping": this is your Imagination.

In my opinion, when you follow your imagination and you make fantasies of your desires, you're already dreaming. You have the full control on what you're thinking about (in real dreams this is impossible) and you are able, maybe, to do the best dreams. Because everyone knows that dreaming is for free: you don't have to pay anything.

I usually follow my imagination everyday, making daydreams almost in every hour of my life. I'm maybe an exaggerated dreamer, but I think that without them, I wouldn't live.

I follow my imagination while drawing, listening to music, watching a film, playing a videogame, writing or maybe just while having a shower.

But my imagination reaches the peak when I draw: I'm not so good at drawing, I know, but I don't care: this is what I like doing the most and this is the most important thing. Then, while writing a novel, or maybe a poem or just a fanfiction... why not? These are the most beautiful moment for my mind and soul, because I can feel I can do everything I want.

You know? Imagination is a good company for lonely people, it's a hope for hopeless people...

Just try.