Shopping Service: December Love

Hey kids, we're back with the first shopping service post in quite some time. The following items are all currently in stock at Chez Cayce, ready to be shipped out as soon as you snap them up. As always, items are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you want them, don't hesitate! As always, we accept payment via PayPal in Japanese yen only.

Also, a reminder for new readers who may not be familiar with This is NOT Greatest Shopping service:

- We are currently taking orders for The Day in Question 2015 goods. If you'd like us to pick up some goods on your behalf, let us know right away! We're happy to get you however many items you like! Our service fee is 20%.

- We are currently taking reservations for Schaft's box set and new album! If you're interested, send us an email!

- We are currently taking reservations for The Mortal's live DVD Immortal. If you're interested, send us an email!

- We can order you items from the Buck-Tick Web Shop, and package them in such a way as to avoid customs duties in your country. We also offer cheaper shipping options than the B-T web shop if you're short on cash.

- We take requests. If there is an item you want that we don't have in stock, send us an email (themadaristocrat at gmail) and ask for it, and we will find it for you at a competitive price. It doesn't have to be Buck-Tick related. We source all types of CDs, DVDs, magazines, manga, video games, t-shirts, etc.

- We can help you get tickets to Japanese concerts! If you don't speak Japanese, no worries - just email us with the details and we will take care of everything for you. Tickets will be sent by courier to your country, or delivered directly to your accommodation in Japan, whichever you prefer.

And now, on to the items...

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Ai no Wakusei Explosion Live DVD

This is the live DVD of Sakurai Atsushi's solo concert at NHK Hall in 2004.  Reportedly, this concert was what inspired Imai to create the concept for the 13kai wa Gekkou album, though as the stage sets are minimal, I feel sure that Imai must have been inspired by Sakurai's performance itself. Sakurai is joined onstage by an all-star backup band, including Fujii Maki (formerly of Soft Ballet) on synth, Jake Cloudchair (formerly of Guniw Tools, currently of The Mortal fame) on guitar, Miyo Ken (also of The Mortal fame) on guitar, and guest appearances by Satou Taiji (Theater Brook) and Cube Juice. In addition to his own solo works, Sakurai performs covers of David Bowie's "Space Oddity," Sawada Kenji's "Love -Dakishimetai," and Yuming's "Amaoto wa Chopin no Shirabe."  The DVD contains the full concert, plus a live music video for "Wakusei -Rebirth," and a bonus image gallery. It comes in a smoke grey hard plastic case.  This is the original pressing of this video and the only available version of this concert on DVD, as the Ai no Wakusei Collector's Box that was released in September contains Blu-Ray only...and it's only going to get rarer as the time passes, so if you want it, the time is now. Very rare and out of print. Region 2. A must have for any collector and true treasure for any fan of Mr. Sakurai, including non-fangirl fans - it's a great show and a beautiful video.

11100 yen.

Front Cover

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Track List

X-Lover

Wonderful World

Yellow Pig

I Hate You All

Hallelujah!

Yokan

Fantasy

Smell

Mächen

Shingatsu

Taiji

Neko

Explosion

Wakusei

Amaon Wa Chopin No Shirabe -I Like Chopin- (Yuming cover)

Love (Dakishimetai) (Sawada Kenji cover)

Sacrifice

Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)

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Screen Shots

ONE LIFE, ONE DEATH Tour Pamphlet A

This LP-sized softcover tour pamphlet contains some beautiful full-color portraits of the band members, as well as oodles of brooding black-and-white shots of the band during their trip to Korea. Perfect condition, rare and out of print. 4800 yen.

Front Cover

#SexyBeastHide

Look at Toll's hairspring!

Smoking is bad for you!

Mr. Sakurai, alone in a hotel bed, listening suspiciously for the encroachment of fangirls

Ohh sexy smokin' beasts.

Imai wakes up next to a dumpster.

Betraying the Feline Order, Mr. Sakurai takes a walk on the Dog Side.

"Just wait till you see what we're going to do with this toilet paper"

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ONE LIFE, ONE DEATH Tour Pamphlet B

This softcover, all full color pamphlet contains pages and pages of live photography from the One Life, One Death tour. Very rare and out of print, perfect condition. 3000 yen.

Front Cover

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Memento Mori Pix Photobook

This huge, hardcover coffee table photobook contains reams of full-color photos from the Memento Mori Tour 2009, as well as black-and-white backstage shots and in-depth interviews with each band member. The photobook comes with a glossy slipcover, underneath which is a faux-leather binding embossed with intricate Memento Mori-themed patterns outlined in gold. Fans of Imai with long hair: relish Imai's braided Rapunzel look!  Fans of bearded Mr. Sakurai: this is the book for you! This is the one and only photobook featuring Mr. Sakurai with a beard, so if beards are you cup of tea, this is a must-not-miss. Perfect condition, rare and out of print. 6000 yen. Special shipping rates apply (this thing is heavy!)

Front Cover (slipcover)

Front Cover (inside slipcover)

Acchan-chan macks on Dokuro-chan

Yutaka plays the woody bass

Intimate backstage paparazzi shots!

Band member interviews

Photo series showing the beginning of the show

The band lines up at the front of the stage for "Makka na Yoru"

Beard clock o'clock.

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Rock and Read #42

Volume 42 of Rock and Read magazine, with a 32-page cover feature on Sakurai Atsushi, including a long interview and 13 pages of full-color photos. Also includes a bonus postcard. Other artists featured include Inoran of Luna Sea, Gara of Merry, Asagi of D, Akihide of Breakerz, Bansaku of Baroque, and others. This was one of the best selling issues of Rock & Read magazine and is very difficult to find for sale compared to the other issues. Perfect condition, out of print. 1700 yen.

Front Cover

Back cover

Bonus postcard.

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Fish Tanker's Only Tour 2008 Pamphlet

This softcover pamphlet is the size of a standard DVD case and contains 64 pages of full-color studio photos of the band members, some of which have been combined with graphics produced by GRADELIC studio. This tour was launched partly in support of the Heaven single, so half the photos feature the band members in white outfits and white hair - it's a very interesting look which they've never replicated before or since, so if you love your silver foxes, this is the pamphlet for you! The pages were difficult to photograph so I apologize for the flash flares in some of the sample photos, but obviously no flash flares will be present in real life. Aside from slightly worn corners, the pamphlet is in perfect condition. This pamphlet was only available for purchase by Fish Tank members at the venues on the tour, and is consequently extremely rare. If you want it, this may be your only chance to get it! 6000 yen.

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Sexy Stream Liner Tour Pamphlet

Softcover, LP sized tour pamphlet from the Sexy Stream Liner era contains 38 pages of glossy full-color photos of the band members. Great condition, rare and out of print. 2000 yen.

Front Cover

Inside Cover

 Look at those head tattoos!

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Send all inquiries to themadaristocrat at gmail.

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Too Goods to Be True

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Good evening, Blog-Tickers.

If you've been keeping your eyes on the Fish Tank, you may have noticed some interesting fish swimming your way lately.

What are the Fish in Question, you ask?

Why, they're the Day in Question tour goods, of course!

And why is that special, you ask?

Well, this year, in addition to the usual array of t-shirts, tote bags, tour towels, pick sets, pamphlets, trading cards, and various and sundry Buck-Tick branded tchotchkes for your consumptive pleasure, the band members themselves have produced individual, personalized tour goods, and they contacted us personally so that we could let you know, in English, in a fully band-approved and authorized fashion, that these personally produced band-member brand tour goods are NOT, I repeat, NOT the brainchildren of a highly raucous and ridiculous party (to which we may or may not have been invited...y'all take guesses and wagers and start some rumors there we won't stop you) but which certainly did NOT involve a Mt. Fuji-sized pile of bottles of booze, because alcohol is bad for you and also illegal in Japan.

ALSO the Buck-Tick members are very serious professionals who would not engage in alcohol imbibement whilst hard at work designing their tour goods. No, folks, you take it from us: these tour goods are NOT jokes. They were NOT created to make you laugh. They are serious works of serious art and you should spend lots of your hard-earned cash on them in straight-faced, serious good faith.

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First, from Sexy Beast Hide (#sexybeasthide) we have a twee cloth bag filled with five sachets of Hoshino Coffee. You think I'm joking? I'm not. There are Hoshino Coffee joints all over Japan. In fact, it's a little known fact that Sexy Beast Hide is a national coffee overlord. Coffee never looked so sexy since that scene in Buck-Tick: The Movie where Acchan-chan was drinking coffee in the recording studio and the fangirls asked him in the Fish Tank newsletter what he was drinking and he said it was the blood of virgins! Don't you wish you still had your virginity now, eh kids? Well no matter, because Hoshino Coffee still wants you!

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Second, from Yagami Toll, we have the Pussyhawk Shirt. We hereby certify that you can wear this shirt and still use the hashtag #hawksbeforecocks. Because this shirt is a Pussy with a 'Hawk. You heard it here first.

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Third, from dear Imai Hisashi, we have The Dick Day in Question TDiQ Shirt. Whose is it? That's for you to decide, and us to guess ;)

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Have you figured out whose it is, yet?

I'll tell you a little secret: we figured it out.

It's yours.

Well guess what, now, when you feel the throbbing pressing swelling to rub your...um...nose...(wink wink, nudge nudge) into a nice soft moist tissue, you can pull those tissues straight out of Yutaka's Very Serious Bear Box. And if you feel lonely because you're rubbing your nose all by your lonesome with no one to hold you...don't worry. Serious Bear's arms are open and waiting to hold you wherever you may so wish (wink wink, nudge nudge.)

 

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Who is it you're thinking of while cuddling those bear tissues?

Don't pretend we don't know.

We know you can barely contain your fruit juice for this man.

Yes, these are real tour goods (stop laughing! This is serious, okay?) This is an official collaboration with Sakuma Fruit Drops. They are 100% Made in Japan and REAL fruit juice contained, ready to burst forth and gush in your mouth! And yes, they were all dear Mr. Sakurai's idea (why are you still laughing?)

How do we know they were Mr. Sakurai's idea?

We know, because they're a direct reference to the film Grave of the Fireflies, which Sakurai has fingered as his favorite Ghibli film at least twice in the Fish Tank newsletter, because the Fish Tank newsletter simply cannot get enough of asking the Buck-Tick members what their favorite Ghibli films are (are you surprised that Yutaka's is Totoro?)

Anyhow, for those of you unfamiliar with Grave of the Fireflies, go watch it right now, because I'm going to post major spoilers right below this block of text.

SPOILER ALERT. Grave of the Fireflies tells the story of a young boy, Seita, and his little sister, Setsuko, living on the fringes of society as war orphans after their mother is killed in the firebombing of Tokyo just prior to the end of World War II. They own almost nothing, but Seita carries with him a tin of Sakuma Fruit Drops. He offers one to Setsuko every once in a while when she's in need of encouragement.

Here are some stills from the film:

Aw now isn't that sweet? It's almost green cheese sweet! Could it be that, following The Mortal, Mr. Sakurai has become sick of death and backed off a bit?

Hm, not really. Because...SPOILER ALERT...the fireflies ALL DIE, and Seita and Setsuko have to make a grave for them and use the fruit drops tin as an offering vase for grave flowers.

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And then..SPOILER ALERT...THIS HAPPENS.

Yeah, that's right. Nobody saves them. THEY BOTH DIE.

But it's all okay in the end. Because in the final scene of the film, the two dead children are seen riding the train to the afterlife, eating their fill of Sakuma Fruit Drops. Product placement: it even follows you beyond this mortal coil.

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I suppose I haven't advertised it very well here, but Grave of the Fireflies is actually a breathtakingly good, if gut-wrenching, film. We confess that here at Blog-Tick, it's something of a tradition to watch it every year on Pearl Harbor Day, though we're afraid we lapsed this year (shame on us.) Though it was made by Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki was not involved, which means that the plot hangs together well, and there are no melting monsters glooping into the way of the storytelling and ruining everything. So if you dislike Miyazaki's work as much as Cayce does (fight me Miyazaki fans, but you will never win!), you should definitely watch this film as it's pretty much the anti-Miyazaki. On the other hand, if this film is too dark and miserable for you, I think you're going to have to hand in your Acchan-fan card and walk away, because as I said, he's stated multiple times that he loves this film, and really...war orphans dying alone of starvation in the ruins of fire-bombed Tokyo? NONE SO GOTH.

But you're Buck-Tick fans, aren't you? A little DEATH never turned y'all off. In fact, we're betting it turns you on.

Now wipe the tears from your eyes with Yutaka's tissues and stuff some of those gushing fruit juice sticky sugar cherry balls deep into your mouth, and suck away!



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And now, product placement: if you'd like Cayce to pick up any of these items or the other tour goods items listed on the B-T website on your behalf, please contact us asap! We will be attending the show in Nagano on Sunday and if you act fast we can get your goods then! Otherwise we won't be able to get them till the 23rd in Yokohama.

As always, email us at themadaristocrat at gmail.

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Oh, and this.

For those of you not in the know, this is "Sakura Drops," by Utada Hikaru.

Coincidence? Surely not. Surely conspiracy.
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Egg Book

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And now, we interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you the following announcement:

"WHICH CAME FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?"

If you think you know, leave a comment below!

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These Mortal Lyrics, part 3

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We have finished posting all the lyrics and translations for all the songs on the I Am Mortal album, which thus concludes our translation work for this project. Honestly we're kind of sorry to be done with this one, because these lyrics are so fantastic and the notes were so much fun to write. But you can keep the spirit alive (get it?) by posting your comments/discussions here, since Not Greatest Site doesn't allow comments.

As always, by all means, share the translations and lyrics, but please share by posting a link to NGS, rather than re-posting our content to your own platform of choice. We really spent a long time on these, so if you enjoy them enough to share them, giving us a little free promo is the least you can do. If you'd like to use the kanji elsewhere, feel free, but it would be nice if you could mention that we were the ones who took the time to type them up because frankly, typing up kanji is a pain in the ass and we're sure you're glad you didn't have to do it yourself.

Live reports will be coming soon, along with an album review/lyrics analysis article, by popular demand. But we're very busy, so please sit tight and wait for a little longer.

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