Hetalia Day NYC 2013

I got back from Hetalia Day in New York City yesterday! I had such a great time! This was my first time at Hetalia Day and I definitely want to go back next year.  Of course, Hetalia Day takes place on the Saturday after United Nations Day.  If you don't live near New York and would like to go to Hetalia Day, don't panic.  Hetalia Day is an international event, all hosted on the same day, all around the world.  Check out the website (link at the bottom) and see which Hetalia Day location is closest to you.
For those of you who don't know what Hetalia is, Hetalia is an anime (originally a webcomic) in which all of the characters represent countries and reflect their personalities.  For example, America is a guy with a big ego that can't stop stuffing his face with hamburgers.  Offensive, yes, but very funny.  
At Hetalia Day almost everyone was cosplayed in one way or another.  I cosplayed feminine Austria ^_^ No one knew who I was because my cosplay was effortless :D. Some people got really serious with their cosplay and looked EXACTLY like the character.  Maybe I'll get serious one day...when I have money...ahahah -_-; 
If you don't have the resources for making/buying a cosplay, wear a traditional clothes of a country you like! The purpose of Hetalia day isn't just to celebrate the anime, it is also to celebrate different cultures of countries around the world.
There were a dozen confused parents sitting around, probably asking each other about what the hell was going on.  Lost parents are always present at these types of events, dragged along by their children.
There was a table of snacks and, of course, PASTA!!! A raffle was set up with prizes, such as a chocolate mint bunny plush. There were also vendors, but very few.  The event is completely free of charge if you don't want to buy anything.  The only thing I bought was a Hetalia Day shirt for $15...kind of overpriced, but it was a cute shirt.  I wanted a flower crown but you had to preorder one from the Facebook page, which I wasn't aware of (sad T.T) 
There was a photo shoot, which anyone cosplayed as a country could take part in (even casual cosplays).  There was one group picture and the rest were theme pictures, such as Asia, Western Europe, Nordic, and micro-nations (Sealand ^_^)

If you're a Hetalian, GO TO HETALIA DAY! You'll have a great time.  Bring a blanket to sit on, a camera, and $30 at most.

Hetalia Day website: hetalia-day.com

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"Beautiful Deformity"

Hi everyone! In this post I'm going to be reviewing the new album of one of my favorite bands, The Gazette.  Their album, "Beautiful Deformity", was released on October 23, 2013.  The Gazette being one of the most successful rock bands in Japan, the album was already doing well from the moment that it went up for pre-order.  The Gazette is always trying new things, which is part of the reason why people love them so very much.  Any long-time fan can tell that this album is sheer evidence that the band is experimenting with sounds, constantly blending and combining them.  This album sounds like a cross between their two previous albums, "Division" and "DIM".  It is one of Gazette's more violent albums, having less ballads and more hardcore songs. The band is still incorporating electronic elements into their songs, making them sound dynamic and loud. The guitars on this album are mediocre; I don't remember hearing more than one solo.  However, the beat of each song completely makes up for it.  Ruki's vocals, as always, are fabulous.  He includes a collection of his signature riffs and whispers (the whispers are the best, super sexy!)  The intro and outro songs are magnificent; the intro is borderline dubstep and the outro is a beautiful acoustic guitar instrumental track, with Ruki occasionally whispering.  Next topic: Engrish.  Ruki's English has definitely improved; you can actually hear and understand the words he says if you listen closely.  The album in general includes a good amount of English.  The album includes songs from every member of the band, including both Kai and Reita (who almost never write songs.)  As usual, Ruki wrote the most songs out of each member.  The album art may appear to be a bit...odd.  It features the head of a creature whose face is five animals morphed together, symbolizing the five members of the band working together to make something absolutely beautiful.
This album is available on iTunes for $9.99.  I'm very pleased with it.  Please support the band and check out this beautiful album!

Hello ~

Hi everyone! This blog is a baby...brand new! I've been wanting to start a blog for quite a while but never found the time because of school.  My name is Gigi but I will often shorten it to Ji.  I'm an otaku.  I like ulzzang style, gyaru style, cats, sugoi things, and Korean bands ^__^ What will I be posting on this blog? Eh...I'm guessing album reviews (K-Pop, J-Pop, J-Rock), makeup reviews and tutorials (ulzzang & gyaru), Korean beauty product reviews, convention reviews, and the antics I get myself into -_-;.  I'll also blog about future events in the New York-Connecticut-New Jersey area. I hope you enjoy ^^ Stay sugoi. 
-Gigi