Word and image: Gackt's Music Station message

[wongkk.livejournal.com]

On 23 January, Gackt appeared on Music Station and wrote (showing rather beautiful handwriting!) a message in English.  I've matched this with a scan from the January 2009 issue of Fool's Mate, part of the Japanese rock press, and then expanded a bit on the message in Gackt's two lines.

Post at Bunraku Blog

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Ah, news on this film has been hard to find! And I have only found articles on it in foreign media, not here in the States, where it is in post-production, our General of the Army has done his share of promotion!

Link to article on Snoot Entertainment (Producers of Bunraku)

http://community.livejournal.com/bunraku_blog/9370.html

Kampf Battalion Blog report on Requiem et Reminiscene 2

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Kamf Battalion, the Japanese supplier of WW2 costumes to the tour has blogged about the concert experience. If you want an Nazi flag (just like the one worn by Gackt and JOB around their waists as part of their concert wardrobe, you can order it from them!

http://kampfbataillon.blog.shinobi.jp/Entry/99/

Post includes some colored manga images of Gackt as Zero.

no attribution on these images - I don't know where they come from or if they are official art, gomen, click for large

Shinobi was so very impressed by the live event, especially how well the video presentation merged with the live stage performance. He said it gave him 'an afterglow' inside to watch.

He reports that Gackt said his theme was about War, Life and Death, Sin and Forgiveness, and the color black (in the uniforms) is both noble and beautiful, signifying death. The SS uniform is a 'cruel costume' befitting the theme of the RR2 tour, of soldiers who live (made into machines) and die, and their crimes (committed by them and also against them by their superiors) are hidden. Gackt was very pleased with Kampf Battalion's cooperation with the costumes.

Winner of the Ultimate Gackt Video!

[karadin.livejournal.com]

RETURNER - a mini -epic shot brilliantly in the mountains of Nagano Japan over a 28 hour period by Gackt sama, who spent thousands on the costuming - the armor was from the 1990's feature film 'Heaven and Earth' the stunt work was by Uden Flame Works, who have worked on previous Gackt projects.

The warlord character here is reminiscent of the character of Uesugi Kenshin, whom Gackt portrayed in the drama he was filming at the time, Fuurin Kazan, the other character he portrays in this video, in svelete tattered black leather depicts a Shinigami, or 'death god' the same warlord who is revisiting the scene of his death.

Yet, the song is written from a woman's point of view, the lady whom the warlord leaves behind, who possibly kills herself when she hears of his death, and her wish to be born again with him.

This single was Gackt's first Number One on the Oricon charts.

*In second place (no surprise) Last Song.

Thanks to everyone who voted!
Previous winners:
Best Gackt song from an album - Last Song
Best Gackt single - Last Song
Best Gackt unplugged video - Last Song
Best Gackt cover song - Shima Uta