Saturday 18 May 2013

[14] Almost halfway

Good evening!

Another order from the big treasure box contains six CDs:

- Dearest you (Limited Edition) 
- Mahiru no Koe ~Synchronicity~ (真昼の声) (Limited Edition)
- Nyanto-shippo"De"!? (Fan club limited release)
- Ouka saki some ni keri (桜花咲きそめにけり) (Limited and Regular)
- Schwarzschild (Regular Edition)

When I opened up this one, I noticed right away that I got the limited edition of Mahiru no Koe (真昼の声), which I didn't expect to get. The description of the auction only said "真昼の声", so it could have been either of them. I just assumed I would get the regular edition, which I already had. I was very surprised, and happy, to receive the limited one instead! 

Out of these six releases, I already owned three: Nyanto-shippo"De"!?Ouka saki some ni keri (Limited Edition) and Schwarzschild, which is in another order as well, which I haven't shown yet. Since I thought I would receive the regular edition of Mahiru no Koe, only two CDs would've been new for me, the regular edition of Ouka saki some ni keri and Dearest you

I wanted to buy the limited edition of Dearest you for a while, but I couldn't find it in anywhere anymore. At the time, no seller on eBay had it and my order on CDJapan got cancelled because they couldn't get it in stock anymore. Luckily, it was included in this order, which was basically the only reason for me to buy it. One of the songs in this release, Guardian, is one of my favorites after having heard it the first time at the VAMPIRE SAGA concert. I remember I tried to remember the lyrics to search the song title when I got back home. The part I tried to remember was constantly repeated by Asagi. When I tried to search for it, I couldn't find it. When I found a set list of the concert, I went through all the songs I didn't know, and I found out it was Guardian. The Japanese lyrics I tried to remember turned out to be sung in English. No wonder I couldn't find it...

Almost halfway, seven more orders to go! 


Thursday 16 May 2013

[13] Bon Voyage!

Konichiwa!

Besides the Treasure Box, D also released a 10th anniversary single, called Bon Voyage!. This single was only available at their 10th Anniversary Special Premium Live "Bon Voyage!" concert at Shibuya Koukaidou on April 12 2013. Thankfully, there were a few people who put them up for auction after the concert. 

Speaking of a single only being available at a concert, I also got Mayutsuki no hitsugi (繭月の棺). This single was for sale at three concerts in November 2004 in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. There is no difference in songs between the three. The only difference is the cover, and the city name at the end of the title. I got my hands on the first version, the Tokyo one, called Mayutsuki no hitsugi ~Tokyo uka~ (繭月の棺 ~東京羽化~).

After these two orders, eight more to go.



Wednesday 15 May 2013

[12] More goodies! Ultimate Lover!

Hello everyone!

Next up, 20 volumes from Ultimate Lover, a magazine from the D Official Fan Club of the same name. I got these in two separate orders, both containing 10 volumes. The first one contained the volumes 00 to 09, the second one from 10 to 19. I expected them to be A4 in size. Instead they are smaller, A5 in size.

When I found these two auctions, I wasn't sure if they would be actual physical magazines. According to the Tokyo staff from the proxy service I used to buy from Yahoo Japan Auctions, they did "believe" they would be physical, instead of digital copies. I bought them and fortunately they are the real magazines!

10 more orders to go!

Ultimate Lover volume 00 - 09
Ultimate Lover volume 09 - 19

Tuesday 14 May 2013

[11] Christmas came early! Treasure box!

Konbanwa!

Today is the day! I finally received the package I was eagerly waiting for. It came in later than expected because customs kept it for a week. The reason for this was probably the size of the package. It weighted around 7 kilos, containing 28 CD-sized releases, 2 DVD-sized releases and more! So it definitely felt like an early Christmas for me today!

The first item I unpacked was the 10th Anniversary GOD CHILD RECORDS Best Selection Treasure Box. I read about this release one day after the pre-order deadline, and I was afraid I would miss this awesome release. Luckily, I found one on Yahoo Japan Auctions. I was planning on only buying the Treasure Box, but as you can see in the photo below I got tempted by many more auctions. In total, I won 13 auctions on Yahoo Japan Auctions. You could say I received my very own version of a treasure box!

I will show the rest of the contents of the package in my next posts.

My big treasure box!
Box and inner sleeve
2 CDs, DVD and photobook

Monday 13 May 2013

[10] CURE Magazine Vol. 115

Konichiwa!

The latest addition to my collection, which I received a week ago, on May 7, is volume 115 from CURE (キュア) Magazine. This was the April issue from 2013. This edition features photos from their 10th Anniversary, wearing the outfits for the new style of Night-ship "D". The photos in the magazine are of great quality and show a lot of details, which will come in handy for future cosplays.

The website I bought it from included a few bonus items. Although not from D, free items are always nice. I received three postcards from bands soon to perform in Germany, which is where the shop is located. The bands being Satsukithe GazettE and DEATHGAZE. Furthermore, I received a 2013 calendar and a card, both with an anime style mascot from the website. The mascot was on the front of the package too.

That's my entire collection, for now. I'm expecting a huge package full with D merchandise, but it seems to be delayed. It's at customs for a week now already while it only took three days for the package to arrive from Japan in the Netherlands.


[9] D collection display case!

Konbanwa!

Recently, when my D collection started to grow, I wasn't sure where to put all the items without them getting in the way. I wanted a place to display them, as opposed to just storing them away. 

I started looking for a display case. Most of them were too expensive or not useful for displaying CDs and DVDs. I asked my father if he could help me look for one. A few days later he said he could just make one for me instead. 

By phone we discussed what the display case should look like. The bottom shelve is for storing the releases I don't display. At the moment my posters are there, waiting to be laminated before I will put them on the wall around the display case. My collection isn't that big yet, so I can display everything I have right now.
Above that is a shelve for displaying DVD-sized releases and the four shelves above that are for CD-sized releases. On top I can display the magazines I have. Below the top, he installed two light bulbs. 

The display case was finished quickly and my father brought it on 3 May. He did an amazing job on it and I love it! The photos below contain all the items I've shown in all my previous posts. 

Tomorrow I will show a magazine that I received a week ago. 





Friday 10 May 2013

[8] April loot

Konbanwa!

Last April I received the following releases:

- Kaze ga Mekuru Page (風がめくる頁) (Regular Edition)
- Mahiru no Koe ~Synchronicity~ (真昼の声) (Regular Edition)
D 2005.12.5 MON SHIBUYA-AX「Sub Rosa」〜Bara no Na no Shita ni Tsudoe〜TOUR FINAL (薔薇の名の下に集え) 

The last one contains the making of video of Sleeper from their album The Name of the ROSE. It was handed out for free at their Sub Rosa concert at Shibuya-AX on 5 December 2005. With this being my favorite song, I'm happy that I found it. 

In the next post I will show a display case I've been using for a week now for my D collection!

Thursday 9 May 2013

[7] Last haul of March

Konichiwa mina-san!

Not too long ago I ordered a package from the same seller as this one: Click!
I received it on 30 March 2013 and it contained, from the top, from left to right:

Ouka saki some ni keri (桜花咲きそめにけり) (Limited Edition)
Yume narishi kuuchuu teien (夢なりし空中庭園) (Regular Edition)
Huang di ~Yami ni umareta mukui~ (皇帝~闇に生まれた報い~) (Limited Edition A)
- CORVINUS (Limited Edition)
This release is from Asagi's solo project. Even though it's not from D, I love the song.

Taiyou wo okuru hi (太陽を葬る日) (Limited Edition)
LAST INDIES TOUR 2008 Follow me ~05.05 FINAL Akasaka BLITZ~ (赤坂 BLITZ) (Limited Edition)
Yami yori kurai doukoku no acappella to bara yori akai jounetsu no aria (闇より暗い慟哭のアカペラと薔薇より赤い情熱のアリア) (Limited Edition)

- Snow White (Limited Edition A & B)
Type B came with a Tsunehito trading card.

- Ultimate Lover
- Nyanto-shippo"De"!?
Both are fan club limited releases.

Just like last time, the seller included bonus items. This time I received 4 photo sets from 7th RoseHuang di ~Yami ni umareta mukui~ (皇帝~闇に生まれた報い~), Danzai no gunner (断罪の銃士) and Yami no kuni no Alice (闇の国のアリス).

I'm almost done showing my collection, although I will be receiving a very big package very soon!







Wednesday 8 May 2013

[6] Increasing my collection

Konbanwa!

On the 25th of February of this year I ordered the Limited Editions, Type A, from Danzai no gunner (断罪の銃士)Tightrope and Namonaki mori no yumegatari (名もなき森の夢語り). The last one came with a limited photo with autographs from D. I wasn't sure if I would still get it, but the website confirmed that I would get the last one. I'm glad I didn't miss out on it. I received a Tsunehito, Asagi and Hiroki trading card with the releases.

Also, on the 25th of March of this year I received the Dying message ~2012 Overseas Odyssey Tour Documentary & Off-Shot DVD~. The product description didn't say anything about a postcard being included, but I got a Ruiza card nonetheless.

At this point I decided to also collect the other releases from D, not just the albums. Expect to see a big increase of my collection soon!


Tuesday 7 May 2013

[5] Japan goodies

Konichiwa!

Last year, from July to August 2012, a friend of mine went to Japan. I asked her if she could keep an eye out for Torikago goten 〜L'Oiseau bleu〜 (鳥籠御殿 〜L'Oiseau bleu〜). I missed the opportunity to get one myself. Luckily, she found the Limited Edition Type A and brought it back for me. It came with a card with the entire band on it. 

She also went to a Danzai no gunner (断罪の銃士) concert on the 28th of July 2012 in Nagoya. There she got me a photo book and a flyer.

More in my next post!

Monday 6 May 2013

[4] Dying message once again

Hello everyone!

After the concert in the Netherlands, a friend and I decided to go to another concert from the same tour, on the 5th of May 2012. This time we went to Muziekcafé Charlatan in Ghent, Belgium. I was, of course, wearing my Asagi cosplay. 

On our way there we picked up someone else who joined us. She was wearing a Tsunehito cosplay from Taiyou wo okuru hi (太陽を葬る日). During our trip we even practiced the dance moves with the flags for Night-ship "D"

Here is a photo from us before the concert started. At the moment, this is one of my favorite photos. 
Cosplay @ Dying message European Tour 2012 - Ghent
The comments from people on the costumes were great, and some people even took photos. There were more fans from Japan here than at the previous concert, and they totally loved the costumes.

As soon as D came on stage for the Q&A, we noticed that they were smiling and looking in our direction, recognizing us from Amsterdam, which was an awesome beginning of the concert. I also asked a question during this Q&A; "Where do you get the inspiration for your beautiful outfits?". The answer I got from Asagi was longer than I can remember, but this is the short answer: "Every time we release a new song, like Dying message, we ask our designer to create a costume that fits the song". So basically an outfit that resembles the atmosphere during the song, most likely resembling their lyrics, to some extent. 

When I asked a question at the Q&A in Amsterdam, it wasn't answered. I asked what the reason was for D to leave avex trax and return to their own indie label, God Child Records. The translator didn't translate this question and D looked a bit confused as why they didn't get to answer it. It was probably too personal to answer.

The concert itself was really amazing. The set list for this one was exactly the same as the one in Amsterdam, except they played one song less, because of time pressure. I got to hear my favorite song, Sleeper, again!

The concert hall was smaller than the one in Amsterdam, but we were standing closer to the stage. I was standing pretty much in front of Asagi, while my friends were standing to my left, in front of Tsunehito, their favorite member of the band. I was standing so close, I could literally stretch my arm and touch Asagi. Many times Asagi would reach over the crowd to touch our hands, which was amazing. The thing I remember the most of this concert was when Asagi looked me in the eye, shook my hand and nodded, as if he approved me being there, in my cosplay.

After the concert I went to the merchandise stand once again, even though I already bought a lot a few days before at the other concert. I went home with:
Huang di ~Yami ni umareta mukui~ (皇帝~闇に生まれた報い~) poster, a flag case, buttons and a photo set from Dying message.

At the previous concert, we couldn't wait outside for the band to leave, because we were travelling by public transport. If we had waited, we couldn't have returned home. This time, we went by car, so we could wait, which we did. One of the Japanese fans gave me a water bottle, which they got from Asagi during the concert. They received three in total, so they thought of giving me one too.

It took at least an hour before D came out. When they did I was standing pretty much in the back. All of the members already got into the tour van, while Asagi was standing outside. One of the Japanese girls came to me and brought me to the front, to Asagi. At first I asked if it was possible if a picture could be taken with the band and me. The manager didn't agree to this request. After that I asked if they could sign my Dying message photo set, and they could! I received an autograph from Asagi, Hide-Zou and Ruiza. I was literally standing inside the tour van to hand over the pen and photo to Hide-Zou and Ruiza. After this, the manager said they had to leave, so sadly, I didn't receive an autograph from Tsunehito and Hiroki. Asagi stepped inside of the van, and they closed the door.

We were waiting for them to leave, but they still didn't. The same Japanese girl took me along again and brought me to the other side of the van where Asagi was sitting, with his window open. Using the Japanese girl as a translator, I got to "speak" with Asagi for a bit. First I told him how I loved both of the concerts. I told him my girlfriend made my costume, and I asked him what his thoughts were on it. I also showed the back of the cape, which has the logo on it, just like Asagi's. He said it was amazing and it was pretty accurate! Lastly, I asked him if they would return for another tour. He said that I shouldn't worry, they will return. He, of course, didn't say when, and even then, he cannot really promise it. I shook his hand, and they took off to their next concert.

Thinking back on this, I could have asked Asagi to hand Tsunehito and Hiroki the photos from the set, with the pen, for them to sign. There was enough time before they left. In the end, I didn't do that, but I'm very happy that this second concert turned out to be a very memorable one.

Merchandise European Tour 2012 - Dying message
Merchandise European Tour 2012 - Dying message