Now I guess I understand better. The last clarification I need is: when Sawa talks about 'sakka-no-kami-sama" (by the way "sakka" is the literal transliteration of "soccer"? ), do you think she seriously thinks at some kind of literal super-natural intervention? Is this consistent with japanese way of thinking and japanese spirituality, even in these modern times? I mean: the average Japanese guy is likely to believe in some kind of intervention of the Kamis in his actual everyday life (or at least in some special events of his life)? I guess I could re-phrase that this way: the particular "light"-relationship that Japanese religion has with its gods, compared to western culture, also involves a sense of lingering spirituality in everyday common life? The presence of the Kamis can still be something seen as "natural" for a part of japanese modern people? Anyway, talking about religions and religion-related rites: it seems that at least INAC players celebrated Chritsmas with the traditional gifts' exchange : On a totally different subject: I admire a lot japanese Anime, especially since i watched all kinds of japanese cartoons in my childhood. Now, in the videos about All Japan Women's Championship, I often saw a poster advertising the championship and its schedule, and it was representing the drawing of a very slender and tall woman player, that reminded me a lot of Reiji Matsumoto's art. Is it possible that the poster has been drawn by Matsumoto, or it's simply some other artist imitating his style?
I just pronounced サッカー(sakka-) = soccer. No, I think it's simply the way of a rhetorical expression. Most people don't feel kamis' existence at all. You know 'Captain Tsubasa', the most famous Japanese soccer manga, drawn by Yoichi Takahashi, don't you? I think he drew the girl for Nadeshiko.
I am not sure: Takahashi has a different style, as seen in this picture with Ohno; the player-girl in the drawing looks in fact very similar in style to Captain Tsubasa and his friends (that I was indeed avidly watching in my childood): The poster I was talking about is the one that can be partly seen in this picture, behind Sawa (I can't find a better image, sorry). The style is completly different, and doesn't really looks like Takahashi' one. I mean, I know that an artist can draw with quite different styles, but this doesn't look like Takahashi at all:
http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/soccer/etc/news/20111225-OHT1T00183.htm Kawasumi might be back in the semi-final. Article quotes her saying that she was told by the manager not to answer questions regarding her injury or her training plan - which leads writer to suggest she might be back earlier.
I heard the long central red/pink stripe raised much debate, but I don't really mind about it. I am happy, though, that the color of Nadeshiko uniform doesn't seem as much dark as the male NT's one... edit: also the "World Champion" badge looks really good on Nadeshiko jersey and make it look better, but it isn't really male team's fault if they can't have it (or is it? ).
Yeah, you're right: it's probably some kind of optical illusion, due to the pink stripe instead of red, that made the Nadeshiko blue look lighter to me in some photos... There are a lot of frilly pics around with our heroes wearing the new uniform for the media... ^__^ I like at least two facts about that: 1) they waited for 26-12-2011 to show this, suggesting that it was Santa Claus bringing the jerseys to the team, lol ^__^ 2) (more serious) At least for the female team, they chose Europe-based players to wear the uniform, since they were all in Japan for the Christmas pause in european leagues: that's great because these players have less public occasions-media exposure-promotions in Japan than the Japan-based players, and so it was fair giving it to them. Having again INAC players do this would have become quite annoying... (and anyway quite all Japan-based Nadeshiko players today are busy preparing for All Japan's Cup semi-finals tomorrow). Now, two questions about below pics: 1) What kind of absurd coloured shoes is Sameshima wearing? They doesn't look like trainers or sport shoes at all, lol ^__^ 2) has Nagasato her wedding ring as a pendant?
Well I have always been very impresed with Hara, but only saw her play one full game the past two years. And that was when they lost to Urawa, which makes it very surprising that Albirex eliminated them. Is it possible there will be a web-feed for these games? I doubt I can see them anyway, it would be "rude" where I am to watch football in the middle of the night. I sure would like to see Belle win, which would be INAC's first loss all year, I believe.
So, l Yuki is still sore that she was the not the goal-scoring hero? I suppose it is hard for her, one moment she is barely known, the next she's a national name. (by the way, blissett you seem to ignore Saki's weight-problem now? )
Mumf, are you sure they are "in the middle of the night" for you??? They should be at night for me, instead: being at 11:00 am and 14:00, Japan time, the matches should be at 2:00 am and 5:00 for me (so I'll probably manage to watch just part of the second game, that luckily is INAC-Belle; if I get a web-feed, that is); I am not sure in which exact part of the USA you live (but I guess East Coast, since you could watch Aya play when she was in Boston Breakers), but I guess the matches shouldn't be at a so "impossible" time for you, especially the first one. Yes, I guess INAC didn't lose a single match in 2011, and there's just one match left to break this record... ^__^ Anyway, Santa brought me a bad cold with a slight temperature for Christmas... It was quite annoying, but at least I could pass some time in front of the PC without looking rude, since, having a fever, I couldn't do quite anything else. So I posted a lot of messages yesterday (I couldn't do much else beyond opening packs [yes, Santa brought me something else, beyond fever], eating [not fully enjoying though] and passing time with family members [who anyway kept me somehow at a distance, because I was ill]). Lol, mumf, hadn't you read all the things unepomme, me and others wrote yesterday? I said all I had to say (jokingly or not) about Saki's weight in previous post... ^__^ But now there is another juicy gossip subject about Nadeshiko girls... ;-) People, what do you say about these pics, do you think Atsuto Uchida is making a pass at Aya Sameshima? ^__^
He seems to talk with Ando, I heard something like that they are friends and have make some videos for promoting german football. But at his place I would make a raid on Kamagai or Asuna Tanaka
No, no, he was calling Sameshima, who turned to him to listen... only later Ando did turn too and was slightly laughing at them. There was another picture where it was more obvious, but I can't seem to find it. But what I did find is another picture, where they play together, hand by hand... How cute of them! <3 <3 <3 Come on, let's face it: Atsuto found a new object of interest! ^__^
Lol, wasn't this Ohno's speciality? If Ohno isn't there Yuki Nagasato replaces her??? LOL Edit: look at wich kind of "Uh!? Is it happening anything?" straight face Yuki keeps! super-LOL!
I woke up late and, anyway, I couldn't find any kind of web-feed about INAC-Belle... Can anyone tell me if the match is finished yet by now? And how Niigata-Beleza went, earlier?
That site is geo-blocked from my country (bet issues), but thank you anyway for the final result Hachiko... Well, it seems like INAC just couldn't lose in 2011... we'll see what will happen in 2012, since the final will be in the next year, and Niigata looks quite unstoppable too, in this cup: apparently it won 2-1 vs. Beleza... Mizuho Sakaguchi WANTS this cup. I guess I'll have to root for Niigata underdogs vs. "we-win-it-all-always" INAC... Does anyone know if Kawasumi ended playing or if she was out because of the hand-injury? (someone here had talked about her possible recovering). Hachiko, you normally look like an expert in japanese manga and anime: did you see my question about All Japan Women's Cup's poster some posts above? Can you answer my doubt?
1. Ronald McDonald Shoes? I think she's trying to set a new fashion trend. Maybe they are the new shoes in style down in Shibuya or something. 2. I think it's a different pendant altogether.
Pardon the doublepost... Maybe it's the fact that "You got a World Cup, and we only have an Asian Cup? That is so wrong." And Aya-chan is being all smug about it. Wait a few more years, Atsuto. It would be the news heard round the world if Japan won the men's World Cup.
Triple-post... No, this style is different. On a side note, I would like to see a animefied rendition of Homare. Or maybe a fan manga of Japan's Women's World Cup.
Independently of the fact if a new love-story was born or not, I now notice that we can gain some good news from that: if Aya (by the way, why Aya-chan, Hachiko? Isn't "-chan" in japanese the suffix for child? Can it be used sometimes the same way as "baby" in english, for pretty young girls?)... I was saying, if Aya is now playing with Uchida, although "jokingly", that should mean that she quite recovered from her injury from some weeks ago in Montpellier and then it probably wasn't very serious... I can see that, and i said it. I was just wondering if it could be Leiji Matsumoto's style, in your opinion.
As for the first part...yes, it can. Aya-chan is one of my favorites. But my No. 1 Nadeshiko player will always be Homare because she is the boss on the pitch. However, I don't think Atsuto was trying to make a pass at her, though. The media tabloids love to spin things around and raise readers' eyebrows along the way; it's how the yen flows in. As for the second part...Leiji Matsumoto's style is unique, and I think there is an influence in that illustration, but it's not completely in the Matsumoto style. But the influence is there. Every mangaka out there has their own illustrating style, and it is natural to have differing influences incorporated in the finished product.
Well, nevermind this previous question of mine... This pic says that she was indeed playing: So the left-hand injury wasn't probably as serious as it seemed in the first place (coach had said she wouldn't even have played the final!)... or she did use "natural healing powers", as she wrote in her blog... The scorers for Niigata were Sakaguchi (what a woman!!! She's the winning spirit of this team!) and Yuri Kawamura (am I wrong or she was called by Sasaki for a training camp earlier this summer? She's not a bad player at all... When I wonder who could possibly make the National Team, between the L-league players, I think about her or about some good Belle's players, like Nakano or Matsuoka). You can see their goals (along with late Beleza's goal) in these good highlights of the match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MArJyU4hUik Well, Aya-chan is one of my absolute favourites also. If Atsuto isn't really trying to make a pass at her, that's better: i'll still have a chance when she'll be back in Europe, lol... ^__^