Cooking With Cami: Omurice

Ok, now Here's an easy Japanese breakfast for anyone to make; omurice. Omurice is basically a rice omelet. I like it, my family likes it, it is definitley a recipe you want to try. I learned how to make this by watching this amazing YouTube video by ochikeron. Ochikeron is an entire YouTube channel dedicated to Japanese family cooking and cute recipes. She even published a cook book.

So after I had watched this video a few times, I gathered up my ingredients and started cooking. I chopping up the vegetables, and since I didn't have normal chicken breasts, I actually used frozen already cooked grilled chicken pieces. You know, the stuff you find in the frozen food section for frozen dinners. So I heated the chicken up in the microwave before I added them to the pan. Aside from that, I didn't add the mushroom, but I did add chopped bell peppers for my omurice. I also didn't use as much ketchup, since Japanese ketchup is slightly different from American ketchup.

I definitely feel like this is a recipe you can play around with. I do suggest keeping the ketchup in the recipe, it actually tastes really good. This is an easy recipe and very delicious, so go on and give it a try ^_^.

Culture Shock: Vocaliod Concerts

Well that word sounds weird. Maybe you're thinking, "What the heck is a vocaliod?" Well, its a voice synthesizer associated with an avatar that makes the "avatar" sing. Someone records their voice, and then that voice is associated with a certain avatar. Then people buy a particular synthesizer and create their own songs with it.

The most popular Vocaliods are all by the same company, Crypton Future Media. They consist of 6 different avatars and 5 different synthesizers.

• Kaito
• Hatsune Miku
• Kagamine Len and Rin (They're twins...ish. They have the same voicebank and synthesizer, but their relationship seems to be whatever the fan wants it to be.)
• Meiko
• Megurine Luka

From left: Meiko, Luka, Miku, Rin, Len, Kaito

Anyway, they're avatars right? Well, someone came up with the idea to make a projection of the avatar that gives a 3-D effect, put it on stage to music, and have a concert. These concerts are in Japan, but there was recently an Hatsune Miku Tour this year where Miku was featured in ten different cities across North America. Most of those cities were in the USA, but there were two in Mexico as well. 

Now, these crowds can get really hyped up just like at a normal concert. The thing is, it can look kind of crazy seeing people cheer for a projetion. But you know, to each their own. I guess its kind of like when a fangirl (or boy) sees a really good cosplay of their favorite character? I think it feels more like  they're meeting them in real life. And who wouldn't want to do that?  There have been countless times when I've wanted to meet my favorite characters.

I was into vocaliods my freshman year in high school, so I think if I had the money I would want to go to one, just to get a better look at that tech. That's what really interests me. Apparently its a bunch of projections onto a semi-transparent polymer surface that makes it look 3-D. You have to admit that's cool. Ok, maybe I'm just kind of geeking out over it. But hey, I'm a nerd, its what I do. 

Who Wants To Learn Japanese? My best study tools

Ever since I started learning Japanese, I've had to do it on my own. My friend introduced me to the Hiragana alphabet and a few simple phrases, but I've had to learn everything else myself. I haven't taken a Japanese language class yet, but I am planning on it when I go back to school.

So how have I been learning these past four years? Well, its been off and on. But I own this great work book, Japanese from Zero! book one from YesJapan. It teaches hiragana to you slowly so that you learn over time, while incorporating new phrases, grammar, and cultural facts. I would definitely recommend using the Japanese from Zero! series. It consists of four workbooks. One for the Hiragana Alphabet, one for the Katakana alphabet, and two for the Kanji alphabet. If you're wondering why you need two books to teach kanji, it has over 2,000 symbols. Before I used Japanese from Zero!, I had been using Japanese Demystified which was a bit harder for me to use. It incorporated kanji near the beginning which was a bit harder for me to understand. I think people could still learn a lot from this book, but I don't know how well it works for beginners who are learning for the first time.

Aside from book work, I also really like the Kanabattle app. Kanabattle is a great matching game to learn hiragana and katakana. But what I use more these days is the Japanese Listening Practice Easy Japanese app. Its made by NHK Radio Japan. I love listening it to it in the car. It teaches me what I don't learn from Japanese from Zero!. The listening app is only half of the program though. There's also more reading to it. The lessons aren't just audio, but are also written as well. The other half is an app with all the lessons for reading. I didn't use this one as much, so I eventually deleted this, But if you are a reading person more than a listening person, go look up Learn Japanese NHK-Nihongo. 

KanaBattle                                                                          NHK Radio Japan

Hope this helps all of you Japanese learners!

Japanese Product Review: Hello Kitty Pink Hot Chocolate Mix

I went to World Market awhile ago, and I found this Hello Kitty pink hot chocolate mix. I was pretty hesitant to try it. I mean, I don't usually buy my food products from Hello Kitty, and second, I was pretty sure hot chocolate should stay brown and chocolaty. But you know, I figured that it was white chocolate. No exactly my favorite, but it was still tempting.

Basically, long story short, I ended up buying it. I read the instructions and it seemed to be no fancy directions, just add hot water. So I did. The result was not exactly what I was expecting. I thought it would have turned a darker shade of pink, but it was actually a very light pastel. Very pretty, and also very sweet; definitely had to be white chocolate. (Looking back, I can't believe I was still hoping for cocoa.)

Overall, it wasn't gross, but I didn't like it that much either. Maybe I'm being biased because I don't like white chocolate that much to begin with, but it was a fun product to try out, and it does look pretty. So if you're planning some kind of pink winter party, this might be something for you to try. Other than that, I'd only recommend it if you like white chocolate and are feeling adventurous.

Manga Moment: Shiawase Kissa Sanchoume

So here's a manga that isn't well known, but one that I absolutely adore. Shiawase Kissa Sanchoume. Also known as Happy Cafe. Its about sixteen year-old Uru and her adventures at her part-time job at Bonheur, a pastry cafe. Even though she's small and she looks like an elementary school kid, she has super strength. Her co-workers Shindou and Ichiro make work interesting for her. Ichiro with his randomness, while Shindou, the second in command, keeps them all on task.

There is definitely some fluff, and it is overall a cute little manga series. However, if you are looking for romance, I suggest looking elsewhere. This manga is more comedy, with a hint of romance. Seriously, I mean it when I say HINT. Kou Matsuzuki makes you sure of that. Romance is hinted at all the time, but most of it is just build up. Uru doesn't actually realize her feelings for anyone until the final book. So if you are looking for a romance novel, look elsewhere. But if you're looking for something cute and funny, this is what you want to read.

Personally, this is one of my favorites. Uru is absolutely adorable, and she's pretty blind when it comes to love. She's always thinking about others, and like most manga protagonists, she brings people together. I highly recommend this manga. Just saying. I can't stress how much I enjoyed reading this. I laughed a lot and Happy Cafe made my day countless times. I hope you'll read it and maybe it will make yours too.

-Cami

Welcome To My Blog!

Hey guys! Welcome to my blog! Ok, I know I know, weeaboos get a pretty bad reputation. Let's just get a few things straight.

1. No I don't want to become Japanese.

2. Yes, I want to go to Japan.

3. I am also an Otaku.

4. I am learning Japanese, but no, I am not in any way fluent.

5. I love Japanese culture, not just the anime, but the entire culture, the religion, Buddhist temples, the shrines, festivals. Both the modern and ancient parts of the culture. All of it interests me.

6. I do not say "kawaii" often, rarely ever.

So here's how I define weeaboo. A weeaboo is someone who is a total nerd when it comes to Japan. They study the language and the culture, someone who wants to go to Japan. They are not always idiots, who believe that if they say a bunch of Japanese words and watch a lot of anime, makes them ready to face Japan. They don't always bring Japan into conversation or constantly talk about Japan. But it still is a big part of their life.

For me, you might find me practicing my hiragana or katakana (two of the three Japanese alphabets), but I'm not someone who acts really weird or uses Japanese words all the time that no one will understand.

Anyway, this blog will have everything from manga to Japanese culture. Hope you like it. :)

-Cami