Hideki Matsuyama rallies to win Hero World Challenge in playoff
NASSAU, Bahamas — Hideki Matsuyama ended his season the way he started it, winning the Hero World Challenge on Sunday when he closed with an 8-under 64 and then hit 9-iron to 2 feet for birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat Alex Noren. Matsuyama, who began the year by setting a PGA Tour record to par by winning at Kapalua, holed out from 116 yards in the 10th fairway for eagle that allowed…
Before the final round of the Hero World Challenge, Tiger Woods offered a specific challenge to Hideki Matsuyama: Shoot 10 under and you’ll win this thing. Matsuyama didn’t quite get there, but he got close: Nine under par on 19 holes, a final-round 64 plus a birdie on the first playoff hole, enough to edge out Alex Noren and beat out a star-studded Hero field. “Tiger is my idol,” Matsuyama said…
“1-nen A-gumi no Monster (The Monster of 1st Grade Class A)” manga series vol. 15 cover by Hideki
A Private Girls’ High is a special school nurturing young maidens to be graceful, delicate intellectuals. Except that class 1-A, infamously known as the “Class of Monsters,” is full of bullies, blackmailers, scheming sadists, and other trouble makers. Within a week, every teacher who has taught this class has either quit, resigned, or even been imprisoned. However, the plain-looking Jimi Tarou shall carve out his name to become a legendary teacher.
Hideki Matsuyama leads European Ryder Cup stars at BMW PGA Championship
VIRGINIA WATER, England — Hideki Matsuyama made two eagles in shooting 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over a trio of European Ryder Cup players after the second round of the BMW PGA Championship on Friday. Viktor Hovland (66), Ludvig Åberg (69) and Justin Rose (66) were leading the pursuit of Matsuyama in their last event before the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black from Sept. 26-28. There are 11…
“The Monsters of Class A First Years (1-nen A-gumi no Monster)” series by Hideki is on cover of the upcoming Comic Rex issue 10/2025
School Drama about a plain looking teacher being assigned to a high school class of problematic teenage girls. Driven by the determination to educate them despite their nasty attitudes, he endures their bullying.
Kuriosum: EDEKA vs. TUI Cruises – Wenn ein Buchstabe die Welt spaltet!
Ach, die Juristen! Wenn ihnen mal die großen Probleme ausgehen, finden sie eben neue. Und was wäre besser, als ein ausgewachsener Markenstreit, der den Atem der ganzen Branche (oder zumindest der, die davon lesen) anhalten lässt? Diesmal im Ring: Der Lebensmittelgigant EDEKA und der Kreuzfahrt-Titan TUI Cruises. Der Zankapfel? Ein winziger Buchstabe. Man fragt sich wirklich: Wer keine Probleme…
Time to take a step away from the World Masterpiece Theater classics and into one that I’m jumping into blind-folded. Let’s go through my usual scanning process and…
*5 minutes later*
Wait, wait, wait! Let me get this straight. There’s an anime that’s essentially the Blues Brothers. It was licensed by ADV and voiced by the holy trinity of voice actors; Greg Ayres, Luci Christian, and Chris Patton.
AND is directed by Shinichi “Nabeshin” Watanabi who also makes frequent appearances just like in Excel Saga?! This fucking guy?! Where the fuck have I been the last 19 years?
We’ve got the loud brother Hideki, the stoic brother Ichiro, and their vain cousin Mako. They run a daikon radish farm together. But these three have bigger dreams like one day opening up a concert hall where they can perform for big crowds with their band the Nerima Daikon Brothers. However, money has always been an issue. And they don’t have much to start on their dreams. Sometimes, they do things that aren’t right or kosher, hell or legal. They gotta get that money one way or another. They borrow money from the ATM, get a snappy song in the process, but end up broke in the end. They rent items from a man whose face we don’t see, but it’s totally Nabeshin. They save the day with those rentals, but end up blowing it one way or another.
There’s also a panda that’s there. It’s a Nabeshin anime, you’re going to get a cute animal. Just be happy the main characters aren’t going to try and eat it like in Excel Saga.
BETWEEN THE…
Nope. And you know why. Say it with me now! “FUCK THE SUB, THIS SHIT’S GOT CHRIS PATTON!” If this is a 90’s or 2000’s anime and licensed by ADV Films, chances are it’s going to star Luci Christian, Greg Ayres, and/or Chris Patton. In this anime’s case, it’s got all three doing the top billing. Now hold on a minute everyone, you have to remember that this anime is a musical. And when I mean musical, the cast sings. And when I mean the cast sings, the entire cast sings. And when I mean…you know where I’m going with this. English cast sings. But it’s a silly anime. This is the company that dubbed Excel Saga after all. It can be forgiven if you hate it. I personally don’t hate it.
And now for the unfortunate part to this portion of the review. This anime is currently in license limbo. As we all know, ADV Films died out years ago. Shortly after, FUNimation licensed this gem. But soon after let the license expire. And no one has it for streaming. Not Crunchyroll, not Hidive, not even Retro Crush. You would think that Sentai would have nabbed this one up or Crunchyroll would have aired it like it did with Ghost Stories and Excel Saga. Oh well! Here’s what you might recognize these folks from.
JAPANESE CAST: *Hideki is played by Shigeru Matsuzaki
*Ichiro is played by Shoutarou Morikubo (known for Shikamaru on Naruto, Bartolomeo on One Piece, Kisaki on Tokyo Revengers, Zagred on Black Clover, and Iwata on Excel Saga)
*Mako is played by Ayano Niina (known for Mammon on Umineko)
ENGLISH CAST: *Hideki is played by Greg Ayres (known for Kaoru on Ouran HSHC, Sunohara on Clannad, Kouji on My Hero Acadmia, Nagisa on Free!, Negi on Negima, Hiro on Ef – A Tale of Memories, and Nishinoya on Haikyuu)
*Ichiro is played by Chris Patton (known for Greed on FMA, Asura on Soul Eater, Hajime on Ghost Stories, Sato on Welcome to the NHK, Oikawa on Haikyuu, Yuuichi on Kanon, and Ayato on Diabolik Lovers)
*Mako is played by Luci Christian (known for Hiro on Fruits Basket 2019, Wrath on FMA, Truth on FMA: Brotherhood, Nami on One Piece, Alois on Black Butler II, Yukari on Azumanga Daioh, and Huni on Ouran HSHC)
DISLIKED CHARACTER: I know that one of the brothers is a host at a certain kind of club. But I was just really uncomfortable watching the scenes in the first episode involving a “hot dog”. So for that reason alone, the production company guy. No. Just no to this guy! This guy got what was coming to him. Phrasing!
SHIPPING: I’ll keep my mouth shut about the whole she’s your cousin thing. Because at this point of my watching anime (non) career, it’s moot due to all of the incest I’ve watched. Plus, this is a Nabeshin production. It’s all wacky if not over-the-top-raunchy.
Although, I could do without so much of the panda love. Don’t get me wrong, I love hearing Chris Patton singing about the panda. I’m losing credibility with every word I write here.
But yeah, there’s a lot of cousin love and panda love here. Hideki loves Mako and goes over the top to declare his love for Mako in nearly every episode. As for Mako, she loves her other cousin Ichiro. Ichiro kinda dodges everything in life with the blasé attitude he’s known for. Ichiro even goes above and beyond by singing a song that describes how he’s not interested in Mako. I seriously had Chowder x Panini vibes watching that moment.
But then, there’s this police woman that’s always on the brother’s tail. Yukika has a thing for Ichiro much like Mako does. And they do fight over him. But Yukika also has a small thing for that fucking panda. See?! What did I tell you about the panda love in this show?!
ENDING: In the final couple of episodes, there was a bit of a split in the brothers. Hideki was getting suckered by this weirdo wearing a pot. This guy wants the deed to the Nerima Daikon farm. Meanwhile, Mako is getting suckered by another weirdo who wants the deed to the daikon farm. And this…Ugh…
And this ladies and gentlemen is Yuukel Hakushon. Yes, he has a Picasso face. Yes, he’s dressed like Peter Pan. Yes, his nose comes off more than once. Yes, there are zombies dancing next to him. So yes, he is the quintessential character you throw in mid-2000s shows to make fun of Michael Jackson. I can’t even begin to tell you how much all of those jokes bugged the shit out of me. And I shouldn’t talk as I did make a lot of jokes surrounding the man back in the day. But watching it so many times really did annoy me. The only exception to all of that was Mr. Jefferson on South Park. That episode is just iconic.
Okay, Mike McFarland did a good job voicing this guy. Pearl point for him.
Back to the ending. With Hideki and Mako gone, Ichiro has been lonely and worried about the fate of not only the farm, but his relationship with his brother and cousin. But the plan for pothead and Jacko rip-off to get the farm diplomatically went right out the window when a flying city hall comes in and zaps them. The prime minister of Japan comes in and is ready to take the Nerima brother’s farm. He wanted those two underlings to do it, but now it’s time for this guy to get serious.
We’re at the finale and I’m expecting something absolutely bat-shit, off the wall, crazy to happen. Nabeshin was the one who did give us that final episode of Excel Saga after all. Compared to Excel Saga, it was pretty tame. Don’t get me wrong, everything about this show is what I expect to come from Nabeshin’s brain (and afro). The prime minister sent everything to try and keep the brothers down and just take their property. There was even a final fight against the prime minister’s cronies versus Hideki, Mako, Ichiro, a horde of pandas, the random dancers you see when a character goes to an ATM, and even, yes, Nabeshin. Just like in every episode up to this point, Nabeshin gives the trio something to combat whatever they’re fighting. This time, it’s a microphone. Once more, they get a rental from a guy who’s mental and save their asses.
They were able to get rid of the prime minister and his cronies. And they were able to turn everyone back to normal after the prime minister used a weird ray turning everyone into lions. However, the stage Hideki, Ichiro, and Mako built on the farm was destroyed. Their dream of having a stage and sing the blues will be fulfilled one day. They’re just going to continue chasing the dream and harvesting daikon in the meantime.
Holy shit, this was indeed something. First of all, I’m thrilled that this anime’s finale wasn’t as balls-to-the-wall crazy like Excel Saga. Though, I think Nabeshin got in trouble with Excel Saga’s finale that this time it had to be tame. By the looks of this, you think I’m going to give this a full speed ahead recommendation here. Not so fast, pal! You have to know what you’re getting into otherwise face being gobsmacked with the WTF.
If you are a fan of the 1980’s classic The Blues Brothers, keep an open mind. This is an anime after all. The cast isn’t going to have the voices that match Akroyd or Belushi. Second, this is by all accounts a musical. Characters are going to break out and sing at any moment. There are several songs per episode. Not everyone is a fan of that. Third, Nabeshin animes are an acquired taste. It can be nonsensical, inside-y jokey, and parody.
With all of that said, it’s your call to make if you want to watch it. And it’s also the internet’s call if you can find it as this series is currently not streaming anywhere and the DVD might be out of print after so much time.
I know that Chobits is just fan services but there is a few eerie moments which questions what it means to be human. Yeah it was a little strange with the subplot of marrying a persocom. But the ending where Hideki (The main) is made to face that Chi can’t be both Chi and be subject to physical intimate relations. Does he care enough about keeping what makes Chi, Chi. Or does he want to merely please himself. Is she more then just a tool?
In the end its more important that he has his friend. And for such a fan service manga that did hit alot more harder then it was suppose to.
I’m rereading it and still have a fair few thoughts and feelings that haven’t taken shape yet.
I’ve got so much lore for this dude. So I’ll throw in some info here and there
This is Mizuko as an adult but later he goes by Hideki.
“Mizuko” isn’t really his name but more like how others refer to him. It basically is a Japanese term for an aborted, stillborn or miscarried baby. Later on Kokushibo gives him the name Hideki.
“What–? What brought this on? Enkidu–” Hideki’s hands flailed as he tried to even comprehend where this train of thought had come from. “Don’t they hang out with Grim’s slimes?!”
“If you’re mad, why don’t you use your anger? Beat me at least once.” @ hideki from Yesod.
“Remember you asked for it.”
Hideki might remember the years he was conscripted for as a vague blur, but his body sure doesn’t. Once he gets out of his own way? He’s vicious in a way that makes it clear why Enkidu was intrigued.
