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stencilled) wrote2010-07-24 02:06 am
Kame ~ Love ~ post: part one
This is my tribute to the KAT-TUN Summer of Love Post. My topic of focus: The 'K' - Kamenashi Kazuya (aka Kame, Kame-chan and Turtle Boy). I've been working on it for two weeks now and it turned out kinda long because character-analysis got in the way, but who cares--where Kame's concerned, more is always less!
If you don't like Kame, then I don't understand you please skip this post.
If you're just curious about Kame or as to why his fans are so crazy in general about him, then be warned to expect flaily, biased fangirling. This is how we Kame stans roll.
If you do like Kame, then you pretty much know how it goes and may proceed without caution.
25 Reasons Why I (and everyone else should) Love Kame
1. His voice
I have to begin with Kame's voice because that's what made me notice him in the first place. The first KT song I ever heard was DUES and, surprise, surprise, I loved Jin's "Hell yeah." And then I listened to Real Face and Kame's opening lines struck a cord in me. No, seriously, I went still and replayed it. Even now when I hear it, I'm so awed for some reason. I just really, really love his voice. Whenever I hear KT songs, it's his voice that always makes my ears 'perk up,' so to speak. I'm aware that he's not the best singer, but that doesn't matter. For me, he has the best voice. There's this distinct raspiness to it, this rough, gritty texture that really appeals to me. It's kind of like crunchy peanut-butter -- a little thick and textured but still very smooth. And it's not just his singing voice, but his speaking voice too. It's low and deep (unless he's hyper and it gets really high) and incredibly attractive. Here's Kame singing acapella while being simultaneously cool and cute his natural self:
God, I love Kame's laugh. Just seeing him laugh makes me smile so wide it hurts. Like right now, while I type out these very words, I'm smiling just thinking about it. Usually Kame's so contained and self-aware (don't want to say self-conscious because that makes him sound insecure which I don't think he is nowadays) but when he laughs, he just lets go and gives his all into the moment which is rare for a celebrity. And I love that his amusement is so great that it can't be contained in his body. I love that his body shakes with it, like it's trying to burst free. His foot stomping, hop-clap sequence is so lovable, I just aklhakdhsjkh. He's just so open in these moments and it makes me relieved to know that despite all the stress in his life, he can still smile and laugh so freely. His smile is really easy to read too. Like when he's really amused, his eyes squint and almost disappear because he's smiling so wide that his cheeks have pushed them closed. But if he's smiling for the camera in a photo-shoot etc., his smile will still be beautiful, but his eyes will be open. And then there are the noises he makes when laughing. He has that high-pitched-on-helium giggle, and the deep, throaty chuckle. I love both. Sometimes though, he doesn't even make any sounds, as if he's so overwhelmed that he can only gasp for air. If Kame's voice was the siren that made me notice him, then his laugh is what made me love him. This is the first video of Kame I ever saw and it stole my heart in an instant:
3. His looks
You knew this was coming. If Kame's laugh made me love him, his beauty kept my eyes glued to him. No one can deny that Kame is beautiful, unless you're blind, in which case you're excused. Even with his ever-evolving hairstyles, Kame never stops looking amazing. His perfectly groomed eyebrows are iconic, so much so that a Korean interviewer asked about them. He has a small, oval face and adorable chubby cheeks and the cutest :-} lips and monkey ears. Even when he was under-weight, he still looked so good. It's kind of infuriating, actually (well, no, not really since it's Kame and I ♥ him). But like, even in all his papa pics, he looks like a model. He looks good with a scruff too and makes the coolest nerd. And I love his crooked nose. He could have gotten it fixed so easily but I'm so happy that he didn't. This simple imperfection makes him all the more perfect and shows his confidence in himself and his appearance. But I think what makes Kame even more attractive in my eyes is his story. His whole 'ugly-duckling growing into a beautiful swan' story which I discovered after I had gaped over his photos, and made me look at him in a new, and even more appreciative light. I'm sure that Kame's still a bit insecure about his looks because I don't expect that the scars of being labeled the ugly one while being surrounded by pretty JE boys ever fades completely (not that I know from personal experience). But I'm sure Kame gained a lot of satisfaction after witnessing the O_o';; reactions of people who had once called him ugly I'm looking at you, Nishikido Ryo. Just look at what he's become now:
4. His cuteness
What I find really adorable about Kame is that he's so unaware of just how insanely adorable he is. He always tries to give off a cool image, and sometimes he does, but mostly, Kame's just. really. really. really. cute. Like when he uses baby talk. And gets paranoid and starts groping his chest. Or does his :3 smile. He was also incredibly cute as a kid. He makes the cutest expressions when scared or surprised, not to mention his hysterical screams when riding a roller coaster. Plus he makes a really cute school girl and his alien-rabbit face is love. As are his tiger paws. And when he dresses as a maid. The list is never-ending really, so I'll summarize with this video I want to squish him so bad and never let go:
5. His fail
So Kame's fail ties in with his cuteness because Kame's really cute when he fails. Like sometimes he'll get so embarrassed and get this "I can't believe I just did that look" on his face and then quickly proceed to hide in shame by: a) using his hands as a shield, b) using a napkin/handkerchief, c) running walking away, d) all of the above, or e) curling into a little ball like a pill bug. Option e) is my personal favourite, but sometimes he just hangs his head in defeat which is really cute too. I sound like a sadist saying this, but I really love watching Kame fail because it brings out teh cuuute. Sometimes though, I'll feel second-hand embarrassment for him because I sympathize with him so much. He just visibly tries so hard that at times it's painful to watch his plans fall apart. But like his broken nose, Kame's fails--whether it be in his drawings, sports activities, his lame jokes and KY anecdotes, or when he forgets to zip up--just make him all the more human and likeable. And a here's a vid where Kame fails and resorts to option e):
Again, this is a sub-category of his cuteness. I just find it hilarious that even though Kame is really busy, he still finds the time to insert 61 emojis in his jweb entries. It's like a compulsive habit for him: for every word, insert at least 3 emojis. What's even funnier is that he'll annoy others by not replying back with even a one word text because he doesn't think his response is needed, but he'll never stop with the emojis because THEY ARE IMPORTANT, YO. Oh, Kame. I love his skewed sense of priority.
7. His dorkiness
A lot of people see Jin as the baka of the group. I partly disagree. I think that they're all bakas; Jin's just really obvious about it. Kame though... Kame's been keeping his inherent silliness hidden for so long. But recently, his control has been slipping and we've been getting glimpses of his bakaness in almost everything he does. I think Koki says it best: "Everyone has the image of Kame as 'adult-like' or 'reliable/level headed' no? But you know, alas, when you look properly, he is quite a baka (laugh). It's not at all a level headed person! (laugh). He could suddenly become a brat. well, he's a man who will do what he has to do when he has to, so I think it's definitely OK (that he's a brat). KAT-TUN members understands all of Kame's characters.” I love how Kame's been showing this side of himself to his fans more often now too. It shows that he trusts his fans more, that he knows we won't support him any less just because he's not as cool as he wants us to believe. It also shows how much more comfortable and lenient Kame has become in regards to himself and his image. Surprisingly, Kame's dorkiness screams of self-confidence and that, as I've said before, is very attractive. Here is Kame and his dorky imitations:
And here's the forever classic MC!Kame:
Previously, this would have been 'his need to please,' but Kame's past that stage now and that makes me so happy. Kame will never stop being a major crowd-pleaser though; he just really loves entertaining others and this trait of his becomes a huge asset for his job as an idol. It's because of his desire to please that he poll-danced on demand even though he really didn't want to. He's also given fans so much drool-worthy fanservice. He changed his hair (after getting over his rebellious phase) because fans didn't like it and now consults them if it's okay to change it, and even apologizes when it goes wrong. That's huge, the fact that he listens to what his fans want, even for something so personal. Kame gives more to his fans then many other idols do and I love him for this. In the past, when he tried so viciously hard to please that he appeared fake, I loved him then too. I don't really mind if it was a facade. He put his all into his job at such a young age to please his fans. I can't be disappointed with that. I can only admire him for it. Now have some pole-dancing Kame:
9. His romantic soul
The KT members have said that Kame is the romantic one and it really shows in Kame's songs and performances and the fact that he reads shoujo mangas and takes candle-lit baths. I'll begin with Kizuna, which according to Kame is a love song. It's not about blatant, in-your-face love, but the subtle, enduring kind. And I think that really reflects Kame's sentimental nature. Like the leather wrist band he's had since he was chibi!Kame. And the infamous rainbow necklace (which he stopped wearing since people began copying him), and the way he cries after watching sad films. He's the type who gets attached to things, the emotional sort. And all his other solos: Sixteen Seconds, Someday for Somebody, w/o Notice, 1582, Aishiteru Kara and Sweet. They're all about love. Sweet, 1582 and w/o Notice have all been written by 'N' (a pen-name), who Kame has as good as revealed as himself, so those romantic lyrics are coming from him. I think 1582, which is about desperate, all-consuming love and loyalty speaks strongly about Kame's character as well. Kame gives 100% into everything he does, and when he falls in love, I'm certain that he'll submerge himself in the feeling, not to the point where it will interfere with his career since he's too professional to bring his private life into the spotlight, but to the point that I'm willing to bet that his important person will never doubt his love. In Kame's own words: "'To live for someone' is an extremely serious thing to say, but life I think is about being able to give something to someone." He was also obsessed with forbidden love as a kid and recently, the words he wants to say at least once in his life are "please marry me!" And to end with something sweet, when asked about the 3 places he would go on a date, Kame's answer was: "No. 3: place that the girl wants to go; No. 2: place that the girl wants to go; No. 1: Beach" ---> cue the awww's. The man deserves them.
10. His ero-ero-ness
Again, Koki says it best: Kame has that “childish angelic smile, but also has some devilish charisma.” To simplify, Kame's cute, but he's also sexy. This should be pretty self-explanatory, but here's a video anyways for the non-believers:
11. His love for animals
First off, who hasn't seen Kame with otters? You're missing out if you haven't. I think we all agree that the sweetest part of the otter video is when Kame, without any concern for germs, casually chews the otters' food so that it's easier for them to eat. I would say that's one of Kame's cool moments. The rest is all cute. And then there's Kame with his dog Ran who he likes to carry on his shoulders. There's also Kame with a gang of puppies that drool over him and Kame with a chiwawa. But it's not only wan-chans. Nyan-nyans follow him around too. If Kame wasn't destined to be an idol or a baseball player, he'd probably become a zookeeper since he loves animals so much. To conclude: Kame + animals = akhakjhsjkjha *melts like Koki in the vid below*
Kame is so malleable in terms of how he interacts with different people. With his seniors, he'll act as the spoiled baby brother and they'll get along splendidly. With his juniors, he'll act as the older-brother-mentor figure and they'll also get along splendidly. And with toddlers, he'll become a pal and his childish side will be drawn out. I love how even though Kame's schedule is really hectic, he still sets aside time to play with his niece. I love how he'll be easily sucked into a childish hula-hoop contest with her, and instead of letting her win like most adults would, he'll try his hardest to come out on top but still lose in the end. I love how he loves showing his affection in kisses. And I love how his niece calls him chuu-chuu-nii. And here's a video that shows how Kame becomes a mother around babies (warning: heart-melting cuteness ahead):
13. His pickiness when it comes to food
It's not so much Kame's pickiness that I love, but more the "ewwwww" expressions he makes unless he's being polite when talking about the many foods not to suiting his palat: tomatoes, dried fruits, pickled ginger and especially pickled plums. Kame's reasoning as to why: "I just don't understand them." Considering how logical and practical Kame always seems to be, it's good to know that he too has his own eccentricities. But I love watching Kame eat the foods that he enjoys too, like squid:
14. His gracefulness
For a guy, Kame is pretty graceful--that is, he's pretty and graceful. See for yourselves:
15. His naivety & hands-on personality
As worldly as Kame may seem, given his chosen profession, he still retains some innocence. Like when he mentioned that he holds hands with guys as well as girls to convey his passion in the conversation, which to rest of KT was a huge no-no. Kame's a tactile person. He likes to touch. Considering that he plays such a physical sport like baseball and grew up rough-housing with three brothers, it's not a big surprise. It's through physical contact that Kame expresses himself, whether it be in kisses delivered to his niece, a hug of support or a slap of annoyance or a grope. And I find the way that Kame is so natural in his touches, as if they're made subconsciously, extremely endearing especially since many guys have issues about physical contact.
Kame to me is such a great actor because his expressions feel so real. When I watch his dramas, I sense that he has connected with his role even though that role may be vastly different than his real self. And that's not just my bias speaking; Kame must have been incredibly involved in his role as Ryu to have cried so hard that his nose started dribbling and had to be CG-ed. But other than Ryu, Kame has adopted a variety of personas—including the flirty Kindachi, the snobby-but-secretly-insecure Shuuji, the desperately-in-love Hiroto, the hyperactive Kousaku and just recently, the angry-and-in-denial Kyouhei etc.—and I was able to believe them all. The fact that Kame enjoys acting and immersing himself in different roles also makes him more believable as an actor. But it's not just on screen, Kame's great at putting on a mask on stage as well--literally in regards to his 1582 performance. And I'm going to sound like an S again (in my defense, Kame's one too!), but I really like Kame's crying scenes because I feel that he really gets the right emotions across, like he actually looks like he's crying instead of simply laughing and moaning. For example, the heart-breaking scene below (warning: minor spolier for Yamanade):
17. His leadership skills
KT is the second idol group I've ever followed. Super Junior, the used-to-be-13-member-group kpop group, is the first. Of course I still fangirl over Suju, but when I transitioned to KT, I would always see comments saying how hard Kame had it being the leader of the group—and then I would roll my eyes, since leading a six-member group seemed like nothing when compared to Leeteuk keeping check of a group with twice as many members. But then I noticed the difference. When something within SuJu goes wrong, Leeteuk takes the blame, and when something goes right, he also receives most of the credit, especially from the members themselves. Kame, however, carries most of the blame for the group, but seeing as he's the unofficial leader, he isn't recognized with the same fervour for all the success he brings. And considering that Kame is the youngest of the members and the volatile personalities of KT, I can now fully appreciate how hard Kame has it playing the leader. Just thinking about how he was able to carry the group during KT's debut days, even with all the hate being thrown at him, from the both fans and his own members, makes me incredibly proud of him. He didn't crumble from the pressure; he learned from it. As surprising as it seems, Kame isn't a natural born MC. In fact, he used to be the shy boy in the pink pajamas, sitting in the back to avoid the camera. Now, though, he's grown into quite the comfortable conversationalist and winks directly at the camera. Like pressure turning carbon into diamond, pressure turned Kame into a star. Maybe it's because he's been playing baseball since his childhood, but Kame has always struck me as a real team player. For example, when he's usually the one to initiate high-fives with KT. Kame knows the value of his group and supports them, as shown by how he juggles his solo work with trying to promote KT. Like during his NwP days; he only agreed to debut in StA because he believed that doing so would boost KT's popularity and push them towards a faster debut--as a team. He has never expressed any desire to leave his group and other than his great MC-ing ability, I believe that it's this strong loyalty to KT that makes Kame such a great unofficial leader. Here's a vid where Kame's literally running back and forth between his role in StA and his role as a KT member it's kinda sad since Kame was really under-weight during this time:
18. His love of baseball
I love, love, love watching Kame play baseball, his true love--and considering that I'm not very into sports, as in I don't really care to watch or play them, that says a lot. It's not just to watch the pretty (see #14: Kame is pretty), but more so to watch the happy. Kame playing baseball has always been bittersweet. Whenever I watch him play his heart out on the diamond, I wonder if he'd be happier being a baseball player than an idol, because that's what Kame would have done if he hadn't entered JE--that or something related to sports. I can't imagine him working in an office cubicle; he's more of a physical guy and he's much too adventurous for it. But I'm just glad that Kame's job as an idol gives him the freedom to partake in his favourite pastime, even as a part of his work. To say it simply, seeing Kame happy makes me happy. And I love that narrow-eyed, intense look he gets when pitching, not to mention his little victory gestures. I also love watching the rare moments when he starts showing off, since Kame's usually so modest. And I love it when Kame starts fanboying over his favourite players and starts geeking out in variety shows by using baseball jargon that goes completely over the host's head. Not that I really understand the terminology either (baseball n00b), and even if I did, I'd be too distracted by the happy, the pretty and the voice to really pay any attention. But baseball isn't Kame's only love. He also flirts with tennis, golf and surfing, and I love watching Kame surf too--but for a different reason. While Kame + baseball = happiness, Kame + a wetsuit = blood-loss. I think I'll leave it at that. And here's an awesome fanvid highlighting Kame's baseball moments--it's sure to make you smile:
19. His perviness
Kame's a total pervert when it comes to girls: when he was a boy, he put all his efforts into flipping up girls' skirts or trying to fix his TV just so he could watch porn; he brought dirty magazines as a gift when Junno was in the hospital; he's distracted by dirty jokes to the degree that that they fill his head and slip into his speech; he named his dogs Ran and Jelly which together make 'lingerie'; his heart races when he sees girls in uniforms; seeing a girl in casual clothes makes him fantasize about being in her room; he makes suggestive faces and gestures when hula-hooping in a room full of old ladies; he gets excited when inside a shop for female undergarments; and recently he's been keeping track of how many women around him wear pantyhoses vs. bare legs (currently, to Kame's displeasure, it's 90% for the pantyhoses). Kame's pervy habits shouldn't have been such a shock when I first found out since, after all, he is a young a male (sorry for the generalization folks), but Kame's so polite and well-behaved 99.9% of the time that I was a bit surprised. Now I kinda like it (le gasp), because it's a hilarious contrast to Kame's other character traits. And sometimes his perviness can be cute, like when he says oppa ~ ~ Or acts like a girl, which he can pull off pretty well and thus makes me wonder how closely and how much time he must spend observing them. Kame, you perv!
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