Power and Responsibility

Recent developments have caused me to post this here, because this is the only place that I can do so where it will be able to be viewed and everything can be connected together clearly so that any confusion is removed completely...

Good Morning KnT members,

On July 3rd 2006, I came to this forum after running into Best Chemistry on Japan Reference, in the Chiaki Kuriyama Thread that was started by Chiaki_Fan. Best Chemistry and I talked there and she mentioned this board, and I mentioned Zanlius' Chiaki Kuriyama Fandom, as well as his Chiaki Kuriyama Yahoo Group. Best Chemistry invited me to this forum and on the above noted day, I came here and made my first post.

Best Chemistry and Admin, have seen that I posted in a number of specific areas related to the movie Kill Bill. At that time, Lucy Liu, did not have her own page, so I added comments about her and her character of O-Ren, to the Chiaki Kuriyama thread. In a private message and in a few of the Kill Bill related threads, KnT members were made aware that I was writing a series of books for publication that would flesh-out, and follow-up on the Kill Bill movies. I sent a private message to Best Chemistry asking her to read some of what I had written, and she graciously accepted and then gave me her opinions on what I had written.

In the meantime, I continued to post in the Chiaki Kuriyama thread and to post results and information pertaining to Chiaki and the Japanese entertainment industry that she came from. What I found, was exactly what I thought and feared. Japanese idols, male and female, have no ability to actually act independently, and? They also receive the smallest percentage of whatever work they do, because their talent agency gets the bulk of the money from everything that they do. I posted these things, which pertained to the subject and the thread, and the universal question of; would Chiaki ever be seen in another Western movie again.

The answer was obvious, no. And I posted as much, and I posted why. But I also posted the fact that it IS POSSIBLE, if someone is willing to cater roles specifically for her to act in, where she speaks her own language and limited amounts of English at best. Conversation in this thread was always deep and dense, because this is the only actress of Japanese origin within the last x-amount of years, to truly generate a desire by Western audiences to see more of her.

During this time, I made it clear that I was more than willing to extend whatever support that I could offer, should my books prove successful. My posting to KnT then dropped dramatically, as it should, so I could pursue the completion of my work, and the daily activities of life. But one thing was always certain; I always dropped by from time-to-time to update my own progress, and talk about whatever I found concerning Chiaki and Japanese entertainment. As I continued to work on my book, I also began posting on threads here for actresses that fit the characters that were to appear in those books. I then wrote brief opinions on why I thought said actress would be suitable to portray whatever character I came up with, and why.

Eventually, I finished both books, made contact with the proper people and got as far as working back and forth with the assistant PR of Uma Thurman. I attempted to get reviews and opinions from several of the actresses and actors from the Kill Bill movie and found that Vivica Fox's agent showed the most interest, as long as I was willing to pay for Vivica Fox reading it. This is the true nature of Hollywood entertainment, money. Somewhere in there is the part about entertainment, but money is first and foremost. So, to study the contrast between American and Japanese entertainment, it became obvious that Chiaki would not be able to cross over into American entertainment at all, without some serious support.

I eventually found out, that Chiaki was/is, actually represented by an American entertainment agency called Crystal Sky Entertainment. Members that remained of the practically dead Chiaki Kuriyama Fandom, pointed out that Chiaki was constantly being rumored to be in a live-action, Hollywood make, of Tekken. Once I found out about Crystal Sky Entertainment, then I found out about why her name kept being circulated on the internet. It was because Crystal Sky was doing the production work for Tekken. The movie Ghost Rider, was also finishing up and eventually was released earlier this year.

Meanwhile, I decided that I would NOT, continue to pursue publication of my books, which surprised some, but not most. Those who had read the unpublished works, especially those in the UK, stated that they were not shocked at all by my decision, because it would be my first literary work, and it would be based on a pre-existing concept, with pre-existing fans. It would not actually be MY BOOK or BOOKS, but they would be continuations of Tarantino's movies. So, after starting all of this in 2005, after much deliberation, I decided to stop all attempts to publish and cease communication with all parties. To do what I had done, was to some, unheard of. I had spent two years of my life, manpower and resources, to research the literary world, as well as the entertainment world, while also screening and getting input from over seven different countries, including Japan. To write two books that were based on Kill Bill, but set solely in Japan.

In that time I talked to approximately 120 Japanese people, maintained over 60 Japanese penpals, contacted numerous agencies in Japan to learn how life is lived in present day Japan, plus visited and spoke with members of the tourism and trade concerning Japan, both there and here in the United States, in Washington DC. All for a pair of books, that now sit on my shelf, possibly, never to see the light of day. During that journey, I commented, posted, bitched, whined, moaned, groaned, laughed, smiled, cursed, traveled and talked to, all kinds of people that have lived in Japan, left from Japan, loved Japan, and hated Japan, to find out more information. All of these things, have been put down in bits and pieces in the Chiaki Kuriyama thread here, and throughout the Chiaki Kuriyama Fandom.

During all of that time, I have been candid, blunt, reserved, impressed, disgusted, humored, horrified and at the same time reminded, that Japan is a diverse country with all kinds of people who live and die in it, but that most of all? They are still just as human as the rest of us, and struggling with the flaws that it means to be human. I have talked to terminally ill Japanese people, who have since died, and I will never be able to speak to them again. I have talked to Japanese people, who hate Americans, and wish we would kindly die. I have had an investigation done, because one of my readers was accussed of carrying on an internet affair with me, by her husband. And, I have had to stop talking to a few people, because they simply could not deal with daily Japanese life, and I had no means to help them... except to listen... till they killed themselves...

All throughout this, I have been wondering what it must be like for Chiaki to be constantly reminded by Japanese press, that she was in the foreign Hollywood film Kill Bill, but has had little to no success in surpassing that role, whether at home, or abroad. So, when I decided not to publish the Kill Bill books, I was instantly hit with my own original idea for a book series. So I got back down to business and started writing a new book called Lady Yoma. I posted a plot synopsis in the Realm of Randomness at the Chiaki Kuriyama Fandom, and use it, as a sort of update area on where I am at. In the meantime, I started re-learning Japanese, and I started getting back in touch with the Japanese people who had been so helpful in my Kill Bill book writing. I started noting what I found in the entertainment industry, as well as the literary industry, and I went back to following up on Chiaki's career in Japan.

I posted a synopsis for Lady Yoma on Chiaki's IMDB page, and Chiaki Kuriyama fans, for what it is worth, stated that they thought it would make a great movie. I created a short screenplay first and began shopping it around. I began reading about the filmaking industry and screenwriting, while continuing to check and see what was going on with Chiaki in Japan. I ran into the first hurdle in regards to the screenplay almost immediately. Two studios wanted to change the characters to White Americans. A third studio was flabbergasted when they found out that I had never even written a screenplay before! So they tried to undercut me so they could keep the idea, and then change it to whatever they wanted. A final studio refused it because they did not know whether an American audience would want to see nothing but People of Color and no White Americans.

None of these things did I post here or the Forum, because they are business sides of entertainment and I don't think it was appropriate then. In the end, my initial assessments of how to do this, were proven right, but most importantly! It was verified to me, by MAJOR HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS, I HAVE TALENT AS A WRITER! AND, as I mentioned, they were interested in my idea, if only to buy it from me and then brutally rape it. Bad visual, but appropriate. So, I went back to writing it as a book. I also went back to writing my progress on the Fandom. I did not return here till recently and when I did? I realized that a year had flown by, and my constant back-and-forth posts, had caused Chiaki's thread to grow to almost 11 pages.

All of the things that I had worked on, thought, found out, looked at? I had been putting them all on this forum and all on the Chiaki Kuriyama Fandom. I have gotten emails, from people I have never met, wishing me luck on this journey. And I have been told by people like Pineapple Soda, my own mother, my sworn brothers, Chrissandra (my lawyer/friend) and people like Saeng and Chen-Jun, people in mainland China, and Taiwan, as well as Japan "You don't fool us. You are doing allllll of this, because of her. You honestly want to help her succeed."

So I came on here... and I posted my thoughts on it. I was so busy working and running and talking to this one and that one? I didn't really stop to think that "Yeah... if Tarantino can cast her for Kill Bill? Why can't I write some books, with her as the lead character. Get them published, and if they do well, they will generate a fanbase. The fanbase will be here in the United States first. If the books are accepted, then people are already admitting that they are willing to see someone Japanese, up on the big screen. I already tried to sell a short screenplay version of it, and Hollywood studios were willing to buy into it, even the ones that wanted to change things around. All of the pieces are in place, all I have to do is keep working. I don't need her to speak English, because Americans have shown with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, they will watch a fully sub-titled movie!"

So, I posted my thoughts here, as I always have, while I worked my ass off in the real world. But never in my wildest dreams would I think that asking one person for their opinion, would turn something that has never been an issue or a problem, into the situation that it has become. Instead of the offer that I was sent to publish Lady Yoma by a new start up publishing company being a good thing that'd just happened over the weekend. I find myself tangled up with Fumi who simply could not leave well enough alone over the last few days, till I finally told her off. Fumi has been on this site long enough to have not missed the fact that I have been coming on here and posting my findings, regarding Chiaki and Japanese entertainment for the better part of a year. So the sudden negative comments from her were totally unexpected, but the real issue became? That Fumi's comments were based on Fumi's opinion, and Fumi's experiences as a non-Japanese, living in isolation from other Americans.

Mind you, the snarky private message that she sent me, really cleared things up on where her mentality comes from. And no, it was NOT an APOLOGY or even an attempt to smooth things over. It was more of her trying to force her views and opinions now that the thread is locked and she can get in and out because she is a moderator. Way to abuse your power Fumi, good job.

So when everything came to a head, I was called everything under the sun, but Fumi has lived in the United States for nearly ten years. Which means that it is not possible to use the "my English is poor" and "I don't really understand that I am insulting you", ploy. Why have I brought this up here? Because Fumi has decided to use her powers as a moderator, to tamper with a thread where Best Chemistry as the owner, locked the thread already and left it as is. But because the thread is left as is, anyone who actually cares can make their own decisions about whether I am being harsh or whether or not Fumi is simply unable to accept that being Japanese, is not enough to make you the abolute authority on Japan. So I would hope that all that you have read prior to this now fits together very neatly. When I wrote my book and knew that the setting was in Japan, I did the proper research and consulted people who are both business oriented in Japan, experts of education and entertainment in Japan, native born, as well as ex-pats, plus non-Japanese living in Japan as well as no longer living in Japan.

I did not arbitrarily sit down and cobble down stereotyped nonsense without speaking to the people who live in the country, with which the book is set in. I also have done extensive work for three years in learning about the difference between Japanese entertainment and American entertainment. I posted about the talent agencies, because I can never get a complete listing of talent agencies! I always get the most popular, but never can get my hands on a complete listing. So while I have done all of this work, and been able to show how it relates to Chiaki and her situation, it has now become a childish dismissal by Fumi trying to use the Race card to validate something she knows nothing about, except through her own personal experiences. Which was already noted, and ignored when she started to belittle the fact that native Japanese have stated what the situation is and some chimed in and told me that Fumi's comments were more than a little concerning.

So Best Chemistry locks the thread, and says lets take a break. The comments on the thread, even the statements made by me, actually tie into the thread. If Chiaki is surrounded by people with a Fumi mentality, then how in the world will she ever be able to reach her full potential when they simply deny-deny-ignore-ignore and then tell her gaman! Meanwhile, Fumi, who is NOT JAPANESE, BY JAPANESE STANDARDS, this is also why the comments by the Native Japanese were so blunt, because they pegged her IMMEDIATELY! So Prisoners comment of them being harsh and telling me to ignore her, is actually THEM, BEING JAPANESE! All of these things give us, as non-Japanese, a chance to ponder on what it must be like to be in Chiaki's shoes. It is food for thought, and it causes you to think, if only about how quickly what we as Westerners saw as a good thing, can quickly become a HUGE PROBLEM for a Japanese person! They can LITERALLY, be STRIPPED OF THEIR IDENTITY by their own country and their own society!

That is not an argument between Fumi and Geese, that is information that shows exactly why we may never see Chiaki in another Western movie, because it isn't just a language or cultural barrier, but too much exposer to Westerners, too much interaction, may cause her own people to say "You are no longer Japanese." Some people can deal with it, some cannot, but the back-and-forth that took place, and Fumi's claims of how I didn't understand, is also a part of Japanese society to and how they view non-Japanese talking about them or making assessments of them, meanwhile! Meanwhile, Fumi's comments in return, showed no consideration or even simple acknowledgment of what I was saying! This is actually a part of the Chiaki thread, as it shows, and as it asks the reader "Is this what Chiaki has to go through?" It allows YOU, whomever you are, to be able to climb into, for that brief moment, the mind of a Japanese person. No, Fumi is NOT the official representative of Japan, but her total inability to even here a word that was being said and insist that unless you do as I say and see as I say, then you sound like a fanboy?

How is Chiaki to handle that kind of situation if this is what is said to her? Accordingly, she is to gaman through it. But then, note what happened when I stated I was working on what I was working on, this to pertains to the thread because Fumi, who was bound and determined to use the fact that she was BORN in Japan, but hasn't LIVED THERE in how long? Fumi then becomes irate and says flatout that "You cannot help her. It is not possible!" meanwhile... uhhhh, didn't Tarantino start this mess!?!?! LOL! Didn't a foreigner, oh wait, then her next comment makes sense when she starts calling me someone who is "forcing her to do this! And America bullies Japan historically!" These things are crucial and her total ignoring of what other Japanese living in Japan, shows what? If we are to honestly buy into Fumi's expressions and adamant rejection of what is said, she is showing us, in her own way, why we do not see Japanese actresses in particular, crossing over, because remember! Beat Takeshi has crossed over, even had a string of movies that were released here in the United States and he got into a production argument with, guess who, TARANTINO! LOL!

Ken Watanabe has crossed over enough so that he was cast in Red Cliffs, which is the Battle of Chi Bi in CHINESE HISTORY and Watanabe Ken is going to play Tsao Tsao (Cao Cao) who is most definitely CHINESE! Bare in mind that in Fumi's snide private message, she reveals the fact that she knows that women in Japan are LIMITED! So behind everyone's back she can admit to me "Okay idiot, you might know a LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT JAPAN! But you still don't get it all!"

These things are a part of that Chiaki Kuriyama thread because they chronicle the Good and the Bad of Chiaki's success in Kill Bill and that being discovered in the West may well be a nightmare more than a dream if she isn't careful! These things should NOT have been deleted, especially when I talked about Bobby and his foolishness, because it shows the climate and environment, of Japanese entertainment and this is where Chiaki works. But can Fumi do that and move on, no. She then deletes everything, especially since it covers elements of how Japan lost WW II and why, as well as the fact that Japanese people delight in having a Black minstrel from Nigeria called Bobby who intentionally coons and acts like the old slave minstrel shows from Vaudeville in America when White Americans dressed up in Blackface and lampooned Black people as lazy, ignorant, scheming and stupid folk.

She now has the audacity to send me a private message and continue to try to force her opinion on me, complete with a laundry list of books that don't have anything to do with anything since my family was there and I have first hand knowledge from them. Is this someone who belongs as a moderator? Someone who can't simply accept that their words have been heard, but that is all they are, their OPINION, and within that opinion, they have gradually insulted me, gradually stereotyped and gradually ignored reality when told that other Japanese don't see it that way at all, fan or not of Chiaki.

Is this your idea of apologizing or trying to mitigate the situation Fumi, and note again, Best Chemistry had locked the thread, she is the owner, she did not delete anything and IF SHE HAD DONE SO? I would understand that because she is the owner AND she was NOT INVOLVED! For Fumi to come along and then after not saying a PEEP FOR NEARLY TEN HOURS!?!? Then have the audacity to post a picture from Keith's Chiaki Kuriyama Shrine AND KEITH IS A FANBOY!!!! I have had to talk with Keith numerous times and Keith actually got chased off of the Chiaki Kuriyama Fandom because of his comments and things that he has posting. How ironic is that? I would like this woman removed from being a moderator. In all of this time throughout all of that Chiaki Kuriyama thread, never once did things degenerate into that mess that happened, in over a year and 12 pages. And just to show how sincere she was about trying to smooth things over, she sent me a laundry list of books about things I already know and then proceeded to turn right back around and start talking to me like I am some sort of stalker, is this how you moderate and resolve things?

Best Chemistry please deal with this matter by removing her as a moderator and deleting her last comment because she sent a private message right after that, that started the entire situation right back up again, since she knows that I can't actually post where people can see her comments. PS; please do not let me be misinterpreted! Yes, I could have sent an email to Best Chemistry, but the very nature of the Chiaki Kuriyama thread, the actress herself, and her unusual situation where facts are facts. The very same display that went on between Fumi and myself, can very easily take place with Chiaki, between Chiaki and her management and without any options, she is stuck. So as one native Japanese told me when they read these comments, and I quoted her, she talked about the fact that Fumi is telling me NOT TO HELP, but at the same time Fumi gets to come and go as she pleases and KNOWS that Chiaki will HAVE TO HAVE HELP, or nothing will happen.

Hello Geesehoward,

so you have posted what you had on mind. let's say things are about reaching an equilibrium stage now, I think it's quite good idea to take it easy for everybody and make a little break for a while.

I won't freeze this topic.

Thank you very much for your time and I have just gotten a formal offer for my book! Like a Star @ heaven

Director Ken Burns is airing on PBS stations a special documentary called The War, that chronicles WW II and the United States Veterans that served in the war against the Axis. It has been a very straight-forward documentary that follows events of WW II while following the lives of those that lived, and those that died, during that time. The Battle of Saipan Island in the Pacific, the Invasion of the Philippeans and the loss of human life, the lack of regard of human life is thoroughly documented and it is interesting to see how he shows that while America was fighting against the supremacist beliefs of Germany and Japan, it had interned Japanese American citizens and continued to deny rights to Black Americans, while "fighting for the freedom" of others.

After much debate, because the documentary has been going on since Sunday. I decided to post this because of the irony of the situation last week and the stark contrast and well known and documented cruelty that POWs faced from the Japanese. One of the men that is recounting his story, survived the initial invasion of the Philippeans and eventual POW status in Japan itself where he was routinely beaten and deprived of even the most basic of humanities on a daily basis.

Those that have been a part of this documetary have been very candid and not gone the PC route of addressing how they felt, how they feel and what they think or thought. In all of it, I got a chance to see Dr. John Hope Franklin, a distinguished Black American scholar whose books I own. He talked about how he went down to the recruitment office in order to sign up and the White recruiter was shocked to see the laundry list of his qualifications, including his Ph. D from Harvard.

They told him "They didn't need him." of course that was after they insulted him for a bit. What was interesting, was his response as he looked at the camera and told Burns and the viewing audience about the fact that "If my own country treated me this way when I was willing to give my life, then since they didn't want me, then they didn't deserve me. And I swore they would never get me."

Narrator Keith David pointed out that "Sure enough. Dr. Franklin would never serve in the US military, and would go on to write some of the most acclaimed pieces of historical literature in American history." Cool

One of the biggest things that I have found interesting, is that the civilians who are a part of this documentary, were deeply involved in the manufacturing of military arms, munitions, etc, back in the States. They openly and very bluntly, hold our government accountable for specific battles where it was clear that American lives were put across as meat-grinding necessities, which was unacceptable to them, since these were men who had familes and wives and children and friends that were either waiting for them to come home, or serving in the War with them. It is a very different thing to hear the letters of these men who were sometimes no older than 21, only to find out that they did not survive the War...

Chiaki wins leather award.

Today is Chiaki's BIRTHDAY! The Lovely Libra turns 23! GO HER! Like a Star @ heaven

Finished Re-write for Chapter 9 and started Chapter 10, but most of the unused portions from the original Chapter 9 can be pushed to chapter 10. Went to a Korean Drama banquet over the weekend, COOL!

I have not written in this section in quite some time, but recent events have compelled me to do so. If you do not know, Chiaki's name has come up as one of the actresses connected to the Sex Scandal involving HK 2nd tier actor, Edisen Chen. Chen has had sex with numerous A-list Hong Kong actresses and videotaped and photographed their sexual encounters. Chen then apparently put them on his laptop.

Well at one point or another, Chen's laptop broke and Chen took it to a repair shop WITHOUT, removing the personal porn that he had created with these actresses. The people fixing the laptop, then downloaded the pics and/or vids, to the internet. Somewhere within all of this, a user named Kira, from the Anime/Manga, Death Note, got a hold of ALL OF THE MATERIAL!

Kira then began systematically downloading the pics/vids and then literally copying the Death Note, Anime/Manga plotline. Meanwhile the video store people have been arrested, but Kira has yet to be apprehended, to my knowledge. In the midst of one of his proclaimations about decency and whatever else he has been ranting, he revealed that he has proof that Chen also slept with Chiaki Kuriyama and taped it.

Why have I posted this here, and why have I restarted this thread? Because quite frankly the irony that I was called some kind of fanboy stalker for sharing my honest opinions and thoughts, as well as discussing what progress I was or was not making with my writing, lo and behold, here comes a real situation, with a VERY REAL fanboy/threat. While I can dismiss this Sex Scandal Incident solely because I am American, and so, am not intimidated by a woman being just as sexual or voyeuristic as a man. I am also looking at the fact that Chiaki's career has been moving horizontally ever since Kill Bill. She has made attempts to turn what she has been given into something worth watching, but these attempts have failed, aside from a few awards for the show Hagetaka, and, whoa the irony. I have a call from Chrissandra, so, this'll have to wait...

Hello Geesehoward,

I think this is a hoax. there will be many like that, I'm affraid.

I don\'t think it is, because he had threatened to post pics prior to when he did, and then he did! It appears to be, at this point, that Kira has been paid off, but I have found during this entire adventure that any of J-idols, AV or not, have been removed IMMEDIATELY, from any and all sites. So somebody is working overtime to cover the J-idols or J-AV Idols, that have had images posted.

It also needs to be pointed out that hoaxes of Chiaki being nude? Sorry, but I\'ve never come across anyone, ANYWHERE, talking about having nude pics of Chiaki as a grown, ADULT, woman. And the only other pics are the VERY REAL, nude pictures of Chiaki, as a GIRL, posing in adult situations and being as naked as a jay-bird in all of its underdeveloped disgust. Again, I\'m not Japanese, so I don\'t find it \"stimulating\" to see a little girl, no matter if she was 11 or 14 or whatever. But in Japanese society, this is acceptable and so be, for THEM!

I have found plenty of people who ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE her to pose nude now that she is an adult, and it quite frankly, ain\'t happening! Much to the chagrin of many a man and woman that I have talked to. But prior to this, NEVER, and I mean, NEVER! Have I come across a hoax of anyone, ANYWHERE, saying \"I got nude Chiaki pics of her within the last 2, 3, years! Let\'s cause some shocking scandal!\"

I would rather have pics from this scandal circulate, then these pics that are everywhere on the net from when she was 11, 12, or whatever. I\'ve heard all kinds of justifications for it, crud about artistic expression and all kinds of other excuses for what is actually just a part of Japanese culture the same way Americans are obsessed with guns. Japan is obsessed with youth, and YOUNG WOMEN. Many a video game, many a Japanese product, has NOT been shipped to the US solely because of the child-like features, themes, etc, of Japanese young girl/youth, fascination. So that\'s my story and I\'m sticking to it. I would rather see pictures of a grown ADULT Chiaki, then these annoying little girl pics that are every-stinkin-where on the net... jedi

I didn't know he made extention toward Japan in is sexual hunt. Why have seduced Chiaki ? She have nothing from a easy girl, I think there are thousand other rising starlets who could have said Ok for going in bed with ou and ok for you filming me having sex with you. Chiaki is not that kind of girl in my opinion.

now, if there are some of our japanese celibrities in the vaccum of this scandal, I won't be really surprized and will like to learn more about, yes sure.

I canot believe confused

The reason why it very well could have been Chiaki is because of the various reasons I have been posting here since day one. Her success in Kill Bill created for her, something that the most popular, and I wanna stress that. THE MOST POPULAR, of J-idols, has not been able to generate such a buzz in Western media's, and American entertainment in particular. But then instead of following up on it, she has been blocked and hemmed in at nearly every turn. This has nothing to do with my opinion, but the very facts speak for themselves and she has even had it proven to her by her own agency.

Specific details? No, I don't have a sit down conversation, taped and photo's, but no matter what anyone tries to say about different cultures and Japan this and Japan that, all of us are all judged by our actions, end of discussion. When Chiaki posted on her site that she was going to learn more English and then start posting it to her site. No sooner does she post this, that area is, which is IRONICALLY entitled Dear My Fans, very quickly never posted in ever again.

So then, should I now pretend like, wow? I guess she kinda got bored and didn't bother to EVER post in an area that is specifically towards her fans. And wow, she just happened to say something that I already know can raise the temper of Japanese people, catering to "foreigners", particularly Americans. So if I want to pretend like I am ignorant and don't see what is happening right in front of my face, sure, I can do that. But fortunately for me I wasn't born in Japan, so I don't have to pretend like I see a pattern, but due to cultural reasons, I have to go along with it, even if it hurts me or eventually ruins me.

When you look at the fact that she has made it plainly clear in the past few years as of an interview in 06, that she has things to work on before she can really do English movies, what is she really supposed to say? I want to do more, but I have no time, not enough money, and I missed the opportunity when I was concerned a hot topic, and now nobody in the entertainment industries outside of Japan have any interest in me?

How is that conversation supposed to go over when she can't even maintain her own site and speak her peace there. When you look at that and then look at the fact that J-idols are given a laundry list of do's and don'ts! Her avenues of expression lesson even more. Last time I checked she keeps a busy schedule, but she hasn't stopped being a human being, she hasn't stopped being a woman. Little to nothing is shown or talked about, regarding J-idols personal lives, until it is either "approved" by their handlers, or the J-idol has created enough of an image, fanbase, and has enough ACTUAL POWER, to know that another agency will snap them up if they walk from this one. Then they can go on ahead and speak their peace and date and do, what they want to do. Kou Shibasaki is a prime example of this.

Chiaki on the other hand has demonstrated and specifically so in her English based interviews, that she is not always able to move and do as she would like, or feel. When you take all of the above that I have typed, then you get an ever growing opportunity for all kinds of things to creep into a persons decision making and behavior, because they are not able to express or do, what they think or feel that they should. I would not be surprised at all if she did sleep with Chen, because the same way that Chen is able to be oh-so-crappy and cavalier, that he would stroll down to a video repair shop and not think one second that if these images get out, the women, NOT HIM! But the woman, which he knew would catch a whole lot of flack for his poor decision.

This is no different, than the attitude taken by Chiaki's mostly male agency, who has decided against doing what is best, FOR HER, so they can do what is best, FOR THEM.

I can say with absolute certainty that over time, Chiaki is still a human being and a woman who has needs and wants. If she can't breathe or move or express herself freely in her own country, then why exactly would she pass over a possible liason with a man in a country that is not only known to be good in the sack, BUT ALSO!?!? And this is very important, speaks fluent English. I have had my share of bizarre proposals from J-women, solely because I can not only speak and write fluent English, but because I have actual been considerate and acknowledged that they existed. Simplistic things that Western women take for granted, have given me opportunities, from behind a KEYBOARD, I might add. So I've not been to Japan, not seen these women, etc. But because of simple jestures of common courtesy, conversation and concern, I have talked to some of their family members, fathers, and been offered chances to be PAID, to fly to Japan.

All because their daughters can't find some sense of either happiness or belonging, to a society that says it is about community and group living, but often times leaves large chunks of the community behind to cover the fact that many are unhappy, but tradition says that we continue to hide and mask our pain. So with this kind of background, I cannot say that Chiaki would not do this, because Chiaki herself has stated that she cannot live a transparent life...

geesehoward4life, she is an adult today and she is a single young woman too. Having a romance is normality, even if your name is Chiaki Kuriyama. All is possible, even the worse. I rather see her in a nice romance than in bed with a notorious sex addict and voyeurist.

Kawaii-hime, I agree 100%!