HAGANE is a female Japanese band specializing in power metal and melodic speed metal, established in Tokyo in 2018, with guitarist and main composer Sakura Yoshida at the helm. Their musical style, described as "Harmonious and Dramatic Hard Rock/Heavy Metal," combines intense neo-classical guitar solos, double-kick drumming, and uplifting, anime-inspired melodic hooks. They are recognized for their high-speed power metal reminiscent of Galneryus, DragonForce, and Lovebites, c

Some weeks I'm the Hulk...others I'm Loki.

I came across them on YouTube over a decade ago. I'm not sure why the algorithm chose them, but my feed has been different ever since. The first song I encountered was Gimme Chocolate!! It was mind-blowing. I couldn't quite grasp what I was seeing and hearing. It had a profound mental and emotional impact on me... in a positive way. I've been a fan ever since. BABYMETAL is a Japanese heavy metal band that initiated the "kawaii metal" (kawaii meaning cute) genre, combining h

I went to Monterrey, Mexico with my wife and son to see Japan play Tunisia in the World Cup. We stayed in an Airbnb near the stadium. The place was very modern and clean. My wife is from Monterrey, so we also spent time with family and friends. The energy of the crowd was amazing. Everyone was very friendly. I was surprised at the amount of support for the Japanese team. Many locals were wearing Japan jerseys. There were also lots of people who came from Japan to support th

Recently I went to Edna Vees for a birthday party. It is in the city of Covina. It was lively and the atmosphere was good…happy and positive. The band was still setting up. My wife and I shared the Blue Cheese Bacon Burger and fries. The patty was medium rare as ordered, the burger was juicy and tasty. Our cousin says the tater tots, wings, and Brussels sprouts are good. We were in a back room where the band was still loud and clear, but it was a little quieter and we

The game was held on Sunday, April 12th, 2026. It was an excellent day to watch the Dodgers. There was a light sprinkle of rain at the start, but it soon cleared up. We had fantastic seats in the Club Level. It was my first time having such good seats at Dodger Stadium. Roki Sasaki was the starting pitcher. I'm eager to watch more of his performances. Shohei Otani was the first batter for the Dodgers. He hit a home run on the first pitch. Sadly, this was not indicative of t