BLOCKBUSTER: The Boston Celtics have agreed to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.
One thing I didn’t fully understand about Naruto until years later is how terrifyingly self-aware he actually was.
Everyone saw the loud, orange-wearing idiot who screamed about ramen and never giving up.
But Naruto knew exactly how the village saw him. He knew they hated him. He knew they crossed the street when he walked by. He knew kids were told not to play with him. He knew the adults looked at him like he was the Nine Tails itself.
He wasn’t naive. He was fully conscious of the isolation.
Yet this same kid still woke up every single day with that big, bright smile. He created the loud, annoying persona on purpose because being invisible and forgotten hurt more than being hated.
He turned his pain into fuel and decided he would force the village to acknowledge him, not by becoming bitter, but by becoming someone they couldn’t ignore.
That level of emotional intelligence hidden behind the clown mask is actually scary.
Most people who grow up like that become cold or broken.
Naruto chose to smile through it, protect the same people who hurt him, and still fight to become Hokage so no other kid would ever feel that lonely again.
That’s not just never give up energy.
That’s some of the strongest mental fortitude I’ve ever seen in any character.
If you’re a fan of Japanese music and live outside of Japan, I would be so grateful if you take a moment to read this🙏
If you’ve ever wondered why more Japanese artists don’t reach out and do shows & tours overseas, the reason is pretty simple and the main one is the hurdle of selling tickets.
There is only a SMALL percentage of artists that can rely on the power of big labels/agents to promote their shows internationally.
Even in Japan, selling out shows is a lot more challenging than in past years, due to people just being satisfied with digital content. And considering it costs even more to bring a tour overseas, you can imagine how many artists are willing to LOSE money by doing so, if any.
It’s not just about the artist not being popular or sufficient enough, or that they don’t have the will to bring their content to fans around the world. In fact, there are so many fellow artists around me that I highly respect, telling me they wish they could do shows overseas, but know it’s not realistically possible, and as someone who yearns for the same thing, it really, really hurts inside.
More importantly, it hurts most that fans around the world will often never ever be able to see a show of their favorite Japanese artist.
I’m not trying to ask for pity, nor demand anything, unless this resonates with you.
But if it does, and you want to know what you can do to help us reach you with our music, it’s really very simple.
Please go follow artist’s socials.
Please go subscribe to their Youtube channels.
Please find them on Spotify.
Please interact with them by commenting and letting them know you’re there to support them.
Please share your passion with the people around you.
AND PLEASE, don’t miss the opportunity to buy a ticket and GO to their shows, when that miraculous opportunity comes, whether it’s a solo or event stage.
I am not exaggerating when I say it IS a miracle and it might never happen again.
I know writing all this isn’t gonna change much, but I just hope it reminds you that every listener, every fan, every second of support matters in keeping music alive, particularly in this generation.
Thanks for listening, if you made it this far🫶
Let’s keep Rocking On.
NANO