Attention SASUKE Lovers! 新SASUKE 2007秋 (SASUKE 2007 Fall) air date announced?

Well, going through the Japanese Wikipedia SASUKE page brings up this little tidbit at the end of the ratings chart:
第19回大会 2007年　（18：55 - 20：54　9月19日放送予定。）
19th Competition 2007 (18:55 - 20:54 September 19th Broadcast airdate)

Woo hoo!

Not only that, but the next Kunoichi date has been announced and the page is already up at TBS here.
Kunoichi will be shown on September 5th from 6:55 PM. Contestants this year are Ayako Miyake (who has completed the course three times), Yuko Mizuno (sort of the Kunoichi Mr. SASUKE except she has a real job -- kind of), Asami Abe and many others.

Don't know if I'm going to do a live blog (depends on my schedule) but I will be posting results and pictures as soon as I can!

Also, G4, which airs SASUKE in the states as Ninja Warrior has been holding a contest to decide which one of their viewers will be their "American Ninja." The board regulars are not exactly kind to the contestants.

Ube Maji-watch 2007! Part II! Let someone else do the work! 宇部のアザラシのマジちゃん

So...Maji-chan (I guess it's official now) is still around and now the city has a homepage for him:
アザラシのマジちゃん
They've got pictures!
They've got a map!
Also, if you have any photos of Maji-chan, send them here: seal@city.ube.yamaguchi.jp
The Ube Nippo, your semi-daily source of Maji-chan news, has a nicer map here.

みんなのうた: おしりかじり虫 Minna no uta: Oshirikajirimushi

Minna no uta is a daily NHK program that's been running since 1961. The show (which is only five minutes long) rotates several songs each month. Sometimes, the songs take on lives of their own. One was done by Lou Oshiba, MOTTAINAI ～もったいない～ (thanks to youtube user dora1122):



Oshiba is hoping to sing this song at the Red and White Songfest.

One of last month's songs was おしりかじり虫 (Oshirikajirimushi) which is the bug that bites bottoms. It's a bit...strange.

Thanks to youtube user ajibee


What do you think?

You can get more info on the song here and here.

The monthly Minna no uta schedule can be seen here.