I’m going to start with my announcement first. It’s been a long time coming, but I was waiting to finish up some posts that keep getting delayed for logistical reasons. After I wrap up two long-term projects, I’m going to stop updating this blog.
My interested in Japanese pop culture has waned, and it’s been so long since I’ve been a JET. As much as I want to keep promote about diverse representation and social justice, I’m tired of fighting about it on here. I don’t have the time to maintain this blog along with others I run/contribute to. I will still write for JRock247, NekoPOP, and Drama-MAX. There just won’t be updates or original content here. You can also find me in the other sites linked in the right hand column. Like I said, I have a couple more original posts that I plan to write (once my brother and I finish our collaboration). Once those are finished, I will make an official announcement along with where to find me. That being said, I probably won’t look at comment here anymore.
In the meantime, please enjoy my review of A9’s (formerly Alice Nine) latest mini-album Ginga no Woto on JRock247.
The aptly-named first track, “Phoenix”, is a rock number with Hiroto’s skillfully-layered arpeggio’s and Tora’s hard-hitting riffs. Show’s voice balances the edge with a touch of gentleness and falsetto, and there’s a surprise acoustic section to show off Saga’s bass skills. “Spiegel” also contains fantastic hard rock guitars, accompanied by Nao’s rapid drumming.
I had trouble writing this post. It’s been nearly seven years since I left Miyagi-ken. I haven’t gone back like I had planned, and now I don’t see my students coming to Southlake because they’ve grown up (also the age range changed). As evident with the decreased frequency of updates, I’ve become distant with the country that is my second home.
Nevertheless, I can’t forget about how five years ago, I spent all night worrying about my friends when the casual status updates about an earthquake became something much scarier. It’s hard to not think about the Tohoku earthquake when NPR was all over the 5 year anniversary and all of us Miyagi-ken JETs pay tribute on social media. I think it’s good to be reminded though, as the people in the region are still struggling. Thus, I’ve decided to make this post about some examples of aid and recovery. There’s a lot of individuals out there who continue to dedicate some of their time to Tohoku through raising money or lifting spirits. Let this be inspiration to all of us.
The one project that led to this post was the 113 Project. It is a series of short films directed by Wesley Julian, one of my fellow Miyagi JETs who also created Tohoku Tomo. The 113 Project provides glimpses of rebuilding from youth, local business members, and expats to show the power of collaboration. To view the films, visit the 113 Project website. From 113 Project
Visual kei band X Japan has always been active with charity work, having raised money for both the Tohoku earthquake and other disasters. This year drummer/pianist Yoshiki put up a special drum set for auction. He donated the proceeds to the Japanese Red Cross. FromResonance Media
The question of where to send money often crops up with disaster relief. While I don’t doubt the Red Cross’ valiant efforts, they have received some criticism, at least stateside. One charity I can recommend 100% is the Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund. Not only does each project provide updates through emails from Global Giving, but the charity is run by the father of Taylor Anderson (who was another Miyagi JET).
Lastly, I wanted to highlight RADWIMPS’ annual tribute as an example of how art heals. Listening to music that pays tribute to the survivors never fails to bring back emotions I thought I had forgotten. Seeing images does the same. With the returning sadness is a message of hope that the artists put into their work. Tohoku is recovering, and the human spirit will triumph. Since 2012, RADWIMPS has released a new tribute song on March 11. Here is a list along with the video of the most recent:
2012 – “Hakujitsu”
2013 – “Buriki”
2014 – “Kaiko”
2015 – “Aitowa”
2016 – “Shuntou”
Ah, gomen nasai. This post is way overdue, but it’s here now. I’ve been growing increasingly out of touch with Japanese media. However, the good news is that 2015 gave more cross-cultural opportunities. Western rock bands collaborated with idol groups; VAMPS toured U.S. Katana appeared on TV and will be hitting theatres, giving two Japanese actresses a kickass role. Our beloved George Takei made his Broadway debut with Allegiance (although sadly, the musical’s run is not very long).
What about Japan? The trend of music-related anime continued. Metal could be heard in other genres, and it seemed like feminism was taking off, albeit in an artificial manner. Nevertheless, it was encouraging to see idol groups that aren’t just full of well-behaved, skinny girls and to have media tackle issues like body shaming and sexual harassment.
As we do every year, JRock247 and NekoPOP writers shared their favorite album covers of 2015. Click on the links to see what my picks were. Now onto more bests…
Single – “Rebellion” by DIAWOLF This new project by Shou and Tora of A9 was a little reminiscent of the band’s old days with “Rebellion”‘s heavy riffs and growling vocals, but the electronic elements showed a different side. The song’s energy made me excited for more from this duo.
MV – “Yume no Ukiyo ni Saitemina” by Momoiro Clover Z vs. KISS
This was an odd pairing, but the trippy anime style was a good middle ground for these two groups to meet. It was very amusing to watch the cute Momoiro Clover Z duke it out with rock legends.
Album – Yasou Emaki by Wagakki Band
The question with Wagakki Band was how they would fare with original songs, and this album was an excellent answer. They already mastered the blend of rock with traditional Japanese instruments, but this time they slowed down to really highlight their musical prowess.
Artist – BABYMETAL By Andy Hughes. FromNME
BABYMETAL continued to gain momentum in 2015, touring the world and collaborating with members of Dragonforce. They won several awards, ranging from Vogue Japan‘s Women of the Year to Kerrang!‘s Spirit of Independence Award, and even got their own Funko POP! figures. Their “kawaii metal” style has inspired new 2015 acts like Ladybaby and BiSH.
Live-action Character – Ren Shimosawa (Heroes Reborn) After annoying Miko and the audience in the first episode, Ren Shimosawa (played by Toru Uchikado) grew to be charming in his willingness to help others. His gamer lifestyle was his greatest strength, a refreshing change in a genre where martial arts experts and super-powered individuals are usually the ones winning the fights.
Actor – Rila Fukushima FromGames of Thrones Wiki
In 2015, Rila Fukushima took roles that counted. She wrapped up Katana’s heart-breaking storyline on Arrow and then moved onto another hit U.S. TV show, Game of Thrones. Japan got to see her in Gonin Saga. Trying to conquer both sides of the ocean isn’t easy, but Fukushima seemed on her way.
Drama –Mondai no Aru Restaurant A drama that was pitched almost comedically as a battle of the sexes turned out to be a very eye-opening series about the rampant misogyny in Japanese society. Some of the scenes were gut-wrenchingly difficult, but those moments when paired with the optimism and fortitude that this team of women display made this drama one of the best.
Film – Princess Jellyfish Technically Princess Jellyfish came out in 2014, but I’m counting it as part of 2015 since the date was December 27. The film captured the hilarity of the manga/anime’s protagonists without distracting from the story. Plus it had some honest moments that championed non-conformity and finding confidence.
Anime Character – Saitama (One Punch Man) “Disaster Level ‘SAITAMA'” byWoo Chul Lee
Saitama was the hero we didn’t know we needed. He was an ordinary guy who trained hard to become a fighter so strong that he is now steeped in ennui. If the premise wasn’t ridiculous enough, his awkward appearance shattered all stereotypes and preconceived notions of what an anime hero should be.
Anime – Cute High Earth DefenseClub Love! A lot of people had been clamoring for a magical boy series, and did this show deliver. It stayed true to the genre while parodying it, and it had the most menacing-sounding yet cute villain ever.
Series to Cosplay – League of Legends From Anime Matsuri 2015
I didn’t always recognize the characters, but League of Legends cosplayers had some of the most well-done outfits in 2015. I’ve actually learned more about the game just from seeing the cosplays.
I reviewed Jin Akanishi’s full-length album Me, released this past summer, for NekoPOP.
Akanishi opens with the sweet “Let Me Talk To U”. The child’s voice in the beginning is a reminder that this party guy is a family man too, and the inclusion of banjo gives the song a homey feel. The next song, “Good Time”, makes a perfect summer party anthem with its catchy beat and cheerful lyrics. “Miss California” is an instance where Akanishi has clearly been listening to a lot of American Top 40. The whistling and guitars resemble the intro to Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger”.
Recently I was able to conduct an interview with akai SKY, whom I saw at AnimeFest.
How does Chasing Lights reflect how each of you has grown over the course of ten years?
Ryuusei: Our recording engineer remarked that our songwriting had really grown since Heart, Attack! [their second EP, released in 2013]. I think we’ve really grown in how we develop our songs, particularly in the area of arrangement and with this release, adding different backing tracks. Individually, I think the individual parts we write have all gotten stronger and show more of our individual personalities.
Umi: We’ve built upon our previous experiences and tried some new things with Chasing Lights that we haven’t done before. Every time we do something, we try to make it a little bigger and better using what we learned from the process the last time around.
Jen
Hibari-sensei's Classroom 