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Favorite Japanese bands and why? (any genre)


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Vhaeraun



Joined: 05 Mar 2011
Posts: 65
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 9:12 pm Reply with quote
Galneryus - found them from Mnemosyne - as mentioned above - and absolutely loved the feel they brought to the music. (Metal)

Utada Hikaru - as a switch from the person above, I got introduced to her through "Beautiful World" in Rebuild of Evangelion.

Kawada Mami - The OP themes from Toaru Majutsu no Index I fell in love with the moment I heard them the first times (Trance)

Himemiya Milan - I'm fairly sure she was created solely for Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu, but the CD that was released by her was really good (pop/punk rock)

Hayami Saori - Found her through Sekirei - most notable the Sekirei ~Pure Engagement~ Episode 10 ending theme in my eyes, since it was very well-written (pop)

fripSIDE - Toaru Hagaku no Railgun's OP themes; for the same reasons as Kawada Mami (Trance)

Komine Lisa - introduced through the ending theme for Gosick and loved the sound of the theme; I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the single since even the TV version gives me chills when I hear it (rock/gothic/pop)
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atownlikejosh



Joined: 05 Jul 2011
Posts: 7
Location: Rugby
PostPosted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 7:52 am Reply with quote
I don't really listen to many Japanese bands, but I really love Dir En Grey. Their music is so amazing and the emotion Kyo puts into his voice is staggering! I really like the way they go from soft melodic and sometimes quite poppy music (Ain't Afraid to Die, Yokan ect.) to blisteringly heavy songs like Oscure and Saku. A really amazing band!
I also really like Ho-kago Tea Time. After watching the anime series, K-On! (and reading the manga) I started to listen to this band all the time. Their songs are fun and quirky and make you feel happy. And they're probably the all girl band you'll ever see! Wink
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ridiculus



Joined: 16 Jul 2010
Posts: 72
PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:08 pm Reply with quote
I DO listen to many Japanese bands and performers, from all genres of music and all periods of time. Here I will try to be as diverse as possible, avoiding even remotely similar-sounding artists. Top ten, in this period of my life, and without particular order:

1. Akino Arai - beautiful, fairy-tale-like type of music. THE fairy-tale-like type of music, actually (even if it is officially called "pop"). Without a bad song in the last 20 years of her career, and there is plenty of them.

2. Yoko Ueno - some of the best concepts in modern music, in every genre. From melodic to deliriously mad, she has never disappointed me, even when she had composed for children.

3. Nahoko Kakiage - multi-layered, complex electronic stuff. Very sensual and erotic, IMHO.

4. The Eccentric Opera - band in which Kakiage was a core member. Some of the best and most eccentric arrangements of famous classical compositions and popular songs.

5. Coaltar of the Deepers - although shoegaze at the core, their music is a combination of many styles: electronica, death metal, bossa nova, etc, etc. Even if you don't like certain parts, their sum is so much more.

6. Yayoi Yula - just one word: I-N-S-A-N-E. Even if she has two sides: one more traditional (but nonetheless beautiful) and the other, experimental one.

6. Mayumi Kojima - this is the best jazz sung in Japanese.

7. Ringo Shiina - highly energetic pop/rock singer.

8. Geinoh Yamashirogumi - I would label their music as "post-apocalyptic world music", with excellent production values. And there is no more mysterious "band" in the modern music (maybe far-fetched, but I used to listen to many experimental bands).

9. UA - excellent singer with strong works in many genres.

10. Kahimi Karie - her voice is an acquired taste, but her music is diverse and always intelligent and her lyrics are pure poetry.

There are many more bands I listen to, and I love some of them almost as those mentioned above, but that would be too much. The others I more admire than like. And then there are ones I listen to just to prove myself I don't like them. Wink

P.S. Sorry for my English. It is not my mother tongue, so some points may be unrefined.
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jdotaku



Joined: 22 Jul 2011
Posts: 32
PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 1:46 pm Reply with quote
[EDIT: Reasons. -TK]
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suzyk



Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Posts: 4
PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 2:54 pm Reply with quote
ONE OK ROCK: I've always loved them and when I found out they'd be doing the PSP game Black Rock Shooter's theme song, I was so pleased. Smile

UVERWorld: well, their songs have been used for a lot of anime shows and that's how I found out about them. Their instrumentals are really good too.

Namie Amuro: her songs usually have a great beat to them and she's got a lovely voice. Her collabs are great too.

Perfume: what can I say? Those girls have such sweet voices. Polyrhythm is a nice, soothing song to listen to.
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vashna



Joined: 19 Feb 2010
Posts: 1313
PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 3:01 am Reply with quote
Guitar Wolf is starting to fascinate me. I've been trying to figure out whether or not the sort of arrogance that they elicit is genuine, or something that is the manufacture of promotion for the band. I know that might sound goofy, but it actually does make me rather interested. Then again, I also really like that garage punk sound, as anyone who's read my other music postings has probably already been able to guess. Cool
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omiya



Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 1823
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
PostPosted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:35 am Reply with quote
For a non-anime artist, check out Shugo Tokumaru

http://www.youtube.com/user/wwwshugotokumarucom

Wispy acoustic style. He toured here in September 2011.
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Konopan



Joined: 06 Oct 2011
Posts: 396
PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 4:48 pm Reply with quote
Boris, because they are the rock. THE rock. A group that excels at having a loud, in your face, and out of control sound, not to mention their more hypnotic and drone-y works, like Flood

Mass of the Fermenting Dregs: Shoegaze? More like shoegasm.

Tokyo Jihen: some pretty cool alt-pop, Shiina Ringo being a fine musician in her own right.
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suicideshorty74



Joined: 26 Aug 2011
Posts: 22
Location: America
PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 6:37 pm Reply with quote
I haven't really listened to much other that songs that are directly related to anime but I figured I'd post anyway. Any artist recommendations would be appreciated.

Girls Dead Monster, from Angel Beats! is my favorite band. It is the only modern rock band that I have been able to listen to, mainly because rock is pretty much dead in America.

Lia is my favorite singer. Toki wo Kizamu Uta for Clannad After Story is so beautiful, every time I listen to it i get teary Razz TORCH and My Soul, Your Beats! are also really good.

ClariS, although I hate this kind of music in America, is awesome. My favorite song is probably Nexus from the Oreimo PV, but irony, also from Oreimo, and Connect, from Madoka Magica, are close contenders.
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omiya



Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 1823
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 8:25 am Reply with quote
suicideshorty74 wrote:

Girls Dead Monster, from Angel Beats! is my favorite band. It is the only modern rock band that I have been able to listen to, mainly because rock is pretty much dead in America.

Lia is my favorite singer. Toki wo Kizamu Uta for Clannad After Story is so beautiful, every time I listen to it i get teary Razz TORCH and My Soul, Your Beats! are also really good.


Have you see their performances in previous http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animelo_Summer_Live concerts? There may be clips on Youtube of their performances.

They weren't at the 2011 Animelo Summer Live concerts, but I did *really* enjoy Kanaka Ito singing the Steins Gate OP - great combination of Japanese and Latin American styles and Chiaki Ishikawa (Gundam 00 and Kanisama Dolls songs).

For straight out Japanese bands, Yellow Magic Orchestra have a special place. They may not have contributed to anime as a group, but Ryuichi Sakamoto did the music for Royal Space Force and Harumi Hosono did the music for Night on the Galactic Railroad and a promo song for Nausicaa. Akiko Yanno did the music for My Neighbours the Yamadas and some voices in Ponyo.

Also voice actress regular Minori Chihara has a great backing band that work really well together (violin / keyboards / guitar / bass / drums ).

Don't forget JAM Project either... they have made an art form of anime rock anthems.
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suicideshorty74



Joined: 26 Aug 2011
Posts: 22
Location: America
PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 5:50 pm Reply with quote
omiya wrote:
For straight out Japanese bands, Yellow Magic Orchestra have a special place.

Don't forget JAM Project either... they have made an art form of anime rock anthems.


I just listened to Rydeen by Yellow Magic Orchestra, and for late 70s electronic music it seems pretty advanced, not that I know that much about it. I have to look up some more of their music before I start to judge them as a whole, though I do like Rydeen.

I also looked up JAM Project. I love how their song Omoide wa Okkusenman used Dr. Wily's theme from Megaman 2. Like with YMO, I'm going to look up more of their music before I judge them as a whole.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm going to look into both of these bands and I'll repost in here after I listen to them some more.
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omiya



Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 1823
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 6:54 am Reply with quote
suicideshorty74 wrote:


I just listened to Rydeen by Yellow Magic Orchestra, and for late 70s electronic music it seems pretty advanced, not that I know that much about it. I have to look up some more of their music before I start to judge them as a whole, though I do like Rydeen.

I also looked up JAM Project. I love how their song Omoide wa Okkusenman used Dr. Wily's theme from Megaman 2. Like with YMO, I'm going to look up more of their music before I judge them as a whole.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm going to look into both of these bands and I'll repost in here after I listen to them some more.


This is the song from Nausicaa, Ryuichi Sakamoto of YMO on keyboards: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mvuDxs4Ot4

Early YMO - "Tong Poo" live at the Greek Theater: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo-b6ZeVlLI

Enjoy... it's great having Youtube around to discover this music - I ended up buying Visual YMO: The Best DVD from CD Japan and will get hold of past Animelo Summer Live DVDs and blu-rays as finances permit.
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suicideshorty74



Joined: 26 Aug 2011
Posts: 22
Location: America
PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 5:53 pm Reply with quote
I don't usually like songs that are very slow, but Nausicaa was really good.

Also, I haven't heard the studio recording of Tong Poo, but this live version is awesome. Do you know where I would be able to buy their music? I'm not having any luck finding any place that sells it.
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omiya



Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 1823
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:18 am Reply with quote
suicideshorty74 wrote:
I don't usually like songs that are very slow, but Nausicaa was really good.

Also, I haven't heard the studio recording of Tong Poo, but this live version is awesome. Do you know where I would be able to buy their music? I'm not having any luck finding any place that sells it.


http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/ - CD Japan

The Greek Theater performance of Tong Poo is on the DVD "Yellow Magic Orchestra / Visual YMO: The best" which I obtained from CD Japan.
CD Japan might not be the cheapest, but they have excellent service. Some of the Yellow Magic Orchestra works may appear under Ryuichi Sakamoto or HASYMO.

You may also need to copy and paste the Japanese names of artists or bands into Youtube's search function to find more tracks by artists of interest. Wikipedia entries for Japanese artists and groups are helpful in getting the Japanese forms of names and learning more about their work.

If you like piano-based music Hiromi Uehara (usually listed as just Hiromi) has released several CD's on the Telarc label that should be available from jazz music retailers. For full-on jazz-rock fusion check out "Hiromi's Sonicbloom / Beyond Standard" or "Hiromi / Spiral". She has also recorded with Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea. Plenty of clips on Youtube also.
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suicideshorty74



Joined: 26 Aug 2011
Posts: 22
Location: America
PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 6:54 am Reply with quote
omiya wrote:
If you like piano-based music Hiromi Uehara (usually listed as just Hiromi) has released several CD's on the Telarc label that should be available from jazz music retailers. For full-on jazz-rock fusion check out "Hiromi's Sonicbloom / Beyond Standard" or "Hiromi / Spiral". She has also recorded with Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea. Plenty of clips on Youtube also.


I never really liked piano music, well to be more accurate I just never really listened to much of it. Who knows, maybe I'll like it.

I've got to say Youtube is one of the greatest things ever. I've found a lot of music that way because it has literally everything on it. Thanks a lot for your help with this, now I've got something new to listen to :)
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