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Favorite Japanese bands and why? (any genre)


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bllanosr



Joined: 31 Dec 2006
Posts: 212
PostPosted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 3:55 pm Reply with quote
Shonan no Kaze: they're kind of like a ska/reggae/hip-hop group with a very surfer vibe. The band members are from Shonan (Tsuritama was in Shonan) which is the surf capital of Japan so [I assume] naturally they would have that surfer vibe in their music. I would consider them a mash of Michael Franti and Lupe Fiasco or B.O.B. My favorite songs from them are Jurenka, Saboten and No Way. The Saboten music video is hilarious and for those of you who like Japanese ghosts, you will love it. Jurenka has a very mellow and soft classical/beachy music vibe. The music itself is what I would consider or imagine what pure classical Japanese music is like. No Way just has a cool upbeat tone to it with a little hint of military with the helicopter blades in the background. It's a really good pick-me-up song if you're ever feeling a little down.

Of course there are countless others who I was introduced to from the opening and ending theme songs of animes I've seen, however, I find that most of them I only listen to those specific songs. I can't really say I like those bands that much.

I think Ritsuko Okazaki deserves an honary pass though. I love her anime theme song from Fruits Basket. Her other theme songs and stand alone songs are just superb as well. She literraly has the voice of what I imagine a soft and kind teenage Japanese girl would sound like. I always imagine Touru from Fruits Basket sounding like her, if Touru should ever sing. Youtube her! It's sad though she died at such an early age.
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kaydub



Joined: 28 Jul 2011
Posts: 318
Location: Cincinnati, OH
PostPosted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:54 pm Reply with quote
School Food Punishment is easily my favorite Japanese band. Fell in love with their music the first time I heard "futuristic imagination" as the ED to Eden of the East. I'm a fan of prog rock and experimental rock, so SFP's sound appealed to me right away, and I really love how they had such a distinct sound and energy to their music. I think Yumi Uchimura has a beautiful voice as well, and her guitar playing along with the prominent keyboards really accentuate her vocals. It's a shame that they just broke up this year, I was really looking forward to the possibility of them touring the US in the future.

Asian Kung-Fu Generation is another one of my favorites. Just like with SFP and prog rock, I listen to a lot of indie and alternative stuff as well so AKG is right up my alley. The energy of their songs gives them a great presence without sounding too wild. They're a lot of fun to listen to and it's easy to see why they are so popular.

Etsuko Yakushimaru is probably my favorite solo act from Japan. I absolutely love her voice, it's extremely cute and soft but at the same time kind of melancholy. The fact that her songs are almost always somewhat odd or quirky lends a rather unique personality to her music that I find positively enchanting. I'm also starting to listen to her stuff with Soutaisei Riron which I'm enjoying for the most part, but I think I like her "solo" work better. I just think her voice and personality works better for pop than for rock.


I listen to a lot of Jrock/Jpop and could list a lot of other bands that I really enjoy, but I'd say that the three I listed are the ones that I consider a cut above the rest.
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Binbogami



Joined: 09 Aug 2012
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 7:01 pm Reply with quote
Alice Nine is my favorite. They introduced me to J-rock and ever since I have loved all of their songs. They rock!... More than others. Anything about them is self explanatory. They are all over youtube, last.fm etc. There's no need for me to write an essay. However I will write a little. I'm not quite sure how to express why I love them the most. I just like their music a whole lots. They are excellent at guitar, bass, and the drum. The way they play is just amazing. And the singer Shou has a very unique voice as well as how he sings. They also have some hardrock songs other than their usual J-rock. Sometimes they play alternative rock too. They debuted in 2004 and the last album was in February; called "9". My favorite album is definitely Vandalize though, I recommend that you check that out first if you're interested. They have 5 albums however, which are all more than worth checking out! Back to genres, you will also find traces of j-pop and even some dance music. But it's all incorporated in a very unique way. Overall, though, they're a J-rock band. Just a very unique one. They switch styles a lot, one moment they might be wearing visual kei style clothes, the next casual and before you know it suits. Hope you enjoy listening to them, and if you don't, hey I tried~
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Ianshelfs



Joined: 09 Aug 2012
Posts: 17
Location: MD
PostPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 3:39 am Reply with quote
The Pillows. They're really the only Japanese band I've listened to frequently over the years. I like Home Made Kazoku and Orange Range as well but I haven't listened to enough of their stuff frequently enough to call them favorites.

Like most Non Japanese Pillows fans I was introduced to them through flcl. They really made that show, without their music I'm sure it wouldn't be the classic that almost everyone loves. Almost all of their stuff that wasn't in the show is amazing as well. Their albums from the early 90s had a much different style than the flcl tracks but are just as amazing. Their newer stuff from after flcl still impresses and entertains me. They really are an amazing band for their staying power and consistent quality. Almost all of their songs are great and I really can't think of a single song of theirs that I don't like. With a lot of bands you'll get 1 or 2 great songs on an album. With the Pillows almost every song will be amazing.

A lot of their songs have inspired me and given me strength during hard times. The Pillows are like the soundtrack to my life almost.
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MelfinaPan32



Joined: 28 May 2012
Posts: 3
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 6:15 pm Reply with quote
Binbogami wrote:
Alice Nine is my favorite. They introduced me to J-rock and ever since I have loved all of their songs. They rock!... More than others. Anything about them is self explanatory. They are all over youtube, last.fm etc. There's no need for me to write an essay. However I will write a little. I'm not quite sure how to express why I love them the most. I just like their music a whole lots. They are excellent at guitar, bass, and the drum. The way they play is just amazing. And the singer Shou has a very unique voice as well as how he sings. They also have some hardrock songs other than their usual J-rock. Sometimes they play alternative rock too. They debuted in 2004 and the last album was in February; called "9". My favorite album is definitely Vandalize though, I recommend that you check that out first if you're interested. They have 5 albums however, which are all more than worth checking out! Back to genres, you will also find traces of j-pop and even some dance music. But it's all incorporated in a very unique way. Overall, though, they're a J-rock band. Just a very unique one. They switch styles a lot, one moment they might be wearing visual kei style clothes, the next casual and before you know it suits. Hope you enjoy listening to them, and if you don't, hey I tried~


They're one of my favorites although I do miss their less polished days. I'll still crank up Yami ni chiru sakura earning looks of utter confusion from passersby. One of my favorite things about them is that they have a wonderful sense of humor when it comes to themselves. Their monthly NicoNico broadcasts are freaking hilarious. Tora really came into his own as the main host on it and Saga makes me laugh with every appearance.

My all time favorite J-Rock band is Plastic Tree. They have been together for over a decade and still manage to evolve. I enjoy the uniqueness of Ryutarou's voice and the band is solid.

Some others that I like:
L'Arc~en~Ciel: I'm not as hard core of a fan as I used to be, but they're still good. Hyde's voice is still golden. I think they've gotten a little full of themselves, but some could argue that they deserve to be considering how long they been in the business.

The Gazette: Good band, but I feel that they're a little over-rated and are starting to sound the same with each release. Ruki has a good voice. Reita, Kai, Uruha, and Aoi and definitely skilled at their krafts as well.

LM.C: So much fun to listen to.

MUCC: Much like my opinion of Plastic Tree. Great sounding band and I like Tatsurou's voice.

jealkb: They sound pretty good for a group founded by comedians Smile

Asian Kung-Fu Generation: Another solid sound group with a vocalist that I like.
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timmy7596



Joined: 02 Jan 2013
Posts: 12
PostPosted: Sat Jun 22, 2013 9:25 pm Reply with quote
I would have a 3 way tie. the three are

Orange Range: They are very open to different music genres they do many different styles

Uverworld: They are a very good rock band

Nightmare: the vocals are fantastic and a good punk rock type band
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sakurai16



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
Posts: 3
PostPosted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 2:06 am Reply with quote
Sid; they have a harmonic-melody in their voice that warms your soul.
scandal- i love all their songs. they are really enjoyable and have catchy beats.
aqua timez; you can always reconize them from anywhere.
aya hirano- i love the music she does for the haruhi suzumiya anime.
tommy heavenly6,the brilliant green- i like all the different "personalities" this artist uses.
l'arc en ciel-very peaceful music to lay down to.
home made kazoku-pretty cool jhip-hop band with fast paced beats.
ikimono gakari
yui-has a very calm and soothing voice.
stereopony-very easy to sing along with their songs.
yellow generation- i wished they were still together cause they had really good songs.
orange range- i like the mix of rap,pop and rock.
yuna ito-very beautiful songs.
anna tsuchiya/olivia lufkin insp' nana and reira- the songs they did for the nana anime are amazing.
abingdon boys school- i like the mix of rap and rock.
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Tylzy



Joined: 24 Mar 2014
Posts: 3
Location: Iowa
PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:06 pm Reply with quote
Mine is Nujabes, a Jazz/Hiphop artist who died in 2012, but his music still flows as good as it did back then.

Favorite song of his: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0ul5Sl02nw

[EDIT: Merged your thread with the same one already available. -TK]
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