×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
The Mike Toole Show - J-Pop vs. America


Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next

Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
jr240483



Joined: 24 Dec 2005
Posts: 4369
Location: New York City,New York,USA
PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 4:36 pm Reply with quote
i'm more surprised that more japanese seriyus like asian kung fu generation , nana mizuki and T.M Revolution didn't get the massive popularity fanfare in the US that puffy amiyumi did!

i wonder why though considering that most of their songs are in some anime series that are extremely popular in the US? especially for kung fu generation's case when it came to doing opening themes for naruto!

while its true that there are many factors for this (not enough time in the US spotlight or the lack of knowing and speaking english whereas both ami and yumi can), i highly doubt their the primary reasons that those two got that small time of fame in the west while other well known seriyuus didn't!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
Lemonchest



Joined: 18 Mar 2015
Posts: 1771
PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 4:56 pm Reply with quote
Didn't discover them through anime; but back in the day I was a big fan of The Mad Capsule Markets (saw that at whichever Ozzfest they did. Fun times.) Someone at Manga Entertainment must have been a fan too, as I discovered much later that they used the entire Osc-Dis album to soundtrack the trailers for the "Classics" Collection DVDs - including Systematic, which they probably had to rip from the DVD bonus disc. The most burning anime question I have is whether they actually licensed their use.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Dop.L



Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 713
Location: London
PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 6:04 pm Reply with quote
Jasmine Rodgers, the singer from Boa, did an ED for the second season of Classicaloid, based on Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, well worth seeking out.

It was the second season of Mushishi which introduced me to the work of Lucy Rose, who's song "Shiver" was used as the opening. That led me to buy the album that song was on, and more since. Only since then did I start occasionally hearing her work on BBC Radio 6.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mewpudding101
Industry Insider


Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 2204
Location: Tokyo, Japan
PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 7:44 pm Reply with quote
Almost all the artists I like I learned about from anime.
Akiko Shikata (though this was technically from a game), Unlimits, Spyair, Kanako Itou (now a friend of mine), Mami Kawada, etc.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Shaterri



Joined: 03 Jan 2008
Posts: 173
PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 8:16 pm Reply with quote
Sadly, the band that I've really gotten hooked on through anime (or at least anime-adjacent) just broke up recently : One of the bands in the Show By Rock! rhythm game is based around a Japanese band named A Crow Is White (カラスは真っ白), and several of their songs were adapted for the game. They've got a great bass-driven rock sound with female vocals layered over, and it was just refreshingly funky music. And they even have a FLCL connection: they had multiple music videos done by Wataru Uekusa, who did the new ED for FLCL Alternative; this video for "fake! fake! fake!" is a great example...

The Japanese artist I listen to the most is probably DJ Krush, who I was lucky enough to pick at random out of a CD bin in the early '90s, and managed to stick with ever since, but as far as I know he's a little too out of the mainstream to have actually done anything even remotely anime-related. Likewise Boredoms and all of the various related acts that the various members have been involved with, OOIOO etc.

I think I tend to like a lot of Japanese music because it often feels like a divergent evolution; it's like music that I'm more familiar with, but just different enough to be interesting even when those differences aren't necessarily strictly improvements - after a long enough time of hearing the Same Thing, sometimes getting something familiar-but-different is incredibly enticing in its own right.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
macattack



Joined: 07 May 2011
Posts: 256
PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 8:36 pm Reply with quote
The Japanese metalcore band Coldrain did an OP for "Rainbow" and an ED"for a Haijime no Ippo anime before they were signed to Hopeless Records outside of Japan. I don't think they've made much of a dent (they got dropped and their latest album was distributed internationally only on digital music sites by Warner Music Japan), but I appreciated them getting a shot by an international (if independent) label.

ONE OK ROCK (best known for providing the theme for the first Rurouni Kenshin live-action movie) is under similar circumstances right now. They're currently being backed by Fueled by Ramen and their album "Ambitions" charted on alternative and rock (as well as the Billboard 200), though none of their singles got picked up by American radio.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Takkun4343



Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 1493
Location: Englewood, Ohio
PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 10:31 pm Reply with quote
Shaterri wrote:
The Japanese artist I listen to the most is probably DJ Krush, who I was lucky enough to pick at random out of a CD bin in the early '90s, and managed to stick with ever since, but as far as I know he's a little too out of the mainstream to have actually done anything even remotely anime-related.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he score the soundtrack for that First Squad movie?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Jose Cruz



Joined: 20 Nov 2012
Posts: 1767
Location: South America
PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 10:33 pm Reply with quote
My favorite music artists that I discovered through anime are composers such as Joe Hisaishi, Kajiura Yuki and Ko Otani. Proper "pop music" artists that I have discovered in anime OP and ED that I really liked include only Galneryus which I knew before but I got more into their songs after I saw their ED in Hunter X Hunter. Thing is that I am a metalhead and I only actually love mental and symphonic music although I enjoy other kinds of music I don't really feel super strongly about them. Among jpop artists I actually enjoy Babymetal and Yunomi but I didn't discover then through anime.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
Miporin



Joined: 12 May 2015
Posts: 16
Location: US
PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 10:40 pm Reply with quote
There are many musicians whom I know from anime - whether from peppy openings or dark atmospheric soundtracks - and honestly most artists I listen to beyond hip-hop are either from anime or from looking for similar artists to those I know from anime. But what this post made me think of is The Delgados, a very sophisticated Scottish indie band who were around from 1994 to 2004 but have had a pretty big impact on the scene if more through starting a label than through music. Their song "The Light Before We Land" was picked out to be the opening to Madhouse's Gunslinger Girl - quite improbably since it wasn't made for the anime, just found by some producer who licensed it, and couldn't even be edited down to the standard 1:30, so the ending had to be made several seconds shorter than it! I was introduced to the series by someone I knew online who heard the band and saw the series soon after it aired - and the series and the band were instant faves, and I became best friends with her Smile Despite clearly not having been made for the anime it's a beautiful fit and mood setter, and one of the best, certainly the most poignant of the songs from a band that made many. So I'm very grateful to whoever got the song licensed, and to the band for making such great music, and helping get so many great artists off the ground.

Also got to say, I rather envy all of you who got to see the pillows and have got to meet artists like Ishida and Itou Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
xchampion



Joined: 21 Jan 2009
Posts: 370
Location: Idaho Falls, Idaho
PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 11:13 pm Reply with quote
This is prime time for this article to be honest. I've discovered many Japanese artists, but there are multiple Japanese artists that I wish were used for anime but are not. I'm mostly referencing X-Japan, which surprisely I discovered through Saw 4. That all changes with the new opening for Attack on Tiatn. It's basically X- Japan (Yoshiki) & L 'Arc-en-Ciel (Hyde) teaming up to do the OP. I loved Linked Horizon as much as the next guy too. I also discovered One Ok Rock before watching Rurouni Kenshin so I was stoked when they released their first all English album. Ambitions was their 2nd btw. I could go on and on as well. Lol.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
fuuma_monou



Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 1816
Location: Quezon City, Philippines
PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 12:51 am Reply with quote
Got into PUFFY when they debuted in 1996. For some reason the original version of their first music video isn't on their official YouTube channel. Not sure if I first saw them on the original MTV Asia before it was rebranded as Channel [V].
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Shaterri



Joined: 03 Jan 2008
Posts: 173
PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 2:35 am Reply with quote
Takkun4343 wrote:
Shaterri wrote:
The Japanese artist I listen to the most is probably DJ Krush, who I was lucky enough to pick at random out of a CD bin in the early '90s, and managed to stick with ever since, but as far as I know he's a little too out of the mainstream to have actually done anything even remotely anime-related.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he score the soundtrack for that First Squad movie?

Huh! Apparently he did, and I had no idea this even existed. I'll have to check it out; thanks for the heads-up!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Aca Vuksa



Joined: 22 Mar 2018
Posts: 643
Location: Nis, Serbia
PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 4:11 am Reply with quote
I remember the one song i know back in the day when i was still a child was watching Digimon and litsened to the Koji Wada's theme songs. Koji Wada was such an my amazing childhood idol who inspired me to get into some anime songs. Espacially even after his death in 2015, i'll still remember him as the first person that introduced me to J-Pop songs since then.

I also watch Hi Hi Puffy Amy Yumi show that we're shown on Cartoon Network and they we're really good, but the stories on the cartoon version are really hilarious after all, the opening and the ending themes song their artists we're really cool and i loved them so much.

But there was an an foreshadow front back in 2010 when i first brought an internet that discovered an K-Pop idols who we're getting more popular globally and they release their songs that we're featured in the anime these days. My first experience about litsening to the K-Pop artists singing in Japanese was that of an Boa, who peformed Every Heart. At that time, i was not aware that she was Korean until now. BOA is also considered as an half-J-Pop and Half-K-Pop artists who released both of their songs in Japanese and Korean version.

Litsening to the K-Pop songs and seeing on how they we're touring more internationally was one of the reasons i got hooked up with K-Pop that times, but i still litsen to the J-Pop on occasions since then.

I also noticed more remergence of other asian pop artists which include C-Pop, V-Pop, Thai Pop, Indian Pop and more asian pop artists emerging, all thanks to Asian nations growing up econmially.

If you like both K-Pop/J-Pop/Asian Pop and here is some of the handful websites i'd guys you love to litsen to them.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx9jJOSBSDZFklIVixqH2AQ
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLlBiMa4xrdccOE_xQzqM9A
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMQcFdZ8sZ0fX1NKidHh4Ow (This user has been inactive due to personal reasons.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Suxinn



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 242
PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 4:17 am Reply with quote
Oh man, what a blast from the past. I moved to America as a kid right in time for the Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi craze, and I remember loving them a whole lot. And I still feel nostalgic hearing songs from that show or the opening of Teen Titans.

I've discovered so many of my favorite artists via anime... It's weird to think that my absolute favorite band, Sound Horizon, is actually one of the few exceptions. I found out about them from Pixiv fanart of their Moira album, and it wasn't until much later that I learned about Revo's close relationship with Kajiura Yuki, who I already adored from her work on .hack//SIGN. It's a trip to see that the anime world now knows Revo for Linked Horizon after the Shingeki openings, though I have no idea how many actually went on to find Revo's other stuff after that.

As for other artists... I vaguely remember Yousei Teikoku (Innocent Venus) and Mizuki Nana (Nanoha) being the first ones I really latched on to because of anime. And recently I've been really into THE SIXTH LIE after hearing their Golden Kamuy ending.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
John Thacker



Joined: 28 Oct 2013
Posts: 1006
PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:38 am Reply with quote
The original version of this was possibly even weirder than the Puffy push. Pink Lady was a late 1970s early 1980s J-Pop duo (anime fans may recognize some of their hits, such as "S.O.S.," used in the background in Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou as a song stuck in Yukino Miyazawa's had). They attempted to break into the US and released (now out of print) albums in the US and even as part of that push bizarrely got a variety show in the US in 1980, despite speaking virtually no English. It lasted only six weeks, and was widely considered not only one of the worst shows ever on US television, but also responsible for killing the variety show format in the US (which still lives on in Japan.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next
Page 1 of 3

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group