Forum - View topicNEWS: More Exposure for Anime Music Wanted
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Otaprince
Posts: 18 |
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Tivome, you make some interesting points, but I disagree that it's "racist" American media or something that prevents Japanese bands from making it big here. Rather, I think it's a lack of quality material that Americans can understand and relate to.
Look at Tatu. Russia had never, ever had a band make it on US charts, but Tatu did because: a) they were hot girls, b) half their songs were released in English c) they had catchy techno pop. Utada was close to these three things, but her US albums just weren't good enough. Utada aside, a lot of Japanese music is incomprehensible to American ears, and not only because of the language. Types of melody and voices are radically different: look at Shiina Ringo. I personally think that Porno Graffiti, back when it had three members, would've had a decent shot at the American market if they could sing well in English. |
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Maceart
Posts: 76 |
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I think Negima's opening deserves special credit because each month is sung by three different seiyuus, and in six months that's over 18 seiyuus, all singing the same song. It's a good wide representation of the seiyuu community.
Frankly, I think it's a pretty good idea. |
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Insight
 Posts: 1 |
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I'm surprised nobody brought this up. But there's a pretty good chance this is just a creative marketing campaign from the company behind the Negima soundtrack. Why must this "anime music activism" be mainly done by purchasing CDs? The first Negima soundtrack already got good sales. Why not work with proven success? Have fans write to TV and radio shows instead, demanding respect for ANY successful anime album. The fact that their main recommendation is for people to buy more Negima CDs is highly suspicious.
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Tivome
Posts: 15 Location: Seattle, WA |
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I don't want to get into a real deep discussion about this... this is an anime board after all. What I meant by racist wasn't just Hollywood's treatment of the J-POP acts; it's the Hollywood's treatment of Asian-Americans in general. How they've manage to utterly ruin Hikki's US debut is just a part of it, IMHO. Asian faces ain't gonna get promoted by Hollywood, that's just it. As for Tatu... as long as they sing in English, they're just another Euro-pop band. There's nothing to prevent them from making it big in the US other than their own lack of talent (lesbian-kissing and wet t-shirts, that I don't mind so much. 
Back on topic... Negima's really got some crappy music. I really wish some other Anime music got this kind of sales figures. Not a good front to fight with in Japan.... Just show all those "mainstream" JPOPers all the potential American J-music fans at anime cons.. they'll all be begging to sing anime OP/ED like they're a new CM from Kao. But I think the world is changing... Orange Range did Bleach OP, and Bleach helped Asterisk to number 1 in Oricon.... things are definately looking up. |
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j1m0ne
Encyclopedia Editor
Posts: 35 |
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Orange Range are one of the current biggest groups in Japan, with or without the help of anime. Though most people outside Japan first got acquainted with the band through 'Viva Rock' from Naruto, the previous single 'Shanghai Honey' was one of the big summer hits in 2003. Their biggest-selling single 'Hana', was in fact, the themesong for 'Ima, ai ni yukimasu', one of the biggest films in Japan last year. They've strung together 7 consecutive No.1 singles (Asterisk was the 6th) and in fact, that should be 8 by next week. I don't believe 'Happy Material' has an ice-cube's chance in hell of beating out Orange Range, or other notable releases by the likes of Mika Nakashima and Masaharu Fukuyama. |
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Ohoni
Posts: 3421 |
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Hikaru Utada's album is just wierd. I have it, I enjoy it myself, but it IS wierd. They could plaster it all over Mtv and the radios and it still wouldn't have taken the Billboard charts by storm, her style is too eccentric. Enjoy her music, I do, but don't expect more from her than she can provide. I don't see any kind of Hollyword "conspiracy" against Asian performers, just that none have really come along that are both talented AND producing music that appeals to mainstream America (and PLEASE don't start with that angsty "mainstream people suck" BS). Puffy AmiYumi is about as close as we'll see until we start getting Asian performers that sing mainstream pop and R&B, unaccented. |
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Bara_Megami
Posts: 106 |
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I think it would be excellent if 'Happy Material' was able to reach number #1!! I was so excited when I saw it reach #3 on the chart!! Though I wonder if it will stand a chance against Orange Range and Nakashima Mika? But I think that it can be the number one selling anime single (going against CooRie and ALI PROJECT). Good luck 'Happy Material'! I'm cheering for you!
PS - Anyone know which J-pop artist said that anime music was annoying on the charts? because I'm angry at them D:< ::EDIT:: I just found out it was Moriyama Naotaro that said he doesn't like anime songs on the charts! I liked his 2003 single Sakura too!! grrr...that's the last time I support him! (anyone else notice that THEIR COMMENTS ARE BEING TRANSLATED?) http://happymaterial.sakura.ne.jp/foreign.html |
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Zoe
 Posts: 898 Location: Austin |
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Do you follow APA sites? There's certainly more evidence to the "consipiracy" than the case for lack of talent. |
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jmays
ANN Associate Editor
 Posts: 1390 Location: St. Louis, MO |
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Not regularly--anything specific we should read? |
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quincyarcher
 Posts: 164 Location: Age of Paranoia |
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Oh, that is creepy. But, that's awful that Naotaro said that. I mean, I can understand it, but now I feel rather silly for having his single right next to my Champloo OST... |
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Zoe
Posts: 898 Location: Austin |
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The one I visit the most is Angry Asian Man which is pretty must a news feed + comments. There's also Model Minority, but they're a bit too inflammatory on the forum at times. I also liked The Model Minority, but he hasn't updated since January. |
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.Sy
Posts: 1266 |
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The thing is, Insight makes a good point, buying CDs can't be the only thing we can do. There are a lot of stereotypes now in the U.S. about anime, and although we see it more often now than a few years ago, many still haven't changed a bit. People who get high grades in school or are even Asians brush it aside, so it isn't just limited. I disagree however, that an artist from antoher country should have to sing in unaccented English to get popularity here. I notice that a lot of people need some more cultural diversity. I really don't think a singer/band should have to change styles just to please a foreign artist. You might think that this last statement might be a bit biased, but it's the same with Americans aspiring to become manga-kas and try to be too Japanese. It's just not going to work. Fans might complain about CN editing shows to put on Toonami, but ultimately, it's moving us foreward. (I think)
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Ohoni
Posts: 3421 |
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Americans don't like accented music. How many bigtime artists have ANY accent when singing? The only non-American accents in popular American music are the occasional British/Scottish/Irish accent, and most of the time even that is eliminated, such as with artists like the Beetles, who don't sound at all British when singing.
Is it possible for a Japanese artist to make it huge with accented songs? Maybe, but I wouldn't put money on it. |
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j1m0ne
Encyclopedia Editor
Posts: 35 |
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Anyways, today's Oricon chart sees Negima's Happy Material debut at No.3 (which last month's iteration ended its first week at) behind Orange Range and Bennie K, and ahead of veteran Shogo Hamada plus (the dreadful) Berryz Kobou. It's too early to say where it'll place come next Wednesday, but I can see it going Top 5 at least. It'll be clearer come the weekend.
But on another note, yay for anime songs on this week's Oricon. FLOW went in at 3 with their excellent 'Days' single, and Younha at 15 with 'Houkiboshi' from Bleach. Also, KOTOKO chalks up good first day sales for her new album 'Garasu no kaze', entering at No.4 |
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Tivome
Posts: 15 Location: Seattle, WA |
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Yes, I know how big they are (I didn't get into J-POP from anime). Their rise to stardom has nothing to do with anime, which is exactly my point. Here's Orange Range, a white-hot super group doing an anime OP, and the anime OP went #1 when released. Since Bleach is one of the hottest anime/manga property right now it would make sense that their managment would get them this gig (Bleach's hip-hop stylistic cues is synergistic as well). The anime and the J-Rap group helped each other out, that's all I'm saying. OR is not a washed-up has-been trying a come-back (TMR, Puffy) or an anime-related J-POP act (Two-Mix, angela). The more the top acts get involved with anime or game music, the more prestigious anime music in general will become. Plus, some of the top anime music composers (Kanno Yōko, Ryo Kunihiko, Otani Kou) are well-respected CM or movie OST composers as well. More respect anime gets from Japanese general public, the better it is for both J-fans and Japan itself. |
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