[Artist] flumpool

They were the young guns on M-Sta a while back.

I look forward to seeing more of their work.

They're great. I love them!

They have a sorta grungy aura about them, it really works well.

Their songs are great.

And I don't even know the names of the members and I can't tell the members from a hole in the wall. Except for the vocalist. You always know the vocalist.

[Talk] Speed

I can barely remember my first contact with Japanese entertainment, but I think that it should be in the year 2000. It was after the girl group Speed broke up that I got to know and like them. Its like how kids nowadays look up to like... I don't know... Miley Cyrus?

Speed was formed in 1996 and the youngest member was just 12 while the oldest, Hitoe was... 15. The four girls were picked up from the Okinawa Actor School, they were juniors of Amuro Namie. Anyways, my brother bought their compilation album, Moment, and I wasn't really hooked yet. xD


Then there was their Final Dome Live tour thing where they performed and then they broke up. I consider their break up an extremely stupid thing to do. They broke up, and then they came back together again after several years, trying to revive their dying careers. Well, it didn't work did it? Even Namie, who tried to make a comeback after the childbirth couldn't find the success she achieved before the pregnancy.

I remember playing that album in the car over and over again. Back then, I had no freaking idea AT ALL what they were singing about. But I repeat the songs so much, I could actually memorize the songs. On the way to school, I would listen to the songs and stuff.

Speed was made up of 4 girls. The star would definitely be Shimabukuro Hiroko or nowadays better know as Hiro. The lead singer, the youngest, the most popular. She wasn't my favourite though. According to Wiki, she dated Macchan. Downtown's Macchan. Fuck no, really? Geez, that is just totally freaky. xD Oh yeah, apparently she had this relationship with this dude and then somehow it led to Speed's break up. Whatever. I am crap at these description things.

Imai Eriko. Another lead singer. The other two are just dancers and occasionally sings a line or two and that is about all that they do. Eriko... she is just there. xD Never really paid her any attention.

Uehara Takako. Ah she's my favourite. Although she can't sing and stuff. xD Its normal for a little girl (8 years ago, I was one) to pick a favourite based on looks alone. She's the hot one that men went gaga over. She was rumoured to be dating Akanishi Jin for a while. Well she can do better than that. Like Hiro, she went on solo after the break up and did a few albums, but it was her photobooks that sold a lot wasn't it? I don't know, she's pretty and that's about all to her, I guess...

Arakaki Hitoe. The oldest, the shortest, the one that dances like MatsuJun before MatsuJun debuted. She dances like... kinda robotic and too overdone. I guess that is why they call her the best dancer. I think she's a yoga guru now...


Well, that was Speed. Hiro was the voice of the group, Takako was the pretty face of the group, Hitoe the 'best' dancer and then there is Eriko.

My favourite songs are "My Graduation", "Alive", "White Love", "Nettaiya", "All My True Love" and a few more... ah... nostalgia.

Take note that this girlband was not just any girl band. They were incredibly successful and sold a lot for a girlband. They were out jumping about before Arashi was Arashi. Even before KinKi Kids decided that oh you know, I should just go ahead and released a GuinnessBookofRecords-worthy series of number one singles. Ah... anyways it was hell of a long time ago.

[Artist] Just Making A List

Really... its just a list.. ^^ Its kinda colour coded... a self-reminder list... or something.. ^^

No, nothing to say about it... just a list... ^^

Arashi
Aiba Masaki
Matsumoto Jun
Ninomiya Kazunari
Ohno Satoshi
Sakurai Sho

Hey! Say! JUMP
Arioka Daiki
Chinen Yuri
Inoo Kei
Morimoto Ryutaro
Nakajima Yuto
Okamoto Keito
Takaki Yuya
Yabu Kota
Yamada Ryosuke
Yaotome Hikaru

Kanjani8
Maruyama Ryuhei
Murakami Shingo
Nishikido Ryo
Ohkura Tadayoshi
Shibutani Subaru
Yasuda Shota
Yokoyama Yu

KAT-TUN
Akanishi Jin
Kamenashi Kazuya
Nakamaru Yuichi
Taguchi Junnosuke
Tanaka Koki
Ueda Tatsuya

KinKi Kids
Domoto Koichi
Domoto Tsuyoshi

NewS
Kato Shigeaki
Koyama Keiichiro
Masuda Takahisa
Nishikido Ryo
Tegoshi Yuya
Yamashita Tomohisa

Shounentai
Higashiyama Noriyuki
Nishikiori Kazukiyo
Uegusa Katsuhide

SMAP
Inagaki Goro
Katori Shingo
Kimura Takuya
Kusanagi Tsuyoshi
Nakai Masahiro

Tackey & Tsubasa
Takizawa Hideaki
Imai Tsubasa

TOKIO
Joshima Shigeru
Kokubun Taichi
Matsuoka Masahiro
Nagase Tomoya
Yamaguchi Tatsuya

V6
Inohara Yoshihiko
Miyake Ken
Morita Go
Nagano Hiroshi
Okada Junichi
Sakamoto Masayuki

Others
Ikuta Toma
Sato Atsuhiro
Uchi Hiroki

[Talk] Johnny's 4 Decades of Crack

I Hate What I Like. Does that even make sense? Lol, nevermind.

Just because you like something, doesn't mean its purrfect. I like them enough to see their actually dummies in disguise... I accept it as it is.

^^

Anyways, I hate it when I cannot blog what I want, so I am going to continue my way of blogging. I don't really care anymore...

I recently dived deep into Johnny's history. Far deeper than SMAP, Hikaru Genji and Shounentai. Far deeper than Kondo Masahiko and Tahara Toshihiko.

Into the days of The Johnnies and say... Go Hiromi.


Go Hiromi. Ex-boyfriend of idol Matsuda Seiko. The ideal couple. They're like Brangelina of Japan back then.

He's got lotsa plastic surgery and married more times than J-Lo. Okay, I don't know if he married that often but yeah.

I read somewhere that he's Johnny's favourite, the ideal idol in Johnny's eyes. When I looked at pictures and performances from him back then. I was like "Whoa, David Bowie, only more ancient!"

And then I watched the Domoto Kyoudai episode where he appeared. I cannot believe that he is still in the business at the age of 53. He must have led a healthy life of plastic surgeries and jogging.

I mean, look at Hikaru Genji, they're all drugged up and stuff.

I was watching Shounen Club Premium recently, then it came upon me. The image just came flying like a freaking Frisbee that hit me on the head.

Kokubun Taichi looks like Go Hiromi.


No? Okay maybe its just me.

Ah... well, I forgot the point of my entry...

Except that Shounentai is full of crack, especially that Nishikiori. Kondo Masahiko is funnay as well.

...

I know, random is good baby. Recently, I have been listening to lotsa songs from these old farts, and they're good.

Movin' up the Johnny's hierarchy of seniority. They're actually good. In an ancient kinda way. You know how people listen to like, Billie Holiday and stuff? Yeah, that, minus the gramophone, throw in a little pop.

xD

Just a random fact, Higashiyama Noriyuki is the first and the last... (basically meaning the ONLY) guy in Johnny's Jimusho that is scouted. Like, he met Johnny Kitagawa at Shibuya and then just went on to become the gigolo BIG star who is doing a lot of female stars. Or RUMOURED to be.

But gosh he looks so young despite being in his forties. Sometimes, I wonder if these dudes like, drank from some well that gives them prolonged youth or some shit.

And Ohno is turning 28 by the end of this year.

I seriously don't see how that works.

Ah anyways... back to Johnny's veterans.

I wonder what happened to Sato Atsuhiro of Hikaru Genji. I mean, his last remaining pal from his rollerskating days is so fired.

I wonder what will they do about the Four Nancing Pretties Dancing Kings. Like, will they find another dude who dances well Ohno and then replace the Meth dude? I mean, there has to be four, three just sounds weird.

I really wish that there is more information available in English for groups way back in the days of Johnnies, Four Leaves, Shibugakitai, and Otogogumi.

I am sure there are Japanese sites, but I can read dick in Japanese. Okay, maybe I can ask for the toilet, but that is about all.

[Allow me to stress the importance of being able to ask for the toilet in many different languages, especially languages of the countries in which English is not used. You don't know when you would need to... um... give back to the nature what you have consumed.]

And I wish I can find old episodes of "Idols on Stage"... I wanna watch young Arashi and V6 jumping about and try to spot to-be famous people. Its fun.

[Buzz] Johnny's Countdown 2007-2008 and Music Station Super Live 2007

The New Year is coming!

No, I am not excited about the New Year... I am excited about Johnny's Countdown!

I go hyper when I think about Countdown!

All of the Johnny's groups except for SMAP will be there!

I watched Johnny's Countdown 2003-2006 already! Well... long ago actually... when I was into Pi. That was a long time ago.

But Arashi, KinKi Kids, TOKIO, Tackey & Tsubasa, Kanjani8, KAT-TUN and this year, HSJ will be there. Oh and NewS... and a couple of old freaks. Up till last year, Akasaka Akira and Sato Atsuhiro from Hikaru Genji were there, Shounentai's 3 and Kondo Masahiko were all there. This year.... since Akasaka's ass is fired because of the meth incident... wonder if the last remaining Hikaru Genji will appear...

Every year, a few songs WILL be sung... I am sick of the repetition. There will be "Paradise Ginka" and "Garasu no Jyudai" by Hikaru Genji, there will be "Andalucia ni Akogare" and "Midnight Shuffle" by Kondo Masahiko and then there will be "Kamen Budoukai" by Shounentai and then there will be "Daybreak" by Otogo Gumi.

Other than the old hits, the hits of the year will be sung! Arashi had 3 singles out this year! All great songs! I cannot wait.

Last year's Countdown brought a big surprise for fans as NewS resurfaced after a year of hiatus due to suspension. NewS reemerged as a 6-member group. Kanjani8 remained with 7 minus Uchi. Since there was a surprise last year, with the appearance of Kusano Hironori and Uchi Hiroki in Playzone, and also Uchi's appearance onstage during the encore in Tokyo Dome for Kanjani8's Ee? Honma? Bikkuri! Tour 2007.... rumours are buzzing about the two to rejoin the groups.

My take?

Kusano rejoining NewS is a no-no. I think NewS made more progress in this one year as compared to when it first debuted. When it first debuted... you look at them and you go... these people look so stiff, their communication with each other shows that they aren't close. Their group... whatever... is not there.

Uchi rejoining K8... I don't know... I mean... even if he rejoins, the situation there is different now. More than a year of suspension, things change. He was the most popular bitch in K8 back then. I don't deny that although Ryo started out early as a junior in the junior's golden era back when Tackey led the pack... but Uchi was way more popular earlier on. Ryo's fame started to go on the rise during the time 1 Litre of Tears was aired. Now, being K8's frontman... he came a long way. Back then Subaru was front, followed closely by Uchi... since Subaru is their senior by many years. Now Ryo's popularity skyrocketed like crazy... But I kinda like Yoko a lot...

Anyways, if Uchi rejoins, a lot of things would be difficult for him. Things changed, as I said. There will be hype for a bit for him. But I think a large portion of his fans jumped ship. Then again... we don't really care if he came back or not.

My Countdown predictions.

We all know how fat Jin got. Higashiyama always thought that Jin looked chubby and delicious. But since he got fatter, Higashiyama prepared a large oven. During the Countdown, Higashiyama will throw Jin in to the oven and bake Jin.

Thousands of fangirls will want to make Jin a part of their poo, thus they will all want a piece of Jin. By the time the clock strikes 12, signaling the arrival of the New Year, chants of "Yummy Fat Jin! Yummy Fat Jin!!" will be heard from 10 miles away. They all want a piece of Jin.

Or something like that.

Several other less dramatic scenes will also appear. Like Nino will propose to Ohno this year. They will be set to marry on the auspicious day of the 8th of August 2008. Chinen will be their maid of honor.

Ueda and Ryo will pair up for a tango performance. Pi will show off his newly acquired breasts... f cup.... eee.... and a strong wind will cause Tegoshi's nose to fall off. End of story.

Okay, that was lame.

Whatever la. I am looking forward to it.

MSSL will be aired on the 21st of December on TV Asahi. KinKi Kids, SMAP, basically everyone will be there... from SMAP to HSJ. I cannot wait for that either!

I am excited.

The list of artists are as such! Directly copied and pasted for TV Asahi's page.

The kanji is from Asahi, the others... are an ill attempt for me to try and make out who exactly is coming.

I dont think this is in performance order....

Below is a color coded list... purple means I am looking forward to it!

横顔 Yokogao - Theme for drama, First Kiss?

aiko

千の風になって Sen no Kaze ni Natte - Freaky singer, good song.

秋川雅史 Akikawa Masafumi

しおり Shiori

Aqua Timez

Jewelry day

絢香 ayaka

WINDING ROAD - Brilliant song!

絢香×コブクロ ayakaxKobukuro

Love so sweet - It's Arashi, need I say more... ?

嵐 Arashi

茜色の約束 Akaneiro no Yakusoku

いきものがかり Ikimonogakari

時の描片～トキノカケラ～ Toki no kakera

EXILE

PEACH - HanaKimi closing song

大塚 愛 Otsuka Ai

イケナイ太陽 Ikenai Taiyou - Hanakimi opening song

ORANGE RANGE

喜びの歌 Yorokobi no Uta

Keep the faith - Yukan Club! Yoko is in Yukan Club!

KAT-TUN

ズッコケ男道 Zukkoke Otokomichi - Ryo and Yoko, and Subaru.

関ジャニ∞ Kanjani8

永遠に Eien ni - Aww... nice song serenading the love affair between the two

KinKi Kids

明日晴れるかな Ashita Hareru kana - Prodai theme song

ダーリン Darling

桑田佳祐 Kuwata Keisuke

愛のうた Ai no Uta - Its a nice song...

倖田來未 Koda Kumi

蕾（つぼみ） Tsubomi - Its Kobukuro...

コブクロ Kobukuro

睡蓮花 Suirenka - Its Shonnanokaze!

湘南乃風 Shonnanokaze

マリンスノウ Marine Snow

スキマスイッチ Sukima Switch

Christmas Night

弾丸ファイター Dangan Fighter

SMAP

SAMURAI - Its a pretty addictive song...

タッキー&翼 Tackey & Tsubasa

とび魚のバタフライ Tobi... [I have no idea...]

チャットモンチー Chatmonchy

青春（SEISYuN) - They released about... 3 nice singles consecutively...

TOKIO

ア・イ・シ・テ・ルのサイン [ I don't really care]

　～わたしたちの未来予想図～

DREAMS COME TRUE

LIFE - Its Mika! We like Mika! She's hot!

中島美嘉 Nakashima Mika

weeeek - Well... I like Ryo still...

NEWS

Together When...

浜崎あゆみ Hamasaki Ayumi

SUPER LOVE SONG

B'z

君の好きなとこ Kimi no Suki na Toko

平井 堅 Hirai Ken

Lovin' Life

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS

way of life - Its a good song. and its Johnny's. I will watch a 2 hour show of Johnny's walking around with a white background. I would...

Ｖ6

vs.　～知覚と快楽の螺旋～ [I don't know]

群 青　～ultramarine～

福山雅治 Fukuyama Masaharu

Ultra Music Power - Chinen! Chinen loves Ohno, and so do I

Hey! Say! JUMP

リンク Link

ポルノグラフィティ Pornograffiti

GREEN DAYS - Its a nice song... with Humpty Dumpty singing it.

槇原敬之 Makihara Noriyuki

旅立ちの唄 Tabidachi no Uta

Mr.Children

I SHOULD BE SO LUCKY

mihimaru GT

CHE.R.RY - This is a good song... as well... I guess...

YUI

Hurry Xmas - Fuuu

L'Arc～en～Ciel

熱帯夜 Nettaiya

RIP SLYME

[TV] FNS Kayousai 2007

This music show was held on th 5th of December... I didn't plan to watch it, but then... I got bored of MMA for a bit. Yesterday, there was this show called NTV Best Artist, which will be... capped later. I am tired right now after this capspam.

The show brings together some big names to sing on the stage and was hosted by Kuroki Hitomi and Kusanagi Tsuyoshi of SMAP.

Being hosted by SMAP, means SMAP will take this opportunity to grab the event starter and open the show and the closure, where they performed last.

Opportunists...

Remioromen was there... they performed a song called "Wonderland". The dude with the mole looks better with shorter hair.

KinKi Kids performed their song "Eien ni" which is a beautiful, peaceful song about love and holding hands and stuff.

Koichi looks smokin' here, he looked femmie, but smokin', I think its the hair. Nice hair.

Tsuyoshi... looks fat. I had to try so hard to get a screencap from a better angle so that he won't look fat, since I like him more than Koichi for reasons such as... um... do you know Tsuyoshi likes fishing?

"Tsuyoshi, go effing lose some weight!" Koichi exclaimed.

Then it was the turn of the latest Johnny's product, Hey! Say! JUMP, which is a group that consists of 10 members with ages ranging from 12 to 17. Now, I cannot like this group because I am an agist. You know... sex-sexist, age-agist. The song, btw, is "Ultra Music Power"

But this particular kid is really cute, AND he likes Ohno from Arashi. He joined because he wanted to be like Ohno and then he really looks up to him. His treasure is a card with Ohno's signature which he got from the Yokohama Arena Arashi concert. Awww and this boy, Chinen Yuri, is the shortest but not the youngest of the group, he definitely is the baby of the group.

Then Makihara Noriyuki performed "Green Days". Not bad, the dude is a wee bit freaky though.

Then WaT performed their song "Boku no Kimochi" outside the Fuji TV building, with Christmas trees surrounding them and all. What a view it was.

Wentz Eiji looks like Tackey.

Koike Teppei is cute as a button and older than me. Doesn't look it, does he?

Then there was a flashback session where they play songs from the 70s. This is Yamaguchi Momoe, she was the idol of the day. Unrivalled and she looks a wee bit like Ueto Aya in here.

Go Hiromi. He was under Johnny's Jimusho, I blame him for the sluttiness and the tacky outfits. He was the first one to grab his crotch on stage and he LIKES those shiny outfits, or so I read. O.0

Then Kobukuro performed their "Tsubomi" which was good. But better was...

... "Winding Road" a brilliant song where Kobukuro collaborated with ayaka.

ayaka's name is spelled like that, without a capital letter. And she is excellent. She is my age, she writes her own songs and she has a powerful voice.

EXILE performed a medley. Whatever, we don't care.

THEN, it was ARASHI's turn for a chat. (All the performers had a mini chat session, I just figured it wasn't as important, not everyone is Arashi you know?)

When the group was asked about next year's plans, Nino the manipulator, made Ohno talk. Ohno, being Ohno, told the hosts that he wanted to go to the onsen with the group next year. O.o Then Nino was like "Oh we apologize, he meant that we will work hard next year." xD It was funnay.

Then Nakashima Mika performed her song, "Life". She is so gorgeous.

And skinny.

Her voice is so wonderful... though not as good as before. Rumour has it that its her smoking habits affecting her voice. (But in Best Artist 2007 her voice was brilliant as before.)

I like her hair.

Then Arashi performed "Love So Sweet", I was kinda hoping for "Happiness", but whatever. If Arashi thinks this is better, then its better. If Arashi thinks the sky is pink, the sky is pink.

Sho... oh... so hensem.

Everytime Jun sings, I found myself looking for a stapler or just some tape, really, or better, I just off the speakers. Whichever works.

Nino... Nino is like an evil, masterminding puppy.

Aiba is just plain innocent looking.

Ohno is... um... sexy.

Then it was the Hello! Project girls. First up was Ayaya singing some song.

Then 26 girls hopped onto the stage aiming to make a large hole in it. But the girls all weigh less than a pen, so they failed.

This is Go Hiromi today, still going strong. That Johnny's has-been. He was greatest in his day, he dated Matsuda Seiko briefly. They were like Brangelina of 80s Japan.

Then they for some reason brought 4 Kansai hotties onstage, all from Johnny's Jimusho, we have KinKi Kids, Nishikido Ryo and Okada Junichi.

Joushima, leader of TOKIO was pissed for not being picked.

Otsuka Ai performed "Pocket"

Flashback time.
"Matsuda Seiko" in the 80s.

I think she started the fanboys screaming trend. It was disgusting to watch boys scream like that...

Koizumi Kyoko, the woman rumoured to be doing Kame. This is her... um... 25 years ago.

Onyanko Club, the original Hello Project/Morning Musume type of idols. They had more members than all MoMusu in history, or so I think. Big names like Kudo Shizuka (KimuTaku's wife) started out from this group.

Then this dude with a very high voice named Tokunaga Hideaki sang 3 songs, one of which is a song composed by Komuro Tetsuya called "Can You Celebrate" originally performed by Amuro Namie.



Then he sang "Yuki no Hana" with Mika.

I like Mika.

Then some song of his with Kuu.

Then its the Takarazuka's turn. Takarazuka is a theatre group formed by all women and has a history of about 90 years. The male characters in the play are women, crossdressing.

Kuroki Hitomi was an ex-Takarazuka, she performed with hte female characters.

Then Akikawa Masafumi, who seems to be a tenor, sang "Sen no Kaze ni Natte" with Takarazuka people.

Hirai Ken sang some song. Something like Kimi something something. We don't really care. I am sleepy. Why the hell am I doing this?

Then V6 sang "Way of Life" OMFG Morita Go is hot.

So is Okada Junichi, but I prefer Morita.

Yes, sing away.

NewS sang "Weeeek"

Some RyoPi going on.

ayaka up next singing "Peace Loving People" We like ayaka.

Flashback, Speed with "White love" ah... memories...

Natsukawa Rimi "Nada Sou SOu"

KOH+ a unit formed by Fukuyama Masaharu and Shibasaki Kou singing some song...

Mr Children, Tabidachi no Uta.

Koda Kumi, or Kuu, singing... Ai no UTa... it was a good song.

I was thinking what a nice dress she was wearing... until...

Her bra started to show... A LOT.

TOKIO singing "SEISYuN"... yes, the letters are like that. I don't know why. Weird people.

Then... at a place that seems to be Yokohama (Because of that circular light thingy at the back, which I have seen a couple of times... on other shows... no, I am not lucky enough to see it in person.) Kuwata Keisuke performed a beautiful song called "Ashita Hareru Kana" whch is the theme for the drama ProDai. He also performed with Southern all stars.

Flashback.
Ito Yuna... so pretty.

A constipated Moriyama Naotaro singing "Sakura"


Oh some screencaps were gone... I think there was Ayu performing "Together When" and SMAP again, performing some Christmas song, thats all.

Okay, I finished. Wheeeeee.

One might have noticed the absence of Tackey and Tsubasa and KAT-TUN.

I think the four younger groups (HSJ, NewS, TxT and K-T) split up two and two for Best Artist and FNS.

Whatever.

Its not like anyone cares. I'm spent. I need to sleep.