Channel-Ai Community Blog - JPop reviews, articles

Best of KAT-TUN Artist: KAT-TUN Product Code: JACA-5038 Release Date: 2006.03.22 Debut Ranking: #1 Label: J-One Records

The long awaited debut of KAT-TUN finally reached the shelves of Japanese music stores on the 22nd of March. Perhaps to make up for the fact they have not debuted until 5 years from their formation, Johnny’s Entertainment on that date: a single (”Real Face”), an album, and a DVD.

KAT-TUN, a 6-person boy band, is one of the highest profile Japanese boy bands around to this date, despite only debuting recently. With good looking members who not only sing, but act (as do most other Johnny’s Entertainment boys), the boys of KAT-TUN have charmed not only the Japanese, but people from overseas. KAT-TUN’s members consist of Kamenashi Kazuya, Akanishi Jin, Taguchi Junnosuke, Tanaka Koki, Ueda Tatsuya and Nakamaru Yuichi.

The “Best of KAT-TUN” album comprises of 15 popular songs which the band themselves have performed previously in lives (with the exception of “Real Face”). Is this a worthy album to tribute the greatness of KAT-TUN before their debut?

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Biyuuden 6th Single: Issai Gassai Anata ni A-GE-RU Label: Piccolo Town PKCP-5064 1,050yen 01. Issai Gassai Anata ni A-GE-RU 02. Kyou mo Mattemasu 03. Issai Gassai Anata ni A-GE-RU (Instrumental)

Biyuuden has released a new single on May 10th, after several months of no releases, titled Issai Gassai Anata ni A-GE-RU. This is definitely not your ordinary Biyuuden single: It’s an upbeat, cutesy pop song, not one of their usual mid-tempo mature songs. Will this style work for them? Will they do well on the charts? Will I finally find out what happened to my Aunt Martha?* Let’s see!!

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Frienger PV shooting

Frienger Released Date: 2006.04.12 Debut Ranking: #2 Label: avex trax Product: AVCD-30916 Extra: 5 colour CD jacket

“Frienger”, Ai Otsuka’s (or intimately referred to as “Ai-chin” by her hardcore fans) 11th single, was released on April 12, 2006, approximately 7 months after the release of her 10th hit single, “Planetarium“. For those of you who are curious about the title, “Frienger” is a word combining “friend” and “ranger”, which relates how a friend is like a ranger who will always fight for you whenever you’re in trouble.

A preview of “Frienger” was first heard when au mobile MUSIC-HDD W41T used it as a TV commercial song. The B-side of this single, “Amai Kimochi Maru Kajiri”, which translates to “Taste Those Sweet Feelings Boldly”, was also used as the commercial song for music.jp, a popular music download site for Japanese mobile phones.

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Artist: Gackt Title: DIABOLOS Release Date: 2005.09.21 Peak Position: #4 Product: CRCP-40120 Label: Nippon Crown

Gackt’s 8th full solo album was released on the 21st of September. It didn’t top the chart but wandered for some time around #4. After the dissatisfaction that “Love Letter” brought about to many of his fans, because of its long, unvaried love-ballad theme, Gackt returns with a promising album, to restore any doubt growing about his talent at composing and singing. It’s clearly good old Gackt and without any recycling of the past.

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Sexy Otona Jan

Elegies

Puri Puri Pink

Yes, it’s time for my last (until summer this year!) installment in my Hello! Project Summer Shuffles. Year 2005 brought another big change in the shuffles, mediocre songs, and sexy adults.

The three groups last year were Sexy Otona Jan, Elegies, and Puri Puri Pink. The themes for the groups were basically being sexy, elegant, or pretty. Unlike other years, the whole Hello! Project did not participate. In fact, only 11 members of the H!P participated. Holy fishsticks, right? :o They all released their song on the same joint single CD thing though, on June 22^nd.

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