Channel-Ai Community Blog - JPop reviews, articles

Kuu promoting WIND

Artist: Koda Kumi Product Code: RZCD-45311 Release Date: 2006.12.02 Genre: Pop/R&B Label: Rhythm Zone Format: CD only, limited to 50,000 copies

WIND is Koda Kumi’s 29th single, and the 11th in her 12 single collection. In order to generate sales, avex made the decision to create Kuu’s 12 single collection (which contained 13 singles). The catch was Kumi would release a single every week, most of which were limited to 50,000 copies. WIND’s cover was a bit odd, it featured Kuu as a man. The cover also draws from fashion in Italy. The song is the theme song of Fuji TV’s Torino 2006 Relay program.

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Mop Girl is based on the novel written by Kato Miaki, which is also entitled Mop Girl. This dorama starred the uprising young actress Kitagawa Keiko as a girl who has the ability to travel back in time when she touches a recent deceased person’s item. The dorama began airing on October 12, 2007 and spanned over 10 episodes. The opening theme entitled ‘Destination Nowhere’ is performed by ERIKA.

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Perfume promoting GAME, L-R: A-chan, Nocchi, Kashiyuka

Artist: Perfume Product code: TKCA-73320/73325 Release date: 2008.04.16 Highest Ranking: #1 Label: Tokuma Japan Limited Edition: DVD

After releasing their best-of album, the Nakata Yasutaka produced trio Perfume released “Fan Service (sweet)”, a new single with two songs that was their highest charting to its date, as well as “Fan Service (bitter),” their first live DVD. Then, in 2007, their next single “Polyrhythm” was used as the theme song to NHK’s nationwide recycling campaign. It projected the group into the spotlight, charting as high as #7, staying on the chart over numerous weeks, and selling almost 60,000 copies.

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This article is translated from an interview done with Ai Otsuka by Excite Music.
Translation by sljinu

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Perfume in 2006, L-R: Kashiyuka, Nocchi, A-chan

Artist: Perfume Product code: TKCA-73086/73167 Release date: 2006.08.02 Highest Ranking: #33 Label: Tokuma Japan Limited Edition: DVD

Perfume is a group made up of three girls: Nocchi (Oomoto Ayano), A-chan (Nishiwaki Ayaka), and Kashiyuka (Kashino Yuka). While most girl groups are formed by auditions or idol companies, Perfume is unique in that it was actually formed by the girls themselves in their hometown of Hiroshima when they were only twelve. In 2002, they were going the direction of a conventional girl group and released two idol-pop genre singles in their hometown.

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