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Joutou (best) of 2007
What’s a blog without a Best of 2007 list? I’ve been planning to do one for a couple of weeks now but you know how that goes so here it is, barebones and just in for the final day of 2007. BEST ALBUM Artist: Kazutoshi Matsuda Title: Diigunii Genre: Shimauta Released: 6/15/2007 It took him…
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D-51 to release their first best of album in February
Having a best-of album released after only three full-albums in the US would probably be a subtle hint by the record company that the artist is not selling as much as they had in the past. In release-happy Japan though, where an artist normally releases an album a year, a best-of album can be a…
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Yanawarabaa announces new single for 2008
Ishigakijima J/O-pop duo Yanawarabaa announced a new single for 2008, “Sakura” (2/6/08), which will be released in two versions: CD+DVD (the DVD featuring live footage from their “Utagusui” tour) and a CD-only version (it’ll be an enhanced CD featuring a photo slideshow of the duo). “Sakura” will be used as the theme song for the…
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HandMC announces new double A-side single for 2008
Striking while the andagi’s still hot, our favorite J-rock band, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR (HandMC, Haikara), announced a new double A-side single for 2008: “Flashback/Komorebi no Uta.” The single, which will be released on February 27, will be the band’s 12th with “Flashback” being an uptempo rocker and “Komorebi no Uta” a slow ballad featuring…
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More drama theme songs announced – Tokyograph
News of new albums/singles for release in 2008 by artists slowly trickle in as we close 2007 and the latest is J-pop singer melody.’s “Haruka” which will be the theme song for TBS’s “Daisuki!!” The singer’s last single to be used as a theme song in a drama was 2005’s “realize” for “Dragon Zakura.” (Via…
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Yu Yamada stars in Japan’s own “200 Pounds Beauty” – Tokyograph
Actress Yu Yamada has landed her first starring role in a movie, titled ‘Kanna-san, Daiseikou Desu!’ Directed by Koichi Inoue, the film draws from the same source as last year’s Korean hit comedy ‘200 Pounds Beauty,’ which starred Kim Ah-jung. ‘Kanna-san, Daiseikou Desu!’ is originally a manga by Yumiko Suzuki. It tells the story of…
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30,000 hits!
Here’s wishing all of Karakui.com’s visitors a happy and safe holiday season. Nifee (thanks) to all of you for the 30,000 hits (well, we’re actually about 11 shy but what the hey) from December 2006 to December 2007. Not too shabby for an Okinawan pop culture blog. 🙂
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Kiroro to resume activity – Tokyograph
Okinawan duo Kiroro announced that they are planning to fully resume activity next month, in time for the 10th anniversary of their major label debut. The two women both got married in 2005, and Kiroro was put on hold as they each prepared for motherhood. Ayano Kinjo gave birth in November of that year, and…
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Kazutoshi Matsuda posts pics from Okinawa’s New Year’s TV specials
Popular utasha (Okinawan folk singer) Kazutoshi “Kaazuu” Matsuda recently performed in two of Okinawa’s New Year’s TV specials: RBC’s “Kouhaku Uta-gassen” and OTV’s “Shinshun! Shimauta no Saiten.” Although both shows won’t air until January (RBC’s one on 1/2, OTV’s on 1/3), Kaazuu is sharing a few pics on his blog which gives us a preview…
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