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DA PUMP loses 1, gains 7 – Tokyograph
DA PUMP member YUKINARI is leaving the group, it was announced on Wednesday. His departure is effective as of Thursday. At the same time, the group will be adding seven more members, bringing its total size to nine. In July, member ISSA fractured his leg and had to receive surgery. Because of that, the group…
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HY’s “366日” used as the theme song to “Akai Ito”
If you should know the name of at least one indie label band from Okinawa along with all of the other things you’ve accumulated in your mind for 2008, know HY. The band, despite their continued popularity, remain unsigned to a major label (by choice) and have released a total of five albums in a…
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BENI’s “Mou Nidoto” PV
We blogged about BENI’s change of record label (from Avex to Universal) and name change (from Beni Arashiro to BENI) about a month ago and now we can finally see the fruits of that change in her first single “Mou Nidoto.” The song, if it’s any indication to where her music is headed from now,…
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Just in time for Xmas? Karakui.com updates our iTunes page
Genres icons from iTunes 8 Originally uploaded by kalphegor Looking for a Xmas gift for that Karakui.com *ahem* fan this season? How about an iTunes gift card? We just updated the page with lots of Okinawa-related artist goodness. Of note is the various artist collection “Respect Record Presents Okinawa Best Song Collection.” (And, since we…
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Siori (しおり)
I recall hearing about a singer from Okinawa who had made the jump as an indie artist to a major label and it’s funny that I’d stumble upon her via the U.S. iTunes store. Siori (alt. Shiori) is a 21 year-old J-pop singer-songwriter from Shuri who made her indie debut with the 2006 single “Smile”…
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Gackt backs “Kamen Rider” – Tokyograph
The next ‘Kamen Rider’ series, titled ‘Kamen Rider Decade,’ premieres on TV Asahi on January 25. During a press conference for the show on Thursday, it was announced that Gackt will be providing the theme song. The title of the song was not announced, but the single’s release has been scheduled for the spring. This…
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Wallpaper: ORANGE RANGE’s “裏 SHOPPING”
Can’t necessarily say that this one looks better than the last one but if you’re a fan (i.e., probably a die-hard fan) of ORANGE RANGE you’ll want to add this one to your collection too. Supposedly it’ll only be available for a limited time (so it should’ve been gone say, about a week or two…
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This year’s Kouhaku Uta Gassen to feature two artists with ties to Okinawa
From zero artists with ties to Okinawa in last year’s NHK “Kouhaku Uta Gassen,” things look a whole lot better for this year’s one with the return of J-pop quartet SPEED and Yusuke Kamiji who is a member of the group Shuuchishin—making their first appearance on the annual music show. Oh, and let’s not forget…
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Stereo Pony steps up from “Bleach” to “Gundam” – Tokyograph
The new Okinawan girls band Stereo Pony is on a roll. Last month, they released their debut single ‘Hitohira no Hanabira,’ which was used as the ending theme of the hit anime series ‘Bleach.’ Now, they will be doing the theme song for the ‘Mobile Suit Gundam 00’ series, starting on January 11. The ‘Gundam’…
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Yukie Nakama cameo in “Elite Yankee Saburo” – Tokyograph
The upcoming movie version of ‘Elite Yankee Saburo’ is being reinforced with the addition of top actress Yukie Nakama. Based on a TV Tokyo adaptation of a gag manga by Shuji Abe, the movie stars Hideo Ishiguro as a teenage otaku who gets mislabeled as an ‘elite’ delinquent. Nakama will play a very minor role…
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