16.Jan.2010 Hello Japan: My YA J-Pop
This month’s of Hello Japan is about Japanese music. I’m going over the top by being awfully nostalgic in the past week. I haven’t listened to Japanese songs regularly for many years, but it used to be my staple day and night.
It was in the late 90s and I was all alone. At 17 years old my world wasn’t much, and the only one I had known was just swept under my feet in mere few months. I was torn away from my birth country in the middle of my high school years, forced to flee to find a better life. Home was history, country was in turmoil, and my parents were left behind, sacrificed everything they had to send me out of the war, telling me to never look back ever again.
In the middle my misery, loneliness, and indescribable fear of failure at some faraway land, for some weird reasons Japanese songs were bright sparks in the darkness. They lifted my spirit when I just wanted to stop and curl. They woke me up and reminded me of my dreams.
Up until now, I can’t help to choke a little when I listen to the songs. I associate them with those difficult years of my life. How those songs had helped me to go through them I’d never know. They just did.
I had so much fun digging out my old favorites and I haven’t even finished. There are so many of them! Keep in mind that I haven’t caught up with the latest J-Pop for years, so what I’m presenting below are the ones from late 90s to early 2000s. Or so I call My YA J-Pop.
Prepare for some fan girl gushing until the end of the post.
Speed
My gosh, I love love LOVE their whole albums. Their songs are exactly what I need when I need to MOVE! Too bad the group split up years ago :(
Can you believe that the main singer was just 12 years old when the group was formed? (she’s second from the left on the image above)
X-Japan
Originally a metal band, I didn’t listen to all their music, but I had to fall in love with their emotional ballads like Tears (a 10.5 minutes song!) and Crucify My Love. I mean, who doesn’t?!!
Kinki Kids
They’re from Kinki region, if you’re wondering where the name comes from. These 2 guys look ridiculously feminine and they do ridiculous dances too (just check out youtube), but boy, their songs are GREAT!
I found this interesting fact from Wiki: “Every one of the duo’s single releases since then has debuted at the top of the charts, and as a result, they were listed in the 2003 edition of the reference book Guinness World Records for having the record of the most number of consecutive number-one singles… the duo was once again recognized by the Guinness World Records for their feat of achieving the most number of consecutive number-one singles by extending their own record to twenty-five number one singles since debut.” How is that to have on your resume?
Two-Mix
A team of a guy and a girl! How cool can that be?! Two-Mix songs that I listened to were mainly Gundam OST, e.g. White Reflection. I absolutely love the girl’s voice. It’s so different with the other usually-cute voice of female Japanese singers. They also sang Detective Conan‘s soundtrack.
It’s weird that it has always been so hard to find their pictures anywhere! They’re very low profile.
Ayumi Hamasaki
Who doesn’t love Ayumi? She’s there for ages for a reason. Her first song that I knew and remains my favorite is Depend on You (OST of Thousand Arms the game, which I played). No matter what everybody says, I think she’s freakin pretty!
Utada Hikaru
First Love anyone? That song alone would put her in my list. I loved it so much I must have listened to it like… oh, I don’t know.. a million times? Hey I just checked out that she has a new album in 2009! She’s also very good at Tetris DS :D (see youtube).
Ryoko Hirosue
I listened to all her songs — mostly because a fanatic friend of mine kept pushing them down my throat. But I got to like them too hey! And she’s cute! She’s playing lots of movies now (which I never watch), but before all that, there were Maji de Koi 5byou Mae and Daisuki!
Wait, did I just see that she’s playing in Okuribito (Departures)?! I must really watch that movie. Everybody has been talking about it!
Aaww.. *flashback attack* These singers will always have a special spot in my heart.
But wait, I have not finished! I just realized that I actually started to listen to Japanese music even way back, when I was around 12 years old (and watch anime when I was… um.. two?) So the second part of my nostalgic moments will be coming. Stay tune for Hello Japan: My Childhood Soundtrack: Japanese Songs in the 80s to early 90s and How They Shaped Me as A Total Fangirl (gotta love subtitles)
I can’t leave without giving you at least one clip. It’s almost impossible to pick because I have so many favorites, but I have to pick one of Speed because they’re so awesome. And this one has choreographed dancing!
Okay one more:
Last one:
Somebody stop me!
mee 
