J-Rock

Anime, Japanese

Follow the “Moonlight Signpost” – Stereopony’s Darker Than Black Theme

September 3, 2010 | Patrick Gann | 1 Comment Share this

The all-female rock trio from Okinawa, “Stereopony,” has been pumping out hit singles, including TV anime and film themes, for the past four years. Today, we take a deeper look at one such theme to get a taste for Stereopony’s particular sound.

The theme song single in question is “Tsukiakari no Michishirube” (trans. “Moonlight Signpost”), which is the opening theme for the second season of Darker Than Black (the season has its own title: Ryusei no Gemini). Included on the single’s disc are two B-sides, and we’ll be talking about them as well.

Can this all-female group bring the noise, or will they drown in a sea of producers and executives trying desperately to keep them sounding chipper and radio-friendly? Find out after the jump! (more…)
Japanese, Reviews

Porn to my Ears: Porno Graffiti’s “Hitomi no Oku wo Nozokasete” (Review)

June 26, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on Porn to my Ears: Porno Graffiti’s “Hitomi no Oku wo Nozokasete” (Review) Share this

Porno Graffiti has been getting busy for over 11 years now. With eight full-length albums under their belt and numerous singles, the rock group released their milestone 30th single this February, titled “Hitomi no Oku wo Nozokasete,” (“Let me Look Deep Into Your Eyes”) which acts as the theme song for the Japanese drama Shukumei 1969-2010.

I don’t claim to be a Porno Graffiti expert, as, in fact, I’ve only heard a few of their songs from the Fullmetal Alchamist and GTO, but I did look into some of their music before reviewing this single, and I am quite impressed with what I hear. Porno Graffiti doesn’t really sound like your typical Japanese rock group, as many of their songs feature unique ethnic elements and a pop-like sound that sets them apart from other groups, and “Hitomi no Oku wo Nozokasete” is no different.

Hit the jump for our review of Porno Graffiti’s latest single. (more…)
Anime, Japanese, Reviews

Hitomi Takahashi And Beat Crusaders Team Up On Gin Tama: Wo Ai Ni Single (Review)

March 28, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on Hitomi Takahashi And Beat Crusaders Team Up On Gin Tama: Wo Ai Ni Single (Review) Share this

There are apparently a lot of Gin Tama fans out there, although I admit I’d never heard of it before looking into this single. Between 32 volumes in the ongoing manga series and over 190 episodes in the animated series, it’s not all that surprising that “Wo Ai Ni” acts as the 14th ending theme for the animated series.

This is certainly an interesting collaboration, pairing J-pop artist Hitomi Takahashi with J-rock group Beat Crusaders, who I’ve always meant to look more into. I guess this single gives me an excuse to check them out! With Hitomi Takahashi’s playful vocals (“Wo Ai Ni” means “I love you” in Mandarin) and a funky rock backing from the Beat Crusaders, you’ll definitely want to check this single out.

Read our review of the 14th ending theme from Gin Tama after the jump! (more…)
Anime, Japanese

Chatmonchy’s Tour Hits Four US Cities; Albums Released Digitally

March 4, 2010 | Chris Nguyen | 5 Comments Share this

Chatmonchy is the name of the three-member all-female rock band that is well known among anime fans for their performance of the ending themes for the anime series Bleach with the song “Orange” and Hataraki Man with “Shangri-La.” And for those of you who enjoyed their works and live in North America, there’s an opportunity to see them live since they will be touring the United States.

Their tour kicks off in the South by Southwest 2010 (SXSW) media festival held in Austin, Texas on March 19 before moving on to New York on the 21st, Los Angeles on the 24th, two shows in San Francisco on the 26th, and back to LA on the 27th.

It will be interesting to see how popular their works prove to be with North American audiences since their Last Love Letter single released in February 2009 and their full-length album Kokuhaku both debuted on the Oricon charts in the top 10. As an added bonus, those hoping to give their a music a listen can hit up SonyMusic Independent Network because their Kokuhaku (Confession), Miminari (Ear Ringing), and Seimeiryoku (Life Force) albums are available digitally as of March 2.

More information about the group as well as a list of their tour dates, locations, and concert venues can be found on their Myspace page.

Any Chatmonchy fans here who will look forward to seeing Eriko, Akiko, and Kumiko live in person? And does anyone have any thoughts on their music or expectations as to the songs they’ll perform or ones that you hope they’ll play? Well, if you’re looking for a schedule and where to get their music, take a look after the jump for our latest update! (more…)
Anime, Reviews

Oasis vs. Kenji Kawai: Eden of the East Original Soundtrack (Review)

November 13, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 4 Comments Share this

I’ll come right out and say I’ve never seen Eden of the East. It does, however, sound pretty awesome. It’s set in Japan after a mysterious missile strike that targeted uninhabited areas of Japan, and follows a huge cast of characters, including a naked Japanese dude named Akira Takizawa who seems to have had his memory wiped and carries a cellphone with 8.2 billion yen in digital currency.

Interesting story, some great artwork, and of course, excellent music provided by FolksSoul and Fate/stay night composer Kenji Kawai. He provides a blend of tense orchestral (with live recordings), upbeat electronic, and futuristic jazz that all come together to create something reminiscent of a Xenogears soundtrack. There’s nothing too intense or action-oriented here, but there’s a lot of atmosphere which I totally dig. Even more, it features an opening theme from Oasis and a closing theme by school food punishment. This is definitely a soundtrack that makes me want to go out and watch the show.

Our review of the Eden of the East Original Soundtrack, after the jump! (more…)
Japanese, Reviews

This Chick Rocks: Syoko Suzuki’s Sweet Serenity (Review)

October 24, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this

Syoko is a pretty strange name, but that’s how it reads in the booklet. I recently discovered Syoko Suzuki when her latest album, Sweet Serenity came across our desk. I really had no idea what to expect, but the impressive looking electric guitar that Suzuki’s holding on the album cover had me thinking I was in for the standard Japanese fem rock, but boy was I wrong.

If I had to sum Suzuki up in one word, it’d be “versatile.” There’s a large variety here despite album’s short running time of about 35 minutes spread over 9 tracks, but it’s all great. The album’s subtitle, “and Chocolate Milk-Tea” suggests even further that Suzuki doesn’t take herself too seriously, and is just out to have fun.

Find out what’s in store for you if you happen to pick this one up after the jump. (more…)
Anime, Japanese, Reviews

Supercell: Computing Maximum Awesomeness From Nico Nico Douga to Sony Music Entertainment Japan (Review)

October 17, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

Supercell has a pretty amazing story. The group of 11 apparently got their start on Nico Nico Douga creating music and videos back in 2007. They’re headed up by sole composer and lyricist ryo, and the remaining 10 members are mainly illustrators and support staff. They received so much attention on various fan sites that Sony Music Entertainment Japan eventually picked them up and distributed their first major public debut in March of this year.

This single, Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari, is the follow-up to that self-titled debut album, and is actually their first single to date. It was released last month, and it features a track that was used as the ending theme for the Bakemonogatari anime series as well as two tracks from the CENCOROLL animated film, and I’ll tell you right out that it’s awesome. With Nagi on vocals and ryo’s amazing musical backing, you definitely need to look into this group.

Read our review of the Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari single after the jump! (more…)