JE thread

[strawberry]

Beansprouts,

thks for all your replies. I thought you did not want to commnet on the singing so I didn't pursue an answer either.

What would you say is the selling point of Kanjani 8 then, since they are definitely not strong in looks?

[strawberry]

btw, all the links you posted show that that their clips have very high clicks. impressive. It feels like they are in the widely popular league. They all hail from Osaka right?

[strawberry]

Ok, now, songs to recommend, where do I begin

Osaka Romanesque ---> This is one song that everybody loves, K8 fan or not.
Osaka Rainy Blues ---> One of my favourite K8 songs ever
Naniwa Iroha Bushi ---> First K8 single, it has a very enka-ish feel to the song
Sukiyanen, Osaka ---> Very catchy, very genki, very Kanjani8
Heavenly Psycho ---> Rock number by K8, they are all playing instruments, well, except for two

Well, that's all for now, I can go on and on if I want to, I gave a variety of genres, from rock to enka to ballads to abit jazzy. I pretty much like all of K8's rock songs, I think they are really strong in that genre.

I didn't know that Naniwa Iroha Bushi was a K8 song! I first heard it performed by the various JE groups namely NEWs and Kattun at one of their earlier Summary concerts. My sis and I both like the song..its what you said an 'enka-ish' feel? what does that term mean? anyway, to us, it sounds like a very traditional Japanese song and Tegoshi and Masuda sang the lead parts from where we saw and they did a good job. My sister's comment was that you know these are really japanese boys when they start singing such kinds of songs.

So Ryo can play the guitar too? that's very good!

which year did K8 debut?

[beansprouts]

What would you say is the selling point of Kanjani 8 then, since they are definitely not strong in looks?

btw, all the links you posted show that that their clips have very high clicks. impressive. It feels like they are in the widely popular league. They all hail from Osaka right?

Well K8 may not look as good as other JE groups at first glance, but they are pretty good-looking in their own rights.

Alot of K8 fans I know love them for their very strong friendship, great chemistry together, being very real and candid on screen, also their music which tends to be more rock-ish, and of course them being very funny. These are the reasons why I like them so much too.

All the members hail from Osaka except for one, Maruyama Ryuhei, who is from Kyoto. Both Osaka and Kyoto are part of Japan's Kansai region, as oppose to Kanto region which includes Tokyo. Hence the name KAN (from Kansai) JANI (Johnny) 8.

[beansprouts]

I didn't know that Naniwa Iroha Bushi was a K8 song! I first heard it performed by the various JE groups namely NEWs and Kattun at one of their earlier Summary concerts. My sis and I both like the song..its what you said an 'enka-ish' feel? what does that term mean? anyway, to us, it sounds like a very traditional Japanese song and Tegoshi and Masuda sang the lead parts from where we saw and they did a good job. My sister's comment was that you know these are really japanese boys when they start singing such kinds of songs.

So Ryo can play the guitar too? that's very good!

which year did K8 debut?

Enka 演歌 is a form of Japanese music that is characterized by melodramatic singing and lyrics. Subaru can do enka very well, his voice really has that kind of traditional feel to it when he sings Naniwa Iroha Bushi. I saw the Summary performance too, I guess I am so used to listening to Subaru sing the song that nobody else matches up.

Ryo can play the guitar, he played during the Heavenly Psycho performance. However he's not as good as the others and seldom play it on stage, he recently wrote a song and played it during K8's winter concert tour and he talked about how hard he practiced for it in his jwebs.

K8 debuted in 2004 with Naniwa Iroha Bushi, quite a low key event, the single was not even released country wide but within the Kansai region only. However it was very successful and the single was released country wide later on.

[strawberry]

Enka 演歌 is a form of Japanese music that is characterized by melodramatic singing and lyrics. Subaru can do enka very well, his voice really has that kind of traditional feel to it when he sings Naniwa Iroha Bushi. I saw the Summary performance too, I guess I am so used to listening to Subaru sing the song that nobody else matches up.

Ryo can play the guitar, he played during the Heavenly Psycho performance. However he's not as good as the others and seldom play it on stage, he recently wrote a song and played it during K8's winter concert tour and he talked about how hard he practiced for it in his jwebs.

K8 debuted in 2004 with Naniwa Iroha Bushi, quite a low key event, the single was not even released country wide but within the Kansai region only. However it was very successful and the single was released country wide later on.

I guess Ninomiya seems to be the most talented at Guitar....

I really like the song. It feels like the kind of songs that would be played during their Chinese New Year.

Did they get formed before NEWs but debuted after NEWs?

[strawberry]

Well K8 may not look as good as other JE groups at first glance, but they are pretty good-looking in their own rights.

Alot of K8 fans I know love them for their very strong friendship, great chemistry together, being very real and candid on screen, also their music which tends to be more rock-ish, and of course them being very funny. These are the reasons why I like them so much too.

All the members hail from Osaka except for one, Maruyama Ryuhei, who is from Kyoto. Both Osaka and Kyoto are part of Japan's Kansai region, as oppose to Kanto region which includes Tokyo. Hence the name KAN (from Kansai) JANI (Johnny) 8.

That sounds like the exact reasons why Arashi fans love them so much too! except for the rock song part.

[beansprouts]

I guess Ninomiya seems to be the most talented at Guitar....

I really like the song. It feels like the kind of songs that would be played during their Chinese New Year.

Did they get formed before NEWs but debuted after NEWs?

Well I would say Nino and the folks in K8 who play guitar are all pretty talented, since all of them taught themselves how to play without any formal lessons.

Which song are you referring to? Kanfu fighting? Yep it certainly sounds very genki and happy, their live performances of the song even have smoke spewing dragons and gongs with K8 members dressed in Chinese New Year red.

Yes, Kanjani8 was formed first but debuted later. A little bit of trivia, NEWS was formed to support the volleyball championships and Ryo originally not a full member of NEWS. He only performed with them when NEWS go to the West region of Japan to support the volleyball championship games. Whereas Uchi was a full member all along.

[beansprouts]

That sounds like the exact reasons why Arashi fans love them so much too! except for the rock song part.

Indeed, I thought of the same thing when I was typing that as well!!

[strawberry]

Well I would say Nino and the folks in K8 who play guitar are all pretty talented, since all of them taught themselves how to play without any formal lessons.

Which song are you referring to? Kanfu fighting? Yep it certainly sounds very genki and happy, their live performances of the song even have smoke spewing dragons and gongs with K8 members dressed in Chinese New Year red.

Yes, Kanjani8 was formed first but debuted later. A little bit of trivia, NEWS was formed to support the volleyball championships and Ryo originally not a full member of NEWS. He only performed with them when NEWS go to the West region of Japan to support the volleyball championship games. Whereas Uchi was a full member all along.

I was referring to Naniwa Iroha Bushi

[strawberry]

Indeed, I thought of the same thing when I was typing that as well!!

Kattun and NEWs really pale as groups in comparison.

[strawberry]

A fanvideo of Dragon Zakura, the first I have come across. This focus on the relationship between Yamapi's character Yusuke and his childhood sweetheart in the show, Nioami. Nice song chosen.

Yamapi feels so much younger than and he wore the look of the rebellious high school kid very well.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=u_ZkZVxM_CI

* Just to add that the underlying tension and attraction bet Yusuke and Niaomi is the best part about Dragon Zakura and I actually think that Pi acted pretty well for this show!!


Apparently, 'Far Away' gets chosen a lot for fanvideos of Pi's serials, see the same song used for Dragon Zakura and Kurosagi, I definitley prefer the Kurosagi one, it just fits better.

Dragon Zakura (Far AWay)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FgofDRhaE...elated&search=

Kurosagi (Far Away)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1THODzVKaMs

Sometimes, seeing Pi's rapid change scares me....

[strawberry]

A fancam of NEWs Spring concert in 2006...I can tell this is a Ryo fan...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fklzznKgnd4

[beansprouts]

It always amazes me that there are people who film concerts secretly, but of course without them fans will not get to watch those concerts.

[strawberry]

It always amazes me that there are people who film concerts secretly, but of course without them fans will not get to watch those concerts.

Actually, its not too difficult to do that I feel.

[strawberry]

I don’t know what happened to Tegoshi but he is definitely looking better and better…is it that slight mole on his upper lips? Or that his new hairdo and hair-colour with light blonde highlights looks great on him.. Highlight his features? or the fact that his features have become more refined? He definitely looks and feels different from the past but can’t figure out why.

I am totally Not excited about NEWs coming back, totally can’t understand and appreciate the fandom over this that I have seen on other forums. NEWS was never a strong group in the beginning to begin with, don’t understand why fans would be devoted to them. Ok, I think I am only speaking for myself.

But If I were to rank them , it would be Pi, Ryo, Tegoshi, Masuda, Koyama then Shige. And Pi is so in danger of falling off the ranking.

[beansprouts]

Every group has their share of fans, while I can't appreciate NEWS the way their fans do, I can certainly understand the excitement since they've been on a hiatus for quite a while now. But I must say, a 6 member comeback is really kinda bleh, only 3/4 of the original group.

strawberry, Pi is in danger of falling off and being replaced by Ryo?? Care to share with me why Pi is in danger of getting kick off the #1 rank?

Trivia - I am not sure whether this is common in the NEWS fandom, but the K8 fandom oftens refer to Ryo as the Sexy Osaka Man.

[strawberry]

Every group has their share of fans, while I can't appreciate NEWS the way their fans do, I can certainly understand the excitement since they've been on a hiatus for quite a while now. But I must say, a 6 member comeback is really kinda bleh, only 3/4 of the original group.

strawberry, Pi is in danger of falling off and being replaced by Ryo?? Care to share with me why Pi is in danger of getting kick off the #1 rank?

Trivia - I am not sure whether this is common in the NEWS fandom, but the K8 fandom oftens refer to Ryo as the Sexy Osaka Man.

I would be willing to share if only I knew how to explain it...but I can't. Let me attempt to...part if it seems to be the vibes you get from a person is different now. I don't think Ryo would take over Yamapi but I seemed to feel less for Pi as compared to before....there are reasons, if only I could exactly articulate what the reason is or reasons are. This kind of failed me eventhough I consider myself a pretty articulate person. Would have love to share...really. But I think another of the reason is that Pi seems more and more illusive..is there such a word? something like he has beocome so serious, stern and guarded that it feels that you can't get a clue what he is thinking or really like as a person anymore. I know you have mentioned that celebriteis are not totally what they are like on stage but I feel that some parts of them which are of their true nature still comes through but you have to be observant.

I sort of understand why they would termed Ryo that but like I said sometime back, Ryo's attraction does not jump out at you...takes some time and does not work for everyone.

Until recently, the way I see it, is that Pi was the main attraction in NEWs and the rest did not have enough of a distinctive personality to contribute to the holding power of the group unlike say Arashi. Of course, now Tegoshi and MAsuda are coming into their own and Ryo is intriguing (as you have described) but I still find that the NEWs members are largely not distinctive enough on their own to make the group as attractive or interesting as say Arashi.

I know of many who have dropped Pi because of his current hairdo and also read of fans from blogs who still are mad about him but I belong to neither. Not the former because I don't think I am that superficial and not the latter because I can't lie about what I really feel.

[beansprouts]

^I kinda get what you mean, it is not easy to explain this kind of thing and thanks for attempting. For me, Pi feels more unreachable and distanced as compared to before, kinda of like what you say, not really sure what he's really like as a person. As for Pi's fans dropping him cause of his hairstyle, well I guess they are more fans of his looks than fans of him as a person.

Indeed NEWS members are not very distinctive on their own, and NEWS as a group do not really have any outstanding quality that differentiates them too. I can see why some folks like to refer to NEWS as Yamapi and Friends - cause in alot of things that they do, it always feel very Pi-centric.

[strawberry]

^I kinda get what you mean, it is not easy to explain this kind of thing and thanks for attempting. For me, Pi feels more unreachable and distanced as compared to before, kinda of like what you say, not really sure what he's really like as a person. As for Pi's fans dropping him cause of his hairstyle, well I guess they are more fans of his looks than fans of him as a person.

Indeed NEWS members are not very distinctive on their own, and NEWS as a group do not really have any outstanding quality that differentiates them too. I can see why some folks like to refer to NEWS as Yamapi and Friends - cause in alot of things that they do, it always feel very Pi-centric.

Beansprouts,

For some reason, your post make me feel better about things. Thanks!

yes you are right, he has become very distant and unreachable...so much so that I can't even get started trying to understand why. I really hope he does not give up at Meiji. I always felt that my uni life was tough but you have to complete it as much as possible. I don't speak for all because there are many people who seem to feel that its a breeze, I honestly don't think so. I know that Pi got into Meji because he wanted to prove his high school teacher wrong but in his case, I say he has not proven anything if he didn't ultimately complete his studies.

I sometimes question if I am a fan of Pi the person too? Its kind of difficult to reach a definite answer because nobody can say for sure what he is really like but, I guess I like Pi as the way I feel he is and that kind of vibe I think is something that's pretty strong and can't really be faked...it can be a personal feeling too.