The Entertainment News '23 Issue #19

Well, this was quite a week. For starters, you may have noticed the crazy number of blog posts that I have not ported into the anniversary site which I may just do next week or something I still have stuff to catch up on including the next announcement which will come... hopefully by next month. And then there's the #KN15YEARS compilations which now that I have put in the teaser in one of the posts I can't go back now haha not that I will, so I'm thinking of what should I credit this time around. Not gonna top ABCDs in 10th year though; That was such a good idea I can't even

Also, fixed up the Entertainment News posts in the past years (manually, by the way) to fit with the new post contents: the hashtags on top, the headers in each segment, fixing links and popups- That popup text thing though I still have no idea how to replace that so that might be legacy code for all I know. Not that I put a boring list of stuff in a hidden segment now anyways I either spill it out or I don't. *silence*

Also also, unlike the last time I took work leave and was sick half the time and was in a tube scanning my abdomen in the other half lol, this time the doctor was also on leave (lmao) so I took the time to learn that this issue anyways has been a long running problem and controlling one's diet will be the best solution anyways. Then again, I can always spend more money in investing in my future or my haircut or whatever renewing of passport and identification card since this is a thing for this particular year. *silence* Not going overseas anytime soon though but you know, who knows? Maybe I go Japan to see MaiMai-

ANYWAYS, too long of an intro, we have plenty to talk about for music but Anime first!!

アニメ Skip to Loafer

"They are hard workers, and are very competitive..." Boy do I not want to be in this lol

Yeah true competition over not exams is cringe. Only in the best of schools do we only compete in academic results. I mean, look at them. *laughs* In this new episode though (#SkiLo05), we have some Egashira lore?? Ooooo haha then again at some point we gotta do the character focus episodes. It's slice-of-life series, after all. *wink* This time around, we focus on not the exams because who really cares about studying at his place lmao we will get to that I swear, let's talk about the school sports festival! It's not your usual run on the tracks, but this is also rather exciting, as the new class decide to give themselves the task of trashing all competition out there and win in as many sports as possible. And thus, in a world of competition, Mitsumi started to get worried for real for not picking up an easy sport so you can lose alone lol Kurume I see you there, so after talking to Shima he got Egashira to help her out to play volleyball. You know, that girl who likes Shima so bad she wants Mitsumi dead? *laughs* Anyways, no deaths here only dead hearts in love lmao *dabs*, we gotta train Mitsumi so she could be useful in the matches afterwards. And come on Egashira please, training Mitsumi isn't as hard as that other Anime which is basically devil's run and he still can fail, so relax. *laughs* Also, training for yourself to slim down probably is a bigger ordeal- Moving on haha, she then realized how different and tryhard she is compared to people around her. Specifically on Mitsumi we will not talk about Yuzuki for now I bet she has her problems, but it's all about viewpoint. In dealing with the senpais who are using the court for the wrong reasons, Egashira will imprint those guys' names in her blacklist lol, while Mitsumi was thankful the good senpai was here to help her. Not Kanechika, not that one. *laughs* So yeah, that's pretty much it Egashira: You learn to hate people, but she learns to like people. Too real, girl, too real. Also what is too real is her flashbacks where she was in middle school I assume? When she probably got bullied being called a PIG (lol) (I mean, I would too so I can't imagine everyone else who is male and isn't a piece of sh*t when they were a kid), she tried her best to keep her image and change herself for the better in high school, as Mitsumi has noticed about how much she tries even just getting to Shima-kun, yes? But yeah, no lying, girl, we don't condone those in here this is a safe space about friendships and friendships only. *giggles* Then again, the matches that followed on the actual day really made you feel that this isn't just friendship when classmates cheer on for you doing stuff, specifically here on the battlefield on the sports field. Yeah, remember those days when you were kinda popular and girls looked at you? Those were the days. *dabs* Hey, I didn't dream of it, okay? I just didn't have smartphones to take photos to show you. Also there was the bunch of us- DAMMIT!!! *laughs* Moving on haha so that was my first half of middle school don't ask about the rest thanks lmao, we all see a different perspective of everyone who worked hard. Kento also got praised by his crush oh goddamn, so that's the stuff I strived for in school back then, eh? Maybe. Don't think it worked though I'm still single- Hey Egashira if you don't mind you can take me. *giggles* Also Mitsumi if you don't mind can you just take Shima-kun? Despite his popularity with the girls most of them only want to take a photo with him. Really, that's it. To actually be with an ikemen all around? You need a real friend, and you might be that one for him. *giggles* All in all... yeah Egashira will get laid by Episode 12, mark my words. *giggles* Or I guess if no one wants her then I'll take her. *dabs* The characters in the cast have such a diverse portfolio, I can always get back to them either way or another. Which is good, this kind of dynamic is what you want to see in such a series. I'll look forward to next time, and maybe then we can find someone who will fall in love with Egashira. As in her during her middle school days HAHAHAHA I'm done

Me when Itou Miku read my superchat in a Pyxis livestream on my birthday
(Would've preferred Moeshi and my bro wasn't into Mikuu because of her rumours with a boyfriend so)
(Haha)

MFW it's their problem and they say it's mine

It was funny too last week so here's more haha I didn't ask for this btw

P.S. "Me? Table tennis. I don't want the slightest opportunity of messing up in a team sport" Wow how do you think like me lol not true I do play it when I was young but still

P.P.S. "Your butt's sticking out" HELL YEAH girl you wanna peg- "I'm controlling myself because I gain weight easily, damn it" Yeah okay Egashira stop talking about every other girl's problems in Anime this is a safe space lol

[EGASHIRA MIKA-CHAN SPECIAL!!! Trust me the only way you can get this girl is to know her past and call her fat haha]

Actually Egashira embarrassed is rather *chef's kiss*

She's SO cool you don't even know hehe

This is that smug face we all know and love haha

アニメ Tonikaku Kawaii Season 2

"Maybe when a situation is too perfect, you end up getting a bizarrely peaceful feeling?" I aim dream to achieve this someday lmao

Oh so your mom's back for her pity run? SH*T ON HER!! *laughs* Literally, piss on her, would you? *laughs* In this new episode I think our character roster is expanding faster than the universe is lol (#ToniKawaS205), but actually if you studied Astronomy you know it's shrinking instead so don't mind me if we introduce more characters to ruin their day. Okay maybe not this mom just gave us tickets to a hot springs hotel, we good. *giggles* Good mom there haha, as you can see, Kaname's mom which is also Aya's mom if you can recall, has came back on her pity run as I would like to refer to these things because this is their fallback apparently which no one cares to be honest, but we do care about the pair of tickets she won that she wouldn't use anyways haha, so might as well give it to the main couple. Heck, do we even need to move to somewhere else to stay? We getting benefits by the episode, dude! *giggles* So yeah, they get to go play around by themselves (hehe) while no one is stalking them especially Chitose because we know she has cameras all around the country lol or at least she has the maids, is staying back to study just like Aya-chan, but we all know who is studying more between the two even if they all hanged around to clean the bathhouse in their swimsuits. *silence* Yes, turns out Kaname is the smartest, we get it dude. *laughs* Moving on from these losers haha, let's talk about what happened in the hotel then. No sex yet lol, but we did start with some reflections in each of the public baths I guess. Tsukasa is just enjoying the bath, and Nasa-kun is so chill he forgot he had to plan the trip ahead of time or else they will be just wandering around which honestly saying is good enough for me if you date me so any takers? *silence* No? Oh well. *sob* He rushed out of the bath early only to be blocked by an old woman who is lost in the hotel, just DRAGGING his time away to do research and/or scouting to whatever extent he needs to do so, and is then stopped by the wife because damn, ever met the guy who was the witness on your marriage papers? Me neither. *laughs* Introducing Tsukuyomi Tokiko, in surface let's assume she was the one who raised her up after what seems to be like her husband passed away in the war probably leaving her so damn rich she owns the largest room in this very luxurious hotel alone. They introduce themselves to each other formally, we get to see Tsukasa embarrassed for like half the episode haha nice that's the title of the series in action she's just cute, and Tokiko thought Nasa-kun did the very crazy thing of asking this Tsukasa... thing of her hand in marriage. Hmm what could that mean... All in all... I'm going to leave you with the lore as they have left us this week. From Tokiko, yes. AND THEY ARE LEAVING THE GOOD STUFF NEXT WEEK?? *laughs* Okay, not like they are going to drop on the lore of Tsukasa that quick haha this old woman knows a lot by the way, but you know, we can keep it at this pace. We are halfway through this second season after all. *wink* Again, not that I know of the backstory I've only seen the manga cover art lmao, but I think that this episode might be quite enough. So, next week then! You think they going out for sights or are they going to take in the sights of each other's- Oh, from the trailer it's both. NICE haha see you then

Thought I could cater to the female audience here showing some topless Nasa-kun haha

#RelaxationTourGoals to be honest I want this every weekend lol

That's a Siri reference right there

P.S. "Their rooms come with open-air baths" *gets deja vu from Anime "KanoKano"* Haha but that's just the guy being a creep dropping into every other room though *laughs*

P.P.S. "But will we be able to make it there without any trouble?" What are you talking about Tsukasa it's just you guys and... Chitose... Oh. *laughs* "Finals are coming up, and I'm busy!" Oh good haha FINALLY WE CAN F-

[Okay dude, imagine this: Kitou Akari in the hot springs. *silence* MORE TSUKASA-CHAN COMING UP haha]

Just the perfect thing hehe

This is literally before the s*x in a porno where she is reluctant haha ah-

アニメ Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia

"Nothing good ever comes from fretting about something that's over and done with" SAME DUDE but can we stop self-marking the question papers lol

Wow they really make you wait for the photo, huh. Also screw you, mosquito-kun. *laughs* In this new episode where we comparing against Nakami but as a female lmao Kanikawa you cad (#KimiSomu04), yeah we aren't even halfway through and we be talking about love now?? NICE. *giggles* Hey, it's not only me that's enjoying this, we can just start with the girls along with Isaki-chan, isn't it? The exams are just over, the girls are hanging out doing girls' talk things like Kanikawa being envious of Nakami somehow and I promise you it's not his insomnia that's shining lmao, and you know, walking the bridges and falling in love. Gotta agree though? If a boy and a girl can walk the bridges together without anyone noticing that has GOT to me a romance plot. *laughs* Still though, watching Kanikawa tryhard is kinda adorable (hehe voiced by Lynn-san btw), but not when Nono-chan there realized that Isaki-chan actually has someone to refer to in doing whatever stuff they were thinking of. Please, taking photos in the fireworks festival only, bro. Nakami isn't interested anyway. The fireworks, I mean. *dabs* And so is Isaki-chan... maybe. At this point even Shiromaru-senpai here probably saw this thing between them and Ukegawa already knew he was in the way haha, maybe Nakami is more aware about his relationship with this girl than anyone else will ever. But the girl is nice and adorable even complimenting his photos of the night stars despite the literal dunk fest from the senpai, still isn't enough for I guess anyone to notice what's up. Well, not yet anyways we will get there. *giggles* And I guess we have to talk about the school trip incoming. The weather's going to be in the way, we have a tight schedule that no one is technically interested in, and instead of letting the newest Most Boring Teacher Award sensei decide on the groups to have dinner together lol, let's see if we can violate the rules throughout this class trip, yes? Haha we gotta do all the wrong things in school, isn't it? Hanging out at night after school at the convenience store, or even cycling out at night with a huge bag of stuff... bro, you are just as suspicious as he is anyways, this Rui. Not that it's a problem we only talk about this stuff in the toilet anyways, until that dumb teacher is in one of the cubicles. Welp. *laughs* But yeah as you can see this is the stereotype old-fashioned thinks-he-is-smart-because-he-is-ripped type of man which is *ugh* at this point in time at least haha, could not realize that his advice for letting these kids sleep at night would be so much more useful being used to wipe his own b*tt when he was in the sh*tter *dabs* because damn did Nakami piss him more than I would have ever done myself. *giggles* Isaki-chan you will never understand... how great you are to be in Nakami's life by his side. I know this is win-win situation with the heartbeat therapy as collateral at this point but you know. All in all... can we give the sensei the award already? *laughs* Also, the I-Don't-Get-Insomniacs Award too? This dude doesn't care about students anyways. Either way, what an episode, setting up to stuff that will really require basically the whole class to know of his condition in order to clarify all misunderstanding, but heck. Why do that when your only assurance is Kurashiki and Isaki-chan who are all females?? *laughs* Ok I'm not the misogynist here this story is doing it. *giggles* Moving on though, I can see the drops happening as fast as the rain can carry them into the school trip, and I can't wait to just do buckets of tears so we shall see where this goes. 

How I describe my work life to others lol

Nakami is "doin' it to ya" by the way haha

Uno pussy gatto spotted lmao
(He just poses like one, isn't it?)

P.S. "...if you take your crush and walk the 7 bridges along the Misogi river in silence, the two of you will be bound by the strings of love" Heck I might just do this by mistake IF YOU GET WHAT I MEAN DUDE haha yeah with someone of the same gender? *laughs* Ah hey, we don't discriminate here that's Japan's problem okay?

P.P.S. "Well, fireworks are nothing but a chemical reaction" Around a girl it will be more than just that AMIRITE FELLAS *dabs*

This is so cute I can't even

I try to imagine this scenario every night as I sleep alone in bed.
It does not help. *laughs*

POV: You are doing it to Isaki-chan
(Uh don't sue me pls lol)

音楽 This Week on Klassic Note

Oh so this week in Klassic Note we got a lot of candidates mainly because there aren't any new songs released for the week... that I would care about so let's put Ikimonogakari's new song aside for now. *laughs* Other than that though, I did take the liberty to go for another around of Hololive solo artist songs from the past year and I got around to some of them, getting into familiar ones like Murasaki Shion and Momosuzu Nene, and introducing new artists to the list including AZKi, Tokoyami Towa-sama and Minato Aqua so that's good they finally found songs that suit them better or it just passed my picky tastes in music. *giggles* You can follow my journey on Twitter if you don't mind just don't look at the timestamps I listened to them all beforehand so it's technically not a first impression lol. I also did a Klassic Note Review of Suzuki Airi's new single from March this year (don't worry, not that lagging behind) so be sure to check that out. I also gave a listen to yuiko's new solo album which did got in the ranks for indie artists so I hope more people get to know of her and throw myself into a wave of nostalgia with Primary's 2nd best album which featured yuiko-san as lyricist and singer, if you would recall those days of me listening to my first doujin artist. *silence* Yeah it has been a while haha

On Twitter featuring news to blow your damn mind lol you won't but I will, let's talk about the new stuff about music! mol-74 has some news for us next week so I hope it's a major release again we are starting their year with them going independent music label and have released two songs so far and I can take more so please do. Ikimonogakari's lives are available on Crunchyroll of all services somehow, so if you want to reminisce yourself with some Hotaka-kun who left you're welcome. *laughs* cinema staff will release a live only EP in July because why not but I just hope it will appear on music streaming services is all I ask. Then again I didn't give them anything for the year so I'm sorry. I'm pretty sure you missed THE ORAL CIGARETTES' live YouTube premiere on Tuesday and I kind of did too so I just watched a bit, maybe next time we can catch it all. SPECIAL OTHERS ACOUSTIC came up with a new piece of all occasions considering the acoustic branch of the instrumental band is already preparing their album by October, is also doing acoustic lives starting this week? HOW?? *laughs* Not gonna comment on the piece though, one is never enough for me to feel anything. Primary's best albums are now on music streaming services if you know what they are, they are just my childhood knowing lyricist and singer yuiko-san back in 2009 as a doujin music artist and I barely even knew what those are. Ryokuoushoku Shakai will reveal a new song next week from their upcoming album and I can wait so I probably won't be listening to this and going into their album blind. I somehow did not realize LUCK LIFE will be releasing a 15th anniversary best album in July and so should you know by now I may have mentioned before but this time I won't forget. SCANDAL's new music video might just get me to give this song which has been released since March with the single coming in next week I hope you got all that. I can't believe they are doing this again but ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION is again remastering their albums this time the one from 2008 which will release in July but since they did not exist for me around 2008 I might as well listen to this when it comes out. We got a sneak peek into GLIM SPANKY's new song for a local drama and it's not much so it's just a teaser I suppose. And boy I don't know why they like them to go retro, but ClariS will release a concept EP end of June around a cover song by Wink (who??) and they even have a music video done already by the way so... why are they reminding me of the times when I did not exist? *laughs* Heck, these girls also did not exist in THE YEAR 1989 so what the f- And if that doesn't appeal to you their recent music videos are in full before the times where it wasn't so at least we got that.

So next week, I did see a few releases I might have missed so I'll be looking into seven oops' new song from March I've not heard anything yet and I may have missed more(?) so I will look into it. Also in the list is Kami wa Saikoro wo Furanai's new song in view of their new album in September which I might just give a listen then so I'll talk about it when it draws closer. With respect to new releases though, I will try not to miss SCANDAL's new single which as I said did not get me two months ago with the one song so let's see if we can try again. *shakes head* Aimer's new single is also for next week which probably is more hopeful so I'll focus on that instead I guess.




The next thing I might do for my personal gain?? *giggles* Probably a relationship table for all the voice actresses I follow. *laughs* That's all you are getting by the way haha OR I can write a DOAXVV manager's diary. Basically like, a short write-up featuring anyone ON THE DAY THAT I have rolled SSRs of them within the week. For this week it was only Kokoro-chan so maybe she dropped by my room to ask me for some advice. *giggles* Cya guys next time then, and until next week if I don't know what to do with my work tasks maybe the new package will help me out when it arrives HAHAHAHA bye

P.S. Note to self Anime "Kubo-san" actually "returns" in 2 weeks after its hiatus from 3 months ago so don't forget, me, that I'm watching FOUR shows this season lol haha why

The Klassic Note Review 2023.05

I'm like "oh Suzuki Airi's new single is here" and I'm still humming on her major debut song lol hey what can I say that song was great I reviewed it too last year I liked that one. *giggles* Oh well, let's see if this can update my impression of her.

This was on the mailbox last night when I saw my dad open it (lol oops) and apparently it can fit in there but there is no way I could have done that AND published a post yesterday *wink*, so here we are a day later with another Klassic Note Review! Hey, we almost got a post each day for this week. Almost. Still, I feel like this will be a thing to talk about a month later, so let's get to it!

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

Suzuki Airi - heart notes [Single]

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

(Oh come on, artist cover art for sure Suzuki Airi is a beauty who even cares about Shinomiya Kaguya)

Origin: Well, it has been a long time coming, but to be honest, this might be her last time coming. With the end of Anime series "Kaguya-sama" and her from being featured in the Anime opening theme song with "Anison's newbie artist" Suzuki Masayuki to now singing her own songs with her major label debut which we have reviewed a year ago, and now this. She has come a long way as long as the Anime series itself. As I ponder how these artists can hit me time and time again, I then realized I got tired quickly of the opening theme but focus myself more on the insert and ending theme songs which is where this Suzuki here comes in. With one last chance to impress, she puts forth an emotional song for us to remember.

[1] heart notes

From first chorus:

"Always as lost (as I am)

(I) chanced upon (you)

All of this became

Only (of) my very own feelings

My heart notes

The sweetness and bitterness

(I) will embrace it all

All of it"

How should I feel about this... firstly, emotional. It represented the end of the Anime series it was credited in, so of course we will feel that way. But more importantly, was what I came out feeling listening to it. The lyrics spell an easy tale of company, in the form of synchronization of heartbeats of sorts and thus the song title and as it was mentioned throughout the song, it's a song of strong feels as it is of a confession. To be with and accept all that they are without holding back, it draws similarities with the conclusion of the animation itself, and you can take my word for that. The melody is an easy-listening tune without much quirks, and of course suffers from the usual bridge issues in this case for being rather long in my opinion, but that is very typical of Anime theme songs, so I am not going to complain. Enough to please, not enough to remember, would be my impression.

Rating: Touchingly Average

Conclusion: This is just a single-track single to rip me off, and that is though the harshest thing I can say, I have given quite a lot of thought about how to like this. It is still a great emotional ballad I can't deny its greatness, but as much as it has proven its worth, it did not touch my heart more over the Anime it was featured in. Nonetheless, I still think this was worth a listen, and fans of the series will appreciate this as being the conclusion of what was romance.

- Aozaki Shouhei, on the Klassic Note

THE PACKAGE

Okay relax, don't be too surprised by this, this is not a buy-her-single-get-a-stack-of-whoever-that-is-bromides kind of offer (lol), but thanks to CDJapan's proxy shopping service and my failure of getting the latter into the package I'm shipping in soon basically next week hehe, so I had to add it to this since in this case, they could get the product for me. So ignoring that!! *laughs* Let's talk about how awesome this solo artist's physical packaging of just a single song is, shall we?

For the special bonus though, I chose to take the same one from all the other stores (which should have been an extra sticker of the cover but I guess not?) instead of any of the usual ones like Animate or Amazon Japan since the bonus is actually a selection of three random photos (plus one rare but we don't talk about our chances at that lol) regardless of your purchase from which store and also for the above reason, but also that not like the others are exactly that great or is worth an incentive to make me get them through other places considering the charges, so don't mind me if I'm just taking a simple bromide photo of Suzuki Airi here.  I mean, I got two of these and NONE of Kanno Mai?? I'm a disgrace lmao

It's all solo artists, huh. I could've dumped in Fuchigami Mai's new single if hers isn't Limited Edition only which I have stated I will never simp on solo artist music video Blu-Rays haha good for me on keeping this record going, but that is what happens I will just miss some of these. You can blame my 2013 self for skipping that one miwa single back then for all this. *giggles* Anyways, hopefully we can get more mainstream listens in here soon but unlikely haha, I can actually make a statement about how much I love Japanese women singing. *silence* See you then. *laughs*

P.S. IRL update lol because I will say it tomorrow again, just Kanno Mai Instagram live is a joy. You should watch it live someday. *giggles* It's like a long distance call with my not girlfriend, dude. *laughs*

The most disapponting feels people can give you is when they have a weaker reaction to the same thing than you.

Let's not talk about the consequences of such conversations it's just awkward anyways, but thinking about this and that is probably why people like others to listen to them then otherwise. And this, listening ears are more appreciated. Not that they don't have anything to talk about, but to avoid your disappointment they will listen to the heck out of you and agree on stuff they can. To, you guessed it, avoid such disappointment. Think about it.

Watching Anime: The 3 Types of Anison Artists (#KN15YEARS)

And welcome back for likely the final time! For this special special #KN15YEARS Klassic Note 15th anniversary special where we talk about specifically, the artists themselves which made this song library of mine possible to have lasted this long. This time around, I'll talk about how watching Anime has influenced what I listen to, for this is not just a coincidence. We definitely all started with watching these Japanese-made animations and it changed our lives. Well, at least it changed mine.

So let me take you on a journey, and show you just how at this point to be frank, ANYONE can be an Anison artist, and I can define for you, three types of them. Let's see if we can wrap ourselves around this!

THE ANISON ARTIST AND WHY IT CAME FROM ANIME

So for starters, let's define what I will later describe as "Anison" or aptly known as "Anime song". Problem is, the industry recognizes this term as basically anything related to Anime. Yeah, if you as an artist sang a song for Anime you can be an Anison artist. And that is clearly not true. In my definition of this term then, it's to describe those artists/singers who have been created solely for the purpose of the Anime. Yes, you can then say Kalafina is made from Anime, but that can apply to many cases today. So as you can see, the lines to define this are blurring with every passing year.

We do not know for sure what constitutes the theme and insert songs for every Anime though, it doesn't seem like an absolute decision. If the voice actors have much talent or are even just newbies then getting them to sing might be a wise choice nowadays. If credibility is assure for the series then making sure mainstream artists take the helm might be better. And I guess everyone else can be just done by a solo artist, whatever. Regardless, it's what made Anime today, and it sure has influenced me into thinking what they represent so far.

THE THREE TYPES OF ANISON ARTISTS

[1] Mainstream Artists

This is basically the way we all knew of Anime when it exploded in the early 2000s. Horie Yui isn't exactly the most popular music artist out there, and I would assume song production for Anime is still kind of a high bar, so outsourcing (literally) to mainstream artists related to the associated (major, so never indie) music label (each Anime is normally tied to one) and let them draw on a canvas relevant to the theme. This obviously has its drawbacks as it's most suited for action series which can have a broader scope of theme especially for the endings, so Anime back then with a specific theme will not be able to capitalize on this power. When it does though, it would have a greater impact like none other, showing the flexibility of the artist to blend into the Anime's theme. Sometimes, even the artists define the theme. Nonetheless, it made many of our childhood, and brought us even further into some of their legendary music and what it means to listen to J-Pop or J-Rock back then.

Examples: ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, SID, LUCKLIFE, Sayuri

[2] Anime Character Artists

I would normally like to bring to you guys the attention of not just single Anime characters, but groups of Anime characters, and even worse, were given names just because it sounded better for the theme of the Anime itself. I can list any number of them if I want, but you get the idea. This is probably what I refer to as the "actual Anison" because this is where all the acting happens: voice actors go out of their way to not voice in Anime they were casted in, but sing songs that have to sound like their characters. Blending those in (get it?) will give you a more immersed effect for music in the series itself, I would argue, and that's how it's also a great idea for genres and/or presentation not like the usual, and it easily represents Anime production trying to make this as much of a package as it is possible. Still, it likely depends on the compatibility of singing voices in the cast which in most cases will be interesting enough if given a variety of characters in the main work.

Examples (if you can figure their origin): denk!girls, Blend.A, STARTails, HOUKAGO TEA TIME

[3] Solo Voice Actor Artists

This is not just a recent trend, as it's more like it happens more than often, also more like a production decision where they can get any of the above to happen, and it's easier to promote a voice actor in the process on their solo music career, it's just smarter to let the relevancy of song composition be determined by the Anime music producers but let the voice actor artist sing them. It's a win-win situation especially in cases where the voice actor is in the cast of the Anime, making it more compelling usually for the audience to watch because of the theme song. This really depends on how you view Anime I know people who don't care about music in Anime, but nonetheless, as scheming as it seems, it has taken the industry by storm, and neglecting mainstream artists in the process. Still, they present the Anime producers' visions while further promoting the voice actors themselves. (Don't worry, I don't really give male idols here so rest assured the gender bias is heavy at this point. Not like it changed with respect to Anime character songs too but you get the point.)

Examples: Tomatsu Haruka, Amamiya Sora, Horie Yui, Uesaka Sumire

THE STATS

Okay, the following table only summarizes solo artists (because filtering people like yanaginagi and YUKI-san from voice actresses is a pain lol I don't have a condition for that tbh), but in general, this is what theme songs I've given over the years with the Anime I've watched, with respect to 2022:

(*Collaborations don't count if they belong in different types so "ToniKawa" opening is excluded, for example)

Year	[1]	[2]	[3]
2007	18		1
2008	5		4
2009	9	2	3
2010	10	5	1
2011	13
2012	7	2	3
2013	6	2	5
2014	10	2	6
2015	7		2
2016	8		1
2017	7	2	12
2018	10	4	2
2019	8	3	2
2020	11		4
2021	9	3	3
2022	6	1	4

Wow surprisingly still overwhelming in the mainstream artists- Maybe it's just me rejecting all the Anime artists haha I can tell you I am not fond of male voice actors which are counted in here which is none *laughs* and Anime groups so we did not include the single Anime characters in these which aren't many anyways. Again, I wish I can prove my point by putting the whole "K-ON!" and "OreImo" cast of character songs but then what is the point even. Shout out to 2017 though, proving my point. *giggles*

Well, at this point I could've concluded this week's talks about artists in Klassic Note by announcing a compilation or two, but instead, I'm going to leave you a little teaser on what I have planned next.

#KN[10+2+2+1=15]YEARS

Yes, I'm still referring to the compilations by the way, with relation to artists. Not necessary related to the posts I've done so far but find out what these mean NEXT TIME!! ON-

The Klassic Note Club Representatives (#KN15YEARS)

Welcome back! In my series to talk about artists in the #KN15YEARS Klassic Note 15th year anniversary special!!! This one is going to be rough, we shall talk about artist genre. Yes, not song genre. Because it's hard to recommend an artist that is purely something these days, so maybe through this, we can figure something out.

For starters though, yeah, this is where we can ONLY talk about mainstream artists because if you look at a solo artist and tell me they only focus on one genre I will-

So let's! Let's... see how many music genres I actually know after so long haha *shakes head*

THE SELECTION PROCESS

I mean, as I sit down and think about how this works, and I could not fathom if I could do this properly considering music genres in itself is kind of ambiguous these days, I will try to find those who stay true to their style... for most of the time, enough for me to not think of them as multi-genre artists, I suppose. Otherwise, it's just more songs the more chances it can be in this, right? Representatives are also selected based on popularity, after all. And if any genre is more gender biased than others don't blame me, I am still a male listener anyways.

THE CLUB REPRESENTATIVES

[*As of 2022, not full representation of all artists in Klassic Note]

The Ska Representative - ORESKABAND

Well as you can see, it's not a lot, I can't define all the in-betweens to be honest a lot of them are diverse in many ways than other if you listen to enough of them, and yes that includes solo artists so a lot of them aren't in this. But that's the point, to show the diversity in genre of music I listen to or you may potentially find out there in Japan's music industry.

Other Members: TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA, pe'zmoku

The Jazz Representative - PE'Z

I don't know about this genre to be honest it kinda crosses with Ska in my opinion, but yeah, if you want Jazz Jazz from like the Western side then this is not what you might find in Japan. I've only heard of actual Jazz bands I think the last time was from Audioleaf I forgot who they are lol, but yeah I've only heard of PE'Z and think they are the only ones who carry the feel and are still the most popular. Even when they moved on and formed H ZETTRIO the feels did not go away, and that's a good thing.

Other Members: H ZETTRIO

The Hip-Hop/Funk Representative - HOME MADE Kazoku

Well, it used to be them. This genre set has been around in Klassic Note too much and too often, but only appearing in and out too much that it has caught my attention. Little do I have the chance to encounter artists who sound good and sound entirely different from their Pop and Rock counterparts to allow them to have a place in the music industry. Maybe Rap has to be a genre in here too, since it's hardly anything if not combined with this genre set, in my opinion. I don't give Pop/Rock with Rap because it's kinda lame, and these guys are enough to make me interested. That's pretty much it.
Other Members: Kroi, Creepy Nuts, CLIFF EDGE, Suchmos

The Electronic Representative - NEGOTO

Ah, about this. I have to say Electronic music is around in my life probably as long as Klassic Note itself to make me notice, but that doesn't mean it's the most dominating genre out there. Many artists have suffered at the hands of dropping out of mainstream using this genre, and we have seen its repurcissions of artists who disbanded. Nonetheless, the best songs I've heard of often come from this genre itself, and more than ever they make a better impression than other genres will ever. 

Other Members: LILI LIMIT, Cwondo, LAMA, School Food Punishment

The Alternative Representative - VELTPUNCH

Ah yes, where all uncertainty exist. I mean, I look at the official genre list for ID3v1 specification and you can see that like so many of these "Alternative" genres are like they don't want to be with their main counterparts... I understand, genres that do not like popular mainstream? That's half the reason why Klassic Note even exists! Jokes aside, I have my selection of artists I like over the years also overlapping the Rock genre, no surprise, but to determine whether they stand out of their genre is another thing altogether, so I won't mention too much but touch only on the ones I know that are uniquely different.
Other Members: cinema staff, No Buses, ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION

The Pop Representative - YUKI

Okay, we are at the most popular genres now, this is going to be rough. *ahem* In an attempt for me to talk about what J-Pop generally should be, and in between what Pop genre itself should be represented, I chose to not talk about the former because damn that's every artist in the list, but instead let's talk about artists who hardly use the fusions to other genres to achieve great music. From mellow tunes to the most hype of feels, not playing with drums is probably the easiest way to talk about how these artists stand out. It's hard to define, but it's all out there. What Pop music have you not heard of, really?

Other Members: wacci, RYTHEM, Eve, Miywaki Shion

The Rock Representative - SPYAIR

And because I'm old, here's the only music genre I can get behind: The drum beats, the guitar riffs, the strong feels of wanting to ROCK the genre itself has become a verb in itself... I can only define as much as talk about the many songs that came after it. Decades old as a genre, many artists in Japan have come back time and time to either relive the classic genre or add new feels to it while preserving what essentially makes it great, inside every song they sing. And that is what is truly in it for me to be frank, for now and forever. It's a timeless genre, isn't it?
Other Members: Sambomaster, nano.RIPE, KANA-BOON, SpecialThanks, SID

Up next, and this might be the toughest post to do yet, is talking about how watching Anime for the similar amount of time also influenced me listening to music in Japan. See you then.

There's This Artist, And There's Everyone Else (#KN15YEARS)

Welcome back to the series of posts where I will focus on the 15th year (#KN15YEARS) in Klassic Note theme: Talk about the artists themselves. The backbone of the song library I have. How they made me know I am not alone. But truly, there are ones that stand out and I swear that applies for every listener out there, so in the myriad of songs I've listened to, I would just like to point out on who they are, because subsequent ones will never be as good as what they have done.

HOW SOME OF THEM HAVE COME TO BE

The segregation of such artists exists for all of us for good reasons. They can be the first you have heard of they truly got you. They may have been a great memory in your life, say, when you watched that credited drama or Anime that came with it. For me though, I think it's mostly the same as the norm, just that because I take melody so much more seriously, whether a song is good or not truly depends who ends up having the good songs. And we know these cannot be controlled: Mainstream artists typically write their own songs and that defined their image, solo artists have songs written for them so it depends on whether the producers can understand their vocal range and/or style. 

The metrics below is just a summary of what the artist has contributed to Klassic Note: Releases reviewed or listened to, production-wise distributions ie. who did the songs themselves, singing voice preference, etc. I will base them on two main criteria - ability and quality - to show you the differences between mainstream and otherwise, on the objective and subjective opinions I have of them. So if quality goes over ability means my bias is heavy.

But yeah, overall this is still based on my personal bias, so if you hate what you see after the next paragraph you are free to come back next time where we talk about more of stuff I like. *giggles*

So! Let me take you on a journey... (which is basically just a summary of first 5 years again up till 2012 so don't mind me haha)

OUTSTANDING ARTISTS BY ARTIST TYPE

(*Up till 2022)

Singer-Songwriters

"There's YUI, And There's Everyone Else"

But me, this woman has already moved on since 2012 so her band and that wasn't doing too well, so why still her name in place? Well, because precisely that her name has been set in stone in Klassic Note, that it's still worth mentioning. I cleared the majority of her singles, quite a lot of albums including the best albums with my high minimum clearance of at least 85% songs in my library... what else is there to say? miwa may have already passed her in song count at this point in 2023, but that is not the point: She started my motivation to listen to more Japanese music, and I cannot thank her enough in this regard. She also taught me of listening to songs with just a guitar. Probably also what spawned me to take up guitar in high school (junior college) even if I didn't go as far as she did.

Independent Bands

"There's Aqua Timez, And There's Everyone Else"

They are not going to be relevant by the time we move on from here, but allow me to do this once more so I can actually be happy with this. So sorry to all the bands out there, yes even Chatmonchy and ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, because no one makes songs like these guys do. The fast-paced singing, the beats that will never die, the emotional feels of ballad songs but done their way... there are just too many classics to talk about even without comparing to anyone else. This is no longer about song count; This is just a matter of preference. I don't know if I can find an adequate replacement for these guys, and I don't even know if they will ever be replaced, but they hold a special place in my heart.

Anime Artists

"There's HOKAGO TEA TIME, And There's Everyone Else"

Yes, screw you "Bocchi The Rock!" you are just a carbon copy in my ears, because damn did this Anime series set an unprecedented power on the industry just them alone. Ask around and see if anyone will tell you this is their childhood; Chances are they had a great childhood. *giggles* Of course we should not forget other Anime characters who sang plenty of songs to remember and I think the record holder is still Kousaka Kirino in the crazy attempt to create outsource the laundry list of ending theme songs for Anime series "OreImo" (two seasons worth of it), not all of them are masterpieces, and not all are as well done as what PONY CANYON has set out to do with "K-ON!" from the start. That and how it changed the Anime music industry, is probably what made it stand out in Klassic Note. Every time I listen to one of their songs it just takes me back, for better or for worse.

Idol Groups

"There's sphere, And There's Everyone Else" 

You know there are idol groups in K-Pop? Yeah, this is pretty much the same, more honestly, my journey into them is more tame than I would have expected, and that is a good thing. I used to think these must set some heavy ground for example back then when SCANDAL was technically also just idolism and I disgust on that *pukes* but nowadays I can see the pureness on these unison of voices, and I must say that MusicRay'n has managed to do so in their first attempt to make this happen. It's not perfect, I did not like Takagaki Ayahi and her singing voice for years until I listened to her solo artist songs, but them together is what makes them different. With also an easy influence at the end of the 2000s when the industry in Japan isn't overwhelmed with such content, they excel and shine with every Anime credit they were in, it's hard to forget about them. They may not be what they are back then, but it's hard to talk about ClariS, TrySail or even Earphones without remembering who started this trend in the first place, in my little world of music.

Solo Artists

"There's Toyosaki Aki, And There's Everyone Else"

There's something unique about her singing voice that is as healing as it's soothing to my ears, or maybe it's because of her role in "K-ON!", and many who have heard of her might agree. She is also the highest in song count with respect to her overall song count which, of course with respect to her 2021 album has changed drastically since that album wasn't on my shelf, but regardless! *giggles* She still did a number on me, that when I went back to her 2021 album a couple of years ago, the urge to give her any number of songs is as great as it has been so many years ago despite the huge change in melodies and music style I forgave most of them. Many other voice actresses have done so too to me, but this might be the only one who has made me give up on Klassic Note's original motto and truly follow an artist like there's no tomorrow. To this, Aki-chan, I don't know what else can ever be better than you, in my opinion. (Hoshimachi Suisei get out of here lol)

Yeah, I feel like seniority plays a big part of the mentions above, but I gotta say that it's also because it has been this long, that I've not forgotten about my roots, even though I have already moved on from then. This is probably my final tribute to them all since many of them are pretty much done especially Anime and idol groups, can't expect them to be dancing forever. *laughs* We will proceed from here, and onwards we shall discuss about the only thing I did not care about after all these years: music genre. Yes, the only genres I have in my song library is just Pop and Rock, by the way. Okay maybe Jazz but still. *laughs* We will talk about proper genres in the Japanese music I listen to at length, next time!

TL:DR; Come on, many of these charts for most listeners out there is just one song and I love this artist until the day I die. Pft, please. I beg to agree, not without listening to more of them, and more that are like them.

Top Influential Artists of Klassic Note (#KN15YEARS)

Hey, and welcome back to another series of posts where I talk about Klassic Note IT HAS BEEN 15 YEARS!!! #KN15YEARS Haha no really, I have come this far, we need to talk about more of it!

First up, we will focus on talking about artists and how they influence me in the songs I listen over the years, and how some of them in particular have made great contribution to not just song count, but in making me view songs differently over time.

In the post below, I will talk about 5 artists of each "era" I define haha basically 5-year periods to talk about how much my music listening experience has been influenced by them, I was glad they pointed me in "the wrong direction".

Let's!

[*All links are to Apple Music Japan unless otherwise; You can listen to a preview of it to get the idea]

THE FIRST FIVE (2008-2012)

Ikimonogakari - The Ballad Song Veteran

I would accredit this to also YUI to be frank, but thinking back I think most of the time it was Ikimonogakari's albums from 2008 to 2010 (every year) that made me more than immersed into their melodies, and have a deep feel of what constitutes a ballad song. I can tell you, I hardly know how this works, the song structure, the tempo, into the lyrics especially when I hardly know Japanese at the time, but even so it attracts me to them time and again, I can't believe I can identify to a subgenre of songs in mention this well.

Lil'B - Duets Never Sounded This Well

When I started with Klassic Note, I never understood the appeal of rap duos, and I think these guys MIE and AILA-san showed me the way. From the rapping of AILA-san to the smooth transitions into melody for MIE-san, and every other song singing about love so nonchalant, it only makes its impact true and well when it's tied altogether nicely. Others like HOME MADE Kazoku also made me feel this way, to let me know about keeping pace in a song, and how the melody can be further enhanced by changing tempo.

AZUMA HITOMI - Starting Definition of Electronic Music

I hated electronics in music. Synthwave, technopop, you name it. They are very fake, they do not have strong expression in music as compared to using instrumentals even with the piano with key notes similar to how music was synthesized, but this singer-songwriter in 2011 showed me how through the simplest of melodies these can sound as powerful as they are touching. And of course throughout the next decade onwards I have softened my approach to music genres, which in turn brought me to more artists with great melodies to impress despite specializing in this genre of music.

QUATTRO - Quirky Meets Cool

I do not have much reason as to why I liked this band. Trust me, it wasn't until a bit later do I have the answer. But I truly believe these guys may have set the standards. From quirky melodies, beats to dance to almost to the extent of cool, and feeling gay (happy) in the process... It was hard to describe why I was drawn to this feels even back then. And this is still Rock music! Trust me, I've given my own taste of Rock music over the few years when I started with ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION and Sambomaster, but nothing comes close to this feeling. And that's why I think they deserve a mention. This will hit me back in many ways than other as I continue to talk about the ones below.

VELTPUNCH - My Alternative Rock Bias

Ah this, my favourite music genre back then. I was an emo person, not really now to be frank. But back then, I was definitely searching for something to be depressed or escape from, and VELTPUNCH definitely delivered on that. From their old classics to their 2010 album and 2011, they have only been making waves to be slightly that much different from others, they are as indie as they are masters at their game. A shout and a cry and suddenly all my worries have been blown away by music.

THE SECOND FIVE (2013-2017)

LILI LIMIT - Where Male Vocals Excel

We all have our stereotypes when it comes to vocalists in music. Our gender is already our first bias for admiring the singing of the other genre, so in my case I'm much into female vocals since I started. Not surprisingly, with Anime and the many solo artists out there this is far from what mainstream has to offer. Cue artists who try to break the line with songs to dance to... by male artists and vocals - Yoru no Honki Dance, THE ORAL CIGARETTES and SHE'S you guys are also a part of this - they make me utterly change my mind on what it means to like music. Yes, frantically twerking in the shower. Because it really doesn't matter. The potential of walking away from artists catered to the female audience is such a waste, and in the first time ever, the ratio of male to female vocals reached its highest in 2015 when I tried to search for more of these, and I was not disappointed. Many of them still are in my Collection too.

Yogee New Waves - The New Wave of Chill

Yeah, I finally learnt how to relax. Long songs filled with emotion to relax to, I had no idea neo city pop was this chill, I had to let myself go. Along with never young beach, these artists are a rarity in Japan, and boy do they make sure their style stays that way. It's the unwavering persistence in presenting these feels happy or sad that will make an impression, don't you think?

Tsuzuri Zukuri - Indie at Its Finest

With a female vocal and a cajon, these guys walked the dessert of indie artist music peaking on major debut once in a while with just so little, I had to listen to more of them. And as I know more of her, I also felt so much more from them: Their imperfections is the reason why they sound so good. Their melodies are simple and memorable, and their lyrics continue to catch my heart. It was hard to leave them only to listen to another of their albums and like them time and again.

Tokyo Karan Koron - The Definition of Never Giving Up

It all started with giving the one song for Anime. If I recall it took about a month to give that song? Probably the longest period of time from listening to it for the first time to putting that song in my song library, their mixed vocals is likely the only reason why I would give them another chance. But after that it was all history. They went from major to indie, I've given their albums time and again, and even till their end I've missed listening to how imperfect and simple these guys make their tunes. It hit on me real hard each time, even if it wasn't that impressive.

SCANDAL - Grown Up Independence

How can I not talk about these girls when I have to talk about their influence probably even outside of Klassic Note, I bet? Since 2014 they have chosen the path of writing their own songs, so guitarist MAMI-chan and drummer RINA-chan sat down to create their first impression of what it means to be a girls idol Rock band about 6 years after they relied on music producers, threw my mind into the abyss with each year upon year of songs to remember, and I can still recall how much I have liked what they have made, truly fantastic, my cousin even told me to buy a copy of their 2016 album for him. It's that real, seeing these girls grow up to what they want to be, even till this day. It's a growing up story any parent would be proud of. 

THE CURRENT FIVE (2018-2022)

ORESAMA - The Dance Pop Queen

No joke, ORESAMA was truly the ones that got me into giving more of Dance Pop genre, and what it truly feels. I would not have chosen another artist to understand this, and between PON-chan and her singing to what makes this band special in its own, I'm very sure they have influenced many just with their contributions to the Anime music industry. They may not have made grounds in their achievements, but to me they have produced so many songs for other artists like Ueda Reina, their style rubs off on me I can only wish for more, wherever they appear.

Ryokuoushoku Shakai - Typhoon of Influence

These bunch of teenagers were meant to break ground, and they were so keen on it, I can see their potential even when I started on their indie times. Not every song will hit, but with their major artist debut, suddenly every single song is a hit. People liked their music, I liked their music. There was no stopping them as they make ranks inside Klassic Note and in everyone's minds. Truly a new generation of influence, these artists make their music generic yet still be able to make grounds, it's truly a sight to behold.

Polkadot Stingray - Hype Overkill

Have you heard of Shizuku-chan? If you know of this band, she should be called the mascot than just the only female member and vocalist of this Rock band. What separates these guys from the rest is really the crazy amount of production value they use upon their major artist debut around the same time I knew of them, and I cannot express more. Music videos time and time again put Shizuku on the spotlight, the others are just part of the backdrop, and that is what makes this group stand out. They also made plenty of songs to remember, which is probably why they deserve a mention with my heavy female vocalist bias *giggles*

Tsuki no Michikake - The Quiet Stance

I've appreciated indie artists over the years, and I cannot emphasize why artists like Tsuzuri Zukuri will make me like them naturally, and these guys are not any different. Their compositions also have reached far and wide into Anime and mobile games, and it's hard to think what would have happened if I did not give them a listen just because I heard of them through Chatmonchy. They create songs like any other, but somehow I can remember theirs more.

Asakura Momo - The Unlikely Love (Songs) Master

Okay and we have our idolism solo female artist drop. *laughs* I feel like Mocho can be mentioned about in here mainly because it's ironically hard to find a theme with solo artists. Unlike the mainstream which are persistent in their style and as you can see some of them had to break themselves into an acoustic branch in order to differentiate away from their original identity, I feel like the production's focus of this particular voice actress in pursuit of romance songs over the singles leading up to her 2nd album and a little more beyond has been rather successful, at least, in my opinion. Without much Anime influence, she has single-handedly captured the hearts of many not by appearance I would say, but more of defining a set of feels about love only she has managed to capture. It did not last long because production saw through that and eventually changed direction, but boy was that such a trip.

Wow that was quite a list of artists to talk about, yes? Of course, this is not my entire opinion of all of the artists I've given songs to, but man, was touching on these a joy to think about after all these years, especially the early years too. Nowadays I don't even know whether I'm doing things right, or where my direction should be for Klassic Note moving forward. Maybe more of these posts will make me think of something soon. Next up, we will talk about artists who REALLY stood out among the others. Yes, this list of artists do not count. If they were here they are likely not the best. *giggles* Find out who they are in the next post then!