Monday, January 26, 2015
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Kobametal Interview - The man behind Babymetal
KOBAMETAL
Amuse Talent Agency's producer for Babymetal
Amuse Talent Agency's producer for Babymetal
In 2014, BABYMETAL became one of the most dominating Japanese musical group abroad. Their first album is a hit worldwide and they became a part of Lady Gaga's America tour. The group also had various shows in world tours and festivals.
Q: Did you take a consideration of going worldwide from the beginning of Babymetal?
Koba: I had a feeling slightly that people in foreign countries might've loved something like that, but to be honest I didn't have a slightest idea that we got a ride that fast. It's just out of blue to me. I noticed it accelerated much after the release of the first album. I'm really surprised that foreign metalheads found it first, who might have been the last one to accept, I thought. It was the beginning.
Q: It had been recognized as an idol before, but in fact the way it took was different. The band made less songs... It released songs in a long intervals, didn't it?
Koba: I don't want to have filler songs actually. Just what I think is a live performance. My goal is how it performs songs at lives and how audience react to these, I always take back steps from the end and make songs. I also make our songs more like those for a musical than those for constant releases to a market. I have an image that songs themselves are the same but arrangements and interpretations are slightly different every time. Audiences who go to see musicals know what to be performed, right?
Q: But the audience is fascinated every time.
Koba: I think we're that type. So it's about a beauty in formula, in a way.
Q: Perfectionism for each songs is the key for it, not a number of songs?
Koba: I think so. Now is the time that everything is so accelerating. It would end to be disposable and nothing remains in the end if we ride the tide. I think we better play ten concrete songs in a long run than release many of that kind of songs. Its like, in the end e have one album of Musical Babymetal and everyone can totally enjoy its lives by the one album.
Preparing for World Tour
Q: That first album was finally released, then it declared to go worldwide in the Budokan.
Koba: There are little things left in Japan once we went to Budokan. So I think it better go outside. We had three periods in Metal Resistance we call it that way, we ended the first one by the Budokan also ended our acts in Japan, acts in a so-called idol scene. Then as the second one we were going to focus on worldwide activities to take a journey to grade up to the world, as our story went. We are telling the story as an oracle from the Fox God. But we didn't have any idea how it went like that... I almost believe there's a metal god indeed.
Q: But the time you showed it there's nothing confirmed (laugh).
Koba: Yes. Always trials and errors. I just decided by large that we took a rest after the Budokan and moved our base to outside of the country.
Q: Took a rest?
Koba: in a common sense an arena tour would be planned right after Budokan, I think it better not take the common promotion. I felt Babymetal could have been consumed easily before its true values were properly recognized though we took an enormous time and effort in it to build a real thing. I thought it wasn't good so better took a rest a while. So I decided to take a rest, focus on worldwide activities from going to some festivals and tour lives even nothing was scheduled yet.
Q: Did you have a confidence to succeed?
Koba: No. Not at all.
Q: You decided to go anyway.
Koba: Yes. Everything's like that actually. I live a life only by my instinct (laugh).
The reason of Babymetal's success overseas
Q: In the end, people in foreign countries were unexpectedly hyped. What did you think was a reason of the success?
Koba: I think it's amount of time and effort that we have been taking since the beginning. We never released a song with compromise, but made our best songs as we could. It hit foreign people I think. When I had a talk with media people they said its sound was cool and they have never seen these joyful metal before including performances of these three.
Q: As a conclusion, no compromise policy is a good decision.
Koba: I think so. There's often the case that an original concept gets unfocused by increasing voices when a project gets bigger. But as the case of Babymetal we didn't care about tying-up promotions from the beginning, took our own way. So I never thought that we had to adopt, or sing in English cause we were going overseas.
Q: There is nothing changed in particular?
Koba: Nothing. Just dubbed and subbed presentation movies in English, that played in our lives. Some request for the sub and dub but others do otherwise, I think neither is wrong. It means that they would be disappointed if wrong localization was made. It's like we don't have to localize Ramen (noodle) when people expect a genuine Ramen in Tokyo. Babymetal might be the same for them.
Q: Babymetal took a likable responses in Sonisphere, one of the biggest metal festival, didn't it?
Koba: Well, it's my biggest impact. At first it's booked at another stage in another day. And they received tons of inquiries so made a change to the main stage, so we thought it was okay? Really? But no one knew it's okay or not. So we just went to find the answer. And we realized the way it proceeded was completely different from that in Japan. No rehearsal scheduled... I thought we got to get some experience there. We the member, bands and staffs all did our best, really hard.
Q: And the audience were so hyped.
Koba: There were few people at the setting, but more and more audiences were coming from the first song, then full of them when I noticed. It's surprising. Its host said Babymetal was practically the second in the day and they had never seen such a crowd at noon. We're selected in a ten best acts at Sonisphere of the year. It's so surprising.
The keyword is the being "Only One"
Q: What did you learn when you went there?
Koba: We don't know anything until we went there. Truth. Until we see it. To go there, feel the atmosphere and share the time is everything. It's so important I realized.
Q: Experience is more important than strategy?
Koba: Right. And better assume anything common in Japan is not common overseas. You need to throw everything into it and no room for complaining that you need this or that.
Q: For your last word, what's your ambition of worldwide challenge in 2015?
Koba: It's also continuing trials and errors, but everything is a result of daily efforts. What we get cleared today builds our tomorrow. It's nothing new but it describes everything. And the members go to their schools and they are still underage so activities are limited. So even I say overseas activities, there's no possibility now for them to move to other countries to be its residents. And it's unusual that Babymetal hasn't had any national tour in Japan yet. We just do lives in Tokyo area. Fans are coming to see them as visiting a holy place. But it's nearly been a custom now so maybe we better keep the style as it is (laugh). The fact was that its first tour was the world tour last year. It might suit to Babymetal.
Q: Well, Babymetal is nothing to compare, isn't it?
Koba: Being the "Only One" is its keyword from the beginning, and its
concept is that we have to be ourselves, believe in ourselves and do
what we have to do. In other word we have just one thing to do. In the
end, we could perform best when we do what we believe.
Source: http://babymetal.me/906.html
Translation by Dokoiko from Babymetal Subreddit
Saturday, January 24, 2015
100 Facts about Yui Mizuno
2. Favorite type of Sushi? - Salmon is good to eat.
3. Favorite Sakura Gakuin song/lyrics? - I love "unfinished silhouette" lyrics ♪ now ☆
4. Something you are Addicted to recently? - Reina-chan ability year from sweet-chan.
5. Favorite sport? - The ♪ smoke dance, soccer, volleyball
6. Poor sport? - Maybe, Not particularly
7. Favorite anime? - "K-On", "Madoka Magica", "Crayon ShinChan", and so on ♪
8. Where do you want to go in Japan? - I would like to go Okinawa!
9. Where do you want to go Overseas? - I want to go to Saipan again. Went there when I was little!
10. Favorite idol? - Karen Girl's.
11. Dream job outside of being an Idol? - Is a nurse.
12. Favorite color? - Whatever color that is bright like Pink and Cherry!
13. Would you be reborn as a male or a female? - Girl, Sakura Gakuin students want to be reborn ♪!!
14. Things that can be bought at convenience stores? - ♪ such as sweets such as salad
15. What do you do when you are depressed. - Get a power listening music you like. Consultation to graduates who can be depended on When you have troubled!
16. What's your weakness? - Sound of nail scratching on the blackboard is not good ~!
17. Favorite ingredient in rice balls? - Hmm. It depends on the mood. I love salmon though ♪
18. What do you think you were in a previous life? - Rabbit (laughs).
19. Favorite foreign artists? - For quite some time Ariana Grande...
20. Is oneself popular? - No No, no No, no (laughs).
21. Your charm point? - ♪ fluffy cheeks and naturally curly hair
22. Favorite TV program? - And "Victorious," "Sam & Cat" (Ariana Grande's has come out it!).
23. Favorite season? - Summer ☆
24. A favorite event? - I want to try in the sports festival ♪ Sakura!
25. Favorite phrase it? - "I wonder what?" (What would or Will it be)
26. Advantages? - Koto feelings for Sakura Gakuin is strong.
27. Disadvantage? - That it is not out in time before the need arises.
28. The feelings you can't hand over. - Novi. "As I grow tall ☆" (laughs).
29. First thing to do? - Eat whole tomatoes ☆
30. Sensitive to cold? Sensitive to heat? - Say either, wonder if sensitive to heat?
31. Size of Feet? - 24 centimeter!
32. Favorite hairstyle? - Ponytail, the two ends, and a Bun!
33. Clothes bought recently? - ♪ Summer clothes which I was given.
34. Favorite subject is? - Been mathematics recently! Physical education as well ♪
35. Favorite movie? - Sugar Rush and Toy Story 3! Little Mermaid! And many more!
36. What would you do After hitting 3.66 billion yen? - Go to DisneySea, buy Ariel goods and toys, and save the rest.
37. Time in a Bath? - (Laughs) wonder about 30 minutes. I've never measured?
38. Time to dry hair? - It ends soon! (Over immediately)
39. In a word describe yourself? - A Blunder (One that acts blindly without direction; Makes mistakes)
40. Been glad recently? - When I had a dream that I met Notoshi Reina-chan.
41. Been sad recently? - Things like the pulled height by my brother, 2 years younger.
42. Been angry recently? - The clothes became soaked in water from a truck driving past on a rainy day.
43. Favorite sweets? - Konjac jelly ♪
44. What awards have you gotten? - During elementary school was honored at the book ☆ I also got the penmanship!
Then, was honored at the art poster!
45. Favorite drink? - Peach system (like peach tea)!
46. People I admire? - It is a graduate of Sakura Gakuin.
47. At what age will you marry? - Hmm. I do not know (laughs)!
48. Anything you're scared of like People, Places, etc. - Ghosts ....... Will try not to think alone (crying).
49. Most difficult Kanji in Kanji knowing. - Depression ăăȘă I guess.
50. Want to accomplish before dying? - Live performance with all members of Sakura Gakuin.
51. What do you think of the world now? (Sorry I couldn't really get the best translation) - And I saw Yukariyui, a movie called "Sunset on Third Street" but it 's something I be nice Showa! I think anything I'm Na world useful anyway now.
52. Good food? - It is happy ♪ which it is a picture, or is with the last ketchup omelette with rice ăăȘă
53. If magic was usable? - ♪ that I want to walk over the rainbow and flying in the sky
54. Versus van? Group that you want? - Memories of the sound of the surf ☆
55. Time to go to bed? - I think the change from day to day, but it 's earlier and I among the members of the cherry!
56. Time to get up? - It is about 7:00 on the day of the school!
57. Favorite novel? - "Good Luck!" It is a wonderful story of clover ☆
58. Greats like it? - ♪ super lady coming out of school regulations to Sakura Gakuin
59. Favorite warlords? - ♪ I wonder if that Takeda Nobushige brother of Takeda Shingen? Which is a great person I hear.
60. Football W Cup, winning countries expected? - Japan! I want my best players Okubo!
61. Do like a train of Tokyo, what line? - Because an oyster bird ♪ attraction seems to be carried and is excited!!
62. Favorite Amusement park attraction? - Roller coaster!
63. Magazines to read as well? - It's not such as magazine you are buying each month, but magazine graduates have come up ♪ that you can buy or if you find
64. Anime characters I think is cool? - "Homura Akemi" from "Madoka Magica"!
65. Most embarrassing things? - If you ride it thinking that it is the car of your own home was the car of someone who does not know at all (laughs).
66. 1 days holiday, to spend what you do? - Beloved, the Xinhua news agency said a friend dating in Yonaguni Nae and I will have a hard time not Going ... is not.
67. Stress release? - Shout toward the pillow.
68. Favorite grilled site? (Can't get this one either sorry) - I like the skirt steak!
69. What I compare Hana to an animal? - Tiger ~!
70. What I compare Rinon to an animal? - Koala ~ ♪
71. What I compare Notsu to an animal? - Deer!
72. What I compare Saki to an animal? - Shiba Inu!
73. What I compare Shirai Saki to an animal? - Polar Bear ♪
74. What I compare Aiko to an animal? - Toy Poodle ♪
75. What I compare Sara to an animal? - Panda!
76. What I compare Megumi to an animal? - Red Panda!
77. I want to apologize, to take this opportunity? - In March that many of you had concerns.
78. In what seconds can you run 50m - I do not remember in detail but it is about 8 seconds!\
79. The end of the world, what you want to eat? - Tomato it is ☆
80. A Favorite comedian is? - ♪ There are a lot
81. Praised most about my parents? - Brothers, I think! !
82. The longed-for female famous person? - Reina-chan ☆ Aki Amano Notoshi of "sweet-chan!"
83. The longed for male famous person? - Taneichi senior ☆ Fukushi Aoiæ±°'s "sweet-chan!"
84. 200 years ago or 200 years later. Which would you like to travel? - ♪ 200 years later
85. Which ability to be able to speak languages in the world that can talk with an animal do want? - An animal and ability to be able to talk about!Because the languages in the world are learned by study!
86. My favorite character? - It is Ariel and Toy Story
87. Headphone person? Earphone person? - Easier when you carry the earphones! But Either one might be good (laughs).
88. If a wish came true? - Live performance with all Sakura Gakuin members. ♪ (2 round today (laughs))
89. Something bought that failed?- Pen ...... out of ink (laughs).
90 in front of aliens, how do? - ăŻăŹăŻăŹăăăłăČăłă I dare say (laughs) ((no accurate translations, something about humans))
91. Favorite word? - "I love rainbow rain" (Maybe rainbow from the rain, again not accurate… Sorry)
92. Have watched a ghost? - There can't be it. I want to absolutely absolutely never look!
93. Is said that you are what kind of person by other people? - It is said naturally smile emoticon (laughs).
94. Is careless whether is scrupulous? - If anything, are you scrupulous?
95. The CD which bought for the first time? - ♪ that the first CD which I bought with one's pocket money is peach color clover
96. What kind of person is it to be easy to treat - It's the people who settle down together
97. What kind of person is a person of the types that is hard for to deal with? - The person who tells a lie.
98. Worried about recently? - I do not cut off any hair!! Oh, and not short (laughs).
99. Most treasured? - It's the members of the Sakura Gakuin, including graduates, and Family.
100. A word for Kikuchi please? - Beloved ~! Thank you as always! That's anywhere at any time together and really beloved! Do not Yukariyui of now you do not have beloved. I was stronger. Also, play!! ♪ I are looking forward to hearing from you
(Always thank you very much! beloved and I together with anytime, anywhere! beloved if it had not been for now I'm not completely ignorant of the hair. strongly. Let's play it! ! Thank you, I will continue to sleep)
(Darling ~! Thank you very much! And loved is really anytime, anywhere with it! Beloved no result, now would I. To become strong. It's also playing! From this nice!)
100 Facts about Moa Kikuchi
- My name is èć°ææ Kikuchi Moa~
- Moa favorite saying - Value what we love the most (”æăæă性ćă«”), everything, love and being loved, because name given, so foreigner can call me easily
- 150.7cm
- When admission, weight is 2 Koala,and now is 4 !
- Born in Nagoya
- The only child
- Wish to become Super Moa-Chan
- Love Anime
- And also love Idol
- Punctuality
- Weak on cleaning up
- Love of cooking
- unexpectedly considerate
- Tense easily
- Recently favourite CD is ÎŒ's Best Album Best Live! collection, "ăąăŒăčăăŁă€ă«ă" and "äžæ»éł„" from SEKAI NO OWARI
- Until now Moa only interested to female vocal but it;s the first time addicted to Male vocal, that is SEKAI NO OWARI ~
- Favourite anime now is Love Live!
- Favourite game now is Love Live! School Idol Festival~
- Line and Twitter is forbid, is it rare nowaday? Papa and Mama teach to avoid troublesome...
- Still sleep with papa and mama. Zzz..
- What I really want to eat now is Karaage
- The most favourite fruit is strawberry
- Very very Like to eat
- Dislike food - None (except strange thing)
- Lot of luggage
- Blood type has become A type, actually I dont know. Once I answered "maybe is A?", unawares it becoming A (haha)
- Being called as 'Alien' by grandpa and grandma
- Being called as God of Home economics in elementary school
- I'm not sure why being called as God of Home economics, once I cut my hand during sewing and blood coming out, being sent to health room, Tohoho~ Not cool at all... (laugh)
- Put four stitches for this injury
- Actually still went to sakura gakuin activities during recovery from stitches
- From the old days, when I go outside for sketching, a ball flying to Moa!
- Hit the knee...
- Actually heat stroke during last summer
- Pocket money is 5000 Yen
- Bath in the morning
- High amount of hair
- But bangs hairline is thin
- Love reading
- Favourite book now is Risuani (ăȘăčăąă)
- Want to hug koala at australia
- I'd like to donate blood
- Never forget things, but often lost things
- Especially is umbrella
- Poor at Tatami folding
- Collecting guitar picks
- Wish to have a new guitar~~~~
- Because of Mom's work, has been asked and want to become a model since young age
- When elementary school, stop model but somehow enter Amuse
- The impetus of entering the office is Ciao (Japan Magazine for young girls)...
- Love penguin and chick for some reason since I was tiny
- Will want a chick related goods if I see one
- When staying night at outside, must bring along plush toys Mon-chan (monkey) and Goma-chan (Shirotan)
- A rabbit plushy that always with me since I was born
- Good in keep thing
- New thing cannot be used easily
- Love summer
- Love pool
- Easily sunburned
- Sunburned on summer, and becoming white back in winter, skintone is different following the season
- Love sleep ~
- Before, I hate "time to sleep", reluctant to sleep sometimes, but now is ok, Like to fall asleep even on 20:00pm (laugh)
- Unless awake by someone, I'll sleep forever
- Weak on morning
- The highest record is sleep on 23:00pm, and when I notice, it' already 17:00pm...
- Much injuries since very young
- Knock on chin when fall down at escalator
- Put my hand into the hole between the door and door of the automatic door and ended up with stuck there...
- Hospitalization two times because of Pneumonia
- Relative on father site many work as teacher and researcher
- Relative on mother site many work related with police and hospital
- I do not hate study
- But, the result is dropped
- But, music is 5 (Yay~) (5 is full mark?)
- Moa still has lots of secret she hasn't told yet
- I'll tell you one secret! Since birth, I have less 2 lower teeth! It's said that after human using fire and do not eat hard thing like it was in the past, newtype with less teeth considerably exist! Thanks to that it's OK having a small chin!
- In my rucksack and bag, I put anime characters keyholders of Danganronpa's Monokuma, Creamy Mami etc that I got from Marippe
- Now I wish to keep Axolotl as pet
- Raise ăăšă(bird) and Marimo-chan (Spherical moss) before
- Must have a dog someday wan~
- Love animal
- Like experiment
- Like to make mud balls~
- Like the feels when step into the puddle with boots (piccy~piccy~)
- Like potato digging
- Like fruit picking (strawberry, apple, peach, orange....)
- Often becoming Happy Icecream with Yui~ (Happy Ice Cream = a play where when you and a friend say a same word at a same time, the one who said Happy Ice Cream first and touch the other will get ice cream treat)
- Like çŸć (100 yen shop)
- Often went to 100yen shop with hana
- Talking about reflexology foot with Yunano
- Want to continue as M&M !!
- Want to go to Disneyland with Junior high year 2 member in SG
- Tears all the way
- Now I wish to pass the graduation ceremony without crying
- Without any Decayed tooth
- Being known as sociable but surprisingly shy
- Do not speak well in front of kawaii child
- Good at making funny and weird song
- Wish can deliver to someone, hope and happiness
- LOVE SAKURA GAKUIN VERY MUCH~~~
FAQ: Does Yui Mizuno(Yuimetal)have a boyfriend?
Does Yui Mizuno have a boyfriend?
Answer:
No. Yui Mizuno does not have a boyfriend. Yui is still super shy despite being an idol that has performed around the world. BTW the person in that picture is actually Sakura Gakuin member: Aiko Yamaide.
Yui fans don't have to worry. Idols are usually not allowed by their talent agency to have any kind of relationship. Not to mention, Yui is still very young to have a boyfriend.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
FAQ: Does Moa Kukichi(Moametal)have a boyfriend?
Question:
Does Moa Kikuchi have a boyfriend?
Answer:
No. Moa Kikuchi doesn't have a boyfriend. Her mom is pretty strict and won't let her even have Twitter or LINE(SNS app used in Japan). There was an incident where Moa's male classmate asked her to give her LINE account but because she doesn't have one he laughed and said: "Are you a girl living in present Japan?" Her Mom said, a junior high school student Moa should not use LINE, because it enable to connect to a person whom Moa don't know well. The same goes with Twitter. Source
Moa's Mom
Most idols both male and female are obliged by their talent agencies to not have any relationships. One of the reason is because idols are usually regarded as role models by their fans. Another reason is because idols devote their whole lives practicing dancing, singing, acting, etc. in order to perfect their craft. Don't forget the fact that Moa is still a teenager. So Moa fans don't need to worry about it. Her parents are making sure that she concentrates on her studies and being an idol before she has any relationship with a guy.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Babymetal Fan Art by Hirokazu Sato Part 2
The One
Fox Fink
God of Headbang
Children of Flower
Happy Birthday Su-metal
Merry Christmas
Source: http://hirokazu-sato.tumblr.com/
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Avex(Talent Agency) planning to create a metal band similar to Babymetal.
January 10, 2015 - Avex announced that they are looking for a real "metal girl" through their website which coincided with Babymetal's Saitama Super Arena concert.
Avex Group Holdings Inc. is one of Japan's major talent agencies. Some of their talents are: May J., Back-On and Wagakki Band. With such a huge influence in the music industry and an enormous financial backing, we may see a legitimate rival to Babymetal.
It seems like music and talent agencies are beginning to realize a possible lucrative market in metal genre. Even Korea has created their Babymetal rip-off called Pritz while USA through Sony Music is backing up a metal band called Unlocking The Truth. This only serves as a proof that Babymetal is starting to revive the popularity of metal genre in the mainstream. If Avex is successful in making a legitimate metal band then we may see a new metal boom soon.
Babymetal and DragonForce song collaboration: Road of Resistance
Road of Resistance - Babymetal's newest song is a collaboration with DragonForce members: Herman Li and Sam Totman. Babymetal first performed the song when the had a concert in London's O2 Academy Brixton on November 8.
According to Herman Li's tweet that the collaboration started back in 2013.
This
picture is proof that the two bands met back in 2013. If we analyze the
girls' costume, you will notice that they are wearing their costumes from the Budokan concert.
The other people that helped compose Road of Resistance are: Mish-Mosh/NORiMETAL/KYT-METAL and mastered by Ted Jensen.
The song is currently in limited release and fans can only get it by downloading the
"Red Night" edition of their "Live at Budokan" album on iTunes which gives you a code that let's you download Road of Resistance for free. The song has been well received by fans and non fans. Some even claiming it to be "The best Babymetal song". The "Red Night- Live at Budokan" album has been topping the US, UK, Canada, German iTunes chart for metal ever since it was released.
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