{"id":3394,"date":"2010-01-01T22:50:04","date_gmt":"2010-01-02T08:50:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.studionewmedia.com\/blog\/?p=3394"},"modified":"2010-01-01T22:50:04","modified_gmt":"2010-01-02T08:50:04","slug":"2010-60th-annual-nhk-kohaku-uta-gassen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/studionewmedia.com\/blog\/index.php\/2010\/01\/01\/2010-60th-annual-nhk-kohaku-uta-gassen\/","title":{"rendered":"2010 60th Annual NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen"},"content":{"rendered":"

The New Year in Hawaii means interesting seasonal entertainment from Japan on KIKU-TV<\/em>. The general worldwide economic downturn has been reflected in this annual spectacle in more austere sets and decreased use of expensive shots like the helicopter fly-in on ELT on a rooftop stage at the opening many years back. The talent level has remained fairly consistent through the years, so the enjoyment level has remained pretty much the same. Here are some reflections on this year:<\/p>\n

Hamasaki Ayumi<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c WTF! I really wish she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d retire gracefully already. She is so bad. When the program opened with her, I was tempted to change the channel. Loved seeing her seethe in the background when Ueto Aya upstaged her a couple of years back! At least she didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have one of her terrible self-designed dresses this year. Hey, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m trying to be positive here!<\/p>\n

EXILE<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Black santa or Hard Gay fashion revival?<\/p>\n

AKB 48<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Okay, the bad taste that Hamasaki left is now all gone with a heavy dose of fluffy pop sweetness. Their body of work can be thought of as mindless and pointless, but what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wrong with fun, happy pop? Nothing! Okay, they were probably lip-synching, but I really can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t hate this\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 well, it would have been nice if their segment was longer!<\/p>\n

flumpool<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Not bad mainstream J-rock. If they were more on-key and more angry, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d like them more. They should do some anime theme songs, it they haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t already.<\/p>\n

NYC boys<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c well-rehearsed very young pretty-boy band. Nothing really groundbreaking here, just the current fresh faces following in the footsteps of SMAP and V6. I do want a LED vest for some reason now\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Ikimono Gakari<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Nice, vocal-centric pop\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 think of ELT with more core talent and less reliance on keyboards and programming. Guitar, Bass, and voice. Singer hit all the notes. Choral backing arranged well too.<\/p>\n

Kato Seishirou<\/strong><\/em> (Kids\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Kohaku) – Did his best to channel Matsuken<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s singing and stage presence.<\/p>\n

Sakura Maya<\/strong><\/em> (Kids\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Kohaku) \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Young enka prodigy. Remember this name and performance in several years.<\/p>\n

Snow Prince<\/strong><\/em> (Kids\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Kohaku) \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Mini version of NYC boys (see above) with a little more talent. Wonder what will happen when their voices change\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Oohashi Nozomi<\/em><\/strong> (Kids\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Kohaku) – Happy kids song like a flashback to 1980\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s kids anime.<\/p>\n

Kodai Natsumi<\/strong><\/em> – Enka<\/p>\n

Kitayama Takeshi<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Enka. Great, backdancers in those white matsuri shorts\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

GIRL NEXT DOOR<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Dance pop is not dead! Couple of flat notes and chaotic backdancers, but enjoyable.<\/p>\n

Jero<\/strong><\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Half-African-American Enka wunderkind. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d have to say he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one of the best in the business \u00e2\u20ac\u201c young or established. He is infinitely skilled and can emote incredible well. I always enjoy his performances.<\/p>\n

Mizuki Nana<\/strong><\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Actualy good live. Gee\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 did I hear this as an anime theme song? Duh\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 White Album opening (I was just marathoning that). A lot easier to look at and listen to than Takahashi Yoko (Evangelion opening).<\/p>\n

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c J-Hip-hop. Stop jumping and scratch on those turntables dammit!<\/p>\n

Nakamura Mitsuko<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Enka<\/p>\n

Pornografitti<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Unremarkable J-rock<\/p>\n

Tendou Yoshimi<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Enka singer, although this song was more contemporary in nature. Good piano accompaniment. Technically a great performance. Very emotive.<\/p>\n

Mikawa Kenichi<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Man, this is the must-see part of the show! With a run up with transvestites IKKO<\/em> and Haruna Ai<\/em> dressed like harem girls, what can be expected? From a black gown and bollywood opening to a change to a feathered and sequined ensemble, the Drag Emperor of Japan performed his signature Sasoriza no Onna<\/em>. I still yearn for the return of the pre-downturn days of electric gowns and wire and crane stunts.<\/p>\n

Sakamoto Fuyumi<\/strong><\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Faultless contemporary vocal performance.<\/p>\n

Hosokawa Takashi<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c signature enka performance of Boukyou Jonkara<\/em> with crazy shamisen accompaniment and modern orchestral backing.<\/p>\n

Ohtsuka Ai<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Somewhat like the nasal cutesy off-key style of Yuki<\/em> from Judy and Mary<\/em>. Nice leg there peeking out from that trainwreck dress. Band was awesome.<\/p>\n

Remioromen<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 3-man contemporary rock ensemble. Vocals a little off-key too much of the time. Use the mic \u00e2\u20ac\u201c don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t yell. Forgettable performance, but the song might sound good on the CD.<\/p>\n

Kawanaka Miyuki<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Enka with more vibrato than you can shake a stick at.<\/p>\n

Mori Shinichi<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Enka. Breathless lows to operatic highs. Feel transported back to the cabaret days of the 1950’s.<\/p>\n

Susan Boyle<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Oh no! Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t perpetrate this on the Japanese people!<\/p>\n

Yuusuke<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Hip-hop-ish pop complete with hollow manipulated \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Cher\u00e2\u20ac\u009d effect intro. Whee.\u00c2\u00a0 What the heck is that yellow krap in your hair?<\/p>\n

Aiko<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Well-written pop piece. Vocals were off-key a little too much, but backing musicians were good. Album version might be good.<\/p>\n

Tokunaga Hideki<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Contemporary tenor (heck, maybe even countertenor) vocal with a falsetto bent.<\/p>\n

Hirahara Ayaka<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Wow! There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s that intense voice that made her an internet sensation. Totally on key. Effortless projection. Interesting electric-guitar-heavy backing for something that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s more in the Broadway show tune genre.<\/p>\n

Tokio<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re pretty established in the Kohaku like the SMAP<\/strong> guys. Their light rock ballad was performed well with surprisingly on-key (though nasal and shrill) vocals.<\/p>\n

Akimoto Junko<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Powerful, versatile enka voice with a great range. One of the better female Enka singers on the Kohaku.<\/p>\n

Perfume<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c No, I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t miss someone, the Red\/White order was switched here and again later. Pop trio Perfume lip-synched over their signature synthesizer-distorted vocals in front of some seizure-inducing graphics. I like the future? I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know what it is \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re on the less-attractive side of normal, their singing annoys me, and their dance moves suck \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stop watching. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so bad it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s good?<\/p>\n

Touhoushinki<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 5-guy R&B vocal ensemble. Technically good, but I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really go for the style.<\/p>\n

Mizumori Kaori<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Classic enka from a younger face. Great performance.<\/p>\n

Itsuki Hiroshi<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c One of the big guns of enka turns in a flawless performance. His control and use of dynamic range and vibrato are second to none.<\/p>\n

SMAP<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Their Michael Jackson<\/em> memorial tribute showed that they have some definite talent at dancing. Someone should really stop them from singing. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll have to suffer through that later, I guess.<\/p>\n

Kimura Kaera<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Spot-on-key pop with hints of classical training. Her range is very good, but her voice is perhaps lacks a little in projection and impact. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d compare her to a vocalist like Okamoto Mayo<\/em> but an octave higher.<\/p>\n

Alice<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Old farts of rock and roll. Keiji-drama fans will recognize Horiuchi Takao<\/em> from his cameos in the Hagure Keiji<\/em> series. Still going strong after almost 30 years. If Tokio<\/em> keeps it up, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be like these guys on the 85th Kohaku.<\/p>\n

Nakashima Mika<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Light, lilting vocals. I feel like I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m in the opening sequence of an anime adaptation of a shoujo manga\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 She slips off key at lower registers. The hazel contact lenses make her look like Hakuei<\/em> from the Machine<\/em> days.<\/p>\n

Yuzu<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Pop duo. Good at times, bad at others. If they learned two-part harmony, they could potentially become like the C&K<\/em> of Japan, but like most Japanese ensemble groups, they insist on all singing the same part.<\/p>\n

Angela Aki<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Vocally outstanding, but I find her a little difficult to look at. She returns again to the Kohaku with an evocative piano ballad. This is the real deal \u00e2\u20ac\u201c no overdubs and she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s playing the piano for real herself.<\/p>\n

Fuse Akira<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Nightclub baritone sings a Nihongo take on the Paul Anka-written Frank Sinatra classic.<\/p>\n

Kobayashi Sachiko<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Back in the day, she was the foil to Mikawa Kenichi<\/em> and his electric dress. This year, she began her song in a bejeweled fantasy gown before a black backdrop that opened to reveal a giant statue of herself, the outstretched hands of the figure her stage. This was a parody of the 7-meter statue of the singer in an apron holding a rice paddle erected in a shopping mall in Niigata supposedly to encourage voter turnout.<\/p>\n

Fukuyama Masahiro<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Lip-synched (badly) through an outdoor live shot in Nagasaki.<\/p>\n

Koda Kumi<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c The Japanese soul sister brings her imouto on stage to double the hoochie factor. She was on-key this year. Younger sister has a similar vocal range, particularly rich on the low side. Scary… Good scary.<\/p>\n

Arashi<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Boy pop with an occasional slip into hip hop. Surprisingly on-key. Still lame.\u00c2\u00a0 Times 5.<\/p>\n

Eikichi Yazawa<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Hey, they switched the Red\/White order back. Another old man of rock. Special performance not on the schedule. Old guys rule! He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one of the great formative influences in rock in Japan.<\/p>\n

Kobukuro<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Pop\/rock duo. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s like two trains running on different tracks. They aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t singing the same part, nor are they singing in harmony. To make it worse, their singing styles differ significantly. I think the problem is the guy with the lower vocal range. Needs work.<\/p>\n

Wada Akiko<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Her performance is another must-see every year. The Kohaku would not be the same without her deep, contralto voice and towering figure. She captained the Red team for years. This year in a black gown, she towers above a vast white field of her backing chorus. She started getting a little off-key here and there several years back, and each year this gets a little more pronounced.<\/p>\n

Hikawa Kiyoshi<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Following in the steps of Matsuken<\/em> and his samba, Kiyoshi takes a stab at something with a flamenco beat this year. Interesting. His stage presence is good and voice flawless. Starting out as a young prodigy like Jero, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s on his way to take hisplace amongst the old guard.<\/p>\n

Ishikawa Sayuri<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Enka in a higher register. Her mole freaks me out.<\/p>\n

Ayaka<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Hey, they switched the order yet again! Much better than her previous live performances. Fairly wide vocal range. Not unlike Koda Kumi doing a power ballad.<\/p>\n

SMAP<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c I dreaded this, but they were actually not bad.when singing together, but the requisite solo parts were pretty terrible. Nakai<\/em> and Kimura<\/em> were painfully bad.<\/p>\n

DREAMS COME TRUE<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Yoshida<\/em> again fails to impress. Her vocal range is incredible like Anita Baker<\/em>, but she really can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t hold a note. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a little sad. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m a little jaded with their material also.<\/p>\n

Kitajima Saburo<\/em><\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c The Grand God of Enka sings his signature Matsuri<\/em>. Good as ever! Uh-oh\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6here come those underwear guys again!<\/p>\n

5-hours. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s over now. It is definitely not the spectacle it once was, but it is an integral part of my New Year experience. Time to get my kit ready for the first MTB ride of 2010, and maybe work a little more on the 2010 SNM wallpaper image.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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