PV Downloads

It's been a good run, but now, goodbye

2012-01-24T07:02:00.002+08:00

We're shutting down. All files will be deleted within the next few days.

Girls Dead Monster starring LiSA - Day Game

2012-01-09T21:57:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (mkv, 155.81mb)

BUY:

Girls Dead Monster albums @ Play-Asia
Girls Dead Monster albums @ Yes Asia

Girls' Generation - Mr. Taxi

2012-01-06T21:26:00.003+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (avi, 163.63mb)

Enjoy ~

BUY:

@ Amazon
@ Play-Asia
@ Yesasia

Jessie J feat. B.O.B. - Price Tag

2012-01-05T21:09:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (avi, 105mb)

This is a little old, but enjoy, folks.

Nakashima Mika - LOVE IS ECSTASY

2011-10-15T19:16:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mp4, 114.4mb)

I was so happy when I found out about this. Finally! After a short, health-related hiatus, Nakashima Mika-san is back -- with a vengeance! Her new single, LOVE IS ECSTASY is a rock-jazz number with a really catchy melody and a scintillating PV to show off Mika-san's new pixie-hairdo. I must say, she is rocking that new hair! Enjoy this PV and watch Mika-san sexily tangled with the mic wire and more of her generic music video moments. And if you like what you see, why don't you buy her single?

BUY:

Nakashima Mika - LOVE IS ECSTASY (Regular Edition) @ Amazon.com
Nakashima Mika - LOVE IS ECSTASY (CD+DVD) @ Amazon.com
Nakashima Mika - LOVE IS ECSTASY (REgular Edition) @ Play-Asia.com
Nakashima Mika - LOVE IS ECTASY (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
Nakashima Mika - LOVE IS ECSTASY (all versions) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fansite (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ IMDB
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

SCANDAL - Secret Base ~ Kimi ga Kureta Mono ~

2011-10-06T22:24:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (.mp4, 97.29mb)

This song is used as the theme for the runaway hit anime, AnoHana, which aired in the winter 2010/2011 season. For a long while, the version of this song as sung by the anime's seiyuu was the most played jpop song on my ipod.

yoshiki☆lisa - Destin Histoire

2011-09-08T20:30:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 73.32mb)

This is the PV for the OP single of the 2011 summer anime, GOSICK. The song is called Destin Histoire by yoshiki☆lisa Enjoy ~

BUY:

yoshiki☆lisa - Destin Histoire (Regular Edition) @ Amazonyoshiki☆lisa - Destin Histoire (CD+DVD) @ Amazonyoshiki☆lisa - Destin Histoire (Regular Edition0 @ Play-Asiayoshiki☆lisa - Destin Histoire (Regular Edition) @ Yesasia

MORE INFO:

yoshiki☆lisa @ Myanimelist

Nakashima Mika - Dear

2011-06-09T19:24:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (138.49 mb, mp4)

At last! A new song by Nakashima Mika. Enjoy ~

BUY:

Nakashima Mika - Dear @ Amazon
Nakashima Mika - Dear (CD+DVD) @ Amazon
Nakashima Mika - Dear @ Play-Asia
Nakashima Mika - Dear (Japan Version) @ Yesasia
Nakashima Mika - Dear (Korea Version) @ Yesasia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fansite (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ IMDB
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

Rie Fu - For You

2011-05-29T20:39:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (mp4, 128.33mb)

This is my first time featuring this artist here. For You is Rie Fu's 13th single to date. It was released on February 16, 2011 and is now available in your favorite offline and online music stores.

BUY:

Rie Fu - For You (Regular Edition) @ Amazon
Rie Fu - For You (Limited Edition) @ Amazon
Rie Fu - For You (Normal Edition) @ Yesasia
Rie Fu - For You (SINGLE+DVD) @ Yesasia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Rie Fu @ Wikipedia

May'n - Moshimo Kimi ga Negau Nonara

2011-05-01T21:18:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (ts, 150.8mb)

This is the PV for May'n's Moshimo Kimi ga Negau Nonara. Enjoy ~

BUY:

all May'n CDs @ Play-Asia.com
May'n music list @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

May'n OFFICIAL (JPN)
Nakabayashi May @ Wikipedia

kalafina - Magia

2011-03-23T20:25:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (mkv, 207.3mb)

Finally, the full PV. Enjoy ~

BUY:

kalafina - Magia (all versions) @ Play-Asia
kalafina - Magia (Regular Edition) @ Yesasia
kalafina - Magia (SINGLE+DVD) @ Yesasia
kalafina - Magia (First Press Limited Edition) @ Yesasia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Kalafina @ Wikipedia

moumoon - 15 Doors

2011-03-09T21:24:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 71.23mb)

This is the PV for 15 Doors performed by moumoon. 15 Doors is the title track of their latest studio album of the same name, released on March 2, 2011. It's a cute, sweet song that's not as catchy as most other songs by this duo, but still quite pleasant. The video is a literal interpretation of the song's title and quite boring but if you find the vocalist cute, then you'd probably want to watch the video anyway.

BUY:

moumoon - 15 Doors (all versions) @ Play-Asia.com
moumoon - 15 Doors (Jacket B) (Album + Live DVD) @ Yesasia.com
moumoon - 15 Doors (Jacket A) (Album + MV DVD) @ Yesasia.com
moumoon - 15 Doors (Jacket C) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

moumoon @ Wikipedia
moumoon (OFFICIAL)

kalafina - Magia (LisAni Live 2010)

2011-02-17T09:30:00.002+08:00

DDL [MF] (mkv, 110.52mb)

Here's a perf video of kalafina with their latest song, Magia, performed live at LisAni 2010. The song is the OP theme for the Shinbo/SHAFT anime, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, now currently airing. I gotta say, the more I listen to kalafina, the better they sound. I mean, the group has always been pretty unique even before they changed some of their members. That's probably got something to do with Kajiura Yuki's genius. Anyhoo, despite my being somewhat of a fan of this group, I still don't know the names of their members. I have a favorite though -- I like the one who sings alto. An odd choice, if you ask me, since I've always liked mezzo-soprano voices. But the alto singer is pretty so yeah. I'm basing my judgment on face. ^_^

Anyhoo, enjoy this video ~

BUY:

kalafina - Magia (all versions) @ Play-Asia
kalafina - Magia (Regular Edition) @ Yesasia
kalafina - Magia (SINGLE+DVD) @ Yesasia
kalafina - Magia (First Press Limited Edition) @ Yesasia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Kalafina @ Wikipedia

Yui - Your Heaven (Music Station)

2011-02-10T08:27:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mp4, 85.57mb)

Another Yui video, this time a live performance of her song Your Heaven at Music Station. Enjoy ~

BUY:

Yui - It's My Life / Your Heaven @ Amazon.com
Yui - It's My Life / Your Heaven (All versions) @ Play-Asia.com
Yui - Rain (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
Yui - IT's My Life / Your Heaven (all versions) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

Yui - Rain

2011-01-06T10:12:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (avi, 178.2mb)

Here's Yui with her not-so-new video, Rain. Enjoy!

BUY:

Yui - Rain @ Amazon.com
Yui - Rain @ Play-Asia.com
Yui - Rain (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
Yui - Rain (Japan Version) @ Yesasia.com
Yui - Rain (Korea Version) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

moumoon - Moonlight

2010-11-30T22:00:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 63.8mb)

Hay :) I know it's been a while. I guess I got caught up with real world stuff I had no time to update any of my blogs. Now this doesn't mean that I'm back to my old routine or my old blogging schedule. I'm posting this because I felt sorry watching this blog go on abrupt hiatus. :)

Anyhoo, moumoon is a Japanese pop duo. Its members are Yuka (vocals and lyrics) and Kousuke Masaki (composer). I first heard about them in the anime, Beast Player Erin, where one of their songs, "Evergreen," was featured as an ending theme. moumoon's music doesn't stand out from the rest of the pop numbers out there but they're a pleasant-sounding group that release pleasant-sounding music.

Moonlight is the duo's 10th single to date and it was released on November 10, 2010.

BUY:

moumoon - Moonlight (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
moumoon - Moonlight (Japan Version) @ Yesasia.com
moumoon - Moonlight (CD+DVD) (Hong Kong version) @ Yesasia.com
moumoon - Moonlight (CD+DVD) (Japan version) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

moumoon @ Wikipedia
Moumoon (OFFICIAL) (JPN)

the brilliant green - Blue Daisy

2010-11-11T21:14:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 175.55mb)

It's been another long while since I posted anything by the brilliant green. Here is Blue Daisy, one of their 2010 singles from the album, Blackout.

BUY:

the brilliant green - Blue Daisy (mp3) @ Amazon.com
the brilliant green - Blue Daisy (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
the brilliant green - Blue Daisy @ Play-Asia.com
the brilliant green - Blue Daisy (Normal Edition) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (Sony Music Entertainment) (JPN)
the brilliant green @ Wikipedia

May'n - Shinjitemiru

2010-11-04T12:38:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (avi, 167.54mb)

I first heard about May'n from the anime, Macross Frontier, where she provided the singing voice of one of the main characters, Sheryl Nome. As a matter of fact, one of the songs sang by May'n became one of my favorite anime songs ever. Diamond Crevasse was a masterpiece, both in terms of composition (by the genius Yoko Kanno) and in vocal performance.

Following her July 2010 single Ready Go! used in the anime Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi, May'n releases yet another single, Shinjitemiru, this time it's used as a theme song for a game. Shinjitemiru was released on October 13, 2010 under Victor Entertainment label.

BUY:

May'n - Shinjitemiru
May'n - Shinjitemiru

MORE INFO:

May'n OFFICIAL (JPN)
Nakabayashi May @ Wikipedia

Yui - Understand

2010-10-28T13:12:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 125.42mb)

Ok so this is a bit old. This is Understand, one of the tracks from Yui's double A single released way back in 2007. The other A-side track is My Generation. While the latter formed part of Yui's I Loved Yesterday, Understand was not included in said album and instead is one of the tracks of the artist's B-side compilation album, My Stories. The song is more of the ballad type which Yui dishes out every once in a while and the video, as is always the case with these Yui ballads, is very simple and features little more than the artist singing and playing her guitar.

BUY:

Yui - My Generation/Understand @ Amazon.com
Yui - My Generation/Understand @ Play-Asia.com
Yui - My Generation/Understand (Korea Version) @ Yesasia.com
Yui - My Generation/Understand (Japan Version) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

kalafina - Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni Wa

2010-10-22T08:24:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 112.88mb)

How long has it been since I last posted a video by this awesome group? Regardless, it's been a while. So this is Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni Wa by kalafina. The title means in English "In the silence of the shining sky" and is the group's 8th single to date. It was released on September 15, 2010 and is used as the insert song for the anime, Kuroshitsuji II.

BUY:

Kalafina - Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni Wa MP3 download @ Amazon.com
Kalafina - Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni Wa (CD+DVD Limited Edition) @ Play-Asia.com
Kalafina - Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni Wa (Limited Pressing) @ Play-Asia.com
Kalafina - Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni Wa @ Play-Asia.com
Kalafina - Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni Wa (Kuroshitsuji Edition Limited Edition) @ Yesasia.com
Kalafina - Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni Wa (CD+DVD First Press Limited Edition) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Kalafina @ Wikipedia

alan - Wo De Yue Guang

2010-10-13T09:17:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 80.67mb)

It's been a while since I posted anything by alan, the Tibetan singer whose songs I kinda dig. So this is Wo De Yue Guang which should mean something like "my moonlight is burning," whatever that means. I think this is one of her newer songs and it's obviously in Chinese. I love it, just like I love most of alan's Chinese works. Also, the video is very interesting and actually one of her better ones. Anyway, download, listen, enjoy. And if you like it, do check it out at your nearest music store.

BUY:

@ Play-Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (Ch)
Alan @ Wikipedia

supercell - Utakata Hanabi

2010-10-07T15:31:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 157.79mb)

This is the latest single from the doujin music group, supercell. It's called Utakata Hanabi/Hoshi ga Matataku Konna Yoru ni and it was released through Sony Music on August 25, 2010. It's a poignant romantic song, quite sad as it talks about somebody's brief summer of love.

BUY:

supercell - Utakata Hanabi (CD+DVD Limited Edition) @ Play-Asia

supercell - Utakata Hanabi @ Play-Asia

supercell - Utakata Hanabi (CD+DVD First Press Edition) @ Yesasia

supercell - Utaka Hanabi @ Yesasia

MORE INFO:

Supercell OFFICIAL (JPN)
Supercell @ Wikipedia

Ito Yuna - Urban Mermaid

2010-09-30T07:09:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (avi, 68.54mb)

Urban Mermaid is Ito Yuna's 9th single. It was released on October 24, 2007. As the title itself suggests, the song is more R&B with urban flavors in contrast to Yuna's other songs which are mostly ballads. But unlike other Ito Yuna R&B songs, this one I actually like. The video is also interesting. It's basically about woman empowerment but it's fun despite the socio-political theme. Yuna looks so pretty in it.

BUY:

Yuna Ito - Urban Mermaid (all verions) @ Amazon.com
Yuna Ito - Urban Mermaid (all versions) @ Play-Asia.com
Yuna Ito - Urban Mermaid (all versions) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Itou Yuna @ Wikipedia

Angela Aki - Every Woman's Song

2010-09-15T08:24:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 148.22mb)

Every Woman's Song is the promo track from Angela Aki's latest album, LIFE. The song's lyrics is entirely in English and the PV shows no more than Angela on the piano, playing to a concert crowd. I'm thinking it's live footage from her MY KEYS concert in Budokan. The audio, however, is clearly studio-recorded. As for the song itself, think of it as a homage to all the wonderful women you knew in your life. LIFE is due to be released this month (September) 2010.

BUY:

Angela Aki - LIFE (all versions) @ Amazon
Angela Aki - LIFE (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia
Angela Aki - LIFE (Hongkong version) @ Play-Asia
Angela Aki - LIFE (Japan version) @ Play-Asia
Angela Aki - LIFE (all versions) @ Yesasia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Angela Aki @ Wikipedia

the brilliant green - I Just Can't Breathe

2010-09-10T14:46:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (180.16mb)

This is the pv for I Just Can't Breathe by the brilliant green from their latest album, Blackout. The album is scheduled to be released on September 15, 2010 so check it out yo. :) While I liked Tomoko Kawase's solo works, I missed her band. the brilliant green's last release was in 2008. This album is a long time coming.

BUY:

the brilliant green CDs @ Amazon.com
the brilliant green - Blackout (CD) @ Play-Asia.com
the brilliant green - Blackout (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
the brilliant green - Blackout (Normal Edition) (Japan Version) @ Yesasia.com
the brilliant green - Blackout (CD+DVD) (First Press Limited Edition) (Japan Version) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (Sony Music Entertainment) (JPN)
the brilliant green @ Wikipedia

ikimono-gakari - Kimi ga Iru

2010-09-09T12:50:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (mkv, 121.51mb)

ikimono-gakari's newest single Kimi ga Iru is the theme song to the recently released Final Fantasy XIII game series. The single came out on August 4, 2010 and debuted at No. 4 on the Oricon Charts. The song is bubblegum pop, very typical of Jpop songs. I'm not really familiar with the game so I don't know how this compares to other theme songs also used in the series. I think this is a fun song to listen to and I actually enjoyed listening to it. The PV is simple enough and reflects the light, fluffy mood of the song. Either way, if you're into Final Fantasy or just a fan of Jpop in general, this newest offering by ikimono-gakari is not a bad pick to add to your collection.

BUY:

Ikimono-gakari CDs @ Amazon.com
Ikimono-gakari - Kimi ga Iru @ Play-Asia
Ikimono-gakari CDs @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Sony Music Online) (JPN)
Wikipedia

BoA - Hurricane Venus

2010-08-18T10:00:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (avi, 243.32mb)

After five years, BoA is back in her home country with her sixth comeback album, Hurricane Venus. The album was released in South Korea on August 5, 2010, the date coinciding with the artist's tenth anniversary. Ten years?! Wow.

This is the music video for the album's title track, Hurricane Venus. What's great about it? This is in 3-D made by Pace HD, who also worked on the film Avatar.

BUY:

BoA - Hurricane Venus (CD Only) @ Amazon.com
BoA - Hurricane Venus (CD Only) @ Play-Asia.com
BoA - Hurricane Venus Vol. 6 @ Yesasia.com
BoA - Hurricane Venus Vol. 6 Poster @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (KOR)
OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL
BoA @ Wikipedia

Nakashima Mika - Ichiban Kirei na Watashi Wo

2010-08-11T09:16:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 65.33mb) WATCH PV [YT]

Finally, some new stuff from Nakashima Mika-san. Ichiban Kirei na Watashi Wo means "Me, the most beautiful" in English, which seems a bit like Mika-san is blowing her own horn, but actually the song title nicely fits with its tie-up TBS TV series, Unubore Deka (lit. "Conceited Detective"). Singing the theme song isn't all that Mika-san does for this new series as once again she plays an acting role. If you remember, she also had a bit part in Ryusei no Kizuna, another TBS drama for which her 27th single Orion is utilized a theme song. I'm just hoping she plays a bigger part in Unubore Deka than she did in Ryusei.

Anyhoo, this single is scheduled for release on August 25, 2010. Unlike most of Mika-san's recent releases, Ichiban Kirei na Watashi Wo is more on the softer side, all the jazz elements gone. The song is stripped down to the bare essentials, which combined with Mika-san's soothing vocals, works very well in creating a surrealistic, yoga-like experience.

BUY:

Nakashima Mika - Ichiban Kirei na Watashi Wo (Normal Edition) @ Play-Asia.com
Nakashima Mika - Ichiban Kirei na Watashi Wo (CD+DVD First Press Limited Edition) @ Play-Asia.com
Nakashima Mika - Ichiban Kirei na Watashi Wo (Normal Edition) (Japan Version) @ Yesasia.com
Nakashima Mika - Ichiban Kirei na Watashi Wo (CD+DVD First Press Limited Edition) (Japan Version) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fansite (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ IMDB
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

By the way

2010-08-10T11:51:00.002+08:00

my computer crashed. the motherboard is fried and all the files in my hard drive went poof! so no updates while I get this all fixed. sorry.

Yui - to Mother

2010-07-28T07:37:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mp4, 70.4mb)

Finally, here's the official PV for to Mother by Yui. If you remember, I previously posted the live version of this song which Yui performed at Music Station. The video isn't very awesome but then I don't think it was meant to be. This is a simple, heartfelt video that aptly conveys the sincerity of the song and the sincerity of its singer.

to Mother is one of Yui's more recent releases since her hiatus. It's included in her latest album, Holidays in the Sun, released on July 14, 2010. Do buy the album if you like what you see and hear. There's a CD+DVD version available at your favorite online music stores.

BUY:

Yui - to Mother @ Amazon.com
Yui - to Mother (all versions) @ Play-Asia.com
Yui - to Mother (all versions) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

Yui - Please Stay With Me

2010-07-21T09:34:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mp4, 70.46mb)

This is Yui's latest pv, Please Stay With Me from her 4th studio album, Holidays in the Sun. The album was released on July 14, 2010 and debuted at #1 on the Japanese Oricon charts. This video is directed by Tsuchiya Takatoshi and features the usual shots of Yui and her guitar, plus some with her playing a puzzle with a notable missing piece. It's a pretty interesting video in a quiet kind of way, highlighting the loneliness which the song evokes.

BUY:

Yui - Holidays in the Sun @ Amazon.com
Yui - Holidays in the Sun (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
Yui - Holidays in the Sun (CD+DVD Limited Edition) @ Play-Asia.com
Yui - Holidays in the Sun (Korea Version) @ Yesasia.com
Yui - Holidays in the Sun (Japan Version) @ Yesasia.com
Yui - Holidays in the Sun (CD+DVD First Press Limited Edition) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

ikimono-gakari - Nostalgia

2010-07-14T08:13:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (avi, 118.43mb) WATCH PV | LIVE [YT]

A few months ago, I put up the PV for Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo by ikimono-gakari. This time, I'm giving you the video for Nostalgia by the same band. The song is used as a theme song for the live-action adaptation of the popular light novel series, Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo, starring Riisa Naka on the lead role.

BUY:

Ikimono-gakari CDs @ Amazon.com
Ikimono-gakari - Nostalgia @ Play-Asia
Ikimono-gakari CDs @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Sony Music Online) (JPN)
Wikipedia

Kylee - Missing

2010-07-07T12:09:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mkv, 119.89mb) WATCH PV [YT]

Here's a new artist that I haven't featured in this blog before. This is Kylee with the pv for her latest single, Missing. The song is the second ED theme for the Stan Lee/Bones anime collab, Heroman. Although a fairly new artist, this is actually not Kylee's first foray into the music business. She has previously released songs for Xam'd: Lost Memories, another Bones-produced anime.

Kylee's real name is Kylee Saunders. She's a US-born, half-American, half-Japanese (on her mother's side). Her music is a bit on the poprock side. Think Miley Cyrus without the obnoxious, hill-billy affect. In fact, the first time I watched this pv, I kept wondering why it's so familiar and then I realize that the singer reminds me of...right. Miley.

BUY:

Kylee - It's You/Missing @ Play-Asia.com
Kylee - It's You/Missing (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
Kylee (all CDs) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Kylee @ Wikipedia
Kylee @ Jpopstop

Yui - to Mother @ Music Station (2010.06.04)

2010-07-01T20:20:00.000+08:00

DDL [MF] (mp4, 39.64mb)

Yui trades her acoustic guitar for the piano in this tender performance of her latest single, to Mother. The song shows Yui's softer side, a ballad that is, not surprisingly, about a mother. I'm not sure if it's talking about her real mother or just mothers in general but it's a pretty timely song to release just a few weeks after Mother's Day. This is Yui at Music Station on June 4, 2010.

to Mother is Yui's 16th single released on June 2 this year. It peaked at #1 on the Oricon Charts and is currently still charting. The single is one of the tracks of Yui's 4th studio album to date, called Holidays in the Sun to be released on July 14, 2010. Do check both the single and the album out.

BUY:

Yui - to Mother @ Amazon.com
Yui - to Mother (all versions) @ Play-Asia.com
Yui - to Mother (all versions) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

Koda Kumi - Physhical Thing

2010-06-23T07:39:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (avi, 77.81mb) WATCH PV | LIVE in Taiwan [YT]

This is the first time I'm going to feature this artist here. I've said before that I don't like R&B that much. It's a bit of an acquired taste that I haven't really acquired. heee Since getting into Jpop, I've always heared about this artist but I don't know. I have a thing for not going for uber popular singers whose materials are available everywhere. I like a challenge and I like music that are a lot harder to grasp so I've always gravitated towards less popular, more indie kind of artists. Koda Kumi, the princess of Jpop herself, does not fit that description. So it's no small wonder why, prior to this song, I've never heard any of her songs.

So why now? You might ask. Just to add variety to this blog. Now, without further ado, this is called Physical Thing, one of the double A-side singles released by Koda Kumi in 2009. The other one is called Alive. The single debuted at No. 1 in the Oricon charts, making it Koda Kumi's 8th No. 1 single to date.

BUY:

Koda Kumi - Alive/Physical Thing [CD+DVD] @ Play-Asia.com
Koda Kumi - Alive/Physical Thing @ Play-Asia.com
Koda Kumi - Alive/Physical Thing [CD+DVD Jacket A] @ Play-Asia.com
Koda Kumi - Alive/Physical Thing [CD+DVD Jacket B] @ Play-Asia.com
Koda Kumi - Alive/Physical Thing (all versions) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Koda Kumi @ Wikipedia

Kalafina - Mata Kaze ga Tsuyuko Natta

2010-06-17T13:30:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (mkv, 122.05mb)

So this is another live performance by my new fave group, Kalafina. This time it's from their first ever studio album, Seventh Heaven, recorded for the anime, Kara no Kyoukai, which got them started in the first place. The song is called Mata Kaze ga Tsuyuko Natta and it means "the wind became strong again." It pretty much sounds like every Kalafina song out there -- gothic, dramatic, symphonic with lots of insane melodies and accompaniments. But the strongest asset that this group has (and every song pretty much showcases this) is Kalafina's near perfect harmony. Their voices are beautiful, hands down, and they mesh together so beautifully. I'm all for harmony. It's why I love this band.

BUY:

Kalafina - Seventh Heaven MP3 Download @ Amazon.com
Kalafina - Seventh Heaven (CD+DVD Limited Pressing) @ Play-Asia.com
Kalafina - Seventh Heaven (Normal Edition) (Japan Version) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Kalafina @ Wikipedia

THEATRE BROOK - Uragiri no Yuuyake

2010-06-09T06:00:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (mkv, 67.06mb)

Uragiri no Yuuyake is the first OP single of the Brains Base anime, Durarara!! It's performed by the indie funk bank, THEATRE BROOK. As of the moment, there's not much information available about the band. At least, nothing that is written in English. But they are a fairly known group who once opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

I'm currently addicted to this song. That seldom happens as I don't really like Japanese male singers. You can pretty much tell from the spare number of male artists featured in this blog. But THEATRE BROOK is an exception. I'm not really familiar with their other materials but if they sound like Uragiri no Yuuyake, then I am a fan.

BUY:

THEATRE BROOK CDs @ Amazon.com
THEATRE BROOK CDs @ Play-Asia.com
THEATRE BROOK - Uragiri no Yuuyake (CD+DVD) @ Yesasia.com
THEATRE BROOK - Uragiri no Yuuyake @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Wikipedia (JPN)
Last.fm

Nakashima Mika - Sakura ~ Hanagasumi

2010-06-02T19:33:00.000+08:00

DDL [MF] (wmv, 28.88mb)

WATCH PV (Daishi Dance Mix) [YT]

I really haven't been keeping up with Nakashima Mika-san. I'm such a bad fan. Anyhoo, it looks like she hasn't released any new music as of yet, except Always which came out in January this year. Instead, she's dabbling in movies. Cool.

So I present you with Sakura ~ Hanagasumi, her March 2008 single which carries some faint echoes of her (IMHO) best song, Sakurairo Mau Koro but does not quite come up to par. The great thing about this video is that Mika-san appears as a ballerina here. Kawaii ne ~

BUY:

Nakashima Mika - Sakura ~ Hanagasumi @ Amazon.com
Nakashima Mika - Sakura ~ Hanagasumi all versions @ Play-Asia.com
Nakashima Mika - Sakura ~ Hanagasumi all versions @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fansite (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ IMDB
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

Kalafina @ Shibuya O-EAST + YOKOHAMA BLITZ

2010-05-20T07:50:00.000+08:00

Lacrimosa [MF] (avi, 30.18mb)

Progressive [MF] (avi, 39.99mb)

storia [MF] (avi, 29.01mb)

To make up for lost time, I've decided to post in one go all the live videos I have of the DVD extra from Kalafina's Red Moon. These were all performed at Shibuya. The group gave such an overall great concert that I wish I'd been there to see it for myself and hope to one day see them live, too. Still, thank god for DVD extras like this.

BTW, Hikaru no Senritsu live was already posted previously. Just click on this link to find it.

BUY:

Kalafina - Red Moon (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
Kalafina - Red Moon @ Play-Asia.com
Kalafina - Red Moon (CD+DVD) @ Yesasia.com
Kalafina - Red Moon @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Kalafina @ Wikipedia

Kalafina - HikarI no Senritsu @ Shibuya O-EAST+YOKOHAMA BLITZ

2010-05-04T13:01:00.000+08:00

DDL [MF] (avi, 43.24mb)

WATCH PV [YT]

Sorry if I have been remiss with this blog. Actually, this isn't the only blog I've been remiss in updating. I know. Kill me. I'm so busy right now I hardly have time to even check my email. Anyhoo, here's a quick update.

Hikari no Senritsu (lit. "Melody of Light") is the theme song for the winter 2009 anime SO.RA.NO.WO.TO. It's the 7th single by the Japanese girl band, Kalafina. This particular video is from their performance at Shibuya and is included as part of the DVD extras from their most recent album, Red Moon.

BUY:

Kalafina - Red Moon (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
Kalafina - Red Moon @ Play-Asia.com
Kalafina - Red Moon (CD+DVD) @ Yesasia.com
Kalafina - Red Moon @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Kalafina @ Wikipedia

Sakamoto Maaya - Everywhere

2010-04-22T10:21:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mp4, 42.26mb)

This is Everywhere by Sakamoto Maaya. A nice ballad, the song is the title track of her third best album to celebrate her 15th anniversary. The album was released on March 31, 2010.

BUY:

Sakamoto Maaya - Everywhere (CD+DVD Limited Edition) @ Play-Asia
Sakamoto Maaya - Everywhere (CD Only) @ Play-Asia
Sakamoto Maaya - Everywhere (CD+DVD Normal Edition) @ Yesasia
Sakamoto Maaya - Everywhere (CD+DVD First Press Limited Edition) @ Yesasia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL FANSITE (JPN)
Wikipedia

supercell feat. Hatsune Miku - Black Rock Shooter

2010-04-21T07:45:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (mkv, 76.31mb) WATCH PV [YT]

This is Black Rock Shooter by supercell, a Japanese band that uses the vocaloid, Hatsune Miku. The band first gained recognition for performing the theme songs to the short film, Cencoroll and the 2009 anime series, Bakemonogatari. Black Rock Shooter is one of the tracks from the band's independent, self-titled album released on March 4, 2009.

BUY:

supercell - supercell @ Amazon.com
supercell - supercell (CD+DVD Limited Edition) @ Play-Asia
supercell- supercell (CD Only) @ Play-Asia
supercell - supercell (CD+DVD Normal Edition) @ Yesasia

MORE INFO:

Supercell OFFICIAL (JPN)
Supercell @ Wikipedia

BoA with Miura Daichi - Possibility

2010-03-25T07:08:00.000+08:00

Next week, I'll go on hiatus again. That means, this will be my last post in hopefully a short while. I'll try to come back as soon as I am able, but depending on certain circumstances, there might be changes in my schedule that will affect this blog.

DDL PV [MU] (avi, 66.29mb)

WATCH PV | LIVE @ Billboard Japan Music Awards [YT]

This is the mv for Possibility, a duet song by BoA and Miura Daichi. The song appears in BoA's latest album, Identity, released on February 10, 2010. It's a pretty good R&B song although not as epic as the other collabs featured in the same album. For instance, I liked Bump! Bump! feat. M.Flo better. Still, this song provides some easy listening.

The video for Possibility isn't epic either. It's a very minimalistic mv with dominant colors of black and white and both artists -- BoA and Miura Daichi -- standing with this wall between them. There are also shots of a Newton's cradle and this white liquid pouring. I have no idea what the latter means although I kind of get what the Newton's cradle is all about. I guess, it means that love is kind of a like a give and take and that once the momentum starts, it never stops.

BUY:

BoA - Identity (CD Only) @ Amazon.com
BoA - Identity (CD Only) @ Play-Asia.com
BoA - Identity (CD Only) (Jacket B) @ Play-Asia.com
BoA - Identity (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com BoA - Identity (CD+DVD) (Jacket A) @ Play-Asia.com
BoA - Identity (all versions) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (KOR)
OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL
BoA @ Wikipedia

OLIVIA - Stars Shining Out

2010-03-24T06:56:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mp4, 30.49mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE @ La Locomotive [YT]
It's been awhile since I posted anything by OLIVIA. She has a new single or album coming up. I forget the title but I am excited and happy that she's coming up with something new again. It seems a very long time ago since Sailing Free came out. Anyway, this is an older song by OLIVIA (Lufkin), called Stars Shining Out. It's from her 2007 mini-album, The Cloudy Dreamer. It was released after her popular NANA-related singles, A Little Pain and Wish/Starless Night, and was the artist's most successful album to date.Stars Shining Out is kind of a strange pv. It has elements of school play production in it and actually reminds me a lot of the video for Sailing Free. Except that this one is a little disturbing. :) OLIVIA wears a strange outfit that seems to be made up Christmas balls and this other outfit made of white...ruffles. It seems otherworldly and mystical and fairy-like. I like it, of course.

BUY:

OLIVIA - The Cloudy Dreamer (CD+DVD) @ Amazon.com
OLIVIA - The Cloudy Dreamer @ Amazon.com
OLIVIA - The Cloudy Dreamer (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
OLIVIA - The Cloudy Dreamer @ Play-Asia.com
OLIVIA - The Cloudy Dreamer (CD+DVD) @ Yesasia.com
OLIVIA - The Cloudy Dreamer @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL Avex (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (JPN)
OFFICIAL MySpace
OLIVIA @ Wikipedia

alan - Natsukashii Mirai ~ longing future

2010-03-18T08:21:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (wmv, 38.22mb)
WATCH LIVE (Tokyo Heart Aid) | REHEARSAL [YT]
Alright, so as promised, here's another alan video. This time it's Natsukashii Mirai ~ longing future. This is alan's third Japanese single and was released on July 2, 2008. This song has two tie-ins. First, it was used as the theme song for NHK's special TV program to celebrate World Environment Day. Second, it was also used as the theme song for the TV movie, Boku no Shima / Kanojo no Sango ("My Island, Her Corals").Considering that Natsukashii Mirai is one of alan's older singles, the pv shows elements of environmental awareness, a characteristic that the artist has in many of her older works. One scene shows her in a desert landscape with only crows for companion. In another, she is inside an art gallery and the paintings displayed there depict a vibrant forest. I don't exactly know what the video is trying to convey. Maybe it's preaching that if we don't act now, all that we'll ever see of forests would be in pictures as the real world will be swallowed up by a desert. Or something like that. It's a very interesting video.

BUY:

alan - Natsukashii Mirai ~ longing future @ Amazon.com
alan - Natsukashii Mirai ~ longing future (CD+DVD) @ Amazon.com
alan - Natsukashii Mirai ~ longing future (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
alan - Natsukashii Mirai ~ longing future @ Play-Asia.com alan - Natsukashii Mirai ~ longing future @ Yesasia.com
alan - Natsukashii Mirai ~ longing future @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (Ch)
Alan @ Wikipedia

alan - Sora Uta

2010-03-17T07:39:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (wmv, 27.07mb)
I think I'm going to have an alan week this week. This is called Sora Uta, the pv from her fourth single of the same name. The single was released on August 13, 2008 so, as you can see, it's quite old. I actually like alan's "older" music as opposed to her later ones. Vocally, she doesn't sound any different from any of the regular pop act out there, but when she starts yodeling and screaming in that very alan way, that's when she sets herself apart from the rest. There's something almost mystic in her music. I don't know if it's her Tibetan roots. Alan Dawa Dolma is Tibetan-Chinese by origin. But she is very different. That's what I like about her music. Lately, however, she's gotten rid of some of the things that make her music different and I'm kind of not liking it.
As the title of the song itself implies (it literally means "sky song"), the pv for Sora Uta incorporates the sky as the dominant element. It has alan in this ethnic-inspired garb of wrap-around cloth, lace and feathers walking on this narrow path across the sky. Some shots also show alan with two back-up dancers. You can see that it's not a very expensive video. It's mostly screened in the green room with shots of the sky later added into the video, but it's a good-looking video and the song is awesome, so I have no complaints. :)

BUY:

alan - Sora Uta (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia.com
alan - Sora Uta @ Play-Asia.com
alan - Sora Uta (CD+DVD) @ Yesasia.com
alan - Sora Uta @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (Ch)
Alan @ Wikipedia

Nakashima Mika - Always

2010-03-11T07:39:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (avi, 70.26mb)
WATCH PV [Megavideo]
I haven't really been following Nakashima Mika quite as much as I used to. I remember being obsessed about her music when I first got into NANA and the movies were still coming out. Now that all that is over, my obsession has faded somewhat. Still, Nakashima Mika is one of the first Jpop artists that I ever listened to and I mostly credit her for my having developed a taste for Japanese music. So occasionally, I check her out to see if she has anything new coming up. My efforts are never in vain since she always seems to have something up her sleeve. Incidentally, Always is her latest single -- her 31st. Whew! What a career!
Always was released on January 20, 2010 and is tied in as the theme song to the movie, Sayonara Itsuka starring Nakayama Miho. Sound-wise, it reminds me of Sunao na Mama. Mika-san certainly uses the same superficial, falsetto vocal style. I'm not saying I don't like it but I really, really miss her Sakurairo Mau Koro days. That said, the accompanying PV is simple and has Mika-san crying her eyes out. It's pretty emotional. I mean, I'm talking tears here. :) It's an okay PV, I guess.

BUY:

Nakashima Mika - Always (includes 2010 Calendar) @ Amazon.com
Nakashima Mika - Always (Hongkong version) @ Play-Asia.com
Nakashima Mika - Always (Japan version) @ Play-Asia.com
Nakashima Mika - Always (Korea version) @ Yesasia.com
Nakashima Mika - Always (Japan version) @ Yesasia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fan Site (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music Online (JPN)
OFFICIAL BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

Kalafina - Progressive

2010-03-10T07:17:00.005+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (mkv, 117mb)
WATCH LIVE [YT]
Here we are again with another Kalafina pv. This time it's a rip from the bonus DVD of their 2009 single, Progressive. The bonus video disc actually includes 4 videos: the official pv plus 3 live performances. It's pretty amazing. Progressive is Kalafina's first single with no tie-ins. Despite that, it did relatively well in the Oricon charts, peaking at #14. The song has all the usual characteristics of the group's trademark music: symphonic rock with bits of gothic opera and pop.

BUY:

Kalafina - Progressive CD @ Amazon.com
Kalafina - Progressive CD @ Play-Asia.com
Kalafina - Progressive (CD+DVD Limited Edition) @ Play-Asia.com
Kalafina - Progressive CD @ Yes Asia.com

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Kalafina @ Wikipedia

Ikimono-gakari - Toki wo Kakeru Shojou

2010-03-04T07:03:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Megaupload] (mkv, 171.96mb)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Ok so in 2006, Madhouse released this anime by a little known director. The anime was based on a novel with a huge following in Japan. Both the novel and the anime are called The Girl Who Leapt Through Time or, in Japanese, Toki wo Kakeru Shojou. The anime turned out to be a huge success and opened doors for our little known director.

Now, this PV has nothing to do with that anime and everything to do with that novel and the live-action movie it spawned way back in 1983. Ikimono-gakari comes back to give us a fresh take on Toki wo Kakeru Shojou, a song originally performed by Tomoyo Harada for the 1983 movie. Ikimono-gakari's Toki wo Kakeru Shojou serves as an insert song with the real theme song being Nostalgia, also by Ikimono-gakari which they originally sang during their indie days. Both songs are major tracks in their latest single to be released on March 10, 2010, so watch out for that date. :)The PV for Toki wa Kakeru Shojou features montage scenes from the 2010 live-action film, starring Riisa Naka. We all know her for voicing the role of Makoto in the anime. She also plays the lead in the live-action movie but not necessarily the same part. Anyway, the movie really looks interesting and I cannot wait to see it.

BUY:

Ikimono-gakari CDs @ Amazon.com
Ikimono-gakari - Nostalgia @ Play-Asia
Ikimono-gakari CDs @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Sony Music Online) (JPN)
Wikipedia

Matsushita Yuya - Trust Me

2010-03-03T07:21:00.000+08:00

DDL PV {LQ} [Mediafire] (mp4, 21.47mb)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Alright, so another R&B artist, this time it's a guy. What?! I know I don't usually post guys in this blog the reason being that I don't particularly like male Jpop singers. It's not that I have anything against the guys of Jpop. Just a weird sort of personal preference.Now, this is the PV for Trust Me, the latest single from the guy R&B singer, Matsushita Yuya. I don't know a thing about the artist. Haven't really listened to any of his other songs. Not that I want to either. Just that, this song is connected with an anime that I am watching: Durarara!! It is, in fact, its ED theme song and that is the sole reason why this video earned its spot in this blog here. ^.^

BUY:

Matsushita Yuya CDs @ Play-Asia
Matsushita Yuya - Trust Me (all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (MySpace
Matsushita Yuya @ Wikipedia

Ito Yuna - Let it Go

2010-02-25T08:04:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Megaupload] (avi, 82.54mb)
WATCH PV | Making Of [YouTube]
It's been a while since I last posted a Yuna Ito pv on this blog. This one is her latest single, Let It Go. In a way, it's a typical Yuna Ito song. And then in another way, it's a little bit different. It has obvious R&B/pop flavors but also a sprinkling of jazz here and there. Which therefore explains the pv. That said, doesn't Yuna Ito look like Ayumi Hamasaki in that particular shot. I don't know if it's the silly hat or the dyed hair.... but yeah. That's my opinion.Let It Go was released on November 11 last year. Sadly, it did not do so well in the charts or sell a lot. In my opinion, it's one of her better songs. Yuna did an interesting thing with her vocals. Fans will notice.

BUY:

Ito Yuna Store @ Amazon.com
Ito Yuna - Let It Go (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia
Ito Yuna - Let It Go (CD only) @ Play-Asia
Ito Yuna - Let It Go (CD only) @ Yes Asia
Ito Yuna - Let It Go (CD+DVD) (First Press Limited Edition) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Itou Yuna @ Wikipedia

Yui - Gloria

2010-02-24T07:09:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Megaupload] (avi, 192.84mb)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
I have to say that I like this new song by Yui. It's called Gloria. Someone posted an English translation of the lyrics here. Not very good but it does a pretty decent job of getting the message across. As the title itself hints, this is one positive song. Along with its catchy tune and Yui's particular brand of singing fast, then yes, Gloria just about hits the nail perfectly.
Gloria is Yui's sixth chart-topping single. Released on January 20, 2010, it debuted at number one on the Oricon weekly charts, selling 80,000 copies and making Yui only the third female singer in Japan to make four consecutive number one hits. She's in good company with Ayumi Hamasaki and Utada Hikaru. The single contains four tracks all in all, written and composed by Yui: an all-new song called "Muffler," an acoustic version of It's All Too Much and finally, an instrumental version of Gloria. There is also a special CD+DVD version, which includes the pv for Gloria, created by Shideaki Kubo.

BUY:

Yui - Gloria @ Amazon.com
Yui - Gloria (all versions) @ Play-Asia
Yui - Gloria (all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

BoA - Nanairo no Ashita ~ brand new beat

2010-02-18T06:49:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (mp4, 30.11mb)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Time for another BoA song. This one is called Nanairo no Ashita ~ Brand New Beat and is one of the tracks of her double-A side single of the same title. It's an upbeat popsong and the video features BoA with three girl dancers trying to out-stage four male dancers. It looks pretty fun so I'm guessing it was fun to shoot.The single is one of BoA's best-selling singles since Do the Motion. While it did not make it to the top of the charts, it however had a long chart life, making BoA's 8th highest selling single to date.

BUY:

BoA - Nanairo no Ashita ~ Brand New Beat/Your Color @ CD Universe
BoA - Nanairo no Ashita ~ Brand New Beat/Your Color (all versions) @ Play-Asia
BoA - Nanairo no Ashita ~ Brand New Beat/Your Color (all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (KOR)
OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL
BoA @ Wikipedia

Horie Yui - Hikari

2010-02-17T06:59:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (mkv, 51.78mb)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Hikari by Horie Yui is the opening theme for the anime Inukami!, a 26-episode anime about a dog god and her human, battling evil spirits. The single was released on May 24, 2006 (hey, that's my birthday!) and is Horie Yui's 8th single to date.Horie Yui is mostly associated through her voice roles in anime. As a matter of fact, I have previously posted her Silky Heart pv here before. That song was also connected with another anime, ToraDora!

BUY:

Horie Yui - Hikari @ Amazon.com
Horie Yui - Hikari @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (Starchild) (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Aice5) (JPN)
Horie Yui @ Seiyuu Info
Horie Yui @ Anime News Network
Horie Yui @ Wikipedia

Nakashima Mika - I Love You

2010-02-11T07:32:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire} (avi, 36.73mb)
It's going to be Valentine's Day on Sunday but since my posting schedule for this blog does not permit me to post on that day, here's an advance present to celebrate the day of love and romance.
Now speaking of romance, what could be more romantic than saying "I Love You" to your special someone? Better yet, how about singing it? I Love You is the B-side track to Nakashima Mika's hit single, Mienai Hoshi (lit. "Invisible Star"). The song is actually a cover, having been originally performed by Ozaki Yutaka.

BUY:

Nakashima Mika - Mienai Hoshi @ Amazon.com
Nakashima Mika Amazon Store
Nakashima Mika @ CD Universe
Nakashima Mika - Mienai Hoshi @ Play-Asia
Nakashima Mika - Mienai Hoshi (Korean Version) @ Yes Asia
Nakashima Mika - Mienai Hoshi (Japan Version) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fan Site (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music Online (JPN)
OFFICIAL BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

2NE1 - Fire (Space Ver.)

2010-02-10T09:05:00.005+08:00

DDL PV [Megaupload] (mkv, 293.36mb)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Another girl band ♥ ~ This time from South Korea's 2NE1. To be honest, I wasn't particularly interested in the group at first for a lot of reasons. One, it's a girl group. Two, it's Korean. I don't know why but I never got into K-pop as much as I did into J-pop. It's very odd since there's a hairline of difference between the two. Anyhoo, long story short, I eventually found out that Sandara Park is part of the group. Now, my being a Filipino, I find Dara (as she is now called) close to my heart. She and her family stayed in my country for some time and she even got into our local showbiz where she quickly became the darling of the media. I wasn't a huge fan but she is familiar and seemed extremely likeable. I wondered what happened to her since she kind of went out of the radar for a while there. Now I know. :) I'm happy to learn she's doing great in her home country.Fire is 2NE1's debut single, released on May 6, 2009. There are actually two versions of the music video: "Space" and "Street." I only have the "Space" version but you can watch the "Street" version via YG Family's YouTube channel.

BUY:

2NE1 Minialbum @ Amazon.com
2NE1 CDs @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (KOR)
2NE1 @ Wikipedia
2NE1 MVs @ YGFamily Channel @ YouTube

Yui - It's All Too Much

2010-02-04T08:55:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Megaupload] (mkv, 104.24mb)
If you remember, I posted the pv for Never Say Die by Yui way back in November of last year. It's All Too Much is a long time coming but better that than never, right? :) Both tracks from this double A-side single (her 14th in all) of Yui's are used as theme and insert songs for the movie, Kaiji.

BUY:

Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die CD (Korea Version) @ Amazon.com
Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die CD @ Amazon.com
Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die CD+DVD @ Amazon.com
Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die CD+DVD @ CD Universe
Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die (all versions) @ Play-Asia
Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die (all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

Kalafina - Ongaku (live)

2010-02-04T08:33:00.000+08:00

DDL PV {LQ} [Mediafire] (avi, 41.08mb)
Mirror {LQ} [Megaupload]
WATCH [YouTube]
Here's a LQ version of the live video of Ongaku by Kalafina. I had this at high quality but then I stupidly converted it in order to save space. I didn't realize it was going to be this bad until I re-watched the video for blogging purposes. Oh, woe! But to look on the bright side, I didn't do anything to the audio so it's still very good. Ongaku is one of the tracks of Kalafina's first studio album, Seventh Heaven.Kalafina is a band formed by the goddess Kajiura Yuki, mainly to perform theme songs for the Kara no Kyoukai anime movies. But the band has since then spread its wings and is currently releasing other materials for another anime, SoRaNoWoTo. The group used to be a quartet but its label, Sony Music, announced not too long ago that its fourth member will no longer be participating with the band. So now, Kalafina is a trio. The absence of the fourth member can hardly be felt with this performance, which is quite long (tagged at 6 minutes +) but so worth it. :)

BUY:

Kalafina - Seventh Heaven (MP3 Album) @ Amazon.com
Kalafina - Seventh Heaven (CD+DVD Limited Pressing) @ Play-Asia
Kalafina - Seventh Heaven @ Play-Asia
Kalafina - Seventh Heaven (CD+DVD First Press Limited Edition) @ Yes Asia
Kalafina - Seventh Heaven @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Kalafina @ Wikipedia

OLIVIA - Sea Me

2010-01-28T10:25:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (mp4, 24.75mb)
WATCH [YouTube]
OLIVIA is still one of my favorite Japanese artists. It's really a shame that she hasn't released more songs lately. I think her latest was Sailing Free and that was like a year ago. Well anyway, enough regrets for now. This is Sea Me, her seventh solo single. It was released on December 5, 2001 and features a cover of Toto's Africa. The Sea Me pv features OLIVIA as a rock chick -- something like Blondie, in fact. Basically, she's walking down the beach, lugging a suitcase behind her. In some scenes, she also plays a hot red electric guitar. It's pretty cool, if a bit low-budget. I like it because it's simple.

BUY:

OLIVIA CDs @ Play-Asia.com
OLIVIA - Sea Me @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL Avex (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (JPN)
OFFICIAL MySpace
OLIVIA @ Wikipedia

Nakashima Mika - Overload

2010-01-27T07:13:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (wmv, 28.94mb)
WATCH [YouTube]
Time for another Nakashima Mika post. Ok, it's not like I schedule these things but I feel like it's been a while since I posted anything by my favorite Jpop artist. I don't know if she has any recent stuff out. I haven't exactly been paying attention, but this one is fairly recent.

Overload is Mika-san's 28th single. It was released on May 13, 2009. It didn't do so well in the charts as most of her other singles although it did peak at #7 and ran for eight weeks in total. Overload as well as its B-side, No Answer, is best described as synth-pop but as with many of Mika-san's songs, it has old-school influences in it. The melody is pretty catchy but forgettable. The music may be forgettable but Overload has probably one of the better pvs of all of Mika-san's recent songs. It features Mika-san in three different outfits and in some kind of hotel with crack-painted walls of dark reggae colors (green, red, blue). The theme of the pv, I think, is about being trapped. Mika-san keeps getting out of the room into a hallway lined with doors and each time she opens and enters one, she always ends up in the same room. It's scary but the video is so pretty you forget to be afraid. And of course, Mika-san is still at her best look, sporting a new hairdo again. :)

BUY:

Nakashima Mika CDs/DVDs @ Amazon.com
Nakashima Mika - Overload @ Play-Asia
Nakashima Mika - Overload @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fan Site (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music Online (JPN)
OFFICIAL BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

Anna Tsuchiya feat. AI - Crazy World

2010-01-21T07:26:00.006+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (wmv, 23.69mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE [YouTube]
Crazy World is the 8th single released by Anna Tsuchiya. The single was released on June 11, 2008 and features the Los Angeles-born Japanese R&B singer, AI, who provides the rapping vocals. It's a pretty interesting semi-rock slash R&B song with a very catchy tune that could stick to your head after first listen. The video is also quite good. Anna Tsuchiya provides most of the eye candy and she looks really good in her get-up. Her facial expressions still scare me though. -_-

BUY:

Anna Tsuchiya feat. AI - Crazy World (all versions) @ Amazon.com
Anna Tsuchiya feat. AI - Crazy World (all versions) @ Play-Asia
Anna Tsuchiya feat. AI - Crazy World (Japan Version) @ Yes Asia
Anna Tsuchiya feat. AI - Crazy World (Single+DVD) (Japan Version) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (Anna Tsuchiya) (JPN)
OFFICIAL (AI) (JPN)
ORICON Profile (Anna Tsuchiya) (JPN)
Anna Tsuchiya @ Wikipedia
AI @ Wikipedia

ANNA inspi' NANA (Blackstones) - Rose

2010-01-21T07:26:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (avi, 24mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE [YouTube]
I was supposed to upload this yesterday but I had an accident with my computer. I accidentally deleted all my video collection, thinking that I already backed them up, when I really didn't. Anyway, long story short, there goes several months' worth of video downloads down the drain. Good thing I had the sense to upload some of my favorites already.

This pv is Rose by ANNA inspi' NANA from the NANA anime. It's the first opening theme to the hit anime and one of the songs that truly got me into the whole jpop thing. I don't really like the video very much and that's why it took me this long to find it, download it and then put it up.
Rose the single was released on June 28, 2006. It reached #6 on the Oricon charts. The video has Anna Tsuchiya acting like a rock chick, like Nana Oosaki actually, which is only appropriate since the singer provides the singing voice to the said character.

BUY:

ANNA inspi' NANA - Rose (all versions) @ Amazon.com
ANNA inspi' NANA - Rose @ CD Universe
ANNA inspi' NANA - Rose (all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Oricon Profile (JPN)
Anna Tsuchiya @ Wikipedia
NANA @ Wikipedia

ayaka feat. kobukuro - Anata To

2010-01-14T07:52:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (wmv, 19.87mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE [YouTube]
It's been a while since I posted something of ayaka here. She has a really great voice and I like most of her songs. Anata To is her second collaboration single with Kobukuro and was released on September 24, 2008. The single has reached #2 in the Oricon Charts and is certified gold by RIAJ, selling more than 150,000 copies to date. Anata To is a wonderful ballad that suits ayaka's flawless voice too perfectly -- somewhat a safe song for an artist who can absolutely do better with a more challenging song to sing. Still, this is a nice song that evokes feelings of loneliness and coming home and is matched with a pv that is suitably sentimental.

MORE INFO:

ayaka OFFICIAL Ken-on (JPN)
Kobukuro OFFICIAL (JPN)
ayaka OFFICIAL Warner Music Japan (JPN)
Kobukuro OFFICIAL Warner Music Japan (JPN)
Ayaka @ Wikipedia
Kobukuro @ Wikipedia

Buono! - Bravo Bravo (Dohhh Up!)

2010-01-13T07:35:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (mp4, 25,66mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE (MusicJapan) [YouTube]
I have to say that I don't like girl bands, let alone Japanese girl bands. The cuteness factor usually sends me into catharsis. Buono! is not an exception, so why the hell am I watching this? NO IDEA. Maybe I finally snapped. :)

Anyhoo, this is Bravo Bravo (Dohhh Up!) by Jpop group, Buono! The song is used as the ending theme for the anime adaptation of Shugo Chara! and was released on December 16, 2009.Buono! is a Hello! Project (no idea what that means) and consists of Tsunaga Momoko, Natsuyaki Miyabi, and Suzuki Airi. Their group's name apparently comes from the Italian "good." Ohhhhhhh.

BUY:

Buono! - Bravo Bravo (all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL HelloProject (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (JPN)
Buono! @ Wikipedia

alan - Kaze no Tegami

2010-01-07T07:26:00.000+08:00

DOWNLOAD PV [Mediafire] (wmv, 31.91mb)
This is alan doing rock. lmao Not even close. Kaze no Tegami literally means "Wind Letter" but that doesn't really tell me what the song is all about. This is alan's fifth Japanese single and is one of the tracks from her debut album, Voice of Earth. It was released on September 10, 2008.True to its rock connotations, the music video for Kaze no Tegami features rock influences. Alan appears in the video with her hair pulled back, a little beehive style and she's wearing a black cocktail dress and matching gloves. Her makeup is gothic and her facial expressions are angry, which contrasts hilariously from the angelic sound of her voice. Yes, alan can dirty up and look like a rock chick but she can't do anything with that voice. I think she's much better off with bubblegum music, and then not even that because she has one of those surrealistic voices that can't be contained within the confines of pop.

BUY:

alan - Kaze no Tegami (all versions) @ Amazon.com
alan - Kaze no Tegami (all versions) @ Play-Asia
alan - Kaze no Tegami (all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (Ch)
Alan @ Wikipedia

BoA - I Did It For Love

2010-01-06T07:15:00.000+08:00

Happy 2010, everyone! Hope you enjoyed the holidays as much as I did. And now here's my treat for you....DOWNLOAD PV [Mediafire] (mp4, 19.92mb)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
I Did It For Love is first track but second single released from the debut English album by BoA. Released on June 2, 2009, the song is written and produced by Garett, Melvin K., Watson Jr., and Matthew I. Irby. BoA sings the song in English. I Did It For Love also features Sean Garett, an American singer-songwriter and producer. The music video has BoA donning black leather and dancing to an R&B beat. This is another showcase of the artist's admittedly amazing dance moves and takes after the music video for her other English song, Eat You Up -- from the synchronized, group dancing down to the use of water. In the final moments, BoA whips out a fan (also black to fit the motif) and its purpose apparently is to lend some oriental feel to the music video. I don't think it worked; the music video has AMERICAN all over it with BoA only as the front act, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

BUY:

BoA - BoA (album) @ Amazon.com
BoA - BoA (album) @ CD Universe
BoA - BoA (album all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (KOR)
OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL
BoA @ Wikipedia

REIRA starring YUNA ITO - Endless Story

2009-12-10T06:00:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (avi, 32.66mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE [YouTube]
Endless Story is the debut single by Ito Yuna. It is released under the billing name, REIRA starring YUNA ITO and is connected with the first movie adaptation of Ai Yazawa's popular manga, NANA. In her first role in a movie, Yuna plays Serizawa Reira, the lead vocalist of the fictional band, Trapnest, which is the rival of Blast, the titular character Nana's (played by Nakashima Mika) own punk group.Endless Story is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard and could be credited for largely bringing me into the whole Jpop craze. And Yuna sings it so beautifully and with so much emotion, it's hard not to get moved by it. The pv for the song is very simple, showing only Yuna by herself against a shoujo pink background. The video also features clips of Trapnest playing live in the NANA movie.

BUY:

REIRA starring YUNA ITO - Endless Story @ Amazon.com
REIRA starring YUNA ITO - Endless Story @ Play-Asia REIRA starring YUNA ITO - Endless Story (all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Itou Yuna @ Wikipedia

Nakashima Mika - Fake

2009-12-09T07:10:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (avi, 33.56mb)
Fake is one of the tracks from Music, the third Japanese album (and fifth overall) by Nakashima Mika. It's also one of my favorite songs by this artist. Fake is a slow, lounge-jazz number, dominated by soft piano in the beginning before slipping into sexy jazz. To fit the mood, Mika sings in a controlled voice, reigning in volume and power to produce a sensuous yet dramatic song. The pv fits the theme of the song perfectly. Fake features Mika wearing a vintage black outfit -- trenchcoat and a fedora hat and walking in the rain at night. She enters a relatively empty bar and sits at the counter without ordering anything. Slowly, people start coming in and we next see Mika in a slinky black number, belting out the song's chorus: "Please, please, please, oh please..." while a jazz band plays behind her. It's a pretty understated video but looks really smokin'

BUY:

Nakashima Mika - Music @ Amazon.com
Nakashima Mika - Music @ CD Universe
Nakashima Mika - Music @ Play-Asia
Nakashima Mika - Music @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fan Site (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music Online (JPN)
OFFICIAL BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

Thyme - Hello

2009-12-03T07:09:00.006+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (avi, 29.74mb)
WATCH PV [Youtube]
We're retro-izing this week. That means, we're featuring pvs by our favorite artists way back when they were still pretty little debutantes. That said, Hello is the official debut single by Thyme. It was released on September 5, 2007. I say "official" because way before that, Thyme was active in the indie scene and has released a couple of "unofficial" singles.I really like this song. Actually, I like all of Thyme's songs, come to think of it. They sound less like Jpop/Jrock songs and more like Western but still retain their peculiarly Jpop/Jrock elements. This pv doesn't look very impressive but I like it nonetheless. Thyme knows how to express her songs' emotions even when she's just lip-syncing the lyrics so it does look like she's really jamming with her band rather than just posing for the camera.

BUY:

Thyme - Hello @ Amazon.com
Thyme - Hello @ Play-Asia
Thyme - Hello @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Thyme @ Wikipedia

alan - Ashita e no Sanka

2009-12-02T07:50:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (avi, 32.41mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE [Youtube]
Here's an old pv by Alan. Ashita e no Sanka is Alan's Japanese-language debut single. It was released on November 21, 2007 and peaked at #69 on the Japanese Oricon charts. The single was also released in Taiwan where it fared better in the Kpop/Jpop charts at #20. Various versions of Ashita e no Sanka are currently out, including an orchestral version in the single, Red Cliff: Shin-Sen and a Chinese version in Xin De Dong Fang. Ashita e no Sanka is one of the tracks from Alan's album, Voice of Earth. The pv uses cool black and blue hues and features a desert landscape. It's a little like Madonna's Frozen because of that. Alan is featured dressed in a black outfit and a blue-plumed coat. Something about the whole thing strikes me as mystic and it looks to me like the concept is that of a mystic woman casting some sort of spell. It's quite interesting and a little creepy, especially at the last part with the flies and buzzards around. Anyway, it's a nice little pv to add to your collection.

BUY:

alan - Ashita e no Sanka (all versions) @ Play-Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (Ch)
Alan @ Wikipedia

BoA - Mamoritai ~ White Wishes

2009-11-26T07:28:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (avi, 23.49mb)
LISTEN [YouTube]
Mamoritai ~ White Wishes is BoA's 29th Japanese single to be released on December 9, 2009. Tracks include THE END and soshite..., BUMP BUMP! feat.VERBAL(m-flo) KOZM・MIX, plus intrumental versions of the title track and THE END and soshite. The song Mamoritai ~ White Wishes will be featured as the theme for the wii game, Tales of Grace. The promotional video is a simple one, showing the artist by herself. BoA doesn't even dance in this video although she does make some moves that are close to dance. It's not a very interesting video but for die-hard BoA fans, it's another addition to their collection. And even if you're not a die-hard BoA fan, if you like the song, do buy the single.

PRE-ORDER:

BoA - Mamoritai ~ White Wishes (all versions) @ Play-Asia
BoA - Mamoritai ~ White Wishes (all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (KOR)
OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL
BoA @ Wikipedia

the brilliant green - Angel Song ~ Eve no Kane

2009-11-25T08:20:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Megaupload] (mkv, 131.77mb)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Angel Song ~ Eve no Kane is the eleventh single by jpop group, the brilliant green. It was released way back on October 15, 2000 when the band was still together and going on strong. It's a soft, melodious rock song that's a little different from the band's usual staple of heavy guitar riffs. The song's lyrics (written by lead vocalist Kawase Tomoko) tells about longing and unforgotten promises. It's also about Christmas, which explains the video's theme. Anyway, I like this video because (1) it has a Christmas theme and that's timely; and (2) it's a mellow type of promotional video, unlike all the other crazy ones that the band comes up with. ^.^

BUY:

the brilliant green - Angel Song ~ Eve no Kane @ Amazon.com
the brilliant green - Angel Song ~ Eve no Kane @ CD Universe
the brilliant green CDs @ Play-Asia
the brilliant green - Angel Song ~ Eve no Kane @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (Sony Music Entertainment) (JPN)
the brilliant green @ Wikipedia

Yui - Never Say Die

2009-11-19T08:35:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Megaupload] (mkv, 104.57mb)
WATCH [YouTube]
Never Say Die is one of the tracks from Yui's 5th double A-side single, It's All Too Much/Never Say Die. Both songs are used as theme songs for the movie, Kaiji. The single was released on October 7, 2009 and debuted as #1 on the Oricon charts.What I like about this song is its catchy melody. But, of course, Yui is perhaps the only Jpop artist who never seems to go wrong with melody. Even when she's belting out rock songs, she always manages to catch me off guard with the melody. This, I think, is the reason why I find myself listening to her more than I do other Jpop artists with the possible exception of Nakashima Mika (she wins by default since she's my fave).

Anyway, the pv for Never Say Die, like most of Yui's music videos, is set in school. Two girls are apparently dating the same guy and decide to settle matters through a game of soccer. Interpersed among these clips of the school girls is Yui rocking out with her backup band. It's not one of the best videos I've seen but I wasn't expecting anything super. I've never known Yui to release really interesting pvs so this wasn't a surprise.

BUY:

Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die CD (Korea Version) @ Amazon.com
Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die CD @ Amazon.com
Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die CD+DVD @ Amazon.com
Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die CD+DVD @ CD Universe
Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die (all versions) @ Play-Asia
Yui - It's All Too Much/Never Say Die (all versions) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

Higher Quality Version of Candy Girl

2009-11-19T06:00:00.000+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (avi, 83mb)

Oasis - Falling Down (Original Version)

2009-11-18T11:09:00.000+08:00

Updates will be Wednesdays and Thursdays from now on.

DDL PV [Mediafire] (mp4, 31.46mb)
WATCH [YouTube]
I've been meaning to upload this. Earlier I uploaded the anime version of the music video. So this is the original version of Oasis's Falling Down promotional video.The video's storyline seems to be about a certain member of the British Royal Family. Fictionalized, of course, so I don't know if she's based on someone real. I thought at first it was the late Lady Diana but obviously not.... The people in the video address her as "Your Majesty." Diana was only "Your Highness." Then again, this could be Diana's story: about an ordinary girl who finds herself in an extraordinary position with extraordinary responsibilities and the personal restrictions that come with it.

BUY:

Oasis - Falling Down @ Amazon.com
Oasis - Falling Down @ CD Universe
Oasis - Falling Down (CD+DVD) (First Press Limited) @ Yes Asia
Oasis - Falling Down @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL MySpace
Oasis @ Wikipedia

Nakashima Mika - CANDY GIRL

2009-11-12T10:00:00.000+08:00

DDL PV {LQ} [Mediafire] (mp4, 17.21mb)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
CANDY GIRL is the 29th single by Nakashima Mika. I've had this pv for a while now but it's only now that I got around to uploading it. I haven't been keeping up with Mika-san's music and it took a YouTube video to alert me that she has a new single out. CANDY GIRL was released on September 30, 2009 and was #4 on the Oricon Charts.In CANDY GIRL, Nakashima Mika continues with her jazz streak, only this time with a crazier theme: circus. The pv is, as always with this artist's videos, very stylish featuring Mika-san in a tasteful burlesque queen outfit.

BUY:

Nakashima Mika - CANDY GIRL (Korean Edition) @ Amazon.com
Nakashima Mika - CANDY GIRL @ Play-Asia
Nakashima Mika - CANDY GIRL @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fan Site (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music Online (JPN)
OFFICIAL BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

Younha - Peace Love & Ice Cream

2009-11-12T06:36:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [Mediafire] (mp4, 18.23mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE
Younha is a South Korean singer who is active in both the Jpop and Kpop scene. Her songs are mostly used in anime and dramas. As a matter of fact, I first heard of her through the popular anime series, Bleach.Peace Love & Ice Cream is the title track from her third Korean album. It was released on April 16, 2009 under the label, Lion Media. It's a soft acoustic number and actually surprised me because I always assumed Younha's songs to be fast-paced, bubblegum rock. To fit the song's theme, the music video is simple, sepia-toned at first before transitioning to delightful colors and featuring the artist with a guitarist in the background.

BUY:

Younha - Peace Love & Ice Cream @ Amazon.com
Younha - Vol. 3 Part A: Peace Love & Ice Cream @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

Younha OFFICIAL (KR) (JP)
Younha @ Wikipedia

Monkey Majik feat. Yoshida Brothers - Change

2009-10-26T09:09:00.000+08:00

DDL PV {LQ} [MegaUpload] (mp4, 17.31mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE IN Ottawa [YouTube]
Change is the sixth single by Monkey Majik in collaboration with the Yoshida Brothers. It was released on April 25, 2007. The song features the shamisen, a Japanese traditional stringed instrument that looks like a guitar but with only three strings. True to its title, the song's theme is change and to fit that the video blurs the lines between the East and the West, showing the band playing to a Japanese crowd who are all wearing traditional Japanese festival masks. Monkey Majik is a hybrid band, composed of Canadian brothers Maynard and Blaise Plant and two Japanese members, Tax and DICK. The band got their name from the song "Monkey Magic" performed by Godiego and used as a theme song to Saiyuki, an anime adaptation of the tale of the Monkey King.

BUY:

Monkey Majik - Change @ Amazon.com
Monkey Majik - Change @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

Monkey Majik OFFICIAL
Monkey Majik @ Wikipedia
Yoshida Brothers OFFICIAL
Yoshida Brothers @ Wikipedia

Regina Spektor - Laughing With

2009-10-24T21:42:00.000+08:00

DDL PV {LQ} [Mediafire] (mp4, 7.54mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE [YouTube]
From Regina Spektor's latest album, Far, Laughing With was first released on her MySpace page before it officially hit the streets on May 18 (May 19 in the US and Canada). The song begins with a low-key piano instrumental before Regina enters with her distinctive, nimble vocals. Probably one of her more personal songs (and that's something coming from an artist who's known for the characteristic detachment in her songs), Laughing With is a reflective piece about God and the funny thing about people's faith.This is the official music video. It was released on iTunes on May 26, 2009. The video employs dreamy surrealisms and beautiful colors that're better seen than read.

BUY:

Regina Spektor - Far (Deluxe) @ Amazon.com
Regina Spektor - Far @ Amazon.com
Regina Spektor - Far (Special Edition CD+DVD) @ Amazon.com
Regina Spektor - Far (Vinyl) @ Amazon.com
Regina Spektor - Laughing With (MP3 Download) @ Amazon.com
Regina Spektor - Far @ CD Universe
Regina Spektor - Far (with DVD) @ CD Universe

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL
Regina Spektor @ Wikipedia

Boys over Flowers Coupon Code

2009-10-23T13:08:00.003+08:00

PRE-ORDER NOW!!

On November 17th Yes Asia will be releasing their video-licensed version of popular Korean drama 'Boys Over Flowers'. Based off the Japanese manga series 'Hana Yori Dango' and the third drama adaptation of its kind, 'Boys Over Flowers' was a ratings winner when broadcasted earlier this year, as well as a fan-favorite and staple in the land of k-dramas.

Series Synopsis

Tough, hardworking Geum Jan Di (Ku Hye Sun) attends an exclusive school, but she finds her shallow, privileged classmates unbearable, especially the notorious F4. Rich, handsome, and arrogant, Goo Joon Pyo (Lee Min Ho), Yoon Ji Hoo (Kim Hyun Joong), Song Woo Bin (Kim Joon), and So Yi Jung (Kim Bum) are the kings of the school and no one, not even the teachers, dare challenge them. No one, that is, except Jan Di. Angry at their rudeness, Jan Di tells off F4 leader Joon Pyo, bringing a world of trouble upon herself. The proud and persistent Joon Pyo falls hard for feisty Jan Di, but she shares a connection with the quiet, sensitive Ji Hoo. Caught between the two friends, who will Jan Di choose?

The Goods

If you're interested in the drama, you can buy the special Photobook + DVD (region 1) at Yes Asia. For a great deal, you may use the coupon code provided below and get $5 USD off your purchase. Hurry! Offer expires on December 13, 2009.

Coupon Code: BYFLWERSV1M

Oasis - Falling Down (Eden of the East Ver.)

2009-10-22T12:25:00.006+08:00

DDL PV [MediaFire] (mp4, 28.24mb)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Falling Down is a single taken from Oasis' chart-topping 2008 studio album, Dig Out Your Soul. Written and sung by Noel Gallagher, the song is used as the opening theme for the 2009 anime, Eden of the East, produced by Production I.G. This is the limited Eden of the East version of the music video, featuring fantastic graphics from the anime show. If you've seen the anime, you will realize that the video is more like an extended version of the anime's opening clip.

BUY:

Oasis - Falling Down @ Amazon.com
Oasis - Falling Down @ CD Universe
Oasis - Falling Down (CD+DVD) (First Press Limited) @ Yes Asia
Oasis - Falling Down @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL MySpace
Oasis @ Wikipedia

OFFICIAL HIATUS

2009-06-18T20:21:00.002+08:00

This blog is officially on hiatus.

Nakashima Mika - Yuki no Hana

2009-05-16T10:33:00.001+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (mp4, 38MB)
LIVE (w/ Tomiko Van) [YouTube]
Yuki no Hana (lit. "Snow Flower") is probably the most popular song by Nakashima Mika prior to NANA. It was released on October 1, 2003 and is the artist's 10th single and one of the tracks of her sophomore album, Love. The single peaked at #3 in the Oricon Charts but received a much further following afterwards, with the song having been translated and performed by artists of different nationalities including a Korean and Chinese version.Yuki no Hana the music video features Nakashima Mika in a winter setting to fit the song's title. There are basically three settings -- one with Mika sitting on the steps in front of a facade of an old building, another with her a roomful of ice cubes, and the last one with her in the middle of forest of pine trees.

While I like the song for its melody, the video doesn't really do for me. Especially after I've seen many of her other -- and more interesting -- videos, like Seppun and Legend.

BUY:

Nakashima Mika - Yuki no Hana @ Amazon
Nakashima Mika - Yuki no Hana @ Play-Asia
Nakashima Mika - Yuki no Hana @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fansite (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ IMDB
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

Tommy heavenly6 - Unlimited Sky

2009-05-09T07:20:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (avi, 23.10MB)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Unlimited Sky is a recent single from the album Gothic Melting Ice Cream's Darkness Nightmare by Tommy heavenly6 (Kawase Tomoko). It's used as an insert song for the anime, Gundam 00. Like many of Tommy heavenly6's songs, Unlimited Sky is big on the electric guitars and has a decidedly rock sound. The video features the artist, Kawase dressed up as one of her alter egos, Tommy heavenly6, jamming with her band in front of a yellow school bus. It's less whimsical than the pv of her other single from the same album, PAPERMOON but presents almost the same elements with the couch and the crazy window. Gothic Melting Ice Cream's Darkness Nightmare was released on February 25, 2009. It is the artist's first compilation album under the billing, Tommy heavenly6, and features many of her most popular singles. On its release, the album charted at #6 on the Oricon Charts. Tommy heavenly6's latest album, I Kill My Heart, is also now available at your favorite music stores.

BUY:

Tommy heavenly6 - Gothic Melting Ice Cream's Darkness Nightmare @ Amazon
Tommy heavenly6 - Gothic Melting Ice Cream's Darkness Nightmare (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia
Tommy heavenly6 - Gothic Melting Ice Cream's Darkness Nightmare @ Play-Asia
Tommy heavenly6 - Gothic Melting Ice Cream's Darkness Nightmare (Blu-Spec CD+DVD) (First Press Limited Edition) @ Yes Asia
Tommy heavenly6 - Gothic Melting Ice Cream's Darkness Nightmare (CD+DVD) @ Yes Asia
Tommy heavenly6 - Gothic Melting Ice Cream's Darkness Nightmare @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Kawase Tomoko @ Wikipedia

Yui - Again

2009-05-02T10:45:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (avi, 32.39MB)
WATCH PV | LIVE [YouTube]
Alright Yui! It's been awhile since I posted anything by this artist. Again is a new song by her, released after she went on a five-month hiatus. Again is used as the opening theme for the 2009 remake of Fullmetal Alchemist. It's kind of rock-ish, coming on with heavy guitar riffs before slipping into a smooth bass laidback beat and Yui's trademark upbeat (and quick, really quick) singing.The video is not that impressive and features Yui jamming with her band. It reminds me a lot of the video for her other song of similar upbeat-rock flavor, Jam. The song is currently available as a ringtone but come June 3, a CD version will be released.

BUY:

Yui - Again (CD+DVD) (Limited Edition) @ Play-Asia
Yui - Again @ Play-Asia
Yui - Again (CD+DVD) (First Press Limited Edition) @ Yes Asia
Yui - Again @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

Ito Yuna - Trust You

2009-04-25T07:23:00.003+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (mp4, 34.94MB)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Trust You is the theme song to the anime, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Season 2. It's also the 13th single by American jpop singer, Itou Yuna. It was released on March 4, 2009. The B-side is called Brand New World which is tie-up song for the commercial of Hawkins Sport.On its first week of release, Trust You sold 27, 254 copies, making it one of her highest selling singles to date. The song is an R&B ballad that suits Yuna's voice very well. I think it's one of her better singles since the phenomenal Endless Story. While it lacks the power of the first, Trust You has its charm, and really, with Yuna's vocal abilities, all that she really needs is a song with a clear melody. This song has it.

As for the promo video, I'm not too fond of it. It looks generic. I'm not saying that it's bad. In a way, it fits the song perfectly because with Trust You's simplicity of melody, the video did not need to be anything more.

BUY:

Itou Yuna - Trust You @ Amazon
Itou Yuna - Trust You (Gundam 00 ver.) @ Amazon
Itou Yuna - Trust You @ Play-Asia
Itou Yuna - Trust You (Gundam 00 ver.) @ Play-Asia
Itou Yuna - Trust You @ Yes Asia
Itou Yuna - Trust You (Gundam 00 ver.) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Blog) (JPN)
Itou Yuna @ Wikipedia

OLIVIA - Sailing Free

2009-04-19T06:00:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [Megaupload] (avi, 49.84mb)
WATCH PV | LIVE [YouTube]
Sailing Free is OLIVIA's latest single, released on April 15, 2009. The single is a collaboration project between OLIVIA and INORAN and is used as the theme song to a new game of the saga, Sengoku Basara.

This is the promo video, featuring the artist in some kind of school play, complete with really awesome props. It's yet another quirky OLIVIA video and reminds me actually of her video for Stars Shining Out from The Cloudy Dreamer mini-album.
Sailing Free is actually OLIVIA's first single in a span of three years. Her last release was a mini-album, Trinka Trinka, which told us that this primarily electronica artist can do bubblegum rock just as well. Sailing Free still has echoes of her 90s Eurobeat influences but it's rock, baby, and just like that it is really reminiscent of Stars Shining Out from the heavy guitar-driven intro to the naked drumbeat at the first stanza.

BUY:

OLIVIA - Sailing Free @ Amazon
OLIVIA - Sailing Free @ CD Universe
OLIVIA - Sailing Free (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia
OLIVIA - Sailing Free (Basara Ver.) @ Play-Asia
OLIVIA - Sailing Free (CD+DVD) @ Yes Asia
OLIVIA - Sailing Free (Basara Ver.) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL Avex (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (JPN)
OFFICIAL MySpace
OLIVIA @ Wikipedia

alan - Red Cliff ~ Kokoro Ikusa / Shin.Sen

2009-03-29T09:08:00.003+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (wmv, 19.17MB)
WATCH PV | LIVE [YouTube]
I think I'm becoming a fan of alan. Every single she has released recently are quite good and I do like listening to them. Red Cliff ~ Kokoru Ikusa (or Red Cliff ~ Shin.sen, lit. "Red Cliff ~ Heart War") is her sixth single to date. It was released on October 15, 2008 and is the Japanese version of Xin.Zhan ~ Red Cliff, the theme song to the 2008 film, Red Cliff I -- and easily one of the best Chinese films I've seen in a long while.The music video has Alan, wearing a white dress, lying on a bed of red flowers in a canoe. I think it's supposed to like a funeral barge, thus, enhancing the haunting feel of the song. Red Cliff ~ Kokoru Ikusa is a really pretty song with a softly haunting melody that feels like it's caressing you gently, rather than gripping, and makes you feel the loneliness and at the same time the acceptance of it. For me, it's a death song but other than the video, there's nothing funeral about it. Recommended? Absolutely. And while you're at it, catch the movie, too.

BUY:

Alan - Red Cliff ~ Shin.Sen (CD+DVD) @ Amazon
Alan - Red Cliff ~ Shin.Sen @ Amazon
Alan - Red Cliff ~ Shin.Sen (CD+DVD) @ CD Universe
Alan - Red Cliff ~ Shin.Sen @ CD Universe
Alan - Red Cliff ~ Shin.Sen (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia
Alan - Red Cliff ~ Shin.Sen @ Play-Asia
Alan - Red Cliff ~ Shin.Sen (CD+DVD) @ Yes Asia
Alan - Red Cliff ~ Shin.Sen @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (JPN)
OFFICIAL Blog (Ch)
Alan @ Wikipedia

Anna Tsuchiya - Cocoon

2009-03-26T20:21:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (wmv, 23.70MB)
WATCH PV | LIVE [YouTube]
Cocoon is 7th single by Anna Tsuchiya. It was released on January 30, 2008 as a single and in October 2008 as one of the tracks in her latest studio album, NUDY SHOW! It's kinda pop-rock with the characteristic strong guitar riff intro and almost danceable chorus. It's quite catchy but probably not one of Anna's more memorable songs.But if the song doesn't strike you at first, the promotion video is going to get you. I keep saying it in this blog but Anna Tsuchiya is eye-candy and I think that's what makes her videos always nice to look at. The camera just loves her. What's more interesting about the pv for Cocoon is her hairdo and the white chrysalis-inspired costume she wears in one of the scenes.

Should you buy this single? I don't especially recommend it but the CD+DVD version does include the pv, which, in my opinion, is the best thing about it. The songs themselves are not that great, but don't take my word for it. Cocoon the single did make it to #10 in the Oricon Charts.

BUY:

Anna Tsuchiya - Cocoon (CD+DVD) @ Amazon
Anna Tsuchiya - Cocoon @ Amazon
Anna Tsuchiya - Cocoon (CD+DVD) @ CD Universe
Anna Tsuchiya - Cocoon @ CD Universe
Anna Tsuchiya - Cocoon (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia
Anna Tsuchiya - Cocoon (CD+DVD) @ Yes Asia
Anna Tsuchiya - Cocoon @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
ORICON Profile (JPN)
Anna Tsuchiya @ Wikipedia

Tommy Febraury6 - Strawberry.Cream.Pop.Soda

2009-03-14T06:00:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (wmv, 36.62MB)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
OHMYGOD PINK! Well, that about sums up my impression of this video. Honestly, I think Kawase Tomoko (dressed up as Tommy February6 for this video) is insane, or maybe just a bit strange. Then again, that's what makes her so awesome. Aside from being so overwhelmingly pink, the video features the artist in several schoolgirl get-ups and like really frilly dresses.Strawberry.Cream.Pop.Soda is the carrier single from the third studio album by Tommy February6. It was released on February 5, 2009. The album is called Strawberry Cream Soda Pop Daydream.

BUY:

Tommy February6 - Strawberry Cream Pop Soda Daydream (Blu-Spec) @ Amazon
Tommy February6 - Strawberry Cream Pop Soda Daydream (CD+DVD) @ Amazon
Tommy February6 - Strawberry Cream Pop Soda Daydream @ Amazon

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Kawase Tomoko @ Wikipedia

BoA - Eien

2009-03-09T11:19:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [MU] (mp4, 86.51MB)
LIVE [YouTube]
I'm really starting to like these dance videos of BoA. This time, she does the walking on the street while dancing bit that's been done (so well) by artists like Usher and Justin Timberlake and I must say: BoA is good. She really is good, got some really great moves. Aside from moving good, BoA looks good, too. I'm not sure if I like the new haircut but bobs are in now and she's fashionable. Eien is a single from BoA's album, Best & USA. It was released on February 18, 2009 and peaked at #5 at the Oricon charts. The title means "eternity" and lyrics were written by Narumi "Yamamoto." It's a typical R&B song, nothing particularly startling about it, but the lyrics are pretty and sad. Anyway, it's a good enough song and if that isn't enough to get you to buy the single, get this: the single also contains tracks by featured artist Crystal Kay. So what are you waiting for?

BUY:

BoA - Best & USA (CD+DVD) @ Amazon
BoA - Best & USA @ Amazon
BoA - Best & USA (CD+DVD) @ CD Universe
BoA - Best & USA @ CD Universe
BoA - Eien / Universe feat. Crystal Kay & Verbal M-flo / Believe in Love feat. BoA (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia
BoA - Eien / Universe feat. Crystal Kay & Verbal M-flo / Believe in Love feat. BoA @ Play-Asia
BoA - Eien / Universe feat. Crystal Kay & Verbal M-flo / Believe in Love feat. BoA (CD+DVD) @ Yes Asia
BoA - Eien / Universe feat. Crystal Kay & Verbal M-flo / Believe in Love feat. BoA @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (KOR)
OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL
BoA @ Wikipedia

Nakashima Mika - Game

2009-03-07T07:21:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (avi, 14.78MB)
Game is a song from the second compilation album, called No More Rules, by Nakashima Mika. Released on March 4, 2009, the album contains all the CM songs performed by her for Kanebo-Kate.

The song is a very jazz-y number, which delights me because this is the kind of music that drew me to the artist in the first place. True that I enjoy Mika-san's numerous transformations, but I still feel that her vocal quality suits the jazz genre. So I'm very glad about this song -- not only is it jazz but it's general hipness reminds me of Rocking Shoes, one of my favorite songs by her.The music video features Nakashima Mika in a slinky black outfit. I think the idea is that she's some sort of cat burglar, if the jewelry pieces and precious little knick-knacks she keeps around her are any indication. But she's the sort of criminal who does it for the thrills and not out of any real need for material gain. It's noir-ish, which is another good thing and reminds me a lot of the music video for Love Addict.

BUY:

Nakashima Mika - No More Rules (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia
Nakashima Mika - No More Rules (Blu-spec CD+DVD) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL Fansite (JPN)
OFFICIAL Sony Music Online (JPN)
OFFICIAL BMG (Ch)
Nakashima Mika @ IMDB
Nakashima Mika @ Wikipedia

L'Arc~en~Ciel - Ready Steady Go

2009-02-22T19:00:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (avi, 26MB)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Yeah, so I hear that the anime Fullmetal Alchemist is getting a second season. I never got into the series even though it stars one of my favorite seiyuus of all time -- Paku Romi! -- and even though I have it in CD-format. I did watch the movie, Conqueror of Shamballa. While the plot seemed like it was written by a scatter-brained insomniac, the overall sleek look of the animation won me over.

So why am I talking about this? Because Ready Steady Go is one of the themes to Fullmetal Alchemist, the original. The track is performed by L'Arc~en~Ciel and is released as a single on February 4, 2004. It's an okay song -- alt-rock, lots of drums, "emo-grr" vocals which I don't like so much. You can tell I'm not a huge fan of L'Arc~en~Ciel. To be honest, I'm not that into Japanese male singers. The only exception is Monoral.L'Arc~en~Ciel (lit. "The Rainbow") is a Japanese rock band, composed of four members: Hyde, Tetsu, Ken, and Yukihiro. They first formed in February 1991 with Tetsu as band leader, Hyde as vocalist, along with guitarist Hiro and drummer Pero. The latter two later left for different reasons and the band went through several regroupings between the periods of 1996 - 97. In 1998, they had their first #1 single, Winter Fall, this time with Yukihiro signed on as the band's official drummer. Following up Winter Fall, L'Arc~en~Ciel released a string of hits from 1998-2000 before the band went on hiatus and its members, HYDE especially, did solo projects. At present, the band is out of hiatus and is back on active duty, their latest single being Nexus 4 / Shine released on August 27, 2008.

BUY:

L'Arc~en~Ciel - Ready Steady Go @ Amazona
L'Arc~en~Ciel CDs @ CD Universe
L'Arc~en~Ciel - Ready Steady Go @ Play-Asia
L'Arc~en~Ciel - Ready Steady Go @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
OFFICIAL (MySpace)
L'Arc~en~Ciel @ Wikipedia
Laruku (unofficial fansite)

Yui - Jam

2009-02-22T07:00:00.003+08:00

DDL PV [MF] (mp4, 45.19MB)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Jam is one of the tracks from Yui's My Short Stories B-side compilation album released in 2008. Before that, Jam is released as one of the B-side tracks to her 2007 single, Love & Truth.

It's a rather loud song with punk-rock elements. The last song I heard from Yui was her summer singles which are all about bubbly, cheerful fun. Jam, in comparison, is more grounded but the acoustic guitar riffs so typical of almost all her songs are still there so it's not necessarily jarring. As a matter of fact, I like that it reflects another side to Yui as an artist.Yui was born on March 26, 1987 in Fukuoka, Japan. She has an interesting life, having grown up in a virtually fatherless home. Ever since she was a child, she loved music and started writing songs from a very early age. Wanting to become a singer, she dropped out of high school and basically went out, logging her guitar around, doing street performances. The street performances helped her overcome her shyness but it would be an audition hosted by Sony Music Japan that would catapult her to a successful musical career.

BUY:

Yui - My Short Stories (CD+DVD) @ Amazon
Yui - My Short Stories (CD Only) @ Amazon
Yui - My Short Stories (CD+DVD) @ CD Universe
Yui - My Short Stories (CD Only) @ CD Universe
Yui - My Short Stories (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia
Yui - My Short Stories (CD Only) @ Play-Asia
Yui - My Short Stories (CD+DVD) @ Yes Asia
Yui - My Short Stories (CD Only) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Yui @ Wikipedia
World of Yui (unofficial fansite)

Thyme - Aisuru Hito

2009-02-21T19:00:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (avi, 21.88MB)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Aisuru Hito (lit. "Keep on My Way") is the fourth single from the Japanese band, Thyme. Released on December 3, 2008, the track is used as a theme song to the live-action film adaptation of the anime series, Mahou Tsukai ni Tasetsu na Koto. It's a good song, typical of Thyme actually but a little different. Incidentally, the band's third single, Fly Away was also used as the opening theme to the anime version of Mahou Tsukai....Thyme is a J-pop / J-rock band composed of three members: Thyme (vocals), Shimizu Teppei (composer) and Hoshino Takafumi (lyrics). The original band was composed only of Thyme and Shimizu. They first formed in July 2004 and in October of the following year, they released the first of two independently produced singles. Eventually, the group, now composed of three members with the late addition of lyricist Hoshino, signed on to Geneon Entertainment who produces all their current singles to date.

BUY:

Thyme - Aisuru Hito @ Play-Asia
Thyme - Aisuru Hito @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Thyme @ Wikipedia

Noto Mamiko - Ichinuke

2009-02-21T07:00:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (avi, 27.25MB)
WATCH PV [YouTube]

Ichinuke (lit. "Once through") is the ending theme for the horror anime series, Jigoku Shoujo: Mitsuganae. It is performed by prolific seiyuu, Noto Mamiko who also voices Ai, one of the main characters from the said series. Incidentally, this is not the first time that Noto Mamiko has performed a theme song from the Jigoku Shoujo (lit. "Hell Girl") series as she also provided the vocals for the ending themes of the original Jigoku Shouju and Jigoku Shouju: Futakomori.

The song itself is not special in any way although Noto Mamiko's distinctly soft, otherworldly voice lends the entire track with elements of phantasm. Let's just say that you don't want to listen to this song alone in a dark room in the middle of the night. What's more, the video is actually quite disturbing in a kind of "creepsonyou" way.Noto Mamiko was born on February 6, 1980 in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan. As seiyuu, she works under the management of Office Osawa. Although Ichinuke is from Jigoku Shoujo: Mitsuganae, I am actually more familiar with Noto Mamiko as the voice actress for Shimako in Maria-sama ga Miteru. I'm not familiar with her at all as a singer.

BUY:

Noto Mamiko @ Amazon
Noto Mamiko @ Play-Asia

MORE INFO:

Noto Mamiko @ Wikipedia
Noto Mamiko @ Anime News Network
Noto Mamiko @ Seiyuu.info

Horie Yui - Silky Heart

2009-02-14T14:40:00.002+08:00

Happy ♥ Day to everyone ~
DDL PV [4shared] (avi, 27.62MB)
WATCH PV [YouTube]
Silky Heart is the second opening theme to the anime series, ToraDora! The first opening theme was Pre-Parade, also by Horie Yui, who voices one of the characters in the series, Kushieda Minori.

The video features school girls, one of them being Horie Yui herself, dancing within school premises. It's pretty cute, mainly because the plaid skirts and knee socks do have a certain appeal. But about the singer herself, uh, her facial expression in the video kind of creeps me out. She looks like an android. Horie Yui's real name is Horie Yoshiko. In addition to being a singer, she has a successful career as a seiyuu. As a matter of fact, I know her mainly from her voice roles, which include Naru Narusegawa from the Love Hina series, Tohru from Fruits Basket, and of course Kushieda Minori in the still-airing anime, ToraDora!

BUY:

Horie Yui CDs @ Amazon
Horie Yui CDs @ CD Universe
Horie Yui - Silky Heart @ Play-Asia
Horie Yui - Silky Heart (Normal Edition) @ Yes Asia
Horie Yui - Silky Heart (CD+DVD) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (Starchild) (JPN)
OFFICIAL (Aice5) (JPN)
Horie Yui @ Seiyuu Info
Horie Yui @ Anime News Network
Horie Yui @ Wikipedia

ANNA TSUCHIYA inspi' NANA (Blackstones) - Kuroi Namida

2009-02-07T19:00:00.002+08:00

DDL PV [4shared] (wmv, 31.81MB)
WATCH PV | LIVE (acoustic) [YouTube]
Kuroi Namida (lit. "Black Tears") is the third ED theme for the anime series, NANA. It's performed by half-Japanese, half-American-Russian actress/singer, Anna Tsuchiya, who is singing in this instance as ANNA TSUCHIYA inspi' NANA (Blackstones). This is a rock ballad, heavy on the guitars and rich in emo with lyrics that go like: "I cry black tears / I have nothing, I'm so sad / Unable even to put it into words / My whole body begins to ache / I can't take being alone."

...

Ok, jejeune translation. It sounds so much better in Japanese though. And what I really like about this song is not so much the lyrics (I don't understand the language) but the brilliant guitar intro. I just love how it's all quiet and then suddenly this electric guitar plucking comes in -- beautiful. The music video, as you can see from the screencaps, capitalizes on sepia tones. Apparently, this video takes its inspiration from Cyndi Lauper, but since I was never into that artist back in her haydays, I never would have figured it out. What this video does remind me of is Madonna's "Frozen" in its use of the desert setting, the artist in a black dress, and the use of dark tones. It actually fits the atmosphere of the song.

Anyway, this is a good song. The single was released on January 10, 2007.

BUY:

ANNA TSUCHIYA inspi' NANA - Kuroi Namida @ Amazon
ANNA TSUCHIYA inspi' NANA - Kuroi Namida (CD+DVD) @ Amazon
ANNA TSUCHIYA inspi' NANA - Kuroi Namida @ CD Universe
ANNA TSUCHIYA inspi' NANA - Kuroi Namida (CD+DVD) @ CD Universe
ANNA TSUCHIYA inspi' NANA - Kuroi Namida @ Play-Asia
ANNA TSUCHIYA inspi' NANA - Kuroi Namida (CD+DVD) @ Play-Asia
ANNA TSUCHIYA inspi' NANA - Kuroi Namida @ Yes Asia
ANNA TSUCHIYA inspi' NANA - Kuroi Namida (CD+DVD) @ Yes Asia

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (JPN)
Oricon Profile (JPN)
Anna Tsuchiya @ Wikipedia
NANA @ Wikipedia