Yamatologic

Rockleetist conquers the Nicodou

ダブルラリアット (Dabururariatto) is a NicoDou classic. YouTube user rockleetist made an English version and put it up on NicoDou recently. It rocketed up the charts and is the first time I’ve seen so many comments in English on NicoDou.

In any case, if any of my readers are worried about trying to break into NicoNicoDouga, this is a fantastic way to do it.

Technorati Tags: ダブルラリアット, Double Lariat, english, gaijin, gaikokujin, Megurine Luka, music, NicoDou, NicoNicoDouga, rockleetist, vocaloid, youtube

2009 Kohaku Red and White Music Festival Preview

The 60th annual 紅白 (Kohaku) is coming in just a few days! I have assembled all of the songs that have been confirmed on the official website so you can review any ones you may not know and enjoy them during the actual show. They are embedded in a playlist above.

As for how to watch the actual show, check your local Japanese television channel’s listing. In Japan, it will be on NHK, BShi, BS2, and ラジオ第１ (Radio #1). In LA, channel 18.2 is broadcasting it New Year’s Eve at 18:45 (6:45pm) local time. If you don’t have a local Japanese channel, keep an eye on d-addicts or watch Keyhole TV at 10:15 UTC on Dec. 31st.

If you don’t have time for all those, here is ヒャダイン (Hyadain) sang a little of all these songs in 6 minutes! Hyadain is awesome since he sings both male and female parts. Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: 紅白, 紅白歌合戦, enka, japanese music, jpop, kohaku, kohaku utagassen, music, new year, New Year's, NHK, utagassen, 歌合戦

Dreams Crushed, Dreams Realized

So, I heard a rumor that the K-ON! songs were so popular that they would probably be included in this year’s 紅白 (kouhaku), the end of the year Japanese music show that has been a tradition for millions. It broadcasts outside of Japan, so check your local listings (generally on the local Japanese channel).

I was all hyped up to see K-ON! songs covered or just done by the voice actresses. But it was not to be. The line up for 紅白 was announced and I don’t see anything that indicates any K-ON! happening.

Crushed!

Then I found out that SCANDAL, who you may recognize from Japan Nite 2008 fame, the high school girl rock band in 制服, did a cover of Don’t Say Lazy:

And the voice actresses are doing a live event on December 30th in Yokohama. See the public site for more details. Here is the TV spot:

Dreams come true! While I can’t go to the Yokohama event, I will be happy to know there will probably be videos.

Why do I love K-ON! so damn much?!?!

In other news, Perfume is going to be on 紅白 again this year. I’m guessing One Room Disco will be their song, since it is the only song I ever heard from them this whole year. Last year’s performance was kind of weak, so I’m not holding my breath on this one.

Technorati Tags: けいおん！, concert, high school, Japanese girls, japanese high school girls, K-ON!, keion, kohaku, live, music, perfume, Scandal, seifuku

NicoOrchestra Plays Nanairo NicoDou

【ニコニコ動画】【☆ニコオケ☆】2周年記念に『七色のニコニコ動画』を演奏してみた (YouTube)
For their 2nd anniversary, the NicoOrchestra played the 七色のニコニコ動画 (“The Seven Colors of NicoNicoDouga”). Not much else to say besides…

BRAVO!

Technorati Tags: ニコオケ, chamber, cosplay, music, NicoDouga, NicoOke, NicoOrchestra, orchestra, Rainbow Colored NicoNicoDouga, Rainbow NicoNicoDouga, Seven Colored NicoNicoDouga

This is Famima!!!

Family Mart is one of the ubiquitous コンビニ (conbini) in Japan, along with 7-11 (7&Y), Lawson, and am pm. When you walk in to a Family Mart, a little chime plays.

What if that chime was techno’d?!

(YouTube link)

Or even Akiba’d?!

(YouTube link)

いらっしゃいませ！！！

Technorati Tags: Akiba, コンビニ, ファミマ, conbini, convenience stores, 秋葉, 秋葉原, 萌え, Family Mart, Famima, moe, remix, techno

What if the girls from K-ON! were Maximum the Hormone fans?

けいおん！「私の恋はメガラバ」 (YouTube)

What if the 桜高軽音部 (Sakurakou Keionbu) were マキシマムザホルモン (Maximum the Hormone) fans? They would probably cover the 2006 hit song 恋はメガラバ (Koi ha Megarabu).

If you need some reference to the actual song to help make sense of this MMD MAD, check out the PV.

Technorati Tags: けいおん！, cover, K-ON!, keion, koi no megalove, MAD, Maximum the Hormone, MikuMikuDance, MMD, nicovideo

When he throws away the hobby

(YouTube link)
Recog has released an awesome song based on 之槇原敬 (Makihara Noriyuki)’s もう恋なんてしない (mou koi nante shinai) about an otaku meeting a girl who tells him, “I hate otaku!” It’s brilliant and sad.

I mean, if you had a girlfriend who hated otaku, which would you choose? Give up being an otaku? Go to the sea of trees? Or break up with the girl?

Lyrics after the jump.

Read more »

Technorati Tags: オタク, ヲタク, Makihara Noriyuki, music, nicovideo, otaku, parody, recog, singing, 之槇原敬

Hatarake!BOYS

Sorry for all the けいおん！ (K-ON!) posts recently, but too much good stuff keeps coming out of it! This parody song of the opening Kagayake!GIRLS is an anti-NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) song. It’s really harsh, saying “Work or die, please choose one or the other.” But if you just take it with a grain of salt, it is an awesome answer to the ニート万歳 (NEET banzai) feeling of a lot of NicoDou videos. Plus, the fact that it is sung by girls as if it was the girls from けいおん！, maybe this will inspire some NEETs to actually go out and get jobs…? One can only hope.

Technorati Tags: けいおん！, ニート, fan music, hatarake, hatarake!BOYS, K-ON!, kagayake, kagayake!GIRLS, keion, MAD, NEET, nicovideo

What kind of Japanese Music do you like?

【海外オタク】ロスのアニメエキスポで邦楽について聞いてみた (Also on YouTube)

I went to Anime Expo on last Friday and made a little video where I asked people (mostly people dressed as けいおん！ ! (K-ON!) or VOCALOID characters…) what their favorite 邦楽 (hougaku) is. The answers may surprise you.

Technorati Tags: anime expo, ax, ax2009, あずにゃん, けいおん！, ゲッダン, Evangelion, Get down, Hatsune Miku, K-ON!, promise, rei, 初音ミク

Goodbye Michael

The thing is, I really never gave Michael Jackson much thought. But when you live in Japan as a foreigner, you find out that even if you didn’t know any Japanese, you could bring a karaoke bar to its knees with a few choice Michael Jackson songs. For that, I am forever indebted. Thanks Michael.

NicoDou is coping by celebrating his life in the only ways they know, with kickass MAD action:

【ニコニコ動画】マイケルジャクソンがてってってーを歌ってみたよ

【ニコニコ動画】【MAD】らき☆すた もってけ！セーラーふく fullマイケルver

With look-a-likes:

【ニコニコ動画】マイコーりょう

With Video Game Mashups:

【ニコニコ動画】マイケルクエスト

【ニコニコ動画】マイケルファンタジー -Michael fantasy-

And practicing up on their dance moves:

【ニコニコ動画】どんなデブでもムーンウォークができるようになる映像

【ニコニコ動画】beat itで踊ってみた

【ニコニコ動画】踊り場でムーンウォークとかしてみた

Technorati Tags: ものまね, マイケル・ジャクソン, dancing, Idol Master, Idolm@ster, look-a-likes, Lucky Star, MAD, Michael Jackson, nicovideo, tetete