Japanese musicians' links

Today, I would like to present links that I often use in my daily lives.

First of all, my most favorite artist, The Gospellers, I'll show you.

Do you know them? I hope you all know them. I got interested in them when I heard the song "Towani." on the radio. It's their representative song. Their love song selection album called, "Love Notes" got a million seller and that was the start they became famous. If you want to listen to their songs, you can have an audition on the site that I have just show you or go to Sony Music Online Japan and get the songs.

Next, I'll introduce you the artist that I love to listen to, Porno Graffitti.

I became fond of them when I listened to the song, "Agehachou." I think it's a quite famous song and standard song for karaoke to me. There is a perfect song for summer and is called, "Music Hour." It's very rhythmical and makes you feel like, "Summer sets in!!" You can get their information on Amuse Official Web Site too.

At last, Jannne Da Arc.

I recently got interested in them. I only knew their song, "Gekkouka," which was sang on the TV program called, "Black Jack." However, I was affected by my brother and do know their songs well now. I use to sing their songs on karaoke, but sometimes the lyrics are a bit violent. If you want know more about them, you can visit Avex Network.

Please visit these sites if you have a time.

Club activities

This photo below was taken when I was a high school student. I was belonged to a badminton club and unexpectedly, I was a vice-captain.

As you see, I'm in the front row right-center of the photo. I look a bit different from now like a boy, but sure it's me...

Our badminton club was mixture of men and women. There were about fifty members in all. In this photo, just members of the third grade are there. I think this photo was taken for commemoration on the last day we played badminton together.

I love playing badminton, but I'm not good at. I wanted to join the badminton circle in this university.However, it's difficult for me because I live far away and have no enough time to. I'm disappointed.

Any way, I really love badminton!! It's a fun sports. I want to play it again some day.

I caught a cold...lll(T0T)ノ●

First of all...
I never got sick as long as my lives. I thought of myself I was very healthy, active, and I didn't feel like I was going to catch a cold!!
...but I did(ノД・) I was a bit shocked to myself. I really had confidence on my health, but it collapsed.

I had to be absent from school for two days. I was worried about the class and afraid of being late from everyone.
I went to the hospital to see a doctor. the doctor told me that I was tired. The sick came from the weariness and I had to take a rest. I got a lot of to medicines to take.

I felt that I never never get a cold again. I won't!!
...a consultation fee was expensive too.

Commercial for Tsubaki

In today's entry, I would like to talk about the following television commercial, which you can sometimes see on Japanese TV.

Take a moment and watch it:



Target Audience

First of all, this commercial is mostly directed at people who use shampoo, but I think most of all do, and especially it comes to women. However, sometimes it can be men too.
Women who want to have beautiful hair like the actresses on the commercial and become attractive might be the targets, such often wish to be.

The commercial is also directed toward people who are probably around twenties, or female office workers.
Finally, the audience would be people who want to be different from others.

The target audience might primarily be Japanese, but could also be any one who watched the commercial and be affected by.

Authority

What we notice immediately is that the commercial uses a lot of Japanese famous actresses, such as Yukie Nakama, Reina Tanaka, Takako Uehara, Ryoko Hirosue, Arisa Mitsuki, and Yuko Takeuchi.

Additionally, the background music is sang by SMAP, Dear Woman. It also attracts people's attention so much.
However, the most famous is the company, Shiseido, a big business itself and we see that Shiseido logo on the product.

In this sense, one of the ways the commercial tries to appeal to the audience by asserting the power of the brand name itself.

Emotion

The commercial uses some sense of admiration. A lot of actresses appear on the commercial and they make people enviable, want be like them.
All the actresses on the commercial are in full dressed and swinging their hairs. They make people feel refreshing, natural, even noble.

The narrator says, "Japanese women are beautiful."
That is a slogan for this commercial and makes people feel like to be. Also it implies that people can be beauty by using the product.

Using famous actresses for emotional appeal to attract.

Logic/information

The audience for this commercial can learn that Tsubaki has camellia oil, which is high degree of purity and its gloss overflows.

Besides it, the shape, color, and quantity of the product are given.

Evaluation

I think this commercial is interesting. I have never seen such a commercial using so many actresses. It is really attractive that even I felt like to try it and I did once. I think it is good for hair and made to be matched with Japanese hair nature.

On a scale of 1-10, I would rate this commercial a good solid 7.

I gave it a 7 because its audience be wide spread. This product, Tsubaki, has several versions of commercials and they are all great ones.
I think the emotional appeal does the greatest job on this commercial.

I recommend you to have one and once you tried it, please give me your impressions of it.

20 Questions with Me

(This is an interview conducted on May 1, 2007. The interviewer was Yurie Kagawa)

1 Which singer do you like?

I like The Gospellers, Backstreet Boys, and Utada Hikaru.

2 Where are you from?

I'm from Shiga, the northeast of Osaka. But, actually, I was born in Saitama and then moved to Tokyo, and finally came to.

3 What would you think if your boyfriend or girlfriend was alien from space?

I don't really know how aliens are look like. Maybe I would care if the appearance was so different from human.

4 What kind of pet do you have?

I don't have any pet at home now, but I used to. I had a hamster, tropical fish, and so on.

5 What is your dream?

My dream is to be an interpreter in the future. I love English, so I would like to go abroad and see the world.

6 Where do you want to live in the future?

I want to live in overseas like America, England, and Australia.

7 Which do you like, noodles(UDON) or Chinese noodles(RAMEN)?

I prefer noodles to Chinese noodles. I like them because they are delicious and chewy.

8 Which do you like, mountains or rivers?

I definitely choose mountains!! The reason is simply I don't want to wear swimming suit.

9 Which country do you want to go?

I really want to go to England.

10 Which seasons do you like?

I, in fact, don't have a favorite season. But I think fall is better. Good season to eat and read books.

11 Which do you like, cold or hot?

I don't like both. However, cold is better for no reason.

12 What is your blood type?

I'm blood type O.

13 When is your birthday?

My birthday is December 31, 1987.

14 Which will you choose, work or friends?

Of course, I will choose friends. But, I'm not sure for real. It probably depends on the situation, I think.

15 Which actresses do you like the best?

I like Takeuchi Yuko the best. I became fond of her when I watched the movie which she was the leading actress.

16 Do you like this country?

I really like Japan. It's liable to live in.

17 Which sports do you like the best?

I like badminton the best. I was in badminton club when I was in high school.

18 Which shampoo do you use?

I use the shampoo which is additive-free.

19 What name do you want if you could change your name?

I want the name which I can write in a character like Nozomi, Sora, or Hikaru.

20 Who are you proud of the most?

I'm proud of my parents.