Ask John: Recommendations on J-pop?

Question:
I would like to know if you are into J-pop. If yes who is/are your favorite artist/s?

Answer:
I know that contemporary Japanese popular music is often classified as either “J-pop” or “J-rock,” but for the sake of simplicity, I prefer the single class “J-pop” to signify contemporary Japanese popular music. I don’t normally use the “Ask John” column to provide obviously subjective answers, but in this case, because Japanese CDs are expensive, and may be a bit prohibitive for many anime fans to explore J-pop, I’ll provide a general guide to some of the J-pop that AnimeNation carries. The artists listed below are some of my personal favorites, but this list isn’t at all comprehensive. Probably half of the J-pop CDs AnimeNation currently carries were originally added to our stock as special-order items for me. AnimeNation is always interested in expanding our J-pop selection, so if there are artists or CDs that you’re looking for that AnimeNation doesn’t carry, let us know and we’ll see what we can do to get them.

Megumi Hayashibara is Japan’s most popular and famous vocalist and voice-actress. Her massive resume includes female Ranma, Lina Inverse, Rei Ayanami, Nuku-Nuku, and Hello Kitty. Megumi’s early CDs: Half & Half, Perfume, Shamrock, Pulse, and Whatever are especially light, happy, “bubble-gum” pop. Her more recent CDs, including Bertemu and Fuwari are closer to the dance-music style most fans are familiar with. Some of Megumi’s trademark songs include the theme songs for Slayers (most all of it), Sorcerer Hunters and Tekkaman Blade II. I think that her best album is Bertemu, but those interested in a selection of her best songs may want to look into her greatest hits packages, Vintage A and Vintage S.

Masami Okui virtually rivals Megumi’s popularity in Japan and in America, although her name isn’t as well known in the US as Megumi’s. Masami Okui’s vocal style is a bit faster-paced and slightly more energetic than Megumi’s. Some of her credits include the opening and ending themes for all three Yamamoto Yohko series, Jungle de Ikou, Akihabara Cyber Team, the opening theme for Utena and the ending theme for Sorcerer Hunters. If you like any of her anime theme songs, you’re almost guaranteed to enjoy all of her work. I own all of her CDs, but give the edge to Ma-King. Unfortunately, her double disc greatest hits collection, Best-est, was a limited edition release and is now out of print in Japan.

Arai Akino is another sorely under appreciated vocalist that many anime fans are actually quite familiar with. Arai Akino’s credits include the gorgeous love theme from Windaria, the opening theme to the Lodoss Wars OAV series, “Voices” from Macross Plus, and both hauntingly beautiful ending themes from Outlaw Star. Her first CD, Natsukashii Mirai, contains the beautiful theme from Windaria but is otherwise quite conventional mid 1980s J-pop. Her Sora no Mori, Sora no Niwa second album and third album, Furu Platinum, are lyrical masterpieces, filled with ethereal vocals similar to those of Outlaw Star.

Every Little Thing is virtually the epitome of J-pop. Although they haven’t performed any anime theme songs, their electric harmony could be the perfect theme for virtually anime contemporary anime series. If you’re looking for fast tempo, tap-your-foot and hum-along J-pop, it doesn’t get much better than ELT.

Hysteric Blue is a relatively new group. They have only 2 full CDs, but both have been major hits in Japan. If you’ve heard the first Rurouni Kenshin TV series opening theme performed by Judy & Mary, you know what to expect from Hysteric Blue- wild, fun, hysteric pop.

Maaya Sakamoto is similar to Masami Okui and Arai Akino in the regard that a lot of people now her music, but not as many people know her name. Maaya Sakamoto’s large cannon of anime theme songs includes several songs from Clamp Campus Detectives, the beautiful opening themes to Escaflowne and the Lodoss War TV series and the theme from the Escaflowne movie. If you’re interested in experimenting, Hotchpotch is her best hits album.

TM Revolution and Wands are both a great representation of mainstream “J-rock.” Some readers may be familiar with TM Revolution from their immensely popular ending theme for Rurouni Kenshin “Heart of Sword.” Wands may be familiar to some readers for their ending theme to Dragonball GT.

Fans looking for guitar-driven rock & roll music with a bit more of a bite may find what they’re looking for in Japan’s most successful (and sadly now retired) rock band X-Japan. Even American veterans including Kiss have acknowledged the talent and success of X-Japan in combining classical musical training and classical musical arrangements and piano accompaniments to hard-rocking epic songs and memorable power ballads including “Forever Love,” the ending theme of the X anime movie and the epic 30 minute long single song “Art of Life,” which is performed entirely in English. Fans interested in sampling X-Japan’s powerful rock may find the best encapsulation of their sound in the X-Japan Singles Collection. Fans of X-Japan may find something new in Iceman, a trio that specializes in fast paced, hard-rocking electronic music. Think of them as an X-Japan that replaces guitars with keyboards and synthesizers.