3 groups shine in the J-Pop Anime Singing Contest

source:http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100727-283396/3-groups-shine-in-the-J-Pop-Anime-Singing-Contest

INQUIRER.netFirst Posted 11:03:00 07/27/2010

MANILA, Philippines—The search for this year’s nation-wide J-Pop and anime singing idols came to an exciting and upbeat conclusion with the Grand Final of the 2nd J-Pop Anime Singing Contest held at the Cyberzone Activity Center of SM North Edsa on Saturday, July 24.

The group Himitsu from Manila emerged as the best group from among the 10 finalists in the Grand Final followed closely by the group Anibeat Rocks! Landing third place in the contest is the group XOR from Cebu. Himitsu likewise went home with the Hero’s Choice Award and the TOEI’s Favorite Award. Joining the roster of winners are the groups ProjectM Band, AJA, Morning Star, and 4th Edition Family Band which secured the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh place respectively.

The ten finalist groups, eight coming from Manila, one representing the Visayas region and one representing Mindanao, pulled the audience in and had them cheering with their enthusiastic and youthful performances. The ten finalists were judged according to the following criteria: Voice quality – 30 percent, Diction and pronunciation – 30 percent, Interpretation – 20 percent, Stage Presence – 10 percent and Audience Impact – 10 percent for a total of 100 percent.

The top three winning groups received Japanese language scholarships from the Nihongo Center Foundation and singing lesson scholarships from the Center for Pop Music as well as the certificates from the Embassy of Japan. The top seven groups received attractive gadgets and gizmos from Canon, Panasonic, Sony, and Toshiba as well as lunch/dinner vouchers from Heritage Hotel. Hero TV handed a gift bag to the group which best performed a song from an anime title recently and currently aired on their channel while TOEI presented rare toys to the group of its choice. All the finalists received gift products from Ajinomoto and Yakult.

The “Name the Cat” winners were also announced and awarded during the Grand Finals. Mr. Von Carlo Lasam whose entry “Torara” was chosen as the best name for the orange cat mascot of the J-Pop Anime Singing Contest. Ms. Laarnie Marilao’s entry “Popcat” and Mr. Francis Ian Quito’s entry “Torenji” won second and third place, respectively. The winners each received Doraemon items from Animation International Licensing.

Aside from the performance of the ten competing groups, the audience was also treated to an anime-making demonstration by TOEI, anime-showing at the Hero TV booth and got the chance to have their pictures taken with Doraemon and cosplayers.

This event, geared toward the youth and the young at heart who appreciate Japanese popular culture and music, was co-organized by the Embassy of Japan and the Japan Foundation Manila with the cooperation of SM Supermalls, SM North EDSA, SM Cyberzone, Toei Animation Philippines, Nihongo Center Foundation, Center for Pop Music, Yoshinoya, Animation International Licensing, Ajinomoto, Canon, Heritage Hotel, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, and Yakult, with Hero TV and Max FM 103.5 as media partners of this year’s Philippines-Japan Friendship Month Celebration.

Isle of Man schoolgirl becomes an anime star in Japan

source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/07/rebecca-flint-anime-beckii-cruel/print

Rebecca Flint, 14 – aka Beckii Cruel – is an internet hit among anime fans and her debut album is tipped to top Japanese charts

• Paul Gallagher
• The Observer, Sunday 7 February 2010
• larger | smaller

Rebecca Flint, 14, performing as Beckii Cruel

Like most 14-year-old girls, Rebecca Flint likes to dress up and dance. But unlike most girls, she records and posts her performances on YouTube.

The results have made her an internet phenomenon in Japan, home of the anime cartoon characters she imitates. More than eight million people have watched Rebecca performing as Beckii Cruel, dancing to bouncy J-pop (Japanese pop music) and anime theme songs in the attic of her home on the Isle of Man.

Her success has led publishing giant Tokuma Japan to sign up Beckii, teaming her with 18-year-old French college student "Sara Cruel", from Lyon, and a 16-year-old student from Portsmouth known as "Gemma Cruel". The trio – Beckii Cruel and the Cruel Angels – release their debut album in Japan on Wednesday, when it is expected to reach the top of the charts.

Beckii's looks have created a sensation in Japan, where she has become a "moeidol", a female worshipped for her small face, large eyes and slender limbs, similar to those found in anime characters – the Japanese animation-style heavily influenced by manga comic books.

Anime has a huge following in Japan across all sections of society. Taro Aso, a former prime minister, is a self-confessed anime obsessive, reading up to 20 comic books a week.

"The perceived virtual existence and borderless nature surrounding Beckii are a catalyst for stirring fantasies," said Toshiyuki Inoue, an IT journalist, summing up the popularity of moe artists.

Kaori Sakurai, a freelance writer, said that the otaku – anime geeks who worship teenagers like Beckii – will often avoid pretty girls in real life, fearing that they would simply dismiss them. But they have been won over by Beckii, who appears as just another fan like them.

Beckii's popularity in Japan rocketed after her YouTube videos were picked up by popular Japanese website Niko Niko Douga. Her Japanese DVD debut, This is Beckii Cruel: Too Cute to be Real, was released last November and debuted at number eight in Japan's DVD charts. Beckii, who already features in Japanese TV commercials for chewing gum, performed live for the first time at Akihabara, home ofotaku culture in Tokyo, last October.

The daughter of a policeman and a former dance instructor, Beckii first became interested in Japanese cartoons and comics three years ago when she picked up a translated copy of Fruits Basket, a Japanese girls' manga created by Natsuki Takaya. Since then, she has been voraciously reading manga and watching anime, while also studying Japanese.

Beckii's idea to film herself in "cosplay" – derived from costume play – followed and an internet star was born. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese teenagers indulge in "cosplay", with conventions regularly held around the country. Tokyo Dome, home of the Yomiuri Giants baseball team, is a regular weekend hangout for teenagers dressed as their favourite anime or manga characters.

At a recent press conference in Japan alongside her father, Derek, Beckii said she was aware that her age and the nature of her videos would attract some unwanted attention. "I'm well aware of the dangers of the internet; my school back home on the Isle of Man is good at educating us on that," she said.

Beckii has had her own webpage since she was four – her older brother, Ryan had his at six. Ten years on from setting it up with her father, who says he has educated his daughter on the dangers of the internet, she now has the second most subscribed website among Japanese musicians. The expectation surrounding the release of her album this week suggests her incredible rise to fame shows no signs of slowing down.

Anime usually refers to a style of animation originating in Japan, influenced by the manga (Japanese comics) style and typically featuring characters with large eyes, big hair, exaggerated facial expressions and elongated limbs.

Cosplay (right) is a term originating in Japan based on the words "costume play", and involves dressing up as anime or manga characters.

• guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2010

Yui Makino is Guest of Honor at NY Anime Festival

source:http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=21831

Yui Makino is Guest of Honor at NY Anime Festival

• by CBR News Team, Editor

Tue, June 30th, 2009 at 2:51PM (PDT)

Text Size

• Decrease
• Increase

Official Press Release

The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) today announced its second 2009 Guest of Honor -- voice actress and singer Yui Makino. The 2009 New York Anime Festival, an anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture convention from the creators of New York Comic Con, will take place September 25-27, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Manhattan, and Ms. Makino joins Yoshiyuki Tomino -- the Director of Mobile Suit Gundam -- as a Guest of Honor. Ms. Makino will appear at the event in panels, autograph sessions, and a special concert.

Yui Makino is best known for the role of Princess Sakura in the Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle anime and manga franchise. Tsubasa, created by the lengendary manga studio CLAMP, is the story of Princess Sakura and archaeologist Syaoran and their search for magical feathers containing Sakura's lost memories. The Tsubasa anime began broadcasting in 2005 and has since been followed by a feature film and two miniseries. The anime is available in the USA through FUNimation, and the manga is published by Del Rey Manga.

But while fans may know Ms. Makino mainly through the role of Sakura, Tsubasa is just the start of Ms. Makino's voice acting career, and her voice can be heard in the roles of Aiko Tokosumi in Bokurano, Honoka Kawai in Sora Kake Girl, and Misaki Nakahara in Welcome To The NHK, among others.

Further, an accomplished singer, Ms. Makino has contributed opening and ending themes to series including ARIA (Undine, Euforia, and Spirale), Sousei No Aquarion (Omna Magni), Welcome To The NHK (Modokashi Sekai no Ue de), as well as Tsubasa (Amrita and Synchornicity).

"We're honored to welcome Ms. Makino to the New York Anime Festival," Show Manager Lance Fensterman said. "Ms. Makino gave voice to one of the most beloved characters in anime today, and we're eager to share this voice with her fans across NYC and the USA."

Anime News Network -- the largest anime news website in the world -- has published a new interview with Ms. Makino simultaneously with this announcement. When asked by Anime News Network if she had a message for her American fans, Ms. Makino said, "I'm so excited to meet all of you that it's hard to contain my excitement. I will work hard to prepare for the show so I can give you all the best possible performance I can offer. Let's enjoy our time together!"

The full interview is now online at AnimeNewsNetwork.com.

Yui Makino's concert will take place on Saturday, September 26 at the Jacob Javits Center. Details about her panels and autograph sessions are forthcoming. The New York Anime Festival will announce additional guests, VIP packages, contests, and programming throughout the summer. For more information about the New York Anime Festival, please visit NYAF's official website (www.newyorkanimefestival.com) and blog (www.mediumatlarge.net). For more information on Yui Makino, please visit her personal blog (www.bgbcom.com/makino-yui/) and view her personal thoughts on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz4ao56AlWw).

ABOUT YUI MAKINO:
Yui Makino was born January 19, 1986 and took up the piano at the age of four. Her piano skill was discovered by movie director Shunji Iwai when she was only seven-years-old, and, later, between ages 8 to 17, she played piano solos in three of Iwai's films. Ms. Makino made her debut as a singer in 2005 with "Omna Magni," produced by Yoko Kanno, the ending theme song to the anime series Sousei No Aquarion. In April of the same year, Ms. Makino also made her debut as a voice actress, starring as Sakura in the Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle series on NHK Educational TV.

In 2005, Ms. Makino released "Amrita," the theme song to the Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle movie, as well as "Undine," the opening theme of the TV Tokyo anime ARIA the ANIMATION, coupled with its insert song, "Symphony." This release reached #25 on the Oricon chart. In 2006, Ms. Makino released two songs from the TV Tokyo anime ARIA the NATURAL, the theme song "Euphoria" and insert song "Amefuribana." They reached #18 on the Oricon chart. In 2008, Yui released "Spirale," the opening theme to the TV Tokyo anime ARIA the ORIGINATION. Coupled with the anime's insert song, "Yokogao," the single reached #20 on the Oricon chart. This same year, Ms. Makino performed her first solo concert at the Fuchuno Mori Geijutsu Gekijo Wien Hall in Tokyo.

Ms. Makino released her second album -- the self-titled Makino Yui -- in March 2008. The album reached #22 on the Oricon chart, and she graduated from the Tokyo College Of Music this same month.

Yui Makino's blog (www.bgbcom.com/makino-yui/) was launched in February 2009. The blog attracts 40,000-70,000 readers daily. It is the second-most-read voice actor blog in Japan and the third-most-read pop-rock blog in the country.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL:
The New York Anime Festival takes place September 25-27, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan and is organized by Reed Exhibitions, the creators of New York Comic Con. The New York Anime Festival showcases the best of anime pop culture, including the latest anime, manga, Japanese cinema, music, and games, and anime-influenced comics, animation, and films from around the world. The festival features exclusive and extensive screenings, a gala cosplay masquerade, sessions with the some of the biggest names in anime from Japan, Asia, and America, and explores the Japanese cultural experience with displays of both traditional and cutting-edge Japanese life. Further information can be found at newyorkanimefestival.com.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS:
The New York Anime Festival is operated by Reed Exhibitions, the world's leading events organizer. In 2007, Reed brought together over six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today, Reed events are held in 38 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia and organized by 39 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2006, Reed Elsevier made adjusted profit before taxation of £1,052 million on turnover of £5,398 million.

Rurutia: Introduction

Here's an introduction about Rurutia- one of my favourite Japanese singers.

From Wikipedia( what an anti-climax)

Rurutia (ルルティア) is a Japanese singer/songwriter. She began her career in 2001 with the release of 'Itoshigo yo' when she was signed to Toshiba-EMI. She is currently signed to Phoerix Records as of mid-2005 and has released a total of 5 regular albums and 10 singles thus far. Rurutia is an intensely private artist; most aspects of her life - such as her age and her real name - are not known to the public. This fact, added to her whispered vocals, creates a unique and mysterious atmosphere around her.

Her pseudonym, Rurutia, is derived from the Tahitian word rorotea meaning 'blissful rain'.

Discography

Singles

• Itoshigo yo [愛し子よ] (6 October 2001)
• Lost Butterfly [ロスト バタフライ] (6 December 2001)
• Yuruginai Utsukushii Mono [ゆるぎない美しいもの] (26 June 2002)
• Suzaku no Sora [朱雀の空] (30 September 2002)
• Shine [シャイン] (22 January 2003)
• Träumerei [トロイメライ] (29 October 2003)
• Primary [プライマリー] (2 March 2005)
• Spinel [スピネル] (21 November 2005)
• Hohoemi no MARIA [微笑みのマリア] (26 January 2006)
• Reirei Tenohira [玲々テノヒラ] (31 May 2006)

Albums

• R° (6 March 2002)

- 01 エレメンツ (Elements)
- 02 知恵の実 (Chie no Mi/A Fruit of Knowledge)
- 03 愛し子よ (Itoshigo yo/My Beloved Child)
- 04 ロスト バタフライ (Lost Butterfly)
- 05 赤いろうそく (Akai Rōsoku/A Red Candle)
- 06 雨の果て (Ame no Hate/The End of the Rain)
- 07 僕の宇宙 君の海 (Boku no Uchū Kimi no Umi/My Universe, Your Ocean)
- 08 僕らの箱庭 (Bokura no Hakoniwa/Our Miniature Garden)
- 09 銀の炎 (Gin no Honoo/Silver Flame)
- 10 ハートダンス (Heart Dance)

• Water Forest (26 February 2003)

- 01 パヴァーヌ (Pavane)
- 02 朱雀の空 (Suzaku no Sora/Sky of Suzaku)
- 03 オール (Oar)
- 04 星のたましい (Hoshi no Tamashii/Star Souls)
- 05 サンクチュアリ (Sanctuary)
- 06 ゆるぎない美しいもの (Yuruginai Utsukushii Mono/Unwavering Beautiful Thing)
- 07 幻惑の風 (Genwaku no Kaze/A Bewitching Wind)
- 08 シャイン (Shine)
- 09 満ちる森 (Michiru Mori/The Forest Full of Sorrow)
- 10 思季 (Shiki/Thinking about the Seasons)

• Promised Land / プロミスト・ランド (9 June 2004)

- 01 ハレルヤ (Hallelujah)
- 02 neo
- 03 アラベスク (Arabesque)
- 04 シンシア (Cynthia)
- 05 トロイメライ (Träumerei/Fantasy)
- 06 ジゼル (Giselle)
- 07 流れ星 (Nagareboshi/Shooting Star)
- 08 メリー (Merry)
- 09 GOLA
- 10 月千一夜 (Tsuki Sen'ichiya/One Thousand and One Moonlit Nights)
- 11 maururu roa('thank you very much' in Tahitian)

• Meme / ミーム (13 April 2005)

- 01 Dancing Meme
- 02 tone
- 03 リラが散っても (Rira ga Chitte mo/Even if the Lilacs Drop)
- 04 プライマリー（album ver.）(Primary)
- 05 シグナル (Signal)
- 06 スカーレット (Scarlet)
- 07 セレナイト (Selenite)
- 08 ヒースの楽園 (Heath no Rakuen/Paradise in the Heath)
- 09 青い薔薇 (Aoi Bara/Blue Rose)
- 10 蝶ノ森 (Chō no Mori/Butterfly Forest)
- 11 コバルトの星 (Cobalt no Hoshi/Cobalt Stars)
- 12 Sleeping Meme

• 楳図かずお恐怖劇場 / Kazuo Umezu Kyōfu Gekijc (21 June 2005)

- 01 蝶ノ森（オープニングテーマ-cinema track-) (Chō no Mori)
- 02 ハレルヤ (Hallelujah)
- 03 トロイメライ (Träumerei)
- 04 蝶ノ森 (Chō no Mori)
- 05 知恵の実 (Chie no Mi)
- 06 パヴァーヌ (Pavane)
- 07 エレメンツ (Elements)
- 08 満ちる森 (Michiru Mori)
- 09 僕の宇宙　君の海 (Boku no Uchū Kimi no Umi)
- 10 僕らの箱庭 (Bokura no Hakoniwa)
- 11 neo
- 12 コバルトの星 (Cobalt no Hoshi)
- 13 エレメンツ (Elements)
- 14 サンクチュアリ (Sanctuary)
- 15 コバルトの星（エンディングテーマ－cinema track-) (Cobalt no Hoshi)

• Chorion (8 November 2006)

- 01 ABINTRA
- 02 玲々テノヒラ (Reirei Tenohira/Midas Touch)
- 03 星に花、灰色の雨 (Album ver) (Hoshi ni Hana, Hai-iro no Ame/Flowers on the Star, and the Grey Rain)
- 04 水景色　星模様 (Mizugeshiki Hoshimoyō/Water Scenery, Star Patterns)
- 05 願いの届く日 (Negai no Todoku Hi/The Day Our Wishes Come True)
- 06 スピネル (Spinel)
- 07 Time Traveler
- 08 パレード (Parade)
- 09 微笑みのマリア (Hohoemi no MARIA/Smiling Virgin Mary)
- 10 マグノリアの情景 (Magnolia no Joukei/The Landscape Of Magnolias)
- 11 ABINTRA (Inst)
- 12 水景色　星模様(Inst) (Mizugeshiki Hoshimoyō)
- 13 願いの届く日 (Inst) (Negai No Todoku Hi)
- 14 スピネル (Inst) (Spinel)
- 15 微笑みのマリア (Inst) (Hohoemi No Maria)

• Opus (27 June 2007)

- 01 Opus
- 02 流光 (Ryuukou/Flowing Light)
- 03 水景色　星模様 (Ballade Ver) (Mizugeshiki Hoshimoyō)
- 04 愛し子よ(Ballade Ver) (Itoshigo Yo)
- 05 アラベスク(Ballade Ver) (Arabesque)
- 06 星と羽  (Hoshi to Hane/Stars and Feathers)
- 07 Opus (Music Box) *Bonus Track
- 08 流光 (Music Box) *Bonus Track

• 氷鎖 (Hyousa/Frozen Chain) (30 April 2008)

- 01 氷鎖 (Hyousa/Frozen Chain)
- 02 無憂歌 (Muyuu Ka/A Song of Fearlessness)
- 03 Opus (Ballad Ver)
- 04 銀の炎 (Balad Ver) (Gin no Honoo)
- 05 星のたましい (Ballad Ver) (Hoshi no Tamashii)
- 06 玲々テノヒラ (Ballad Ver) (Reirei Tenohira)
- 07 氷鎖 (Music Box Ver) *Bonus Track
- 08 無憂歌 (Music Box Ver) *Bonus Track

• Seirios (27 February 2009)

- 01 Seirios
- 02 サイレントプレイヤー (Silent Prayers)
- 03 Opus
- 04 オーロラ飛行 (Aurora Hikou/Aurora Flight)
- 05 流光 (Ryuukou)
- 06 無憂歌 (Muyuu ka)
- 07 LAST DAY
- 08 氷鎖 (Hyousa)
- 09 夢蛍 (Yume Hotaru/Dream Firefly)
- 10 VOID
- 11 星と羽 (Hoshi to Hane)