Japanese "Uta-Hime"-(s)

As I mentioned in my previous post, Japanese media/entertainment culture is one of the greatest motivations behind why I'm currently taking Japanese. In the beginning it was just an episode of anime or drama or a show that led me to my current fandom towards Japanese media industry. But because of the unique 'tie-up' system of Japanese entertainment culture, I got to learn about jpop, jdrama, jmovie and what not through a chain reaction.

To understand this 'chain reaction', we first have to look in to the concept of 'tie-ups'. 'Tie-up' is a marketing strategy which ties up, or correlates elements of pop culture to the companies' product for an effective promotion. When artists release their singles, for example, it is common to designate the songs as the main theme song for a drama or for a commercial (cf).

Hopefully you all understood the idea of 'tie-ups'. :)

So thanks to this ridiculously effective method of merchandising, a song from one drama led to another, and soon, I found myself engrossed in the world of JPOP! (and practically..J everything..)

Now to the main discussion topic of this entry: Japanese うたひめs。

Direct translation of utahime means - music (song) princess. I guess in english, it more appropriate to translate it into 'diva'. Commonly people seem to dedicate this title to the three of the most successful and prominent modern female JPOP artists: あむろなみえ、はまさきあゆみ、and of course, うただひかる。

I could go on forever talking about each of these artists, but for today's entry, I'll briefly upload their profile (taken from our favorite, wikipedia of course) and music videos of their signature hits.

うただひかる

• Stage Names: Utada Hikaru (宇多田ヒカル), Utada
• Birth Name: Utada Hikaru (宇多田光)
• Nickname: Hikki
• Birthday: January 19, 1983
• Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
• Blood Type: A
• Height: 158cm (5'2")
• Instruments: Piano and Guitar
• Favorite Instrument: Piano
• Childhood Dreams: To become a manga artist or a scientist in a white coat.
• Favorite Animal: Cat
• Favorite color: Blue
• Favorite Word: Kuso (糞, くそ - 'Shit' in Japanese)
• Favorite Foods: Cheese, Tokoroten, Thai food, Vietnamese food, Nattou, Bleu Cheese, Spicy foods and vinegar (known to put vinegar on anything, in ten days she uses up a whole bottle, she even sometimes just dilutes it and drinks it straight)
• Favorite Video Games: Dr. Mario and Tetris. Can not handle RPG games
• Hated Things: Fluorescent Lights, Mushrooms, Tissue Box Covers, Toilet Seat Covers, Wearing Makeup, Hamburger Steak
• Favorite Movies: Being John Malkovich, Brazil, Tasogare Seibei (The Twilight Samurai), Lost Highway, π (The 1998 film), The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather Part II, The Jerk, Unbreakable, Orlando, Amadeus, Sleepy Hollow, Miyazaki Hayao animations
• Favorite Japanese Literature: Nakagami Kenji's 'Izoku', Akutagawa Ryuunosuke's 'Rashomon', Kawabata Yasunari's 'Kanjou Soushoku' and 'Yukiguni', Mori Ougai's 'Takasebune', Natsume Souseki's 'Kokoro' and 'Kusamakura', Miyazawa Kenji's 'Shishuu ga Suki', Mishima Yukio's 'Kinkakuji'
• Favorite Western Literature: Herman Hesse's 'Siddhartha', Roald Dahl's 'Tales of the Unexpected', Shel Silverstein's 'Where the Sidewalk Ends' and 'A Light in the Attic', Edgar Allan Poe texts, Elie Wiesel's 'Night', John Berendt's 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil', F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby', George Orwell's '1984'.
• Favorite Artists: Aaliyah, At the Drive-in, Bela Bartok, Björk, Blink182, Blue Man Group, Bon Jovi, Brandy, Cocteau Twins, Craig David, Dr. Dre, Edith Piaf, Elvis Presley, Enigma, Erykah Badu, Freddie Mercury, Garbage, GLAY, Guns N'Roses, Guru, Incubus, Janet Jackson, Jeff Buckley, Jimi Hendrix, Joe, Kate Bush, Lauryn Hill, Led Zeppelin, Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Maxwell, Metallica, Minnie Riperton, Miles Davis, Missy Elliot, Mozart, Nine Inch Nails, No Doubt, Ozaki Yutaka, Pearl Jam, Prince, Queen, Radiohead, Sada Masashi, Slash (Guns 'n' Roses), Sting, The Beatles, The Cure, The Eagles, The Police, TLC, Trent Reznor, U2, Velvet Revolver
• Favorite Album: Jeff Buckley's 'Grace'
• Fun Fact: Utada likes blood being drawn and gun fire

あんちゃんの 2 Cents!!
Probably one of the most, if not most well known Japanese artist to the American public, Utada Hikaru is a musical prodigy. Her album, "First Love" sold 7 million copies - setting the greatest album sales record. It even more amazing that she's wrote the songs in her teens.

"Can You Keep A Secret?" <2001>
Hit single "tied-up" with the hit drama HERO.

はまさきあゆみ

• Stage Name: Hamasaki Ayumi (浜崎あゆみ), Hamazaki Kurumi (浜崎クルミ) the name that she used for her model-actress career
• Birth Name: Hamasaki Ayumi (濱崎歩)
• Nicknames: Ayu (あゆ, also see CREA)
• Birth Date: October 2, 1978
• Birth Place: Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
• Blood Type: A
• Height: 157cm (61.8 in ; 5'1")
• Weight: 40kg (88.18 lbs)
• Measurements: 80cm-53cm-82cm (31.5 in-20.9 in-32.3 in)
• Favorite Artists: KEIKO (globe), Miyazawa Rie, Matsuda Seiko, Babyface, and En Vogue.
• Favorite City: New York
• Favorite Actors: Nicolas Cage, Miyazawa Rie
• Favorite Movies: The Bodyguard, Betty Blue, Leaving Las Vegas
• People I Respect: People who have things I don't have.
• People I Dislike: Liars, people who don't say hello.
• Current Interest: Collecting white things for my room
• Favorite Food: Biscuits (maybe my staple diet!), cakes, chocolates, kimchi (Korean marinated cabbage)
• Favorite Things to Read: Most of the fashion magazines. Modern-language translations of the Manyo tanka poems are especially interesting. Poems of Giniro Natsuo, Aida Mitsuo, etc.
• Lessons: Piano, Japanese calligraphy (5th rank), abacus calculation, Japanese flower arrangement, Kumon-shiki study system

あんちゃんの 2 Cents!!
One of the most prominent artists of Japan, her popularity extends to a social sensation. She is a fashion leader, CEO, lyricist, a truly multi-talented entertainer. Although she does not carry stellar singing skills, her stage presence is simply amazing.

M
One of her most popular singles

あむろなみえ

• Name: Amuro Namie (安室奈美恵)
• Birthday: September 20, 1977
• Birthplace: Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture
• Blood Type: O
• Family: Parents divorced, mother deceased, 2 sisters and 1 brother
• Height: 159cm / 5'2"
• Weight: 40kg / 88 lbs
• Measurements: B75 W58 H84
• Ethnicity: 75% Japanese, 25% Italian
• Tattoos: Two on her left arm, two on her right wrist

あんちゃんの 2 Cents!!
Since she debuted as part of the "Super Monkies" she showed great talent in singing and dancing. At a point in her career, her presence became so strong in the Japanese society that people began calling it the "Amuro Namie Syndrome". Her single, "Can you celebrate" sold 2 million copies, marking the peak of her popularity. With the change in her music style, her popularity did decline but she still remains as a Japanese pop icon to this day.

Can you celebrate? <1997>
Amuro's biggest hit single at the peak of her career.