How is Puffy AmiYumi regarded in America?
 

I hear Puffy (AmiYumi) is very popular in America now. I wonder how they are regarded there, as a catchy rock band or an idol characters for children?

well, i would say they're definitely regared more as just kid's characters. they have their own cartoon show on the cartoon netwook, and although i've never seen it, i understand its targeted towards children. its all a very cutesey fun image. i don't think they're that popular here really though, i mean, is see them on tv sometimes with their cartoon show, but thats about it. and also i see some of their cd's for sale in shops, but usually only 2 or 3 copies. i'm sure someone else can tell you more information though. :)

They had a small US tour a while ago, and I know people who went to see them. There was actually a Hollywood release party for PuffyAmiYumi (I'm not quite sure if it was for the show or for the tour or just to celebrate the actual singers). As far as I know, it was more of an insider thing but Ami & Yumi were not in attendance.

oh yeah, i forgot about that, i know some people that went as well. i don't think the tour was largely promoted though as i hadn't heard anything about it till my friends said they were going. and they were all jpop fans already so i guess they found out that way somehow.

I think they have gained more fame because of their cartoon connections than as a band. I've heard that the Puffy AmiYumi cartoon is one the highest rated shows on the network that airs it.

I've seen them live three times. In 2002 and 2004 the audience was mostly Japanese. In 2005 more than half of the audience was young American children with their parents.

Thank you for the informations. They seem to be popular as a cartoon characters rather than as a rock group. But anyway, I think it's a good thing. Puffy was popular in Japan before the time Ayumi made a debut, and is not so popular here. It's really lucky that they could gain such popularity in America now.

Oh, I wanted to ask this, thanks to masa for asking it first.. I like the cartoon! Its really cute and its funny sometimes.. ^^

It's kind of sad though ... I mean being regarded more as kids' cartoon than true J-pop artistes? Still, I love their characters on cartoon network! They're so cute! Haha, and they've made quite an attempt to sing in English! But again, I fear that they'll just be mistaken for some exotic, oriental, asian identity (stereotyping) ...

wait they are not just cartoons on cartoon network. They are having a big promotion for them soon probaly a live concert on the station and they do show their japanese music videos from time to time they are huge here!!! i work at a Sears and people are forever coming in there looking for their stuff dvds etc..

reallly??? maybe i'm underestimating their popularity then...?

Derrick, I thought you were recording an album...

I jsut realized a week or so ago that Puffy AmiYumi had a TV show. My little brother watches it I guess and I was like ... *scratches head* "oh... wow?"

meh, not a big fan of the cartoon :P like their music better

I think they are regarded more as cartoon characters...especially since some americans are like "WHAT?? JAPAN HAS MUSIC???AND ITS JUST AS GOOD AS OUR MUSIC???" ;)

anyway, this is funny cuz my friend and i were talking the other day and he said that he was watching their show, and he goes "Japanese music is stupid..." and i was like yeah...okay....anyway, when they first made their debut here, a critic in our newspaper reviewed them and it wasn't a very good review...he compared them to screeching cats, and said they were very annoying, and that he didn't like their "pop" style...although i thought they played rock music...

i don't think anyone really regards them as singers, as said ^^ by someone, i haven't seen their cartoon too many times though, i know it comes on cartoon network, so you know adults aren't going to take them seriously...

Well, they did do 2 NA tours before the cartoon, so there are people who know and like them for the music. But now more people know of them as cartoon characters.

It's nice to see how they slip in some Japanese words .. (hey, we've all seen Dora and them .. teaching Spanish to little kids) .. however .. I don't think Puffy Amiyumi are really taken that seriously by the US audience.

Do they actually do the voices? It doesn't sound like them. O.o;;

I would not say that yet I mean my lil cousins,nephews, and Niece are all coming up to me asking me. "Tiffany can you please teach us Japanese" Or "Tiffany Can you teach us how to write our name is Japanese?" and lastly "Tiffany can we listen to you Japanese music". Then when I go to school I have people my age asking me about Puffy in Japan and ther music. Some even ask me If I have Puffy cd's they can borrow. AND you know im looking all shocked and like why the sudden intrest?

Puffy has done alot to me. Alot of people in my school are into then and It's funny because I go to high school

puffy ami yumi
 

Yeah its been done for a while it is a EP "Arcade" by the way. But puffy ami yumi they are pretty popular i would not say sky rocketing but yes they have two types of fans. The kids of the cartoon network audience and some regular jpop fans that already knew about them but they are very popular!!!!

Puffy Ami Yumi is the first sucessful japanese artist if I'm right. So they are regarded as setting a mark on music, and cartoons. Erm...xD

Plus, with japanese influence, in the future, as kids learn, it won't be all about "If I can't understand it I won't like it" It'll be "I'll find out about it" because that's the majority of americans. So it's good. They're a positive influence.

Everyone in my school sees them as a big joke, I don't blame them XD

They're regarded way more as cartoon characters...I went to the concert in August in Somerville, MA and about 3/4 of the audience was little screaming kids. o.O They kept screaming, "WHERE'S KAZ? WHERE'S KAZ?"

Actually, I was quite annoyed after a while. >__> But I love Puffy! I wish they'd be respected more for their music, here.