[Koda Kumi] The 205th Thread - angeL & monsteR

[minkAYuko]

Hahaha I was kidding with the ku comment, but you'll know that the little money they could make with overseas fans has never been an issue for avex, we've never been in their thoughts and prayers.

Yeah we have talked about this before, they either don't care or they gain next to nothing from overaseas fans. But are they really blind? They really can't see how much they could gain from the outside like South Korea has.

They probably don't want to oversell themselves? But what are they going to cut? enka singers and classical musicians? I really can't figure it out. I always thought that by the 2020 olympics they will reach out to the world so they wouldl gain more attention and fans but they didn't.

Anyway it's like they really want to become like the movie Vexille (2007):

" Japan withdraws from international politics. All foreigners are deported, and further immigration is prohibited. In addition, the R.A.C.E. network is constructed — 270 off-shore installations that cover Japan with an energy field, nullifying all communication with the outside world and making satellite surveillance impossible. Trade and diplomacy continues, but Japan vanishes from the world scene."

PS: I recommend this movie! and the singer mink sings the official theme (she's amazing too bad that again avex did her wrong! T_T)

[kaled kalil]

If you look at this year's NTV Best Artist, only two acts are from avex, DA PUMP and GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE so yeah, Avex doesn't have any current act that might bring new income except for the regular legacy acts, like Ayu, Kumi, AAA, etc.

[Darkifrit]

Originally Posted by tokyoxjapanxfan

However, it’s still sad to see. But like the article mentioned, Avex failed to evolve with the times...

For instance, Avex should’ve monetized their full music videos 10 years ago but only got around to it in the past few for their more famous acts.

This. I believe the fact they did not succeed to create new Buzz artists for more than 10 years is mostly due to their old school visions.

Avex is capable of both the best and the worst in matter of decision. Frankly their commercial plan for Kumi’s 12 singles and second best is one of the best marketing plans I have ever seen!

Kumi is pretty safe I believe. With limited investment, she can still tour and provide reasonable incomes.
Speaking of Tour, I’ve always been surprised by the fact they never pushed her to do a proper Asia Tour. She was popular enough to do it during her peak. Another example of so so decisions.

[Ayu_Love]

"He continued, speaking to something that a lot of observers of the Japanese music industry have noticed for years. “While it is true LDH’s EXILE and Johnny & Associates’ Snow Man are under Avex, sales for other acts are low. In the past, Avex had popular acts such as Komuro Family, Namie Amuro, Ayumi Hamasaki, and Koda Kumi that could keep the company afloat, but the company failed to nurture its next generation. Avex’s business model became out of date in the age of the internet.”"

This is so true. I think ever since Kpop started to become big from 2010, overseas fans never understood why some Japanese companies like Avex were determined to stay old school and not open their market enough to people outside Japan. I think they just assumed they could rely on the Japanese market alone (I think it is/was the second biggest music market in the world, behind America.)

Like people said, it's only been recently that full MVs for Kuu and Ayu are being put on Youtube, and when Namie retired they took hers down and replaced them with 1 minute clips, which is just shocking in this day and age.

[minkAYuko]

EMPEROR - WE ON FIRE!!(#悪漢奴等 feat. #倖田來未)
(the Intro)

it's sounds super HOT, very old-school ku!!

[KarenPang]

It's not just avex , Sony Music Japan also took so long to open up & make their artistes' YouTube uploaded accounts non region lock

That's something I still do not understand especially if you know how to use VPN to bypass things

Is it any wonder why the last decade or so , KPop took over JPop by leaps & bounds ?

Even in Japan's corporate world , it took them so long to embrace technology & with the COVID-19 panedmic , they had to whether they like it or not

The Japanese bank that my mum works in , they do away with the physical Hanko stamp a long time ago unlike now where the Hanko stamp still had to be physically stamped & used on official documents +_+

[Ayu_Love]

^ It's true. Sometimes I don't understand the decisions behind these at all.

Kind of unrelated as I am not sure if it was Kumi's choice, Avex or whoever makes the Black Clover series, but not making a MV for 'Guess Who Is Back' and putting it up on Youtube was such a huge missed opportunity. Someone posted the song in full on Youtube and it now has almost 10 million views, (not counting the 3.4 million views on the Funimation video) and is her most streamed song to date on Spotify.

Maybe she wasn't able to make a MV or allowed to upload the song to Youtube due to certain reasons, if that's the case it's a big shame. Hopefully, she still gained some fans from it!

[KarenPang]

Japan is still very cocoon ish in their way of doing things

And I think a lot of companies in Japan forget that outside of Japan , there're people who have the financial means to buy & support Japanese musicians , not just their own people alone

When Japanese artistes come here to do concerts or events , most if not all the time they're always surprised there're people here who know who they're & also can speak + understand the same language as them

Licensing is a tricky thing too . Not just music , even in video games the same thing applies , like Mortal Kombat 11 wanting to put Ash Williams in their video game as Downloadable Content for the last 2 years or so but up to now , they're still unable to do that due to license issues

As for Guess Who Is Back , I think maybe behind closed doors avex probably discussed with doing a Black Clover anime related theme PV but that might not materialise because of license issues , again

[Ayu_Love]

^Yeah, licensing is always a bit of a tricky one. I work as a 3D artist in the games industry, and licenses are usually the reason something cannot appear in a game, whether it be the price of them or whoever owns the rights may have said no. It's why I wonder if it was that Kumi wasn't allowed because of licensing or if Avex just didn't fund it. Maybe because it's on the Black Clover opening that is technically the official video I guess.

Either way, I hope she can get some more anime tie-ins in future as well!

[kaled kalil]

I think they know it was a mistake, angel+monster will have a lyric video for Guess Who Is Back, but it is for the FC version... I don't see the FC version selling more than 5-7k copies, but I guess this is enough income.

A Guess Who Is Back music video didn't need to have anything related to the anime, she has other anime theme songs that didn't need it, the closest was Go To The Top that, even so, only the concept of mechas is there for the PV. People just wanted to stream the song from official sources, but avex/rz/whoever is in control, didn't see as important. They could even capitalize uploading the live from DNA Tour, I guess the Megumi no Hito fad is more important.

[KarenPang]

Selfish ~dance ver.~ has been uploaded



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMIa3TkVBoE

Still a great song after so many years

@ Ayu_Love License rights really depends on the individual . It could be $ , could be non $ reasons , it's hard to say , it differs from 1 person to another

I know for Mortal Kombat , NetherRealm Studios did thought of doing a crossover between their game & Street Fighter (like what happened to Mortal Kombat Vs DC but that game was really crappy :s)

But for now Capcom said no , they don't want to see their classic fighters being uh killed by fatalities & brutalities by Mortal Kombat characters which's fair enough even though Akuma & M.Bison would fit well in the Mortal Kombat universe

[Darkifrit]

They did forget SHAKE IT...

[kaled kalil]

It might be, once again, a matter of copyright. SHAKE IT samples You can do it from Ice Cube. The song isn't available on Youtube (just the audio) as well.

[Ayu_Love]

Originally Posted by kaled kalil

The could even capitalize uploading the live from DNA Tour, I guess the Megumi no Hito fad is more important.

I thought the same thing. :/

I'd like to order the FC edition from the Mu-mo Playroom store, but I don't want to accidentally buy it and it turns out they won't ship worldwide, as I've never used a forwarding site like Tenso before. @__@
I guess if they are not selling it overseas, then even on the Mu-mo store it won't be an option?

Guess i'll just have to get the non photobook version and hope someone uploads scans. ;___:

[thinkingoutloud89]

^that finally explains the strange break down

[sitara]

Originally Posted by kaled kalil

It might be, once again, a matter of copyright. SHAKE IT samples You can do it from Ice Cube. The song isn't available on Youtube (just the audio) as well.

that sample in the middle of the song is the most jarring and unnecessary thing ever. it didn't add anything to SHAKE IT and just rips you out of the song. I wonder what the thought process behind that was.

[mi|kshake]

Really enjoying the Avex and current state of JPop discussion in here everyone! Finding it really interesting.

Originally Posted by sitara

that sample in the middle of the song is the most jarring and unnecessary thing ever. it didn't add anything to SHAKE IT and just rips you out of the song. I wonder what the thought process behind that was.

OMG yes! Shake It would be a 8 or 9 without that sample but for me it's a 7 at best. As you say it just takes you out of the song! At first I thought the sample just appeared in the PV and was gutted when it appeared on the album.

[kaled kalil]

I don't mind the break, it's random with the music style but the lyrics makes sense. The last line before the break is that she wants to be in control by the other person, and the next thing is a man giving orders. And it's funny that it is a reverse situation from the original, she tells the guy he needs to put his "ass into it".

If you want to hear without the sample, the whole song samples (in this case I think is more of a rip-off, since there is not a single nod to it in the credits) Is You Feelin' Me from 3LW. It gets a little bland without it.

[Darkifrit]

Wow I started my fandom with girls~Selfish~ release and was crazy addicted to the 3 songs and PVs (Selfish being my fav one) and since all this time I never knew about SHAKE IT origins
Still this is a great song with an entertaining PV haha
The 2 times she performed it live were nice!

[kaled kalil]

EMPEROR - WE ON FIRE!! is available on streaming services. https://open.spotify.com/track/6Ih3B...SYGcGYpey7Hrow

The production is not great and it's very repetitive, I was expecting more to be honest. It is one of her weakest "out" collaboration in my opinion.