How is Puffy AmiYumi regarded in America?

[masa]

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?

[ohsixthirty]

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.

[ohsixthirty]

Originally Posted by devilayu

They had a small US tour a while ago, and I know people who went to see them.

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.

[nmskalmn]

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.

[masa]

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.

[Mad_Cactuar]

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

[ruixiong89]

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) ...

[DerrickRocks]

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..

[ohsixthirty]

Originally Posted by DerrickRocks

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...?

[drewbilation]

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

[lotusoka]

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?"

[s.k.y]

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

[emi♡]

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...

[nmskalmn]

Originally Posted by emikotogawa

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.

[fantaisie.sign]

My niece LOVES the "Hi!Hi! Puffy AmiYumi Show." I must admit, it's cute and I like how they mix live-action scenes with the cartoon. My niece is even learning bits of Japanese from watching the cartoon! I noticed that every now and then, Ami and Yumi (the cartoon characters) and their boss exclaim things in Japanese like "Konnichiwa!" and "Sugoi!"

[Delirium-Zer0]

It seems to be kinda balanced out really... i mean, alot of people know them because of the cartoon but those same people DO realize they're japanese rock stars. There's no shortage of live action puffy amiyumi on the show and the posters advertising the show were all more of real-life puffy than their characters. On the other hand, there are also the underground rock fans here who listen to the US releases by TMGE and Shonen Knife and know Puffy pretty well cuz it's their scene, so. They aren't by any means a mainstream rock group though; they're not on top 40 radio or anything.

[MsMiyabi]

I didn't realize that they are soo old. Both of them are over 30 according to there site


they look like teens!

大貫亜美（1973.09.18生）
吉村由美（1975.01.30生）

1996年、奥田民生プロデュースによるシングル「アジアの純真」でデビュー。
その後、「これが私の生きる道」「サーキットの娘」「渚にまつわるエトセトラ」etc次々とヒ ットを連発。

2004年11月より、全米NO.1アニメチャンネルである「カートゥーン・ネットワーク」にて、彼女たち を主人公にポップでドタバタなハプニング・エピソードを描いたアニメ番組【Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi】が、金曜日のゴールデンタイムで放送をスタート。
そして第1回放送で、同局の開局以来最高の視聴率を記録。
アメリカン・キッズのほとんどを釘付けにし、将来のアメリカを担うヤング・アメリカンを夢中に させている。

2005年4～5月、アメリカ西海岸ツアー【Hi! Hi! Puffy AmiYumi ROCK SHOW *** GO WEST!!】を決行。ロサンゼルス、サンフランシスコ等で、計7本のツアーをおこない、大成功をおさめる 。ほか、全米ネットの地上波テレビ「ジミー・キメル・ライヴ」への出演、Paper Magazine5月15日発売号・夏の特大号の表紙を飾るなど、アメリカのメディアも彼女たちに第注目。 8月には東海岸ツアーも決定し、今、「アメリカでもっともホットな日本人」として全米を席捲中！ ！

Source:
http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Info/PUFFY/

[Brittany]

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.

[shizukesa]

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