Oshi-Katsu Chronicle 1993: The J.League Kicks Off, "Supporters" Become a Word, and ZARD Plays On
On May 15, 1993, Japan’s professional soccer league, the J.League, kicked off. Fans filled the stadium in their clubs’ jerseys and chanted together for the players. TV broadcasts carried the scene across the country, and it drew attention as a new way of cheering.
In music, ZARD’s “Makenaide” and other songs became hits, and L’Arc-en-Ciel released their first album.
The J.League Opens: Wearing Your Club’s Colors and Cheering in the Stadium
On May 15, the J.League’s opening match was played at the National Stadium. Verdy Kawasaki faced Yokohama Marinos before 59,626 spectators, and Yokohama Marinos won 2-1. Yokohama F. Marinos: a look back at the opener (in Japanese)
The league started with 10 clubs. Some fans backed their hometown club; others picked a club because of a player who caught their eye. League matches at the time had no draws; a tied game went to extra time and then penalties to decide a winner. J.League official site (in Japanese)
- The opening match
- May 15 at the National Stadium: Verdy Kawasaki vs. Yokohama Marinos, before 59,626 spectators.
- Result
- Yokohama Marinos won 2-1.
- Rules at the time
- League matches had no draws. A tied game was settled by extra time or a penalty shootout.
In the opening match, Yokohama Marinos trailed by a goal and equalized in the second half. Eleven minutes later, Ramón Díaz scored the winner. Yokohama F. Marinos looks back at the opener (in Japanese)
Japan Misses the World Cup: “The Agony of Doha”
On October 28, the Japan national team played its final World Cup qualifier in Doha, Qatar. Japan led Iraq 2-1 but gave up an equalizer in the closing moments and missed out on its first World Cup finals. The match came to be called “the Agony of Doha” (Doha no higeki). Japan Football Association (in Japanese)
In professional sumo, Japan’s traditional wrestling, Akebono became the first wrestler from outside Japan to be promoted to yokozuna, the sport’s grand champion. Takanohana and Wakanohana were also promoted to ozeki that year. Japan Sumo Association: Akebono (in Japanese) / Takanohana (in Japanese) / Wakanohana (in Japanese)
ZARD’s “Makenaide” and DREAMS COME TRUE’s “go for it!”: Buying the Songs You Heard on TV
On January 27, ZARD’s “Makenaide” (“Don’t Give Up”) was released. It was also used as the ending theme of the TV drama Hakucho Reiko de Gozaimasu! ZARD official site (in Japanese) / official work introduction (in Japanese)
On September 9, DREAMS COME TRUE released “go for it!”, which also played in a Shiseido commercial featuring Miwa Yoshida. On December 4, the album MAGIC, which includes the song, came out. DREAMS COME TRUE official site: single (in Japanese) / album (in Japanese)
The following spring, “Makenaide” was also chosen as the entrance march for the 66th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament. ZARD official site (in Japanese)
- 01Hear it on TVA drama ending or a commercial
- 02Buy the singleThe 8 cm CD in its tall case
- 03Listen start to finishRepeat the song you first heard briefly
- 04Explore the singerLook for their other songs
- 05Move to albumsA bigger collection
In 1993, buying singles was the center of showing support.
According to Recording Industry Association of Japan statistics, about 153.79 million 8-centimeter CDs were produced that year, up roughly 39% from the previous year. The 8-centimeter CD was a small disc used mainly for singles, and it sat in stores in a slim, tall case. Recording Industry Association of Japan (in Japanese)
- 153.79M
- 8 cm CDs produced
- +39%
- Increase from the year before
L’Arc-en-Ciel Releases DUNE: Backing a Band Before Its Major Debut
L’Arc-en-Ciel released DUNE in a limited edition on April 10 and a regular edition on April 27. It was their first album, from their indie days before they debuted on a major label. L’Arc-en-Ciel official site (in Japanese)
Kuroyume were also an indie band then, with their major debut coming in February 1994. Alongside X JAPAN and LUNA SEA, who were already playing big venues, newer bands were becoming known through specialty magazines and live houses (small music clubs). Yamaha Music Communications (in Japanese)
Nintama Rantaro and SLAM DUNK Arrive as Anime
In April, Nintama Rantaro, about children studying at a ninja school, began. In October, the TV anime of SLAM DUNK, a story of high school basketball, followed. Animate Times (in Japanese) / PASH! PLUS (in Japanese)
The Shohoku High team in SLAM DUNK, which began as a manga (Japanese comic), was full of distinctive characters: Hanamichi Sakuragi, a complete beginner at basketball; Kaede Rukawa, the first-year ace; and Hisashi Mitsui, who walked away from the sport and came back. Viewers split over whom to root for, and part of the fun was picking your own favorite and following the games.
In movie theaters, Jurassic Park was a hit, earning ¥8.3 billion in distribution revenue in Japan (the share of box-office takings that goes to the distributor) and ranking No. 1 among foreign films. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (in Japanese)
3D Fighting Games in the Arcade, and Text-Based Exchange at Home
In December, Sega’s Virtua Fighter appeared in arcades. It was a fighting game that drew its characters in three dimensions by combining small surfaces called polygons, a big visual change for a genre that had centered on flat, side-view art. Sega: history of games (in Japanese) / release-month record (in Japanese)
Sega describes it as the world’s first 3D fighting game. With Virtua Fighter 2 the following year, star players known as “tetsujin” (iron men) were featured on TV and in magazines. Sega: game history (in Japanese)
Comic Market drew a combined 250,000 people in summer and 200,000 in winter, both totals over two days. Alongside meeting in person at the venue, people could also exchange messages with others who shared their hobby in forums on computer networks (pasokon tsushin, early dial-up online services). Comic Market Preparation Committee (in Japanese) / Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: history of computer networks (in Japanese)
In November, IIJ launched a commercial internet access service. At first it offered only leased-line connections. A dial-up service, which connected over a phone line when needed, followed in May 1994. IIJ: record of the service launch (in Japanese)
- NovemberIIJ's commercial internet access
- Leased lines only at first. Dial-up access over phone lines began in May 1994.
- DecemberVirtua Fighter
- Described by Sega as the world's first 3D fighting game, with characters drawn in polygons.
Key Events of the Year
- Jan.Takanohana is promoted to ozekiSports
- Jan. 27Akebono is promoted to yokozuna, the first foreign-born wrestler to reach the rankSports
- Jan. 27ZARD releases "Makenaide"Music
- Apr. 10TV anime Nintama Rantaro begins broadcastingAnime
- Apr. 10L'Arc~en~Ciel releases the limited edition of their first album, DUNEMusic
- May 15J.League opening match at the National Stadium (59,626 people)Sports
- Jun. 9The Crown Prince's wedding ceremony and paradeSociety
- Jul.Wakanohana is promoted to ozekiSports
- Jul.The film Jurassic Park opens in JapanFilm
- Aug. 15–16Comic Market 44 (250,000 total visits over two days)Fan works
- Sep. 9Dreams Come True releases the commercial song "go for it!"Music
- Oct.TV anime SLAM DUNK begins broadcastingAnime
- Oct. 23–Nov. 1In the Japan Series, the Yakult Swallows beat the Seibu Lions four games to threeSports
- Oct. 28The Japan national team misses out on the World Cup: the "Tragedy of Doha"Sports
- Nov.IIJ starts a commercial internet access serviceTelecom
- Dec.Virtua Fighter arcade machines go into operationGames
- Dec."J.League" wins the Grand Prize at the Buzzwords of the Year awardsMedia
- Dec. 29–30Comic Market 45 (200,000 total visits over two days)Fan works
- Dec. 31The 35th Japan Record Awards (Kaori Kozai, "Mugonzaka")Music
- ZARD's "Makenaide"Released, also a drama ending theme
- DUNE and Nintama RantaroL'Arc-en-Ciel's indie album; new anime
- J.League opens59,626 fans at the National Stadium
- DREAMS COME TRUE: go for it!Also a Shiseido commercial song
- Agony of DohaJapan misses the World Cup
- Internet and Virtua FighterIIJ launches; 3D fighting arrives
A stadium, a record shelf and an arcade cabinet all became places to show support.
The Year’s Buzzword Awards
- Grand PrizeJ.League (Japan's new professional soccer league)
- Saburo Kawabuchi
- New words · GoldSupporter (a soccer fan who backs a team)
- Risako Shitara
- New words · SilverShin-○○ ("new ○○" as a naming fad)
- Issei Sakamoto
- New words · BronzeFA (free agent)
- Hiromitsu Ochiai and his wife Nobuko
- Popular phrases · GoldKisei kanwa ("deregulation")
- Sadao Aoki
- Popular phrases · SilverSeihin ("honorable poverty," from a bestselling book)
- Koji Nakano
- Popular phrases · BronzeTen no koe ("the voice of heaven," a bid-rigging catchphrase)
- —
- Popular words · GoldOyabun ("the boss")
- Keiji Osawa
- Popular words · SilverKiite nai yo ("I didn't hear about that!")
- Dacho Club
- Popular words · BronzeOtachidai (the raised dance platform in a disco)
- Keiko Koda, Keiko Ogawa
- Expression · Gold2,500-yen suit
- Aoyama, Tokyo Ginza store
- Expression · SilverUgo Ugo Ruga (a children's TV show)
- Hidetou Tajima, Yuka Koide
- Expression · BronzeTama-Hiyo (moms reading the baby magazines Tamago Club and Hiyoko Club)
- Izuru Watahiki, Kumiko Mori
- Special Award · Best Quote of the YearAkusai wa otto wo nobasu ("A bad wife makes her husband grow")
- Nobuko Ochiai
The grand prize was “J.League,” and the gold prize in the new-word category was “supporter.” The “J.League” award went to Saburo Kawabuchi, the league’s chairman. Jiyu Kokuminsha: winners of the 10th awards (in Japanese)
In 1994, L’Arc-en-Ciel and Kuroyume made their major debuts, and the Sega Saturn and PlayStation went on sale.
FAQ
When did the J.League open?
The opening match, on May 15, 1993 at the National Stadium, was Verdy Kawasaki vs. Yokohama Marinos. The crowd was 59,626, and Yokohama Marinos came from behind to win 2-1. The league opened about a year and a half after its founding in November 1991.
When did the word "supporter" catch on?
It won the gold prize in the new-word category at the 10th Japanese Buzzword of the Year awards in 1993, where the overall grand prize went to "J.League." As the league opened, "supporter" spread as the name for people who cheer on a club and its players.
What was going on with visual kei in 1993?
L'Arc-en-Ciel released their first album, *DUNE*, on an independent label in April, and it reached No. 1 on Oricon's weekly indies chart. Kuroyume were still an indie band; their major debut came in February 1994.
What did DREAMS COME TRUE do in 1993?
They released the single "go for it!" on September 9 and the album *MAGIC* on December 4. "go for it!" also played in a Shiseido commercial featuring Miwa Yoshida.
What happened in sumo in 1993?
On January 27, Akebono became the first foreign-born wrestler ever promoted to yokozuna (grand champion), and around the same time Takanohana was promoted to ozeki. After the July tournament Wakanohana became ozeki as well. With three promotions in one year, "Waka-Taka fever" took shape.
How many CDs were produced in Japan in 1993?
According to Recording Industry Association of Japan statistics, production of 8-centimeter CD singles was 153.79 million units, up about 39% from 110.55 million the year before. Total CD production value was ¥480.4 billion. This was a time when buying singles was the center of showing support.
