Oshi-Katsu Chronicle 1997: Princess Mononoke and FFVII, Japan's First World Cup Berth, and the First Fuji Rock
1997 was the year of the film Princess Mononoke and the game Final Fantasy VII.
In music, Morning Musume tried to earn a debut by hand-selling CDs, while X JAPAN announced their breakup. Japan’s national soccer team secured its first World Cup berth.
Morning Musume Sells 50,000 Copies of “Ai no Tane” and Heads for Their Debut
Morning Musume was born on the TV Tokyo audition program ASAYAN. The group consisted of five women who had failed the band Sharam Q’s audition: Yuko Nakazawa, Aya Ishiguro, Kaori Iida, Natsumi Abe and Asuka Fukuda. On the September 14 broadcast, the group name chosen by Tsunku was announced. Hello! Project official site (in Japanese)
The condition for a major debut was to sell 50,000 copies of the indie-label CD “Ai no Tane” (“Seed of Love”) by hand over five scheduled sales days. Hello! Project official site (in Japanese)
- 50,000
- CDs to sell by hand
- 5
- Members selling
- 5
- Scheduled sales days
Source: Hello! Project official site
- Nov. 3
Sales begin in Osaka
The five sell the CD themselves. Sales followed in Fukuoka and Sapporo.
- Nov. 30
50,000 reached on the fourth date, in Nagoya
Sold out at Nagoya Stadium. They met the condition without waiting for the planned sales in Tokyo.
- Next Jan.
Major debut
In January 1998, they released "Morning Coffee."
GLAY’s Best-Of and KinKi Kids’ Debut: Starting With the Songs You Know
GLAY had hits with “Kuchibiru” and “HOWEVER,” and on October 1 released their first best-of album, REVIEW - BEST OF GLAY. It ranked No. 1 on Oricon’s annual album chart that year. GLAY official site (in Japanese)
It sold more than 3 million copies in its first week. TAKURO said the band had deliberately left off the songs that work best live. GLAY official site (in Japanese)
On July 21, KinKi Kids released “Garasu no Shonen” (“Glass Boy”). The lyrics were by Takashi Matsumoto and the music and arrangement by Tatsuro Yamashita. An album came out at the same time as the single, and a bundled set was also offered. ELOV-Label (in Japanese)
At year’s end, the Japan Record Award went to Namie Amuro’s “CAN YOU CELEBRATE?”, her second straight grand prize. The Album Grand Prize went to GLAY’s BELOVED, released the previous year. Japan Composers Association (in Japanese)
Finding New Bands on TV, and the First Fuji Rock in Summer
The music program Break Out introduced La’cryma Christi, MALICE MIZER, FANATIC◇CRISIS and SHAZNA as the “Big Four of visual kei,” the rock scene known for elaborate costumes and makeup. All four made their major debuts that year. JBpress (in Japanese)
The name did not come from fans; the program coined it. La’cryma Christi debuted first, on May 8, and SHAZNA last, on August 27. JBpress (in Japanese)
On July 26, the first Fuji Rock Festival was held at the Fuji Tenjinyama ski resort in Yamanashi Prefecture. It was an outdoor music event featuring bands and musicians from Japan and overseas. Fuji Rock official site (in Japanese)
Overseas performers
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine and others.
Japanese performers
THE YELLOW MONKEY, THE HIGH-LOWS, Denki Groove and others.
The first day went ahead in a violent rainstorm, with 30,000 people attending. The typhoon forced the cancellation of the scheduled second day. The following year the festival was held at a new venue in Toyosu, Tokyo. Fuji Rock official site (in Japanese)
X JAPAN Announces Their Breakup, and a Final Show at Year’s End
X JAPAN announced their breakup on September 22 and held “THE LAST LIVE: Saigo no Yoru” at Tokyo Dome on December 31. X JAPAN activity record (in Japanese) / Tokyo Dome (in Japanese)
The band had played Tokyo Dome the year before too. After this year’s show, the members performed “Forever Love” on NHK’s Kohaku Uta Gassen the same night. It was their last stage before the breakup. X JAPAN activity record (in Japanese)
Princess Mononoke and FFVII: Falling for the Characters
On July 12, Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke opened, an animated film about the conflict between the beings who protect the forest and the humans who live by making iron. In the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan’s 1997 statistics, it ranked No. 1 among Japanese films in distribution revenue, at ¥11.76 billion. Studio Ghibli (in Japanese) / Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (in Japanese)
On January 31, Final Fantasy VII was released for the PlayStation. It follows the hero Cloud as he adventures with his companions, and it brought 3D battle screens and CG movies to the series. Square Enix (in Japanese)
The No. 2 Japanese film of the year by distribution revenue, Shitsurakuen (A Lost Paradise), took in ¥2.3 billion. Princess Mononoke earned more than five times that. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (in Japanese)
No. 1: Princess Mononoke
¥11.76 billion
No. 2: Shitsurakuen (A Lost Paradise)
¥2.3 billion. The No. 1 film took in more than five times as much.
Pokémon Becomes an Anime, Then a Broadcast Accident in December
In April, the TV anime Pocket Monsters began. Every week you could meet the Pokémon you knew from the games through the adventures of Ash and Pikachu. TV Tokyo Group record (in Japanese)
But on the December 16 broadcast, intense flashing in the images made many viewers ill. The program was suspended for a time, which later led to efforts to check images for flashing and to broadcast industry guidelines. TV Tokyo’s efforts (in Japanese) / Chugoku Broadcasting’s announcement from the time (in Japanese)
Comic Market drew a combined 400,000 people over three days at the summer 52nd and a combined 300,000 over two days at the winter 53rd. The summer 52nd was unusually chilly, and Comiket took rain precautions for the first time. Comic Market Preparation Committee (in Japanese)
- 400,000
- Summer 52nd
- 300,000
- Winter 53rd
Japan Qualifies for Its First World Cup
On November 16, in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, the Japan national team faced Iran. The match would decide a place at the following year’s World Cup in France.
In the second half of extra time, with the score 2-2, Masayuki Okano scored the winning goal. Okano had come on at the start of extra time, his first appearance of the final qualifying round. At the time, the “golden goal” rule ended a match as soon as one side scored in extra time. With that goal, Japan secured its first appearance. Japan Football Association (in Japanese)
The broadcast’s household viewership rating was 47.9% in the Kanto region. Among that year’s programs, it trailed only NHK’s Kohaku Uta Gassen, at 50.7%. Video Research (in Japanese)
- 47.9%
- Household viewership rating
Source: Video Research
Key Events of the Year
- Jan. 31"Final Fantasy VII" is released (PlayStation)Games
- Apr. 1TV anime "Pocket Monsters" begins airingAnime
- May 8La'cryma Christi makes its major debutMusic
- July 12"Princess Mononoke" opens (distribution revenue of 11.76 billion yen, No. 1 among Japanese films)Film
- July 21KinKi Kids debut with "Garasu no Shonen"Music
- July 26The first Fuji Rock is held; the next day is cancelled because of a typhoonMusic
- Aug. 15–17Comic Market 52 (400,000 total visits over 3 days)Fan works
- Sept. 14The group name Morning Musume. is announcedIdols
- Sept. 22X JAPAN announces its breakup at a press conferenceMusic
- Oct. 1GLAY releases "REVIEW" (No. 1 on Oricon's 1997 annual chart)Music
- Nov. 3Morning Musume. begins hand-selling "Ai no Tane"Idols
- Nov. 16In Johor Bahru, Japan beats Iran and qualifies for its first World CupSports
- Nov. 24Yamaichi Securities announces it is suspending business ahead of a voluntary closureEconomy
- Nov. 30Morning Musume.'s "Ai no Tane" reaches its sales goal of 50,000 copiesIdols
- Dec. 16The Pokemon anime makes viewers ill, and broadcasts are suspendedAnime
- Dec. 31The 39th Japan Record Awards (Namie Amuro wins the grand prize for the second year running)Music
- Dec. 31X JAPAN holds "THE LAST LIVE: The Final Night" at the Tokyo DomeMusic
- Year-endThe 14th Buzzwords of the Year awards ("Tamagotchi" and "Mononoke (hime)" make the top ten)Media
- Final Fantasy VIIReleased for PlayStation
- Pocket Monsters animeBegins on TV
- Princess MononokeOpens in theaters
- First Fuji RockHeld in Yamanashi
- X JAPAN's breakupAnnounced
- Japan qualifiesBeats Iran in extra time
- X JAPAN's last showAt Tokyo Dome
A year of milestones that fans saw through to the end.
The Year’s Buzzword Awards
- Grand PrizeShitsurakuen (suru) ("Paradise Lost," from the novel about an affair; "to have a Shitsurakuen")
- Jun'ichi Watanabe, Hitomi Kuroki
- Top 10Tamagotchi (virtual pet toy)
- Aki Maita
- Top 10Toki no asesu ("time assessment," a review of public works projects after years)
- Tatsuya Hori
- Top 10Gardening (gaadeningu)
- Hanako Yagi
- Top 10Nihon-ban Big Bang ("Japanese-style Big Bang," financial deregulation)
- Michio Matsui
- Top 10Tomei na sonzai ("transparent existence," a description of alienated youth)
- Kazumasa Tajima
- Top 10Mononoke (hime) (Princess Mononoke)
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Top 10Paparazzi
- —
- Top 10My boom
- Jun Miura
- Top 10Yusei san-jigyo (the "three postal services" privatization issue)
- Junichiro Koizumi
The top ten included “Tamagotchi,” “Mononoke (hime)” and “My Boom.” “My Boom” is a word for what you personally are hooked on right now, apart from what is popular across society. Jiyu Kokuminsha (in Japanese)
In 1998, Japan plays in the World Cup finals for the first time. In music, there is Morning Musume’s major debut and the loss of hide.
FAQ
When was Morning Musume formed?
The group name was announced on the September 14, 1997 broadcast of *ASAYAN*. It was formed from five women who had failed the Sharam Q audition on TV Tokyo's *ASAYAN*. Their major debut came in January 1998.
What was the 50,000-CD hand-selling challenge for "Ai no Tane"?
*ASAYAN* challenged them to sell 50,000 copies by hand over five days and earn a major debut. Sales began in Osaka on November 3, moved on to Fukuoka and Sapporo, and the goal was reached on the fourth date, November 30 at Nagoya Stadium. The five days were the scheduled sales dates in each city, not five consecutive days.
When did X JAPAN disband?
They announced the breakup at a press conference on September 22 and held their last concert, "THE LAST LIVE: Saigo no Yoru" (The Last Night), at Tokyo Dome on December 31. After the show, they closed out the year on the stage of the 48th *Kohaku Uta Gassen*, NHK's New Year's Eve song show.
Who are the "Big Four of visual kei"?
The four acts are La'cryma Christi, MALICE MIZER, FANATIC◇CRISIS and SHAZNA. The name was coined by TV Asahi's *Break Out*, which began in October 1996, and all four made their major debuts in 1997.
What was the Pokémon Shock?
It was a broadcast accident during episode 38 of the TV anime *Pocket Monsters*, aired December 16, 1997, when intense flashing in the images made many viewers ill. The broadcast was suspended for a time, and the incident led to efforts to check the safety of on-screen visuals.
