Oshi-Katsu Chronicle 2008: Arashi at the National Stadium, the iPhone in Japan, and Social Media in Japanese

In 2008, Arashi played a solo concert at the National Stadium for the first time, and X JAPAN held a three-day run at Tokyo Dome following their reunion. From the anime Macross Frontier, songs performed by its two heroines climbed the music charts, while in summer fans across Japan cheered on the national team at the Beijing Olympics.

In July, SoftBank Mobile released the iPhone 3G in Japan, and in spring Twitter and Facebook introduced Japanese-language screens. The arrival of H&M in Ginza put fast fashion in the spotlight, and Washinomiya Shrine introduced special resident certificates and a portable shrine for Lucky Star.

X JAPAN Returns to Tokyo Dome, and Arashi Play the National Stadium for the First Time

From March 28 to 30, X JAPAN held “Kogeki Saikai 2008: Hametsu ni Mukatte” (“Attack Resumed 2008: Toward Destruction”) at Tokyo Dome. As their first comeback concerts since announcing their reunion after a ten-year hiatus the previous year, the three shows drew roughly 150,000 fans. Show coverage, ORICON NEWS (in Japanese)

Although the opening night (“Night of Destruction”) began more than two hours late, the stage incorporated archival footage and hologram projections of guitarist hide, who had passed away in 1998, as 50,000 fans waved penlights to celebrate the reunion.

On September 5 and 6, Arashi held “arashi marks ARASHI AROUND ASIA 2008” at the National Stadium in Kasumigaoka, Tokyo. They became only the third musical act in history to stage a solo concert at the National Stadium, following SMAP in 2005 and DREAMS COME TRUE in 2007. That same year, Arashi monopolized No. 1 and No. 2 on Oricon’s annual singles ranking with “truth / Kaze no Mukou e” and “One Love,” accelerating their rise as a national group. Japan Sport Council chronology (in Japanese) / Official record of the video release (in Japanese)

March 28-30X JAPAN at Tokyo Dome

Their first comeback shows after reuniting the previous year.

September 5-6Arashi at the National Stadium

Only the third act to hold a solo concert at the venue, after SMAP and DREAMS COME TRUE.

Featuring the stadium’s Olympic cauldron lit with flame alongside open-air fireworks and water fountains, Arashi’s September 6 performance was released on DVD the following March. Label official site (in Japanese)

Big shows

Stadiums and domes

• X JAPAN at Tokyo Dome in March
• Arashi at the National Stadium in September
• The show later released as a video

Theater shows

Dedicated theaters

• SKE48 begins performing in Nagoya on October 5
• Support for a group spreads beyond Tokyo

Face to face

Handshake events

• A ticket in the first press of a CD
• Meet the members in person
• Separate from theater shows

Each format offered a different distance from the oshi.

Perfume’s GAME Hits No. 1, and Songs Spread Through Dramas and Films

Perfume released their first original album, GAME, on April 16. Collecting “Polyrhythm” from the previous year along with “Chocolate Disco” and “Ceramic Girl,” it debuted at No. 1 on Oricon’s weekly album chart dated April 28. It marked the first time a technopop group had topped the album chart since Yellow Magic Orchestra-related releases, and in November Perfume successfully headlined two solo nights at Nippon Budokan. Perfume official site (in Japanese) / Chart coverage at the time (in Japanese)

Contents of the limited first edition (in Japanese)

“Kiseki” by GReeeeN—a four-member vocal group who kept their faces hidden while studying dentistry—became a massive hit as the theme song of the high school baseball drama ROOKIES starring Ryuta Sato. It set records for Chaku-Uta Full mobile downloads and finished No. 1 on USEN’s annual overall J-pop ranking, while Thelma Aoyama feat. SoulJa’s answer song “Soba ni Iru ne” also achieved historic digital download numbers. ORICON NEWS (in Japanese)

In theaters, director Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea grossed ¥15.5 billion, and its theme song sung by Nozomi Ohashi and Fujioka Fujimaki was hummed by children and adults alike. Hana yori Dango Final, the theatrical conclusion to the hit drama series starring Mao Inoue and Jun Matsumoto, earned ¥7.75 billion, and Suspect X (Yogisha X no Kenshin) starring Masaharu Fukuyama earned ¥4.92 billion, cementing the flow of television drama fans into movie theaters. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (in Japanese)

At the 50th Japan Record Awards at year’s end, EXILE won their first Grand Prix with “Ti Amo.” The Best Album award went to Namie Amuro’s compilation BEST FICTION—which held No. 1 for six consecutive weeks and sold more than 1.5 million copies—and Best New Artist went to enka singer Jero. TVXQ’s “Doushite Kimi wo Suki ni Natte Shimattan Darou?” won an Excellent Work Award in a year in which the group achieved four Oricon weekly No. 1 singles and made their first appearance on NHK’s Kohaku Uta Gassen. Japan Composers Association (in Japanese)

The Two Divas of Macross Frontier and Lines for Fast Fashion

Broadcast from April to September, the TV anime Macross Frontier celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Macross franchise by blending music with sci-fi mecha action. With music composed by Yoko Kanno, the story paired two vocalists: Galactic Fairy top singer Sheryl Nome (sung by May’n) and aspiring teen idol Ranka Lee (played and sung by Megumi Nakajima). Ranka’s signature “Kira☆” hand pose in “Seikan Hikou” (“Interstellar Flight”) spread until concert crowds struck it together, and the second-half opening duet “Lion” peaked at No. 3 on the Oricon singles chart, filling anime concerts and karaoke rooms with fans waving penlights. Macross Official Site, PC Watch, Anime! Anime!, Dengeki Online, ORICON NEWS (all in Japanese)

The same year also saw the broadcasts of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2, Natsume’s Book of Friends (Natsume Yuujinchou) based on Yuki Midorikawa’s manga, the light-novel romantic comedy Toradora!, and Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji), with fans traveling to Hitoyoshi and the Kuma region of Kumamoto Prefecture to visit the landscapes of Natsume’s Book of Friends.

On city streets, overseas “fast fashion” brands landed in Japan in full force. When Swedish retailer H&M opened its first Japanese store in Ginza, Tokyo, on September 13, a line of roughly 5,000 shoppers formed before opening and entry restrictions had to be imposed. Alongside Spanish retailer ZARA and UNIQLO—whose functional “HEATTECH” innerwear became a blockbuster—mixing affordable everyday pieces with favorite brands became a popular way to dress for concerts and outings.

AKB48 CDs Come With Handshake Tickets; SKE48 Starts Performing in Nagoya

AKB48’s 10th single “Ogoe Diamond,” released on October 22 as their first release after moving to King Records, included a handshake-event participation ticket inside the first pressing of the regular edition. Fourteen-year-old Jurina Matsui was selected to share the center position with Atsuko Maeda, and pairing a CD purchase with a ticket to meet and speak with members in person drove a surge in fan support. AKB48 official site (in Japanese)

Earlier that same month, on October 5, SKE48—the first sister group outside Akihabara—launched its “PARTY ga Hajimaru yo” stage inside the Sunshine Sakae complex in Nagoya. That debut began the nationwide expansion of the 48 Group model, in which each city had its own dedicated theater and group supported by local fans. SKE48 performance records (in Japanese)

The iPhone Goes on Sale in Japan; Twitter and Facebook Go Japanese

On July 11, SoftBank Mobile released Apple’s iPhone 3G in Japan, with an overnight line of more than 1,000 people forming outside SoftBank’s flagship store in Omotesando, Tokyo. Combining phone calls, iPod music playback, and desktop-class web browsing on a touch screen—and launching alongside the App Store so users could add new apps at will—it opened the smartphone era in Japan. SoftBank

Around the same time, the lineup of social networking services available in Japanese expanded rapidly.

April: Twitter

The service for posting short messages and reading the updates of people you follow was localized into Japanese.

May: Facebook

Sharing updates and posting photos with friends became possible from a Japanese-language screen.

July: mixi

The already established social network released an app for the iPhone.

Twitter, Digital Garage’s record (in Japanese) / Coverage of Facebook’s launch (in Japanese) / mixi official chronology (in Japanese)

Launched on April 23, the Japanese version of Twitter was the service’s first localization into any language other than English. Posting real-time reactions to television broadcasts and concerts in 140 characters or fewer began spreading from tech enthusiasts to anime and music fans. Meanwhile, DeNA’s “Mobage Town,” which offered games, avatars, and cell-phone novels for feature phones, passed 10 million members on April 9, sharing the lead in mobile social networking alongside GREE. DeNA (in Japanese)

“The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku” Is Posted, and Personal Live Streams Start on Niconico

On April 8, Vocaloid producer cosMo@Bousou-P uploaded the long version of “The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku” (Hatsune Miku no Shoushitsu) to Niconico Douga. Featuring ultra-fast vocals faster than a human singer could breathe, the song portrayed the inner conflict of a digital diva. Masterpieces such as supercell’s “Black★Rock Shooter” followed one after another, and Vocaloid compilation albums began lining CD shop shelves. Niconico News Original (in Japanese)

On December 12, marking the second anniversary of Niconico Douga, “Niconico Live (User Live Broadcasts)” began. In addition to uploading pre-edited videos, individuals could now stream live from their home computers and trade banter in real time with viewers’ scrolling comments. Dwango’s service chronology (in Japanese)

Lucky Star Characters Get Special Resident Certificates and a Portable Shrine

Washinomiya Shrine in Washimiya Town, Saitama Prefecture—visited by fans since Lucky Star aired the previous year—welcomed roughly 300,000 New Year’s worshipers over the first three days of January 2008. Attendance more than doubled from 130,000 the previous New Year (before the anime aired), ranking third in Saitama Prefecture behind Omiya Hikawa Shrine and others. Interview with locals, DANRO (in Japanese)

In 2008, Washimiya moved beyond simple sightseeing as the town and chamber of commerce rolled out official keepsakes and festival collaborations in which fans could participate directly.

130,000

The previous year

300,000

2008

A shrine visited by fans since the anime aired more than doubled its crowd.

Source: Interview with locals, DANRO

1. April

   Special resident certificates for the Hiiragi family

   Special residency registered effective the 1st. A ceremony and advance distribution took place on the 6th, with general distribution beginning on the 7th.

2. Spring to fall

   Restaurant stamp rally

   Twelve shops in town took part, with a program of touring the area while eating.

3. September

   The "Lucky Star mikoshi" appears

   A portable shrine with characters painted on it joined the long-standing Haji Festival.

Chamber of commerce’s 2008 record (in Japanese)

Issued in April, the “Special Resident Certificate” formatted the setting that the six members of the Hiiragi family lived at a fictional address in Washimiya Town into an official-style municipal document, with more than 10,000 copies distributed. At September’s traditional Haji Festival (Hajisai), more than 130 fans from across Japan shouldered a handmade “Lucky Star mikoshi” (portable shrine) built with the local chamber of commerce, demonstrating how anime pilgrimages could help sustain a town’s traditional festival.

Beijing Olympics: Softball Gold and Kosuke Kitajima’s Double-Double

At the Beijing Olympics, held from August 8 to 24, Japan’s national delegation won 25 medals: 9 gold, 8 silver, and 8 bronze. In men’s breaststroke swimming, Kosuke Kitajima set a world record in the 100m and an Olympic record in the 200m to sweep both events for a second consecutive Olympics, and his tearful post-race remark—“Nani mo ienee” (“I can’t say anything”)—moved viewers nationwide. In track and field, Naoki Tsukahara, Shingo Suetsugu, Shinji Takahira, and Nobuharu Asahara won Japan’s first-ever Olympic medal in the men’s 4×100m relay with a bronze. In women’s softball, the Japanese team led by ace pitcher Yukiko Ueno captured a long-awaited gold medal. Japanese Olympic Committee (in Japanese)

Over the two days of the knockout rounds, Ueno pitched every inning of all three games—including extra innings—throwing 413 pitches across 28 innings to hold off the United States. The phrase “Ueno’s 413 pitches” received the Selection Committee’s Special Award at the year-end buzzword awards. Record of the award (in Japanese)

Key Events of the Year

1. Jan.Visitors to Washinomiya Shrine over the first three days of the New Year reach about 300,000Anime
2. Mar. 28–30X JAPAN hold "Kogeki Saikai 2008" (Attack Resumes 2008) at the Tokyo DomeMusic
3. Apr. 6–7Special resident certificates for the Hiiragi family are issued to the general public the day after an advance distributionAnime
4. Apr. 8A long version of "The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku" is postedMusic
5. Apr. 9Membership of Mobage Town passes 10 millionMedia
6. Apr. 23The launch of the Japanese version of Twitter is announcedMedia
7. Dated Apr. 28Perfume's GAME ranks No. 1 on the weekly Oricon chartMusic
8. May 19The Japanese version of Facebook is releasedNetworking
9. Jul. 11The iPhone 3G goes on sale in JapanMedia
10. Aug. 8–24At the Beijing Olympics, Japan wins 25 medalsSports
11. Aug. 15–17Comic Market 74 (550,000 total visits over three days)Fan works
12. Sep. 5–6Arashi hold a solo concert at the National Stadium, the third act ever to do soMusic
13. Sep. 7The "Lucky Star" mikoshi (portable shrine) appears at the Doshi FestivalLocal
14. Oct. 5SKE48 start theater performances in Sakae, NagoyaIdols
15. Oct. 22AKB48 release "Ogoe Diamond" (the first pressing includes a handshake event ticket)Idols
16. Dec. 1The Grand Prizes of the Buzzwords of the Year awards go to "Arafo" and "Gu~!"Society
17. Dec. 12Niconico starts "user live broadcasts," streamed by individualsVideo
18. Dec. 30At the 50th Japan Record Awards, EXILE's "Ti Amo" wins the Grand PrixMusic

1. March 28 to 30X JAPAN at Tokyo DomeThe first comeback shows
2. April 8Hatsune Miku's long song postedcosMo@Bousou-P on Niconico
3. July 11iPhone 3G goes on saleSoftBank Mobile in Japan
4. September 5 and 6Arashi at the National StadiumThe third act to play it alone
5. October 22"Ogoe Diamond" releasedA handshake ticket in the first press
6. December 12Niconico user live broadcastsStream and receive comments live

Fans could now meet, watch and talk in more ways.

The Year’s Buzzword Awards

Grand PrizeArafo ("around forty," women in their forties, from the drama "Around 40")

Yuki Amami (actress)

Grand PrizeGu~! ("Goo~!," a thumbs-up catchphrase)

Ed Harumi (comedian)

Selection Committee Special AwardUeno no 413 kyu (Ueno's 413 pitches at the Beijing Olympics softball)

Yukiko Ueno

Top 10Izakaya takushi ("pub taxis," taxi drivers giving late-night bureaucrats beer and gifts)

Akira Nagatsuma

Top 10Na bakari kanrishoku ("managers in name only," with no real authority or pay)

Hiroshi Takano

Top 10Maizokin ("buried treasure," the debate over hidden government reserve funds)

Hidenao Nakagawa

Top 10Kanikosen ("The Crab Cannery Ship," the proletarian novel by Takiji Kobayashi)

Hitomi Hasegawa

Top 10Gerira go-u ("guerrilla downpours," sudden localized torrential rain)

Weathernews Inc.

Top 10Koki koreisha ("late-stage elderly," the official term for people aged 75 and over)

Hideya Yamazaki

Top 10Anata to wa chigaun desu ("I'm not like you")

Recipient declined

At the 25th Buzzword of the Year Awards, the grand prizes went to “Around 40” (Arafo)—popularized by the TBS drama Around 40 starring Yuki Amami—and comedian Harumi Edo’s thumbs-up catchphrase “Gu~!” Jiyu Kokuminsha (in Japanese)

The top ten also included “guerrilla rainstorm” (gerira gouu), “manager in name only” (nabakari kanrishoku), and “Obama,” recognizing Obama City in Fukui Prefecture’s campaign cheering on U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama. Comic Market drew 550,000 attendees over three days at both Comic Market 74 in summer and Comic Market 75 in winter. Comic Market Preparation Committee (in Japanese)

In the next article, 2009, AKB48 holds its first General Election and an 18-meter life-size Gundam statue rises on Odaiba, alongside the K-On! phenomenon and Japan’s second straight WBC title.