Oshi-Katsu Chronicle 2010: KARA and Girls' Generation Debut in Japan, Miku Live, Instagram, Monster Hunter

In 2010, the South Korean girl groups KARA and Girls’ Generation made their CD debuts in Japan. At home, AKB48 held its second General Election, and Arashi’s album Boku no Miteiru Fukei became a million-seller. Multiple idol groups including Momoiro Clover appeared together on music television, giving rise to the phrase “Idol Warring States Period.”

Live performances and multimedia projects also broke new ground. Audiences gathered at a Hatsune Miku solo concert to cheer a projected 3D character onstage, while Perfume held their first Tokyo Dome concert. In summer, the school-idol project Love Live! launched in a magazine, and in autumn the photo-sharing app Instagram was born.

Yuko Oshima Takes No. 1 in the AKB48 General Election; “Heavy Rotation” and Arashi’s Million-Seller

In the second AKB48 General Election, counted at JCB Hall on June 9, Yuko Oshima won first place with 31,448 votes. Atsuko Maeda finished second with 30,851 votes, reversing the top two positions from the previous year. AKB48 official announcement (in Japanese)

The vote-counting event was broadcast live to 29 movie theaters across Japan. Fans who could not get into the hall watched the rankings unfold on cinema screens.

Reflecting the vote, AKB48’s 17th single “Heavy Rotation” came out on August 18 with Oshima as center, the focal position in the song’s staging and choreography. Release information, TOWER RECORDS (in Japanese)

1. June

   Second General Election results announced

   Yuko Oshima took first place, and the members for the new song were chosen.

2. August

   "Heavy Rotation" released

   Fans could see the result of the votes they cast in song and video.

The limited first edition included a ticket for nationwide handshake events. AKB48 also expanded shipments with May’s “Ponytail to Shushu” and October’s “Beginner,” which became a million-seller. Sales information at the time (in Japanese)

Among male idol groups, Arashi released the album Boku no Miteiru Fukei on August 4. Passing one million copies sold, it topped the annual Oricon album chart for 2010. Storm Labels official (in Japanese)

Arashi released six singles during the year, including “Troublemaker” and “Monster,” while staging four nights at the National Stadium and a five-dome tour. Theme songs for dramas starring individual members reinforced their nationwide tour, driving steady growth in fan-club membership.

Seven Acts on One Music Show, and Talk of an “Idol Warring States Period”

On May 30, the NHK music program MUSIC JAPAN aired an “Idol Gathering Special.” Seven groups appeared: Idoling!!!, AKB48, S/mileage, Tokyo Girls’ Style, Vanilla Beans, Morning Musume., and Momoiro Clover. Program details, Natalie Music (in Japanese)

In August, the first “TOKYO IDOL FESTIVAL 2010 (TIF)” was held at Shinagawa Stellar Ball. With dozens of female idol groups performing across live houses and shopping venues, the thriving scene came to be called the “Idol Warring States Period.”

Momoiro Clover made their major-label debut in May with the single “Ikuze! Kaito Shojo.” Their acrobatic, full-throttle performances and six member colors drew interest not only from idol fans but also from rock-festival and subculture audiences.

At the year-end Japan Record Awards, the Grand Prix went to EXILE’s “I Wish For You,” marking their third consecutive win following “Ti Amo” in 2008 and “Someday” in 2009. Best New Artist went to S/mileage, while Excellent Work Awards went to AKB48’s “Beginner,” Ikimonogakari’s “Arigato,” and BIGBANG’s “Tell Me Goodbye.” Japan Composers Association (in Japanese)

KARA and Girls’ Generation Debut With Songs in Japanese

On August 11, KARA made their Japanese debut with the Japanese version of “Mister,” already a hit in South Korea. Their “hip dance” in suspender outfits gained wide recognition through morning television shows and music programs. Universal Music (in Japanese)

Girls’ Generation held three showcase concerts at Ariake Coliseum on August 25, drawing 22,000 fans invited through a DVD purchase promotion. They made their Japanese CD debut with “GENIE” on September 8 and followed with their second single “Gee” in October. Official show announcement (in Japanese) / GENIE official page (in Japanese) / Gee official page (in Japanese)

KARA, "Mister"

Japanese lyrics, and the hip dance that became the song's signature.

Girls' Generation, "GENIE"

After a show in Japan before their debut, they release a CD and music video.

Unlike earlier waves of Korean-drama fandom, events for KARA and Girls’ Generation drew large numbers of teenage and twenty-something women. Fans uploaded cover-dance videos copying the members’ fashion, makeup, and choreography to YouTube, expanding K-pop fandom among young peers.

Meanwhile, TVXQ, who had played Tokyo Dome the previous year, announced a hiatus of their group activities in Japan on April 3. They resumed activities in 2011 as the duo of Yunho and Changmin. Report on the hiatus (in Japanese) / ORICON NEWS (in Japanese)

August 11

KARA

• Japanese version of "Mister"
• The hip dance spreads

August 25 to October

Girls' Generation

• Ariake Coliseum show
• Singles "GENIE" and "Gee"

April 3

TVXQ

• Hiatus of Japan activities announced
• Return as two members in 2011

New groups arrived as an established one paused.

Hatsune Miku’s Concert, the Launch of Love Live!, and Hearing Character Songs Live

On March 9, Hatsune Miku’s solo concert “Miku no Hi Kanshasai 39’s Giving Day” took place at Zepp Tokyo. Hatsune Miku is both a singing-voice synthesizer powered by Yamaha’s VOCALOID technology and the character illustrated on its package. Hatsune Miku official blog (in Japanese)

At the concert, a 3D image of Miku was projected onto a transparent screen onstage to sing and dance with a live band. Booths sold CDs and concert merchandise, and the audience waved green penlights in unison.

In anime and magazines as well, projects linking fictional character music with real-world concerts gained momentum. From April, the TV anime K-ON!! (Season 2) and Angel Beats! aired, sending CDs by the in-show bands Ho-kago Tea Time and Girls Dead Monster to the top of the charts.

In the August 2010 issue of Dengeki G’s Magazine (released June 30), the reader-participation project Love Live! began serialization as a joint effort by Sunrise, Lantis, and ASCII Media Works. The story follows nine high school girls who form a school-idol group to save Otonokizaka High School from closing. Love Live! official site (in Japanese)

On August 13, their first single “Bokura no LIVE Kimi to no LIFE” received an advance release at Comic Market 78, and reader voting named the group “μ’s (Muse).” Though modest at launch, its reader polls for choosing center positions and sub-units grew into major voice-actor concerts and television anime.

On November 3, Perfume held their first Tokyo Dome concert, “1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11,” celebrating 10 years since their formation and 5 since their major debut. All 50,000 tickets sold out on the day of general release on October 3. Perfume official show records (in Japanese) / Ticket sales coverage at the time (in Japanese)

Avatar in 3D, Studio Ghibli’s Arrietty, and the Morning Drama Gegege no Nyobo

In cinemas, James Cameron’s sci-fi film Avatar, opened at the end of December 2009, earned ¥15.6 billion in Japan. Digital 3D screenings watched with special glasses spread across multiplexes nationwide, drawing audiences to 3D versions of Alice in Wonderland (¥11.8 billion) and Toy Story 3 (¥10.8 billion). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (in Japanese)

Among Japanese films, Studio Ghibli’s The Secret World of Arrietty, directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, led the year at ¥9.25 billion. Live-action film continuations of hit TV dramas also ranked high, led by Umizaru 3: The Last Message (¥8.04 billion) and Bayside Shakedown 3 (¥7.31 billion).

On television, the NHK morning drama Gegege no Nyobo (starring Nao Matsushita and Osamu Mukai) moved its broadcast start from 8:15 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and won wide popularity. Telling the story of manga artist Shigeru Mizuki and his wife, it made Ikimonogakari’s theme song “Arigato” a nationwide favorite. Meanwhile, Masaharu Fukuyama starred as Sakamoto Ryoma in the NHK historical drama Ryomaden, boosting tourism to sites in Kochi and Nagasaki prefectures.

The iPad and Ustream Arrive, and Instagram Shares Photos

On May 28, the first-generation iPad went on sale in Japan. With a 9.7-inch touch screen larger than a smartphone’s, the tablet let users enjoy videos, e-books, illustrations, and games in their hands. On June 24, the iPhone 4 with its high-resolution Retina display launched to long lines outside Apple Stores. Apple’s announcement of the release (in Japanese)

Online platforms for sharing and streaming also underwent major shifts during the year.

March: mixi

You could sign up without an invitation.

April: Ustream

A Japanese version of the live-video streaming service appeared.

October: Instagram

An app for applying filters to photos and posting square images was born.

mixi official chronology (in Japanese) / SoftBank Group (in Japanese) / Instagram’s 10th-anniversary record (in Japanese)

After Ustream launched its Japanese interface in April, musicians streamed studio sessions and idols broadcast backstage talks live. Viewers posted real-time reactions using Twitter hashtags, sharing the feeling of watching together. Launched in the United States on October 6, Instagram began as an iPhone app for applying filters to square photos.

1. 01Take a photoWith a phone
2. 02Edit itMake it look the way you like
3. 03Post itOn the app
4. 04Others lookYou browse their photos too

Instagram began as a way to share photos before video and Stories.

Monster Hunter: Bringing Handhelds Together to Cooperate

On December 1, Capcom released Monster Hunter Portable 3rd for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). Set around the hot-spring village of Yukumo, the hunting action game pits players against giant monsters. Capcom (in Japanese)

Besides playing solo, up to four friends could bring their PSP consoles together for local wireless co-op quests. Groups of players gathered around their screens in university cafeterias, karaoke rooms, and living rooms across Japan.

On January 5, 2011, Capcom announced that domestic shipments had reached 4 million copies in roughly one month—the highest total ever for a PSP title in Japan. Capcom’s announcement (in Japanese)

In September, Pokémon Black and White launched for the Nintendo DS, popularizing C-Gear wireless passing and Wi-Fi trading. Comic Market 78 in summer drew 560,000 attendees over three days, and Comic Market 79 in winter drew 520,000. Comic Market Preparation Committee (in Japanese)

560,000

Total attendees, Comic Market 78 (summer)

520,000

Total attendees, Comic Market 79 (winter)

Source: Comic Market Preparation Committee

The Olympics and the World Cup: Cheering for National Team Players on TV

At the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February, Japan won three silver and two bronze medals. In figure skating, Mao Asada landed three triple Axels to win silver, and Daisuke Takahashi won the first Olympic medal for a Japanese man in the sport with bronze. Japanese Olympic Committee (in Japanese)

At the FIFA World Cup in South Africa in June, the national team led by manager Takeshi Okada defeated Cameroon and Denmark to reach the knockout stage on foreign soil for the first time. Against Denmark, Keisuke Honda and Yasuhito Endo scored direct free kicks that thrilled late-night viewers across Japan.

In the Round of 16 against Paraguay, the match remained 0–0 after extra time before Japan fell in a penalty shootout, finishing in the top 16. Japan Football Association (in Japanese)

3

Silver medals

2

Bronze medals

In figure skating, Mao Asada took silver and Daisuke Takahashi bronze.

Source: Japanese Olympic Committee

Key Events of the Year

1. Feb. 12–28The Vancouver Winter Olympics (Japan wins 3 silver and 2 bronze)Sports
2. Mar. 9"Miku no Hi Kanshasai" (Hatsune Miku's thanks festival) is held at Zepp TokyoMusic
3. Apr. 3TVXQ announces a hiatus of group activities in JapanMusic
4. Apr. 27Ustream's Japanese-language site opensTechnology
5. May 28The iPad, for enjoying video and books on a large touch screen, goes on sale in JapanTechnology
6. Jun. 9At the 2nd AKB48 General Election, Yuko Oshima takes first placeIdols
7. Jun.Japan's national soccer team reaches the knockout stage at the World Cup in South AfricaSports
8. Aug. 11KARA debuts in Japan with "Mister"Idols
9. Aug. 13–15Comic Market 78 (560,000 total visits over 3 days)Fan works
10. Aug. 18AKB48 releases "Heavy Rotation"Idols
11. Aug. 25Girls' Generation performs in Japan at Ariake Coliseum in TokyoMusic
12. Sep. 8Girls' Generation makes its Japanese CD debut with "GENIE"Music
13. Oct. 6Instagram, for editing and sharing photos, is bornNetworking
14. Oct. 20Girls' Generation releases its second Japanese single, "Gee"Music
15. Nov. 3Perfume holds its first Tokyo Dome concertMusic
16. Dec. 1Monster Hunter Portable 3rd is releasedGames
17. Dec. 1"AKB48" and "~nau" make the Popular Phrases top tenMedia
18. Dec.At the 52nd Japan Record Awards, AKB48 wins an Excellent Work AwardMusic

1. March 9Miku Day at Zepp TokyoMiku appears in projected imagery
2. May 28iPad goes on sale in JapanA larger touch screen
3. June 9Second General ElectionYuko Oshima takes first
4. August 11KARA debuts in JapanGirls' Generation follows
5. November 3Perfume at Tokyo DomeTheir first Tokyo Dome show
6. December 1Monster Hunter Portable 3rdCooperative hunts on handhelds

A year of many groups, new screens and shared play.

The Year’s Buzzword Awards

Grand PrizeGegege no ~ (from "Gegege no Nyobo," a memoir by the wife of manga artist Shigeru Mizuki)

Nunoe Mura (author of "Gegege no Nyobo")

Top 10Ii shitsumon desu nee ("That's a good question," journalist Akira Ikegami's catchphrase)

Akira Ikegami

Top 10Ikumen ("men who actively raise children")

Takeshi Tsuruno

Top 10AKB48

AKB48

Top 10Joshikai ("girls' night," a women-only get-together)

Teruhiro Ogami

Top 10Datsu-Ozawa ("breaking away from Ozawa," the Democratic Party's distancing from Ichiro Ozawa)

Recipient declined

Top 10Taberu rayu ("edible chili oil," chili oil with crunchy toppings, eaten as a condiment)

Takayuki Koide

Top 10Totonoimashita ("It's all set," the punchline of the riddle routine of W Koron)

W Koron (comedy duo)

Top 10~nau ("~ now," posting what you are doing right now on Twitter)

Kenri Umezaki

Top 10Muen shakai ("society without ties")

NHK "Muen Shakai" production team

Special Award"Nanika motte iru to iwarete tsuzukete kimashita. Kyo nani o motte iru ka o kakushin shimashita... sore wa nakama desu." ("I've been told all along that I have something. Today I became sure of what it is... my teammates.")

Yuki Saito

The grand prize went to “Gegege no ~,” inspired by the NHK morning drama Gegege no Nyobo. “AKB48” and “~nau” were selected for the top ten. Jiyu Kokuminsha (in Japanese)

“Nau” writes the English word “now” in hiragana to report where you are or what you are doing right now, as in “Just arrived at the venue nau.” It took hold alongside the habit of posting real-time status updates on Twitter.

Next, 2011 follows the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on concerts, relief activities, and the birth of the messaging app LINE.