Oshi-Katsu Chronicle 2014: Frozen and Yo-kai Watch Songs, Yuzuru Hanyu's Gold, and Live Shows Going Overseas

In 2014, Disney’s Frozen became a cultural phenomenon in Japanese cinemas, while songs, dances, and toys from the TV anime Yo-kai Watch swept elementary schools nationwide. In July, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” opened at Universal Studios Japan (USJ), and anime titles such as Love Live! Season 2 and Haikyu!! energized fan communities.

At the Sochi Winter Olympics in February, Yuzuru Hanyu won Japan’s first Olympic gold medal in men’s singles figure skating. In music, Momoiro Clover Z became the first female group to hold a solo concert at the National Stadium before its reconstruction, and Arashi celebrated their 15th anniversary with concerts in Hawaii. While BABYMETAL launched its first world tour, at home handshake events overhauled their security procedures.

Frozen Sing-Along Screenings, Yo-kai Watch, and USJ’s Harry Potter Area

Opening in Japan on March 14, Disney’s animated musical Frozen depicted the bond between royal sisters Anna and Elsa. Japanese-dubbed songs including “Let It Go: Ari no Mama de” sung by Takako Matsu (as Elsa) and “Umarete Hajimete” (“For the First Time in Forever”) sung with Sayaka Kanda (as Anna) were embraced across generations. Disney’s film page (in Japanese) / Record of the 10th anniversary of its Japanese release (in Japanese)

From April, theaters across Japan introduced sing-along screenings displaying lyrics onscreen so audiences could sing together. Box office revenue announced by the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan the following January reached ¥25.5 billion, dominating the 2014 box office, while the soundtrack CD also became a million-seller. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (in Japanese)

Among Japanese films, the 3DCG animated feature Stand by Me Doraemon (¥8.38 billion) and the two-part live-action Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno (¥5.22 billion) and The Legend Ends (¥4.35 billion) starring Takeru Satoh also scored major hits. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (in Japanese)

On television, the anime Yo-kai Watch, which began airing in January, sparked an explosive boom among children. Humorously attributing everyday troubles to mischievous folkloric spirits, its opening theme “Geragerapo no Uta” by King Cream Soda and ending theme “Youkai Taisou Daiichi” by Dream5 both became huge hits. LEVEL-5 (in Japanese)

The CD for “Youkai Taisou Daiichi” came out on April 23. Meanwhile, “Youkai Medal Chapter 1” (released January 11) and the “DX Yo-kai Watch” toy repeatedly sold out at toy stores nationwide, drawing long morning lines for lottery sales, while the Nintendo 3DS games Yo-kai Watch 2 shipped over 5 million copies during the year. Dream5 official (in Japanese) / Bandai’s product record (in Japanese)

On July 15, Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in Osaka opened “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” Built with an investment of approximately ¥45 billion to recreate Hogwarts Castle and Hogsmeade Village, the area drew crowds of visitors wearing school robes, carrying wands, and drinking Butterbeer. USJ’s tenth-anniversary announcement / J-CAST’s opening-day report (in Japanese)

In spring anime, Love Live! Season 2, the volleyball anime Haikyu!! Season 1 based on Haruichi Furudate’s manga, and Is the Order a Rabbit? began airing in April. μ’s from Love Live! played two days at Saitama Super Arena in February and sent a string of Season 2 insert-song singles into the top ranks of Oricon.

Yuzuru Hanyu Wins Gold at Sochi, and Attention Turns to the Performances and Athletes

At the Sochi Winter Olympics in February, 19-year-old Yuzuru Hanyu won the gold medal in men’s singles figure skating—the first ever for a Japanese man in the event. Setting a world record of 101.45 points in the short program (“Parisienne Walkways”) as the first skater to break the 100-point barrier, he won with a combined total of 280.09 points. Japanese Olympic Committee (in Japanese)

Combining quadruple jumps with expressive musicality, Hanyu’s skating drew waves of new fans in Japan and abroad. Roughly 92,000 people lined the street for his April victory parade in his hometown of Sendai, and ice shows and competitions saw surging attendance. In the women’s free skate, Mao Asada rebounded from 16th in the short program to land all six types of triple jumps in a deeply moving performance.

In ski jumping, 41-year-old Noriaki Kasai, competing in his seventh Winter Olympics, won silver in the individual large hill and bronze in the team event, while teenagers Ayumu Hirano (15) and Taku Hiraoka (18) won silver and bronze in men’s snowboard halfpipe. Kasai’s longevity earned him the nickname “Legend.” Results of the Japanese team (in Japanese)

Momoclo at the National Stadium, and Arashi in Hawaii: Milestone Concerts

On March 15 and 16, Momoiro Clover Z held solo concerts at the National Stadium prior to its demolition and rebuilding, becoming the first female group to headline the venue and drawing 110,000 fans in person plus 40,000 at cinema live viewings over the two days. Official concert record (in Japanese)

On September 19 and 20, Arashi held their 15th-anniversary concerts, “ARASHI BLAST in Hawaii,” at a special outdoor venue at Ko Olina Resort on Oahu, where they had held their debut press conference in 1999. Alongside 30,000 fans attending in Hawaii, fans across 209 cinema screens in Japan watched the helicopter entrance and hit medleys in real time via live viewing. Storm Labels official (in Japanese)

That same March, the Japan 2.5D Musical Association was founded to promote stage productions adapted from manga, anime, and games—such as Musical: The Prince of Tennis, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, and Stage: Yowamushi Pedal—at home and abroad. Introduction of the association (in Japanese)

BABYMETAL Reaches the Main Stage of an Overseas Rock Festival

After releasing their self-titled first album in February and playing two nights at Nippon Budokan in March, BABYMETAL kicked off their first world tour in Paris on July 1. The music video for “Gimme Chocolate!!,” uploaded to YouTube in February, had gone viral among Western rock fans and media, building momentum for their overseas dates. Tour announcement at the time (in Japanese)

Originally booked for a tent stage at the UK’s Sonisphere Festival, BABYMETAL was upgraded to the main Apollo Stage on July 5 in response to fan demand, winning over tens of thousands of metal fans.

Announcement of the schedule and the stage change (in Japanese)

An Incident at a Handshake Event, and Stronger Safety Measures When They Resumed

On May 25, at an AKB48 handshake event in Takizawa, Iwate Prefecture, an attacker injured members Rina Kawaei and Anna Iriyama along with a male staff member. Report that day (in Japanese)

Handshake events and theater shows were temporarily suspended, and at the 6th AKB48 General Election at Ajinomoto Stadium on June 7 (where Mayu Watanabe won first place with 159,854 votes), strict metal-detector screening and baggage checks were enforced at the gates.

When handshake events resumed at Tokyo Big Sight on July 5, organizers introduced metal detectors, baggage inspections, mandatory bag drop before entering handshake lanes, and security guards stationed beside every member. AKB48 official notice on the resumption (in Japanese)

Across the entertainment industry, the incident prompted idol groups, voice-actor events, and concert venues to strengthen bag checks and identity verification.

The Live Ticket Market Grows, and Photos Are Shared on Social Media

Pia Research Institute estimated Japan’s 2014 live entertainment market (concerts, stage productions, and musical theater) at ¥426 billion, up 10.9% from the previous year. Even as physical CD sales declined, demand for experiencing live concerts, outdoor festivals, and 2.5D stage shows in person continued to grow, while SEKAI NO OWARI (“Dragon Night”) and Motohiro Hata’s “Himawari no Yakusoku” (theme song of Stand by Me Doraemon) became signature hits of the year. Pia Research Institute (in Japanese)

On April 1, Japan’s consumption tax rate rose from 5% to 8%, the first increase in 17 years since April 1997, prompting rush purchases of concert tickets, rail passes, and electronics in March. Ministry of Finance (in Japanese)

On Instagram, the Japanese-language official account “@instagramjapan” launched on February 17, introducing Japanese creators and photography culture in Japanese as mobile photo sharing of café sweets, concert goods, and travel spots grew rapidly among young smartphone users. Meta (in Japanese)

At the 56th Japan Record Awards at year’s end, the Grand Prix went to Sandaime J Soul Brothers from EXILE TRIBE for “R.Y.U.S.E.I.,” whose synchronized “Running Man” dance break became a nationwide karaoke, school-festival, and party favorite. Yo-kai Watch and Frozen also received special awards, while in tennis Kei Nishikori reached the men’s singles final at the US Open in September, the first Grand Slam singles final for an Asian male player. Japan Composers Association (in Japanese)

Key Events of the Year

The Year’s Buzzword Awards

The grand prizes went to comedy duo Nippon Elekitel Rengo’s white-face doll sketch catchphrase “Dame yo~ Dame dame” and “Shudanteki jieiken” (collective self-defense, declined by recipient). The top ten included “Ari no mama de” (Frozen), “Yo-kai Watch,” ski jumper Noriaki Kasai’s “Legend,” the afternoon adultery drama coinage “Hirugao,” and “Carp joshi.” Jiyu Kokuminsha (in Japanese)

“Carp joshi” referred to women fans cheering for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in red jerseys and cute team merchandise, organized into away-game Shinkansen tours at metropolitan stadiums and female-focused fan events.

In 2015, we trace the browser game Touken Ranbu -ONLINE- and museum sword exhibitions, the Mr. Osomatsu boom, and the arrival of flat-rate music and video streaming subscriptions.