Oshi-Katsu Chronicle 2022: Chanting Returns to the Stands, Uta Goes to Kohaku, Chiikawa and the World Cup

In 2022, coronavirus restrictions eased little by little, and concerts and events with audiences became more common. In the J.League, Japan’s professional soccer league, supporters began trials of cheering aloud, with limits on numbers and on where cheering was allowed.

Anime films such as ONE PIECE FILM RED opened in theaters, and at year’s end Japan’s national soccer team beat Germany and Spain at the World Cup.

Cheering Aloud Begins to Return at J.League Matches, in Stages

Even when spectators were let back into stadiums, they couldn’t always cheer as before. Singing in unison and calling out players’ names were still restricted.

1. 01RestrictionsNo unison singing or name calls
2. 02May 17Staged introduction announced
3. 03Jun 11 to Aug 1428 trial matches with cheering areas
4. 04From Aug 15Clubs may set up voiced-cheering sections

Not every stadium switched back at once; conditions were checked along the way.

On May 17, the J.League announced a staged return of voiced cheering. In 28 matches from June 11 to August 14, it set up dedicated cheering areas and trialed operations under conditions such as mask-wearing. Announcement of the introduction (in Japanese) / Report on the trial results (in Japanese)

From August 15, any club that wished could set up a voiced-cheering section under the guidelines. Not every stadium went back to the old way of cheering at once; the return proceeded as conditions were checked.

The live market recovered too. Preliminary figures from Pia Research Institute put the venue-based live entertainment market at ¥565.2 billion (roughly $3.8 billion), about 90% of the 2019 level before the pandemic. Market survey at the time (in Japanese)

¥565.2 billion

Venue live market (roughly $3.8 billion)

About 90%

Share of the 2019 level

These are preliminary figures from the survey.

Source: Pia Research Institute market survey (in Japanese)

The Film’s Uta Becomes a Kohaku Performer at Year’s End

ONE PIECE FILM RED, which opened on August 6, features a diva named Uta. Kaori Nazuka voiced her and Ado sang for her, and songs such as “New Genesis” are performed within the story. Official introduction of the film (in Japanese)

The visual gives Uta a prominent position among the cast. It matches the film’s musical focus while distinguishing its fictional singer from Ado, who provides her singing voice.

Ado’s album Uta’s Songs: ONE PIECE FILM RED collected the theme song and the songs from the film. Official album information (in Japanese)

On December 31, Uta appeared on NHK’s New Year’s Eve song show, Kohaku Uta Gassen. It was announced as the first time an anime character had been chosen as a performer. ONE PIECE official announcement of the appearance (in Japanese)

August 6ONE PIECE FILM RED opens

The diva Uta appears, voiced by Kaori Nazuka with Ado as her singing voice.

AlbumUta's Songs: ONE PIECE FILM RED

Ado's album collects the theme song and songs from the film.

December 31NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen

Announced as the first time an anime character was chosen as a performer.

Anime Films Keep Opening Through Autumn and Winter

After ONE PIECE FILM RED in summer, more anime films opened in theaters that autumn and winter.

1. August

   ONE PIECE FILM RED

   Luffy and his crew's story unfolds around Uta's concert.

2. November

   Suzume

   A new film by director Makoto Shinkai. A girl travels around Japan closing doors that bring disaster.

3. December

   THE FIRST SLAM DUNK

   The basketball manga SLAM DUNK is adapted into a film, directed by its creator, Takehiko Inoue.

Report on the release of Suzume (in Japanese) / Report on the release of THE FIRST SLAM DUNK (in Japanese)

The visual combines its two characters with a door standing within the landscape. An ordinary object becomes a story symbol, distinct from the actual appearance of places visitors may later seek.

BTS Pursue Solo Work, and New K-pop Acts Debut

In June, BTS released the album Proof, gathering their work to that point. Solo releases by members followed one after another, including j-hope’s Jack In The Box. BTS official discography record (in Japanese)

But the group did not stop entirely in June. On October 15 it held a concert in Busan, which was also broadcast on television in Japan. TBS, which handled the broadcast (in Japanese)

Among the newcomers, LE SSERAFIM released FEARLESS in May, and in July NewJeans announced the music video for “Attention” as its first released content. LE SSERAFIM release information (in Japanese) / Official materials at NewJeans’ announcement (in Japanese)

NewJeans became known by showing its songs and video first, without a long run of teasers.

The grand prize at the Japan Record Awards went to SEKAI NO OWARI’s “Habit.” The Excellent Work Awards that year also included Ado’s “New Genesis,” NiziU’s “CLAP CLAP” and BE:FIRST’s “Bye-Good-Bye.” Japan Composers Association’s record of awards (in Japanese)

Chiikawa Merchandise and the ONE PIECE Card Game

Chiikawa, drawn by the illustrator Nagano, won the Grand Prize at the Japan Character Awards 2022 in June. Beyond the manga and anime, the fun of keeping the characters close through plush toys and small goods spread too. Record of the Japan Character Awards (in Japanese)

The TV anime SPY×FAMILY also began that year. Characters such as Anya became widely known, and besides people following the story, more came to know the work through the characters’ expressions and lines. Shueisha’s introduction of the work (in Japanese)

The first-season image arranges the three central figures at different heights and positions. It identifies the television ensemble separately from its later film and seasons.

The ONE PIECE Card Game went on sale in July. The first decks came in four types, including “Straw Hat Crew” and “Worst Generation.” You collect the original story’s characters and artwork as cards and use them in matches. Official product announcement (in Japanese)

Japan Beats Germany and Spain at the World Cup

The soccer World Cup was held in Qatar in November and December. Japan’s national team beat Germany 2-1, lost to Costa Rica, then beat Spain 2-1 as well to top its group. Japan Football Association match report (in Japanese)

1. 01GermanyWon 2-1
2. 02Costa RicaLost
3. 03SpainWon 2-1, topping the group
4. 04Croatia1-1, lost on penalties

The national team's result was a Round of 16 exit.

The Spain match was played in the early morning of December 2, Japan time.

In the Round of 16, Japan drew 1-1 with Croatia and lost on penalties, ending its run there. Record of the national team at the tournament (in Japanese)

In baseball, pitcher Roki Sasaki threw a perfect game on April 10, winning without letting a single batter reach base, the first in Japanese pro baseball in 28 years. Chiba Lotte Marines record (in Japanese)

The Companies Behind Streaming, and Social Media, Change

On June 8, ANYCOLOR, the company behind the VTuber group Nijisanji, listed on the Growth market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, a milestone at which a company supporting streamers showed investors its business and results. ANYCOLOR’s announcement of listing approval (in Japanese)

In October, Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter was completed. The service would be renamed “X” the following year, 2023. Reuters report on the Twitter acquisition (in Japanese)

On November 30, OpenAI released ChatGPT as a research preview, an AI that answers in writing when you type a question. OpenAI’s explanation at release

Key Events of the Year

1. Apr.TV anime SPY x FAMILY begins broadcastingAnime
2. Apr. 10Pitcher Roki Sasaki throws a perfect game, the first in 28 yearsSports
3. May 2LE SSERAFIM debuts in Korea with "FEARLESS"Idols
4. Jun. 8ANYCOLOR lists on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth marketBusiness
5. Jun. 10BTS releases "Proof," an album looking back on its careerMusic
6. Jun.–Aug.The J.League runs trials of how to operate voice cheeringSports
7. Jun. 22Chiikawa wins the Grand Prix at the Japan Character AwardsCharacters
8. Jul. 8Starter decks for the ONE PIECE Card Game go on saleGames
9. Jul. 22NewJeans releases the "Attention" music videoIdols
10. Aug. 6ONE PIECE FILM RED opensAnime
11. Aug. 13–14Comic Market 100 (170,000 total visits over 2 days)Fan works
12. Oct. 15BTS holds a group concert in BusanMusic
13. Oct. 27Elon Musk completes his acquisition of TwitterMedia
14. Nov. 11Suzume opensAnime
15. Nov. 20–Dec. 18The FIFA World Cup QatarSports
16. Nov. 30OpenAI releases the conversational AI "ChatGPT"Media
17. Dec. 2Japan beats Spain at the World Cup (Japan time)Sports
18. Dec. 3THE FIRST SLAM DUNK opensAnime
19. Dec. 30At the Record Awards, SEKAI NO OWARI wins for "Habit"Music
20. Dec. 31The anime character Uta appears as a Kohaku performerMusic

1. May 17J.League voiced cheeringStaged introduction announced
2. Jun 8ANYCOLOR listedTokyo Stock Exchange Growth market
3. JulONE PIECE Card GameFour starter decks
4. Aug 6ONE PIECE FILM REDUta's songs
5. Nov 30ChatGPT releasedAs a research preview
6. Dec 2Japan beats SpainEarly morning, Japan time
7. Dec 31Uta at the KohakuFirst anime character performer

The Year’s Buzzword Awards

Grand PrizeMurakami-sama ("Lord Murakami," for Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami)

Munetaka Murakami

Top 10Kiiu ("Kyiv," the Ukrainian capital, now spelled with the Ukrainian pronunciation)

Hidehiko Nakazawa (Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)

Top 10Kitsune dance ("fox dance," a stadium dance to a song at Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters games)

Fighters Sports & Entertainment Co., Ltd.

Top 10Kokusogi ("state funeral," for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe)

Junichi Miyama (Professor, Chuo University)

Top 10Shukyo nisei ("second-generation followers," children raised in a religion)

General Incorporated Association Social Survey Support Institute Chikilabo

Top 10Shiran kedo ("I don't know, but...," a hedge added at the end of a sentence)

—

Top 10Sumaho shoruda (a "smartphone shoulder" strap or pouch worn across the body)

—

Top 10Temae-dori ("taking from the front," picking items with the nearest dates to cut food waste)

Co-op Kobe and others

Top 10Yakult 1000 (Yakult Y1000 probiotic drink)

Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd.

Top 10Warui en'yasu ("bad yen weakness")

Futoshi Oguri

The grand prize went to “Murakami-sama” (“Lord Murakami”), a nickname honoring Tokyo Yakult Swallows player Munetaka Murakami, who won the Triple Crown and had a standout season. 2022 winning words (in Japanese)

The top ten also included the “Kitsune Dance” (fox dance) performed at the Nippon-Ham Fighters’ ballpark.

The following year, restrictions on cheering aloud ease further. On to Oshi-Katsu Chronicle 2023.