The same thing happened to me: Utapri was my first contact with Mamo's music. I already liked him for Death Note (but only this) I fell in love with "Nanaru no Compass" and with Tokiya . I didn't know it was Mamo who sang the opening song (I went crazy with Orpheus and Canon). It was watching a UA-cam AMV video of Utapri with the song "Moonlight"... that I stopped everything I was doing (seriously, Moonlight made me float) and went looking for whoever was singing. Since then I've been following Mamo: I buy his CDs, Dvds from the Live tour (OMG .. how he dances well, super cool ..his lives tour are getting more and more amazing. I wonder if Japanese pop singers have that same energy and charisma in his shows. I noticed that his latest Live Tour already has a large male audience and some fans over the age of 50 ..I loved it ! ) I listen to his program on the radio and watch the programs where he appears . I subscribed to Spotify Premium just to listen to Mamo's music. And now I'm finally going to be able to see his show via Streaming. I love the seiyuu world ^_^ . I haven't heard all the episodes of "Seiyuu Lounge" yet, but I thank you with all my heart for your dedication. It's amazing how much information you have about the male seiyuus. I don't know if you've ever done an episode about seiyuu fanclub, but I'm very curious to know: how a fanclub can help a seiyuu's career. And super popular seiyuus have on average how many fans in their fanclubs? Some time ago it was very difficult to get something from your favorite seiyuu. Fortunately this is changing and very fast. In my case I already think Mamo is a great advance to be on most platforms and social networks (even if it's only in Japanese, with the exception of its official website which now has language options)
@Denise I had a similar reaction when I heard "Orpheus" LOL "Who is singing this song? OMG it's too good!" Then I found it was a voice actor, none other than Mamo so I was doubly surprised. "Man, seiyuu can really sing!" Mamo was the catalyst for the website - and by extension - this channel existing. If it wasn't for that song, I wouldn't be here talking enthusiastically about the awesome singers among seiyuu. So I really owe Mamo for being the reason I started doing something that I now love :D He's not called a "J-pop superstar" for nothing! The way he presents himself on stage, the things he creates as extras for the live shows - those comedy skits midway the live shows - and how connected he is with his fans are really similar to how j-pop idols act and interact. Just watching a live show of his you know you are there to be entertained and Mamo really excels on making his shows memorable and plenty of fun for everyone involved! The fanbase now having male fans and people over 50 goes to show how popular he is even outside of what you'd call "seiyuu fanbase", it also shows that fans are aging alongside him (which is endearing). He's really a pop star and people no longer look at him as a "seiyuu artist" which is cool! That's some dedication - and a lot of love - for Mamo! I can really feel that passion and I believe that Mamo would love to know that because of one song of his, you now passionately follow everything he does. I do hope you enjoy his live show and make awesome memories! 😄 I haven't talked about it yet. Since this is the 2nd time someone has asked about fanclubs, consider your question to be answered in an episode to come! I can confidently say this about how many fans do seiyuu have in their fanclubs: it is not known. Seiyuu and their music labels do not disclose those numbers. The only way to have a rough estimate is if that seiyuu holds a "fanclub only" live show/event, that way you can assess something close to their official fanbase numbers. Things are, indeed, changing in the seiyuu industry and thankfully for us, international fans, things are starting to be much nicer with the livestreams and music available on streaming platforms! I sure hope that, with time, their music labels can be more open to international fans and make content available at least in English. Thanks for the kind words about the content on this channel! Everything here comes from a place of love and admiration for male seiyuu, music and the seiyuu industry so if you enjoy the content, it's a big win for me. Thanks as well for checking the podcast, I sure hope you're enjoying the episodes so far! 😃
E.M.U is legendary. I listened to couple of their songs and they're alright, not my cup of tea because of the 'dated' sound, very similar to Johnny's group idol songs during that time lol My first encounter of seiyuu singing is actually from Hunter X Hunter stage musical, it's a group song titled 'GONtte yatsu wa' sung by the 4 main leads, Takeuchi Junko, Mitsuhashi Kanako, Kaida Yuki, and Gouda Hozumi, reprising their respective characters on the anime. I remember it took me hours to download that one song with a dial up connection lmao Back then I was just amazed that I could download a song from a series that I like, not knowing the people singing are in fact the seiyuus. It wasn't until I listened to Hikaru's character song, 'Sora' sung by Kawakami Tomoko (RIP) from the Hikaru no Go anime, that I realized, character CDs are a thing. Starting that, I scavenged the internet with my slow, dial-up connection, looking for my favorite animes' character CDs XD The first 2D unit I noticed was Starish, no doubt. A friend showed me 'Maji Love 1000%' and I laughed so hard because it was cheesy as heckkkkk. Little did I know, it was the start of the 2D unit wave XD I knew about Tsukiuta not too long after that and still follow their updates to this day, along with the other Tsukipro units, particularly Growth. My current favorite 2D units are Quartet Night, Growth, Thrive and Anthos
E.M.U are that kind of "guilty pleasure" group. You know they sound dated but as soon as the music starts playing, you end up grooving to it 😂 That is a unique encounter! Were you surprised that seiyuu could actually sing pretty well? I remember I was rather surprised and had to check twice to make sure that it was, indeed, seiyuu singing (and impressing me at the same time) 😄 Scavenging the web with a dial up connection must have been... quite the adventure 😆 But I feel you - and I believe many seiyuu fans - have done it before "This is so good! Is there more?" and then you start downloading like crazy and binge listening to everything. Difference is: now we have the speed, back then... we had to wait a whole lot xD Same reaction for me. Worse yet, I was only then starting to watch anime in Japanese (have watched since I was a kid but dubbed in Portuguese or Spanish) so coming across it was quite the funny episode for me. I was laughing my ass off when I heard their group song. It was cheesy. Strangely enough, I was drawn to it because it was catchy as heck lol Same thing as E.M.U, it's a guilty pleasure xD We didn't even notice that history was in the making back then! I tried to get into Tsukiuta's music but never really connected with it but the Tsukipro units were a breath of fresh air in 2015, at least it felt like that to me. Growth and SolidS made a big impression. They weren't alike any of the 2D units debuted / active at that time! Growth are just so majestic and their vocals are 👌 SolidS impressed because of their straightforward "suggestive", mature vibe and balance between vocals and instrumentals. Both continue to be among my favorite 2D groups. Oh, top tier, high quality vocal groups in there! I can tell you have good taste 👌 Thanks for the comment @chrizpo25!!
@@thtfhq It was indeed a surprise. Who would've known that voice actor in Japan actually sings? Oh man, I remember the struggle. It was the time when downloading 10 mb data could take up the whole day... Google was not as advanced as it is today, so I used Yahoo! instead and I lurked around dmoz directory or geocities a lot, to look up anime fan sites. What a time... I also remember relying on local anime magazines to read any info on seiyuus because wikipedia was still in its infancy back then XD Maji love is a guilty pleasure indeed. I still sing that song whenever I visit the karaoke place XD I think nobody really foresaw Starish breaking records like crazy. What started off as an otome game with music academy as the premise, turned out to be such a huge success. What's even more interesting, Starish as a group didn't exist in the game universe until like the fifth installment lol Well, Tsukiuta is not everybody's cup of tea. My friend tried too and never got into it. I like the songs, except a select few. I also like the whole universe the characters are in, they're illogical but interesting. After the animes are out and Hosoya Yoshimasa left his singing role, I kinda distanced myself a bit though. I'd much prefer them staying as a character CD series, but that's just me. SolidS' songs are a hit and miss for me, some are ok, some sounded like they tried too hard to be cool and edgy imo, don't kill me XD But I do like their solos. Rikka aka Hanae's 'Lily' is a constant favorite of mine.
That was when I knew that voice acting (and voice actors) was so impressive as an art! The dial sound still haunts me to this day LOL But the joy that it was, after hours, to get that song you wanted is irreplaceable 😊 How I would have love to have anime magazines in here. Although there are some countries in Europe where anime is really big and there are publications on it, here in Portugal you got nothing. Only option was to browse the web to get info on anime and such. Maji Love starts playing and, as much as my eyes start rolling, I can't help but to know the lyrics to heart 😂 Just like you, I never expected STARISH would open the doors for 2D music to proliferate. And that cheesy song was the catalyst! I make fun of Utapri but I still follow the franchise rather closely - not as much as before though -, still going back to the PSP games from time to time. Ah... Hosoya Yoshimasa stopping singing was a big blow, yet understandable given his condition. Now, that you mention, it would have been better, as far as I know, Tsukiuta's drama CDs have always sold pretty well. SolidS seem to be an acquired taste LOL You'll find them weird at first - especially with each song sounding nothing like the previous, but if you listen to their repertoire chronologically, you start understanding where those vibes come, the common themes and their whole dynamic in their sound. I confess that I wasn't a big fan of theirs in the beginning - their first 2 releases were downright awful (sorry to any big SolidS' fans out there) - but starting from ROMEO I was invested (now, that was music that I could listen again and again). I agree that they have hit-and-miss moments but, as of late, have been pretty consistent! They are now among my favorite 2D groups. 😂 I won't! Far from that, I actually like to have these kinds of conversations and enjoy exchanging impressions about music with others that love male seiyuu and music just like I do 😁 I only wish the male seiyuu fandom was more like this, peacefully exchanging ideas! Rikka has the best solo track in the Tsukipro fanchise. Hands down. "Lily" still goes on heavy rotation for me. Hanae's ethereal vocals, the whole delicate and traditional sound... I was - and still am - enthralled by that song!
"we need to go back to the early 90s" 80s male seiyuu music (Toshio Furukawa, Yuji Mitsuya, the seiyuu that shall not be named, etc.): *Am I a joke to you?*
We even have the 70s generation - the pioneers when it comes to male seiyuu being singers or even forming bands! Got a playlist all about the story of seiyuu units/bands and there's so much that isn't talked about that was truly cool (especially at the time it was happening)!
Hi! This is a very good and informative video! I'm grateful for your hard work! 🙇♀️ I seriously hope E.M.U's discography becomes available for streaming platforms. One can dream.... For the questions: I actually haven't fell in love with any seiyuu's voice acting style yet! It's hard to do so when I don't get much time to watch anime shows 😭 I do love Hatanaka Tasuku's singing style 🥰 I heard You & Me で Wave? and just fell in love with how he sung that song. Since then I tried to follow him for more music. His releases are something to look forward to! I don't fully follow any 2D projects; I only see news if it gets retweeted in my timeline 😭 I kind of closely follow Ensemble Stars though but only for Knights because I love Masami Ito's singing style. Thank you so much for this wonderful digest!
Hi P M!!! Thank you so much for your comment and for hanging out during the live stream!! E.M.U have pretty good songs (classic 90s pop-rock with some breakbeat and citypop in the mix) - unfortunately I don't have their cassettes or CDs -, I make due with a live show VHS tape 😂 Unfortunately, Geneon universal - their distributor / music label - is no longer active so, unless a kind owner of some of the now - RARE - CDs shares those online, we won't have much luck 😢 I actually don't remember when or in what project I came across Hatanaka🤔😂 For sure was way before his debut as a solo artist. But I remember being a bit skeptical when his debut was announced, after, suddenly, everyone was announcing a solo debut and some debuts were being a bit... lackluster in my opinion. Then I listened to him singing: I was mesmerized 😍 What a voice and skill! Would love for him to have more control over his music, see what he can do with his solo career. He does have insane talent on the vocal end (both in recording and live), I feel like Lantis holds him back a little bit trying to make all his releases cater to all types of fans at the same time which, in return, makes some of his releases not sound like they have a start and an finish, and between that, a common thread to tie it all up brilliantly. I am a sucker for darker concepts so I must say his FIGHTER era was - and still is - my favorite. The vibe, the music, the vocals and the visuals (cover art and music video) were on point for that release! Oh! It's rare to find a seiyuu fan that is not too big on 2D units! 😮 I do love Knights as well, particularly love how classy - without being cheesy or downright "suggestive" - their music sounds, they have a good balance also, the vocals! I don't play the game (s) anymore nor haven't watched the anime because there's no free time for that though but I still have a soft spot for them (UNDEAD, Valkyrie and 2wink as well). Thank you for listening to this episode! Hope you enjoy the following as well! 😁
@@thtfhq I should have notifs on 😭 Lantis might be trying to make Hatanaka sing a lot of different songs for versatility? But the release dates are too far apart to really make an impact/difference, I think. He's releasing back-to-back now so there might be some plan. I just hope he won't get too tired/fatigued 😩 I only get attached to 2D units if I'm also attached to the game LOL My first music game that is an actual franchise is Love Live, and I'm not even that attached to any of the groups. Their music is quite nice though, and I greatly like one character but not to the point of following them closely. Knights vocals are just so good. First series of the franchise's music is a bit meh but they were able to sing with quality, then second series was an upgrade. The third series though, that was outstanding. I'm so glad I have their album 🥰 I'm waiting for the next episode now! I'm looking forward to it!
Hahaha no worries! I think so, especially seeing how, suddenly, Hatanaka has been releasing a lot of music and none of the releases seem to share the same vibe. The back-to-back releases might be to build up momentum perhaps for a full-length album? 🤔 That kind of strategy is often used to build up for something more important - since a live show is out of the question, it might be a new album perhaps in the 1st quarter of 2021. Between roles in anime and 2 new singles (just recording 1 song can take days in the studio...) he might be on a tight schedule, sure hope he gets some rest but you know how the industry is, seiyuu only sleep 1 or 2 hours per day so... That's a valid way to get into 2D units! I'm the opposite though, I start following groups (without knowing those are part of games) and most of the times, when I notice that there is a game, I won't bother playing it (exceptions made to IDOLiSH7 and the late Band Yarouze! and Tsukipara that have good games). For example, I love Tenjyou Tenge's songs from I-Chu. And so, I tried playing the game to find them... "Oh... they only unlock on level x... I see." I uninstalled the game following it, I was not about to put insane hours into the game to get to play their songs and interact with the group. That's why I usually check the groups and only if I really want to, then I'll play the games. I would answer differently if I was in my teens and with a lot of free time available but reality is different and I need to make choices between which games to play 😂 Their full-length album was what made me a fan. What a release that is! Knights' jazz-pop elegance immediately caught my attention and those in-sync vocals are just 😍 Hope you enjoyed the episode!!
I would love to answer your question in 18:00: I was in high school and watching Eyeshield21 and my first contact with male seiyuu was through Irino Miyu-san. He was singing the character's song, Kobayakawa Sena, if I'm not mistaken. Let's say I've been a seasonal(?) fan and the rest is history XD my current favorites are Hosoya Yoshimasa, Suzuki Tatsuhisa, and Kajiwara Gakuto.
Thank you for your comment @Nia W! That is a really interesting encounter! Miyu has always impressed me with his emotional range and ability to make you invested in whatever character he voices. That's some taste in there! Hosoyan, Tatsu and Gakkun! 😄 If you don't mind me asking: What do you love about them? The voice tone? How they portray emotions, the personality or the whole package?
@@thtfhq Yes, Irino Miyu is always amazing. Can I say the whole package? XD When watching a certain anime with them in it, sometimes I wonder how can they portray the character so well. And the voice tune and also the emotions... AGH! *chef's kiss* it's always been their work first, and then looks and personality for me, hehe
@Nia W You can! 😄 You certainly picked 3 voice actors that have an outstanding emotional range - Hosoyan and Miyu have managed to make me cry a whole lot (No.6 and Koe no Katachi respectively) - and Tatsu always brings a lot of emotion to his characters (that are often more intense). Gakuto is still a bit of a blur for me as I dropped "Black Clover" and am only following the music side of his career. As a singer, he's got a lot of talent - and has the makings of a genuinely good solo artist! That's what we come for when we didn't know a thing about seiyuu: the voice, their work in a certain anime. Then the looks and personality are a bonus xD Thank you so much for the replies to my questions! 😅
![SEIYUU LOUNGE EP5 - Male Seiyuu's path in the Music Industry [PART 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0Kz4zgoiRA4/mqdefault.jpg)
![SEIYUU LOUNGE EP6 - Rise and Fall of 2D Music Franchises [PART 1]](/img/n.gif)
Now, that was a quick and complex episode!! Which was the 2D idol/group project that made you a fan of male seiyuu?
The same thing happened to me: Utapri was my first contact with Mamo's music. I already liked him for Death Note (but only this) I fell in love with "Nanaru no Compass" and with Tokiya . I didn't know it was Mamo who sang the opening song (I went crazy with Orpheus and Canon). It was watching a UA-cam AMV video of Utapri with the song "Moonlight"... that I stopped everything I was doing (seriously, Moonlight made me float) and went looking for whoever was singing. Since then I've been following Mamo: I buy his CDs, Dvds from the Live tour (OMG .. how he dances well, super cool ..his lives tour are getting more and more amazing. I wonder if Japanese pop singers have that same energy and charisma in his shows. I noticed that his latest Live Tour already has a large male audience and some fans over the age of 50 ..I loved it ! ) I listen to his program on the radio and watch the programs where he appears . I subscribed to Spotify Premium just to listen to Mamo's music. And now I'm finally going to be able to see his show via Streaming. I love the seiyuu world ^_^ .
I haven't heard all the episodes of "Seiyuu Lounge" yet, but I thank you with all my heart for your dedication. It's amazing how much information you have about the male seiyuus.
I don't know if you've ever done an episode about seiyuu fanclub, but I'm very curious to know: how a fanclub can help a seiyuu's career. And super popular seiyuus have on average how many fans in their fanclubs?
Some time ago it was very difficult to get something from your favorite seiyuu. Fortunately this is changing and very fast.
In my case I already think Mamo is a great advance to be on most platforms and social networks (even if it's only in Japanese, with the exception of its official website which now has language options)
@Denise I had a similar reaction when I heard "Orpheus" LOL "Who is singing this song? OMG it's too good!" Then I found it was a voice actor, none other than Mamo so I was doubly surprised.
"Man, seiyuu can really sing!"
Mamo was the catalyst for the website - and by extension - this channel existing. If it wasn't for that song, I wouldn't be here talking enthusiastically about the awesome singers among seiyuu. So I really owe Mamo for being the reason I started doing something that I now love :D
He's not called a "J-pop superstar" for nothing! The way he presents himself on stage, the things he creates as extras for the live shows - those comedy skits midway the live shows - and how connected he is with his fans are really similar to how j-pop idols act and interact. Just watching a live show of his you know you are there to be entertained and Mamo really excels on making his shows memorable and plenty of fun for everyone involved!
The fanbase now having male fans and people over 50 goes to show how popular he is even outside of what you'd call "seiyuu fanbase", it also shows that fans are aging alongside him (which is endearing). He's really a pop star and people no longer look at him as a "seiyuu artist" which is cool!
That's some dedication - and a lot of love - for Mamo! I can really feel that passion and I believe that Mamo would love to know that because of one song of his, you now passionately follow everything he does. I do hope you enjoy his live show and make awesome memories! 😄
I haven't talked about it yet. Since this is the 2nd time someone has asked about fanclubs, consider your question to be answered in an episode to come!
I can confidently say this about how many fans do seiyuu have in their fanclubs: it is not known.
Seiyuu and their music labels do not disclose those numbers. The only way to have a rough estimate is if that seiyuu holds a "fanclub only" live show/event, that way you can assess something close to their official fanbase numbers.
Things are, indeed, changing in the seiyuu industry and thankfully for us, international fans, things are starting to be much nicer with the livestreams and music available on streaming platforms! I sure hope that, with time, their music labels can be more open to international fans and make content available at least in English.
Thanks for the kind words about the content on this channel! Everything here comes from a place of love and admiration for male seiyuu, music and the seiyuu industry so if you enjoy the content, it's a big win for me.
Thanks as well for checking the podcast, I sure hope you're enjoying the episodes so far! 😃
E.M.U is legendary. I listened to couple of their songs and they're alright, not my cup of tea because of the 'dated' sound, very similar to Johnny's group idol songs during that time lol
My first encounter of seiyuu singing is actually from Hunter X Hunter stage musical, it's a group song titled 'GONtte yatsu wa' sung by the 4 main leads, Takeuchi Junko, Mitsuhashi Kanako, Kaida Yuki, and Gouda Hozumi, reprising their respective characters on the anime. I remember it took me hours to download that one song with a dial up connection lmao
Back then I was just amazed that I could download a song from a series that I like, not knowing the people singing are in fact the seiyuus.
It wasn't until I listened to Hikaru's character song, 'Sora' sung by Kawakami Tomoko (RIP) from the Hikaru no Go anime, that I realized, character CDs are a thing. Starting that, I scavenged the internet with my slow, dial-up connection, looking for my favorite animes' character CDs XD
The first 2D unit I noticed was Starish, no doubt. A friend showed me 'Maji Love 1000%' and I laughed so hard because it was cheesy as heckkkkk. Little did I know, it was the start of the 2D unit wave XD
I knew about Tsukiuta not too long after that and still follow their updates to this day, along with the other Tsukipro units, particularly Growth.
My current favorite 2D units are Quartet Night, Growth, Thrive and Anthos
E.M.U are that kind of "guilty pleasure" group. You know they sound dated but as soon as the music starts playing, you end up grooving to it 😂
That is a unique encounter! Were you surprised that seiyuu could actually sing pretty well?
I remember I was rather surprised and had to check twice to make sure that it was, indeed, seiyuu singing (and impressing me at the same time) 😄
Scavenging the web with a dial up connection must have been... quite the adventure 😆 But I feel you - and I believe many seiyuu fans - have done it before "This is so good! Is there more?" and then you start downloading like crazy and binge listening to everything. Difference is: now we have the speed, back then... we had to wait a whole lot xD
Same reaction for me. Worse yet, I was only then starting to watch anime in Japanese (have watched since I was a kid but dubbed in Portuguese or Spanish) so coming across it was quite the funny episode for me.
I was laughing my ass off when I heard their group song. It was cheesy. Strangely enough, I was drawn to it because it was catchy as heck lol Same thing as E.M.U, it's a guilty pleasure xD
We didn't even notice that history was in the making back then!
I tried to get into Tsukiuta's music but never really connected with it but the Tsukipro units were a breath of fresh air in 2015, at least it felt like that to me. Growth and SolidS made a big impression. They weren't alike any of the 2D units debuted / active at that time! Growth are just so majestic and their vocals are 👌 SolidS impressed because of their straightforward "suggestive", mature vibe and balance between vocals and instrumentals. Both continue to be among my favorite 2D groups.
Oh, top tier, high quality vocal groups in there! I can tell you have good taste 👌
Thanks for the comment @chrizpo25!!
@@thtfhq It was indeed a surprise. Who would've known that voice actor in Japan actually sings?
Oh man, I remember the struggle.
It was the time when downloading 10 mb data could take up the whole day...
Google was not as advanced as it is today, so I used Yahoo! instead and I lurked around dmoz directory or geocities a lot, to look up anime fan sites. What a time...
I also remember relying on local anime magazines to read any info on seiyuus because wikipedia was still in its infancy back then XD
Maji love is a guilty pleasure indeed. I still sing that song whenever I visit the karaoke place XD
I think nobody really foresaw Starish breaking records like crazy. What started off as an otome game with music academy as the premise, turned out to be such a huge success. What's even more interesting, Starish as a group didn't exist in the game universe until like the fifth installment lol
Well, Tsukiuta is not everybody's cup of tea. My friend tried too and never got into it.
I like the songs, except a select few. I also like the whole universe the characters are in, they're illogical but interesting.
After the animes are out and Hosoya Yoshimasa left his singing role, I kinda distanced myself a bit though.
I'd much prefer them staying as a character CD series, but that's just me.
SolidS' songs are a hit and miss for me, some are ok, some sounded like they tried too hard to be cool and edgy imo, don't kill me XD
But I do like their solos. Rikka aka Hanae's 'Lily' is a constant favorite of mine.
That was when I knew that voice acting (and voice actors) was so impressive as an art!
The dial sound still haunts me to this day LOL But the joy that it was, after hours, to get that song you wanted is irreplaceable 😊
How I would have love to have anime magazines in here. Although there are some countries in Europe where anime is really big and there are publications on it, here in Portugal you got nothing. Only option was to browse the web to get info on anime and such.
Maji Love starts playing and, as much as my eyes start rolling, I can't help but to know the lyrics to heart 😂
Just like you, I never expected STARISH would open the doors for 2D music to proliferate. And that cheesy song was the catalyst! I make fun of Utapri but I still follow the franchise rather closely - not as much as before though -, still going back to the PSP games from time to time.
Ah... Hosoya Yoshimasa stopping singing was a big blow, yet understandable given his condition. Now, that you mention, it would have been better, as far as I know, Tsukiuta's drama CDs have always sold pretty well.
SolidS seem to be an acquired taste LOL You'll find them weird at first - especially with each song sounding nothing like the previous, but if you listen to their repertoire chronologically, you start understanding where those vibes come, the common themes and their whole dynamic in their sound.
I confess that I wasn't a big fan of theirs in the beginning - their first 2 releases were downright awful (sorry to any big SolidS' fans out there) - but starting from ROMEO I was invested (now, that was music that I could listen again and again). I agree that they have hit-and-miss moments but, as of late, have been pretty consistent! They are now among my favorite 2D groups.
😂 I won't! Far from that, I actually like to have these kinds of conversations and enjoy exchanging impressions about music with others that love male seiyuu and music just like I do 😁 I only wish the male seiyuu fandom was more like this, peacefully exchanging ideas!
Rikka has the best solo track in the Tsukipro fanchise. Hands down. "Lily" still goes on heavy rotation for me. Hanae's ethereal vocals, the whole delicate and traditional sound... I was - and still am - enthralled by that song!
"we need to go back to the early 90s"
80s male seiyuu music (Toshio Furukawa, Yuji Mitsuya, the seiyuu that shall not be named, etc.): *Am I a joke to you?*
We even have the 70s generation - the pioneers when it comes to male seiyuu being singers or even forming bands! Got a playlist all about the story of seiyuu units/bands and there's so much that isn't talked about that was truly cool (especially at the time it was happening)!
Hi! This is a very good and informative video! I'm grateful for your hard work! 🙇♀️ I seriously hope E.M.U's discography becomes available for streaming platforms. One can dream....
For the questions: I actually haven't fell in love with any seiyuu's voice acting style yet! It's hard to do so when I don't get much time to watch anime shows 😭 I do love Hatanaka Tasuku's singing style 🥰 I heard You & Me で Wave? and just fell in love with how he sung that song. Since then I tried to follow him for more music. His releases are something to look forward to!
I don't fully follow any 2D projects; I only see news if it gets retweeted in my timeline 😭 I kind of closely follow Ensemble Stars though but only for Knights because I love Masami Ito's singing style.
Thank you so much for this wonderful digest!
Hi P M!!! Thank you so much for your comment and for hanging out during the live stream!!
E.M.U have pretty good songs (classic 90s pop-rock with some breakbeat and citypop in the mix) - unfortunately I don't have their cassettes or CDs -, I make due with a live show VHS tape 😂
Unfortunately, Geneon universal - their distributor / music label - is no longer active so, unless a kind owner of some of the now - RARE - CDs shares those online, we won't have much luck 😢
I actually don't remember when or in what project I came across Hatanaka🤔😂 For sure was way before his debut as a solo artist.
But I remember being a bit skeptical when his debut was announced, after, suddenly, everyone was announcing a solo debut and some debuts were being a bit... lackluster in my opinion. Then I listened to him singing: I was mesmerized 😍 What a voice and skill!
Would love for him to have more control over his music, see what he can do with his solo career. He does have insane talent on the vocal end (both in recording and live), I feel like Lantis holds him back a little bit trying to make all his releases cater to all types of fans at the same time which, in return, makes some of his releases not sound like they have a start and an finish, and between that, a common thread to tie it all up brilliantly.
I am a sucker for darker concepts so I must say his FIGHTER era was - and still is - my favorite. The vibe, the music, the vocals and the visuals (cover art and music video) were on point for that release!
Oh! It's rare to find a seiyuu fan that is not too big on 2D units! 😮 I do love Knights as well, particularly love how classy - without being cheesy or downright "suggestive" - their music sounds, they have a good balance also, the vocals! I don't play the game (s) anymore nor haven't watched the anime because there's no free time for that though but I still have a soft spot for them (UNDEAD, Valkyrie and 2wink as well).
Thank you for listening to this episode! Hope you enjoy the following as well! 😁
@@thtfhq I should have notifs on 😭
Lantis might be trying to make Hatanaka sing a lot of different songs for versatility? But the release dates are too far apart to really make an impact/difference, I think. He's releasing back-to-back now so there might be some plan. I just hope he won't get too tired/fatigued 😩
I only get attached to 2D units if I'm also attached to the game LOL My first music game that is an actual franchise is Love Live, and I'm not even that attached to any of the groups. Their music is quite nice though, and I greatly like one character but not to the point of following them closely.
Knights vocals are just so good. First series of the franchise's music is a bit meh but they were able to sing with quality, then second series was an upgrade. The third series though, that was outstanding. I'm so glad I have their album 🥰
I'm waiting for the next episode now! I'm looking forward to it!
Hahaha no worries!
I think so, especially seeing how, suddenly, Hatanaka has been releasing a lot of music and none of the releases seem to share the same vibe.
The back-to-back releases might be to build up momentum perhaps for a full-length album? 🤔
That kind of strategy is often used to build up for something more important - since a live show is out of the question, it might be a new album perhaps in the 1st quarter of 2021.
Between roles in anime and 2 new singles (just recording 1 song can take days in the studio...) he might be on a tight schedule, sure hope he gets some rest but you know how the industry is, seiyuu only sleep 1 or 2 hours per day so...
That's a valid way to get into 2D units! I'm the opposite though, I start following groups (without knowing those are part of games) and most of the times, when I notice that there is a game, I won't bother playing it (exceptions made to IDOLiSH7 and the late Band Yarouze! and Tsukipara that have good games).
For example, I love Tenjyou Tenge's songs from I-Chu. And so, I tried playing the game to find them...
"Oh... they only unlock on level x... I see."
I uninstalled the game following it, I was not about to put insane hours into the game to get to play their songs and interact with the group. That's why I usually check the groups and only if I really want to, then I'll play the games.
I would answer differently if I was in my teens and with a lot of free time available but reality is different and I need to make choices between which games to play 😂
Their full-length album was what made me a fan. What a release that is! Knights' jazz-pop elegance immediately caught my attention and those in-sync vocals are just 😍
Hope you enjoyed the episode!!
I would love to answer your question in 18:00:
I was in high school and watching Eyeshield21 and my first contact with male seiyuu was through Irino Miyu-san. He was singing the character's song, Kobayakawa Sena, if I'm not mistaken. Let's say I've been a seasonal(?) fan and the rest is history XD my current favorites are Hosoya Yoshimasa, Suzuki Tatsuhisa, and Kajiwara Gakuto.
Thank you for your comment @Nia W! That is a really interesting encounter! Miyu has always impressed me with his emotional range and ability to make you invested in whatever character he voices.
That's some taste in there! Hosoyan, Tatsu and Gakkun! 😄
If you don't mind me asking: What do you love about them? The voice tone? How they portray emotions, the personality or the whole package?
@@thtfhq Yes, Irino Miyu is always amazing.
Can I say the whole package? XD When watching a certain anime with them in it, sometimes I wonder how can they portray the character so well. And the voice tune and also the emotions... AGH! *chef's kiss* it's always been their work first, and then looks and personality for me, hehe
@Nia W You can! 😄
You certainly picked 3 voice actors that have an outstanding emotional range - Hosoyan and Miyu have managed to make me cry a whole lot (No.6 and Koe no Katachi respectively) - and Tatsu always brings a lot of emotion to his characters (that are often more intense).
Gakuto is still a bit of a blur for me as I dropped "Black Clover" and am only following the music side of his career. As a singer, he's got a lot of talent - and has the makings of a genuinely good solo artist!
That's what we come for when we didn't know a thing about seiyuu: the voice, their work in a certain anime. Then the looks and personality are a bonus xD
Thank you so much for the replies to my questions! 😅