"Missing Piece" Yuma Nakayama

"Missing Piece" Yuma Nakayama

About the artist: Yuma Nakayama is a part of the Johnny company. His current group is NYC Boys but has been other Johnny and Johnny's Jr's groups such as: Hey! Say! 7 West and  TOP Kids. He is also from Osaka. 

Review on the song:  This song is the theme song for the 30 minute j-drama "Piece" which was on TV near the end of 2012. I fell in love with the show and this song very quickly. When I first heard the song i actually wondered if it was Kamanashi Kazuya from KAT-TUN because the singing tone and style was similar but at the same time, the English was a bit better than Kame's lol. This song is very catchy none-the-less and I must admit that my favorite part is the "love me. love me not." The lyrics are very good and matches well with the drama this song is for. I am not sure if Yuma is going to start a solo career or if this was just done for the drama, either way though, I would defitinely like to hear more from him since i am not to familiar with the new Johnny groups that have came out within the last few years except from Hey! Say! Jump! and Yuma's current group NYC Boys. So in conclusion please check out the song as well as the drama. Both are awesome! Yuma also is one of the main characters in the drama "Piece" that his song is the theme to and his acting is very good as well.

Rating: 5/5

Music Video

Lyrics
好きだって想えた　瞬間に怯えた
love me, love me not, love me, love me not
偽っていられた　簡単に自分も
love me, love me not, love me, love me not

笑顔のまま　君の涙が　落ちるまでは

誰もが歪(いびつ)なピースさ
無理矢理つながって 壊して傷ついて
今　心は渇きつづけてる
正しい答えなど　いらない
君がいれば

感情はいつも　冷静の支配下
truth or lie, truth or lie
葛藤は矛盾を　認めない幼さ
truth and lie, truth and lie

変わることを　恐れる僕を　君が変えた

僕らは良く似たピースさ
ひとりじゃなにひとつ 見えない示せない
けど　舗道に街の灯が描く
初めてつながる　かすかな
ふたつの影

You’re my missing piece

まだ　誰もが歪(いびつ)なピースさ
無理矢理つながって 壊して傷ついて
今　心が渇ききる前に
大事なものだけ　この手で
抱きしめるよ
君のことを
*credit jpopasia.com*

English Translation

You’re my missing piece?
I grew afraid at the moment that I felt you loved me.
love me, love me not, love me, love me not.
I can also easily deceive myself as well
love me, love me not, love me, love me not.
I’ll keep smiling until your tears start falling.

Everyone is an uneven piece. 
If you forcibly connect it, it’ll break and get damaged.
My heart is still continuing to dry out now.
A correct answer is not needed.
As long as you are by my side.

My emotions are always calmly under my control
truth or lie, truth or lie
My complications are contradictory, they are a thread that cannot be seen
truth and lie, truth and lie
You led me to fear changing myself

We are all pieces that are similar to each other
If I’m alone, I can’t see a thing, can’t be shown anything
However, my pathway is drawn by the lights of the city
It’s the first time that we’ve been faintly connected
Both of our shadows
You’re my missing piece

Everyone is an uneven piece
If you forcibly connect it, it’ll break and be damaged
Now, before my heart gets dried out
I’ll only put my treasures onto these hands
I’ll hold it tight
If it is you
*credit goes to jpopasia.com for the this translation*

"Sugar Rush" AKB48

"Sugar Rush" AKB48

About the group: AKB48 (read "A.K.B. Forty-eight") is a Japanese girl group. It has achieved such popularity in Japan that it has been characterized as a social phenomenon. The group has 91 members, ranging in age from the youngest at 13 to mid-20s. Produced by Yasushi Akimoto, it is one of the highest-earning musical acts in the world, with 2011 record sales of over US$200 million in Japan alone.

Review on the song: ♪ S-U-G-A-R jump into your racing car it's a SUGAR RUSH! SUGAR RUSH!♪ If you have watched Disney's newest animation "Wreck-It Ralph" than this song should sound very familiar to you since it is the theme song for the racing game in the movie with the same name and it also playing during the ending credits. This is super sweet and extremely catchy! I ended up singing it for days after just hearing it once and on a personal note I absolutely love the song because I am a huge fan of sugar and racing games so this is pretty much a dead on theme song for myself! As for the music video, it has a ton of sweets and the girls look like they really enjoyed themselves filming it. I will post the music video preview but sadly youtube disabled the full length ones so if you are interested in seeing the whole video go to the website: jpopasia.com :)

Rating: 5/5

Music Video

Lyrics

どんな道だって　まっすぐじゃないだろう？
そう曲がりくねって　凸凹してるはずさ
つらい事時にはあるよね
僕たちは　それでも走るよ
甘いものでもいかが？

S・U・G・A・R Jump into your racing car
Say Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush hey!
S・U・G・A・R Jump into your racing car
Say Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush hey!

悲しくなったら まぶたを閉じてごらん
ほら夢の中なら 涙も忘れられる

もしここで エンストしたって
僕達は慌てたりしない
甘いものでもいかが？

S・U・G・A・R Jump into your racing car
Say Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush hey!
S・U・G・A・R Jump into your racing car
Say Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush hey!

Come down the highway
駆け巡るよ
Open Road
元気のガソリンに wow

S・U・G・A・R Jump into your racing car
Say Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush!
S・U・G・A・R Jump into your racing car
Say Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush hey!

S・U・G・A・R Jump into your racing car
Say Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush hey!
S・U・G・A・R Jump into your racing car
Say Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush hey!

S・U・G・A・R Jump into your racing car
Say Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush hey!
S・U・G・A・R Jump into your racing car
Say Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush!

Translated Lyrics

All roads
Aren’t straight 
Yes, they’re windy 
And bumpy most likely 
Things can get rough from time to time 
We’ll keep running though 
Would you care for something sweet?

S-U-G-A-R 
Jump into your racing car 
It’s a SUGAR RUSH! 
SUGAR RUSH!

S-U-G-A-R 
Jump into your racing car 
It’s a SUGAR RUSH! 
SUGAR RUSH!

If you get sad 
Just close your eyes 
See, in your dreams 
You can forget your tears 
Even if our engine stalls here 
We won’t panic 
Would you care for something sweet?

S-U-G-A-R 
Jump into your racing car 
It’s a SUGAR RUSH! 
SUGAR RUSH!

S-U-G-A-R 
Jump into your racing car 
It’s a SUGAR RUSH! 
SUGAR RUSH!

Come down the highway 
Running through 
Open Road 
Gasoline of energy 
Oh-

S-U-G-A-R 
Jump into your racing car 
It’s a SUGAR RUSH! 
SUGAR RUSH!

S-U-G-A-R 
Jump into your racing car 
It’s a SUGAR RUSH! 
SUGAR RUSH!

S-U-G-A-R 
Jump into your racing car 
It’s a SUGAR RUSH! 
SUGAR RUSH!

S-U-G-A-R 
Jump into your racing car 
It’s a SUGAR RUSH! 
SUGAR RUSH!
(credit: jpopasia.com)

"Shake Hip!" Koda Kumi

Koda Kumi "Shake Hip!"

About the singer: Koda Kumi is a popular female Japanese singer. In my opinion her music is mainly what I call "sexy pop" but she also does ballads as well. However if you want a more common genre name than my made up one, she is R&B and pop. She also did the songs in the playstation 2 Japanese version of Final Fantasy X-2.

Review on the song: This is song is definitely a sexy type of song. It's all about feeling sexy when you are dancing and well... shaping your hips. lol The song is really catchy and is absolutely a song I would like to dance to when I'm in a good mood. What I liked the most is the music video where Koda two different dolls the "Sexy Pop" which the light side type of doll that plays the pop idol side of Koda. While the darker doll "Cool Beauty" is the more sexier and naughtier side.  Overall, I do really like the beat of the song and everything inbetween but I which there were a bit more lyrics to it. Even though this really isn't the type of song you sit and listen to the lyrics instead of getting up to dance and have fun. The music video isn't on youtube so I have provided a live performance of the song instead.

Rating: 4.5/5

Music Video

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Translated Lyrics (from jpopasia.com)

ou heart has undergone a fusion 
A laser fires off from the rouge 
Shake hip, when you shake, oh! Sexy shock! 
Your eyes are crazy, but they charm my heart 
Tear off your dress, mon amour 

You're dancing freely, but it doesn't get to me baby 
Don't throw me a mischievious glance 

Like this, shake hip, shake hip 
Do you know my mind? 
Do you know my mind, my, my, mamama... 

You say "it's because I love you", and I can't do anything 
Don't tease me any more than this 
When is the end mark for a volunteer of love? 
My heart feels like it's about to explode 

You're dancing selfishly, and your eyes seem to open wide to fashion 
Don't disturb my heart 

Like this, shake hip, shake hip 
Do you know my mind? 
Do you know my mind, my, my, mamama... 

You understand my feelings, I love you, for real baby 
So don't say it too quickly 

Tonight come the spoils, you seem to be shaking lady 
Your shaking body is everything 

Like this, shake hip, shake hip 
Do you know my mind? 
Do you know my mind, my, my, mamama... 

Shake hip, la la la la la la la 
Shake hip, wow wow wow

"Clock Strikes" ONE OK ROCK

"Clock Strikes" ONE OK ROCK

About the band: ONE OK ROCK is a Japanese rock band with 4 members. The lead singer is Taka and use to be a Johnny back in the day. What is a Johnny? Well... a Johnny is a member of the Japanese boyband company "Johnny's Entertainment" it is a company that produces all male entertainment that fall into the "pretty boy" category that most girls tend to fall for. Taka was only a Johnny for a few years as a back-up dancer and singer and appeared in carious Johnny created shows before he decided it wasn't for him and left the company.

Review on the song: "Clock Strikes" is a rock song with an upbeat message of not giving up and to keep going. It starts out in English of depressing thoughts someone may be having and the lyrics go: "What waits for you? What's breaking through? Nothing for good, you're sure it's true"  the song then switches over to Japanese which starts the conselling the sad feeling of the person he is singing to. My Japanese isn't very good but from the words I did understand along with the sound, it made me feel really good to listen to it and I could absolutely feel the soul and heart Taka puts into the words with his vocals.

Rating: 5/5

Music Video

Intro

Hey! Welcome to my blog for music!

I will be covering music (one song at a time) that I like or come across mainly in the Japanese culture but also USA, Korean, and anything else that strikes my fancy or someone wants me to look at and review.

I mainly started this for my friend that thought I should do it so here I am trying it out lol