Leave it up to the Japanese to have a cool looking note book for to bring to class this fall.  If you’re an Ipad fan, you can  consider getting a cool looking 64page Padnote （189.7×242.8mm） notebook that looks deceivingly similar to the Ipad.

Made by GOCCO and it can be purchased from triggerdevice for 735 yen.

Japanese pop rock band, The Brilliant Green will be releasing a new album titled “BLACKOUT” on September 15th. It’s been aeight years since their previous album release, “THE WINTER ALBUM,” back in 2002. The album will also include their recent singles such as “LIKE YESTERDAY,” “Blue Daisy,” and “I Just Can’t Breathe…”

The limited edition of the album will include a DVD with music videos and the making of video of three songs.  Read more...

Like Shibuya gyaru gal fashion scene?  In the latest attempt to reproduce the success of  Jpop idol group AKB48 a new idol unit called Shibuya GAL’S is being formed.

The unit is being produced and led by the gal (gyaru) fashion model duo Yumachi & Aina  ゆまち ＆愛奈  which consists of Yuma Takahashi (21) and Aina Tanaka (21) both models for the fashion magazine Egg. After topping the Recochoku club music charts last year, they made their major label debut earlier this year and are releasing their debut album “QUEEN” this week.

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Jpop diva Namie Amuro was a child singer. Watch the videos of her before she became a big star.

Puncolle Voice Actresses’ Legendary Punk Song Collection (パンコレ -voice actresses’ legendary punk songs collection) is so bad it’s so good!  This is what you get when you ask Japanese seiyuu (voice animation actresses) to sing classic punk sungs in “Engrish” in cutesy high pitch anime style.

Not your ordinary Jpop, the 2009 album produced by Avex Trax and sung by Momoi Halko , Ikezawa Haruna,  Shimizu Kaori, Kadowaki Mai, Goto Yuuko and Tanaka Rie is hard to take it seriously, after all, it’s clear that taking it seriously was never the point. The album is a joke on every level of interpretation, an unrelenting parody from start to finish almost to the point of being honest tribute instead of parody.  Read more...

Jpop diva Namie Amuro featured in April 2010’s Gisele (Japanese fashion magazine)

Namie Amuro in Gisele May 2008

Namie Amuro in Gisele (June 2008)

Namie Amuro Baby Don’t Cry
http://www.dailymotion.com/videox1gr8b

Namie Amuro Get myself back on HEY HEY HEY TV show http://www.dailymotion.com/videoxe5vbl

Namie Amuro Break it PV

Jpop band SKELT 8 BAMBINO’s “What’s Love? feat. SoulJa” ソルジャ has three highly popular Japanese av idols starring in their music video.

The main stars of Japanese idol variety show Please Muscat, the sexy Rio, Akiho Yoshizawa and Mihiro all appear in this video and on three CD covers.

SKELT 8 BAMBINO’s “What’s Love? feat. SoulJa” MV

Finger 5 フィンガー５ were Japan’s answer to the Jackson 5 and Partridge family in the early 1970s.  From Okinawa the Jpop group comprised of  Tamamoto brothers, Kazuo, Mitsuo, Masao, Akira, and sister Taeko.

With catchy pop  songs, matching outfits and choreographed dance routines,  the band was formed in 1967 with the three brothers Kazuo, Mitsuo and Masao, who performed as All Brothers.  In 1970, they signed with King Records as the Baby Brothers, but their three releases did not sell well.

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Miri Hanai 花井美里 or  花井 美理 is a petite 147cm (4 ft 10 in) and  busty Japanese gravure idol from Tokyo who has appeared in over 20 photo albums and 21 Image Videos since 2003.,

The 26 year old F-cup model who has measurements of 93-58-85cm (37″-23″-34″) has also released one Jpop song Premonition in 2005 but is well known for as the poster girl for  Metal Gear Solid 3.

Miri has appeared on TV and films, most recently on last years Sky! Summer Start Idol 2009 スカパー! 夏☆アイドルオールスター水泳大会2009 and  ネオバラエティ on TV Asahi.  Read more...

The top 30 Jpop singles this week according to the CDTV charts include our picks  Meisa Kuroki’s dance single “5-FIVE-”, Weaver’s “Hard say I love you” and ROOKiEZ is PUNK’D – “Complication”!

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