Making An All-Girl Seiyuu Idol Band
I read with interest Animelo’s recently announced ambitious plan – in addition to their regular double weekend headliners in August, they’ll be expanding the whole shindigs to include extra dates – a ‘Girl’s Night’ as well as an overseas live in Shanghai later in 2010. The former rather intrigues me since the website blurb promises everything female – girl performers, girl backing bands and even a girls-only audience (how they hope to implement that I do truly wonder), it’s like a yuri fan’s wet-dream come true!
So I had this bright and brilliant idea – how about trying to put together a female seiyuu idol band? Rather than the boring prospect of getting a bunch of solo female performers singing along to a female Animelo band, wouldn’t it be more fun if we could throw a bunch of girl seiyuu together with instruments in tow? It’d be something like the Sakurakou K-On Bu but with actual musical talent and singing ability. Not knocking Hikasa et al but if you’ve heard those comical K-ON! seiyuu recordings… you know what I mean.
It seems an impossible task to get a list of names in, but I can at least try.
The bare bones of a decent band – one lead guitar, one second guitar, one keys, one bass, one drums. It’d be good if one of the guitarists could sing, so we could do away with splitting performance fees and royalties six ways, theoretically. Preferrably we’d like the seiyuu to not be ugly. I mean, wrap it however you want but nowadays it’s all about the marketing and packaging and legs and what have you. Seriously folks, you don’t want to see 90-kg middle-aged women prancing about the stage in frilly pink dresses (that would be me in about 12 years’ time) though I guess you could just about hide one behind the drum kit and hope people don’t notice their existence.
Now we’ll look at the instruments one by one and I’ll make biased personal judgments.
There’s two slots here, and the first is an easy pick – we all know Chihara Minori can play decently and owns a couple of nice, expensive guitars including that limited-edition, Japan-only reissue of the Fender Telecoustic Pink Paisley that she’s so proud of. FYI, there were only 60 of those made and each cost a cool ¥55,650 (around US$615). Minorin also owns a K.Yairi acoustic and some other unnamed acoustic she’s had since her school days, plus used to busk in Akiba with her guitar and has obvious performance experience. That’s good enough for me.
The support guitar slot is a bit more contentious. There’s a whole bunch of axe-wielding wannabes out there including Watanabe Akeno (her favourite music genre is heavy metal), Omigawa Chiaki (claims to play guitar as a hobby, haven’t found evidence of it yet), Kobayashi Yu (can strum a few chords) and Hirano Aya. Ohmi Tomoe can play guitar (and keys as well) but…she’s not really a seiyuu is she?
I wish Iwao Junko was 22 years old, then I could get her in as the crazy-talented multi-instrumentalist (she’s got guitar, piano, harp, clarinet and ukulele in her repertoire). Since we’re trying to form a hip, young and fresh idol band here, I reckon it’s a toss up between Nazuka Kaori or Ito Kanae. Nazuka is more adept at the violin than guitar though, so I’d love to use her as a back-up/guest than as a regular band member. It’s also too bad that her singing is twenty shades of dreadful.
In that case I’d go for Ito Kanae. Not that I’ve heard her play, but errr… she’s put up pics of her tuner and going through the process of changing her guitar strings on her blog. Which is of course, strangely impressive (to me) since it took brute force, a pair of pliers and gritted teeth for me to remove the pins on my Yamaha to change the G-string I broke when I wound it too tight. Anyway, support guitar hardly takes anything other than standing there and strumming a few chords and I’d really like to keep Kanae on hand just in case I need a rapper. No, seriously.
Rich pickings here. Unfortunately the keyboard is usually the last instrument that anyone wants to volunteer to play in a band since it’s so unglamorous and boring and so…common. Parents all pack their kids off to tinkle the ivories from a young age, at least it was so for me and my peers… There are a couple of pro-level pianists within the seiyuu world – Kawasumi Ayako and Makino Yui for example. Others who play include Hayami Saori, Takagaki Ayahi, Hasegawa Akiko, Kinoshita Sayaka, Mizuki Nana and Kotobuki Minako.
But piano ≠ electric keyboard – I wouldn’t want someone bringing in a grand piano on a stage for every single song to be honest, it’d all turn a little Coldplay-style cheesy. I’d like to have someone who’s happy standing in the background banging away at the keys efficiently and generally making like a tree. The logical side of my brain says to pick Makino but I have doubts that her classical style fit in well with a ZONE-styled pop band. After flip-flopping here and there I went with Kotobuki Minako, simply because she has live experience with K-ON! (Mugi ftw) & Sphere and can actually sing. And is prettier than Makino Yui, hahaha. There I said it, shoot me.
And here is where the trouble starts. As far as I know, there aren’t any young female seiyuu who can claim to be able to play the bass properly. Tomatsu Haruka would be such a nice fit, if she could actually play either of her two bass guitars, that is. Yes, this crazy rich ojou-sama has TWO bass guitars despite not being able to string a bassline together. One of them is pink (uggh girly guitars).
Her ambition is to learn to play the bass part on motto☆Hade ni ne, which probably speaks volumes about her current skill level. She did do four years of piano and one year on trumpet when she was in school though. I guess we can have a trumpet just in case this supergroup starts playing ska music…Still, I don’t know any other female seiyuu who owns or plays bass. Anyone?
If bass was bad, this is where it all goes to shit. The only seiyuu I know who can really play the drums properly is Nakagawa Akiko and she’s 36 years old. Errrmmmm…Horie Yui once enquired about Mizuki Nana’s drumming skills in view of having her join Kurobara Hozonkai, but I don’t think she plays them at all. If really desperate I’d settle for Katou Emiri then. She used to play drums in a high school band with Kano Yui (who played piano & guitar) so she can at least claim to have experience (but then, I can also claim to have drumming experience and god knows I suck). I guess I’d take a chance on Emiri ahead of a drum machine but if it’s terrible I can always fall back on Sato Satomi’s half-beat drumming.
I think Minorin’s convenient presence pretty much solves the lead vocal conundrum and there’s plenty of opportunity for back-up harmonies with Kanae and Mina both decent vocalists. Sorry Nana, if you were in the band your management would probably demand 80% of the performance fees and only leave enough money for the other members to survive on boxes of Pocky for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Other seiyuu and their musical talent claims: As mentioned, Nazuka Kaori plays violin, Ohara Sayaka plays cello, Mizusawa Fumie plays saxophone, Sato Akemi upped a video of herself playing erhu on her blog, Kanda Akemi has attempted to learn shamisen, Ono Daisuke plays shakuhachi (apparently) and Ueda Kana’s profile says she plays drums and piano (I’m sure she plays Halo better). Come to think of it, with all that personnel we could put a Rin’ or a Bond style group together, that would be totally amazing…in theory, and if they could play in tune. Think of all the cats they could kill…
I can’t think of a name for my band though. Looking at the seiyuu’s own names (英美里,美奈子,遥,実里,かな恵) I’d be sorely tempted to call them ハルカナ美実 (Distant Yoshimi) or something dumb like that. Maybe げきおん部 (Gekion-bu)? Chihara Minori and the Unknown Others? Or just plain old S5 (Seiyuu 5)?
Themocracy
LOL great post. Something i also thought about but i don’t really keep enough data about who can play what in my head to go anywhere.
I think Ueda is great for drums, but how well all of them play is a question worth asking. Well, she knows how to play it on RB/GH right…?
I think Momoi definitely could fit somewhere, since she actually performs with a keytar… and has pretty good stage presence. She could sub in for 3rd guitarist lol. But I guess you have an age limit?
Regardless who looks better, Yui Makino actually can do all that solo piano stuff that you asked about, most importantly singing+playing at the same time. I wouldn’t put Kawasumi in the same category because she’s never done the whole band/live performance thing. And given the direction in her career, I don’t think she really want to.
Totally looking forward to Kobayashi Yu’s Crush Tears btw. Maybe it’ll crush my hopes and shed my tears.
Haha Momoi errrr as long as she doesn’t sing I guess. That voice just wouldn’t do for a rock band XD
Crush Tears actually isn’t too bad – the first single is a bit generic but can’t fault Yu’s performance on it. Wonder if they’ll ever get an invitation to Animelo…
*tries to stop laughing after listening to the K-on seiyuu performance*
Hahahaha, I can’t believe I haven’t come across that before XDDDDD hahahahahaha hahahahaha
I never knew about Hocchan asking Nana to join Kurobara Hozonkai by the way (and why the hell drums?) o.O But I can think of 100+ reasons for her to turn down the offer (even if she COULD play them) lol
Anyway, very interesting read. It’s nice to see so many multi-talented Seiyuu =3 Also nice to see that my parents weren’t the only ones to force me to learn the keyboard as a kid XD Although in my case I wish they’d have let me continue with it instead of forcing me to quit too once we moved >_<
Oh well, we all know that sounds very nice and dandy on paper, but, yeah, rather than saying "It's just not gonna happen" I think I'm gonna say "I hope it never happens" XD I'd like to save my ears from any more pain =x
Oh that was on Hocchan’s radio show where she asked Nana if she played drums (Nana said she’s only fooled about on them) cos Kurobara had a vacancy for the spot, lol.
Ha, interesting read. If Kobayashi Yu’s guitar playing is in the same tone as her drawing skills, I’d be very afraid to listen
. As for the keyboard bit, I definitely appreciate Yui Makino more than Kotobuki Minako, even if shes a bit weird looking :p
Lol I’m sure the thousands of male wota would rather stare at Mina tho. It’s an idol band, looks > talent most of the time ^^;;
Is miss High Touch really a rich ojou-sama?
The whisperings go that her family is rich, but who really knows eh. Still, being able to buy 2 electric bass guitars on her own earnings is a sign of being in the money since a lot of seiyuu don’t even earn enough to pay their bills…
>> I wish Iwao Junko was 22 years old
- If only… ‘A’!
>> Which is of course, strangely impressive (to me) since it took brute force, a pair of pliers and gritted teeth for me to remove the pins on my Yamaha to change the G-string I broke when I wound it too tight.
- I would rather use a pair of pliers to take out the pins than what I have to do with my nylon strings. Heaven forbid I get back into bass because the strings definitely need to be changed. ._.;
>> And is prettier than Makino Yui, hahaha. There I said it, shoot me.
- Aren’t a lot of people?
>> I guess we can have a trumpet just in case this supergroup starts playing ska music…
- C’mon, Tomatsu on trumpet and Nazuka on violin. Let’s go!
>> Still, I don’t know any other female seiyuu who owns or plays bass.
-
Let’s get Tissue-hime!Well, as long as we’re not doing anything funky, we could use Hiyocchi or someone who knows how to play guitar. Just ’cause Hiyocchi is a righty and was forced to play the bass as a lefty doesn’t mean anything. I just lol because of the price difference for the same model.>> Ueda Kana’s profile says she plays drums and piano (I’m sure she plays Halo better
- AHAHAHA, I wonder how good her drum/piano skills are compared to her video gaming.
>> Or just plain old S5 (Seiyuu 5)?
- You know what got stuck in my head after reading this? You’re, you’re my jimuwan~
Yeah, kill me. orzPS – lol, I hope you know that one time I failed at mailing you something, my used g-string was in it. Maybe customs freaked out and that’s why you’ll never get it? D:
Thank god the thing never arrived I guess?
I could send you a new one! Well, it’d be used. I need to change my strings again…
And turtles. I’ll send you some turtles again, too. ;_;
Just remind me to put a name on the bloody letter.
omg excellent read, awesome post.
if aya falls short for guitar, can always try the drums http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo208/Lenalee08/3446_1.jpg
XD omg listening to that live performance for fuwa fuwa time and typing this is not a good idea.
is haru-chan that rich!? :O OJOUUUUU SAMA MITAI
Lol it’d be rather sad to have a star like Aya in the band & only stick her on the drums where nobody can see her.
lol @ no mention of Momoi. She’s proven good and has a fanbase but yeah looks is the #1 criteria?
>> how they hope to implement that I do truly wonder
It’s not that uncommon to limit audience based on genders –there are plenty of male-only rock shows. They could just check everyone (with photo ID) strictly before letting them in, like how they usually do in a Minorin FC event (someone even had to show her passport lmao). And fff yesss it’s *my* wet dreams come true.
>> Vocals
hey srsly no separate vocalist? If you suddenly worry about management, Minorin is going through Nana’s way, now getting slots in a ‘normal’ MJ and all the jazz.
Err ‘lower’ profile vocalists who has the looks+talent I could think of: Mingos!!
Also errr Yuinyan?
Editor’s note: This post has been edited to remove inappropriate comments. Please restrain from giving personal slanderous comment in the future. Thank you.
Personally I don’t favour having a separate vocalist because it makes the whole thing less a ‘band’ & more like ‘a poser diva vocalist + backup musicians’.
ehhh….? even the band side all girls ar..XD i think also they can bring along their dancers n band as long they r girls!
I think most of the dancers are girls anyway
Aya Hirano has a drum set…though not sure if she can actually play the drums.
I’d go ahead and put Aya-tan in the rhythm guitar slot. She could take lead vocals on the more punkish/J-rock stuff, since I can’t see Minorin singing a fist-pumper. She seemed to do a fairly decent job strumming on the downbeat on “Lost My Music” from that big Haruhi concert a while back.
Emiri Katou might be a good addition on drums as she can sing pretty well, too. “Update” is one of my favorite singles from last year.
Hmmm I’m tempted to go back on my original comment and put Aya on drums heh. She could make a useful all-purpose musician/vocalist…
My personal pick of a girl band would be:
1) Chihara Minori (Guitarist and lead vocal, back up vocal) cause I don’t want to permanently listen to her nasal voice
2) Kotobuki Minako (Keyboardist, back up vocal, 2nd main vocalist) Because she’s Mugi and that ends all discussion whee
3)Rhythm Guitar – Toyosaki Aki. The third rendition of live fuwa fuwa time sees her performing X chord with a mute. Improvement I guess? XD
4)Bass – Tomatsu Haruka. Long legs to match the equally long instrument =D
5)Drums – Hirano Aya. Just to butcher up the whole band. Besides she’s hyperactive and likes jumping around. Perfect for the role.
Now excuse me, I gotta run before j1m0ne gives me a virtual sock in my mouth.
I don’t think I can bear hearing Toyosaki Aki singing, yuck.
Errr, I wouldn’t suggest putting Aki on the Guitar. She’s still pretty much an amateur.
That’s the whole idea of putting her on guitar in the first place. She sucks and it’s funny. My selection aims to troll not to impress =D
X chord FTW!
“Not knocking Hikasa et al but if you’ve heard those comical K-ON! seiyuu recordings… you know what I mean.”
Well, at least it’s better than the 5-people version, IMHO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=SEseQdmjS08
I saw on her blog that Kaori Fukuhara used to play trumpet and bass. Now do you think they should be all electric, or do some acoustic numbers (since Minorin seems to like acoustic folk)?
It might be interesting to alternate between Minorin singing lead on slower, more folksy numbers and Haruka or Aya on more fast-paced, harder material.
And do you think they should only stick with keyboards, or use a synthesizer at times?
Does Kitamura Eri play any kind of instrument in any way or fashion? I’m actually quite a fan of her songs, and I’d actually like to hear HER on vocals.
Of course, a girl band would probably just encourage her harem-building some more…
i think every KitaEri fan(or even the yuri fans) would encourage that.
Then again there’s so little to know about her. iirc she only has that blog. unless, of course, she’s gotten herself a twitter.
yeah she can sing pretty well but I’ve never seen her mention anything about playing instruments.
And her agency’s blog… man, they’re using the same theme as my old blog used to >_>
I certainly hope that was Sato Akemi’s first time ever playing the erhu… I think I played twinkle twinkle within 20 minutes of picking up my grandpa’s, and I was… 7? Though the cat amused me.
I would very much like this band
btw, KobaYuu on vocal is not entirely bad idea
Ueda Kana can play drums too