AKB48 On The Red Team Once More For 62nd Kohaku Uta Gassen

The list of performers for this year’s New Year’s extravaganza that is Kohaku Uta Gassen has been announced and as was widely expected considering they’re supporters of the event – AKB48 have been invited once more to join the Red Team. This will be the 4th time for them to appear in the event.

However, 2 teams that are likely to be disappointed not to have been invited seperately are SKE48 and NMB48 who have enjoyed considerable success this year. I can see them appearing with AKB48 to be perfectly honest so all is not lost.

The White Team have triumphed over the last couple of years so with cute child actress/singer Mana Ashida, 2 Korean groups (KARA/Girls Generation) and AKB48 on the Red Team, can they overturn the odds and get the win this year. We’ll find out on December 31st.

The full list of participants are as follows:

RED TEAM

AKB48
Ayumi Hamasaki
Koda Kumi
Perfume
Akiko Wada
Kana Nishino
Mana Ashida
Aiko
KARA
Girls Generation
Ikimonogakari
Ayaka
Nana Mizuki
Angela Aki
Shiina Ringo
Fuyumi Sakamoto
Ayaka Hirahara
Kaori Mizumori
Sayuri Ishikawa
Ayako Fuji
Miyuki Kawanaka
Seiko Matsuda
Yumi Matsutoya
Yoshimi Tendo
Rimi Natsukawa
Sayaka Kanda
Natsuko Godai
Sachiko Kobayashi

WHITE TEAM

Arashi
EXILE
Masaharu Fukuyama
SMAP
AAA
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS
NYC
flumpool
TOKIO
L’Arc~en~Ciel
Porno Graffitti
Ken Hirai
Yuzu
Tohoshinki
Masafumi Akikawa
Kiyoshi Hikawa
Go Hiromi
Hideaki Tokunaga
Fuku Suzuki
Shinichi Mori
Hiroshi Itsuki
Masao Sen
Inawashirokos
Takashi Hosokawa
Saburo Kitajima
Toshiyuki Nishida
Tsuyoshi Nagauchi

AKB48 61st Kouhaku Special Medley

The music spectacular Kouhaku is nearing its final stretch in Japan right now as we’re coming closer to 2011. Earlier on, AKB48 performed a special medley of their songs and were joined by SKE48 and NMB48. It truly was a fantastic performance by all of them which closed with them spelling out the words AKB48 – RED – V (as in victory for the Red team). The members have been popping up every now and then on the show after their medley including a wonderful collaboration on an anime song with Nana Mizuki. I think this year’s show has been amazing. Apart from AKB48, I thought Kana Uemura did a moving rendition of her song Toire no Kami Sama which nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Anyway, here’s a video of their performance below:

EDIT: The original video has been taken down so here’s another one. Not sure how long this will stay up though!

Kouhaku 2010 Performance Order

New Year’s Eve is already here and that means tonight the annual music spectacular that is Kouhaku is on from 7.30pm on NHK. The performance order is below. Ayu is first up with AKB48 the 3rd on stage (I’m really looking forward to seeing them). SMAP has the honour of performing last.

1. Ayumi Hamasaki – Virgin Road
2. EXILE – I Wish For You
3. AKB48 – Kouhaku 2010 AKB48 Kamikyoku SP
4. NYC – Yoku Asobi Yoku Manabe 100% NYC
5. Angela Aki – Kagayaku Hito
6. AAA – Aitai Riyuu
7. Mitsuko Nakamura – Kawachi Otoko Bushi
8. flumpool – Kimi ni Todoke
9. Ayaka Hirahara – Voyagers
10. Yusuke – Hito
11. Natsuko Godai – Hitori Zake
12. Takashi Hosokawa – Naniwabushi da yo Jinsei wa
13. Porno Graffitti – Kimi wa 100%
14. Kana Nishino – Best Friend
15. FUNKY MONKEY BABYS – Ato Hitotsu
16. Miyuki Kawanaka – Nirinkusa
17. HY – Toki wo Koe
18. Kumiko – INORI
19. Kaori Mizumori – Matsushima Kikou
20. Hideaki Tokunaga – Toki no Nagare ni Mi wo Makase
21. Nana Mizuki – PHANTOM MINDS
22. L’Arc~en~Ciel – BLESS
23. Yoshimi Tendo – Jinsei Michizure
24. Shinichi Mori – Erimo Misaki
25. Hiromi Go – GO!GO!Year Kouhaku Special Medley
26. aiko – Mukai Awase
27. Perfume – Nee
28. TOKIO – advance
29. Kumi Koda – KODA KUMI 2010 Special Medley
30. Hiroshi Itsuki – Oshiroi Hana
31. Akiko Wada – AKKOii! Kouhaku 2010 Special
32. Yuzo Kayama – Wakadaisho 50 Nen Special Medley
33. Masaharu Fukuyama – Michishirube
34. Sachiko Kobayashi – Kaachan no Hitorigoto
35. Kobukuro – Ryusei
36. Kana Uemura – Toilet no Kamisama
37. Arashi – 2010 Kouhaku Original Medley
38. Ikimono Gakari – Arigatou
39. Sayuri Ishikawa – Amagi Goe
40. Saburo Kitajima – Fusetsu Nagare Tabi
41. Fuyumi Sakamoto – Mata Kimi ni Koishiteru
42. Kiyoshi Hikawa – Nijiiro no Bayon
43. DREAMS COME TRUE – Ikite Yuku no Desu feat. The Kouhaku Special Brass Band
44. SMAP – This is love ’10 SP Medley

Enjoy the show!

Kouhaku Uta Gassen Song List Is Out!

I know a good many people out there will be tuning in on Keyhole TV or via another method this New Year’s Eve to watch Kouhaku Uta Gassen and the songs that will be performed on this year’s show has been announced as follows:

Red Team:

• aiko – Mukai Awase
• Angela Aki – Kagayaku Hito
• Ikimono Gakari – Arigatou
• Sayuri Ishikawa – Amagi Goe
• Kana Uemura – Toilet no Kamisama
• AKB48 – Kouhaku 2010 AKB48 Kamikyoku SP
• Miyuki Kawanaka – Nirinkusa
• Kumiko – INORI
• Kumi Koda – KODA KUMI 2010 Special Medley
• Natsuko Godai – Hitori Zake
• Sachiko Kobayashi – Kaachan no Hitorigoto
• Fuyumi Sakamoto – Mata Kimi ni Koishiteru
• Yoshimi Tendo – Jinsei Michizure
• DREAMS COME TRUE – Ikite Yuku no Desu feat. The Kouhaku Special Brass Band
• Mitsuko Nakamura – Kawachi Otoko Bushi
• Kana Nishino – Best Friend
• Ayumi Hamasaki – Virgin Road
• Perfume – Nee
• Ayaka Hirahara – Voyagers
• Nana Mizuki – PHANTOM MINDS
• Kaori Mizumori – Matsushima Kikou
• Akiko Wada – AKKOii! Kouhaku 2010 Special

White Team:

• Arashi – 2010 Kouhaku Original Medley
• Hiroshi Itsuki – Oshiroi Hana
• HY – Toki wo Koe
• EXILE – I Wish For You
• NYC – Yoku Asobi Yoku Manabe 100% NYC
• Yuzo Kayama – Wakadaisho 50 Nen Special Medley
• Saburo Kitajima – Fusetsu Nagare Tabi
• Hiromi Go – GO!GO!Year Kouhaku Special Medley
• Kobukuro – Ryusei
• SMAP – This is love ’10 SP Medley
• TOKIO – advance
• Hideaki Tokunaga – Toki no Nagare ni Mi wo Makase
• AAA – Aitai Riyuu
• Kiyoshi Hikawa – Nijiiro no Bayon
• FUNKY MONKEY BABYS – Ato Hitotsu
• Masaharu Fukuyama – Michishirube
• flumpool – Kimi ni Todoke
• Takashi Hosokawa – Naniwabushi da yo Jinsei wa
• Porno Graffitti – Kimi wa 100%
• Shinichi Mori – Erimo Misaki
• Yusuke – Hito
• L’Arc~en~Ciel – BLESS

Kohaku Uta Gassen 2010 Line-Up Revealed

NHK announced today the artists lined up for the 61st Kohaku Uta Gassen extravaganza. Earlier news reports saying that Korean groups BIG BANG and KARA would be involved were completely incorrect. 44 artists have been invited with 22 on the Reds (Female) and 22 on the White (Male) teams. 5 of the artists will be making their 1st appearance on the show. The hosts will be Nao Matsushita and Arashi. The show begins at 7.30pm on New Year’s Eve and run for 4 hours and 15 mins until 11.45pm.

The artists are as follows:

Red Team

aiko
Angela Aki
Ikimonogakari
Ishikawa Sayuri
Uemura Kana
AKB48
Kawanaka Miyuki
Kumiko
Koda Kumi
Godai Natsuko
Kobayashi Sachiko
Sakamoto Fuyumi
Tendo Yoshimi
DREAMS COME TRUE
Nakamura Mitsuko
Nishino Kana
Hamasaki Ayumi
Perfume
Hirahara Ayaka
Mizuki Nana
Mizumori Kaori
Wada Akiko

White Team

Arashi
Itsuki Hiroshi
HY
EXILE
NYC
Kayama Yuzo
Kitajima Saburo
Go Hiromi
Kobukuro
SMAP
TOKIO
Tokunaga Hideaki
AAA
Hikawa Kiyoshi
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS
Fukuyama Masaharu
flumpool
Hosokawa Takashi
Porno Graffitti
Mori Shinichi
Yusuke
L’Arc~en~Ciel

I’ll try and catch AKB48 and Perfume’s performance but I don’t think I’ll watch the rest. I’ll check out Downtown’s annual batsu game instead.

The Official Kouhaku Uta Gassen Lineup Is Out

After the “predicted” list that I published last week, the official lineup of artists for Kouhaku is now out. There are 8 new artists appearing for the first time such as Arashi and Kaela Kimura. I’m ecstatic that AKB48 will be on the show too but there’s no place for Morning Musume. I’m disappointed that Namie Amuro isn’t going to appear. Performance order isn’t known yet. Here’s the list for you:

Red Team
aiko
Junko Akimoto
Ayaka
Angela Aki
Ikimono Gakari
Sayuri Ishikawa
AKB48
Ai Otsuka
GIRL NEXT DOOR
Miyuki Kawanaka
Kaela Kimura
Kumi Koda
Natsuko Godai
Sachiko Kobayashi
Fuyumi Sakamoto
Yoshimi Tendo
DREAMS COME TRUE
Mika Nakashima
Mitsuko Nakamura
Ayumi Hamasaki
Perfume
Ayaka Hirahara
Nana Mizuki
Kaori Mizumori
Akiko Wada

White Team
Arashi
ALICE
Hiroshi Itsuki
EXILE
NYC boys
Saburo Kitajima
Takeshi Kitayama
Kobukuro
Jero
SMAP
TVXQ
TOKIO
Hideaki Tokunaga
Kiyoshi Hikawa
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS
Masaharu Fukuyama
Akira Fuse
flumpool
Takashi Hosokawa
Porno Graffiti
Kenichi Mikawa
Shinichi Mori
Yusuke Kamiji
Yuzu
Remioromen

60th Kouhaku Uta Gassen List

The annual New Year’s Eve tradition in Japan that is Kouhaku Uta Gassen will take place in 6 weeks time . The names below of the Red and White teams is just an “invited” list only, there’s no guarantee that all of them will even appear and it certainly doesn’t indicate the order in which they’ll perform on stage. It’s an exciting lineup that’s for sure and it looks like there’s no enka singers performing. This could be a sign of change from the organisers. I’m delighted that AKB48 have been invited, it would have been a travesty if they hadn’t considering the phenomenal year they’ve had. It’s obvious that the first acts could well be AKB48 and Morning Musume (should both take up the invitation) as they’ve got young members and can only work until 10pm in Japan. Ayumi Hamasaki is another that could be one of the first performers given that she also performs her own Live Countdown New Year’s Eve concert. Who knows if Namie Amuro will come onboard especially if she has to cover her tattoos – I’d like to see her there. The confirmed list of artists will hopefully be published at the end of the month. If everybody on this list does turn up I have a sneaky suspicion that the Red Team could well triumph, it’s getting rather boring seeing the White Team win all the time.

Red Team
AI
aiko
Amuro Namie
Ayaka
Angela Aki
Ikimonogakari
AKB48
Every Little Thing
Otsuka Ai
GIRL NEXT DOOR
Kato Miliyah
Kimura Kaela
Kuraki Mai
Koda Kumi
Shiina Ringo
JUJU （JUJU with JAY’ED）
Superfly
Takahashi Mariko
Nakashima Mika
Nakamori Akina
Perfume
Hamasaki Ayumi
Hitoto Yo
MINMI
Morning Musume

White Team
Aqua Timez
ARASHI
w-inds.
EXILE
KREVA
Gospellers
Kobukuro
Saito Kazuyoshi
SEAMO
SID
Sukima Switch
SMAP
Tsuruno Takeshi
Touhoushinki
TOKIO
Tokunaga Hideaki
AAA
BEGIN
Higuchi Ryouichi
Hirai Ken
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS
Fukuyama Masaharu
Fuse Akira
Pornograffiti
Yusuke

No AKB48 In This Year’s Kohaku

It was a big honour last year for AKB48 to appear in the New Year’s Eve extravaganza that is Kouhaku Uta Gassen but in the details announced today of who’s been lined up for this year’s edition, AKB48 have been snubbed. But they’re not the only idol group deemed not good enough to appear – Morning Musume who have appeared on the show for the last 10 years have also been ignored. C-ute and Berryz Koubou who debuted last year also have not been invited too. It’s no surprise with Morning Musume as their popularity is on the wane but I really thought that AKB48 had a chance seeing as their last single have done extremely well. But SPEED will be back plus Perfume and Girl Next Door will be making their debut.

The hosts for the bash will be Yukie Nakama (red team) and Masahiro Nakai of SMAP (white team). Who will win this year’s contest?

Here’s a clip of AKB48 performing Aitakatta at last year’s event: