Looks like my 3 signs of an approaching December, as mentioned last year when I put up the list for last year's Kohaku Utagassen have borne fruit: I've already sent out Xmas cards to my friends in Japan, my anime buddy has sent the message for this year's year-ender, and NHK announced the lineup for this year's Kohaku.
My impression is that NHK made their announcement a fair bit earlier than usual for some reason. No problems...just gives the rest of us some more time to absorb and imagine the performances.
There will be two main hosts for the coverage this year. NHK is sending co-anchor of the 9 o'clock news, Maho Kuwako（桑子真帆 ）, but the other host is comedian Teruyoshi Uchimura（内村光良）from the duo Utchan/Nanchan（ウッチャンナンチャン）.
So once again without further ado, here are the teams for the 68th NHK Kohaku Utagassen brought to you by the good folks at Wikipedia:
Akagumi/Red Team
Captain: Kasumi Arimura (for the 2nd time in a row)
AI (3)
E-Girls (5)
Sayuri Ishikawa (40)
Yukino Ichikawa (2)
AKB48 (10)
Midori Oka (debut)
Mai Kuraki (4)
Keyakizaka 46 (2)
Fuyumi Sakamoto (29)
Ringo Shiina (5)
Shishamo (debut)
Aya Shimazu (4)
Superfly (2)
Mariko Takahashi (5)
Yoshimi Tendo (22)
TWICE (debut...or should I say, once? 😈)
Kana Nishino (8)
Nogizaka 46 (3)
Perfume (10)
Takako Matsu (3)
Seiko Matsuda (21)
Kaori Mizumori (15)
Little Glee Monster (debut)
Shirogumi/White Team
Captain: Kazuya Ninomiya
Arashi (9)
Hiroshi Itsuki (47)
X Japan (8)
Elephant Kashimashi (debut)
Kanjani 8 (6)
Hiromi Go (30)
Sandaime J Soul Brothers (6)
Sekai no Owari (4)
Sexy Zone (5)
Takehara Pistol (debut)
Tortoise Matsumoto (debut)
TOKIO (24)
Kiyoshi Hikawa (18)
Ken Hirai (8)
Kohei Fukuda (4)
Masaharu Fukuyama (10)
Hey! Say! JUMP (debut)
Gen Hoshino (3)
Daichi Miura (debut)
Hiroshi Miyama (3)
Keisuke Yamauchi (3)
Yuzu (8)
Wanima (debut)
It looks like they will keep brushing off that official theme of "Yume wo Utao"（夢を歌おう...Let's Sing The Dream）until the Olympics in 2020. The usual mix of veterans and newbies are in there but I'm especially interested in the latter since I have never heard of Wanima or Takehara Pistol（竹原ピストル）or TWICE. I've only come across the trio Shishamo in passing. Plus, there are Tortoise Matsumoto（トータス松本）and Daichi Miura（三浦大知）on the White team who are appearing for the first time as soloists after their time in 90s groups Ulfuls and Folder respectively.
And this time as the White team captain, Nino is taking the baton from fellow Arashi bandmate Aiba-kun. I've been hearing about the "negotiations" to have Namie Amuro（安室奈美恵）make one last appearance on the Kohaku after announcing her retirement from show business. No luck so far but we shall see.
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