Kocchi no Kento -- Hai Yorokonde（はいよろこんで）

 

Last week, we had been expecting to see the annual NHK "Osaka Melodies" broadcast, but a certain presidential election got in the way of that, so our viewing of it on Jme was summarily cancelled. I'd thought that was it for this year's opportunity, but thankfully, the Japanese streaming service was kind enough to rerun it earlier this afternoon.

As such though, I was a little disappointed that there wasn't as much of the old kayo kyoku although I understand that the times are a-changin'. As well, there was the annoying audio blockage of certain songs due to copyright. I have no idea why the "ParaPara Medley" was shut out with Muzak; there was nothing Disney in there! 

However, there was one performance on "Osaka Melodies" that caught my ears, and apparently, this may have become a rival to Creepy Nuts' "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" for catchiest J-Pop song and dance of 2024. Singer-songwriter and Internet personality Kocchi no Kento（こっちのけんと）came up with "Hai Yorokonde" (I'll Be So Glad To) as his contribution to Japanese society's discussion on the pressures that the average corporate cog has to endure before the inevitable snap occurs. As I said, the song dances and the dance sings, and the icing on the cake is the animated video by Kazuya Kanehisa（かねひさ和哉）which is an obvious love letter to the old manga and anime style from decades back.

Kocchi no Kento even put out an English-language version in July following the original's release in May, so his message is loud and clear to all those outside of Japan. "Hai Yorokonde" hit No. 7 on Oricon and it's attracted over 100 million views on YouTube. Again, what can I say about the dance? Maybe Kento will be on the Kohaku Utagassen list once that is announced in the next several days.