Naniwa Danshi -- Prime Time

 

Haven't watched anything on network television in years, let alone any program on prime time (7-10 pm). It's basically been whatever I see on YouTube, Jme and the sports channels (got to see a lot of NFL last night due to Thanksgiving). Way back when, it used to be some nights were absolutely must-see TV whether it be Thursdays for a few hours' worth of prime time sitcoms or Mondays for the action dramas.

A few days ago, one commenter told me about Naniwa Danshi（なにわ男子）and one of their newer tunes, "Prime Time". The Johnny's Entertainment/STARTO aidoru group was first put up on KKP a couple of years ago with their 2021 debut single "Ubu Love"（初心LOVE）. It was a tune that I described as being a mix of disco and late 1990s/early 2000s J-R&B.

"Prime Time" is the second track on Naniwa Danshi's second studio album "Popmall" from July 2023. This time around, the group went even further back to the 1980s with a touch of that decade's dynamic dance-pop and Toshiki Kadomatsu（角松敏生）, thanks to music duo youth case along with Swedish composer Erik Lidbom coming up with the melody and the lyrics. I also noted to the commenter that there was also a feeling of 2010s female aidoru group Especia in the arrangement as well. I also doff my hat to the electric guitar play in there. 

Naniwa Danshi -- Ubu Love（初心LOVE）

 

Instead of the usual "Uta Con"（うたコン）tonight, NHK presented the annual "Melodies of Osaka" special with the Kansai singers and comedians performing the various Osakan kayo. As is the case with "Uta Con" and for that matter, the Kohaku Utagassen, it was a mix of enka and pop music.

One of the acts was Naniwa Danshi（なにわ男子...Naniwa Men）, one of the newer Johnny's Entertainment aidoru groups with its seven members hailing from the Kansai region of Japan. I actually had their debut single in the YouTube backlog, so I figured it was time to bring it out. "Ubu Love" (First Love) was released in November 2021 and it's a happy-go-lucky tune with a bit of disco or at least late 1990s/early 2000s J-R&B essence in there.

Written by Satoru Kurihara（栗原暁）and composed by Shingo Kubota（久保田真悟）which make up the music production duo of Jazzin' Park, "Ubu Love" was an immediate hit for Naniwa Danshi. It hit No. 1 and despite the relative lateness of release in the year, it became the No. 3 single for 2021. The song also managed to sell a little above 700,000 copies. As for the music video above, those lads are some of the most clean-cut fellows that I've ever seen. However, I'm a bit alarmed that it took so long to service that car that it got dark before it was allowed to go its merry way.

Now, to give the lineup for Naniwa Danshi: it's Daigo Nishihata (西畑大吾), Shunsuke Michieda (道枝駿佑), Ryusei Onishi (大西流星), Kento Nagao (長尾謙杜), Kyohei Takahashi (高橋恭平), Joichiro Fujiwara (藤原丈一郎) and leader Kazuya Ohashi (大橋和也). The lads have yet to get onto the Kohaku, but I think that it's just a matter of time before they get their chance to perform on New Year's Eve. I almost forgot to mention that "Ubu Love" is also available on the group's debut album "1st Love" which came out in July 2022. Not surprisingly, it also hit the top spot on the charts.