Born in Niigata and living in London, international singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama released her second album Hold The Girl on September 16, 2022. Her Japan-based Hold The Girl Tour saw successful shows in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo, with Sawayama generating plenty of buzz. During the final show on the tour, the singer surprised the audience with a cover of Hikaru Utada’s hit songFirst Love. The video of this incredible performance is now available to watch on YouTube!

 

First Love - Rina Sawayama (Hikaru Utada Cover, Tokyo Garden Theatre)

 

Prior to the Tokyo show, Sawayama took to Instagram, posting a comment for fans. “Since this is the biggest show I’ve ever done, I think I should cover a special Japanese track to commemorate the event,” she said. The singer had previously asked fans to share the songs they’d most like to see performed.

 

“Without this artist and without this song, I probably wouldn’t have become a musician or an artist. I heard this track when I was around six years old, and I remember dancing for my parents who were sitting on the sofa. This artist also celebrated her 40th birthday yesterday. This is my first cover, but I think it’s the perfect way to commemorate this special event. Please enjoy,” Sawayama concluded.

 

The audience responded to this surprise with a chorus of excitement, and this was surely an unforgettable night for many fans.

 

Rina is currently on the Hold The Girl Tour in Europe. At the end of March, she will make her Hollywood debut in the fourth John Wickmovie.

Japanese music streaming site RecoChoku has announced the top song and album rankings for January 2022!   In the Single Ranking category, Aimer’s Zankyosanka was ranked #1 for the second consecutive month. The song is the opening for the newest Demon Slayer anime arc which began airing on December 5, 2021.   The ending theme for Demon Slayer, Asa ga Kuru, was released on January 10, and quickly climbed the ranks. Aimer is currently celebrating the 10th anniversary of her debut, and this is a powerful start to the year for this talented singer.   As for the Album Ranking, the top spot was clear for January. Ado’s 14-song debut album ‘Kyogen’ sits in the top spot, and includes many of her smash hits. From Usseewa to Aitakute, the album also contains seven new songs which are steadily gaining popularity. Six days after the album’s release, it was ranked #1 for the month of January.   Ado’s 8th single ‘Kokoro to Iu Nano Fukakai’ also ranked 5th on the Single Ranking. Written and arranged by Mafumafu, the song is the theme for the drama series Doctor White starring Minami Hamabe. Ado will also be holding her first solo concert at Zepp DiverCity on April 4, 2022!

Japanese cosmetic company Shiseido, sold in 88 countries around the world, has released a new conceptual video for its global “POWER IS YOU” campaign.   The short video features a star-studded cast of ambassadors from a variety of fields, including Megan Rapinoe, co-captain of the U.S. women’s national soccer team, known for her advocacy and creative style that defies stereotypes. The athlete has commented on her inclusion in the “POWER IS YOU” campaign, proud to show her authentic self and inspire others to live their truth.  

Comment from Megan Rapinoe

“Shiseido makes so many of the products I use in my daily life, so when I was invited to collaborate on this new campaign, I didn’t even have to think about it. Partnering with such a great company means a lot to me. I deeply believe in the individual power of every human being, and I think that anyone has the power to change the world. “POWER IS YOU” represents the power each of us has to alter the world for the better, which is something that resonates with me personally. I want young people especially to know that it is possible to change things. I hope they do, and I hope that this campaign helps to inspire more people to feel the same.”      Conceptual Videeo

  The song used for the campaign is Utada Hikaru’s Find Love. The singer also appears in the video as an ambassador.   

Comment from Utada Hikaru

“The source of all power is believing in yourself.It takes courage to know yourself, but being honest with yourself is the key to finding that inner beauty. Courage is beautiful.”    Finally, Ursula Corbero, who gained international fame for her role in the Netflix series Paper House, appears as the final ambassador. The actress is an avid philanthropist and has long supported a number of causes including breast cancer awareness, childhood cancer awareness, and climate change awareness. She is also the founder of Ymas, a company of artists allowing people to attend movie premieres and special behind-the-scenes events.   

Comment from Ursula Corbero

“Inner beauty comes from positivity. Tap into your individual energy, and if there’s something you want to do, do it! It’s okay to make mistakes. Life is not perfect, and those imperfections make it beautiful.” 

In ART is a Japanese virtual art museum displaying works by a line-up of specially-selected artists. The museum is accessible through VR where users can not only look at art pieces but watch commentaries by the artists as well as shop at the museum store.   In ART has revealed that abstract painter CBA will be the third in a line-up of solo exhibitions. CBA is a graphic designer with over 20 years of experience and is also active as a musician both in Japan and overseas. They changed jobs to become an artist in 2010, and since then, their unique style which breaks language and cultural barriers has garnered them many fans from outside Japan. Most recently, CBA opened a solo exhibition at Franck Muller Boutique in Madrid, Spain. Their work is inherently universal, getting through to people regardless of age, language, or culture, something which is best appreciated when seen for yourself, and is now observable at In ART.  

Some of CBA's works on virtual display

CBA | Comment

-shine on the life-　Pray for better life "The foundation of my work is built on putting together different elements to create something, just like how you would techno music. Colours and shapes elicit emotions and smells. Abstract painting isn't just playing around experimenting or taking chances—it's something that's formed and composed, and I'd love for people to enjoy that aspect when looking at my work. I urge you to enjoy the colours, shapes, and compositions as you would music."   In ART opened as a service offering people the opportunity to spend time enjoying art, even alone in their own house, as well as serving as a platform to support artists. Its aim is to make art a normal part of of everybody's lives, and it does this in the form of a virtual museum which uses 3DCG technology. While it is an art museum, you don't have to pay to enter. You can enjoy artwork at your leisure on your favourite device, and if there's a piece you want to buy, then you can.   Don't miss the abstract work of CBA in their virtual solo exhibition.

An exhibition centred on the Devilman manga series by Go Nagai, the 1972 Devilman anime adaptation, and Netflix's 2018 DEVILMAN crybaby anime adaptation, is set to take place on the online exhibition platform Virtual Utopia from April 28 to May 31.  

What to look forward to

*Visuals are of an exhibition still in development

*Visuals are of an exhibition still in development

  A devilish experience split into 11 areasDevilman has been entertaining readers and anime-lovers for almost half a decade. The exhibition will depict the comparisons between humans and demons of the series in 11 different areas, each recreating scenes that are sure to be instantly-recognisable to fans.   Main Area: Heart of a Demon / Heart of a HumanThe main portion of the exhibition is split into four areas which fans will find themselves going back to numerous times, and in different orders, giving each visitor their own unique perspectives and interpretations. There's also a hidden area which can only be accessed by those who have seen the 'special exhibit.' There's also a free-to-enter area with messages from the creators.   Go deeper into the VR Devilman Exhibition with the voice guide Forget your usual guides, this exhibition incorporates voiceover guides to walk people through the exhibition. For an extra fee, fans can have Megumi Han, who plays Miki Makimura in DEVILMAN crybaby, and Tomokazu Seki, who for this exhibition is playing Psycho Jenny, guide them through the different areas.  

*Visuals are of an exhibition still in development

Users can download the Virtual Utopia app for free, and the exhibition can be attended even without a VR headset. There will also be talks by the author and other notable people in the industry which can be watched live on YouTube, so anyone can get involved.   Ground Y T-Shirt CollaborationThe exhibition is also collaborating with Yohji Yamamoto's fashion brand Ground Y on six original tees.    ©永井豪／ダイナミック企画 TVアニメ版「デビルマン」©ダイナミック企画・東映アニメ―ション DEVILMAN crybaby        ©Go Nagai-Devilman Crybaby Project ©VRデビルマン展実行委員会

DMM VR lab released a new 3D VR game last week on Steam and DMM.com titled No Sushi, No Life. The game is set in the year 20XX in a sushi bar in Neo Tokyo City. The aim of the virtual reality game is simple: to eat as much sushi as you can. Players must grab all the sushi coming their way and wolf it down. Their reflexes are tested as more sushi plates speed toward them on the conveyor belt. If a plate of sushi falls to the floor, it's game over. As players eat more sushi the conveyor belt will run faster and faster. Can you survive the culinary onslaught?