Takuma Usa will appear in the new stage play Kemuri no Hada ni by Kijyooo no Kuron this April. The theater group is led by Yosuke Nakajima.

Written and directed by Yosuke Nakajima, the play tells the story of an “unlikely everyday life.”

<Story>

“Sumino is dead…”

I hadn’t heard from Masato in a while, but he called and told me. It looks like a suicide.
So, we decided to get together.

Masato Hirota and Sarasa Hasebe. When we were students, the four of us were always together. What did we do back then?
I wanted to remember.

I spent time with Sumino…the scenery is hazy…our conversations were normal…

We didn’t see each other for a while. And then, we never saw each other again.

“I should have at least called her…”

I was never the best with Sumino, and I never met up with her as an adult, but now, after so long, I’ve started to remember more about her.

This is the story of those left behind after her death.

Takuma Usa appears in the new YouTube short drama series Sarashiai, Konna Yoru wa Dare no Sei? (Exposed Love: Who’s to Blame for a Night Like This?)

The romance-focused ensemble drama touches on a wide array of difficult subjects found in today’s society, like adultery, sugar daddies, plastic surgery, friends with benefits, doxxing, betrayal, and redemption.

Takuma Usa, who portrays the host Tsukasa, appears in the third episode.

Calling all dancers! Starting August 5, Adobe began the Adobe DANCE VIDEO FES, which is accepting dance video submissions until August 31, 2022. Those wanting to participate will be dancing to one of four songs by a few very unique artists: Dodonpa by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Emome no Natsu by Lucky Kilimanjaro, STARLIGHT by iri, and WOO! GO! by Atarashii Gakko! The campaign challenges contestants to create a dance video in which they show off their original dance moves to the song of their choice. These videos can be easily edited using Adobe Premiere Rush, a piece of software that can also be installed on smartphones.

If you’re not incredibly confident in your dance moves, don’t worry. Rather than contestants being judged on their technical or editing skills, dancers will be evaluated on the amount of fun they have! The event is meant to emulate the excitement of a summer festival, so both beginners and pros are invited to participate. Just record your dance and upload it to YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok with the designated hashtag.

If the video you upload is selected by one of the participating artists, it will be featured in the official campaign dance video. Creators will also have the opportunity to appear in the artists’ live performances and dance videos in the future.

In addition, a total of 22 entrants will be selected by drawing to receive Sennheiser wireless headphones, a 12-month Adobe Creative Cloud Complete Plan, a pair of tickets to the D.LEAGUE 22-23 season opener, or an Amazon gift certificate worth ¥30,000.

Comments from Participating Artists

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu: “Dodonpa is a song that’s perfect for all kinds of dances, so I hope that you’ll dance in your own special way! I’m hoping I can find an amazing dancer to perform with me at my Budokan show on October 19, so I’m looking forward to hearing from you!”

Lucky Kilimanjaro: “Our band’s concept is to surprise the world every day, so we were so honored that our song was chosen!
We hope you’ll express yourself and show us your unique dances!”

iri: “My new song STARLIGHT is a difficult song to choreograph, so I’m really looking forward to seeing the dances you come with!”

Atarashii Gakko!: “We’re happy to announce that our song WOO! GO! has been chosen as a track for Adobe DANCE VIDEO FES! I hope you can add some really cool edits to your videos so that they reach the largest amount of people! Whoever submits the most impressive video will get to appear in an official dance video. We’re waiting to see your dances!”

Enter this contest with the same energy as if you were participating in a summer festival!

The Japanese hip-hop girls group XG is continuing to trend worldwide with the release of their second single MASCARA on June 29, 2022. The song reached #1 on the iTunes Song Chart (Alternative) in 17 countries.

For those obsessed with the choreography, the group has released two MASCARA dance practice videos on YouTube! Fans can enjoy a fixed camera version and a moving camera version, the latter of which highlights each member individually. The group’s sophisticated and extremely synchronized dance moves never cease to amaze. It almost seems like their hair is dancing along too!

MASCARA – XG (Dance Practice Fix ver.) 

MASCARA – XG (Dance Practice Moving ver. )

We can’t wait to see what XG does in the future!

ULTRA JAPAN 2022 will be held at TOKYO ODAIBA ULTRA PARK II in Tokyo on September 17 and 18, 2022!

ULTRA JAPAN is the Japanese version of ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL (UMF), one of the world’s largest urban dance music festivals held yearly in Miami since 1999. This year marks the 7th event in Japan, and the festival has been held in over 21 countries around the world. In 2016 and 2017, it was named the #1 festival in the world in a fan poll by DJ MAG. 

ULTRA JAPAN has become a staple of the dance music community in Japan, attracting over 530,000 people since it was first held in 2014. The festival has been number one in terms of attendance among all dance music festivals held in Japan, bringing together some of the world’s best DJs and delighting fans with intense special effects. The festival is only 15 minutes from Shibuya!

Stay tuned for more information about the artist lineup for ULTRA JAPAN!

Every year, Disneyland puts on a show where everyone gets soaked. This year’s show features Nick and Judy from Zootopia. With Cinderella’s Castle as the main stage, large quantities of water is sprayed everywhere. I headed over to check out the commotion as soon as possible with Instagrammer Kanako.

This summer, the event Judy and Nick’s Jumpin’ Splash is taking place four times every day. It is possible to apply to experience the fun at the centre stage area close to the castle, however, winners are chosen at random. You can apply for all of the showings except the first one of the day. You can apply by smartphone app or by heading to Tomorrowland Hall. 

If I still haven’t made myself clear, the central viewing area will be splashed with lots of water, so if you are going to take part, make sure you wear a raincoat. You can buy one from the shops when you get to Disneyland. 

While the movie’s theme song “Try Everything” plays, Judy and Nick take to the stage and dance. 

Just when everyone gets into the dancing…

Everyone gets soaked by water that surges out from Cinderella’s Castle! We were carelessly standing right in the middle of the danger zone so we were mercilessly drenched. I recommend you keep clear of the centre of the area and wear your raincoat as tight as you can!

For the latter half of the show, the dancers grabbed hoses and continued to drench us. Everything was happening in the moment. It was all an exciting blur that was over in what felt like seconds. 

This show showered away the summer heat within seconds. You can enjoy getting soaked in the centre of the action or watch other people getting soaked from a safe distance. There are only three chances to take part each day. This is a limited chance to make extra special memories, so please apply!

It’s not as bad as it seems. If you wear your raincoat properly, your clothes will not get wet, so there is no need to worry about ruining your glamorous look if that is the reason you don’t want to take part. 

Plunge straight into the summer fun at Tokyo Disneyland!

© Disney

Takama Usa is a well talked-about Japanese actor who appeared in the popular TV series Ookami-kun ni wa Damasarenai and has feature in several TV commercials.

In this special feature, Usa attempts to find his own style through fashion. He will showcase two completely different styles: grown-up/sophisticated and street. There is also an interview with him at the end where he talks about the latest fashion, his work and his private life. Usa is maturing as a person day by day, so join him as he seeks to draw out new great things from himself.

mode style through beige gradations

By making your entire look beige you can eliminate that all-too-often firmness or hardness that jackets like this can have, instead giving them a softer appearance. The outfit is made more beautiful by adding tight accessories like glasses and loafers, giving an overall adult-look.

KINSELLA: Used Jacket ¥6,900, Used Turtle Neck Cut & Sewn ¥5,200 / Harajuku Chicago Omotesando: Used Pants: ¥1,900 / Gravis: Loafers ¥9,000 / Socks and glasses belong to the stylist

adding a touch of fun with trendy neon colours

Usa has constructed an edgy street style by having black as the base colour and adorning on it all a neon coloured jacket and bag. Sporty is the trend this season so he has stayed conscious of that while incorporating chicness with the turtle neck and skinny pants.

CaliforniaDept. Harajuku: Vans Coach Jacket ¥10,800, Vans Pants ¥13,000 / Gravis: Sneakers ¥10,000 / KINSELLA: Used Bag ¥2,400 / Socks belong to the stylist

<Interview>

−Fashion−

“Both of these styles were a challenge, but I really liked the beige one. Although it’s not a colour scheme I wear much the items were easy to co-ordinate and the overall balance was close to what I usually go for. The glasses added freshness too. It made me want to start trying out this look. As for the neon style, it’s close to what I look like a year ago. Although it felt a little embarrassing [laughs], I’m glad I was accustomed to the combination of black. My recent everyday looks have been all monotone recently. That’s precisely the reason why it was my primary colour scheme until a year ago. I liked cute outfits too but I was influenced by friends around me when I went to Tokyo, plus I’m shifting more towards looking mature. I like second-hand clothing so I wander around Harajuku and Shimokita. Shibuya has some of my favourite shops too so I go there a lot. My friend also works there so I’m a frequent customer [laughs].”

−Hobbies, Private Life–

“My hobbies are drawing, songwriting and playing instruments. I write down lyrics on my smartphone when things flash to my mind after seeing something and build from there. When it comes to the song I play the relevant instrument and find phrases that I think are good. I also like anime and I also started a manga collection recently. I really recommend Act-Age. Oh… you’ve probably realised, but I’m a bit of a shut-in [laughs]. I’ve also been crazy about skateboarding with my friend recently. That’s my sole reason for going outdoors. I have a pet cat too so I play with it a lot.”

–Work–

“What made me want to become an actor was performing at the Shiki Theatre Company in addition to various after school activities during elementary school. I learned many things there. I think those are the main things that led me to this job. When I thought about what I would be doing in the future I couldn’t see anything else but this. My acting has changed recently, I feel it’s become second nature to me. Becoming someone else through performing is a kind of stress reliever. I normally don’t showcase my emotions, so it feels fresh to let it out in a big voice. I do get tired and there are tough times but I want to pile up plenty of experiences.”

–Future Goals–

“On the bigger scale of things, world peace… This is said in a lot of places though [laughs] I spoke with another actor one time. He told me about a person who made jeans and donated all of the proceeds to someone else. I hope I can contribute to something in such a way―a way only I can.”

Participating Stores

CaliforniaDept. (03-5413-6947)

KINSELLA (03-6447-4544)

Gravis (03-3476-5638)

Harajuku Chicago Omotesando (03-3409-5017)

Writer: Manami Ishi

Photographer: Kayo Sekiguchi

Translator: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

TEMPURA KIDZ, the dance and vocal unit who’d have anyone’s eyes glued to them, with their colourful outfits and energetic dance moves. Although their members are all teenagers, they all have true and serious experience on stage. I’d like to introduce this 5-member group to you, one who if you’d have the chance to see, you wouldn’t be able to pull your eyes away.

Word spreads even before their debut

Their performances have no boundaries, and their appearance is surreal and comical. The group began their activities in November 2012. Immediately after posting their video “CIDER CIDER” onto YouTube before their debut, it quickly amounted to 40,000 views, a number which continued to rise. As of October 2016, the video has been played more than 1.6 million times, and continues to be recognised worldwide.

Members include NaNaHo, AO, KARIN, YU-KA, and P→★, the only male member in the group. Not only do they dance, they continuously make funny faces throughout, their on-stage fashion is always called cute. They also seem to have a lot of teenage fans from the same generation.

TEMPURA KIDZ: Their career begins

TEMPURA KIDZ are the original, first wave dancers for Harajuku queen Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. They have also performed as back-up dancers for a string of big name artists. They made their major debut on March 6th, 2013 with their single “ONE STEP”. They released their second single “Happy Natsu Matsuri” in July of the same year, and followed that up almost one year later with their third single “LOLLiPOP”. It doesn’t stop there, as on September 16th, 2015 TEMPURA KIDZ finally released their first album, “Tenkomori”.

They began to perform overseas a lot, in places like Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Taiwan. You could have call them veteran performers already at this point. The group also have songs where each member performs solo routines. The audience really enjoys their fun and catchy dance moves.

Diverse experience establishes the backbone of their expressive power

TEMPURA KIDZ have come a long way already, having performed at festivals and events both in Japan and abroad, appearing on TV programs, performing in TV commercials, and more. They are also in charge of the choreography for educational programs as well as for a lot of other artists. Moreover, members YU-KA, NaNaHo and AO have begun to use vocals, bringing a whole new dimension to their performances as a group.

Their expressiveness doesn’t stop their however, as TEMPURA KIDZ have collaborated with numerous other artists. Artists such as Sayosaku from MONGOL 800, as well as HIFANA, TeddyLoid, CHI-MEY, ORESKABAND, and YMCK were producers for the group’s first mini-album “Minna no Dance Uta” which was released on March 12th, 2014 and includes arrangements of nostalgic children’s’ songs such as “Computer Obaachan” and “Sakura Sakura”. In the same year, they also released their digital single “Miira Killer” together with electro rap unit Charisma.com.

Their next big step will be their performance at “MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON FESTIVAL 2016 in TOKYO” which will be held at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Saturday November 26th and Sunday November 27th. There will be lots of Harajuku style artists performing there including Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Natsume Mito. This is most definitely their home ground. There is no doubt they will enchant all with their protean dancing.

And just what will TEMPURA KIDZ bring us next? Anticipation will not die down as they lead Japanese culture and continue to gain international recognition.

Original Text: Noriko Ishimizu

TEMPURA KIDZ Official Website: http://tempurakidz.asobisystem.com/

MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON FESTIVAL 2016 in TOKYO: http://fes16.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/

−−−

■Related article：Worldwide famous and popular Japanese artists including Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and CAPSULE to perform at MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON FESTIVAL!

Japanese techno-pop dance unit WORLD ORDER will join MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON FESTIVAL 2015 in SINGAPORE (Sep, 5 and 6) and MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON FESTIVAL 2015 in PARIS（Oct, 3 and 4）.

WORLD ORDER is a seven-piece Tokyo-based dance performance group formed in 2009. They are known for their looks that resemble hardworking Japanese businessmen – or “salarymen” – and highly detailed choreography that goes perfectly well with their synth-driven dance tunes. It didn’t take long for the world to take notice of the band’s talent – with many eager fans in Asia, North America and Europe, WORLD ORDER finally announced these long-awaited concerts in Singapore and France!

“We are very excited to perform to our international fans!” says a member of WORLD ORDER, who have been receiving a lot of messages from excited fans in other countries. On top of their regular performance, the group will prepare a special performance that consists of six members for those two locations.

By touring around the world, the MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON Festival team aims to promote the latest in Japanese pop culture. The team will be on the road throughout the year and will regularly announce more J–pop related events. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more exciting news!

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MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON FESTIVAL 2015 in SINGAPORE

Date: Sept. 5 (Sat.) and 6 (Sun.), 2015

Location: Singapore

Venue：*SCAPE The Ground Theatre / *SCAPE Playspace

Ticket information:

Early Bird (Aug 6 to Aug 12): S$78/day

Normal (Aug 13 onwards): S$88/day

Admission to Exhibition Grounds and Day Stage Activities are free.

Artists：

Sept. 5: CAPSULE / Yasutaka Nakata (CAPSULE) / WORLD ORDER / TEMPURA KIDZ

Sept. 6: Nagi Yanagi / kz(livetune)feat. ANNA YANO / Hachioji P / TEMPURA KIDZ and more…

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「MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON FESTIVAL 2015 in PARIS」

Date: Oct. 3 (Sat.) and 4 (Sun.) 2015

Location: Paris, France

Venue: Le TRIANON

Ticketing information

Oct. 3: CAPSULE / Yasutaka Nakata (CAPSULE) / BOOM BOOM SATELLITES

Oct. 4: WORLD ORDER / Charisma.com / TEMPURA KIDZ

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ABOUT MOSHI MOSHI FESTIVAL