Maaya Sakamoto Sings Duets In New Concept Album!

Popular singer-songwriter and voice actress Maaya Sakamoto has announced the release of a new concept album titled Duets that will release on March 17, 2021! Duets is Maaya’s fourth concept album, first duet album, and second album release during her celebration of her 25th Anniversary in the music industry. The new album follows up her Single Collection+ Achikochi which released on July 15, 2020.

This is a special album as twenty-five years ago, Maaya collaborated with Hiroki Wada on her debut single, “Yakusoku wa Nai,” that was used for the popular anime, “The Vision of Escaflowne.” Now in Duets, she will collaborate with him once again. Duets will include the artists Yoshio Inoue, Tomomi Uchimura (la la larks), Kyoko Koizumi, for a total of seven artists and tracks. In addition to the lyrics provided by the duet artists, Maaya herself also wrote several songs on here, along with TENDRE, Shoko Suzuki, Ryo Eguchi, and Yuho Iwasato.

Duets will come in a CD-only standard edition and will include a total of seven tracks. Currently CDJapan is offering a special bonus for early purchases: they are offering a random coaster selected from one of four kinds. Check out the pre-order link, a tentative track listing, and latest music video “独白 (Dokuhaku)” below!

Standard Edition

Maaya Sakamoto「Duets」

CD:

・Duet! / Maaya Sakamoto×Hiroki Wada
［Written：Maaya Sakamoto /Composer・Arrangement：h-wonder］

・Hito Kuchikaga？ / Maaya Sakamoto×Asako Toki
［Written：Asako Toki/ Composer・Arrangment：TENDRE］

・Anata Jyanakereba / Maaya Sakamoto×Kohei Dojima
［Written・Composer・Arrangement：Kohei Dojima］

・sync / Maaya Sakamoto×Tomomi Uchimura（la la larks）
［Written：Tomomi Uchimura・Maaya Sakamoto / Composer・Arrangement：Ryo Eguchi］

・Demo / Maaya Sakamoto×Masakazu Hara（the band apart）
［Written：Yuho Iwasato/ Composer・Arrangement：Masakazu Hara］

・Hoshi to Hoshi no Aida / Maaya Sakamoto×Yoshio Inoue
［Written・Composer：Maaya Sakamoto / Arrangement：Ryuji Yamamoto］

・Hitotsu Yane no Shita / Maaya Sakamoto×Kyoko Koizumi
［Written：Maaya Sakamoto / Composer：Shoko Suzumi / Arrangement：Ryuji Yamamoto］

Ayaka Ohashi Brings Fans Under her "WINGS" With Upcoming Releases!

Popular voice actress Ayaka Ohashi announced that she will be releasing a brand new album, WINGS, December 16. This will be the latest release by the vocalist since “Give Me Five!!” back in September of last year and will be her third album overall. Going all-out for this project, Ohashi will be working with Yoshiki Mizuno of Ikimonogakari fame for the track “START DASH” along with DECO*27 and e-ZUKA of GRANDRODEO fame handling production as a whole. Not much is known about the album at the time of reporting except that it will be released with two editions: a CD-only standard edition and a CD+Blu-ray+Photo book limited edition. To generate hype for the release Ohashi released a teaser for “START DASH” on Lantis’ YouTube channel. 

However, this isn’t the only release Ohashi announced; she will also be releasing a brand new single, “犬と猫と彩香” (“Inu to Neko to Ayaka”), January 13, 2021. The song is slated to become the theme song for the upcoming anime 犬と猫どっちも飼ってると毎日たのしい (Inu to Neko Docchimo Katteru to Mainichi Tanoshi) which will begin to air in October. This single will also drop via a CD-only standard edition and a CD+Blu-ray limited edition.

As we await both highly anticipated releases check out the preview for “START DASH” along with the pre-orders for both WINGS and “Inu to Neko to Ayaka” below!

WINGS

Standard edition

Limited edition

Inu to Neko to Ayaka

Standard edition

Limited edition

Yui Makino Found Her Prince Charming!

Popular Japanese seiyuu and vocalist, Yui Makino announced her marriage to fellow actor and singer Yutarou Miura on Friday, June 12th. Makino-san and Miura-san met on the regular radio program that Miura-san hosts. Makino-san commented on the marriage that she hopes they will be able to combine their lives together to build a cheerful family on their own path and asks for everyone to watch over them. Let’s congratulate Yui Makino and Yutarou Miura on their marriage as we wish them a lifetime of love and happiness.

Makino-san made her debut as a seiyuu in 2005 as Sakura on the popular CLAMP anime series Tsubasa Resevoir Chronicle. She also did the insert songs in the anime as well. That same year she got another big role in the anime “Welcome to the NHK” (NHK ni Youkoso). Makino-san has had a strong career as a seiyuu and as a vocalist along with many albums under her belt. Miura-san began his career as a singer in the band Peaky SALT in 2008 and went solo in 2011. He has acted in many television shows and is the son of popular vocalist Momoe Yamaguchi and actor Tomokazu Miura.

Yuma Uchida Show Off His Dance Moves With Upcoming Release!

Popular voice actor-turned-vocalist Yuma Uchida announced that he will be releasing a brand new single, “Image”, August 26. This will the latest single from him since “Over” back in February and will be his sixth single overall. Advertised as his first more dance-centric track, the single will drop with three tracks total along with its instrumentals. It will also be released with both a CD-only standard edition and a CD + DVD limited edition, the DVD including both a making of and the music video for “Image”. Check out the pre-order links for the single along with the music video for his last single “Over” below!

Standard edition

Limited edition 

Yuma Uchida「Image」

CD

01. Image
02. Untited Track
03. Untited Track

※Including Off vocal version for the above track。

Limited Edition DVD

・「Image」MUSIC VIDEO＋MAKING

Shuka Saito shows her bubbly side with latest music video!

Just as the heat cooled from the music video of her track “36℃”, popular voice actress-turned-vocalist Shuka Saito released the music video for  “Papapa” on her official YouTube channel. “Papapa”, as previously reported, is currently being used as the opening for popular slice of life anime ORESUKI Are you the only one who loves me? which Saito also stars in. Debuting as a double A-side single alongside “36℃” November 20, the single will be Saito’s rise to the grand stage as this will be her first solo single. Taking a more lighthearted and dance rhythmic approach this time around, “Papapa” shows off Saito’s all around bubbly nature. Saito also isn’t alone this time around as she is joined by Dance Company ELEVENPLAY with their unique choreographic technique shown in full force. 

“36℃ / Papapa” will be available in three editions: a CD-only standard edition, CD + DVD limited edition, and CD + DVD special edition. Not much differs between the three editions except that the standard and limited edition will both include the instrumental for “36℃” while the special edition will include a TV size version for “Papapa” along with the track’s instrumental version. The DVD for the limited edition will include the music video for “36℃” while the special edition will include the no-credit version of the opening of ORESUKI. The special edition will also include a unique anime exclusive cover. Check out the music video for “Papapa” along with pre-order links for all three editions below!

Standard edition 

Limited edition 

Special edition 

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Track listing:

Shuka Saito「36℃ / Papapa」

36℃ Limited edition

CD

01. 36℃ 　　

02. パパパ 　　

03. ハイタッチ 　　

04. 36℃ -Instrumental-

DVD

・36℃ -Music Video-

Special edition 

CD

01. 36℃ 　　

02. パパパ 　　

03. しゅしゅしゅ

04. パパパ -TV size-

05. パパパ -Instrumental-

DVD

・No-Credit version of the opening for ORESUKI Are you the only one who loves me?

Standard edition 

CD

01. 36℃ 　　

02. パパパ 　　

03. ハイタッチ