-a song that can push oneself forward like Owarinaki Tabi - mid-tempo ballad
02 - 横断歩道を渡る人たち [Oudanhodou wo wataru hitotachi] (The people who cross over the pedestrian overpath)
-intense folklike number which unites their band sound with a brass section.
03 - 風と星とメビウスの輪 [Kaze to Hoshi to Moebius no wa] (The wind, the stars and Moebius' loop)
-a ballad that only features a piano and vocals. - single version might suggest that the song will be included on the album
- According to the single description at yesasia all three songs of the GIFT single were written this year. Moreover, inside the band "Oudanhodou wo wataru hitotachi" is said to be like the 2nd A-Side of the single featuring "Mr.Children's New Sound for 2008".
GIFT. Sakurai's message:
I wonder...
Which might be the most beautiful color? Which might be the most shining color?
This song starts with these words. Needless to say, at the Olympic Games, what is shining the most beautifully is the "gold medal".
However, I think that other than the radiance called "gold silver bronze", which only the winners are awarded with, there exists, more importantly, a radiance which has more value.
I believe that among the people who couldn't gain a victory, and among the people who give their best in their everyday lives where there's usually no victory or defeat, each one possesses a radiance that does not lose to any medal.
If this song can become a help for everyone to discover the radiance that lies within them there could be no greater joy for me.
translated by Mr_Children
DVD HOME TOUR ~in the field~:
Tracklist:
D1 (bold = songs not included on the 1st HOME DVD)
00.OP 01.Irodori 02.Namonaki Uta 03.Hoshi ni naretara 04.Seesaw Game 05.CROSS ROAD 06.Tomorrow never knows 07.my life 08.Hibiki 09.Motto 10.HERO 11.Imagine 12.CENTER OF UNIVERSE
D2
13.Dance Dance Dance 14.FAKE 15.Any 16.Kuchibue 17.Sign 18.Pocket Castanet 19.Worlds end 20.Owarinaki Tabi 21.Shirushi encore 22.Wake me up! 23.innocent world 24.Tabidachi no Uta 99.ED
P1
160p photobook
33rd Single HANABI:
01 - HANABI (fireworks)
-(mid-tempo) pop tune that can be said to progress the standard of (traditional) Japanese music
- Hanabi is more pop-oriented and GIFT more ballad-like. - "evolved" / progressed pop tune
02 - タダダキアッテ [tada dakiatte] (just let us embrace each other)
-written in Katakana these lyrics were also part of the song Tagatame. -There might be some kind of connection.
03 - 夏が終わる～夏の日のオマージュ～ [Natsu ga owaru ~Natsu no Hi no Homage~] (Summer ends ~Homage to a summer day~)
HANABI. Sakurai's message:
"There is definitely no one who doesn't face problems, that goes for the people who appear in the drama and for me as well, but each one in their own way is living wishing for a wonderful tomorrow. That is a natural kind of thing and inside of it there's a momentary beauty as with fireworks ["HANABI"]. So, conveying this feeling I gave the song that title.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the song is going to be linked with the drama and the people who will listen to it".
translated by Mr_Children
1st Digital Single "Hana no Nioi"
10.1 - Chaku Uta 11.1 - Chaku Uta Full
15th Original Album "SUPERMARKET FANTASY"
Tracklist:
01. 終末のコンフィデンスソング [Shuumatsu no Confidence Song] 02. HANABI 03. エソラ [Esora] 04. 声 [Koe] 05. 少年 [Shounen] 06. 旅立ちの唄 [Tabidachi no Uta] 07. 口がすべって [Kuchi ga Subette] 08. 水上バス [Suijou Bus] 09. 東京 [Tokyo] 10. ロックンロール [Rock n' Roll] 11. 羊、吠える [Hitsuji, Hoeru] 12. 風と星とメビウスの輪 [Kaze to Hoshi to Moebius no Wa] 13. GIFT 14. 花の匂い [Hana no Nioi]
~~
General Information
Spoiler:
wiki wrote:
Mr. Children, commonly called "Misuchiru" (ミスチル, "Misuchiru"), is a Japanese rock band formed in 1988 by Kazutoshi Sakurai, Kenichi Tahara, Keisuke Nakagawa, and Hideya Suzuki. As a group, they are one of the most successful Japanese acts, having sold over 50 million records (the second highest selling act in Japan, after B'z). They also currently hold the record for the highest first week sales of a single in Japan, with 1.2 million copies of their 10th single "Namonaki Uta", have 29 consecutive #1 singles, and replaced Glay as the all-male band with the most #1 albums on the Oricon charts. As of 2009, Mr. Children has published fifteen original studio albums and 33 singles, along with two compilations, a live album, and twelve home video releases. The bands music is mainly composed and written by lead singer Sakurai (with the exception of the Suzuki-penned songs "Asia" and "#2601" from the albums Atomic Heart and Discovery, respectively).
The sound of Mr.Children is pretty diverse. In some songs they make use of soft, acoustic instruments while other tunes tend to have a rock feeling. Their songs are also often backed up by an orchestra or synthesizers. As Sakurai's vocals are very unique the band has a high recognition value. Sakurai's lyrics enclose a wide range of themes and have been object of much praise until today. In fact, he's considered to be one of the best lyricists in the Japanese music scene.
Basically, their popularity stems from their music which has a real and honest feeling, thus, reaching a wide margin of the population.
It is also known that many famous Japanese people and musicians are fans of them including :
01 - Sakurai Kazutoshi 桜井和寿 : [ Vocalist, Lyricist, Componist, Keyboard and Second Guitarist, born: 8th March 1970 ]
profile :
Name: 桜井和寿 [Sakurai Kazutoshi] Blood type: O Birthday: 1970.3.8 Birthplace: Tokyo Marital Status: Married to 吉野美佳 [Mika Yoshino] Status in band: Vocal, guitar, lyricist, and composer
Ten favorite things: Soccer surfing singing drinking guitar TV radio show (Yaruki-Manman) sea sky people
Trivia: - Hospitalized after blockage in his cerebellum was detected in 2002. All activities were cancelled but after recieving word of a good recovery they returned for a 1 night live in December that same year. - Former employee of recording label - Had a daughter with his first wife [born October 1994] - Has a son with his second wife - Nickname is エロオヤジ [erotic father] - Parents have a construction company - Father is a carpenter and Sakurai had considered following in his foot steps until Atomic Heart was released. - Favorite book is 世界の子供たち [Children in the world] and 'Happy News' - His eldest sister was the one who noticed he had a talent for the guitar - Favorite food is cake - His favorite animal is a Squirrel monkey - There is a villa he goes to in the Yamagata Prefecture when he needs to get away - Is said to look like Junichiro Koizumi, which was pointed out when Koizumi was speaking with a high school girl - Kuwata Keisuke from Southern All Stars has given him the nickname 'Mr. Total', while fans address Sakurai as Sakurai-san. - Played baseball and studied Karate as a child. Parents were very big on physical education. - Favorite Manga is Takehiko Inoue's 'vagabond' and favorite comic magazine to read is SHOUNEN JUMP - Brings a box lunch with him when he goes to perform on TV shows - Likes watching comedy on TV and live comedy shows. His favorite comics to see live are Neptune and Honjamaca. - Says he's confident enough to wear the color pink - At the Karaoke Bar he likes to sing songs by "Suga Shikao", "BUMP OF CHICKEN", "aiko", "Nakajima Miyuki", "Hamada Shogo" and "Kai Band" (although he doesn't go there very often) - The song HERO saved Suga Shikao from a serious slump - Was compared to the electric appliance "heater" by actress Shida Mirai - says he's weak against pressure. When he's relaxed he's best at writing new material - says he's weak at Life MCs and Television talk. For Live DVDs he wants the MC to be cut if possible. - Often composes songs while riding his bycycle (singing, both, in his mind and in a normal way) or in the bathroom. Wrote the lyrics to "Shirushi" in his car - In an interview with Utada Hikaru they noticed that they tend to have a similar choice of words (concerning song lyrics) - said he really liked Utada Hikaru's "Colors" (especially the Drum Line) - was a fan of Shogo Hamada when he was younger - other musicians he was influenced by : Kuwata Keisuke, Kai Band, ECHOES - at the time of their debut he had three goals: to sell more than a million cds, making friends with actress Makise Nori and to be featured on Waratte iitomo. He was able to sell more than a million and he was on Tamori's Waratte iitomo. (I don't know if he became friends with that actress, though) - feels the most joy as an artist when he's in the recording process with the band.
About ap bank: - Consists of three people: Sakurai, Takeshi Kobayashi, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. - Started in 2003 - They loan money to various environmental preservation projects like like natural energy and energy conservation, etc... at a low interest rate. The ap bank is a non-profit financial institution.
田原健一
Spoiler:
02 - Tahara Kenichi 田原健一 : [ First Guitarist, born: 24th September 1969 ]
profile : Name: 田原健一 [Kenichi Tahara] Date of birth: 1969.09.24 Place of birth: Fukuoka Blood type: O Height: 171 cm Weight: 58 kg Position: Guitar
Favorite things: Baseball my blue guitar travel stories tremelo deep fried oysters driving fine days joy family
Trivia: - He is very quiet - Says about himself: "I'm somewhat poor at talking in public", and thus he really only talks for magazine interviews and radio programs - Because of his quietness the media is always asking "Is Mr. Tahara happy?" - Is a baseball junkie and played baseball in school until Sakurai asked him to join his band. He wasn't so sure so Sakurai said to him "Have the bat from tomorrow in the guitar and substitute it" - Can play the glockenspiel - Supervises the baseball team "JIMIKEN" - If Mr. Children isn't doing anything at the time he likes to be together with all of his family at home - Played the pianica in Arifureta Love Story ~Danjomondai ha Itsumo Mendou da~ and Tobe - Currently uses Gibson Chet Atkins Country Gentleman and Gibson's Les Paul Standard - Wrote a bunch of essays for "monthly KADOKAWA" - Is said to look like Hamada Isao of Downtown
Name: 中川敬輔 (Keisuke Nakagawa) Date of birth: 1969.08.26 Place of birth: Nagasaki Blood type: B Height: 174 cm Weight: 60 kg Position: Bass
Favorite things: Women drinking Smoking Sleeping horse racing Games Recording Tour Susukino deep fried chicken
Trivia: - Nickname is "NAKAKE" - Is a calm, quiet person, but will often burst into laughter surprising some - Changes his hairstyle the most out of all the members - Fan of the Hanshin Tigers and horse races - Hates tomatoes and fermented soybeans but has recently (2006) learned to like them - Incidentally, if a sea urchin is from Hokkaido, he will eat it - Has a miniature dachshund for a pet - Went to the same junior high school and high school as Kenichi Tahara, and went to the same junior high as Suzuki - Met Sakurai in high school [as did Tahara] - Started learning how to play bass in junior high - Likes to go drinking after each tour - Likes Choi Yong Soo from South Korea’s soccer team [he thinks he’s a good player] - His type of girl is someone that can understand the feelings of a man who tries to charm his favorite girl
Other trvia: Tahara and Nakagawa got together to start the band, Sakurai then joined, and then they needed a drummer so Sakurai and Tahara called Suzuki
鈴木英哉
Spoiler:
04 - Suzuki Hideya 鈴木英哉 : [ Background Vocalist, Drums, born : 14th November 1969 ]
profile :
Name: 鈴木英哉 [Hideya Suzuki] Date of birth: 1969.11.14 Place of birth: Tokyo Blood type: A Height: 175 cm Weight: 64 kg Position: Drums & Backing Vocals
Favorite things: Music drinking women music drinking women music drinking women toys
Trivia: - Nickname is Jen - Is the leader of the band - Is the only single person in Mr. Children - Is the mood-setter of the band which is why he talks so much in TV interviews - Parents liked jazz. Jen would go to see a jazz drummer named Buddy when he was young - Came to be called Jen because he had a scooter called "Gemma of SUZUKI" when he was in junior high school student. A senior at his school who was in the baseball club, would make fun of him and his scooter and started calling him Gen. - When he was invited to join the band by Sakurai and Tahara, he told them to "Wait until the result comes back, since I received an audition now." The audition was for Yui Asaka's band. - Likes to collect guitars. He started with 2 guitars and bought them purely off of look. - Likes to buy unusual guitars - The green Gibson fire bird was his favorite during ku: era - Was pretty poor when he was young and borrowed money a lot. Of which he owed Sakurai 20,000 of 30,000 he has borrowed from people. - Used canned coffee to moisten his throat, and got Sakurai to bring in a canteen during practice - Everytime Jen goes on a radio program he seems to always be hungry. - This hunger is linked to the fact that he moves around alot (in addition to talking) during radio programs - His lower lip is supposedly thicker then he top lip - When he was little he was riding a tricycle on a slope, and had a traffic accident and injured his lip - Reportedly played some guitar in "Shishunki no Natsu " on the KIND OF LOVE album - Has a lemon tree in his room - Ate instant noodles together with Sakurai while recording abroad. - Is said to be odorless. Like even though he sweats like crazy, he does not smell.
The unofficial '5th' member :
Kobayashi Takeshi
Takeshi Kobayashi // Born: July 6th 1959 Role: Producer, Keyboardist
He co-produced all of their albums and occasionally participates in their live activities. Out of the artists he worked with he has a particularly strong bond to Mr.Children.
~~
Sales
Spoiler:
Date -> Oricon ranking (#1 = red ) -> charting weeks -> 1st week sales -> overall sales (+ 1,000,000 = blue, + 2,000,000 = violet, + 3,000,000 = orange ) -> Single name
Singles
92.08.21____069____006____0,003,000____0,021,710____君がいた夏 92.12.01____056____016____0,003,000____0,060,790____抱きしめたい 93.07.01____019____009____0,025,000____0,088,330____Replay 93.11.10____006____050____0,066,000____1,255,940____CROSS ROAD 94.06.01____001____041____0,206,000____1,935,830____innocent world
94.11.10____001____027____0,670,000____2,766,290____Tomorrow never knows 94.12.12____001____019____0,370,000____1,240,040____everybody goes－秩序のない現代にドロップキック 95.05.10____001____019____0,521,000____1,571,890____【es】～Theme of es～ 95.08.10____001____018____0,562,000____1,811,790____シーソーゲーム～勇敢な恋の歌～ 96.02.05____001____017____1,208,000____2,308,790____名もなき詩
99.01.13____001____006____0,328,000____0,455,770____光の射す方へ 99.05.12____001____007____0,195,000____0,301,000____I'LL BE 00.01.13____001____014____0,328,000____0,724,070____口笛 00.08.09____001____009____0,357,000____0,607,300____NOT FOUND 01.08.22____001____015____0,251,000____0,477,810____優しい歌
01.11.07____001____013____0,353,000____0,699,270____youthful days 02.01.01____001____012____0,306,000____0,513,280____君が好き 02.07.10____001____022____0,258,000____0,509,262____Any 02.12.11____001____032____0,315,000____0,552,848____HERO 03.11.19____001____025____0,287,000____0,651,696____掌／くるみ
04.05.26____001____046____0,370,000____0,774,576____Sign 05.06.29____001____020____0,569,000____0,925,632____四次元 Four Dimensions 06.07.05____001____034____0,254,000____0.419,445____箒星 06.11.15____001____028____0,350,000____0,740,080____しるし 07.01.24____001____007____0,280,877____0,320,628____FAKE
07.10.31____001____022____0,238,380____0,395,343____Tabidachi no Uta 08.07.30____001____026____0,194,144____0,340,132____GIFT 08.09.03____001____025____0,260,196____0,479,619____HANABI
28,172,001
Albums
92.05.10____025____083____0,002,000____0,451,440____EVERYTHING 92.12.01____013____159____0,008,000____1,179,780____KIND OF LOVE 93.09.01____003____105____0,059,000____0,802,140____versus 94.09.01____001____096____0,450,000____3,429,650____Atomic Heart 96.06.24____001____046____1,536,000____2,744,950____深海
01.07.11____002____207____1,004,000____1,780,023____MR.CHILDREN 1996－2000 02.05.10____001____072____0,640,000____1,232,655____IT' S A WONDERFUL WORLD 04.04.07____001____077____0,803,000____1,410,644____シフクノオト 05.09.21____001____048____0,687,000____1,141,471____I YOU 07.03.14____001____064____0,693,038____1,207,417____HOME
07.05.10____001____024____0,281,024____0,478,562____B-SIDE 08.12.10____001____053____0,707,763____1,251,148____SUPERMARKET FANTASY
26,007,584
overall :
54,179,585
~~
Trivia
Spoiler:
- fastest selling single (first week sales) of all time in Japan : namonaki uta (1,208,000 units)
- No.1 on Oricon Year-End Charts : 1994 (Single: "innocent world"), 1996 (Single: "Na mo naki uta") and 2007 (Album: "HOME")
- Production label is Oorong
- Producer is Kobayashi who produced two opposite tours at once. The INNOCENT WORLD Tour, and Atomic Heart Tour. One tour focused on the physical performance. The other tour was focused on the latest technology.
- The song "Tomorrow never knows" was composed in a hotel during their tour C/W for the single was supposed to be "everybody goes -Chitsujo no Nai Gendai ni Dropkick-", but was decided to be released as a separate single the following month.
- Mr.Children is famous for not appearing in NHK's Kouhaku Uta Gassen, though the death of Sakurai's father apparently triggered their first appearance in 2009.
- After the release of [es] in theaters they held an outdoor concert called [ku:]
- Has stopped playing the song "Surrender" in concerts due to some people committing suicide after listening to it.
- Won Japan Record Grand Prix in 1994 for "innocent world" and won it again 10 years later for "Sign".
- Mr.Children has a long-time association with the Toys Factory record label.
- Their song "over" is said to be the most popular breakup song.
- Bank band 'Soushi Souai' has done two cover songs of HERO and Yasashii uta.
- Mr. Children's official fan club is called 'Father & Mother'. You can only be a member by writing to them. They will mail you back an application where you will pay 3,500 yen for a membership. You must re-apply every year for membership.
- Sakurai has teamed up with Gaku-MC in 2006 to make the single ‘Te wo dasuna’ for the World Cup whilst teaming up with Bank Band (feat. Salyu) to make the single ‘To U’.
01 – kimi no koto igai wa nani mo kangaerarenai - Yazakisougyou CM song
02 - dakishimetai - Drama "Pure" Insert Song
03 - niji no kanata e - Anime "Shonan Bakusozoku" - omae to ore no Good Luck Theme song
04 - hoshi ni naretara - Drama "wakamono no subete" Insert Song
05 - Replay - Gurikopokkii CM song
06 - Cross Road - Drama "Dousoukai" Theme Song
07 - innocent world - Aquaerius Ioshisu CM song
08 - tomorrow never knows - Drama "wakamono no subete" Theme Song
09 - 【es】 ～Theme of es ～ - Movie "ES" Mr.Children in Film Theme Song
10 - Na mo naki Uta - Drama "Pure" Theme Song", Airial CM Song
11 - mata aeru kana - Nissan Buruubaado CM song
12 - Everything(It's you) - Drama "Koi no Bakansu" Theme Song
13 - nishi e higashi e - Drama "kira kira hikaru" Theme Song
14 - owarinaki tabi - Drama "naguru onna" Theme song
15 - I'll be - Shiseido Sea Breaze CM Song
16 - Not Found - Drama "Bus Stop" Theme Song
17 - yasashii uta - Asahi Inryo Wonda CM song
18 - Everything is made from a dream - Biglobe "Mr.Children Alternative" CM Song
19 - youthful days - Drama "Antique" Theme Song
20 - kimi ga suki - Drama "Antique" Insert Song
21 - Drawing - Drama "Koufuku no Ojii" Theme Song
22 - sosei - Asahi Inryo Wonda CM song, Seiko I, BRIGHTZ CM song
23 - Any, Hero,Kurumi, Paddle - NTT DoCoMo CM Song
24 - Tagatame - Nissin Cup Noodle NO Border CM Song
25 - Sign - Drama "Orange Days" Theme Song
26 - Mirai - Pocari Sweat CM Song
27 - and I love you - Nissin Cup Noodle NO Border CM Song
28 - Yooidon - Fuji TV kodomo bangumi "Ponkikkiizu", "GachaGachaPon" Theme Song
29 - running high - movie "Fly Daddy Fly" Theme Song
30 - Bokura no Oto - Nissin Cup Noodle NO Border CM Song
31 - Houkiboshi - Toyota tobira wo akeyou CM Song and theme song of NTV's 2006 FIFA World Cup broadcasting
32 - Kurumi ~for the Film Koufuku na Shokutaku~ - movie "Koufuku na Shokutaku" Theme Song
33 - Shirushi - Drama "14 Sai no Haha" Theme Song
34 - Fake - Movie "Dororo" Theme Song
35 - Irodori - Olympus Digi Cam E-410 CM song
36 - Tabidachi no Uta - Movie "Koizora" Theme Song, NTT Higashi Nihon CM song
37 - Itsudemo Hohoemi wo - Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. CM song
38 - Shounen - Drama "Battery" Theme Song
39 - GIFT - NHK Beijing 2008 Olympic Broadcast Theme Song
40 - HANABI - Drama "Code Blue" Theme Song
41 - Hana no Nioi - Movie "Watashi wa Kai ni naritai" Theme Song
~~
PVs
Spoiler:
[es] ~Theme Of Es~ Alive Ame nochi hare and I love you Any Bolero Brandnew my Lover Cross Road Dakishimetai ESORA Everything (It's You) FAKE GIFT Hana -Memento Mori- Hana no Nioi HANABI HERO HERO (Special Version) Hibiki (B-Side) Hikari no Sasu Houhe Houki Boshi Houki Boshi -ordinary beauty- I'll Be Innocent World Irodori Kimi ga ita Natsu Kimi ga Suki Kuchibue Kurumi Kutsuhimo Love Connection Machine Gun wo Buppanase Mirai Mirai (Live - DVD) Nishi e Higashi e Not Found Owarinaki Tabi Replay See Saw Game Shirushi Sign Sosei Tabidachi no Uta (Live Vers.) Tenohira Time Machine ni Notte Tomorrow Never Knows World's End Yasashii Uta Youthful Days Youthful Days (Antique Version)
Kimi ga ita natsu 1st single Release date: 08/21/1992 TFDC-28012
1. Kimi ga ita natsu 2. Good-bye my gloomy days 3. Kimi ga ita natsu (instrumental version)
Dakishimetai 2nd single Release date: 12/01/1992 TFDC-28014 Insert song for Japanese drama Drama 'Pure'
1. Dakishimetai 2. Kimi no koto igai wa nani mo kangaerarenai 3. Dakishimetai (Instrumental Version)
Replay 3rd single Release date: 07/01/1993 TFDC-28019 Promotional song for 'Gurikopokkii' commercial
1. Replay 2. All by myself 3. Replay (Instrumental Version)
CROSS ROAD 4th single Release date: 11/10/1993 TFDC-28022 Theme song to the Japanese drama 'Wakamono dousoukai'
1. CROSS ROAD 2. and I close to you 3. CROSS ROAD (Instrumental Version)
innocent world 5th single Release date: 06/01/1994 TFDC-28025 Promotional song for Aquaerius 'Ioshisu' commercial
1. innocent world 2. my confidence song 3. innocent world (Instrumental Version)
Tomorrow never knows 6th single Release date: 11/10/1994 TFDC-28028 Theme song to the Japanese drama 'Wakamono no subete'
1. Tomorrow never knows 2. Love Connection 3. Tomorrow never knows (instrumental version)
- Was composed in a hotel during while they were on tour
everybody goes -chitsujo no nai gendai ni drop-kick- 7th single Release date: 12/12/1994 TFDC-28029
1. everybody goes -chitsujo no nai gendai ni drop-kick- 2. Classmate 3. everybody goes -chitsujo no nai gendai ni drop-kick- (instrumental version)
- Was suppose to be a coupling song for the single 'Tomorrow never knows' but was decided to be released as a separate single the following month.
【es】~Theme of es~ 8th single Release date: 05/10/1995 TFDC-28030 Theme song to the Mr.Children documentary movie 'ES'
1. 【es】~Theme of es~ 2. Ame Nochi Hare Remix Version
See-Saw Game ~yuukan na koi no uta~ 9th single Release date: 08/10/1995 TFDC-28034
1. See-Saw Game ~yuukan na koi no uta~ 2. Fragile 3. See-Saw Game ~yuukan na koi no uta~ (Instrumental version)
Namonaki uta 10th single Release date: 02/25/1996 TFDC-28039 Namonaki uta - Theme song to the Japanese drama 'Pure' and promotional song for 'Airial' commercials Mata aeru kana - Promotional song for Nissan 'Buruubaado' commercial
1. Namonaki uta 2. Mata aeru kana 3. Namonaki uta (Instrumental version)
Hana -Memento Mori- 11th single Release date: 04/10/1996 TFDC-28042
1. Hana -Memento Mori-
Machine gun wo buppanase -Mr.Children Bootleg- 12th single Release date: 08/08/1996 TFCC-88080
1. Machine gun wo buppanase -Mr.Children Bootleg- 2. Love is Blindness 3. Tabibito
Everything (It's you) 13th single Release date: 02/05/1997 TFDC-28060 Theme song to the Japanese drama 'Koi no bakansu'
1. Everything (It's you) 1. Derumo
Nishi e higashi e 14th single Release date: 02/11/1998 TFDC-28080 Theme song to the Japanese drama 'Kira kira hikaru'
1. Nishi e higashi e 2. Nishi e higashi e - EAST Remix - 3. Nishi e higashi e - WEST Remix –
Owari naki tabi 15th single Release date: 10/21/1998 TFDC-28094 Theme song to the Japanese drama 'Naguru onna'
1. Owari naki tabi 4. Prism
Hikari no sasu hou e 16th single Release date: 01/03/1999 TFDC-28099
1. Hikari no sasu hou e 2. Hitorigoto
I'LL BE 17th single Release date: 05/12/1999 TFDC-28102 Promotional song for Shiseido 'Sea Breaze' commercial
1. I'll Be 2. Surrender
- While the official title is spelt ‘I’LL BE’ for the release, the actual track on the single was spelt ‘I’ll Be’ without the capital letters. - The eye on the cover is that of drummer Hideya Suzuki - The song was produced as the campaign for soccer player Hiroshi Nanami, who was a friend of Kazutoshi Sakurai.
Kuchibue 18th single Release date: 01/13/2000 TFDC-28103 Theme song to the Japanese drama 'Bus Stop'
1. Kuchibue 2. Heavenly kiss
- The man on the cover is guitarist Tahara Kenichi
NOT FOUND 19th single Release date: 08/22/2001 TFCC-87063 Theme song to the Japanese drama 'Bus Stop'
1. NOT FOUND 2. 1999 Nen, Natsu, Okinawa
Yasashii uta 20th single Release date: 08/22/2001 TFCC-89004 Promotional song for 'Asahi Inryo Wonda' commercial
1. Yasashii Uta 2. Hana
youthful days 21st single Release date: 11/07/2001 TFCC-89014 Drama "Antique" Insert Song
1. youthful days 2. Drawing
Kimi ga suki 22nd single Release date: 01/01/2002 TFCC-89020 Drama "Antique" Insert Song
1. Kimi ga Suki 2. Sayonara 2001 nen
Any 23rd single Release date: 07/10/2002 TFCC-89040 Promotional song for NTT DoCoMo commercial
1. Any 2. I'm sorry
HERO 24th single Release date: 12/11/2002 TFCC-89065 Promotional song for NTT DoCoMo commercial
1. HERO 1. Karakaze no kaerimichi
- CD contains a limited editions CD+DVD version with a documentary on the making of HERO
Tenohira/Kurumi 25th single Release date: 11/19/2003 TFCC-89089 Kurumi - Promotional song for NTT DoCoMo commercial
1. Tenohira 2. Kurumi
Sign 26th single Release date: 05/26/2004 TFCC-89107 Theme song to the drama 'Orange Days'
1. Sign 2. Mousou mangetsu 3. Konna fuu ni hidoku mushiatsui hi
Yojiken - Four Dimensions - 27th single Release date: 06/29/2005 TFCC89139 Mirai - Promotional song for 'Pocari Sweat' commercial and I love you - Promotional song for Nissin Cup Noodle 'NO Border' commericial Running High - Theme song for the movie 'Fly Daddy Fly' Yooidon - Promotional song for Fuji TV kodomo bangumi 'Ponkikkiizu', 'Gachagachapon'
1. Mirai 2. and I love you 3. Running High 4. Yooidon 5. Yooidon (Instrumental)
- Is classified as an album by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. When single was released only 'Mirai' and 'and I love you' had a PV, with the single containing the PV 'and I love you' (in addition to being aired on TV).
Houkiboshi 28th single Release date: 07/05/2006 TFCC89178 Promotional song for 'Toyota tobira wo akeyou' commercial and theme song to 'NTV's 2006 FIFA World Cup' broadcasting
1. Houkiboshi 2. Hokorobi 3. my sweet heart
- Single has alternative CD+DVD version that includes a 16 minute video titled 'houkiboshi -ordinary beauty-'.
Shirushi 29th single Release date: 11/15/2006 TFCC-89189 Theme song to Japanese drama '14 Sai no Haha'
1. Shirushi 2. Hibiki 3. Kurumi - for the Film Koufuku na Shokutaku
- PV for Shirushi won 'BEST VIDEO OF THE YEAR at the SPACE SHOWER Music Video Awards '07
FAKE 30th single Release date: 01/24/2007 TFCC-89199 Limited pressing of 400,000 copies Theme song to the Japanese movie 'Dororo'
1. FAKE BONUS: FAKE -remix-
Tabidachi no uta 31st single Release date: 10/31/2007 TFCC-89221 Theme song to the Japanese movie 'Koizora' and promotional song for NTT Higashi Nihon
1. Tabidachi no uta 2. Hitsuji, hoeru 3. Itsudemo hohoemi wo (from HOME TOUR 2007.06.15 NAGOYA)
GIFT 32nd single Release date: 07/30/2008 TFCC-89251 Theme song to NHK's 2008 Beijing Olympics
1. GIFT 2. Oudanhodou wo wataru hitotachi 3. Kaze to hoshi to moebius no wa (single version)
HANABI 33rd single Release date: 09/03/2008 TFCC-89257 Theme song to the Japanese drama 'Code Blue'
1. HANABI 2. Tada dakiatte 3. Natsu ga owaru ~natsu no hi no homage~
Hana no nioi 1st Digital Single Release date: 10/01/2008 (Chaku uta) and 11/01/2008 (Chaku uta full) Theme song to the Japanese movie ‘Watashi wa Kai ni naritai’
1. Hana no nioi
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--- ALBUMS ---
Spoiler:
Everything 1st original album Release date: 05/10/1992 TFCC-88020
1. Lord I miss you 2. Mr. Shining Moon 3. Kimi ga ita natsu 4. Kaze ~The wind knows how I feel~ 5. Tameiki no nichiyoubi 6. Tomodachi no mama de 7. CHILDREN'S WORLD
KIND OF LOVE 2nd original album Release date: 12/01/1992 TFCC-88026
1. Niji no kanata he 2. All by myself 3. BLUE 4. Dakishimetai 5. Good-bye my gloomy days 6. Distance 7. Kuruma no naka de kakurete kiss wo shiyou 8. Shishunki no natsu ~kimi to no koi ga ima mo makiba ni~ 9. Hoshi ni naretara 10. Teenage dream (I~II) 11. Itsu no hi ni ka futari de
versus 3rd original album Release date: 09/01/1993 TFCC-88034
1. Another Mind 2. Main Street ni Ikou 3. and I close to you 4. Replay 5. Marmalade Kiss 6. Shinkirou 7. Toubousha 8. LOVE 9. Sayonara wa Yume no Naka he 10. my life
Atomic Heart 4th original album Release date: 09/01/1994 TFCC-88052
The last album to contain TOY’S FACTORY’S old logo. The first press version of the album had the album in a blue case. The inspiration for the title of this album was taken from PINK FLOYD’s album ‘Atom Heart Mother’.
1. Printing 2. Dance Dance Dance 3. Love Connection 4. innocent world 5. Classmate 6. CROSS ROAD 7. Jealousy 8. Asia 9. Rain 10. Ame nochi hare 11. Round About ~kodoku no shouzou~ 12. Over
Shinkai 5th original album Release date: 06/24/1996 TFCC-88077
This album was produced in New York at the end of December in 1995 through the beginning of April in 1996
1. Dive 2. Coelacanth 3. Tegami 4. Arifureta Love Story ~Danjomondai ha Itsumo Mendou da~ 5. Mirror 6. Making songs 7. Namonaki uta 8. So let's get truth 9. Rinji news 10. Machine gun wo buppanase 11. Yurikago no aru oka kara 12. Toriko 13. Hana -memento mori- 14. Shinkai
BOLERO 6th original album Release date: 03/05/1997 TFCC-88099
1. Prologue 2. Everything (It's you) 3. Time Machine ni notte 4. Brandnew my Lover 5. [es] ~Theme of es~ 6. Seesaw Game ~Yuukan na Koi no Uta~ 7. Kasa no Shita no Kimi no Tsugu 8. Alive 9. Shiawase no Category 10. Everybody Goes - Chitsujo no nai Gendai ni Drop Kick 11. Bolero 12. Tomorrow never knows (Remix)
DISCOVERY 7th original album Release date: 02/03/1999 TFCC-88137
Was the first album from Mr.Children to exceed 1 hour of play time
1. DISCOVERY 0. Hikari no Sasugata e 3. Prism 4. Under Shorts 5. Nishi e Higashi e 6. Simple 7. I'll be 8. #2601 9. La La La 10. Owarinaki Tabi 11. Image.
1/42 LIVE ALBUM 8th original album Release date: 09/08/1999 TFCC-88144
Title for album comes from the 1 out of 42 places the 1999 DISCOVERY TOUR took place at. All 18 songs were recorded on June 16th, 1999 at the Makomanai ice arena. The bonus track 'Dakishimetai', was recorded at Okinawa Ginowan-shi seaside park. The album is limited to 500,000 copies, but due to ORICON'S conversion scale factor used, the number is 60,000 copies more then what was actually made.
Disc One 1. DISCOVERY 2. Undershirt 3. Na mo naki uta 4. Prism 5. Everything (It's you) 6. I'LL BE 7. Hana -memento mori- 8. Simple
Disc Two 9. Love Connection 10. Dance Dance Dance 11. Nishi e higashi e 12. La La La 13. Tomorrow never knows 14. Owari naki tabi 15. Hikari no sasu hou he 16. innocent world 17. Image BONUS: Dakishimetai
Q 9th original album Release date: 09/27/2000 TFCC-88166
Temporary album titles: Stomach Love, Hallelujah
1. CENTER OF UNIVERSE 2. Sono Mukou he Ikou 3. NOT FOUND 4. Slow Starter 5. Surrender 6. Tsuyogari 7. 12gatsu no Central Park Blues 8. Tomo to Coffee to Uso to Ibukuro 9. Road Movie 10. Everything is made from a dream 11. Kichibue 12. Hallelujah 13. Yasurageru Basho
Mr.Children 1992-1995 BEST OF ALBUM Release date:07/11/2001 TFCC-88180
1. Kimi ga Ita Natsu 2. Hoshi ni Naretara 3. Dakishimetai 4. Replay 5. LOVE 6. my life 7. CROSS ROAD 8. innocent world 9. Dance Dance Dance 10. Ame Nochi Hare 11. Over 12. Tomorrow never knows 13. everybody goes -Chitsujo no Nai Gendai ni Drop-Kick- 14. 【es】～Theme of es～ 15. See-Saw Game ~Yuukan na Koi no Uta~
Mr.Children 1996-2000 BEST OF ALBUM Release date: 07/11/2001 TFCC-88181
1. Na mo Naki Uta 2. Hana -Memento Mori- 3. Mirror 4. Everything (It's you) 5. ALIVE 6. Nishi e Higashi e 7. Hikari no Sasu Hou he 8. Owari naki Tabi 9. La La La 10. Tsuyogari 11. Kuchibue 12. NOT FOUND 13. Hallelujah
IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD 10th original album Release date: 05/10/2002 TFCC-86106
Temporary album title: BLUE TO BLUE
1. OVERTURE 2. Sosei 3. Dear wonderful world 4. one two three 5. Kawaita kiss 6. Youthful Days 7. Fastener 8. Bird Cage 9. LOVE hajimemashita 10. UFO 11. DRAWING 12. Kimi ga Suki 13. Itsudemo hohoemi wo 14. Yasashii uta 15. It’s a wonderful world
Shifuku no oto 11th original album Release date: 04/07/2004 TFCC-86161 First press comes with a bonus documentary DVD on the making of 'Shifuku no oto'
Temporary album title: Comet
1. Iwasete mitee monda 2. PADDLE 3. Tenohira 4. Kurumi 5. Hanakotoba 6. Pink ~kimyou na Yume~ 7. Chi no kuda 8. Karakaze no kaerimichi 9. Any 10. Tencho bus 11. Tagatame 12. HERO
I♥U 12th original album Release date: 09/21/2005 TFCC-86200 CD cover art for I♥U was done by Kouki Tange as repayment for his movie Fastener being inspired by the song Fastener on I♥U
1. Worlds End 2. MONSTER 3. Mirai 4. Bokura no Oto 5. and I love you 6. Kutsu Himo 7. CANDY 8. Running High 9. Sign 10. Door 11. Tobe 12. Hedatari 13. Sensui
HOME 13th original album Release date: 03/14/2007 TFCC-86221 First press comes with a bonus documentary DVD on the making of 'HOME'
1. Sakebi Inori 2. WAKE ME UP! 3. Irodori 4. Houkiboshi 5. Another Story 6. PIANO MAN 7. Motto 8. Yawarakai Kaze 9. FAKE 10. Poketto Kasutanetto 11. SUNRISE 12. Shirushi 13. Toori Ame 14. Anmari oboetenai ya
B-SIDE B-SIDE COMPILATION ALBUM Release date: 05/10/2007 TFCC-86231
Compilation album that celebrates Mr.Children 15th Anniversary debut on May 10, 2007. Vocalist Sakurai Kazutoshi did hand written commentary notes for each track on the album. The album will place songs in chronological order that have been collected in various singles as coupling songs. This work called "B-SIDE" was suggested by Sakurai during the recording of the newest original album 'HOME' around last summer. Another Story, 'Motto', 'Yawarakai kaze', and 'Anmari oboetenai ya' which are on 'HOME', were songs that Sakurai had written as potential coupling songs for the Shirushi single. That natural feeling and the desire that arose in nonchalant daily life were questioned with “What is a coupling?” from the group. Doubt was born. Some of these old songs would be listened to again, and we would find ourselves saying “it’s also a favorite song!” And thus from the latest album HOME, the B-SIDE was created.
After a certain time, their title tracks started to dictate an overall "theme" on how there should be a "Mr.Children and their meaning in music” feeling (that someone should have on themselves), and there has always been an expectation of "a change from previous work" and "the role they play as Mr.Children" that has been expected by many music fans. Their works have been raised to their own stage while receiving high literary evaluation and an artistry evaluation. However, Mr.Children keeps challenging themselves by always continuing to fight on the stage which pushes up on their back, and to accomplish their roles as a musician up to the present, which they feel to be compensation for the commercial success they have received. A lot of the feelings and desires which have shaped them come from these coupling songs.
Disc One 1. Kimi no koto igai wa nani mo kangaerarenai 2. my confidence song 3. Ame nochi hare -remix Version- 4. Fragile 5. Mata aeru kana 6. Love is Blindness 7. Tabibito 8. Derumo 9. Hitori goto 10. Heavenly kiss BONUS: Nishi e higashi e -EAST Remix-
Disc Two 11. 1999 Nen, Natsu, Okinawa 12. Hana 13. Sayonara 2001 nen 14. I'm sorry 15. Mousou mangetsu 16. Konna fuu ni hidoku mushiatsui hi 17. Hokorobi 18. my sweet heart 19. Hibiki 20. Kurumi - for the Film - Koufuku na Shokutaku BONUS: Nishi e Higashi e -WEST Remix-
-------------------------------------------------
--- VHS/DVD ---
Spoiler:
【es】Mr.Children in FILM Release date: 12/15/1995 TFVQ-68019 VHS
1. Fragile 2. Shinkirou 3. and I close to you 4. Jealousy 5. Ame nochi Hare 6. Dance Dance Dance 7. Round About ~Kodoku no Shouzou~ 8. Tomorrow never knows 9. Asia (Eijia) 10. Love Connection 11. everybody goes ~Chitsujo no Nai Gendai ni Dropkick~ 12. CROSS ROAD 13. innocent world 14. es ~Theme of es~ Bonus Track: Seesaw Game ~Yuukanna Koi no Uta~
ALIVE Release date: 04/25/1997 TFVQ-68022 VHS
1. Time Machine ni Notte 2. Everything (It's you) 3. Hana -Memento-Mori- 4. Brandnew my lover 5. Bolero 6. ALIVE
regress or progress '96～'97 DOCUMENT Release date: 09/10/1997 TFVQ-68028 VHS
1. All by myself 2. Everything (It's you) 3. innocent world 4. Kuruma no naka de kakurete kiss wo shiyou 5. everybody goes -chitsujo no nai gendai ni dropkick- 6. Brandnew my lover 7. Kasa no shita no kimi ni tsugu
regress or progress '96-'97 IN TOKYO DOME Release date: 10/08/1997 TFVQ-68029 - VHS TFBQ-18010 - DVD
1. Tabibito 2. Love Connection 3. Kasa no shita no kimi ni tsugu 4. Round About ~Kodoku no shouzou~ 5. Dance Dance Dance 6. Dakishimetai 7. my life 8. Dive~Coelacanth 9. Tegami 10. Arifureta Love Story ~danjomondai wa itsu mo mendou da~ 11. Mirror 12. Namonaki uta 13. So Let's Get Truth 14. Machine gun wo buppanase 15. Yurikago no aru oka kara 16. Toriko 17. Hana -Memento-Mori- 18. Shinkai 19. Brandnew my lover 20. Time machine ni notte 21. everybody goes -chitsujo no nai gendai ni dropkick- 22. ALIVE 23. Everything (It's you) 24. Bolero (encore)
TOUR '99 DISCOVERY Release date: 06/21/2001 TFVQ-68059 - VHS TFBQ-18011 - DVD
1. Opening 2. DISCOVERY 3. Undershirt 4. Namonaki uta 5. Prism 6. Everything (It's you) 7. I'll be 8. Hana -Memento-Mori- 9. Simple 10. Love Connection 11. Dance Dance Dance 12. Nishie higashie 13. La La La 14. Tomorrow never knows 15. Owarinaki tabi 16. Hikari no sasu houhe 17. everybody goes -chitsujo no nai gendai ni dropkick- (encore) 18. Image (encore)
Mr.Children Concert Tour Q 2000～2001 Release date: 08/22/2001 TFVQ-68062 - VHS TFBQ-18014 - DVD
1. Opening 2. Sono mukou he ikou 3. Hikari no sasu houhe 4. Nishie Higashie 5. Owarinaki tabi 6. Heavenly kiss 7. Classmate 8. Road movie 9. Dakishimetai 10. Surrender 11. Tsuyogari 12. 12-gatsu no Central Park Blues 13. Slow Starter 14. everybody goes -chitsujo no nai gendai ni dropkick- 15. Namonaki uta 16. CENTER OF UNIVERSE 17. NOT FOUND 18. Everything is made from a dream 19. Hallelujah 20. Tomo to coffee to uso to ibukuro (encore) 21. Kuchibue (encore)
Mr.Children CONCERT TOUR POPSAURUS 2001 Release date: 01/01/2002 TFVQ-68064 - VHS TFBQ-18021 - DVD
1. OPENING 2. Hana 3. I'll be 4. La La La 5. Kimi ga ita natsu 6. LOVE 7. Hoshi ni naretara 8. Kuruma no naka de kakurete kiss wo shiyou 9. Dakishimetai 10. Printing 11. Dance Dance Dance 12. Round About ~kodoku no shouzou~ 13. Dive 14. Coelacanth 15. Tegami 16. Machine gun wo buppanase 17. Nishie Higashie 18. Hikari no sasu houhe 19. Shinkai 20. Tomorrow never knows 21. Hallelujah 22. Hana 23. everybody goes -chitsujo no nai gendai ni dropkick- (encore) 24. innocent world (encore) 25. Hitori goto (encore) 26. Yasashii uta (encore)
wonederful world on DEC 21 Release date: 03/26/2003 TFBQ-18033
Disc 1: 1. Opening 2. Dear wonderful world 3. CENTER OF UNIVERSE 4. NOT FOUND 5. Namonaki uta 6. Kawaita kiss 7. Drawing 8. Tsuyogari 9. -MC- 10. Kimi ga suki 11. youthful days 12. Fastener 13. Bird Cage 14. Nishi e higashi e 15. LOVE hajimemashita 16. ALIVE 17. Owari naki tabi 18. Hikari no sasu hou e 19. Niji no kanata e (encore) 20. Any (encore) 21. Itsudemo hohoemi wo (encore) 22. overture (encore) 23. Sosei (encore) 24. It's a wonderful world (encore) 25. HERO
Disc 2: 1. HERO 2. Dear wonderful world 3. Fastener 4. Itsudemo hohoemi wo 5. It's a wonderful world 6. talks & interview
Mr.Children Tour 2004 'Shifuku no oto' Release date: 12/21/2004 TFBQ18055
Disc 1: 1. Opening 2. Owari naki tabi 3. Hikari no sasu hou e 4. PADDLE 5. Namonaki uta 6. Kuchibue 7. Everything(It's you) 8. Pink ~kimyou na yume~ 9. Chi no kuda 10. Tenohira 11. Nishi e higashi e 12. Image 13. overture～Sosei EX01. : SPECIAL LIVE at OKINAWA EX02. : SOCCER
Disc 2: 1. youthful days 2. innocent world 3. Kurumi 4. Any 5. Tencho nus 6. HERO 7. INTERVIEW (encore) 8. Mirror (encore) 9. MC (encore) 10. Tomorrow Never Knows (encore) 11. Tagatame (encore) 12. Sign (encore) EX01. : SPECIAL LIVE at OSAKA EX02. : JEN'S PHOTO
MR.CHILDREN DOME TOUR 2005 "I♥U" ～FINAL IN TOKYO DOME～ Release date: 05/01/2006 TFBQ-18071 2-Disc DVD set
Disc 1: 1. OPENING 2. LOVE hajimemashita 3. Dance Dance Dance 4. Nishi e higashi e 5. Tobe 6. innocent world 7. Iwasete mitee monda 8. Kurumi 9. CANDY 10. Kutsu Himo 11. Hedatari 12. Fastener 13. Monster
Disc 2: 1. CENTER OF UNIVERSE 2. Running High 3. Na mo naki uta 4. Lalala 5. overture~Sosei 6. Worlds end 7. Hallelujah 8. and I love you 9. Mirai (Encore) 10. Bokura no Oto (Encore) 11. Sensui (Encore) 12. Sign (Encore)
MR.CHILDREN "HOME" TOUR 2007 Release date: 11/14/2007 TFBQ-18077 2-Disc DVD set First Press: SPECIAL package (jigsaw puzzle)
Disc: 1 1. Irodori 2. and I love you 3. youthful days 4. Houkiboshi 5. Another Story 6. Motto 7. Itsudemo hohoemi wo 8. PIANO MAN 9. Running High 10. Imagine 11. CENTER OF UNIVERSE 12. Dance Dance Dance 13. FAKE 14. Any
Disc: 2 15. to U 16. Tagatame 17. Poketto Kasutanetto 18. World's End 19. Owari naki tabi 20. Shirushi 21. Anmari oboetenai ya (encore) 22. overture ~ Sosei (encore) 23. Irodori (encore)
MR.CHILDREN "HOME" TOUR 2007 ~in the field~ Release date: 08/06/2008 TFBQ-18091 2-Disc DVD set + 160 page photobook
Disc 1: 1. Opening 2. Irodori 3. Namonaki Uta 4. Hoshi ni naretara 5. Seesaw Game 6. CROSS ROAD 7. Tomorrow never knows 8. My life 9. Hibiki 10. Motto 11. HERO 12. Imagine (John Lennon cover) 13. CENTER OF UNIVERSE
Disc 2: 14. Dance Dance Dance 15. FAKE 16. Any 17. Kuchibue 18. Sign 19. Pocket Castanet 20. Worlds end 21. Owarinaki Tabi 22. Shirushi 23. Wake me up! (encore) 24. Innocent world (encore) 25. Tabidachi no Uta (encore) 26. Endroll
In 2003 “ap bank” was settled by Takeshi Kobayashi, Kazutoshi Sakurai, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. “ap” was derived from Artists’ Power, which was artists’ community promoting natural energy projects on the suggestion of Sakamoto. ap bank is not an ordinary bank, but one to finance environmental projects which are trying to open up possibilities of our future. It’s a nonprofit organization and has been furnishing with funds various environmental projects in regard to natural energy, energy saving, and so on. Bank Band was formed in order to expand possibilities of ap bank, in which Takeshi Kobayashi and Kazutoshi Sakurai have been playing the central roles.
With Sakurai and Kobayashi in its center and various renowned support musicians around them, Bank Band's sound has a rich, (predominantly) accoustic flavor. In the first instance they're known as a cover band, but they also exhibit original material :
* to U (NEWS 23 and ap bank fes' Theme Song) * Harumatsu Ibuki (movie "Midnight Eagle" Theme Song, also released digitally with the profits partly going to the victums of the Niigata earthquake) * yoku kita ne (a song Sakurai wrote as the opener for the ap bank fes 07)
About ap bank
Spoiler:
ap bank is a non-profit organization that provides lending for renewable energy and a variety of other environmental projects. It was established by seed money provided personally by Takeshi Kobayashi (one of Japan's top music producers), musician Kazutoshi Sakurai (lead singer of Mr. Children, one of Japan's top-selling rock bands of all time), and Ryuichi Sakamoto (legendary composer and originator of the concept of Artists' Power, a project by various artists to promote renewable energy). The "ap" in ap bank stands for both Artists' Power and Alternative Power. Its lending capital and funds for activities come from the profits of events organized by a band named Bank Band (led by Kobayashi and Sakurai), events joined by many other musical artists, revenues from CDs, DVDs, and other releases, and so on.
History
Spoiler:
The catalyst for ap bank was a series of seminars on the environment for members of Artists' Power. At the seminars, organized by Kobayashi in 2002, members learned from experts about citizens' banks (money is used according to depositors' wishes to benefit the environment, society, and so on), in contrast to typical banks (depositors never really know how their deposits are used).
One of the presenters, Yu Tanaka, executive director of the Mirai Bank (a non-profit organization; "Mirai" means future), suggested that the members create their own "citizens' bank." Inspired by this idea, we launched ap bank in 2003 as a non-profit organization to provide lending for environmental projects.
ap bank, today and tomorrow
Spoiler:
Besides its lending program, the ap bank conducts a variety of activities today based on the idea of "eco-resonance"—fostering eco-awareness in ways that are appealing and up-beat. One example is the ap bank fes, an outdoor music festival where people "resonate" with environmental awareness while enjoying music and organic food. Another is the "AP BANG! Tokyo Creators' Meeting," an all-night club event where artists, musicians, and other creative types make people think about the environment, through creations and performances for the younger crowd and audiences who might typically have less of an interest in the environment. Profits from these events are used as capital for ap bank lending to environmental projects, for funding ap bank activities, and for supporting and promoting environmental projects.
Other activities include the creation of eco-reso web (a website to raise environmental awareness and share information), providing conceptual input for kurkku (a project in Tokyo with several shops where people can think about "future-oriented living that is comfortable and good for the environment" through consumption of food and other things), organizing ap bank dialogue "talk events" that communicate complex environmental issues in more straightforward terms, and holding ap bank workshops where participants consider what they can do about the environment and realize that they can really take action to solve problems.
Another activity was added after a typhoon forced the cancellation of two days of the planned three-day ap bank fes'07 music festival in July 2007. During the event, a major earthquake also struck Japan, just off shore of the Chuetsu region in Niigata Prefecture. The intensity of the typhoon at the festival and the news of the earthquake made us aware of the need for a fund that was separate from our lending operations. Thus, the ap bank fund was created in September 2007, to assist worthy causes, including but not limited to support for areas affected by natural disasters.
In the future, ap bank will expand its activities in various directions. We would like to serve as a platform to connect citizens, non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations, corporations, schools, and governments.
ap bank and what it does
ap bank activities
ap bank fes
Spoiler:
This outdoor music festival has been held every year since 2005 in Tsumagoi in Shizuoka Prefecture, where large audiences have enjoyed music in beautiful surroundings and put some thought into the environment while having a good time. All profits from the event are used as seed money for lending to environmental projects and for ap bank's activity fund. The festival's highlight is the live music of the Bank Band, anchored by Takeshi Kobayashi and Kazutoshi Sakurai, who are joined by guest musicians. Festival-goers get to enjoy organic food and check out environmentally friendly products for sale, presentations on various environmental topics, hands-on workshops, and booths showcasing ap bank-funded environmental projects.
The first festival, ap bank fes'05, had a turnout of 60,000 people over three days. The second event, in 2006, attracted even more—75,000—while the third, in 2007, drew only 27,000 (because two of three days were cancelled due to a typhoon). Even so, ap bank fes'07 achieved a landmark first for any major outdoor music event in Japan—only reusable plates and utensils were used. All plates and cups for food and beverages sold were collected, washed by volunteers, and then reused, eliminating what would normally be a huge amount of garbage. Other waste from the venue was separated into nine categories, measured on the spot, and then the amount of each type of garbage was reported in real time. A report is issued each time, after the event and environmental accounting processes are completed.
AP BANG
Spoiler:
In March 2007, this event was held at the Studio Coast event space in Tokyo. In contrast to the ap bank fes outdoor festivals, this one was indoors and went all night! It was produced for a younger crowd and people who are typically less interested in the environment. Going with the idea that the approach of spreading serious information is not the only way to talk about the environment, this event's theme, more about "the environment and desire," was a collaboration between all types of creative people, including artists and musicians, DJs, VJs, performers, and more. It was jam-packed with many different offerings and interactive events—live performances, visual works like animation and video clips, talk show segments, and so on. In the future, we plan to hold more free-wheeling events like this on the environmental theme, where new gatherings will bring together musical and visual artists, other creative types, people from corporations, governments, and citizenry to share and bounce their ideas and wisdom off of each other.
eco reso web
Spoiler:
"eco-reso" is short for "eco-resonance," a new concept coined by Japanese copywriter Tomomi Maeda. It expresses the idea of fostering eco-awareness in ways that are appealing, uncomplicated, and up-beat—in ways that resonate with people. The new website, eco-reso web, is an attempt to use the written word to convey the spirit of resonance that ap bank has been working to communicate through music and artistic expression, and it has two components. One is a Q&A section that aims to catalyze concrete action, like motivating people to dig deeper on their own, by providing expert answers to environmental questions from citizens. The other section introduces "partners' messages" from key persons who have been an important part of ap bank's evolution.
kurkku
Spoiler:
kurkku (the Finnish word for "cucumber") is a project focused on proposing ideas to promote comfortable yet eco-friendly lifestyles from the perspective of healthy food and sustainable material consumption. As a space to put this idea into concrete form, kurkku consists of a restaurant, café, green shop (selling houseplants), variety store, and bookstore, in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. The project's objective is to have visitors rethink the meaning of material production and the burdens it places on the environment, including transport and the materials used. kurkku reveals the connections involved in producing and manufacturing things—from production all the way through to consumption. Besides being a catalyst to spread environmental awareness, kurkku is also the venue for workshops where people can meet and connect with other like-minded people. ap bank's role is to provide conceptual input on the whole initiative.
History of ap bank
Spoiler:
2002
Music producer Takeshi Kobayashi and musician Kazutoshi Sakurai are invited by composer Ryuichi Sakamoto to join Artists' Power, a project founded by Sakamoto to gather artists and musicians interested in promoting renewable energy. Kobayashi launches a seminar series on environmental issues. A guest speaker suggests the idea of starting a "citizens' bank."
2003
Jun apbank is incorporated as a non-profit, limited-liability company to provide loans for renewable energy and other environmental projects. Preparations for activities begin
2004
Jan Kobayashi and Sakurai form the Bank Band musical group and perform its first live concert.
May apbank is registered as a money-lending institution. A first call for proposals for environmental projects goes out; 15 projects selected for funding.
Aug Plans are developed for kurkku, a project focused on proposing ideas to promote comfortable yet eco-friendly lifestyles from the perspective of healthy food and sustainable material consumption.
Oct The second apbank call for proposals goes out; three projects selected for funding.
Oct 20 Limited-edition release (300,000 copies) of the Bank Band's Soushisouai album (containing cover songs). Starting with this album, all profits from CD and DVD sales go to apbank's activity fund.
Nov 9–11, 15–17 The second Bank Band live concert is held at Ebisu Garden Place in Tokyo and Blue Note in Osaka
2005
Mar 21 Production completed for "to U," the Bank Band's first original single (music by Kobayashi, lyrics by Sakurai).
Mar 30 Release of BGM Vol. 2, Soushisouai on DVD, a video documentary of the November 2004 Bank Band concert.
Jun Third apbank call for proposals; twelve projects selected for funding.
Jul 16–18 apbank's first outdoor music festival, apbank fes'05, is held in Tsumagoi (Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture).
Nov Fourth apbank call for proposals; four projects selected for funding.
Dec 21 Release of the live music festival video documentary of apbank fes'05 on DVD.
2006
Feb 25 "apbank dialogue'06, vol. 1" is held, first of a series of events to discuss the environment in plain terms.
Mar 21 Pre-opening event for the kurkku kitchen restaurant (Shibuya, Tokyo), as the first stage of the kurkku project.
Nov 25 apbank dialogue'06, vol. 5 discussion event.
Dec 20 Release of live music festival video documentary of apbank fes'06 on DVD.
2007
Mar 16–18 AP BANG! TOKYO CREATORS' MEETING held at Studio Coast (an event space in Tokyo).
Jul 16 apbank's third outdoor music festival, ap bank fes'07, is held in Tsumagoi, (Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture). First two days cancelled due to typhoon, concert held on one day only.
Aug Seventh ap bank call for proposals; eight projects selected for funding.
Sep 1 Release of "Harumatsu ibuki," a new song by the Bank Band (music by Kobayashi, lyrics by Sakurai) offered online for download (click here to view promo video). The release is timed with the launch of the apbank Fund on the same day.
ap bank fes' participants
Spoiler:
05 - GAKU-MC, Hitoto Yo, Salyu, Porno Graffitti, Sukima Switch, Tortoise Matsumoto (Ulfuls), Inoue Yosui, Nakashima Mika, Every Little Thing, Suga Shikao, Sano Motohara, Hamada Shogo, Chara, Mr.Children
Due to a typhonn the first two days of the ap bank fes 07 were cancelled. Artists who couldn't participate because of the typhoon: Koda Kumi, Sukima Switch, Oda Kazumasa, BONNIE PINK, RIP SLYME, the pillows, Fumidou, Yuusuke at HOME, CARAVAN, Wise
Ap Bank has graced the October 29, 2007 issue of TIME Magazine Europe, Asia, and South Pacific editions. The bank, along with Kobayashi Takeshi and Kazutoshi Sakurai, were named one of the "Heroes of the Environment":
Kazutoshi Sakurai and Takeshi Kobayashi
Ask most rock stars to pitch in for the environment, and they might pen you a pop tune. Kazutoshi Sakurai and Takeshi Kobayashi can do that — Sakurai is the lead singer of Mr. Children, the second highest-selling rock band in Japanese history, and Kobayashi is one of Japan's top music producers. But the two know that We Are the World can only do so much to save the earth — environmental solutions also need cold, hard cash.
That's where AP Bank — the name stands for Artists' Power or Alternative Power — comes in. Together with the Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, Sakurai and Kobayashi in 2003 founded and funded the nonprofit lending group, which finances environmentally friendly projects. The three men personally provided nearly $1 million of seed money (Sakamoto has since stepped back from the venture as he now spends much of his time abroad), which is channeled to small-scale, sustainable schemes that mainstream banks would typically shun in favor of lending to bigger, stodgier companies. The bank has provided money for projects ranging from a recycling program in the far south of Kyushu to the construction of an eco-resort in the Marshall Islands. "When I thought about what I could do as an individual, the environment came up," says Kobayashi, AP Bank's president. "Money for the sake of money isn't great, but money is a tool, and people can use it as a community."
Kobayashi and Sakurai are decent bankers — it helps that they have a former manager at the monster Japanese lender Sumitomo Mitsui on board — but they're better musicians, so they've augmented AP Bank's lending program with an annual festival designed to raise money and awareness for the environment. Japan's pampered pop stars might not have as finely tuned a sense of activism as those in the U.S. and Europe, but Kobayashi and Sakurai have the clout to draw their peers and their multitudes of fans toward environmentalism — and to demonstrate how much can be achieved when celebrities find innovative uses for their fame. "I think that because they started this movement, it's helped ordinary folks become aware of environmental problems and finance," says Kazuyuki Tsuchiya of the green group A Seed Japan. It's the least a couple of rock-star bankers can do.
DISC 1 1 Opening 2 プロポーズ / Bank Band 3 ストレンジカメレオン / Bank Band 4 ハナミズキ / 一青窈 5 VALON-1/ Salyu 6 Documentary 1 7 情熱の薔薇 / Bank Band 8 Documentary 2 9 water(s)/ Every Little Thing 10 バンザイ～好きでよかった～ / トータス松本(ウルフルズ) 11 氷の世界 / 井上陽水 Extra track : ap bank dialogue 7/16
DISC 2 1 Documentary 3 2 アゲハ蝶 / ポルノグラフィティ 3 FIND THE WAY / 中島美嘉 4 Documentary 4 5 昨日のNo, 明日のYes / GAKU-MC 6 ストーリー / スガ シカオ 7 Documentary 5 8 Young Bloods / 佐野元春 Extra track : ap bank dialogue 7/17 GAKU-MC オーガニックフードエリア生中継
DISC 3 1 Documentary 6 2 全力少年 / スキマスイッチ 3 Swallowtail Butterfly～あいのうた～/ Chara 4 家路 / 浜田省吾 5 HERO / Bank Band 6 糸 / Bank Band 7 Documentary 7 8 いつでも微笑みを/ Mr.Children 9 Everything is made from a dream / Mr.Children 10 and I love you / Mr.Children 11 overture ～ 蘇生 / Mr.Children 12 CENTER OF UNIVERSE / Mr.Children 13 It's a wonderful world / Mr.Children 14 Documentary 8 15 to U / Bank Band with Great Artists & Mr.Children 16 Ending Extra track : ap bank dialogue 7/18
ap bank fes' 06
DISC 1 1 何の変哲もないLove Song / Bank Band 2 Documentary 1 3 太陽の下 / レミオロメン 4 君が降りてきた夏 / Bank Band 5 星のラブレター / Bank Band 6桜 / コブクロ 7 cosmic eyes / BoA 8 Documentary 2 9 風に乗る船 / Salyu 10 メリッサ / ポルノグラフィティ 11 わかってもらえるさ / Bank Band 12 スローバラード / Bank Band 13 雨上がりの夜空に / Bank Band 14 休みの日 / Bank Band 15 evergreen / Bank Band ■Extra track■ koti:エコレゾの余韻（おと） piha:融資先訪問（コミュニティトレード al） piha: workshop 流木＆竹の木工アートワークショップ
DISC 2 1 Documentary 3 2 AM11:00 / HY 3 Documentary 4 4 ボクノート / スキマスイッチ 5 Dreamland / BENNIE K 6 てんとう虫 / 一青 窈 7 Documentary 5 8 SOMEDAY / Bank Band 9 ラブストーリーは突然に / 小田和正 10 言葉にできない / 小田和正 11 晴天を誉めるなら夕暮れを待て / ASKA 12 同じ時代を / ASKA 13 Documentary 6 14 生まれ来る子供たちのために / Bank Band ■Extra track■ koti: ap bank dialogue piha:融資先訪問（エコアクション虔十の会） piha:workshop コンハビな涼しい空間づくり
DISC 3 1 Documentary 7 2 街 / くるり 3 Souldiers / BONNIE PINK 4 国民的行事 / KREVA 5 PRIDE / 今井美樹 6 Documentary 8 7 手を出すな！ / GAKU-MC 8 innocent world / 桑田佳祐 9 希望の轍 / 桑田佳祐 10 奇跡の地球（ほし） / 桑田佳祐 11 HERO / Mr.Children 12 ストレンジカメレオン / Mr.Children 13 終わりなき旅 / Mr.Children 14 箒星 / Mr.Children 15 Documentary 9 16 to U / Bank Band with Great Artists & Mr.Children ■Extra track■ koti: ap bank dialogue piha: workshop つま恋の自然観察会 piha: workshop 手漉き和紙づくり体験
ap bank fes' 07
1 よく来たね / Bank Band 2 メルシーテレメカシーアリガトオブリガード / （DJ TATSUTA） GAKU-MC 3 挙手 / GAKU-MC 4 Documentary 1 5 I'll Remember You / AI 6 Story / AI 7 くればいいのに / KREVA 8 アグレッシ部 / KREVA 9 Documentary 2 10 Jewelry day / 絢香 11 Peace loving people / 絢香 13 流れ歌 / 東田トモヒロ 14 Documentary 3 15 ひとつだけ / （矢野顕子） Bank Band 16 Documentary 4
DISC 2 1 歌うたいのバラッド / (斉藤和義) Bank Band 2 突然の贈りもの / 大貫妙子 3 色彩都市 / 大貫妙子 4 Documentary 5 5 世界でいちばん好きな人 / KAN 6 愛は勝つ / KAN 7 この空を飛べたら / 加藤登紀子 8 愛の讃歌 / 加藤登紀子 9 Documentary 6 10 蕾 / コブクロ 11 君という名の翼 / コブクロ 12 WINDING ROAD / 絢香× コブクロ 13 B ・E ・L ・I ・E ・V ・E / 氷室京介 14 CALLING / 氷室京介 15 Documentary 7 16 イロトリドリノセカイ / (JUDY AND MARY) Bank Band 17 MR.LONELY / （玉置浩二） Bank Band
DISC 3 1 Documentary 8 2 ええねん / ウルフルズ 3 泣けてくる / ウルフルズ 4 ガッツだぜ!! / ウルフルズ 5 Documentary 9 6 風 ～The wind knows how I feel～ / Mr.Children 7 未来 / Mr.Children 8 my life / Mr.Children 9 I'll be / Mr.Children 10 空風の帰り道 / Mr.Children 11 Documentary 10 12 to U / Bank Band with Great Artists & Mr.Children ■End Roll■ はるまついぶき ■Extra track■ ap bank dialogue (1) ap bank dialogue (2)
Ahh new thread. Hopefully the double pages will stop now. Anyways here were the last three posts made before it got deleted:
ikuni-web wrote:
mr.children wrote:
Not sure if this was reported or not but Sakurai and KAN will perform live for LuckyRaccoon night 2 in SHIBUYA-AX May 26 and then ZEPP Osaka on the 28th. Also Tortoise from Ulfuls will be there as well. More info here http://www.luckyraccoon.com/main.html
Yep. I posted on [ i ] yesterday
Here's more details: 02.20.08 Sakurai to appear at ‘Lucky Raccoon Night Vol.2’
Sakurai will be appearing at ‘Lucky Raccoon Night Vol.2’ on May 26th 2008 and May 28th 2008. He will be accompanied by KAN, where he and KAN will once again take on the appearances of a pilot and flight attendant. Both artists appeared at Lucky Raccoon Night Vol.1 as the same characters. Tickets will go on sale April 27th 2008.
From Lucky Raccoon Night Vol.1:
Mr_Children wrote:
Wahhh, let me take that avatar. It's pretty darn cool.
Hey... I was thinking about using that... Ehhh... I guess I'll just make another one. Enjoy.
Anyways, it's a wonder that the Mr. Children regulars don't seem to have more avatars with them... they've got such good photography! :O
Well I've had the current one I'm using since I joined JPM.. so it's got history... and my potential avatar just got taken from me, so I'll have to go back to the drawing board. I personally like "dark themed" avatars like the one Mr_Children is using. (i.e dark, cold colors). I'm also very picky with avatars. I don't like 95% of the ones I try to make. They never give me the effect I'm looking for.
Well here’s another one I did awhile back. For this one I was trying to emphasis the work on Sakurai’s jacket and scarf:
And a darker (i.e: colder) version:
---- And it's nice to see other people who liked 'Tabidachi no uta' like me.
radwimp wrote:
Thanks for the heads up Nate
I need a new avatar too. Gotta get on that...
dreamlike wrote:
radwimp, Happy Belated Birthday!
Thanks!
ikuni-web wrote:
Sakurai to appear at ‘Lucky Raccoon Night Vol.2’
Hah, I love that picture of him as a pilot. Didn't know KAN was a flight attendant though Too bad we probably won't be able to see any footage from it... unless we get lucky.
I liked Tabidachi no Uta, it just didn't wow me like some of their more grand ballads. But I was totally turned by the time I saw the live PV version.
Oh, thanks for those awesome posts earlier. I'm still reading through those.
~~~
Oh... um I'm going to be uploading ap07 to MF before I torrent it, so PM me if you want that
And the third post which I didn't save was me replying to Radwimp about buying the LuckyRaccoon issue for the concert pictures when it comes out, and me telling people not to e-mail through innocent-world.org. Use my hotmail account instead. I will be deleting my innocent-world.org e-mail account. (and yes I do have MSN Messenger, but I rarely use it.)
Oh and before someone asks, like I mentioned earlier, I've made my pictures public, so all the HOME TOUR pamphlet scans can be found here:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v25/ikuniweb/ Go to the Mr.Children folder for them
The folder titled 'tourpamphlet' on the main page is from Mr.Children's 1995 Ku Tour.
Last edited by Ikuni-web on Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I haven't downloaded everything yet, but I will, for sure!
Amazing first week sales from Arashi. They are one of the JE groups I don't mind. Actually I think they are my second favourite JE group next to the Domotos.
Hmmm, might as well then - a Sakurai Kazutoshi fan's JE group ranking:
The Domotos (Favourite member: Tsuyoshi)
Arashi (Favourite member: Ohno)
News (Favourite member: Ryo)
V6 (Favourite member: Inochi)
Tokio (Favourite member: Taichi)
Kanjani 8 (Favourite member: Ryo)
T & T
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KAT-TUN
Woah, I'm going to use that first Sakurai one if you don't mind. Those are all awesome.
I don't mind at all!
Please use anything I post here anywhere you want. I'll post more in this post and.. I'll repost the old ones since they're .PNG files and they're pretty large for JPM D=
More avatars+reposts of the older ones as GIFs:
Just as a sidenote, these are optimized for MSN Messenger as well, so
these will appear in the same quality as you see here [96x96 is the max size for MSN~]
Last edited by zeopower6 on Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:32 pm, edited 6 times in total.
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:39 am Posts: 589 Location: Stirring with maaya sit at the left front seat. Holding hands. XD
being cut again?? i dun mind but... having almost 2 weeks skipping the thread and found the thread being trimmed again. didn't even read the last pages. does somebody have the archive?
edit: see the archive. but what's the password ikk-chan?? and saw the other links.. mht??
last time i wanna post, the damn connection brought some trouble so it wasn't sent. i hated that.
and o yea, happy birthday, radwimp. and please always stay with mr. children!! sorry late
and just some random thinking for the new single tracklist. It would be wonderful if the tracklist will be going to be like this:
1st track
song that is similiar to: seesaw game
2nd track
song that is similiar to: choose one --> tommorow never knows or everything (it's you)
and,
3rd track
song that is similiar to: hedatari
and how about the arragement?? interesting huh.. crazy-->classic, legendary-->beautiful .two bolero + one iloveu.. just adjust the feeling so it'll be fit with the other two songs mybe??
radwimp wrote:
And if anyone else wants to download the dvdrip, PM me.
not that i didn't want downloading dvd.. downloading dvd with this kinda connection would spent centuries, no kidding. im currently in bad mood here.. but thanks for the offer. Anyway, really wanna go back to my hometown. perhaps there's some new stuffs from mr. children currently out in stores.. i'm really looking forward for "home tour 2007"
still no great news considering mr. children?? it feels like centuries..
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i hated that.
