US Puffy Concert Announced: Anime Boston

Some interesting and encouraging news, Puffy has been announced as a performing act at Anime Boston. I have not seen the specific details as to the specific date, but the convention itself runs from March 31 - April 2nd.

The outstanding questions I have are:
Will this be in a proper venue?

Will they be bringing along their support band?

Will I have to go to Boston as who knows when they'll be back in the US?

Anyways, great news and even better for East Coast people.   Now if Denver Comic Con would book them...

Only one slight gripe about the posting on the convention's site, I kind of disagree with the album numbers... but minor issue.



(h/t to the Puffy Facebook group)

Japan Trip: Traveled Half Way Around The World To Come To Terms About Puffy

Hey gang.  Apologies for not writing as much as I should or want.  I was in Tokyo in July and it was a great trip.  So I'll talk about that a little.

As some of you may recall my friend Dr Doug was the person who introduced me to Puffy some years ago when we worked together.  He has since moved back to Tokyo so I met up with him and his lovely wife Sumi.  This was part of the reason returning to visit Japan as they are very special people to us and life is short and often unpredictable.  We had to go.



Doug burned a weekend hanging out with us and doing more touristy things than a local expat might.  We diverted to a music store in Shibuya: Tsutaya.  I controlled myself and limited myself to the Puffy 20th Anniversary CD set.    

According to Dr Doug, Puffy is not really popular any more.  I think album sales, little new material  and general inactivity bear this out, but it was kind of shocking to hear it to my face.  The truth is kind of like that, so there you have it.  

Anyways I did have a funny encounter with hearing Puffy.  I was in Don Quixote is Asakusa and doing a quick exploration of the store.  It has everything.  Luggage, snacks, drinks, t-shirts, sporting goods, cosmetics, sex toys... a condensed Japanese department store.  On the stairs up near the top level there was a dingy  beach display with a beach chair and retro boombox.  Not eye catching at all, until coming from the worn out boombox Puffy's Electric Beach Fever.  

I probably looked goofier than normal standing there having a fun laugh about that.

Were This Any More Japan...

Hey gang saw this crop up on the Facebook side of Puffy fandom.  Were this any more Japan it would have had to be in Tokyo Tower.

This checks so many boxes in my life:  Domokun, orchestral instruments, Puffy and Japan.

Perhaps Ami was not having a good singing day, but she sounded pretty rough.  Which is a surprise as she is usually the singer with much more range.  Based on this it sounds like off the cuff singing Yumi's voice is holding up well...

Still wrapping my thoughts around my Japan trip in regards to Puffy.  Hope your Labor Day weekend has been swell.

A Very Funny Nuance In Tokusuru Karada

Tokusuru Karada One of my favorite PUFFY songs for a few reasons but mostly because it is one of their most unique in that they have never had a song like this again in 20 years.  But a nuance I never noticed was the the racquetball  ball players mimicking their "dance moves you can do drunk" in one of the scenes.

Here is the video in much higher quality than you see on YouTube... Looks like an official Puffy VEVO site.  This is most welcome but I'll chat about that later.

P.S.  Had a great trip to Tokyo in July.  Just about perfect.  I hung out with my pal Dr. Doug who lives there again about Puffy and the state of things.  Been jammed with real world things since getting back so blogging has suffered.

20th Anniversary Set List and Tour Wrap Up

Puffy has completed their 20th Anniversary tour* in high style.  

Via Warner Music Japan

Matching up with the 20th Anniversary album, here is the set list.  I deeply suggest bracing yourself, because this is stunning.

01. Asia no Junshin
02. Kore ga Watashi no Ikiru Michi
03. Circuit no Musume
04. Nagisa ni Matsuwaru Etcetera
05. MOTHER
06. Ai no Shirushi
07.Tararan
08. Nichiyoubi no Musume
09. Yume no Tameni
10. Umi Eto
11. Boogie Woogie No.5
12. Atarashii Hibi
13. Aoi Namida
14. Akai Buranko
15. SUNRISE
16. Hajimari no Uta
17. Mogura Like
18. boom boom beat
19. Oriental Diamond
20. Kuchibiru Motion
21. All Because Of You
22. My Story
23. Hiyori Hime
24. Dareka Ga
25. Happy Birthday
26. Tomodachi no Wao!
27. Datsu Dystopia
28. my journal
29. Himitsu no Gimmecat ～Ufufu Hontou yo～
30. Puffypipo Yama
31. COLORFUL WAVE SURFERS
32. COCO Hawaii
33. Namida wo Sagashite
＜ENCORE＞
34. Dakitakya idakeba E Ja NIGHT☆
35. Tokusuru Karada

Tamio was a guest performer at the final concert and I wonder what other special activities happened for this final concert.

I can only hope that it was recorded and will be on DVD/Blu-ray (or streaming).

Photo via Warner Music Japan

Some other news too, but I am doing some leg work to validate.  The quick take it that thi sis only the start of a lot of stuff going on for the rest of the year.

* Much to my dismay well as it is before my forthcoming trip to Tokyo.

Puffy Turns 20

Happy 20th to Puffy.

It has been an awesome musical ride!

Thank you!

Puffy Fantasy Theater

Following up on the last post, Ami and Yumi talk about their tie in with Sanrio for Fantasy Theater Sanrio Characters.  I for one will never ever make fun of Hello Kitty, as I have been roundly (and politely) scolded by my friend Sumi-san many years ago for making even the slightest joke.

It went roughly like this:

Me:  If Hello Kitty dies woudl it be Goodbye Kitty?
Sumi-San: Why are you making fun of Hello Kitty-chan, she is nice.
Me: . . .

So some cool news for Puffy in their 20th year and it feels like steam is building up given not only this but also their TV shedule has been busier than it had been for nearly a decade it seems.  All good things.

Fantasy Theater can be found on Google Play or on iTunes. It is not compatible on my Android devices, so I need to figure out a hack to that...

P.S.  Is Yumi standing on a box, wearing platform shoes or is Ami shrinking... their heigh difference is not that extreme..

Hello Puffy

File this under the most awesomely Japanese thing ever.  Puffy has collaborated with Sanrio on the mobile game "Sanrio Character's Fantasy Theater."

Song can be downloaded (250Y) here... Not sure if us over seas folks can, but I'll get back to you.

P.S.  If any of you are still out there... throw in a comment.

Puffy on Downtown DX

Falling into a Venn diagram that looks like the Japanese flag is Puffy on Downtown DX.  Became an avid fan of Downtown over the past few years and cool to see Puffy on their (one of many) shows.



Sort of funny seating arrangement with Ami and Yumi in the back near Matsumoto and Hamada.  It illustrates how wee they both are.

20th Anniversary Album Is Out And Sundry

Apologies for being a little quiet, real life has a way of interfering. Anyways, the 20th anniversary album is for sale in Japan (4/6 there... for me not yet) and titled 20th Anniversary Best Album Hi Datsuryoku Ha Senge.

I like the cover, it is something different in style to other Puffy albums.  Not in a rush to buy it just yet, I usually let my wants from Japan pile up and then order.  Of course I will be in Tokyo in July so I may just wait till then.

On the plus side a physical CD will make a great fan as Tokyo in July is appallingly hot and humid.

Also releasing today is the single from the album: Hidatsuryokuha Sengen.

I am hoping my trip somehow coincides with a concert in Tokyo, I will be keeping an eye on tour dates and if so... I will be contacting my friend Dr Doug who introduced me to Puffy and now lives in Tokyo.

Anyways, from scanning Puffy's social media feeds it appears they are in studio which I am hoping is good news.  Specifically that it is a new album to coincide with this momentous year.

P.S.  As a side note, the format of this site is possibly going to change to encompass more Japan artists.   There is a lot I listen to that I want to share, so either I start up a new site and Puffy stuff appears on both or this one... what do you think?

P.S.  It would be doubly cool if Ami and Yumi can keep Puffy intact for the 2020 Olympics... specifically the opening ceremony.  Asia no Junshin seems like a perfect song for that event.

20th Anniversary Greatest Hits Album

Puffy has a 20th anniversary greatest hits album due 4/6, so very soon.  Looks like there will be two limited deluxe versions (8000 yen) and a regular version (3200 yen).  No idea what goods will be in the deluxe versions specifically, but it appears to be part of a clothing line they are involved with BEAMS.   Given I am not Japanese sized, I have my doubts that I will buy the deluxe versions... Any ways here is the track list (I'll try and clean up titles later):

DISC 1
1 Innocence of Asia
2 This is the way that I live
3 Daughter of Circuit
4 Etcetera surrounding Nagisa
5 MOTHER
6 Token of love
7 Tararan
8 Sunday daughter
9 For the sake of a dream
10 To the sea
11 Boogie Woogie No.5
12 New day-to-day
13 Blue Tears
14 Akai Blanco
15 SUNRISE
16 Begin Again
17 Moguraraiku

DISC 2
1 boom boom beat
2 Oriental Diamond
3 Lips motion
4 All Because Of You
5 My Story
6 Day and Hime
7 Someone has
8 Happy birthday
9 Wow of Friends!
10 De-dystopia
11 my journal
12 The secret of Gimme Cat
13 Pa fu ィ APICAL Polyster Hill
14 COLORFUL WAVE SURFERS
15 COCO Hawaii
16 Looking for tears
17 «New song»

Mostly familiar ground from the prior greatest hits albums with a live track and one new song (there may be more that I could be missing).  Also their worst song to date is included... I'll give them credit for sticking by it.  

My personal opinion is given Puffy had a 15th anniversary greatest hits album and very little material since (singles no albums) to show since this seems egregious.  Sort of like Jet Fever, a greatest hits album after two full albums, shelved demos and an EP.  That said, it seems all too common place among Japanese artists, so maybe that is just the way of it. Judy and Mary did the same thing to no real benefit other than padding bank accounts.  

Hopefully a full new album is in the mix.  This feels like something of a letdown for a tremendous anniversary for Ami and Yumi as performers.