Yukie Nakama and Masahiro Nakai tackle the reins for 2008's Year End Kohaku Uta Gassen!
There were many fine, fine acts this year last night to see and hear, including the debut of American Enka sensation JERO…
…A sweet and poignant rendition of the Aibu Saki/Mokomichi Hayami drama Zettai Kareshi theme song “Okaeri” by pretty singer AYAKA…
And a rousing, crowd pleasing performance of the singalong friendly enka rocker “Shimauta” by The Boom…
The thrilling debuts of girl-led power pop acts Ikimonogakari and Girl Next Door dazzles! Looking forward to seeing more from both of them!
K-pop Act Tohoshinki makes its Kohaku debut…
…as does electronic trio Perfume:
Mitsuko Nakamura brings the “Matsuri” Festival to the stage once again...I might add that Mitsuko was one of the very first enka singers I really dug with her fun and catchy songs!
Beautiful Ayako Fujii does a smoky, sultry performance of “Akai Ito”
Two "gutsy" performance by Fuyumi Sakamoto...
...and Yoshimi Tendo!
Sachiko Kobayashi looks like she’s channeling Inazuman enemy Quintuple Bambara….
Once unstoppable SPEED make a rare appearance to the show...
and TOKIO perform “Amagasa” looking like they just stepped out of the NEWSIES set…
(seriously, da heck....?)
Koda Kumi doing her Namie Amuro- flavored “Taboo”...Oooh, love this song!
All the acts this year had something to give, but for me, there was ever only one and ONLY one reason to be tuning in to THIS year’s telecast, and as regular readers of this blog ALREADY KNOW, it was about the appearance of Hexagon super-unit ALADDIN, comprised of the fun ‘n’ goofy trios SHUCHISHIN and PABO!
The entire night was centered around sightings of those three adorable and oh-so-spacey cuties that comprise Pabo, the outspoken Yukina:
The sensible and straightheaded Mai Satoda:
And my drool-inducing favorite, the curvy sugar coated gravure idol Suzanne!
I just wrapped myself in every appearance they made in this broadcast, and they were many! From cruising backstage, grinding on eggrolls or giggling together in the sidelines, they really made my night!
As you all may recall, I was really hoping they’d choose Aladdin’s song “Hiwa Mata Noboru” as the Kohaku opening song, though they didn’t, it was still nice to see it used as sort of a silly “Half-Time” show. And while it’s true that the actual performance (which started with Shuchishin singing their highly Shonentai-ish epynomous anthem before segueing into the actual song) which started off bright and fun ended up degenerating into a zany, jaw-dropping, insanity filled HEXAGON ALL STARS Spectacle, you just couldn’t deny the FUN they were having and exuding!
From there we got to see, Saburo Kitajima getting seasick riding the S.S. Smappie…
And you know it’s getting towards the end when Sayuri Ishikawa dusts off her classic Amagi-Goe with her "steely gaze off into the distance"....
SMAP came on with Kono Toki, Kitto yume Jyanai” and though they closed last year’s show…
…this year it was Akiko Wada belting it out for the Red Team...(By the way, look at how freakin’ sexy Sayuri Ishikawa looks in “regular” clothes…DAMN)
and the show’s finale was Kiyoshi Hikawa with his crowd-pleasing theme song “Kiyoshi no Zundoko Bushi”!! KI-YO-SHI!!
...And a Splendid Time was Had by All....
