190 replies to this topic

[Laughing Man]

Well, I'm sure the footage is decent enough, but it just seems odd that -- for a bonus disc on their new album -- they'd use footage that's so old. Something like the PVs from the preceeding singles would have made more sense (speaking of which, they have a BOATLOAD of PVs they've never put out on DVD -- the last such collection was released in 2005!).

Anyway, CDJapan has 59, and Amazon Japan's Marketplace has a few used copies of The Hit Parade that sellers will ship overseas -- there's even one that's only 180 yen plus shipping (800 yen, I believe). Amazon Japan also has 59, but it'd be about the same price as CDJapan (the original, copy-protected version is going for super cheap there, but it doesn't look like any of the sellers will ship overseas).

If you can find a decent seller on Amazon Japan's Marketplace, though, you can get some pretty sweet deals. I ordered a CD from there a month or two ago; the CD was list price (about $30 or so), but the shipping was only 800 yen and the CD got to my house within three days (which is comparable to CDJapan shipping through EMS, and that costs at least 1500 yen).

And not only is Puffy appearing in Paris, Bring It! is getting an honest-to-goodness release in France. Too bad it seems like Ami and Yumi have kinda given up on the U.S. for the time being.

[ItsudemoAibon]

I kinda wonder if they got soured from the mini-tour they did on the West Coast for Honeycreeper. I think they averaged between 300 and 500 for those shows......with a sizeable amount being Japanese.

Quite a turn around from when they sold out a whole nationwide tour right after the cartoon show came out........

I don't think Honeycreeper got released in the States, I had to order an import. And I doubt if the new ones will get released either.

[Laughing Man]

No, honeycreeper never came out over here. It was supposed to, though -- I remember on the Puffy AmiYumi World forums everyone was really excited about it; a lot of people thought it was a done deal because there was a press release about the album and everything. Then poof! Nothing happened.

It's really a shame Ami and Yumi could never truly capitalize on any momentum they had going in America. After their successful debut tour, Ami had a child and they obviously couldn't record or tour -- they went two to three years between trips, which really hurt them. Then they ditched the whole "indie rock" persona and did the cartoon thing, which worked until the kids soured on it (and the cartoon never became the crossover hit with teens and adults the show's creators hoped it would become). Then the short honeysweeper tour was kind of a last gasp.

It's rather ironic to note, though, that now that they're not actively courting the U.S. market, Puffy's English home page is better than ever, with translated diary entries and everything. That web page was a nightmare to navigate back when they were still releasing albums and touring over here.

[ItsudemoAibon]

While they may have given up on America, they DID get a chance to perform in Paris at the Japan Expo which took place at the same time as the LA AX that Momusu played at....................Jpop is truly going global!

Here's a newsclip about Puffy (and AKB48) in Paris:


And here's something I never saw................from PaPaPaPaPuffy, Ami, Yumi and Ayu doing Kore ga Watashi no Ikiru Michi. On second thought, they're doing this with a live band so this must be Ayu Ready with Puffy as guests:


And finally, simply a fantastic piece of music showing that Puffy is still as full of magic as always:


Finally, I found these links on PAY World, fan vids in Paris:

All Because Of You:
http://www.dailymoti...-amy-yumi_music

Asia no Junshin (bad quality):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNwxEHcv3IE
All of this person's video sound bad.

There are a few others but nothing of good quality.......

[SomethingWild]

Puffy was pretty awesome in Paris. Especially the band! Ami and Yumi looked like they hate each other, like two front women fighting for attention haha.

[ItsudemoAibon]

New Puffy single and PV:

Dareka Ga


Reminds me of Planet Tokyo/Red Swing (Akai Burunko)..............

[sailormari]

cool thank for the link

they sound great i love it

btw puffy fans puffy needs your help

i holding battle of the band sort of speak on my blog and puffy right nopw is losing

now we cant have that so go to my blog and save our girls

http://www.hello-onl...;showentry=5155

[Laughing Man]

"Dareka ga" ended up charting at #30 for the week. This is Puffy's highest charting single since "Hazumu Rhythm" nearly three years ago, and their highest charting non-collaboration single since "Sunrise" in 2004.

[ItsudemoAibon]

That sounds excellent although Puffy just keeps rolling along, whether they chart or not. They're practically an institution now.

[sailormari]

puffy is forever
i dont matter if their songs chart or not

i know we always be true to them and love them foir all time

[greenlight]

I had forgotten about Puffy after their earlier stuff (Tokyo nights etc), but they appeared at Rock in Japan Fes which I attended, and I have to say, if you ever get a chance - go see them live, they're great! Lots of artists aren't good at activating the audience, but they were really energetic.

[omg_its_KC]

Puffy was the first JPop band I heard and really got into
But I didn't really like Splurge and Honeycreeper o.o and I haven't heard Bring It! yet...hmm

[sailormari]

i diff

i loved honeycreeper

and bring it on was good but to me not as good as honeycreeper

[omg_its_KC]

^ Really? Hm...I really prefer their old music, but their newer stuff isn't really bad...the only song I really hate of theirs is "Call Me What You Like"
I think I'll have to listen to Honeycreeper again and give it another chance though and listen to their new album some day...

[ItsudemoAibon]

greenlight, glad you got to see them live and that they rocked................as a matter of fact, I've never heard a single bad review of their live shows. They're as pro as anyone in rock-n-roll.

And their albums.............I love them all because of all of the changes they've been thru. The album that stands out the most to me is the album Andy Sturmer produced.........Fever*Fever. It's pop perfection.

Then after that, Puffy became a "band" with Splurge and they went to a heavier sound while still maintaining the ability to do all sorts of styles.

Honeycreeper was written with the idea that all of the songs could be performed live easily and I think it holds up well for listening pleasure as well as making great live tunes. I really loved the singles from it, Kuchibiru Motion and Oriental Diamone.

All I've heard of Bring It! are the three singles that have already been released plus 'Wedding Bell.' I should be picking this up.......

[Laughing Man]

^Andy Sturmer didn't produce Fever*Fever, except for "Talalan." The rest of the album was produced by Masanori Sasaji (with some help, I'd guess, from Tamio Okuda, who is credited as "guest").

Anyway, I agree with sailormari re: Bring it! It's a bit more diverse musically than honeycreeper, but the songs just aren't as good overall. There are a couple of callbacks to the "classic" Puffy sound, though -- "Wedding Bell" and "Anata to Watashi" are reminiscent of the Fever*Fever era, and "Hare Onna" also sounds like "classic Puffy," though in a less specific way. Besides those, I like the two Ringo Shiina songs -- "Shuen no Onna" is one of her trademark jazzy songs, and "Hiyori Hime" was a decent single (and if such things interest you, do note that the musical backing on both of those tracks is by Tokyo Jihen).

Beyond that, it's a mixed bag. I like "My Story," but the two Avril Lavigne songs do nothing for me, nor do the two B-sides on the album ("Doki Doki" and "Twilight Shooting Star!"). And "Bring it on" is kinda boring pseudo-punk rock.

If you need a fix of Puffy, it's decent. But it's not one of my favorite albums.

[sailormari]

hey guy puffy made it round three on my battle of jpop

keep the votes coming let get them to round 4

[cat pancake]

Puffy was pretty much the start of my love of J-Pop. Started with trying to find out what music(K2G) was being used in an episode of Teen Titans; didn't even know they did the theme song. Can't say I'm a super fan though. Only got 2 albums: 'Music form the cartoon series' and 'Nice.' I like their work with Andy Sturmer best. Their vocals and harmonies go so sweet with his retro sound.

[sailormari]

any new puffy news...i hate to see this thread dead


heard there a new video game coming to playstation

i hope comes to USA

i want it

[Laughing Man]

Apparently we were this close to having Puffy return to the U.S. They, along with Oreskaband, were slated to be opening acts on Less Than Jake's U.S. tour in November/December. But, for whatever reason, both Puffy and Oreskaband pulled out of the tour a couple of months ago (however, many web sites still list both acts as being part of the tour, which led to some confusion with Puffy fans).

So they haven't forgotten about America, at least. Hopefully they can get a decent label and some promotion and try to make it in the U.S. again some time in the near future.