First Album from Aoi & Ryohei incl. Ayabie Megamasso

Visual kei unit Aoi & Ryohei incl. Ayabie Megamasso will release its first album on February 15th.

Titled Jyokei narabi ni nodo, yubisaki., the album will feature ten tracks and will be available in two editions. The regular edition will be CD-only and will feature two bonus tracks. The limited edition will come with a bonus DVD featuring the PV for Dear my suite... and additional footage.

Further information regarding the album's tracklist is expected closer to its release.

Jyokei narabi ni nodo, yubisaki. [Regular]

情景ならびに喉、指先。【通常盤】

CD - ALBUM

• release date: 15.02.2012
• label:
• catalog number: FURR-1003
• country: Japan

Jyokei narabi ni nodo, yubisaki. [Regular]

情景ならびに喉、指先。【初回限定盤】

CD + DVD - ALBUM

• release date: 15.02.2012
• label:
• catalog number: FURR-1001/2
• country: Japan

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X JAPAN Releasing Legendary DAHLIA TOUR FINAL on DVD

On December 21st, X JAPAN have just been releasing their legendary tour final of their "DAHLIA TOUR" as a complete edition on DVD. The live performance had been originally held in 1996 at TOKYO DOME, on December 31st, and the DVD this time is a follow up to the release of "THE LAST LIVE" DVD complete edition, which had been released on October 26th.

Both DVD's contain the originally released footage, as well as unreleased material, making it a must for X JAPAN fans to complete their collection.

To commemorate the release, the DVD contents are also available for mobile download via content provider mu-mo, for Japanese phones.

THE LAST LIVE Complete Edition
Release Date: 2011/10/26

[First Press Limited Edition]
Price: 12,600 Yen (tax in)
GNBL-7009

[Regular Edition]
Price: 5,250 Yen (tax in)
GNBL-7010

DAHLIA TOUR FINAL Complete Edition
Release Date: 2011/12/21

[First Press Limited Edition]
Price: 12,600 Yen (tax in)

[Regular Edition]
Price: 5,250 Yen (tax in)

A (ACE) Releases Christmas Song on iTunes

Visual pirate band A (Anonymous Confederate Ensemble) has released a Christmas song to iTunes uS and Amazon US and several European countries.

The song, titled “White & Holy Night with U”, begins with a soft, choral holiday sound until the bells break into a bright strum of guitars. This composition, complete with a Rookie’s violin and Nimo’s gentle voice, is a great way to get into the holiday spirit!

A(ace) 「White & Holy Night with U」

Nimo wrote on his blog:

“Hi Hearties,
How's it going these days?:-)
As you may know, our Christmas Song "White & Holy Night with U" has been sold on iTunes Store and amazon.
This is one of the most beautiful song and it's my favorite!
I do wanna have you listen for the Christmas season!
I'm sure all of you like it!:-)”

Have you heard about their European tour? 

AYABIE Reveals “Merry-Go-Round” Covers

As we announced a few weeks ago, AYABIE will release their 2nd major single “Merry-Go-Round” on January 25th. The cover jackets for the single as well as a new look for the boys have been revealed.

Check them out below!

Regular Edition

Limited Edition A

Limited Edition B

Yumehito / Takehito

Intetsu / KENZO

X JAPAN in Taipei

At the Nangang Exhibition Hall on November 6th, X JAPAN treated fans to a mind-blowing concert.


It had been a three-year wait for all the X JAPAN fans in Taiwan since the last X JUMP concert on May 30, 2009. Although the weather was a little cold and it was raining cats and dogs, the excitement of the loyal fans was not ruined at all. With their red light sticks crossed in an “X,” the well-dressed fans seemed as if they were putting all their love and passion for the legendary X JAPAN on display.

YOSHIKI showed up on stage with his arms crossed in an "X" to declare that they were back, signaling the start of the dream-like time. With the screen behind him showing a big “X,” his “X” pose and the red light sticks crossed in an “X” by all the excited fans, the concert was already so heated up in the beginning. As the music of the first song JADE faded out, the band let the fans sing along and smiled happily on seeing the gathering fans. Then ToshI greeted everyone in Chinese, saying, “Hello! How are you? Taiwan!” With a loud shout of “Are you ready to rock?” one knew that the fire in the fans’ hearts was not going to be easily put out that night!

PATA played the guitar wholeheartedly, so powerful and amazing that the fans screamed loudly upon seeing his strong guitar technique. HEATH’s bass was just as great, intoxicating all the fans. As the temperature rose in the intense atmosphere, HEATH even took off his shirt, setting off a burst of crazy yells from the crowd.SUGIZO’s violin just took everyone’s breath away. Dressed in white, he played a special song only for Taiwan, a beautiful, classic Taiwanese love song titled Everlasting Love. The fans were all surprised and then sang along when he played. It was just so touching. He smiled after getting the fans' explosive reactions with his playing.

As if he didn’t want to let SUGIZO get all the applause, YOSHIKI played a drum and piano solo that also caught everyone’s eyes. He played the drums with all his strength and then switched to the elegant piano. He also prepared a special Taiwanese song for the fans, Gao Shan Qing, which was a song about the energetic and beautiful teenagers living on Mt. Ali in Taiwan and the one of a kind mountain scenery there. All fans went crazy seeing him switch between piano and drums smoothly and confidently. With all those astonishing performances to surprise everyone as always, what else could the addicted fans do? Yes, they screamed his name to show their admiration for his hard work and show.

As 11 000 people did the X jump, the floor of the Nangang exhibition shook harder than it ever had. X JAPANjust led all the fans to rock the world that night. “I love you all! Thank you so much for coming here! We're so happy to be back! WE ARE-" YOSHIKI let every heart of the fans pound in excitement before finishing his sentence, “X!” As the classic song X started, fans and band members all did the fun and meaningful X jump together. At the end of the song, the band members waved goodbye and yelled “Thank you! We love you all!” to all the fans.

Instead of yelling “Encore” as all fans at other lives always do, X JAPAN fans yelled “We are X!” all the time. They even did the wave dance with the flags they made for X JAPAN, the atmosphere never cold or calm. Suddenly, some fans in one area of the hall started to sing the happy birthday song, then all the fans joined in, singing “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear YOSHIKI, happy birthday to you!” Yes, YOSHIKI’s birthday is on November 20th, so close to the performance that all the fans wanted to celebrate in advance together with him. 

YOSHIKI then showed up again, with Chinese robes on him. ToshI chased him and pulled his robes. YOSHIKIthen smiled shyly and took off the Chinese robes, drawing loud screams from the fans when they saw him wearing a nurse dress for them on stage! He then checked ToshI’s blood type and announced the naughty yet correct answer, “Oh! X,” heating up the atmosphere again successfully.

“We are here with HIDE and TAIJI. We are not alone today. We X JAPAN just want to show that nothing is impossible and dreams can come true,” said YOSHIKI. The reminder of HIDE and TAIJI brought tears to the fans’ eyes even though they knew that they would never lose them. All fans held their breaths for the moment, like a holy and beautiful ceremony for the two members. HIDE and TAIJI were with them that night and always, and X JAPAN would always be a seven-member great band in the depths of all their fans' hearts for sure, never forgetting their greatness. 

X JAPAN then played the elegant FOREVER LOVE, followed by ENDLESS RAIN, the song written for dearestHIDE. With the feelings of longing for the two members, the fans became so emotional that they couldn’t stop tears from spilling from their eyes. Following that was the third encore song, the greatest master piece ever, ART OF LIFE. The song evoked such intense emotions in the hearts of the fans that it was almost too much to handle. 

When all the members saw the gift from the Taiwanese fans, a banner on which their faces were printed,YOSHIKI held it and jumped up and down on the stage, smiling happily like a child who had been given a gift that he had always wished for. They put it on the floor of the stage and took a photograph with it and all the wonderful fans that night. YOSHIKI then placed the doll of HIDE on his drums, letting HIDE and the fans see the banner.

Hand in hand, five people – no, it’s seven: YOSHIKI, ToshI, PATA, HEATH, SUGIZO, HIDE and TAIJI did the last X JUMP that night on stage together, and all the fans also did it with them. It was then that the curtains drew shut, signaling the end of a concert that was wonderful beyond description. The love that the fans had for the band, however, will never diminish. 

After the amazing concert that night, the fans in Taiwan can only wait for this world famous band to come back and surprise them again with another ground-shaking X JUMP. As all X JAPAN fans would say, “We are X!”


Set List:
01. JADE
02. RUSTY NAIL
03. SILENT JEALOUSY
04. DRAIN
05. KURENAI 
06. BORN TO BE FREE
07. I.V.
08. X

Encore
01. FOREVER LOVE
02. ENDLESS RAIN
03. ART OF LIFE

UNiTE. Announce First Anniversary Performance at Akasaka BLITZ

On November 16th, Visual-kei band UNiTE has just released its first album "STARTiNG OVER'S" and just recently it has been revealed that the group will be performing at Akasaka BLITZ next year in March.

The young band will be celebrating its first anniversary since their formation at the large venue, which is quite a step for a Visual-kei band of such a young age. 
Ticket sales through the official website have started already on Sunday, December 18th and further advanced sales are going to follow.

Please make sure to check the official homepage for further details, as well as the PV for the title track of the album.

In January, UNiTE will also be holding a two-day event performance at Shibuya BOXX, together with bands like THE KIDDIE and JILS. Tickets are already on sale!

UNiTE. FIRST ANNIVERSARY ONE MAN LIVE [U&U's -ANSWER-] 
Date: 2012/03/29
Venue: Akasaka BLITZ
All Standing
Tickets: Advanced: 3,500 Yen (tax in) / Box Office: 4,000 Yen (tax in)
General Sales Start: 2012/02/25

UNiTE Presents "United Stars BOXX"
Date: 2012/01/14 + 01/15
Venue: Shibuya BOXX
OPEN 17:00 / START 17:30
Tickets: Advanced 3,500 Yen (tax in) / Box Office 4,000 Yen (tax)
Guests: 11/14 THE KIDDIE, ν[NEU]
Guests: 11/15 JILS

New Single from Plastic Tree

Visual rock band Plastic Tree will release a new single on February 29th.

Titled Joumyaku, this will be the band's first single since they signed to major label FlyingStar Records. It will be available in four differents editions, all of which will include the title track and its instrumental version. The regular Type A will contain a new version of the song Narihibiku, kane as a B-side, while the Type B will feature a new version of Itai ao. 

Both limited editions will instead feature a live version of Joumyaku as their B-side, recorded during Plastic Tree's concert held on December 9th in Taiwan. They will also each come with a DVD featuring different versions of the title track's PV, which will be a Type A and Type B version respectively.

In addition to this, Plastic Tree will embark on a nationwide tour. Titled Plastic Tree 2012 "Spring Tour", it will start on March 15th at Yokohama BLITZ and will end on April 7th at Niigata LOTS, for a total of thirteen dates. They will also hold a concert named Tent 3 on April 14th at Nippon Budokan.

exist†trace Announce Details on Tour Dates for US East Coast in 2012!

As announced earlier this year, exist†trace are returning to the US for the coming spring on their first solo tour along the American east coast.

In October, the band has released their latest record "THE LAST DAYBREAK" and they are not only going to perform their "Short Circuit" in Japan, but will also make the American fans happy again.

While the tour in Japan is scheduled to start as early into the next year as January 9th at Meguro Rokkumeikan, the American dates are all set to take place in March 2012.

"exist†trace US East Coast Tour"

2011/03/18 - Hiro Ballroom (NYC)
2011/03/20 - Starlight bAllroom (Philadelphia)
2011/03/24 - Tekkoshocon (Pittsburgh)

Ticket info and links:
http://www.japanfiles.com/existtrace-america-tour-2012.html

Visual kei band MUCC’s new song, “Nirvana“, was selected as the opening theme for the upcoming anime series, 'Inu x Boku SS'.

'Inu x Boku SS' is an anime adaptation of Fujiwara Cocoa’s manga series of the same title, and is currently being serialized in the manga magazine, “Gekkan Gangan JOKER“.

Check out a preview of "Nirvana" in the trailer for “Inu x Boku SS” below!

ニルヴァーナ 30sec preview

http://www.inuboku.tv/movie/index.htmlMUCC new single "ニルヴァーナ(Nirvana)" preview

VOTE now in the JpopAsia Music Awards 2011

It's finally there, our annual JpopAsia Music Awards! This year even bigger and better than before. Vote daily for your favorite artists using facebook and twitter!

We start with a nomination round with thousands of artists you can vote for. The nominations will run until 2 January 2012, after we continue with only the best of the best. All voted and chosen by the Asian internet community from our immense database.

Last years winner was Agnes Monica who has an immense twitter follower base. This year we split up our awards into categories. On JpopAsia you can vote for J-pop, J-rock, C-pop, on GoKpop K-pop and intuned.com all worldwide artists!!

So what are you waiting for? Vote daily at www.jpopasia.com/awards/!!

Check here last years JIMA result

Decided yet who you are voting for? Have fun! Your idols need your vote