Of Great(ness) and Expectations
BIG NEWS: Kanjani will end their prime time show Shiwake Eito and start a new late night show called KanJam instead! Each episode of KanJam/Kanjam/KanJAM (as in jam session) will feature two famous groups from different generations, there will be a talk segment and a collaboration featuring Kanjani band.
This is terrific news. Let me count the ways:
1) Shiwake ends! That show was a waste of time (both the viewers and Kanjani's) and resources.
2) New weekly show: KanJam!
3) KanJam features Kanjani band doing collaborations! Which is awesome because
a) we get weekly Kanjani band activities!
b) Kanjani get weekly band activities, which means they get more and regular (-ish? depending on the taping schedule) practice! So far they only played together for concerts, promo and so on. KanJam will help them become better musicians and a better band.
c) they will do collaborations, which means they'll play lots of different songs and styles! This, too, will help them improve.
4) There will also be a talk segment! A show that combines talking and band activities is perfect for Kanjani. Everyone gets to shine!
5) Kanjani are at a crossroads right now. Either they go the Arashi route - safe, family friendly, popular - or they carve their own niche, with a less strictly inoffensive image but also probably less fame. Axing Shiwake in favor of KanJam is a sign they chose the second option, which I approve of. A LOT.
6) KanJam is a late night show! Meaning more freedom in terms of content and topics!
7) TV Asahi, that was the string of Can!Jani, Kanpani, Bouken Japan, Shiwake. Can!Jani and Kanpani were awesome. Bouken Japan was an attempt to give Kanjani their own version of DASH. (Which I am incredibly grateful for, by the way. What else can a Johnny's fan ask for than for their group to have their own DASH?) Sadly it didn't work out. There was just no spark. I can't even pinpoint the problem. I think it may have been a combination of different factors. For one, they took one of the less interesting DASH premises, the "traveling around Japan to look at different local customs", and Bouken Japan interpreted "customs" to mean food, festivals, jobs that produce foodstuffs, and food. The second problem was Kanjani. The reason the solar van segment on DASH (the equivalent to Bouken Japan) was so much fun were the hijinks TOKIO members got up to. Kanjani failed to deliver. It was all very nice but also very boring. Um. Did I have a point? Oh yeah! Bouken Japan - very well meant (thank you so much, TV Asahi) but fell through. Finally Shiwake, the first prime time show, which had potential but quickly turned into the most boring show ever. So Kanjani on TV Asahi: hit, hit, admirable attempt, fail. Now back to hit? I think so. Looking at KanJam's premise, TV Asahi definitely learned something about Kanjani's strengths and weaknesses.
8) Anyone else thinking of the two KavaxKora shows?
A reminder for those who need it: On 06.07.2013, NTV aired a mega-show called The Music Day, featuring a special live show called KavaxKora TV hosted by Kanjani and Masu Taichi (that one ZIP announcer). In the show, famous musicians, comedians, announcers, idols and so on would collaborate (collaborate -> kora) and cover (kava) famous songs. It was awesome. In fact it was so awesome that a few months later, on 06.01.2014, they did a second one, not part of a Music Day, just a live show special. I don't know whose idea that was - if Kanjani wanted to do it, if NTV approached them or if J&A suggested it. That second show was not nearly as awesome. The guests and songs were okay but the organization was horrible. Some staff was running around like chicken with their head cut off, others were ambling about until they were pulled out of the way; cameras constantly captured things they shouldn't; the hosts did not always have the info (cue cards, which camera is hot) they needed. There was so much chaos behind the camera that it was hard to smile and look relaxed in front of it, and the show failed to get the "we're having fun!" atmosphere going that made the first KovaxKara (where everyone knew what they were doing, and when and where they should do it) so good. It was incredibly obvious that the first KavaxKara was the reason there was a second, and the second KavaxKara was the reason there wasn't a third.
Anyway, KanJam seems to have picked up the basic idea from there.
9) I want LiLiCo and Mizuki Ichirou to guest. Or another anime theme song guru, I don't care. Who did Dragonball? Whatever. LiLiCo needs to happen, though.
10) You know what else needs to happen? TOKIO on KanJam. Let Yasu arrange a TOKIO song and then everyone plays it together. Symmetry. <3
11) (Also, after I heard a really cool version of Birdland about a week ago, I have this craving for Kanjani to play it. Not that they would, not on KanJam nor anywhere, but a girl can dream.)
What does that all that mean? It means Kanjani fandom is celebrating! Don your party hats and join. :D
This is terrific news. Let me count the ways:
1) Shiwake ends! That show was a waste of time (both the viewers and Kanjani's) and resources.
2) New weekly show: KanJam!
3) KanJam features Kanjani band doing collaborations! Which is awesome because
a) we get weekly Kanjani band activities!
b) Kanjani get weekly band activities, which means they get more and regular (-ish? depending on the taping schedule) practice! So far they only played together for concerts, promo and so on. KanJam will help them become better musicians and a better band.
c) they will do collaborations, which means they'll play lots of different songs and styles! This, too, will help them improve.
4) There will also be a talk segment! A show that combines talking and band activities is perfect for Kanjani. Everyone gets to shine!
5) Kanjani are at a crossroads right now. Either they go the Arashi route - safe, family friendly, popular - or they carve their own niche, with a less strictly inoffensive image but also probably less fame. Axing Shiwake in favor of KanJam is a sign they chose the second option, which I approve of. A LOT.
6) KanJam is a late night show! Meaning more freedom in terms of content and topics!
7) TV Asahi, that was the string of Can!Jani, Kanpani, Bouken Japan, Shiwake. Can!Jani and Kanpani were awesome. Bouken Japan was an attempt to give Kanjani their own version of DASH. (Which I am incredibly grateful for, by the way. What else can a Johnny's fan ask for than for their group to have their own DASH?) Sadly it didn't work out. There was just no spark. I can't even pinpoint the problem. I think it may have been a combination of different factors. For one, they took one of the less interesting DASH premises, the "traveling around Japan to look at different local customs", and Bouken Japan interpreted "customs" to mean food, festivals, jobs that produce foodstuffs, and food. The second problem was Kanjani. The reason the solar van segment on DASH (the equivalent to Bouken Japan) was so much fun were the hijinks TOKIO members got up to. Kanjani failed to deliver. It was all very nice but also very boring. Um. Did I have a point? Oh yeah! Bouken Japan - very well meant (thank you so much, TV Asahi) but fell through. Finally Shiwake, the first prime time show, which had potential but quickly turned into the most boring show ever. So Kanjani on TV Asahi: hit, hit, admirable attempt, fail. Now back to hit? I think so. Looking at KanJam's premise, TV Asahi definitely learned something about Kanjani's strengths and weaknesses.
8) Anyone else thinking of the two KavaxKora shows?
A reminder for those who need it: On 06.07.2013, NTV aired a mega-show called The Music Day, featuring a special live show called KavaxKora TV hosted by Kanjani and Masu Taichi (that one ZIP announcer). In the show, famous musicians, comedians, announcers, idols and so on would collaborate (collaborate -> kora) and cover (kava) famous songs. It was awesome. In fact it was so awesome that a few months later, on 06.01.2014, they did a second one, not part of a Music Day, just a live show special. I don't know whose idea that was - if Kanjani wanted to do it, if NTV approached them or if J&A suggested it. That second show was not nearly as awesome. The guests and songs were okay but the organization was horrible. Some staff was running around like chicken with their head cut off, others were ambling about until they were pulled out of the way; cameras constantly captured things they shouldn't; the hosts did not always have the info (cue cards, which camera is hot) they needed. There was so much chaos behind the camera that it was hard to smile and look relaxed in front of it, and the show failed to get the "we're having fun!" atmosphere going that made the first KovaxKara (where everyone knew what they were doing, and when and where they should do it) so good. It was incredibly obvious that the first KavaxKara was the reason there was a second, and the second KavaxKara was the reason there wasn't a third.
Anyway, KanJam seems to have picked up the basic idea from there.
9) I want LiLiCo and Mizuki Ichirou to guest. Or another anime theme song guru, I don't care. Who did Dragonball? Whatever. LiLiCo needs to happen, though.
10) You know what else needs to happen? TOKIO on KanJam. Let Yasu arrange a TOKIO song and then everyone plays it together. Symmetry. <3
11) (Also, after I heard a really cool version of Birdland about a week ago, I have this craving for Kanjani to play it. Not that they would, not on KanJam nor anywhere, but a girl can dream.)
What does that all that mean? It means Kanjani fandom is celebrating! Don your party hats and join. :D