What do you think about Japonicana?

[yokumiz]

so the US Album is out and available in US/Canada iTunes stores, and also in many digital stores in different countries (check your local digital stores), and I guess a lot of fans have listened to the album already.

Just wanna do a survey about the album (seems like You and Jin is sometimes checked by...)

1. Do you like this album?

2. which song/

Comments

[kimi_no_koe]

Basing this on the US release since I haven't heard the JP bonus songs in high quality yet.

1. Do you like this album?
No. Worlds of no. Not a style of music I enjoy in the first place, but it's also lacking the beautiful voice I fell in love with six years ago.

2. which song/songs are ur favorite?
I don't love any of the songs. Don't even really like any of them. But if I had to choose...
Set Love Free
Aphrodisiac
I would love Oowah if the vocals were less digitally altered and more like the live version.

3. Which song/songs are ur least favorite?
That's What She Said. <-- Disgusting "lyrics". Musically boring. I get so much secondhand embarrassment from this.
Tell Me Where <-- So much accent fail in this.

4. Any suggestions for his future release?
He keeps saying that he doesn't want to be tied to just one genre. But this entire album is pretty much just one genre. It'd be nice to get some variety next time around. And less autotuned. He used to have such a gorgeous and powerful voice. If he still has it, it'd be nice to actually hear it.

ps. I didnt mention That's what she said is because there's not much I can say about it. It's a funny song and a pure game of words. I actually repeated it and categorized it as the same style as Ha-Ha (bitch style? XD). Too bad many take it as offense just cause it suggests BJ (even worse a forced one). Seems like the whole context of "That's what she said" joke is ignored by those angry folks. However, Jin really needs to be careful. People ARE sensitive with certain issues, any tiny mistake can be blown out of portion when it comes to those issues.

I need to comment on this. I'm one of those "angry folks" who sees the lyrics as suggesting a non-consensual sexual act. But... really, I'm only disappointed in Jin for the song, not angry. I'm angry at the fans for, directly and indirectly, calling me, and others who share this view, a "hater" and suggesting that I'm "closeminded" or "in need of therapy." It's not that we're ignoring or don't get the context of the joke. It's that we don't think something like rape or such extreme misogyny should be joked about. >_< You know what, though, that's not my issue here. There are some of us who are totally offended by the song, but are still fans of Jin. But apparently we're still "haters" and worthy of disdain. <-- This fandom is fucking mean.

[yokumiz]

well dislike/hate this song doesnt make u a hater at all, but calling it rape and misogym is...like really? I'm actually a bit into feminism, but I never know BJ is a crime, and u can clearly tell from uffie's voice in the song it's a btich game, probably suggesting a bit of S&M.

I'm totally fine if fans say eww disgusting a song of BJ who's gonna buy it? or what's wrong with u kid do something serious before you can joke properly.

but insist to throw the lyrics of this song and only this song into a bunch of folks who have no idea about Jin to create drama...I cant call them fans, sorry. I dont think we are talking about the same bunch of ppl tho.

btw, I suggest fans to be more aggressive. Tell Jin what you think directly on his FB and twitter. Why fans are afraid to look bad in front of him? He's not idol anymore, I think he needs to hear opinions about his music his styles and his attitude.

[kimi_no_koe]

I'm not going to talk about my interpretation of the song. Because that's not the issue I have. You're entitled to your opinion/interpretation, even if I think it's wrong. To each their own. My problems is with fans (and yes, fans, not just random commenters on Arama or wherever.) who can't accept that other fans' opinions may differ from their own. It's the fans that are insulting others for not agreeing with their interpretation. (And this isn't a new thing. Jin fans have always been judgmental like this.) This is a ridiculously unwelcoming fandom and it's doing nothing but hurting fans AND JIN.

As far as throwing just one song to an unsuspecting audience, that's inevitable. Jin is going to be judged by his music/lyrics, especially by an American audience who are already judging him for his Asian background/appearance. Even ignoring the possible rape/misogyny which may be interpreted from it, the song is not something that general American audience is going to like (without copious amounts of alcohol...). It's too stupid and not even musically good. Maybe if he was already established here, he could get away with it, but as a newcomer, TWSS was a bad move, especially if he wants to be taken seriously as an artist.

I agree that fans shouldn't be afraid to express their true opinions to Jin (though I don't think it'll get to him on FB), but the problem, again, is that many other fans will call you a hater or worse if you dare even think that Jin is anything but perfect. It's discouraging.

[yokumiz]

why bothered if u r called hater if u think u r not? I was called hater on twitter but I just said fuck off to her altho I respect her and think she's one great fan.

Do what u think is right and dont be afraid to be discouraged. I had been thrown out of Jin fan groups for a few times in history, but I dont see jin fandom more judgemental than others. Every fandom is like this. Fans have gone through a lot it's understandable to be sensitive and it's really up to you to take the bashment or not.

[kimi_no_koe]

I just don't like confrontation (no, really! I don't! :P). I don't like my intelligence or my loyalty as a fan being questioned or put down just b/c I have a different opinion and am not afraid to share it. I don't like being called a bitch. I don't like being unfollowed/unfriended for people who I thought were worthy of my respect. Maybe I'm just too sensitive, I don't know, but people seem to forget that there's an actual person sitting behind that twitter/LJ/FB account. And if I were a new fan, interested in finding out more about Jin, I wouldn't stick around for long seeing how people in this fandom treat each other. Yeah, you can be a fan without being a part of fandom, but fandom (when people aren't being judgmental jerks) can be very rewarding and can even keep you interested in an artist when they're not releasing stuff that you enjoy.

Sure, I can decide to ignore the bashing, but... there shouldn't be bashing in the first place!

I've been in lots of fandoms (Johnny's, Kamen Rider, English music, anime/manga, English TV) and this one is definitely the worst I've experienced, but yeah, your mileage may vary and such.

[marilena_r]

I've thought about sending a twitter message to Jin telling him that I don't like his album, but why should he care? He does what he likes, and if some of us are dissapointed, so much for the worse for us.

[kimi_no_koe]

Agreed. He seems to have little regard for his old/current fans leftover from his KAT-TUN days. He's obviously free to take his music/career in any direction he wants, but it does suck for us if we're not happy with it. I do think, though, that current fans can have a voice. We can easily vote with our wallets, for example. Either don't buy the CD if you don't like it or only get the songs you like from iTunes. If a song gets significantly fewer downloads than others, Warner (and consequently, Jin) will know and, hopefully, learn from that.

[yokumiz]

I think he actually cares.

anyway I just posted a super long essay on his FB under his announcement of album release. It's up to guys to throw ur own opinions to him or not.

[b_akakame]

This is so true it is actually making me sad