+PIMP POST: MUSICAL ACADEMY
BECAUSE MA ARE JUNIORS, TOO. ♥
Alright. xD This has been in the pipes for months. But I think it's finally done! :D Damnit, these things are never done. xD; *adds stuff* Anyway. MA. CHECK OUT! :D :D ...it's comprehensive for the given group. xD;; Maa.
♪MUSICAL ACADEMY, the crash course♯♪
☆彡 HISTORY OF MA by trolit @my_kawaii_girl
☆彡 ORIGINAL COMM PIMP POST by subi @musical_academy (...fancy that! ♥)
Rundown: Musical Academy (MA) is a Juniors group that's been around since about 1999 with four members (until recently, when Akiyama Jun left Johnny's). Its members do a lot of plays like Endless Shock, Full House, Dream Boys, FAME, Grease, etc. When they're not acting, they can often be found backdancing for the KinKi Kids (previously TOKIO).
He comes into my dressing room and does a squirmy dance and then just leaves...
-- Yamashita Shoon
町 machi = "town; village"
田 da = "rice field/paddy"
慎 shin = "humility; care (caution); discretion; prudence"
吾 go = "I; my; our; one's own"
BITS AND BOBS DREDGED FROM GOOGLE CACHE/JAPANESE WIKI:
☆ Was talent-spotted by a photo studio when he was a baby and became a baby model because of his cute looks.
☆ Didn't like to exercise as a child, and he seldom swam either. Thus dislikes pools, and is also afraid of ball sports because he's scared of getting hit. The only sport that he likes is soccer.
☆ From kindergarten, elementary to junior high school, transferred schools 7 times.
☆ Had a pet dog named Rebako, but after it's death in June 2001 he hasn't wanted to adopt another pet.
☆ Is afraid of ghosts.
☆ Lives with his family.
☆ Enjoys cooking though he only knows how to make a few dishes.
☆ Joined Johnny's the same year as Arashi's Ohno Satoshi.
☆ Would like to study in a girls' school and be a foreigner. (WU interview)
Want more of his depressed prettiness? masupporter's Maachin slideshow set to a KinKi song. Includes adorableness like Maachin resting on Akki's chest...
Machida Shingo, often known as "Maachin" to his peers, is a complete and utter quirkcase -- and also blank. He's low-tension and doesn't show much emotion on his face, chasing Koichi aside -- unless he's dancing, in which case he looks dead sexy happy totally in his element like whoa. :3 His love for dance is unrivaled, or so they say. And boy is he smooth.
He has some history, too. ♥ Jan 2000 - May 2001, Machida left the jimusho. This was no suspension or temporary hiatus, no. This was an "I'd like to learn more various types of dance than what we do here. Byebyecha~" kind of thing. And yet somehow, he came back. As far as I know, only two Johnny's have ever done this. (Though he knows it caused a lot of trouble for people, and stammered through saying so, looking very ._.;; until Yone saved him ... :\ ♥ Maachin. The poor guy just wants to be popular a little bit. xDD)
He was good friends with (Arashi's) Ohno Satoshi -- better than "good" friends, really: they used to go to the same high school. And when Ohno dropped out, moving from Tokyo to Kyoto to be in stage plays? Machida did the same. When Ohno says that he wasn't popular around the time of Arashi's debut because he'd spent most of his time in Kyoto, that was with Maachin. In Ohno's Shounen Club Premium VTR, Maachin says he'd like to work with Ohno again. :3 In a play or concert or whatever. ♥ <-this is probably because Maachin hasn't seen much of Ohno ever since Nino stole him away.
Like Ohno, Maachin is a fantastic solo dancer. His dance style is similar to Ohno's as well -- visually a bit off-kilter. Maachin favours pop and lock sort of tricks a lot more though. He has amazing control, and is very precise in his movements. (He also has the uncanny ability to add his own flair to any given choreography, no matter what. And usually has very introverted body-language.)
Like Ohno as well, Machida is MA's inadvertent leader. For the same reason, too: During a TOKIO con, MA were asked who their leader was. :3 They didn't have one. They were then asked who'd like to be leader -- and only Akiyama raised his hand. Naturally, they ignored him and decided it by janken. ♥ Though it's not like he does much (to quote Yara and Yone). :D
Ikuta Toma begs to differ though: MA's leader is Machida. It seems like I'm saying it kind of like a joke, but I think he's truely a person that has to pull MA together.
(It's not just your kouhai saying stuff, I really think so!)
Maachin: I...... I’m relying on you all!
Yone: Even though you’re the eldest and the sempai (laughs).
Maachin: Forget about the sempai part already. I’m depending on you all!
But it works, if only because it totally shouldn't! 8D
Machida: ...really at this point, it’s like “Uwa~~~!” and really hectic!
Yonehana: But you always go “Uwa!” about your roles right? Machida-san always has these periods.
Murakami Hiroki: (full house writer) That kind of pureness like a child is Machida-kun’s flavor I think.
His blog entries are full of fanboy and utterly adorable.
...one thing about Maachin is that he isn't the smoothest thing around when it comes to talking. Or non-dance stuff, really. It's cute. :D; He takes long, awkward pauses and says retarded things even on air. Especially when he's put on the spot in interviews. ♥ His voice is almost always nasal...
Now, what we already know: Maachin was admitted to an Osakan hospital on December 22nd, 2007, diagnosed with acute rhabdomyolysis -- basically, a rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, resulting in a release of toxins and crap into the bloodstream. So you potentially die from kidney failure, poisoned by your own toxins, if not treated early. Really not charming. It can be caused by anything that destroys muscles -- usually like getting crushed under something in an earthquake, but sometimes even excessive muscle strain when dehydrated.
Trust Maachin to be the one to suffer something like that. :D;; Because "Machida-san doesn’t have a very strong body", according to everyone Kazama Shunsuke. xD; And is often sick and missing things.
Machida: I won’t say anything against that. I recently had a cold and just got back today!
Kazama: It was surprising, wasn’t it Shoon? From the day 2 of the rehearsals, he caught a cold and missed rehearsals.
Shoon: Hai, I was surprised. Machida-kun, long time no see (laughs).
Machida: Also I’m going to say this already; I get disheartened easily when I’m hit with remarks. So be careful of what you say!
Yonehana: He says that, but even if you don’t hit him he gets depressed so don’t worry about it (laughs).
Machida: Also, I’m the type that does even better if I get complimented, so keep the compliments coming!
Shoon: Ah… hai, understood (laughs)
Machida: Also, I forgot to say something important. I hold grudges. Plus for a long time.
Shoon: Eh, seriously!? That’s scary (laughs).
Yonehana: But you don’t need to deal with it, just leave him be.
Kazama: Simply put, “just let it pass” is what we mean.
Machida: Right, you both have it right (laughs).
Shoon: That’s reassuring. I haven’t seen Machida-kun like that…
Yonehana/Machida: (simultaneously) Because he hasn’t/I haven’t come to rehearsals so that’s why!
Classic Maachin jokery. 8D
--he also quivers with nervousness at times. xD; Like when intimidating people (OR KOICHI) are near.
AND MORE:
Yonehana: But that’s nothing to be surprised about. Does Shoon have any requests for us?
Machida: Like, “Yonehana-kun, your upward glance is kind of disturbing so please spare me.”
Yonehana: Oi! You just say whatever don’t you (laughs).
But that is because MA know each other so well. :D :D AND YONE KNOWS HIS FACE IS TERRIFYING. xD
Yonehana-kun is scary.
-- Kazama Shunsuke
米 yone = "rice"
花 hana = "flower; blossom" *SPORFLE*
剛 tsuyo = "sturdy; strength"
史 shi = "history; chronicle"
BITS AND BOBS DREDGED FROM GOOGLE CACHE/JAPANESE WIKI:
☆ Learned swimming since 0 years old; loves sports and was in the athletic club during primary school.
☆ Joined Johnny's the same year as Arashi's Sakurai Sho.
☆ Most call him Yone, except for Sho who calls him Pana. ♥ (And his mother, who might be the only one on the planet brave enough to call him Tsuyo-chan.)
☆ Dislikes doing things halfway.
☆ Has a good memory.
☆ Likes dogs and has a Chihuahua named Pooh. (Likes Winnie the Pooh.)
☆ Dislikes crowds and rainy season.
☆ Is good at skiing.
☆ Is a very direct person (typical B blood-type).
☆ Likes playing RPG games.
☆ Hobby: billiards.
☆ Favourite foods: strawberry yogurt and meat.
☆ Family Members: father, mother and 2 elder sisters.
☆ Ideal Type of Girl: Gentle and cute, the type who will always be by his side, even if it means sticking to him all day.
☆ Jr. History: 22 October 1995 joined Johnny's Jimusho.
Want more thug lovin'? masupporter's Yone slideshow set to KinKi's Kimi wa Karma. He has had some AMAZING hairstyles over the years. Cornrows, perms, shaved, the lot. xD xD And, aww. :D Is self-conscious about his teeth. He laughs a lot in video, but rarely cracks a smile for still shots. :3 Nevermind that his smile is dead ugly. IT'S STILL SWEET WHEN HE DOES. ♥ 8D
☆ Dream: To hold a MA live concert.
dfskljehrg... well, that never happened, but. ♥ I STAND CORRECTED: they got a live! xD Johnnys Theater "MA 1st LIVE 2005" (28 Aug 2005, Johnnys Theater), during which they had the infamous cosplaying corner with Yara as "Yaraemon", Maachin as Shingo Mama, Yone as this one comedian whose I can't remember and Akki as Hercules. --subi. xDD
There was also Domoto Koichi (feat. Musical Academy)'s Mirror Con. :D :D Which is really a must-see affair. (If nothing else, Why DO you dance with me? for the Akiyama love. :<) Though the DVD offshot pictures (translated, there!) are half even funnier. xD; MA are nuts. And so is their Kouchan. ♥
ANYWAY BACK TO YONE:
SPECIAL SKILL: BACK FLIP. In Koichi's 1/2 con (So Young Blues, 2004), Yone flips across the entire stage. Twelve in a row. TWELVE. And a thirteenth. The camera changes a few times and he just keeps going and going... 8D Ahaa. When ABC's Tsukada Ryoichi cited somebody doing 20 backflips in a row at a senpai's con as inspiration behind him also achieving that at EbiKisu's first live, it was almost certainly Yone at a KinKi con. :D Unless it was SMAP's Kusanagi. ♥
BECAUSE YONE IS SCARY, AND WAS JE'S UNDISPUTED ACROBATIC CHAMP BEFORE TSUKADA CAME ALONG.
(...HE ALSO KNOWS HOW TO USE HIS FACE TO HIS FULL ADVANTAGE. ♥)
This was from 1998, when Yonehana and Tsuka-chan were named Backflip Kings. xD xD Tsuka-chan was so tiny, but Yone. LURKER. AKJESHDFSEF. ♥
Randomly, he has at least three piercings in his left ear (two cartilige, one lobe) and one in his right lobe. At some stage years ago, both he and Yara had the same piercings. :D It was very BFF cute. Yone was also infamous among his batch of juniors for wearing suits (think YAKUZA THUG) to practice like it was normal. xD Amazing even back then.
Yone's still a bit of a cocky bastard sometimes (though hard-working when it counts!) and... also subconsciously narcisstic? He won a personal use hand mirror from MA and Toma,because he was always looking at his reflection during breaks. Also, he is inseparable from his mobile phone. :'D
His dance style is the most normal out of all of MA's. It's just... competent and solid; probably closest to what the choreographer originally taught, without much personal flair. UNTIL HE STARTS FLIPPING. ♥ Alright.
Yone talks a lot, according to Shoon. :D And of course, says a lot of "terrible" things. xD (But doesn't lie as much as Maachin!)
Kazama: Um, you probably don’t mean any harm and you don’t realize it. But Yonehana-kun’s words really have some poison sometimes (laughs).
Yonehana: Sorry Kazama. You misunderstand me. I do mean harm (laughs).
Machida: Kazama, he’s like that. He tries to crush you so be careful (laughs).
DESPITE THIS.
Murakami Hiroki: I tried to imagine your characters as I wrote (Full House), but Yonehana-kun was the most different from what I had predicted. ... From my first impressions I thought you were a wild type of guy who was like “let’s get it going!” but you weren’t like that at all, you’re very gentle and have class.
From observation, Yone is the facilitator-type. :D In the interview crosstalks and also their collaborations he's always bridging statements and responses like, "So what'll it be, then?" or clarifying things for the audience, "Oh, so it's like this?" And now that Akiyama-MC's gone, Yonehana's stepped up to the plate. (Though out of necessity, it might seem. xD; Given Machida and Yara's apparent lack of concern for the issues at hand. I like to think they do it half just to piss him off. ♥)
Yes. :3 Despite his looks, and what he says, Yone is the responsible one.
He is also practical -- watch Yara and Maachin shiver in thin shirts while Yone wears a beanie and jacket. xD (Oh! :D And he often composes the songs used by Yara (choreo) in those MA's Shounen Club Premium dance segments. ♥ Multi-talented or what? He was also studying for a boat license while on tour with the KinKi Kids. :D Maachin's blog entry. xD)
To be honest, I like watching Yonehana best. He looks utterly effortless and weightless when he flips and breaks -- moreso than Yara or Yamamoto or even Tsukada. Check this video -- Why Do You Dance With Me? from Shock: Koichi+MA, and Tsubasa+ABC. Yone's the one in the grey shirt (Yara's in the matching grey hoodie; Maachin's in the teal hoodie). Tottsu's in the emerald, with Tsukada in army/olive green. Yone goes at 1:20-something, and 1:30-something, then 3:25. :0 (Yara flips before him, at 3:20.) kajakjehg I've watched this too much. It's so cute, though! ABC dance with so much more energy, but MA are so much smoother. ♥ ...*MOVES ON*
~~~LEGENDS OF YONE~~
Before Senga Kento, there was Yonehana Tsuyoshi.
Machida: "...if you meet Yone on a dark night, all you can see are his eyes and teeth..."
Kazama: "Yonehana-kun was strict during lessons... one time I was playing around during the lessons, and he told me "If you have time to fool around, you should be learning another step for the choreography."
...there's also this other one I can't find right now where Yone's staring at some other JE guy on a bus. xD Just staring. Then after a while, Yone just said: "...I'll kill you." <-died laughing. ♥
But he's cute! :D :D
"I have a sweet tooth, so after meals I need dessert. So like, my favorites are things with whipped cream or custard."
Yonehana is also trustworthy, because while Yara might be crazy in some respects, I don't think he is masochistic or suicidal. 8D; And Yone has cut Yara's hair (THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR AN IDOL, YES?) and also, pierced Yara's ear. Backstage. sldjsherg.
屋 ya = "roof; house; shop; dealer; seller"
良 ra = "good; pleasing; skilled"
朝 tomo = "morning; dynasty; regime; epoch; period"
幸 yuki = "happiness; blessing; fortune"
Aww, what a cute name. :D!
Yara... likes his juniors.
But I don't mean the tiny, barely-sentient things, no. Yara has taste will not encroach upon Takki's hunting grounds likes the ones who already know what they're doing. :D Goseki. Kitayama. Totsuka. Tsukada -- I SWEAR HE LIKES TSUKADA BECAUSE HE'S GOOD AT FLIPPING AND LOOKS LIKE YONEHANA.
Yara will always say that his charm point is his eyes -- which are "catlike" and Very Strikingly Dramatic <3 He is self-confident as all get-out. Gets lonely easily and doesn't like sitting at home alone like Senga.
There's a lot about Yara around these days, which is fabulous. :D
☆ Like how he acted in Grease (as Kenickie) with Toma (Danny).
☆ And starred in Dream Boys '07 opposite Kamenashi Kazuya and Tanaka Koki and was flaming gay while failing at English adlibs. :D
☆ Is leader of Butoukan.
☆ Choreographs things for peoople -- like all of MA's SCP dances, TORN for Kanjani8's Ohkura and Ryo. Various things for Domoto Koichi. Sakurai Sho's Dream A Live solo. Murakami Shingo's Forward solo. etc. etc. :D :D
☆ Moved out somewhat 'recently' and brought his stuffed toys with him.
☆ Has a pet cornsnake called Chura (Okinawan for 'beautiful') just under a metre long. He likes to wrap it around his neck in summer, because it's a reptile (ie. cool to the touch) --from SC. But that is not enough, no. :D; HE WANTS A BIGGER ONE. (Phallic much?) -oh, yeah. :D from that same article: he rides a motorcycle, too!
☆ CANNOT HOLD HIS ALCOHOL. At all. xD He gets all giggly and stupid and eat the salmon roe!
But here, have some older stuff:
BITS AND BOBS DREDGED FROM GOOGLE CACHE/JAPANESE WIKI:
☆ Weight at birth was 400g (premature, which might half account for his short stature); born on Tuesday.
☆ Given name is the combination of both his father and mother's names.
☆ Liked Ultraman when he was young. When he went shopping with his mother, he always insisted on buying an Ultraman toy, so he always have a toy after every trip to the department store. (What a brat. xD)
☆ Joined Johnny's the same time as Tackey&Tsubasa's... Takizawa and Imai Tsubasa; due to that, the trio were always a team (initially anyway).
☆ Is very familiar with Disneyland, because he went every week when he was young. (BRAT, SERIOUSLY!)
☆ Likes dancing very much. Once, he and his friends danced non-stop for 7 hours at a car park outside a closed store.
☆ Dislikes winter, frogs, cockroaches, natto, tomatoes, prank calls, being called "Yaraemon" etc. *
☆ Got full marks for his driving theory test.
☆ Likes to keep his private life a bit mystery, so as to let his fans feel curious about him.
☆ First photo shoot session was with SMAP's Kusanagi etc, for Wink up July 1995 issue.
☆ Lives with his family.
☆ Wanted to act in Ultraman series.
☆ Became a member of Musical Academy in 1999.
☆ Likes to listen to ghost stories, even though he's admitted that he's timid.
☆ Once went to Michael Jackson's concert with his mother.
☆ Subjects that he's good at are Physical Education, English and Music.
☆ Stayed for a while with his grandfather in Okinawa when he was two years old.
☆ Wishes to be an invisible man and a ganguro girl. (WU interview)
* he got saddled with the Yaraemon nickname because Butoukan isn't actually the first group he's lead. xD Back in 1996 at a KinKi Kids con, I believe Domoto Tsuyoshi sang a rap about Doraemon -- and Yara was designated the leader of its backdancers, who Dots called the Yaraemons. Which I think is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.
As well as the fact that he always put 165cm for his profile height, but was outed in a con MC for being only 163cm (5'4") tall. xD
Want more cat-eyed cute? masupporter's Yara's slideshow set to Ai no Katamari. He's changed a lot over the years... and yet sort of hasn't changed at all. :D; Here's a more recent slideshow, set to MA'S Endless Summer. :D
More old facts about the Yaraemon! >:D
Character: Cheerful, serious when doing things and not afraid of strangers. He can even talk a lot with a person he met for the first time, so he has a lot of friends.
Good Points: He's a good and cheerful person.
Bad Points: He gets sick of things easily and likes to sleep.
Skills: Front and back-flip, swimming, basketball, skiing etc.
Hobbies: Listening to music, skiing, water sports, dancing, swimming etc. (He said somewhere that he likes moonlight snorkelling...)
Favorite Food: Barbequed meat (can't cook, himself 8D)
Favorite Colors: Orange, Green and Red.
Favorite Sports: Baseball and basketball.
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Words: "Guts" and "Fight".
Favorite Subject: Physical Education
Family Members: Father, mother, grandmother and elder sister.
Best Friends: Shingo Machida (MA), Tsuyoshi Yonehana (MA), Sho Sakurai (ARASHI) and Satoshi Ohno (ARASHI). (His BFF is Yone though. ;3)
Ideal Type of Girl: Active, gentle, with shoulder-length hair, big eyes, small face, generous... and lots more... but not talkative girls or girls who act cute. (HIS LIST IS LONGER THAN HE IS TALL.) Recently: Devilish girls.
First Love: third grade.
Childhood Dream: To be Ultraman.
Dream: To create music.
Jr. History: 23 April 1995 joined Johnny's Jimusho; first magazine appearance: July 1995 issue of Wink up.
Respected Seniors: Masahiro Nakai (SMAP) and Yuuki Kohara (Ex-MA)
Yara's (default) dance style is a tribute to his crotch. No, I'm serious. He loves thrusting his hips about, and more often than not has a hand around his hip area -- if you've seen LOVESICK (with ABC+Kismai) past the 2min mark, you'll know what I'm talking about. *_* subbed download!
He dances totally naturally though. Energetic like there's nothing else he'd rather be doing than showing his skill off, cocky as all hell. And very confident in his abilities to attract talented juniors. But on the other hand he makes everybody good look AMAZINGLY PRO. Honestly, I can easily imagine him taking JE's head choreographer role eventually. >:3
He street-dances! A lot. And can dance maaany different styles, with technical grounding too, but still envied Akiyama's tapdance skills--
Akiyama (also known as Koichi's #1 Fan) is no longer with JE, due to a ' scandal'. Some say he wanted to get out of JE without the financial penalties incurred by breaking contract. Some say he had a son. I also read somewhere that he had a business degree from before, and is working as a regular salaryman now. Whatever it is, best wishes to him. ♥;; MA+Koichi will never be the same with him gone.
A few things...
Name: Akiyama Jun
D.O.B: 4 June 1980
Birth Place: Tokyo, Japan
Blood Type: A
Zodiac: Gemini
Nicknames: Akki, Aki-debu etc.
Height: 180cm
Weight: 72kg
Shoe Size: 28cm
Hobbies: Playing guitar, bass and drums.
Bad Habit: Biting his fingernails.
Schools: Graduated from Horikoshi Gakuen on 16 February 1999 and Teikyo University.
Favorite Food: Sushi, curry, hamburger, barbecued meat and shimesaba. ( He can cook, too! And brings his own food to rehersals and stuff. :D)
Favorite Colors: Blue and Green.
Family Members: Father, mother, elder brother, younger sister (Arisa Akiyama) and grandmother (French).
Ideal Type of Girl: Someone who make him feel peaceful.
Jr. History: Joined Johnny's Jimusho when he was in Primary 6, October 1992.
Respected Seniors: KinKi Kids
Old info:☆ When his mother was pregnant with him, the doctor thought that the baby was a girl and his parents even want to name their baby "Arisa". They got a shock when the baby turned out to be a boy and that name was given to his younger sister instead.
☆ His grandmother is a French, making him 1/4 mixed.
☆ Entered modeling agency when he was 2 years old.
☆ Dislikes winter.
☆ Likes to hang out with friends and e-mailing.
☆ Likes acting in drama series.
☆ Has done a few anime dubs before.
☆ He takes 20 mins to prepare when going out: 5 mins for waking up, washing his face and changing, another 15 mins for doing morning breathing exercise.
☆ He lives with his family.
☆ His wish is to have the ability to stop time, flying in the air, and to improve the condition of his eyes and throat as his eyes gets uncomfortable when wearing contact lens, and his throat gets hoarse easily. (WU interview)
ALL OF MA
For these and more MA pics, go raid MA's boys_paper tag~! ♥
A CRAPLOAD OF TRANSLATED THINGS, courtesy of enshinge. ♥ I really recommend the Full House crosstalks. They're freaking funny, feature Shoon, and are also a great insight into Yone and Maachin especially, as MA's less popular two. :D
A CRAPLOAD OF SUBBED THINGS, courtesy of o_e_subs. ♥ (you have to join, but SO WORTH IT. T_T) ...the Double Dutch one is still hella amazing. And also? Endless Summer, the rare performance of one of MA's original songs. Adorable like crazy. THEY'RE SO CUTE, and because they're old experienced they're not afraid of messing around in front of the camera. :D :D
Yara and Akki go on Yoko+Hina's Recommen and DEAR GOD IT IS FUNNY. They show laugh at Akki's birth spot (on his ass). Amongst other things. And Yara is roped in to choreo Hina's Eh? Honma?! Bikkuri!! solo. ♥
Oh! And, I hiiiighly recommend the KinToMA j-web translations. >:DD See MA and Ikuta Toma pose each other questions and such! :D We get Maachin mourning not being able to eat Koichi's leftovers. Yara with the most make-up on his dressing table. Etc. etc.! xD GOOD TIMES.
MA were also the feature cast of the 2005 Naruto Musical, Ninja Illusion (subbed ver!).
THAT'S RIGHT: NARUTO MUSICAL.
ie. AWESOME ON A STICK.
clip, unsubbed streaming ver!
mag scans: 01/yara+yone 02/maachin+akki
Yara was short Naruto, Maachin was Sasuke, Yone was Gaara, and Akki was a musical-only OC. :D AWESOMEST THING EVER.
OLD VIDEOS:
masupporter @yt had heaps of absolute classics. :O Such as-- J-1 Grand Prix. It's a segment hosted by Tackey and Sensei. Featuring Olympic gymnast Tanaka Hikaru, challenging the Juniors to do various tricks. xD Yonehana owns it. (Others include Nino who is also quite good, Yara who is confidence incarnate, MatsuJun who fails, Aiba who falls on his head, and Tsubasa who takes a while to get the hang of things but usually makes it in the end. ♥)
This is the best one, IMO. 8D But that's because Yone wins MVP in it. :D It's where they call him "Juniors Acrobat Leader" -- and it really shows. xD The first round shows MatsuJun's first backflip(!), Ikuta Toma turning a backflip into a back roll, and Kazama Shunsuke being reaaally nervous. The pig does a fart and Yone dies laughing (as he is wont 8D). The second round -- Yone's the only one who can do more than one backflip from a stationary start. Actually, he asks Hikaru-sensei: "About how many do you think I can do (in the given space)?" Hikaru says maybe four? ...to which Yone then goes and does five. xD Just because he can. Third round, he's the only one who can do a no-hands backflip. (I honestly don't know the proper terms, but it still looks awesome!)
THEIR DANCE
...because Musical Academy actually dance, fancy that! :0 They're the 'original ABC' also senior dance group to MAD/MADE. Have some DANCIN' WITH JAPAN'S/COLLABOMAP'S. *throws links around* They're so in sync. D: Their freezes are almost always perfectly timed [unsubbed stream]. And they just... work really well together [unsubbed stream] in their element. WHICH IS DANCE. If you want cute, GO FOR THIS ONE. Maachin does a one-man Mexican wave. Yonehana jumps about as a HUMAN TERUTERUBOOZU. Oh, yeah. :D And there's also Yara's shirt thing...
Just have the freaking tag+list. xD I recommend EVERYTHING ON THEM. TWICE.
http://community.livejournal.com/o_e_subs/tag/ma
http://enshinge.livejournal.com/46120.html
Earlier, I linked Mirror Con's Why Do You Dance With Me? (WATCH AKKI THROW OFF HIS JACKET. AND THEN YARA STOMP OVER AND KICK SAID JACKET AND THEN HIGH-FIVE MAACHIN ABOUT IT). Now, have the song in its original setting: Why Don't You Dance With Me?, in Shock -- Koichi+MA, Tsubasa+ABC. I've watched this clip so many times like I don't even know. [DOWNLOAD.] *_* Their dancing is gorgeous. They do a lot of that slooow~fast!fast!-paced stuff that really shows off their synchro and my vocab just falls flat here because the extent of my dance knowledge is sadly just what looks like the burning hotness and this is so much hell yes. (Or that could just be because they look like they're having fun, ekjsfherg.) ...actually I linked it in Yone's part, too. xD Ahh~ but it's worth watching again! :D :D
AND IF YOU LIKE THEIR DANCING, GO WATCH DOMOTO KOICHI AND MUSICAL ACADEMY'S 2006 MIRROR CON. Seriously. :0 It's as close as Yone's ever going to get by way of having his "MA con" dream fulfilled. :( ♥ It's full of five-way member ai and so much hot+adorable goodness. It's one of my favourite cons, and I'm not even a KinKi fan.
Points to note include:
☆ Special Encore on the RE version: Yone challenges Yara to a handstand.. hopping... contest. Like, jumping. But on your hands. (Which Yone naturally wins.) And Yone literally kicks Maachin in the ass for hugging Koichi too long. xDD
☆ Take Me To... is a hilarious track. :D The dance is really cute, too. Yone is pink. Yara is purple. They get girls in the end. xD Akki (yellow) claims Koichi instead (AND TRIES TO KISS HIM IN THIS FANCAM ♥ in the DVD, Koichi jumps into Akki's arms) -- and that's Maachin (orange) you see collapsing in despair in the background. 8D
☆ From the LE MC's: DOKI, DOKI, DOKI! HAI, KOUCHAN! ♥ Akki made this dance up, just for Koichi (it changed every concert) AND MADE KOICHI, THE REST OF MA, AND THE ENTIRE AUDIENCE DANCE IT WITH HIM TOO. ♥ MA are so amused.
There's also Koichi's 2004 1/2 con -- where MA also feature prominently. :D This particular clip, I VERY MUCH RECOMMEND AS WELL. Koichi sings Dots' Dekiai Logic, and MA are colour-coded for your convenience!
☆ Akki: first, in periwinkle/purple. SO GAY. His orgasm face when Koichi touches him is borderline disturbing in DVD quality. 8D (He makes it in Mirror con too -- wherein Koichi pretty much rubs his crotch in the back of Akki's head, LOL.)
☆ Yara: yellow -- soooooo gay. AND ALSO BLATANTLY IMPLYING THAT KOICHI RIDES HIM.
☆ Maachin: green -- just. xD SO happy to get just any little scrap of attention from Koichi, he waves his shirt around excitedly all "Look what I got! Look what I got!"
☆ Yone: pink. xD And also, straight. He is SO STRAIGHT, I think he's the straightest thing in JE ever. Of course, that could be a funny little facade, BUT. >:D
...they also give Koichi and MA snow guns. :0 BAD BRILLIANT IDEA. 8D Akiyama and Yara end up with white ALL OVER questionable areas of their pants. xD xD They are all such mature boys, it's fabulous. ;D
OMAKE/FIC
...there really is barely any MA fic out there (I'm aware jent_fanfics is hardly a comprehensive listing, BUT THE POINT REMAINS). D: Thus, I propose a link exchange! Comment with your fic and, I'll link it here. :D Please? 8D And if it so please you, you can link this pimp post in return. ♥ SPREAD THE LOVE, PEOPLE. YAY!
☆ SIZE MATTERS: Yara/Goseki; oneshot, PG-rated; setting- Dream Boys rehearsals; warning- twisted humour ♥
☆ ♥ IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH: MA+ABC; oneshot, G-rated; setting- Shock rehearsals; warning- kouhai bullying :D
☆ DON'T KNOW MY LINES YET: Shoon/Maachin; oneshot, PG-13; summary- Shoon and Machida exchange some lines
☆ AKIYAMA+KOICHI: the tragedy that never (really) was. MA+Koichi; oneshot, script form; summary- MA do Romeo+Juliet
☆ AROUND THE WORLD: Yara/Senga; oneshot, NC-17; summary- PWP. Senga does something sexy (like breathes) and Yara pounces
☆ HEY, DON'T YOU WANT IT?: MA/Kinki/Takki?; oneshot, PG; summary- 1 time MA fanboyed Koichi + 1 time Takki did
☆ BUT THEY DON'T CALL IT A QUARTER POUNDER WITH CHEESE: MA/Kinki; oneshot, PG; summary- 2 times MA fanboyed Koichi
☆ SPACE ODDITY: Ungrateful World. Butoukan+MAXIMUM CAMEOS; oneshot, AU, PG; summary- (bloody awesome ♥)
☆ ZERO SUM: Fools Rush In. MA+Koichi(+Ikuta Toma); Loveless AU, PG; summary- A Fighter only has one Sacrifice and a Sacrifice one Fighter - unless things go wrong.
☆ ALL WE ARE: Machida/Ohno, implied Ohmiya. "Machida knew he was in love, but he knew he couldn't win against Arashi."
☆ UNSAID: an utterly gorgeous piece about Ohno, Maachin, Nino, and their journey. *_* Ohno/Machida, Ohmiya; R. "Sometimes silence can say much more than words (but that doesn’t mean it’s speaking the truth)."
☆ GEKOKUJOU - SUCCESS: Yara/Senga; R. Dance practice. ♥ "Sometimes they just don't do what you want them to."
THANKS FOR READING. \o/ I hope your love (or at least appreciation!) for MA has grown even a little bit... ;D If I've left anything out, or made any mistakes (bear in mind that some of this info is old, especially because MA don't really appear in mags and such anymore) -- please let me know! ♥
HUGE AND REPEATED THANKS TO enshinge&ohmiya_sg@o_e_subs, arylonne, pastdazed, crystallekil AND OTHERS without whom musical_academy would be very dying. D: You guys rock. :D ♥ :DD Scans by dragorsi, 42detsune, rakiu_desu, emeree, mabo, sleep_onigiri, Google, boys_paper and musical_academy of course!
★★ CROSSPOST! BELIEVE! SHARE! GO FORTH AND PIMP! ★★
[edit 14 Sep'09] PICSPAM by misosiru! Includes OhMachi, young!Yara, old shop photos, MA+Koichi, and Akki and wife, go go go!! 8D 8D
[edit 07 Jan'10] For recent con reports, translations, photo updates, and STUFF, head to misosiru's MA TAG. ♥ :DDD An amazing resource! Especially this post, which includes a lot of Maachin and Yone love. ♥ And tales/legends like why exactly it's Koichi that Machida fanboys. :D :D
Alright. xD This has been in the pipes for months. But I think it's finally done! :D Damnit, these things are never done. xD; *adds stuff* Anyway. MA. CHECK OUT! :D :D ...it's comprehensive for the given group. xD;; Maa.
♪MUSICAL ACADEMY, the crash course♯♪
☆彡 HISTORY OF MA by trolit @my_kawaii_girl
☆彡 ORIGINAL COMM PIMP POST by subi @musical_academy (...fancy that! ♥)
Rundown: Musical Academy (MA) is a Juniors group that's been around since about 1999 with four members (until recently, when Akiyama Jun left Johnny's). Its members do a lot of plays like Endless Shock, Full House, Dream Boys, FAME, Grease, etc. When they're not acting, they can often be found backdancing for the KinKi Kids (previously TOKIO).
He comes into my dressing room and does a squirmy dance and then just leaves...
-- Yamashita Shoon
町 machi = "town; village"
田 da = "rice field/paddy"
慎 shin = "humility; care (caution); discretion; prudence"
吾 go = "I; my; our; one's own"
BITS AND BOBS DREDGED FROM GOOGLE CACHE/JAPANESE WIKI:
☆ Was talent-spotted by a photo studio when he was a baby and became a baby model because of his cute looks.
☆ Didn't like to exercise as a child, and he seldom swam either. Thus dislikes pools, and is also afraid of ball sports because he's scared of getting hit. The only sport that he likes is soccer.
☆ From kindergarten, elementary to junior high school, transferred schools 7 times.
☆ Had a pet dog named Rebako, but after it's death in June 2001 he hasn't wanted to adopt another pet.
☆ Is afraid of ghosts.
☆ Lives with his family.
☆ Enjoys cooking though he only knows how to make a few dishes.
☆ Joined Johnny's the same year as Arashi's Ohno Satoshi.
☆ Would like to study in a girls' school and be a foreigner. (WU interview)
Want more of his depressed prettiness? masupporter's Maachin slideshow set to a KinKi song. Includes adorableness like Maachin resting on Akki's chest...
Machida Shingo, often known as "Maachin" to his peers, is a complete and utter quirkcase -- and also blank. He's low-tension and doesn't show much emotion on his face, chasing Koichi aside -- unless he's dancing, in which case he looks dead sexy happy totally in his element like whoa. :3 His love for dance is unrivaled, or so they say. And boy is he smooth.
He has some history, too. ♥ Jan 2000 - May 2001, Machida left the jimusho. This was no suspension or temporary hiatus, no. This was an "I'd like to learn more various types of dance than what we do here. Byebyecha~" kind of thing. And yet somehow, he came back. As far as I know, only two Johnny's have ever done this. (Though he knows it caused a lot of trouble for people, and stammered through saying so, looking very ._.;; until Yone saved him ... :\ ♥ Maachin. The poor guy just wants to be popular a little bit. xDD)
He was good friends with (Arashi's) Ohno Satoshi -- better than "good" friends, really: they used to go to the same high school. And when Ohno dropped out, moving from Tokyo to Kyoto to be in stage plays? Machida did the same. When Ohno says that he wasn't popular around the time of Arashi's debut because he'd spent most of his time in Kyoto, that was with Maachin. In Ohno's Shounen Club Premium VTR, Maachin says he'd like to work with Ohno again. :3 In a play or concert or whatever. ♥ <-this is probably because Maachin hasn't seen much of Ohno ever since Nino stole him away.
Like Ohno, Maachin is a fantastic solo dancer. His dance style is similar to Ohno's as well -- visually a bit off-kilter. Maachin favours pop and lock sort of tricks a lot more though. He has amazing control, and is very precise in his movements. (He also has the uncanny ability to add his own flair to any given choreography, no matter what. And usually has very introverted body-language.)
Like Ohno as well, Machida is MA's inadvertent leader. For the same reason, too: During a TOKIO con, MA were asked who their leader was. :3 They didn't have one. They were then asked who'd like to be leader -- and only Akiyama raised his hand. Naturally, they ignored him and decided it by janken. ♥ Though it's not like he does much (to quote Yara and Yone). :D
Ikuta Toma begs to differ though: MA's leader is Machida. It seems like I'm saying it kind of like a joke, but I think he's truely a person that has to pull MA together.
(It's not just your kouhai saying stuff, I really think so!)
Maachin: I...... I’m relying on you all!
Yone: Even though you’re the eldest and the sempai (laughs).
Maachin: Forget about the sempai part already. I’m depending on you all!
But it works, if only because it totally shouldn't! 8D
Machida: ...really at this point, it’s like “Uwa~~~!” and really hectic!
Yonehana: But you always go “Uwa!” about your roles right? Machida-san always has these periods.
Murakami Hiroki: (full house writer) That kind of pureness like a child is Machida-kun’s flavor I think.
His blog entries are full of fanboy and utterly adorable.
...one thing about Maachin is that he isn't the smoothest thing around when it comes to talking. Or non-dance stuff, really. It's cute. :D; He takes long, awkward pauses and says retarded things even on air. Especially when he's put on the spot in interviews. ♥ His voice is almost always nasal...
Now, what we already know: Maachin was admitted to an Osakan hospital on December 22nd, 2007, diagnosed with acute rhabdomyolysis -- basically, a rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, resulting in a release of toxins and crap into the bloodstream. So you potentially die from kidney failure, poisoned by your own toxins, if not treated early. Really not charming. It can be caused by anything that destroys muscles -- usually like getting crushed under something in an earthquake, but sometimes even excessive muscle strain when dehydrated.
Trust Maachin to be the one to suffer something like that. :D;; Because "Machida-san doesn’t have a very strong body", according to everyone Kazama Shunsuke. xD; And is often sick and missing things.
Machida: I won’t say anything against that. I recently had a cold and just got back today!
Kazama: It was surprising, wasn’t it Shoon? From the day 2 of the rehearsals, he caught a cold and missed rehearsals.
Shoon: Hai, I was surprised. Machida-kun, long time no see (laughs).
Machida: Also I’m going to say this already; I get disheartened easily when I’m hit with remarks. So be careful of what you say!
Yonehana: He says that, but even if you don’t hit him he gets depressed so don’t worry about it (laughs).
Machida: Also, I’m the type that does even better if I get complimented, so keep the compliments coming!
Shoon: Ah… hai, understood (laughs)
Machida: Also, I forgot to say something important. I hold grudges. Plus for a long time.
Shoon: Eh, seriously!? That’s scary (laughs).
Yonehana: But you don’t need to deal with it, just leave him be.
Kazama: Simply put, “just let it pass” is what we mean.
Machida: Right, you both have it right (laughs).
Shoon: That’s reassuring. I haven’t seen Machida-kun like that…
Yonehana/Machida: (simultaneously) Because he hasn’t/I haven’t come to rehearsals so that’s why!
Classic Maachin jokery. 8D
--he also quivers with nervousness at times. xD; Like when intimidating people (OR KOICHI) are near.
AND MORE:
Yonehana: But that’s nothing to be surprised about. Does Shoon have any requests for us?
Machida: Like, “Yonehana-kun, your upward glance is kind of disturbing so please spare me.”
Yonehana: Oi! You just say whatever don’t you (laughs).
But that is because MA know each other so well. :D :D AND YONE KNOWS HIS FACE IS TERRIFYING. xD
Yonehana-kun is scary.
-- Kazama Shunsuke
米 yone = "rice"
花 hana = "flower; blossom" *SPORFLE*
剛 tsuyo = "sturdy; strength"
史 shi = "history; chronicle"
BITS AND BOBS DREDGED FROM GOOGLE CACHE/JAPANESE WIKI:
☆ Learned swimming since 0 years old; loves sports and was in the athletic club during primary school.
☆ Joined Johnny's the same year as Arashi's Sakurai Sho.
☆ Most call him Yone, except for Sho who calls him Pana. ♥ (And his mother, who might be the only one on the planet brave enough to call him Tsuyo-chan.)
☆ Dislikes doing things halfway.
☆ Has a good memory.
☆ Likes dogs and has a Chihuahua named Pooh. (Likes Winnie the Pooh.)
☆ Dislikes crowds and rainy season.
☆ Is good at skiing.
☆ Is a very direct person (typical B blood-type).
☆ Likes playing RPG games.
☆ Hobby: billiards.
☆ Favourite foods: strawberry yogurt and meat.
☆ Family Members: father, mother and 2 elder sisters.
☆ Ideal Type of Girl: Gentle and cute, the type who will always be by his side, even if it means sticking to him all day.
☆ Jr. History: 22 October 1995 joined Johnny's Jimusho.
Want more thug lovin'? masupporter's Yone slideshow set to KinKi's Kimi wa Karma. He has had some AMAZING hairstyles over the years. Cornrows, perms, shaved, the lot. xD xD And, aww. :D Is self-conscious about his teeth. He laughs a lot in video, but rarely cracks a smile for still shots. :3 Nevermind that his smile is dead ugly. IT'S STILL SWEET WHEN HE DOES. ♥ 8D
☆ Dream: To hold a MA live concert.
dfskljehrg... well, that never happened, but. ♥ I STAND CORRECTED: they got a live! xD Johnnys Theater "MA 1st LIVE 2005" (28 Aug 2005, Johnnys Theater), during which they had the infamous cosplaying corner with Yara as "Yaraemon", Maachin as Shingo Mama, Yone as this one comedian whose I can't remember and Akki as Hercules. --subi. xDD
There was also Domoto Koichi (feat. Musical Academy)'s Mirror Con. :D :D Which is really a must-see affair. (If nothing else, Why DO you dance with me? for the Akiyama love. :<) Though the DVD offshot pictures (translated, there!) are half even funnier. xD; MA are nuts. And so is their Kouchan. ♥
ANYWAY BACK TO YONE:
SPECIAL SKILL: BACK FLIP. In Koichi's 1/2 con (So Young Blues, 2004), Yone flips across the entire stage. Twelve in a row. TWELVE. And a thirteenth. The camera changes a few times and he just keeps going and going... 8D Ahaa. When ABC's Tsukada Ryoichi cited somebody doing 20 backflips in a row at a senpai's con as inspiration behind him also achieving that at EbiKisu's first live, it was almost certainly Yone at a KinKi con. :D Unless it was SMAP's Kusanagi. ♥
BECAUSE YONE IS SCARY, AND WAS JE'S UNDISPUTED ACROBATIC CHAMP BEFORE TSUKADA CAME ALONG.
(...HE ALSO KNOWS HOW TO USE HIS FACE TO HIS FULL ADVANTAGE. ♥)
This was from 1998, when Yonehana and Tsuka-chan were named Backflip Kings. xD xD Tsuka-chan was so tiny, but Yone. LURKER. AKJESHDFSEF. ♥
Randomly, he has at least three piercings in his left ear (two cartilige, one lobe) and one in his right lobe. At some stage years ago, both he and Yara had the same piercings. :D It was very BFF cute. Yone was also infamous among his batch of juniors for wearing suits (think YAKUZA THUG) to practice like it was normal. xD Amazing even back then.
Yone's still a bit of a cocky bastard sometimes (though hard-working when it counts!) and... also subconsciously narcisstic? He won a personal use hand mirror from MA and Toma,because he was always looking at his reflection during breaks. Also, he is inseparable from his mobile phone. :'D
His dance style is the most normal out of all of MA's. It's just... competent and solid; probably closest to what the choreographer originally taught, without much personal flair. UNTIL HE STARTS FLIPPING. ♥ Alright.
Yone talks a lot, according to Shoon. :D And of course, says a lot of "terrible" things. xD (But doesn't lie as much as Maachin!)
Kazama: Um, you probably don’t mean any harm and you don’t realize it. But Yonehana-kun’s words really have some poison sometimes (laughs).
Yonehana: Sorry Kazama. You misunderstand me. I do mean harm (laughs).
Machida: Kazama, he’s like that. He tries to crush you so be careful (laughs).
DESPITE THIS.
Murakami Hiroki: I tried to imagine your characters as I wrote (Full House), but Yonehana-kun was the most different from what I had predicted. ... From my first impressions I thought you were a wild type of guy who was like “let’s get it going!” but you weren’t like that at all, you’re very gentle and have class.
From observation, Yone is the facilitator-type. :D In the interview crosstalks and also their collaborations he's always bridging statements and responses like, "So what'll it be, then?" or clarifying things for the audience, "Oh, so it's like this?" And now that Akiyama-MC's gone, Yonehana's stepped up to the plate. (Though out of necessity, it might seem. xD; Given Machida and Yara's apparent lack of concern for the issues at hand. I like to think they do it half just to piss him off. ♥)
Yes. :3 Despite his looks, and what he says, Yone is the responsible one.
He is also practical -- watch Yara and Maachin shiver in thin shirts while Yone wears a beanie and jacket. xD (Oh! :D And he often composes the songs used by Yara (choreo) in those MA's Shounen Club Premium dance segments. ♥ Multi-talented or what? He was also studying for a boat license while on tour with the KinKi Kids. :D Maachin's blog entry. xD)
To be honest, I like watching Yonehana best. He looks utterly effortless and weightless when he flips and breaks -- moreso than Yara or Yamamoto or even Tsukada. Check this video -- Why Do You Dance With Me? from Shock: Koichi+MA, and Tsubasa+ABC. Yone's the one in the grey shirt (Yara's in the matching grey hoodie; Maachin's in the teal hoodie). Tottsu's in the emerald, with Tsukada in army/olive green. Yone goes at 1:20-something, and 1:30-something, then 3:25. :0 (Yara flips before him, at 3:20.) kajakjehg I've watched this too much. It's so cute, though! ABC dance with so much more energy, but MA are so much smoother. ♥ ...*MOVES ON*
~~~LEGENDS OF YONE~~
Before Senga Kento, there was Yonehana Tsuyoshi.
Machida: "...if you meet Yone on a dark night, all you can see are his eyes and teeth..."
Kazama: "Yonehana-kun was strict during lessons... one time I was playing around during the lessons, and he told me "If you have time to fool around, you should be learning another step for the choreography."
...there's also this other one I can't find right now where Yone's staring at some other JE guy on a bus. xD Just staring. Then after a while, Yone just said: "...I'll kill you." <-died laughing. ♥
But he's cute! :D :D
"I have a sweet tooth, so after meals I need dessert. So like, my favorites are things with whipped cream or custard."
Yonehana is also trustworthy, because while Yara might be crazy in some respects, I don't think he is masochistic or suicidal. 8D; And Yone has cut Yara's hair (THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR AN IDOL, YES?) and also, pierced Yara's ear. Backstage. sldjsherg.
屋 ya = "roof; house; shop; dealer; seller"
良 ra = "good; pleasing; skilled"
朝 tomo = "morning; dynasty; regime; epoch; period"
幸 yuki = "happiness; blessing; fortune"
Aww, what a cute name. :D!
Yara... likes his juniors.
But I don't mean the tiny, barely-sentient things, no. Yara has taste will not encroach upon Takki's hunting grounds likes the ones who already know what they're doing. :D Goseki. Kitayama. Totsuka. Tsukada -- I SWEAR HE LIKES TSUKADA BECAUSE HE'S GOOD AT FLIPPING AND LOOKS LIKE YONEHANA.
Yara will always say that his charm point is his eyes -- which are "catlike" and Very Strikingly Dramatic <3 He is self-confident as all get-out. Gets lonely easily and doesn't like sitting at home alone like Senga.
There's a lot about Yara around these days, which is fabulous. :D
☆ Like how he acted in Grease (as Kenickie) with Toma (Danny).
☆ And starred in Dream Boys '07 opposite Kamenashi Kazuya and Tanaka Koki and was flaming gay while failing at English adlibs. :D
☆ Is leader of Butoukan.
☆ Choreographs things for peoople -- like all of MA's SCP dances, TORN for Kanjani8's Ohkura and Ryo. Various things for Domoto Koichi. Sakurai Sho's Dream A Live solo. Murakami Shingo's Forward solo. etc. etc. :D :D
☆ Moved out somewhat 'recently' and brought his stuffed toys with him.
☆ Has a pet cornsnake called Chura (Okinawan for 'beautiful') just under a metre long. He likes to wrap it around his neck in summer, because it's a reptile (ie. cool to the touch) --from SC. But that is not enough, no. :D; HE WANTS A BIGGER ONE. (Phallic much?) -oh, yeah. :D from that same article: he rides a motorcycle, too!
☆ CANNOT HOLD HIS ALCOHOL. At all. xD He gets all giggly and stupid and eat the salmon roe!
But here, have some older stuff:
BITS AND BOBS DREDGED FROM GOOGLE CACHE/JAPANESE WIKI:
☆ Weight at birth was 400g (premature, which might half account for his short stature); born on Tuesday.
☆ Given name is the combination of both his father and mother's names.
☆ Liked Ultraman when he was young. When he went shopping with his mother, he always insisted on buying an Ultraman toy, so he always have a toy after every trip to the department store. (What a brat. xD)
☆ Joined Johnny's the same time as Tackey&Tsubasa's... Takizawa and Imai Tsubasa; due to that, the trio were always a team (initially anyway).
☆ Is very familiar with Disneyland, because he went every week when he was young. (BRAT, SERIOUSLY!)
☆ Likes dancing very much. Once, he and his friends danced non-stop for 7 hours at a car park outside a closed store.
☆ Dislikes winter, frogs, cockroaches, natto, tomatoes, prank calls, being called "Yaraemon" etc. *
☆ Got full marks for his driving theory test.
☆ Likes to keep his private life a bit mystery, so as to let his fans feel curious about him.
☆ First photo shoot session was with SMAP's Kusanagi etc, for Wink up July 1995 issue.
☆ Lives with his family.
☆ Wanted to act in Ultraman series.
☆ Became a member of Musical Academy in 1999.
☆ Likes to listen to ghost stories, even though he's admitted that he's timid.
☆ Once went to Michael Jackson's concert with his mother.
☆ Subjects that he's good at are Physical Education, English and Music.
☆ Stayed for a while with his grandfather in Okinawa when he was two years old.
☆ Wishes to be an invisible man and a ganguro girl. (WU interview)
* he got saddled with the Yaraemon nickname because Butoukan isn't actually the first group he's lead. xD Back in 1996 at a KinKi Kids con, I believe Domoto Tsuyoshi sang a rap about Doraemon -- and Yara was designated the leader of its backdancers, who Dots called the Yaraemons. Which I think is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.
As well as the fact that he always put 165cm for his profile height, but was outed in a con MC for being only 163cm (5'4") tall. xD
Want more cat-eyed cute? masupporter's Yara's slideshow set to Ai no Katamari. He's changed a lot over the years... and yet sort of hasn't changed at all. :D; Here's a more recent slideshow, set to MA'S Endless Summer. :D
More old facts about the Yaraemon! >:D
Character: Cheerful, serious when doing things and not afraid of strangers. He can even talk a lot with a person he met for the first time, so he has a lot of friends.
Good Points: He's a good and cheerful person.
Bad Points: He gets sick of things easily and likes to sleep.
Skills: Front and back-flip, swimming, basketball, skiing etc.
Hobbies: Listening to music, skiing, water sports, dancing, swimming etc. (He said somewhere that he likes moonlight snorkelling...)
Favorite Food: Barbequed meat (can't cook, himself 8D)
Favorite Colors: Orange, Green and Red.
Favorite Sports: Baseball and basketball.
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Words: "Guts" and "Fight".
Favorite Subject: Physical Education
Family Members: Father, mother, grandmother and elder sister.
Best Friends: Shingo Machida (MA), Tsuyoshi Yonehana (MA), Sho Sakurai (ARASHI) and Satoshi Ohno (ARASHI). (His BFF is Yone though. ;3)
Ideal Type of Girl: Active, gentle, with shoulder-length hair, big eyes, small face, generous... and lots more... but not talkative girls or girls who act cute. (HIS LIST IS LONGER THAN HE IS TALL.) Recently: Devilish girls.
First Love: third grade.
Childhood Dream: To be Ultraman.
Dream: To create music.
Jr. History: 23 April 1995 joined Johnny's Jimusho; first magazine appearance: July 1995 issue of Wink up.
Respected Seniors: Masahiro Nakai (SMAP) and Yuuki Kohara (Ex-MA)
Yara's (default) dance style is a tribute to his crotch. No, I'm serious. He loves thrusting his hips about, and more often than not has a hand around his hip area -- if you've seen LOVESICK (with ABC+Kismai) past the 2min mark, you'll know what I'm talking about. *_* subbed download!
He dances totally naturally though. Energetic like there's nothing else he'd rather be doing than showing his skill off, cocky as all hell. And very confident in his abilities to attract talented juniors. But on the other hand he makes everybody good look AMAZINGLY PRO. Honestly, I can easily imagine him taking JE's head choreographer role eventually. >:3
He street-dances! A lot. And can dance maaany different styles, with technical grounding too, but still envied Akiyama's tapdance skills--
Akiyama (also known as Koichi's #1 Fan) is no longer with JE, due to a ' scandal'. Some say he wanted to get out of JE without the financial penalties incurred by breaking contract. Some say he had a son. I also read somewhere that he had a business degree from before, and is working as a regular salaryman now. Whatever it is, best wishes to him. ♥;; MA+Koichi will never be the same with him gone.
A few things...
Name: Akiyama Jun
D.O.B: 4 June 1980
Birth Place: Tokyo, Japan
Blood Type: A
Zodiac: Gemini
Nicknames: Akki, Aki-debu etc.
Height: 180cm
Weight: 72kg
Shoe Size: 28cm
Hobbies: Playing guitar, bass and drums.
Bad Habit: Biting his fingernails.
Schools: Graduated from Horikoshi Gakuen on 16 February 1999 and Teikyo University.
Favorite Food: Sushi, curry, hamburger, barbecued meat and shimesaba. ( He can cook, too! And brings his own food to rehersals and stuff. :D)
Favorite Colors: Blue and Green.
Family Members: Father, mother, elder brother, younger sister (Arisa Akiyama) and grandmother (French).
Ideal Type of Girl: Someone who make him feel peaceful.
Jr. History: Joined Johnny's Jimusho when he was in Primary 6, October 1992.
Respected Seniors: KinKi Kids
Old info:☆ When his mother was pregnant with him, the doctor thought that the baby was a girl and his parents even want to name their baby "Arisa". They got a shock when the baby turned out to be a boy and that name was given to his younger sister instead.
☆ His grandmother is a French, making him 1/4 mixed.
☆ Entered modeling agency when he was 2 years old.
☆ Dislikes winter.
☆ Likes to hang out with friends and e-mailing.
☆ Likes acting in drama series.
☆ Has done a few anime dubs before.
☆ He takes 20 mins to prepare when going out: 5 mins for waking up, washing his face and changing, another 15 mins for doing morning breathing exercise.
☆ He lives with his family.
☆ His wish is to have the ability to stop time, flying in the air, and to improve the condition of his eyes and throat as his eyes gets uncomfortable when wearing contact lens, and his throat gets hoarse easily. (WU interview)
ALL OF MA
For these and more MA pics, go raid MA's boys_paper tag~! ♥
A CRAPLOAD OF TRANSLATED THINGS, courtesy of enshinge. ♥ I really recommend the Full House crosstalks. They're freaking funny, feature Shoon, and are also a great insight into Yone and Maachin especially, as MA's less popular two. :D
A CRAPLOAD OF SUBBED THINGS, courtesy of o_e_subs. ♥ (you have to join, but SO WORTH IT. T_T) ...the Double Dutch one is still hella amazing. And also? Endless Summer, the rare performance of one of MA's original songs. Adorable like crazy. THEY'RE SO CUTE, and because they're old experienced they're not afraid of messing around in front of the camera. :D :D
Yara and Akki go on Yoko+Hina's Recommen and DEAR GOD IT IS FUNNY. They show laugh at Akki's birth spot (on his ass). Amongst other things. And Yara is roped in to choreo Hina's Eh? Honma?! Bikkuri!! solo. ♥
Oh! And, I hiiiighly recommend the KinToMA j-web translations. >:DD See MA and Ikuta Toma pose each other questions and such! :D We get Maachin mourning not being able to eat Koichi's leftovers. Yara with the most make-up on his dressing table. Etc. etc.! xD GOOD TIMES.
MA were also the feature cast of the 2005 Naruto Musical, Ninja Illusion (subbed ver!).
THAT'S RIGHT: NARUTO MUSICAL.
ie. AWESOME ON A STICK.
clip, unsubbed streaming ver!
mag scans: 01/yara+yone 02/maachin+akki
Yara was short Naruto, Maachin was Sasuke, Yone was Gaara, and Akki was a musical-only OC. :D AWESOMEST THING EVER.
OLD VIDEOS:
masupporter @yt had heaps of absolute classics. :O Such as-- J-1 Grand Prix. It's a segment hosted by Tackey and Sensei. Featuring Olympic gymnast Tanaka Hikaru, challenging the Juniors to do various tricks. xD Yonehana owns it. (Others include Nino who is also quite good, Yara who is confidence incarnate, MatsuJun who fails, Aiba who falls on his head, and Tsubasa who takes a while to get the hang of things but usually makes it in the end. ♥)
This is the best one, IMO. 8D But that's because Yone wins MVP in it. :D It's where they call him "Juniors Acrobat Leader" -- and it really shows. xD The first round shows MatsuJun's first backflip(!), Ikuta Toma turning a backflip into a back roll, and Kazama Shunsuke being reaaally nervous. The pig does a fart and Yone dies laughing (as he is wont 8D). The second round -- Yone's the only one who can do more than one backflip from a stationary start. Actually, he asks Hikaru-sensei: "About how many do you think I can do (in the given space)?" Hikaru says maybe four? ...to which Yone then goes and does five. xD Just because he can. Third round, he's the only one who can do a no-hands backflip. (I honestly don't know the proper terms, but it still looks awesome!)
THEIR DANCE
...because Musical Academy actually dance, fancy that! :0 They're the 'original ABC' also senior dance group to MAD/MADE. Have some DANCIN' WITH JAPAN'S/COLLABOMAP'S. *throws links around* They're so in sync. D: Their freezes are almost always perfectly timed [unsubbed stream]. And they just... work really well together [unsubbed stream] in their element. WHICH IS DANCE. If you want cute, GO FOR THIS ONE. Maachin does a one-man Mexican wave. Yonehana jumps about as a HUMAN TERUTERUBOOZU. Oh, yeah. :D And there's also Yara's shirt thing...
Just have the freaking tag+list. xD I recommend EVERYTHING ON THEM. TWICE.
http://community.livejournal.com/o_e_subs/tag/ma
http://enshinge.livejournal.com/46120.html
Earlier, I linked Mirror Con's Why Do You Dance With Me? (WATCH AKKI THROW OFF HIS JACKET. AND THEN YARA STOMP OVER AND KICK SAID JACKET AND THEN HIGH-FIVE MAACHIN ABOUT IT). Now, have the song in its original setting: Why Don't You Dance With Me?, in Shock -- Koichi+MA, Tsubasa+ABC. I've watched this clip so many times like I don't even know. [DOWNLOAD.] *_* Their dancing is gorgeous. They do a lot of that slooow~fast!fast!-paced stuff that really shows off their synchro and my vocab just falls flat here because the extent of my dance knowledge is sadly just what looks like the burning hotness and this is so much hell yes. (Or that could just be because they look like they're having fun, ekjsfherg.) ...actually I linked it in Yone's part, too. xD Ahh~ but it's worth watching again! :D :D
AND IF YOU LIKE THEIR DANCING, GO WATCH DOMOTO KOICHI AND MUSICAL ACADEMY'S 2006 MIRROR CON. Seriously. :0 It's as close as Yone's ever going to get by way of having his "MA con" dream fulfilled. :( ♥ It's full of five-way member ai and so much hot+adorable goodness. It's one of my favourite cons, and I'm not even a KinKi fan.
Points to note include:
☆ Special Encore on the RE version: Yone challenges Yara to a handstand.. hopping... contest. Like, jumping. But on your hands. (Which Yone naturally wins.) And Yone literally kicks Maachin in the ass for hugging Koichi too long. xDD
☆ Take Me To... is a hilarious track. :D The dance is really cute, too. Yone is pink. Yara is purple. They get girls in the end. xD Akki (yellow) claims Koichi instead (AND TRIES TO KISS HIM IN THIS FANCAM ♥ in the DVD, Koichi jumps into Akki's arms) -- and that's Maachin (orange) you see collapsing in despair in the background. 8D
☆ From the LE MC's: DOKI, DOKI, DOKI! HAI, KOUCHAN! ♥ Akki made this dance up, just for Koichi (it changed every concert) AND MADE KOICHI, THE REST OF MA, AND THE ENTIRE AUDIENCE DANCE IT WITH HIM TOO. ♥ MA are so amused.
There's also Koichi's 2004 1/2 con -- where MA also feature prominently. :D This particular clip, I VERY MUCH RECOMMEND AS WELL. Koichi sings Dots' Dekiai Logic, and MA are colour-coded for your convenience!
☆ Akki: first, in periwinkle/purple. SO GAY. His orgasm face when Koichi touches him is borderline disturbing in DVD quality. 8D (He makes it in Mirror con too -- wherein Koichi pretty much rubs his crotch in the back of Akki's head, LOL.)
☆ Yara: yellow -- soooooo gay. AND ALSO BLATANTLY IMPLYING THAT KOICHI RIDES HIM.
☆ Maachin: green -- just. xD SO happy to get just any little scrap of attention from Koichi, he waves his shirt around excitedly all "Look what I got! Look what I got!"
☆ Yone: pink. xD And also, straight. He is SO STRAIGHT, I think he's the straightest thing in JE ever. Of course, that could be a funny little facade, BUT. >:D
...they also give Koichi and MA snow guns. :0 BAD BRILLIANT IDEA. 8D Akiyama and Yara end up with white ALL OVER questionable areas of their pants. xD xD They are all such mature boys, it's fabulous. ;D
OMAKE/FIC
...there really is barely any MA fic out there (I'm aware jent_fanfics is hardly a comprehensive listing, BUT THE POINT REMAINS). D: Thus, I propose a link exchange! Comment with your fic and, I'll link it here. :D Please? 8D And if it so please you, you can link this pimp post in return. ♥ SPREAD THE LOVE, PEOPLE. YAY!
☆ SIZE MATTERS: Yara/Goseki; oneshot, PG-rated; setting- Dream Boys rehearsals; warning- twisted humour ♥
☆ ♥ IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH: MA+ABC; oneshot, G-rated; setting- Shock rehearsals; warning- kouhai bullying :D
☆ DON'T KNOW MY LINES YET: Shoon/Maachin; oneshot, PG-13; summary- Shoon and Machida exchange some lines
☆ AKIYAMA+KOICHI: the tragedy that never (really) was. MA+Koichi; oneshot, script form; summary- MA do Romeo+Juliet
☆ AROUND THE WORLD: Yara/Senga; oneshot, NC-17; summary- PWP. Senga does something sexy (like breathes) and Yara pounces
☆ HEY, DON'T YOU WANT IT?: MA/Kinki/Takki?; oneshot, PG; summary- 1 time MA fanboyed Koichi + 1 time Takki did
☆ BUT THEY DON'T CALL IT A QUARTER POUNDER WITH CHEESE: MA/Kinki; oneshot, PG; summary- 2 times MA fanboyed Koichi
☆ SPACE ODDITY: Ungrateful World. Butoukan+MAXIMUM CAMEOS; oneshot, AU, PG; summary- (bloody awesome ♥)
☆ ZERO SUM: Fools Rush In. MA+Koichi(+Ikuta Toma); Loveless AU, PG; summary- A Fighter only has one Sacrifice and a Sacrifice one Fighter - unless things go wrong.
☆ ALL WE ARE: Machida/Ohno, implied Ohmiya. "Machida knew he was in love, but he knew he couldn't win against Arashi."
☆ UNSAID: an utterly gorgeous piece about Ohno, Maachin, Nino, and their journey. *_* Ohno/Machida, Ohmiya; R. "Sometimes silence can say much more than words (but that doesn’t mean it’s speaking the truth)."
☆ GEKOKUJOU - SUCCESS: Yara/Senga; R. Dance practice. ♥ "Sometimes they just don't do what you want them to."
THANKS FOR READING. \o/ I hope your love (or at least appreciation!) for MA has grown even a little bit... ;D If I've left anything out, or made any mistakes (bear in mind that some of this info is old, especially because MA don't really appear in mags and such anymore) -- please let me know! ♥
HUGE AND REPEATED THANKS TO enshinge&ohmiya_sg@o_e_subs, arylonne, pastdazed, crystallekil AND OTHERS without whom musical_academy would be very dying. D: You guys rock. :D ♥ :DD Scans by dragorsi, 42detsune, rakiu_desu, emeree, mabo, sleep_onigiri, Google, boys_paper and musical_academy of course!
★★ CROSSPOST! BELIEVE! SHARE! GO FORTH AND PIMP! ★★
[edit 14 Sep'09] PICSPAM by misosiru! Includes OhMachi, young!Yara, old shop photos, MA+Koichi, and Akki and wife, go go go!! 8D 8D
[edit 07 Jan'10] For recent con reports, translations, photo updates, and STUFF, head to misosiru's MA TAG. ♥ :DDD An amazing resource! Especially this post, which includes a lot of Maachin and Yone love. ♥ And tales/legends like why exactly it's Koichi that Machida fanboys. :D :D