The V6 pimp post/links resource
Now why in the name of Johnny would Kat put her neck out there for a band she's already 10 years late to have gotten into and go so far as to claim it's still all kinds of AWESOME? That V6, like fine wine, is totally headbutting the Japanese fangirl philosophy that 25+ is over the hill by actually (GASP!) getting better with age? Why, for the simple reason that working backwards is the way she was brought up to be musically. IT IS THE WESTERN WAY.
But all kidding aside, V6 sings (in tune!). They dance (in sync!). They ALL do acrobatics (and not just a Junno on speed!). Watching them perform showed me that REAL dancing - not just-barely synchronized flailing and extreme hip gyrations - can and does exist amongst Johnnys! But it's not like you'll take my word for it, so see for yourself:
MS 10th Anniversary Special [MU | SS 5 minute WMV file, 111.96MB]
In which V6 performs a medley of their greatest hits while swimming through an equally synchronized sea of fangirls and balloons.
Gakkou E Ikou Special - Judo segment [MU | SS 11 minutes WMV file, 120MB]
Of course, like other boybands, V6 is not immune to the occasional fangirl trying to SMOTHER THEM BETWEEN THEIR IRON-GRIP LEGS. Not ones to leave a man behind though, these boys give their darndest to try and save their fallen comrades. Too bad they still fail at 5 to 1. >____<'
Those Japanese fangirls are really something, huh?
The most noticeable characteristic of V6 that differentiates itself immediately from other Johnny-produced boybands is that it also divides its members into two subgroups: 20th Century or Tonisen (made up of the older 3) and Coming Century or Kamisen (the younger 3). Each have put out their own singles and music videos (PVs) ON TOP OF their work as V6. This has resulted in the compilation of OVER A HUNDRED SONGS and nearly FIFTY MUSIC VIDEOS in the past 11 years. The group also has 3 movies and 2 currently running TV shows (Gakkou e Ikou and Viva Viva V6!) to their credit.
Part I: THE MUSIC
'But Kaaaaaat,' you whine, 'can they really REALLY sing? I mean, we're still talking Johnnys here.' Now I'm not intentionally trying to scare you, but the truth is: I fell in love with the music before I fell in love with the band.
I know, I never thought it would be possible in JE fandom either! Anyway, I've zipped a handful of my favorite V6 songs spanning their 11 year career in the following RAR file.
DOWNLOAD ALL >>>> [MegaUpload (with Silver Bells) | SendSpace (without Silver Bells)]
Music Color Code >>>> V6. 20th Century. Coming Century. Okada Junichi.
Your Voice/Thunderbird [YSI]
Darling [YSI] - Kimi wa Petto end theme song!
MIRACLE STARTER [YSI] - Because nothing is better at making me laugh and momentarily forget why my reality is a big gaping black hole of despair than singing 'We are the Marry Marry Starter, MIRAKURU SUTAATAA!'
Dasenai Tegami [YSI]
Tsuyokunare [YSI - Even if it wasn't already catchy as hell, I am a sucker for (electric) guitar solos. And as woolpepper put so enthusiastically, "ALL OF THEM CAN RAP. NOT ONLY ONE OR TWO MEMBERS, BUT ALL!" [Infinity~Love & Life]
Wa ni Natte Oderou [YSI]
Precious Love [YSI] - Have you ever heard Johnny R&B? IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
GENERATION GAP [YSI]
Dahlia [YSI]
Sorezore no Sora [YSI] - Didn't realize until this song just how rare it is for Johnnys to
really develop manly vocal chords.
Yume ni Ai ni - Okada Junichi solo [YSI] - This holds an even more special place in my heart after seeing the movie Hold Up Down (see rest of post).
Lonely Holy Night [YSI] - Christmas song! Guaranteed to make you want to curl up to the fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate or hug a teddy.
Silver Bells [YSI] - Because I firmly believe Ken and Go's voices are ideal for tinsel-filled Christmas songs. And hey, Junichi can rap!
Do you wanna be Freedom [YSI] - It was older songs like this that first drew me into V6. The reasoning is: when I was 7, my dad gave me my first album Eurythmics - Greatest Hits because I kept singing Sweet Dreams. And even though I was a few years too late to have caught them when they were at their pique, I grew up a SYNTHPOP baby.
Hard Luck Hero [YSI] - IMO, the perfect embodiment of all V6 is in Johnny fandom. Vintage, a little on the cooky side, and exuding a classic cool. The car racing movie inserts don't hurt either. [Infinity~Love & Life]
Sun Shine Place [YSI] - Sickeningly addictive 'older' V6 song. Coming Century vs. 20th Century. See and hear the adorable Go, Ken and Junichi sing their squeaky, prepubescent hearts out against the still-sexy Sakamoto, Innochi and Nagano! [Very Best I, 1995 to 2000]
Koi no Signal [YSI] - Another Christmas song! Because the season is upon us! Thank god Ken and Go's voices actually matured with age. Not much, but enough You can hear the difference compared to Sun Shine Place. [Very Best II, Coming Century]
Orange [YSI] - My favorite V6 song to date and theme song for my favorite Jmovie to date!
WISHES~I'll be there~ [YSI] - I like Tonisen, okay?! Inohara truly has a gorgeous solo voice. Sakamoto and Nagano make a good duet as well. Together, the three are just all kinds of awesome.
DOWNLOAD ALL >>>> [MegaUpload (with Silver Bells) | SendSpace (without Silver Bells)]
Join the TFAL Approved Tonisen//20th Century Fanlisting!
Part II: THE GROUP
Now that you've got downloads going, you have NO EXCUSE NOT TO READ THIS while you wait for them to finish! V6 debuted on November 1, 1995 and is made up of Okada Junichi, Miyake Ken, Morita Go, Inohara Yoshihiko, Nagano Hiroshi and Sakamoto Masayuki. There is some kind of volleyball factor in their formation, but in general it is accepted that the V is for "Victory."
The youngest and most popular member of the group due to his phenomenal acting work in both movies and jdramas. Okada Junichi's look and strong on-screen presence makes him ideal for the dark, mysterious and broody character types. In fact, it was his leading role in Tokyo Tower that first caught my eye and sparked my interest in his other works -- including V6. Though Junichi usually gives the impression of an almost-infuriatingly calm and serious person, he is capable of a rather explosive (and not always fathomable) sense of humor. He's also talented to boot in the dancing, acrobatic and singing department. He's even been given longer solo parts in the last few V6 and Kamisen singles. Apparently he once had his own segment on the V6 show Gakkou e Ikou where he was challenged to learn things like riding a unicycle and trapeze work. It didn't last long because Junichi always somehow managed to do it all by the end of the episode. Did I mention he's freakishly strong? Inohara is both taller and much heavier than Okada, and yet...
Finally, because I promised to spread the porn eyecandy, Junichi's semi-naked AnAn photoshoot. Credit goes to sakusaku via shibuya's V6 pimp post.
The second youngest member and hands down most 'baby-faced' of the group. ASDKJL#F&$D!!! WHY ARE YOU SO DAMN CUTE AND WHY DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU UNTIL NOW?! Okada may have sparked my interest in V6 but it was Miyake Ken that sealed my fate. Pfft, forget those supposedly super kawaii juniors and current JE boys. THIS MAN HAS BRAD PITT GENES. I have never seen the simple bowl-cut look so GOOOOOOD on a man. Twenty years from now he'll be pushing 50 and he'll still be smoking hot! A worthy compensation for the fact that he never hit puberty.
That's right, Ken never grew very tall (a respectable 166cm by asian standards - still taller than me!) nor did his voice mature much from it's helium-high pitch (but his giggle/laughs are so gushably adorable they would kill from cute overload). Like the rest of V6, he's incredibly talented in the dancing and acrobatics department. And because he's so damn adorable, he's often the target of teasing and the most random bendy-pranks. Like this:
Ken did a handful of dramas in his earlier years (including the drama Neverland with K8's Shingo and KAT-TUN's Koki), but has stuck mostly to V6 projects and some theatre. He's also the most sporty, indulging himself with tennis, boxing and surfing over the years.
The eldest member of Coming Century and shortest member all around. When I first saw Morita Go, I could've sworn he was related to Oguri Shun. Same bad-boy air and inherent cool. Same thick and rebellious mane of hair. It's hard not to want to cast him forever as 'the older, sexier Koki ideal' and, like the three V6 movies have done, 'the brooding bad-boy with a tormented/conflicted soul.' In the few Gakkou e Ikou episodes I've seen so far though, he's hardly the big gaping black hole of despair. His manner is such that in one scene he seems like a mild-mannered (albeit slightly tipsy) old man, and in the next he reminds you of a little giggly boy on Christmas.
But I guess that's one of the many reasons why I find V6 so attractive. All the members seem real. They don't try to fit their personas to any typecast. They have layers. Are complex. Are, dare I say, the most human. When they horse around, it's genuinely cute and funny because they're not doing it for the camera's benefit but their own amusement -- and it shows. When Morita falls over backwards with the most adorable lost and disoriented look, everyone bursts in laughter. But immediately at his side pulling him up and supporting his back are Junichi and Ken (with 'Mama' Nagano not too far away). Now maybe that doesn't rank high on the J-GHEI meter, but it's a kind of love that appeals to me more.
LOL. Wow. Reading these paragraphs over again just goes to show there really is something about Morita Go that brings out the reflective and thoughtful. Go figure. :p
The third oldest member of V6 and youngest member of 20th Century. You hear Inohara Yoshihiko's amazing voice in a lot of solo verses of the songs from both groups, but most notably (because I have them uploaded) Dasenai Tegami and Wishes~I'll Be There~. If age was based on maturity level, Inohara would win hands down as the most immature of the group. He's loud, he's energetic, HE LIKES TO SHOW OFF HIS NICE TIGHT BUTTOCKS.
No really. This man has an incredible build and he is not shy about strutting it. You should see the way clothes hang on him. Or better yet, fall off:
Gakkou e Ikou - 10th Anniversary Special, Hokkaido Journey [YSI | MU 53 second WMV file, 5.8MB] A short clip of Tonisen spending what was supposed to be a relaxing evening at an onsen.
WARNING! THE WATER IS SHOCKINGLY CLEAR. Also, Nagano is not as nice a guy as you'd think he'd be. You definitely see more than just a little crack. And the tragedy is that this is only the first time in the evening that Inohara's towel slips off.
Anyway, it should come to no surprise then that Inohara has the second most substantial film and drama credit after Okada. But what really won me over to "Innochi", as he is more popularly known, was this profile that said he'd joined Johnny at a very VERY early age -- the end of elementary, in fact. As a result, he decided to quit highschool halfway through, promising his father jokingly that he'd finish his education before he turned 30. In 2004, at the age of 28, he followed through with the promise. Now THAT is the kind of self-confident personality to be admired.
When I randomly babble in a kind of shock about a certain dorky ex-boyfriend in Kimi WA Petto being SO DAMN HOT, I'm talking about this man. Nagano Hiroshi is the second oldest member of V6 and often considered the 'Mother hen' of the group. If I take that to be true, then like fine wine age has done nothing but emphasize Nagano's features to be that of the HOT MAMA he is today.
Sorry. Thoughts of a pretty man makes me crack lame jokes. Like the rest of V6, he has steered away from the common Johnny path of major jdrama roles. His work outside of V6 and Tonisen is mostly in theater. It is also made obvious in the two V6 movies that Nagano has a passion in life: racing. He loves cars, is absolutely obsessed with speed, and more than anything else loves to cackle like a madman when burning rubber behind the steering wheel.
In the early V6 years Nagano sported a very preppy haircut and look. But in the past few years he's let his hair grow out into something gorgeous and swapped his clothes for that of a -- a modern gentleman. All the better to see the almost hypnotizing smooth flow of his movements, his signature dance skill. Did I mention his rapping puts Koki to shame? Seriously, listen to Precious Love. His voice is so deep and sexy and *droooooools*. After Ken, Nagano is tied with Okada as my second favorite V6 member.
The oldest member and 'Father' of V6. NO DON'T SCROLL OVER THIS! WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS IMPORTANT. And what I have to say is: Sakamoto is a man. Yes, you may say, so is everyone else in V6. But Sakamoto is a Johnny man's man. I have seen other JE groups and in my opinion, no group holds as much underlying awe and deep respect for their appointed leader like V6 for Sakamoto. Sure he may be sporting a less than attractive FOB-coloured hairstyle right now, but he's a very VERY fit man for 35 (as evidence of the way clothes fit on him and Inohara's onsen clip above) and at certain angles and lighting (toning down his hair colour) you can spot evidence of his more youthful, darker-haired hotness.
However, If you watch the Gakkou E Ikou Special - Judo segment [MU | SS 11 minutes WMV file, 120MB], you'll notice that a favorite past-time for the rest of V6 is forcing Sakamoto into situations where he'll be scared half to death, then sit back and watch his nostrils flare as he screams/sees his life flash before his eyes. AGAIN./ages a few more years.
Age, actually, is not the only reason Sakamoto is the leader. His dance skill superiority has remained strong all these years and shows in his theater and dance history, which ironically includes Footloose. He also remains the most prominent voice in all V6 and 20th Century songs. The range he covers is amazing -- just watch the Precious Love PV. He can croon. Hold long and high notes. Rap in a deep and oh-so-sexy voice. THE REASON V6 IS SO TALENTED AND SYNCHRONIZED IS BECAUSE OF HIM. So give this man the love he deserves!
Part III: THE MOVIES AND PVs
YES, they made feature films! 3, in fact. And unlike other Johnny productions, V6 movies have absolutely no musical tie-in nor storyline involving the members coming together and making it big.
MOVIE - HARD LUCK HERO
Underground boxing. Gangsters. Car chases. The first appearance of Hiroshi's maniacal laugh and Junichi running and dancing around for two hours in nothing but shiny boxer shorts. Really, that's all you need to know. [spikiegirl's download]
MOVIE - COSMIC RESCUE: The Moonlight Generations
I felt so ripped off by this Coming Century flick (meaning it only stars Morita Go, Miyake Ken and Okada Junichi)! I sat down friday night expecting a fun, CHEESY but nonetheless cute movie about three pretty man-boys playing space cowboy. But noooooo. An hour later found me sitting on the edge of my seat and CRYING. [haniko44's download]
J: WTF WHY DOES THIS HAVE A PLOT?!
L: You make it sound like [you were expecting] porn, LMAO
K: Look at THIS and tell me it doesn't look like implied soft porn!
K: *shudders* A JE group that actually shocks us with genuine TALENT
J: That was unfair.
J: I'd already been blindsided TWICE. And now Go?
K: GO COMPLETES THE KAMISEN ADDICTION.
K: His tears have condemned us further into V6 doom.
MOVIE - HOLD UP DOWN
My current all-time favorite jmovie! Apparently a SABU film is kind of like the Japanese equivalent to a Guy Ritchie film (Snatch. Lock, Stock and Smoking Barrels). Same dark humor. Same surreal but oddly connected storylines involving bank robbing Santas. Hippie!Okada as the second coming of Jesus. An accident-prone priest with a murderous temper. I'm so tempted to reveal more significant storylines but you'll just have to trust me on this: there is absolutely NOTHING creepier-sexier than a seemingly possessed Hiroshi and his maniacal laugh.
All MegaUpload links were upped by the amazing spikiegirl and come from her master V6 PV list. For all the videos that were under 100MB, I upped some alternative YSI links. So if you like fast multiple downloads like me, GET THEM NOW!
V6 - ORANGE [MU]
My favorite song AND favorite PV. Everyone's so pretty. So orange. And if you want to have a glimpse/teaser of Hold up Down, this is it! Let's put it this way - it was after repetitive watching of this PV that I was finally brainwashed into finding the DVD and importing it. IT'S THAT GOOD. Here, let me quote woolpepper for a second opinion: "The dance steps were simply gorgeous and they can do it in SYNC. It's not like "Osaka Rainy Blues" dance step that is easy, IT IS FREAKIN' HARD AND FAST. SAKAMOTO LOOKED HOT. YES HE DID. ESPECIALLY WHEN HE SWIVELED HIS HIP. OH MY, WHAT HAS THE WORLD COME TO?! NOOOOO! . :p"
V6 - TSUYOKUNARE [YSI | MU]
This PV is as flashy as the song. No really. And if you want to have a glimpse/teaser of what Hard Luck Hero is all about, this is the perfect not-too-spoilery promotional video for it! Did I mention Nagano's surprisingly hot lately? Because he is.
V6 - HARD LUCK HERO [MU]
The PV is entirely made up of scenes from the movie, but if you have no idea what it's about then there's no harm of spoilage whatsoever. What you want to do is watch to the very end WHERE YOU SEE A CLIP OF OKADA IN NOTHING BUT BOXING SHORTS DANCING IN THE RING.
20th Century - PRECIOUS LOVE [MU]
I was actually stunned the first time I saw this. 'These are JOHNNYS?!' I said. It's so classic cool. It's so hip. It's so shiny and beautiful and MY GOD SAKAMOTO IS HOT. Tonisen really strut their vocal range here both individually (Sakamoto especially) and as a trio.
Join the TFAL Approved Tonisen//20th Century Fanlisting!
Coming Century - KOI NO SIGNAL [YSI | MU]
Kamisen may all be short, but they're all damn pretty too. I believe woolpepper said it best with, "IT IS THE FIRST TIME I ENVIED A DOG, DAMMIT. IT GOT TO TOUCH KENKEN'S LEGS. HOW DARE IT!"
V6 - DASENAI TEGAMI [YSI | MU]
They're underwater! They're in white! They're on the beach and emo-ing! This PV is as gorgeous as Inohara's voice and Go's heartbroken face in this song. NO WAIT. Shit, they're hot too!
V6 - YOUR VOICE/THUNDERBIRD [YSI | MU]
Ironically, I will end this super-long post with the very first PV I ever saw of the group. It's still one of the absolute shiniest. And the one that really made me sit up and go "HELLO, WHO IS THAT HOT ONE NEXT TO OKADA WITH THE BIG BROWN PUPPY EYES?!" then "OMG A JOHNNY GROUP THAT ACTUALLY DANCES IN SYNC!" and then "HEY THAT'S THE EX IN KIMI WA PETTO! He's-- he's HOT!"
CREDITS:
V6 Degrees of Separation Member Profiles.
spikiegirl Music, PVs, Hard Luck Hero. deaxolff Replay~Best of 20th Century~, Pictures. haniko44 Cosmic Rescue. shibuya and twinkle_byte Special thank yous!
EXTRA 'HOLD UP DOWN' SCANS BELOW
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