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Revision as of 23:15, 12 October 2011

Sakanaction
Also known asサカナクション, Sakanakushon
OriginSapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
GenresIndie rock, Alternative rock, Electronica, New Wave, Dance, Rock
Years active2005–present
LabelsBabeStar Label
Victor Entertainment
MembersIchirō Yamaguchi
Motoharu Iwadera
Ami Kusakari
Emi Okazaki
Keiichi Ejima
WebsiteOfficial Site Template:Jp icon

Sakanaction (サカナクション, Sakanakushon) are a Japanese rock band from Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Their music is a mix of alternative rock, electronic, pop, and New Wave styles, and is thus difficult to classify under one category. The band consists of five members: Ichirō Yamaguchi, Motoharu Iwadera, Ami Kusakari, Emi Okazaki, and Keiichi Ejima.

In the band's own words, their name reflects a wish to act quickly and lightly, like fishes in the water, without fearing changes in the music scene. Sakanaction = Sakana (fish) + Action.[1] They are enjoying increasing popularity, having achieved some mainstream success by appearing on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 charts.

Members

  • Ichiro Yamaguchi (山口一郎)
    • Born in Otaru, Hokkaidō, September 8, 1980
    • Vocalist and guitarist
    • Responsible for writing lyrics and composing songs
  • Motoharu Iwadera (岩寺基晴)
    • Born in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, March 11, 1981
    • Guitarist
    • Nicknamed Mocchi
  • Ami Kusakari (草刈愛美)
    • Born in Tokyo, April 30, 1980
    • Bassist
    • Nicknamed Neesan
  • Emi Okazaki (岡崎英美)
    • Born in Otaru, Hokkaidō, October 5, 1983
    • Keyboardist
    • Nicknamed Zakki or Zakioka
  • Keiichi Ejima (江島啓一)
    • Born in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, July 8, 1981
    • Drummer
    • Nicknamed Ejii

Origins

Ichirō Yamaguchi, Sakanaction's creator, originally started a band called Dutchman, in 1998 with his fellow high school mates, including Motoharu Iwadera. It was an indie rock band that was heavily inspired by British indie bands. From 2000 to 2003, they released one maxi single titled Fly, one album titled demonstration, and a single titled Mikazuki Sunset that was only sold at live performances.[2] The band did not gain much recognition. In 2004, the members disbanded, leaving Yamaguchi to continue on alone as Dutchman. Yamaguchi began performing as a DJ at night clubs.[3]

Sakanaction was finally created in 2005. When Yamaguchi was working in a record store, he heard the song owari no kisetsu by Rei Harakami and it became a great motivation for him to create Sakanaction.[4] Yamaguchi founded the band together with Iwadera, while Kusakari left another band to join Sakanaction. Ejima was introduced by a mutual friend, while Okazaki was Yamaguchi's colleague from the record store.

The name "Sakanaction" carries an important meaning for the band members. Yamaguchi explained:

We made a new band together and named it "Sakanaction". When I first suggested "What do you think of the name Sakanaction?", he said "I hate it", but I forced.[5]

Rise to Popularity

Sakanaction first attracted attention at the 2006 Rising Sun Rock Festival.[6] The band's first physical release was Go to the Future in 2007. Three songs originally from Dutchman were rereleased as Sakanaction releases - "Mikazuki Sunset" and "Inner World" were included in Go to the Future while "Word" was part of a digital download release, and later made it to NIGHT FISHING.

Some time after the release of NIGHT FISHING, the band made a decision to move from Hokkaido to Tokyo where they could reach out to more people.[7] They were also moved from Victor Entertainment's BabeStar label to the main label.

On August 9, 2008, Sakanaction performed as one of the main acts on one of Japan's top music stations, "Music On!" in the event called Summer Sonic '08. Sakanaction performed alongside, Paul Weller, The Fratellis, Death Cab for Cutie, Cajun Dance Party, Band of Horses, Blood Red Shoes, and These New Puritans. The show aired just three days before the New Year, on December 29, 2008.[8]

On December 26, 2008, they made it to #9 on Billboard's Japan Hot 100 list with their single "Sentorei" beating out MAYS's "Kiss: Koi ni Ochite... Fuyu" and coming in just after Greeeen's "Tobira." Over a course of 4 weeks the single moved from #91 to #9. This was a big accomplishment for Sakanaction as they moved forward in the Japanese Music Industry.[9]

In December 2008, the band announced their third album, Shinshiro, which was released in January, 2009. The album includes their single, "Sentorei." The album debuted at #8 on Oricon weekly charts. The band held a national promotional tour, Sakanquarium2009, in February and March 2009.[10][7][11]

On January 13, 2010, the band released the single "Aruku Around", which hit #3 on the Oricon weekly charts.[12] On August 8, 2010 they made appearances at both the Summer Sonic and the World Happiness 2010 rock festivals in Tokyo.

2011 Activities

Sakanaction announced they would release a brand new single March 16 titled “Rookie“. Almost seven months since their last single “Identity”, “Rookie” centered around club music, pop, and rock. It peaked at #6 on the Oricon weekly charts. On March 22, the music video for Aruku Around picked up awards for Best Rock Video and Best Video of the Year from the 2011 Space Shower Music Video Awards,[13] earning the band more recognition.

Sakanaction held a short summer tour called “SAKANAQUARIUM 2011 ZEPP ALIVE” which will kick off on June 19 at the Zepp Sapporo in Hokkaido. The band will then continue to perform at five other ZEPP venues in Japan.[14]

On July 20, Sakanaction released their second single of the year, "Bach no Senritsu o Yoru ni Kiita Sei Desu." (Because I Listened to Bach Melodies at Night). This release helped them to gain even more popularity through Sakanaction's first ever live performance on the popular music variety show, Music Station.

Their fifth album, "DocumentaLy", was released on September 28[15], reaching a peak of #2 on the Oricon weekly charts, the highest the band has ever charted. The band also embarked on the "SAKANAQUARIUM 2011 DocumentaLy" tour beginning October 1.

Discography

Original albums

Year Album Information Oricon
Albums
Charts
[16] 		Reported
sales
[17]
2007 Go to the Future

105 5,200
2008 Night Fishing

53 7,600
2009 Shinshiro (シンシロ)

8 32,000
2010 kikUUiki (Mixing Airspace)

3 56,900
2011 DocumentaLy

2 46,300

EPs

Year Album Information
2008 'Night Fishing Is Good' Tour 2008 in Sapporo

  • Digitally exclusive live EP.
  • Released: August 6, 2008
  • Label: Victor Entertainment
  • Formats: digital download

Remixion

  • Digitally exclusive remix EP.
  • Released: October 15, 2008
  • Label: Victor Entertainment
  • Formats: digital download

2009 "Fish Alive" 20min., 1 Sequence by 6 Songs Sakanaquarium 2009 @ Sapporo

  • Digitally exclusive live EP.
  • Released: July 15, 2009
  • Label: Victor Entertainment
  • Formats: digital download

Singles

Release Title Notes Chart positions Oricon
sales
[17] 		Album
Oricon Singles Charts
[16] 		Billboard Japan Hot 100*
[18] 		RIAJ digital tracks*
[19]
2007 "Words/Sample" (ワード/サンプル, Wādo/Sanpuru) Digital download — — — — Night Fishing
"Night Fishing Is Good" (ナイトフィッシングイズグッド, Naito Fisshingu Izu Guddo) Digital download — — — —
2008 "Sen to Rei" 35 9 — 6,300 Shinshiro
2009 "Native Dancer" (ネイティブダンサー, Neitibu Dansā) Digital download — 60 — —
2010 "Aruku Around" 3 4 38 27,000 Kikuuiki
"Me ga Aku Aiiro" (目が明く藍色, "Eye-opening Indigo") Promotional single — 92 — —
"Identity" 12 7 — 21,000 DocumentaLy
2011 "Rookie" (ルーキー, Rūkī) 6 7 — 17,000
"Bach no Senritsu o Yoru ni Kiita Sei Desu." (『バッハの旋律を夜に聴いたせいです。』, Because I Listened to Bach Melodies at Night.) 8 4 30 21,000
*Japan Hot 100 established February 2008, RIAJ Digital Track Chart established April 2009.

References

  1. ^ Official Site Profile, retrieved 2009-01-03 Template:Jp icon
  2. ^ "Dutchman Official Website". Archived from the original on 2004-12-11. Retrieved 2011-10-06. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 2006-02-05 suggested (help)
  3. ^ Lights, camera, Sakanaction!, The Japan Times Online. Retrieved 2011-10-05
  4. ^ 御礼。 Retrieved 2011-10-05
  5. ^ Shift
  6. ^ 北海道発の新種バンド、サカナクションがデビュー・アルバム『GO TO THE FUTURE』をリリース, bounce.com, Retrieved 2009-01-03 Template:Jp icon
  7. ^ a b 2011 山口一郎、サカナクションのアルバム5作品をすべて語る！ 特集 , ro69.jp. Retrieved 2011-10-05 Cite error: The named reference "RO69" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  8. ^ M-On.JP| SUMMER SONIC 08 ライブスペシャル Template:Jp icon
  9. ^ Billboard Japan Hot 100 Singles Chart
  10. ^ VINTAGE ROCK Template:Jp icon
  11. ^ Forbidden MusicTemplate:Jp icon
  12. ^ "赤西仁・LANDS、映画発キャラクター13年4ヶ月ぶりの首位". Oricon. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2010-01-19. Template:Jp icon
  13. ^ "MVA Winners". Space Shower Television. 2011-03-22. Retrieved 2011-10-06. Template:Jp icon
  14. ^ "Sakanaction to release new single 2011". Tokyofever via natalie. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  15. ^ "2011年9月28日リリース 5th Album 「DocumentaLy」". Sakanaction official website. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
  16. ^ a b "アーティスト： サカナクション". Oricon. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
  17. ^ a b "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved 2010-06-12. (subscription only)
  18. ^ "Hot 100｜JAPAN Charts｜Billboard JAPAN" (in Japanese). Billboard.
  19. ^ "有料音楽配信チャート" (in Japanese). RIAJ.
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