Kanjani8 santa surprises fans and confirms news songs will be released next year
Japan’s tallest moving Christmas tree, Santa Claus, reindeer, and revealing they would be the first music artist to release two anime theme songs simultaneously were surprises delighting 55,000 Kanjani8 fans at their Tokyo Dome concert on December 19, reports Sankei Sports, Nikkan Sports, Chunichi Sports, Daily Sports Online, and Movie Walker.
Fans at the Sunday concert were treated to a sight of the 26 metre tall Christmas tree and all seven Kanjani8 members dressed in Christmas outfits including Tadayoshi Okura (25) as Santa Claus and Ryo Nishikido (26) as a reindeer.
“We wanted to do something Christmas-y,” said Yu Yokoyama (29).
The group also revealed they would be singing the theme song to popular TV anime “クレヨンしんちゃん (Crayon Shin-chan)” and the anime’s upcoming movie “クレヨンしんちゃん 嵐を呼ぶ 黄金のスパイ大作戦 (Crayon Shin-chan Arashi wo Yobu Ougon no Spy Daisakusen)”. It is the first time a music artist has been responsible for singing the theme song to an anime TV show and movie at the same time. It is also the first movie theme song for the group.
“I’m really happy. Our song’s going to played on those huge movie screens,” said Shota Yasuda (26)
Although it may seem odd Kanjani8, whose members are all from Japan’s Kansai region, be placed in charge of an anime which is set in Kanto region’s Saitama prefecture, but the show’s organisers have said they had been waiting for a chance to collaborate with Kanjani8 for almost two years.
“(Kanjani8) are a group who can both be funny and cool. They fit the ‘Crayon Shin-chan’ world image perfectly,” said one of the anime’s producers.
It has been reported the group’s members were happy to take on their new project, with Yokoyama encouraging group member Subaru Shibutani (29) to do his best Crayon Shin-chan impersonation on stage.
“Ohh, オラのはらしんのすけ〜 (Ora Nohara Shinnosuke, I’m Nohara Shinnosuke).”
Even a usually cool Nishikido had a go.
“Ohh…I can’t do it,” he said before clinging onto Yasuda’s shoulder.
But as Nishikido noticed a sneaky smile on Yokoyama’s face, he was quick to involve his fellow group member.
“That’s unfair Yokoyama-kun! Let me see you try it!,” Nishikido said, which lead Yokoyama to try and fail his impersonation in front of 55,000 fans.
Kanjani8′s songs will go on air on the Crayon Shin-chan anime show from February 2011, while the Crayon Shin-chan movie is set to be released on April 16.
http://momoedgewood.wordpress.com/20...sed-next-year/