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Linkage with Midnight Diner: simple, compelling opening music themes and human need for connection. Thank you.

Thank you for this one! You are slowly becoming my main gateway to Japanese Rock/Pop. My Hair Is Bad not only has an adorable name but makes music that had an instant apeal for me. Thanks to pointing them out! They also work against the trend as they are all male. My impression was that Japan had produced an insane amount of all-female or female fronted bands during the last ten years or so while the boys were doing not so well. But maybe this is just a skewed perception created by The Algorithm once it had identified me as a Babymetal fan. Omakase was the second song on the Cologne setlist in June, and the combination of the costumes (long coats), the choreo and the projections on the stage screen was absolutely gorgeous. The Shimi MV hit me like a sledgehammer. I normally have only a limited tolerance for death metal vocals; Electric Callboy is about as far as I go right now. But I do like this collab for all the reasons you stated. The annoncement video with AG! hatching out of an egg was hilarious! Making things work together that shouldn't. Pushing your own envelope. This seems indeeed to be one common thing here. It may or may not be more prevalent in Japan (It sure is one of the foundations of Babymetal's music), but it should be pointed out that similar things have happened in other parts of the world: Nightwish from Finland have made a career over the last 15 years by combining metal with classical music and operatic vocals. Sabaton from Sweden often use vocal arrangements that seem to come from choir music. Lead vocalist Joaquim Broden once said in an interview that some of his ideas came from his time in a choir as a young boy. Germany's Electric Callboy had been a hardcore metal band for a number of years until Nico Sallach joined around 2020 as new second vocalist. His clean 90s Europop vocals combined with founding member Kevin Ratajczak's harsh vocals created the EC sound we know today and which is one of the main factors of Electric Callboy's recent popularity. Bloodywood from New Delhi/India combine metal, Indian folk elements and Rap into something that feels pretty organic. I quite like their debut album Rakshak. Maybe hardcore death metal is about as far as metal can go regarding heaviness and distortion, and the only way forward are crossovers? we'll see.

If writer's block could be defined as having no ideas and just staring at a blank screen... how does one overcome writer's block?

One should definitely check out eastern youth, and Number Girl. Monumental for Japanese rock.

please listen to Zigzo, Ellegarden and Zeppet Store !!

新しい学校のリーダーズを見る時の顔が優しいお父さんみたいで素敵です

AG! is fire

japanese rock music IS awesome! when I was 13 I found a band called The Pillows and another band called Asian Kung Fu Generation and they literally changed my life! I have been writing music in english and japanese since then! Andrew, it would be cool if you heard some of it and shared it with your friends! I am 35 now so I too have been into these bands for a long time! I wonder what you think about bands like One Ok Rock Gesu No Kiwami Otome Indigo La End L'arc en Ciel Very Cool AJ its so validating hearing you talk about these bands because I feel alone in america loving this music almost more than american bands which of course i listen to also!

Thanks for your video/music tips. Japanese rock and pop for sure is awesome 🙂My listening habits have changed dramatically over the past couple of years (ever since I discovered BABYMETAL) and nowadays at least 2/3 of the music I spin on a daily basis is from Japan. But I don't like the MTH x AG song to be honest - it's way too heavy and harsh for me. The AG-parts are cool and fun but the rest, I can't listen to... It's great that AG are branching out nevertheless so I'm excited for their future. 🙂

I think an ATARASHII GAKKO! x Babymetal collab is inevitable, and I eagerly await the day that it comes to fruition.

🤔"有名になる為の方程式"が各時代によって違うからね。特に今は複雑だよ。 🤔最近だとTH-camやTikTok等の扱い方もどうなんだろうかと思うよ。 😊個人的には地元で人気を固めてから人気を拡大させるミュージシャンに好感は持てるよ。

Seems like "Omakase" was a deliberate attempt to reduce the gymnatics and more active choreo in the video (as we also saw with "Dora 1 Dokusou". I guess we'll have to see if this trend continues.

Professor, thank you for bringing up SHIMI😊 I think it was last year? SUZUKA is having a conversation with MTH's Ryo-kun in a magazine. SUZUKA's father is a big KISS fan, and it seems that this influenced her, who loves rock music, to be happy about it. I myself fell in love with this video, which purifies and frees my soul, and I listen to it over and over again. And now, it has become the second most popular video in just two days. In the Japanese music industry, when you turn on the TV, all you hear is KPOP, which is all about lookism. I feel like things are starting to change little by little. Rebellion against orthodoxy. I felt that AG and MTH have a common energy that brings out the brilliance of life even from the mud.

It is lingering in my mind whether Mizyu can actually play the shamisen; it looks like she can

I am Totally shocked you have not reviewed or mentioned BAND MAID. Other than Baby Metal....they are the most popular Japanese rock band and have a huge following around the rest of the world. Their musicianship is absolutely top notch and our being touted as the best current rock band out there. They absolutely rejuvenated my love for music again which seems to be a common thread among their fan base. I would highly recommend you check them out !!!!!! You won't be sorry.

Thanks for answering one of my questions! I really enjoyed the video and I am looking forward to more!

Just a side note: this video seems to be only showing up in the playlist tab for now but not the video tab. I only found it cuz I went to the playlist tab😅

Was waiting for your reaction video to Shimi prof! Definitely wasnt expecting a full long video. Nice to hear more about your music tastes. As an extreme metal fan before knowing about AG, the thing about AG that caught me was their "metal spirited energy" live performances even though the music is not necessary the same genre. MtH was one of the bands I really wanted AG to collab with even before the announcement, and it arrived at least two years earlier than I expected xD Fun and chaotic performances is what I'd describe as the main thing I like about MtH and AG, and the collab is exactly that but multiplied.

Prayers for everyone 🙏🏼

Hi Professor, just looking through the comments here already and I can see this might be a long series of videos, there are so many interesting and relevant questions. I think you may have opened a box of worms for yourself haha. This was my second time watching this video and the take-home points I got from each viewing were very different. From my first viewing the major point I took away was to get your first draft done. As you say, you have nothing without a first draft. The second viewing gave me the gem of plot being subordinate to character development. This one punched me in the face in the second viewing of your video. We talked briefly after another of your recent videos, about the challenges I am experiencing in relation to cultural appropriation and the presentation of cultural stereotypes, particularly over different time periods. I think your wise words might just provide me with a way forward, a navigational tool, to help solve the roadblocks that I have been running into. Thankyou,

Do you have power now? Did yours go out? I pray that y’all are Good!! My Son is working up there Close by. From Central Texas here. He is a Lineman, he& his Brotherhood will help Y’all Out!! God Bless You ✝️🙏❤️✝️🙏❤️

Thanks a lot for giving us a sneek peek behind the scenes of your writing process. Most intriguing for me as a teacher was your description of how your urge to lecture got in the way of your writing. I know that myself, albeit in different contexts. While I love oral storytelling and writing lyrics for songs, I could have never envisioned me starting to write a whole book. But feeling your passion while you talk about finishing the book and having something real in your hands is really tempting. I very probably still won't do it, but suddenly tinkering with the thought seems more fun Good to hear that there will be a second Hideki Smith novel; I enjoyed the first one a lot.

Hey AJ, question for future consideration. I know everyone starts their writing differently. I'm quite curious, what do you find is the usual genesis of a writing project for you? Do you find yourself crafting a fully formed idea before you start putting words down, do you find yourself thinking of interesting prompts that you then begin writing your own answer to, or is there some other way (if in fact any consistent way at all) for your projects to begin?

How did you learn creative writing? Did you take classes, did you read books about creative writing (e.g. Sol Stein)? Do you use supportive software - not just spellchecking but tools for authors e.g. Scrivener? If not, have you tried them, what is your stance?

How much research do you do before you finish plotting? Has it happened to you that you wanted to write about (X) and started researching and then found out that (X) is (1) actually boring or (2) not fruitful enough to write a whole book about it (not enough information available). Has in-depth research ever made you writing the novel completely differently than you originally planned?

When you do author readings in e.g. bookstores, which are the criteria for the sections and chapters you choose for reading? Do you already identify potential sections for readings during the writing process? Do you treat them differently, e.g. "polish" them so they will shine and sound really cool?

How difficult is it to create characters which are not just copies of yourself? If a character is completely different from you, how do you "become" this character, do you do some sort of method acting? Do you look for such a character in real life and study him?

Would you recommend self-publishing to a first time novelist? --and-- How would you suggest a first time novelist market their novel?

It looks like you got a bit of weather. I have been getting updates from a woman I know in Georgia, she was quite worried about the intensity of the storm, but it didn't seem to impact her at all and the creek at the bottom of her street was only up about a foot. I'm glad you and your family are safe though.

Glad you're OK!

Stay safe man!

Look forward to seeing this grow! So used to seeing 50's uk set layouts, this'll be an education. Love n gauge btw🙂

Thank you for the updates. I’m very happy you and your family are safe. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for everyone affected.

Stay safe 👍🤘🏼🦊

great commentary again.. And of course, this song just makes you smile. There is so much more to their live shows.

Finding some videos that I never saw before or saw and never gave a thumbs up to. I always enjoy your videos even though I don't comment very often. Black BabyMetal is always fun because while, in my opinion at least, Moa and Yui are the main drivers of the Kawaii part, when they do songs, the music is usually harder, or have more punch than their normal songs. So, thanks for the reactions, and your joy watching them is infectious. Thanks!

TOM have amazing GUTSUL CARPATHIAN style pillows

have an audiobook on Ukrainian Language ???

Be safe! 🙏

Stay save AJ

Hope you and your family are safe.

Best wishes, professor, for yourself and your loved ones. I hope you stay safe.

Hope your home stays dry! And that this doesn't impact your upcoming trip to Chicago.

Stay safe sir!

Be safe

How is the river level?

Stay safe 🙏🏻

Hereneの影響か

え？これは最近？自宅ですか？

Please keep your dog safe! They'll kill every pet.