Have you ever heard of Demon Kakka? His real face has never been seen even tho he's been famous for more than 30 years. His band, Seikima II, are the forefathers of metal in Japan. Some people consider them architects of visual kei because they wore facepaint. To the uninitiated they look like may a Japanese version of KISS but their musicianship is far above KISS and Demon Kakka's vocal prowess is will known. I think his place of birth and date of birth is known. From other things he's said you can further deduce who he might be but nothing is confirmed.
The fact her uncle requested to not have the book made till after he died says it’s gotta be true. Most times people do this to ensure that any potential backlash doesn’t reach all parties involved. He wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t get bothered by anyone once the truth came out.
I mean considering Morita and Maeda had already passed away by that time I feel like it was more likely released after his death so people wouldn’t hound anyone with even a passing connection to Morita regarding their real identity
Nano used to be like that until recent years where she has started appearing more in her TH-cam channel and such, before I remember it was a mystery if she was even a woman.
You said "rock star" and i went to listen to her music fully expecting some dark, metal sounds, with some goth vibes, which would have fit more with her look. Didnt expect lyrical guitar ballads. 😅
I'm glad she was able to live a life of privacy; artists aren't obligated to give themselves to the public. Or at least, they shouldn't have to. She wanted to release her music freely without being subjected to speculation about details of her life and she did just that. I would've liked to see what other music she could've made, but if she got to live the life of peace and love she wanted, then I'm happy for her. She already had a childhood full of instability, if she chose to not invite any more of that into her life by going public, then I don't think any of us are any position to question that choice. As long as she lived happily, I'm happy for her.
I agree regardless of if you are a star (be that a rock star or other wise) or just an average person it's your choice if you wanna give your name. While I do feel if she did give the public her real name she would have likely received a lot of love possibly even love letters, she also would have likely received just as much hate from the people who either didn't get or didn't like her art.
Man, she cultivated such a cool look, no wonder people were compelled to follow Doji. You can't help but admire that she chose to put out the messages she wanted, in a way that wouldn't impact her life outside of music, then dipped when the time was right. Can't fault someone for ending their career and living their life on their terms. What a boss!
As a fan of trying to discover new music. Or old music that's new to me in this case. I always feel ones happiness and well being is more important. I feel I'm in no position to say what Doji Morita would have wanted. For myself and anyone who wants to honor her and her legacy. Listening to her music is the best to do so.
Doji Morita shared what she truly wanted to share and then went on. I don't necessarily need to know more about her than what she gave with her music and while I feel like the things in the book are true, it doesn't really change my view of her and her work. One related musical recommendation: Some time after Koukou Kyoushi, some well-known Harsh Noise Musicians created the Doji Morita Coverband "Slap Happy Humphrey", that released great versions of her songs, part regular Cover Song and part Noise Experimentation. Weirdly enough it works out well and the songs are truly great. They had to stop releasing stuff, after Doji's Label threatened to sue them.
If the book is true, then it's sad that she passed away in grief, but at least she ended her career on her own terms. P.S. I just rewatched the first few minutes of the "To-Y" OAV and it was cool seeing archival photos of the real Loft in this video
Yes, it's sad, but it's also a death that widows very often go through. Of course, not all, because some manage to linger on for decades, but for some, the heartbreak is too much to bear. But at least she passed away, presumably, peacefully, and we can at least assume that she eventually found love and happiness during the times they _were_ together.
Morita reminds me of a lot of visual kei artists in a way - you never get to see their faces beneath the makeup and face coverings or learn their real names, marital status etc... which Imo is entirely within anyone's right - the public/fans can be terrible.
All visual kei artists of the 90’s reveal their real faces, marital status and became huge producers or famous tv personalities. And some become God-like persons due to their success.
Doji Morita is the prime definition of an artist who wanted her art to speak for herself, her ability to produce music that founded its own audience while maintaining a private lifestyle is definitely something a lot of if not all artists dream of but Morita managed to live that dream. In the era of social media where more and more potential eyes are on artists of all kinds (actors, musicians, content creators, etc.) at all times, that lifestyle is more and more difficult to achieve in a time where it’s arguably never been more important to have one. You never know when people will try to scrutinize you for whatever reason. While Morita’s life may have ended in grief, I’m happy that after she said what she wanted to say with her music she got to live a private and hopefully peaceful life after that, especially given her upbringing.
I think the story of Doji Morita is perfect for fans and herself. She stayed away from public eyes, known for her music, and seem to be able to use her songs as a way to expressed herself and possibly help put her traumas behind her. She didn't want to be known and remained that way past her death, yet fans of her music managed to get some closure of learning her identity from her uncle who could've helped her with dealing with her traumas with music. When she was done with her music, she moved on to other life's joys such as love and happiness without being harass by fans who may not accepted that her music was her therapy and she didn't need to cope with music anymore.
I am glad someone covered the enigmatic Doji Morita. I love her music and fortunate enough to own a few of her albums. Her songs can be difficult to listen through without shedding a tear or feeling like crap, but after listening, I feel cathartic and a sense of burden has lifted, even if temporary. I respect and admire artists (or anyone in the public-facing creative sphere) who wants to remain anonymous through their career, especially nowadays when there are more nosy sleuths on the Internet. Not all artists want to be in the limelight, they only want to share their art and talent for people to experience. If the book is true, rest in peace Morita-san. Your music will continue to touch hearts and minds.
I really do wonder about "fans" who spend their time digging into a celebrity who really do not want to be uncovered Are you really a fan if you're taking that desire SO casually?
-Should her had come foward? No... she was likely in her 50's, not wanting to live or remember her hard past and if i was there i would do the same and just be at my place, leave the past at the past. But i would think if she had come foward when she was alone, old and having her past memories back would have made her last years of life having attention and being openly loved by so many fans a tiny bit easier then living in sorrow by herself (i sometimes think the same of kikiyama). -Would have being better if we didn't know anything at all? No, she had what she wanted, lived in privacy and now past her death nothing more matters, she did things the way she wanted so good for her. -I think it was right for the book to be publish? Absolutely, everyone was dead, even the writer. You as a lost media and mysteries content creator know very well the feeling of having a thing we will never learn... i found honorable of him to leave one last gift to the world (possibly being one of the few still alive to know anything in detail), and again, everyone lived the life they wanted and keeping all of that as a secret to so many people her music touched would be very evil. This is my personal take, and as always really good video sakura keep up the awesome work, you go girl
Thank you for making this video. On top of enjoying discovering another Japanese mystery, I got to know a really unique artist. I listened to her first album and her voice is genuinely one of the best I've heard in a long time. I could feel her music without understanding a single word. Her performance is very transcending.
Thanks to you I listened to Morita Doji for a bit and noticed a peculiar detail: they don't seem to have a so-called "professional musical voice" and sometimes the verses sound like they're sung in wrong tune, but it all only adds to the beauty of the music and the unique "underground-esque" style of the artist. It reminds me a lot of Jay-Z of all people, in a similar way his rapping style sounds unprofessional, with verses not rhyming properly or being all in different length, but it doesn't hinder his music at all, it only adds to his unique flow which absolutely slaps. It's funny what two completely different artists of two entirely different genres might have in common.
You should look into Rie Ida, for someone who produced three city pop albums, there is no info on her. I commented on a video made by Hitomi Penny Toyama singing a song “Midnight exspress” originally sang by Ida and Toyhama mentioned the fact that they shared the same manager. Other than that we know nothing about her or her 3 obscure albums.
What a great video! This video fully conveys the overall picture of Doji Morita. Even Japanese videos about Doji Morita are not up to the level of this one. As a fan who went to watch concerts of Doji Morita, I am very happy. In my understanding, musical activities of Doji Morita were deep remembrances of the young people who took their own lives in the midst of the student protest movements. Greetings from Tokyo Japan
It’s interesting as this hidden performer is not entirely unheard of. Daft Punk, SIA, Marshmello, Corpse, and many others have tried their best to avoid the spotlight while making music for different reasons. Even i myself have very few photos online despite being a writer and artist because i suffer from social anxiety.
Thank you for making this video!! So glad to see someone make a short biography about Doji Morita! I've been a long time fan of them and other 60/70s underground Japanese artists like Maki Asakawa, Kazuki Tomokawa, Keiji Haino, Kan Mikami, J.A. Ceazer, and others associated with Shuji Terayama. But Morita had the least info about them online. I would've loved to hear more from them but understandable that they didn't want to come out of retirement after gaining some mainstream popularity since they seemed to always want to remain anonymous
Honestly if I ever made music I'd release it and never want myself known like Morita did. Fame isn't amazing at all, especially with crazy fans and lack of privacy. I understand and respect her choice. Thanks for making this video because now I can add her music to my playlists.
Thanks gov'nor: this is strange and inspiring. An anti-idol, who wants her music to speak for It self, who abhors fame. In other words, a true artist. I'll listen to her albums for a while. ❤
her music sound very catchy and pop oriented too. she wasnt exactly that counter cultural imo. except for the way she dressed that wasnt that usual at the time. i like her music btw
There's a whole subgenre of this kind of music that still exists today. Anti-idols who seem like the traditional Japanese idols but don't adhere to the idol lifestyle.
I want to commend you for making a video on Morita Doji since she's been one of my favourite singers for many years and for a while there I was thinking that one day I would make an English language Morita Doji video for TH-cam myself if no-one else was going to do it. But I'm glad you got there first. Small correction at 18:32 - the 2003 version of Highschool Teacher used the same original recording of "Our Failure" as the 1993 version. However, Morita did make one new recording that year that was included in a 2003 Best Of compilation. It was called "Playing Alone" ひとり遊び and it was a sort of re-recording of an earlier song "The Sea Cries Out, You Can Die" 海が死んでもいいョって鳴いている from Last Waltz with slightly changed lyrics. This is a small detail, but I thought worth mentioning in case anyone wants to track down that final recording. Cheers!
Thank you for this information! That confused me as well, and I even tried to find this "re-recording" she spoke of, but I only ever found one version. But the song you mentioned is indeed a re-recording, and it's interesting to hear her voice during her later years. It's definitely changed in timbre, but that inflection and breathy quality is unmistakable.
Honestly? No. She was smart to seperate her professional self from her musical self. Her sanity probably would thank her for it. But while it's sad she died fairly young, she did retire to pursue something more important and not because she just couldn't handle it. A lot of celebrities in japan aren't allowed to have a private life. Not even boyfriends/girlfriends, and it's upsetting how they're treated. So good for her for figuring out how to beat that system.
Great video as always sakura :D this reminds me of the South African singer, Bernoldus Niemand (niemand meaning no-one in afrikaans) who was part of a anti apartheid movement made up of white South African musicians and students. Unlike Morita, we knew who Bernoldus Niemand was, but similarly to morita he also hard long curly hair, sunglasses, and a cowboy hat to obscure his face as he sang about anti Apartheid themes, for example, “hou my vas, korporaal” which protested the drafting of teenagers in the army to fight in the Namibian war of Independence. I thought you would like to check him out, since they both remind me of each other :D
I actually appreciate and even respect an artist taking control of their privacy (even if it wasn’t for the reasons we may think). In a time where celebrities are seen as “public property” to be gossiped about and followed like they aren’t real beings, I think it’s truly amazing that she got to live her life on her own terms. While her fans would have LOVED for information about her or to hear it from her, at least, she’s allowed to keep as much as her life private as she wishes. A lot of fans think it’s their right as fans to know everything there is to know about their favorite artist. To me, that’s always been so wrong….of course, as humans, we naturally want to know the answers to everything. We want our knowledge to be black and white, right or wrong….we don’t like to speculate or simply guess on the right answer. I understand that, and even I can’t help but to wish she would have spoken publicly to quell my curiosities. However, I think one of the charms of Doji Morita WAS her anonymity….the mysterious vibe along with her dismal lyrics formed her whole musical identity (whether that was her intention or not, that’s how I see it). I’m truly happy that she was able to marry and live her life on her own terms. Although, my heart breaks knowing she must have been so sad without her husband….probably even worse than when she lost her good friend in the past. I’m still happy that she was able to live in peace, without the drama of being a celebrity.
Japan never fails to suprise me with musical geniuses, the messed up but crazy rich in the 80s and bosozoku, then lost decade in 2000s.. sometimes i wonder What caused people to create music like that
Someone with the right connections could dig up government records of Morita's husband and thus her if they really wanted to, or people within the industry who are still alive that knew them. But that someone would also have to be rather nosy and invested in the matter.
Sakura! I implore you to listen to 桜黄泉語（さくらよみがたり）by Hatsuki Yura! I'm still yet to learn Japanese, so unsure of meaning.. but first time hearing this I immediately thought of you! A theme song, perhaps? 😄
Very interesting…in the states while I know theirs other artists that do try to keep a low profile or hide their faces (Sia/Buckethead/Daft Punk) at the very least their real names are know. The only person I can think of similar to this isn’t a musical artist but a visual one. The artist only known as Banksey make’s beautiful graffiti artwork that lauded my critics and fans but because what they do is basically vandalism their identity isn’t known at all despite many attempts to uncover who they are
It's always an interesting feeling to learn about someone whose work is something you know that would have had a profound effect on you if you had discovered it sooner Likely still will though; the art lives on
I’m glad she got to live her life relatively normally. Not being harassed by the paparazzi or fans, nor spiralling into drugs/alcohol and dying young. It’s still sad she was lonely and heartbroken in her old age, though… Her music is beautiful, I’m glad I stumbled across this!
Actually I Love❤ how this ended. Mysteries unknown and hardships un unnumbered she is a face in the crowd like the rest of us with that sly grin or the nod and wink of knowing understanding. I love how she left it
Great watch 💜🎩. Regarding the ending of the video.... I think it's true, the author had no reasons to lie, in fact imo he did good because some information should be shared due to historical value. I also think she did good in separating her music career from her personal life. Japanese fans and press (well outside Japan also) have a massive problem dealing with private life of musicians, and while most only want and wish the best for their favorite musicians...others are dangerous.
A sad beginning, to a wonderful and happy development, to a sad ending. I want to at least believe that Morita missing her husband in her last years of life, as depressing as it sounds, indicates that she really had a beautiful married life with Ado.
I do love these videos, and I can see you put a lot of research into them. But it's really tier 1 - popular artists. If you describe Doji Morita as a darkest musician, then I'm not where bands like Les Rallizes Dénudés, Merzbow or Hanatarash can be placed... or even some lighter stuff like Boredoms, Acid Mothers Temple or even Ryuichi Sakamoto later (non-soundtrack) work
Reminds me of Takashi Mizutani from Les Rallizes Denudes: Sunglasses indoors, androgynous look, life outside the stage is a complete mystery, was in the student protests of the 60s (One of his band members even joined the red army and hijacked a plane), dark lyrics and psychedelic folk roots (Tho he leaned more towards noise rock)... Only difference is that he never released anything besides a couple studio demos and a low quality live show. She also reminds me of Nick Drake lol. Man, the Japanese underground was so cool.
I’m tripping out right now coz our artist looks like Slash from Guns N Roses so I’m thinking “Aw shit might be my kinda music” and I go listen to Our Mistake and I’m TRIPPIN LMAO it’s super cute sounding and sweet to me, but ya the lyrics are pretty melancholy! I was legit expecting something like heavy sludge or doom metal but I guess you can never judge music by its album cover!
I see no reason that it's not true. The fact that the manuscript wasn't to be published until after the uncle's death does to me lend credence to this. Had she still be alive, he probably would have arranged it, not come out till after her death. As I am assuming the truth of this story, then I'm happy that she had that happiness in her life ultimately. LIke Saint-Exupery, she said what she had to say and flew off into the night.
Wait, she did Bokutachi no shippai, right? It’s one of my fav songs ever, makes this video hit sooo much harder! EDIT, shouldn’t comment before watching everything, sakura is pretty da*n well researched
does anyone know if she played the violin in the albums too? i saw a pictures of her posing with the violin. shes really talented if she made the arrangement for the songs too. the violin is really good
Awesome doc (legitimately), but what is the music playing in the background around the 2:17 mark? The chill slow somber hip hop beat? A tragic end to the story for sure, but at least she was able to finally find love and experience that for a good while. She also was able to create some great art on her own terms before she bowed out of that industry. I actually think she should be commended for successfully maintaining her privacy and not giving herself to the world when that doesn't need to happen.
Hey fam, quick question. I was on your MAL checking out what you liked because of your banner (YYH homage) and I just wanted to know what your thoughts are on One Punch Man because I saw it rated at 0 lol
I think it did that because I never rated it lol. I’d give season 1 an 8 for sure. Never watched season 2 because I haven’t heard good things about it lol
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Have you ever heard of Demon Kakka? His real face has never been seen even tho he's been famous for more than 30 years. His band, Seikima II, are the forefathers of metal in Japan. Some people consider them architects of visual kei because they wore facepaint. To the uninitiated they look like may a Japanese version of KISS but their musicianship is far above KISS and Demon Kakka's vocal prowess is will known. I think his place of birth and date of birth is known. From other things he's said you can further deduce who he might be but nothing is confirmed.
Do a video on yoshiko sai!!!
Can make a high school teacher retrospect/analysis, I can't find a video talking about it while I'm typing this.
The fact her uncle requested to not have the book made till after he died says it’s gotta be true. Most times people do this to ensure that any potential backlash doesn’t reach all parties involved. He wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t get bothered by anyone once the truth came out.
the music talent seem to be running in the family blood
I mean considering Morita and Maeda had already passed away by that time I feel like it was more likely released after his death so people wouldn’t hound anyone with even a passing connection to Morita regarding their real identity
I personally love the idea of the anonymous rock star. It adds so much mystery to the performance.
Nano used to be like that until recent years where she has started appearing more in her TH-cam channel and such, before I remember it was a mystery if she was even a woman.
You said "rock star" and i went to listen to her music fully expecting some dark, metal sounds, with some goth vibes, which would have fit more with her look. Didnt expect lyrical guitar ballads. 😅
Check out the band called devil doll (not a jband though) that's exactly what the singer did😂
I'm glad she was able to live a life of privacy; artists aren't obligated to give themselves to the public. Or at least, they shouldn't have to. She wanted to release her music freely without being subjected to speculation about details of her life and she did just that. I would've liked to see what other music she could've made, but if she got to live the life of peace and love she wanted, then I'm happy for her. She already had a childhood full of instability, if she chose to not invite any more of that into her life by going public, then I don't think any of us are any position to question that choice. As long as she lived happily, I'm happy for her.
I agree regardless of if you are a star (be that a rock star or other wise) or just an average person it's your choice if you wanna give your name. While I do feel if she did give the public her real name she would have likely received a lot of love possibly even love letters, she also would have likely received just as much hate from the people who either didn't get or didn't like her art.
Man, she cultivated such a cool look, no wonder people were compelled to follow Doji. You can't help but admire that she chose to put out the messages she wanted, in a way that wouldn't impact her life outside of music, then dipped when the time was right. Can't fault someone for ending their career and living their life on their terms. What a boss!
It really does help that the music is good.
As a fan of trying to discover new music. Or old music that's new to me in this case. I always feel ones happiness and well being is more important. I feel I'm in no position to say what Doji Morita would have wanted. For myself and anyone who wants to honor her and her legacy. Listening to her music is the best to do so.
Doji Morita shared what she truly wanted to share and then went on. I don't necessarily need to know more about her than what she gave with her music and while I feel like the things in the book are true, it doesn't really change my view of her and her work.
One related musical recommendation: Some time after Koukou Kyoushi, some well-known Harsh Noise Musicians created the Doji Morita Coverband "Slap Happy Humphrey", that released great versions of her songs, part regular Cover Song and part Noise Experimentation. Weirdly enough it works out well and the songs are truly great. They had to stop releasing stuff, after Doji's Label threatened to sue them.
If the book is true, then it's sad that she passed away in grief, but at least she ended her career on her own terms.
P.S. I just rewatched the first few minutes of the "To-Y" OAV and it was cool seeing archival photos of the real Loft in this video
Yes, it's sad, but it's also a death that widows very often go through. Of course, not all, because some manage to linger on for decades, but for some, the heartbreak is too much to bear. But at least she passed away, presumably, peacefully, and we can at least assume that she eventually found love and happiness during the times they _were_ together.
Morita reminds me of a lot of visual kei artists in a way - you never get to see their faces beneath the makeup and face coverings or learn their real names, marital status etc... which Imo is entirely within anyone's right - the public/fans can be terrible.
All visual kei artists of the 90’s reveal their real faces, marital status and became huge producers or famous tv personalities. And some become God-like persons due to their success.
Doji Morita is the prime definition of an artist who wanted her art to speak for herself, her ability to produce music that founded its own audience while maintaining a private lifestyle is definitely something a lot of if not all artists dream of but Morita managed to live that dream. In the era of social media where more and more potential eyes are on artists of all kinds (actors, musicians, content creators, etc.) at all times, that lifestyle is more and more difficult to achieve in a time where it’s arguably never been more important to have one. You never know when people will try to scrutinize you for whatever reason. While Morita’s life may have ended in grief, I’m happy that after she said what she wanted to say with her music she got to live a private and hopefully peaceful life after that, especially given her upbringing.
I hope she was okay with him revealing her identity.
She had passed beforehand, but hopefully they had talked about it at some point.
@@tessfabled4115 I know, I meant that she consented beforehand ofc.
I think the story of Doji Morita is perfect for fans and herself. She stayed away from public eyes, known for her music, and seem to be able to use her songs as a way to expressed herself and possibly help put her traumas behind her. She didn't want to be known and remained that way past her death, yet fans of her music managed to get some closure of learning her identity from her uncle who could've helped her with dealing with her traumas with music. When she was done with her music, she moved on to other life's joys such as love and happiness without being harass by fans who may not accepted that her music was her therapy and she didn't need to cope with music anymore.
I am glad someone covered the enigmatic Doji Morita. I love her music and fortunate enough to own a few of her albums. Her songs can be difficult to listen through without shedding a tear or feeling like crap, but after listening, I feel cathartic and a sense of burden has lifted, even if temporary.
I respect and admire artists (or anyone in the public-facing creative sphere) who wants to remain anonymous through their career, especially nowadays when there are more nosy sleuths on the Internet. Not all artists want to be in the limelight, they only want to share their art and talent for people to experience.
If the book is true, rest in peace Morita-san. Your music will continue to touch hearts and minds.
i honestly adore these videos about japanese musicians who went unknown/missing, i'd love to see one about klaha and what happened to him since 2004
Oh wow. A PAINFULLY young Peter Barakan at 0:22 ! Great documentary. Thanks for all the hard work you put into making these great videos.
So my eyes didn't deceive me haha
@@kermit5760 Such a wonderful announcer and host.
@@relathan1 absolutely! It's always a pleasure to watch one of his his programs.
I really do wonder about "fans" who spend their time digging into a celebrity who really do not want to be uncovered
Are you really a fan if you're taking that desire SO casually?
7:34 supreme mother teng! I didn't expect to see her there she's quite a rabbit hole too with her murder and the cult that grew around her
Excuse me what
Pop idol has a literal cult formed around her murder????? Wtf
@@kameronpan2939, not the weirdest thing that formed a cult around itself
-Should her had come foward? No... she was likely in her 50's, not wanting to live or remember her hard past and if i was there i would do the same and just be at my place, leave the past at the past. But i would think if she had come foward when she was alone, old and having her past memories back would have made her last years of life having attention and being openly loved by so many fans a tiny bit easier then living in sorrow by herself (i sometimes think the same of kikiyama).
-Would have being better if we didn't know anything at all? No, she had what she wanted, lived in privacy and now past her death nothing more matters, she did things the way she wanted so good for her.
-I think it was right for the book to be publish? Absolutely, everyone was dead, even the writer. You as a lost media and mysteries content creator know very well the feeling of having a thing we will never learn... i found honorable of him to leave one last gift to the world (possibly being one of the few still alive to know anything in detail), and again, everyone lived the life they wanted and keeping all of that as a secret to so many people her music touched would be very evil.
This is my personal take, and as always really good video sakura keep up the awesome work, you go girl
Thank you for making this video. On top of enjoying discovering another Japanese mystery, I got to know a really unique artist. I listened to her first album and her voice is genuinely one of the best I've heard in a long time. I could feel her music without understanding a single word. Her performance is very transcending.
Thanks to you I listened to Morita Doji for a bit and noticed a peculiar detail: they don't seem to have a so-called "professional musical voice" and sometimes the verses sound like they're sung in wrong tune, but it all only adds to the beauty of the music and the unique "underground-esque" style of the artist. It reminds me a lot of Jay-Z of all people, in a similar way his rapping style sounds unprofessional, with verses not rhyming properly or being all in different length, but it doesn't hinder his music at all, it only adds to his unique flow which absolutely slaps. It's funny what two completely different artists of two entirely different genres might have in common.
You should look into Rie Ida, for someone who produced three city pop albums, there is no info on her. I commented on a video made by Hitomi Penny Toyama singing a song “Midnight exspress” originally sang by Ida and Toyhama mentioned the fact that they shared the same manager. Other than that we know nothing about her or her 3 obscure albums.
What a great video!
This video fully conveys the overall picture of Doji Morita.
Even Japanese videos about Doji Morita are not up to the level of this one.
As a fan who went to watch concerts of Doji Morita, I am very happy.
In my understanding, musical activities of Doji Morita were deep remembrances of the young people who took their own lives in the midst of the student protest movements.
Greetings from Tokyo Japan
May she finally have the eternal rest Ms. MORITA seemed in her life. 🙏
What an interesting mystery! That ending was so sad though 😢
It’s interesting as this hidden performer is not entirely unheard of. Daft Punk, SIA, Marshmello, Corpse, and many others have tried their best to avoid the spotlight while making music for different reasons. Even i myself have very few photos online despite being a writer and artist because i suffer from social anxiety.
Never heard of you but what art did you draw online?
Thank you for making this video!! So glad to see someone make a short biography about Doji Morita! I've been a long time fan of them and other 60/70s underground Japanese artists like Maki Asakawa, Kazuki Tomokawa, Keiji Haino, Kan Mikami, J.A. Ceazer, and others associated with Shuji Terayama. But Morita had the least info about them online. I would've loved to hear more from them but understandable that they didn't want to come out of retirement after gaining some mainstream popularity since they seemed to always want to remain anonymous
She looks like Joey Ramone.
Honestly if I ever made music I'd release it and never want myself known like Morita did. Fame isn't amazing at all, especially with crazy fans and lack of privacy. I understand and respect her choice. Thanks for making this video because now I can add her music to my playlists.
Thanks gov'nor: this is strange and inspiring. An anti-idol, who wants her music to speak for It self, who abhors fame.
In other words, a true artist.
I'll listen to her albums for a while. ❤
her music sound very catchy and pop oriented too. she wasnt exactly that counter cultural imo. except for the way she dressed that wasnt that usual at the time. i like her music btw
There's a whole subgenre of this kind of music that still exists today. Anti-idols who seem like the traditional Japanese idols but don't adhere to the idol lifestyle.
I want to commend you for making a video on Morita Doji since she's been one of my favourite singers for many years and for a while there I was thinking that one day I would make an English language Morita Doji video for TH-cam myself if no-one else was going to do it. But I'm glad you got there first.
Small correction at 18:32 - the 2003 version of Highschool Teacher used the same original recording of "Our Failure" as the 1993 version. However, Morita did make one new recording that year that was included in a 2003 Best Of compilation. It was called "Playing Alone" ひとり遊び and it was a sort of re-recording of an earlier song "The Sea Cries Out, You Can Die" 海が死んでもいいョって鳴いている from Last Waltz with slightly changed lyrics. This is a small detail, but I thought worth mentioning in case anyone wants to track down that final recording.
Cheers!
Thank you for this information! That confused me as well, and I even tried to find this "re-recording" she spoke of, but I only ever found one version. But the song you mentioned is indeed a re-recording, and it's interesting to hear her voice during her later years. It's definitely changed in timbre, but that inflection and breathy quality is unmistakable.
Honestly? No. She was smart to seperate her professional self from her musical self. Her sanity probably would thank her for it. But while it's sad she died fairly young, she did retire to pursue something more important and not because she just couldn't handle it. A lot of celebrities in japan aren't allowed to have a private life. Not even boyfriends/girlfriends, and it's upsetting how they're treated. So good for her for figuring out how to beat that system.
Another wonderful documentary. Thank you
It’s pretty common in Japan. A famous pop’ n composer nicknamed Asaki has virtually no information about him and his songs are incomplete sometimes.
Wow another gem here. Could you provide a yt link? Just curious with their songs
I love her music so much, such a vibe. Couldn't click faster.
Imaging making bangers, quitting, remaking a few bangers and disappearing again without sharing much about yourself at all. That's actually kinda cool
This is like a real life Hannah Montana. Very interesting and I'll check out their work soon!
Whoever is they I hope they have no regret in their life, protect your privacy at all cost even if you are just regular person.
Beautiful video Sakura and I'm also so happy you have so many patrons these days!
They have no name
They have no grace
This singer has no face!
no way a video on my goat my goat doji moritaaaaaaaaaa??? i have one of her cd's she was so cold
Meanwhile nobody mentions that we know literally nothing about Mana, lmao.
man that was just sad
Meanwhile, I'm one of those people that doesn't get the appeal of doxxing VTubers, and I don't just mean from an ethical standpoint.
Great video as always sakura :D this reminds me of the South African singer, Bernoldus Niemand (niemand meaning no-one in afrikaans) who was part of a anti apartheid movement made up of white South African musicians and students. Unlike Morita, we knew who Bernoldus Niemand was, but similarly to morita he also hard long curly hair, sunglasses, and a cowboy hat to obscure his face as he sang about anti Apartheid themes, for example, “hou my vas, korporaal” which protested the drafting of teenagers in the army to fight in the Namibian war of Independence. I thought you would like to check him out, since they both remind me of each other :D
I actually appreciate and even respect an artist taking control of their privacy (even if it wasn’t for the reasons we may think). In a time where celebrities are seen as “public property” to be gossiped about and followed like they aren’t real beings, I think it’s truly amazing that she got to live her life on her own terms. While her fans would have LOVED for information about her or to hear it from her, at least, she’s allowed to keep as much as her life private as she wishes. A lot of fans think it’s their right as fans to know everything there is to know about their favorite artist. To me, that’s always been so wrong….of course, as humans, we naturally want to know the answers to everything. We want our knowledge to be black and white, right or wrong….we don’t like to speculate or simply guess on the right answer. I understand that, and even I can’t help but to wish she would have spoken publicly to quell my curiosities. However, I think one of the charms of Doji Morita WAS her anonymity….the mysterious vibe along with her dismal lyrics formed her whole musical identity (whether that was her intention or not, that’s how I see it). I’m truly happy that she was able to marry and live her life on her own terms. Although, my heart breaks knowing she must have been so sad without her husband….probably even worse than when she lost her good friend in the past. I’m still happy that she was able to live in peace, without the drama of being a celebrity.
That church in Bunkyo looks WAY too much like a PS5
*NEW SAKURA STARDUST MYSTERY EPISODE LET'S GOOOOOO*
This was incredibly fascinating. Great job, as usual.
It's weird that I've never heard of this
Japan never fails to suprise me with musical geniuses, the messed up but crazy rich in the 80s and bosozoku, then lost decade in 2000s.. sometimes i wonder What caused people to create music like that
This is really interesting, thank you for your work!
Someone with the right connections could dig up government records of Morita's husband and thus her if they really wanted to, or people within the industry who are still alive that knew them. But that someone would also have to be rather nosy and invested in the matter.
kinda sad ending for her ....
i think it's good she wanted to be private it's her life her talent was shared you didn't need her life too
I had discovered him months ago through his song "tatoeba boku ga shindara" beautiful song
its so interesting to see a video about morita, i love her music but ive never gone out of my way to learn more about them
Sakura! I implore you to listen to 桜黄泉語（さくらよみがたり）by Hatsuki Yura!
I'm still yet to learn Japanese, so unsure of meaning.. but first time hearing this I immediately thought of you! A theme song, perhaps? 😄
Very interesting…in the states while I know theirs other artists that do try to keep a low profile or hide their faces (Sia/Buckethead/Daft Punk) at the very least their real names are know. The only person I can think of similar to this isn’t a musical artist but a visual one. The artist only known as Banksey make’s beautiful graffiti artwork that lauded my critics and fans but because what they do is basically vandalism their identity isn’t known at all despite many attempts to uncover who they are
It's always an interesting feeling to learn about someone whose work is something you know that would have had a profound effect on you if you had discovered it sooner
Likely still will though; the art lives on
In 2018,Doji died at the age of sixty five
Great video - looking forward to enjoying her music
Love her stuff, thanks for the video.
I’m glad she got to live her life relatively normally. Not being harassed by the paparazzi or fans, nor spiralling into drugs/alcohol and dying young. It’s still sad she was lonely and heartbroken in her old age, though…
Her music is beautiful, I’m glad I stumbled across this!
I known Doji Morita from Koukou Kyoushi also! I rewatched it a couple of times
I was expecting this to be similar to the story of Les allizes dénudés but instead came out bittersweet to say the least.
Great video, I feel compelled to watch your others :)
if u like her u should check out hako yamazaki, she's fire too
A Japanese Joey Ramone 😅
this is pure speculation on my part but I think that Morita had an influence over Echiro Oda when it came to designing the Straw-Hats musican Brook.
It’s a young Joey Ramone!
Actually I Love❤ how this ended. Mysteries unknown and hardships un unnumbered she is a face in the crowd like the rest of us with that sly grin or the nod and wink of knowing understanding. I love how she left it
LETS GO BABYYYYY NEW SAKURA STARDUST VIDEO!!!
I hope she's doing well, wherever she is!
She's dead
Great watch 💜🎩. Regarding the ending of the video....
I think it's true, the author had no reasons to lie, in fact imo he did good because some information should be shared due to historical value.
I also think she did good in separating her music career from her personal life. Japanese fans and press (well outside Japan also) have a massive problem dealing with private life of musicians, and while most only want and wish the best for their favorite musicians...others are dangerous.
A sad beginning, to a wonderful and happy development, to a sad ending. I want to at least believe that Morita missing her husband in her last years of life, as depressing as it sounds, indicates that she really had a beautiful married life with Ado.
Such a mysterious figure
I love it
Close enough! Welcome back, L 🙏
I love Morita Doji, her voice is so emotional
I do love these videos, and I can see you put a lot of research into them. But it's really tier 1 - popular artists. If you describe Doji Morita as a darkest musician, then I'm not where bands like Les Rallizes Dénudés, Merzbow or Hanatarash can be placed... or even some lighter stuff like Boredoms, Acid Mothers Temple or even Ryuichi Sakamoto later (non-soundtrack) work
I was 8 years old since Doji died, Never heard of it
Woooh new video!
So people just do it for the music not the fame so what she did was understandable still what a story
Great as always 👌🇯🇵
Reminds me of Takashi Mizutani from Les Rallizes Denudes: Sunglasses indoors, androgynous look, life outside the stage is a complete mystery, was in the student protests of the 60s (One of his band members even joined the red army and hijacked a plane), dark lyrics and psychedelic folk roots (Tho he leaned more towards noise rock)... Only difference is that he never released anything besides a couple studio demos and a low quality live show.
She also reminds me of Nick Drake lol. Man, the Japanese underground was so cool.
Thank you Lost Media Botan, very cool!
Check out Takashi Mizutani next!
I’m tripping out right now coz our artist looks like Slash from Guns N Roses so I’m thinking “Aw shit might be my kinda music” and I go listen to Our Mistake and I’m TRIPPIN LMAO it’s super cute sounding and sweet to me, but ya the lyrics are pretty melancholy! I was legit expecting something like heavy sludge or doom metal but I guess you can never judge music by its album cover!
Not gonna lie. If you showed me a picture of this lady & asked me who she was & what band she was from, I'd just say Slash from Guns N Roses.
Another Banger🤘
I see no reason that it's not true. The fact that the manuscript wasn't to be published until after the uncle's death does to me lend credence to this. Had she still be alive, he probably would have arranged it, not come out till after her death. As I am assuming the truth of this story, then I'm happy that she had that happiness in her life ultimately. LIke Saint-Exupery, she said what she had to say and flew off into the night.
Wait, she did Bokutachi no shippai, right? It’s one of my fav songs ever, makes this video hit sooo much harder! EDIT, shouldn’t comment before watching everything, sakura is pretty da*n well researched
Oh the real Hanna Montana I see
Commenting to help with the algorithm
does anyone know if she played the violin in the albums too? i saw a pictures of her posing with the violin. shes really talented if she made the arrangement for the songs too. the violin is really good
I thought it was about Siip
Their story reminds me of Connie Converse, another musician with a mystery tied to her.
RIP Joey Ramone
Please do a video on Klaha on Malice Mizer and Mana ❤
We Found The Long Lost Member Of The Ramones!, Doji Ramone
What if Doji Morita's songs were insered for Inio Asano's works? (Goodnight Punpun, Solannin)
Awesome doc (legitimately), but what is the music playing in the background around the 2:17 mark? The chill slow somber hip hop beat?
A tragic end to the story for sure, but at least she was able to finally find love and experience that for a good while. She also was able to create some great art on her own terms before she bowed out of that industry. I actually think she should be commended for successfully maintaining her privacy and not giving herself to the world when that doesn't need to happen.
Hey fam, quick question. I was on your MAL checking out what you liked because of your banner (YYH homage) and I just wanted to know what your thoughts are on One Punch Man because I saw it rated at 0 lol
I think it did that because I never rated it lol. I’d give season 1 an 8 for sure. Never watched season 2 because I haven’t heard good things about it lol