Episode 63: Fantastipo (and a visit to the Daddy Ranch) feat. Kelly

In this episode my guest Kelly and I go deep into the Daddy era (SMAP, Kinki Kids, Tokio) of Johnny’s & Associates idols using the amazing film FANTASTIPO as a starting off point. If you haven’t seen the film, you should see the film if you can find it because it really must be seen to be believed. At the least, check out some of the many terrible quality bootleg music show performances. The song at least, is well remembered. Travis Japan did a cover, as did Jesse and Kyomo from SixTones. (Jesse is apparently such a Domoto Tsuyoshi fan that he got Tsuyoshi to write his new solo song.)

We talk a lot about Domoto Tsuyoshi and his love of funk. Some of the things mentioned include the “Tsuyoshi P” YouTube series (and a link to a Spotify playlist of songs played) and the trailer for ENDRECHERI Mix and You which features a bit of the George Clinton meeting. I’d also recommend checking out an English-language interview with the website Funkatopia that is really, really well done. You can also find a ton of ENDRECHERI content on YouTube for all of your funk needs.

Kinki Kids also now have a ton of stuff up on YouTube, including a re-uploading of their old music videos (“NAMI WAAAAA JET COASTER”)

I also recommend the song “Kanzai Boya” by Kinki Kids which is excellent. See, not all Johnny’s music is crap.

What other idol is writing material like “Super Funk Market”?

(Poor quality screenshots from Toki-kin急行 好きだよ!好きやねん, the show that featured Tokio and Kinki Kids… doing stuff. The “Best Ten” feature was them recreating classic Best Ten performances. From Left to Right—Domoto Koichi as Sawada Kenji, Domoto Tsuyoshi as Saijo Hideki, and Kinki Kids as Pink Lady.

(All photos by me, December 2022, Tokyo, Japan; these are all from the section of the exhibit where photography was allowed.)

We also discuss Katori Shingo’s new art exhibition, WHO AM I and the link to the American Visionary Art Museum and Atarashii Chizu (aka “New Map”).

(Katori Shingo and Yamashita Tomohisa also covered a Pink Lady song.)

My most popular posts by a mile right now: Translations of Kita Koji’s memoirs, warning Johnny’s & Associates idols of the dangers that lie ahead.

And because I refuse to shut up about A.B.C-Z, here’s one I did of Totsuka Shota’s essay series.

I make sure to touch on the one and only Yamashita Tomohisa aka “Tomo” (or “YamaPi" if you’re old school) and his adventures in acting (WATCH ALICE IN BORDERLAND) and his new album, Sweet Vision.

BFFs Jaejoong, Hangeng, and Yamapi

The Akanishi Jin tour I attended was Japonicana which was where he tried to be more “American.” The previous tour had been Yellow Gold where Jin brought the Johnny’s razzle-dazzle. My memory—and I could be wrong because this was a decade ago—was that stans were disappointed at the change in direction.

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The songs played are:

1. “Fantastipo” by Toraji-Haiji

2. “背に生えたクリスタル” by ENDRECHERI

3. “Cosmic Slop” by Funkadelic (one of the songs selected by Funk Professor Domoto)

4. “Kissからはじまるミステリー” by Kinki Kids (theme song for the Kindaichi Case Files; old live performance; new live performance)

5. “Young Man” by Domoto Tsuyoshi (TOKI-KIN cover of a Saijo Hideki performance from The Best Ten)

6. “硝子の少年” by Kinki Kids (recent performance)

7. ジェットコースター・ロマンス by Kinki Kids (Official MV)

8. “Darling” by Ikuta Toma (cover of a Sawada Kenji song on Domoto Kyodai)

9. “Shake” by SMAP

10. “Frontline” by HiHi Jets (from the HiHi Jets concert 2021; LET THESE KIDS DEBUT!)

11. “未来は明るいかい?” by Kawai Fumito (A.B.C-Z)

12. “Shingo Mama no Oha-Rock” by Shingo Mama (Katori Shingo)

13. “Betting” by Katori Shingo and Seventeen

14. “Colorful” by Yamashita Tomohisa

15. “Test Drive” by Akanishi Jin feat. Jason DeRulo (Official MV; JIN PAVED THE WAY FOR COLLABS WITH JASON DERULO!!!!)

16. “Original Smile” by SMAP