Anime singing contest proves that Japanese pop culture is catching on-among the young and old
ANIME is as ubiquitous as TV or the Internet. Gone are the days when only hardcore geeks and kids raved about it?these days, you can talk to frat boys about ?Bleach,? to middle-aged businessmen about ?Deathnote,? to intellectuals about Hayao Miyazaki.

The same can be said of Japanese pop culture. Time was, when singing J-Pop or J-Rock would raise eyebrows, but now there are even mall events dedicated to doing just that?one of which is the Japan Embassy?s and Japan Foundation Manila?s J-Pop Anime Singing Contest, now on its second year.

Last Saturday at SM North Edsa?s Cyberzone Event Center, 10 groups, screened from more than 30, battled it out for a chance to get free singing and Nihongo lessons, as well as gadgets to drool over?PSPs (3rd prize), Canon digicams (2nd prize) and Panasonic mini-components (1st prize) for each winning band member.

The audience oohed and aahed and most likely resolved to join next year?s contest as these prizes were announced.

Himitsu

Already established in the Metro Manila ongaku (music) scene since 2004, Himitsu bested all other groups, with their rendition of ?Yurago Koto Nai Ai,? popularly known as the opening theme from the anime ?Getbackers.?

If you?ve watched the series, it would have been like listening to its OST?frontwoman Jhonalene Sison got Naomi Tamura?s nasal, tiny vocals down pat, while their guitarist wowed the audience by playing the guitar on his nape at one point.

Their drummer, who donned an unlikely panda cap, amused the audience no end by twirling his drumsticks as he played.

They clinched even the special awards from Hero TV and Toei Animation Philippines.

Landing second place was the song-and-dance girl group Anibeat Rocks! with their rendition of ?Yume no Manual? from ?Katekyo Hitman Reborn.?

They were undeniably the most colorful and energetic group with their candy-colored wigs and pink modernized kimonos.

On third place was the young singing trio XOR, who came all the way from Cebu to cover ?With You,? from ?Inu Yasha: Kanketsu-hen.?

What put these groups a notch above the rest?

Aside from musical aptitude, stage presence and impact on audience, the criteria included Japanese diction and pronunciation?a must, since the contest was meant to encourage the use of Japanese language among Filipinos.

Judges were Tomoko Dodo, director of Japan Embassy?s Information and Culture Center; Tsutomu ?Ben? Suzuki, director of Japan Foundation Manila; Nestor Palabrica, general manager of Toei Philippines; Carlo Landrito, channel producer of Hero TV; Mica Santeco from the Center for Pop Music; and Kazuhiro Watanabe of Galaxy Records.

Mascot

The event mascot, an orange rockstar cat with tiger stripes, was also named after a months-long online contest. Upon the suggestion of one Von Carlo Lasam, he will be called ?Torara,? a seeming pun on tora (tiger) and the Japanese pronunciation of ?Tralala.?

As judges chose the winners, the audience was entertained by a choir of Nihongo teachers, followed by Japan Embassy?s own ?No Plan? band, who could probably give Japanese pop rock bands like Asian Kung-Fu Generation a run for their money.

There was also an animation demo in the Toei booth.

Surprise appearance

A surprise appearance by Doraemon set the audience abuzz. He was mobbed by kids and adults alike. Stealing the scene from action onstage, it seemed he was forced to make a hasty exit.

Not only has the older generation accepted the J-Pop music scene, it is also active in it. Seventh placer 4th Edition Family Band, composed of the Gudelano family, was a standout, in that its patriarch even served as guitarist.

The contest was one of the activities of this year?s Philippines-Japan Friendship month. If you haven?t been to any, give it a whirl. As Suzuki once quipped in an event: ?Filipinos are already a suki of Japanese customs.?