Puffy AmiYumi
Encyclopedia
or Puffy AmiYumi is a Japanese
rock duo that is currently signed with Sony Music Japan. The group continues to go by the moniker of PUFFY in Japan, but in order to avoid legal naming conflicts with Sean Combs
, it has adopted the name Puffy AmiYumi outside of Japan. They sing in Japanese and English.
Ami Onuki
, whose nickname is Jane, and Yumi Yoshimura
, nicknamed Sue, were scouted by Sony-affiliated talent agencies and put together in the mid-1990s. The band gained mainstream success in Japan during 1998, following the release of their Jet album and tour in support of it.
Their first release "Asia no Junshin
" sold a million records and their success has continued with several more full-length releases (totaling 14 million sales in Japan).
Separately, Yumi had learned of the Chotto Sokomade talent search underway by Sony Music Artists when she was "around 18". She also auditioned and passed. She moved on her own from Osaka to Tokyo, where she eventually met Ami by chance in the Sony Music offices and then at a concert after-party, when the two hit it off. Both felt alone within the large Sony organization and neither were confident in their abilities as solo artists, so even though Ami had already recorded a solo CD under the guidance of former Unicorn front-man Tamio Okuda
(it would later become half of solosolo
), they requested Sony pair them as a duo.
christened them "Puffy", and is considered by Ami and Yumi as "the godfather of Puffy". Ami had previously met Tamio Okuda at a SPARKS GOGO concert, and he had produced her then-unreleased solo CD. He was eventually signed on to produce Puffy's first album AmiYumi
. Their debut single, "Asia no Junshin", launched Puffy-mania. Asked if they were surprised by the attention after its success, Yumi told an interviewer "... everything that was put together for that song all came together and made it happen, but we didn't expect it. It was luck."
As "Puffy-mania" exploded, they became multimedia stars, including hosting their own weekly TV show Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Puffy
with guests such as Lenny Kravitz
, Sylvester Stallone
, Harrison Ford
, and rock band Garbage
.
(SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas
. After their performance at SXSW, attorneys for Sean "Puffy" Combs sent the band a cease and desist letter asking them to change their name. After changing their name in the US to Puffy AmiYumi, they told Entertainment Weekly:
After Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Puffy ended production in 2002, Puffy focused on performing in the United States. Several of their previous Japanese albums were released for the US market and they recorded theme songs for the animated series Teen Titans
and SD Gundam Force
. They have also done a cover version with Cyndi Lauper
of her hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". They were also interviewed on Jimmy Kimmel Live
by Jimmy Kimmel
and have performed their songs "Hi Hi" and "Akai Buranko
" (Red Swing) on the show. They came back to the US in 2006 for their Splurge Tour.
, premiered on the United States' Cartoon Network
. Although they are voiced by American actresses, the real Ami and Yumi star in short live-action segments taped in Japan. The show also features some of Puffy's music. Cartoon Network's Japan service started airing episodes of the series (in English with Japanese subtitles) in 2005. In October of that year, TV Tokyo
began airing a Japanese-dubbed version of the series, which eventually also went to CN Japan on January 8 , 2006.
Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi also debuted in other countries such as Mexico, dubbed in Spanish, transmitted on Cartoon Network.
Yumi said in an interview with LiveDaily
:
Puffy AmiYumi made an appearance and performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
in 2005 where they were also represented by their own Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi float and balloon.
On January 16, 2006 Ami and Yumi were appointed goodwill ambassadors to the United States as part of the Japanese government's campaign to encourage tourism in Japan. They kicked off their 10th anniversary tour in Japan on April 14, 2006, then toured the East Coast of the United States with the PuffyAmiYumi Tour '06 Splurge! Splurge! Splurge! from July 8 to July 19, 2006, coinciding with the premiere of their new television show, Hi Hi PUFFY Bu
.
Ami and Yumi have also made cameo voiceovers in an episode of the 2011 anime series, Usagi Drop, which aired on July 8, 2011. They also perform the opening theme to the anime.
, American singer-songwriter Andy Sturmer
, and Ami and Yumi themselves. Ami and Yumi's vocals are likened to U.S. vocal sister group The Roches
. They often sing whole songs together with harmonies and their sound borrows heavily from The Beatles
and other artists such as ABBA
, The Who
, and The Carpenters
. Both Ami and Yumi themselves have openly admitted that their music is hard to put into just one genre because of the many different influences.
, The Blue Hearts
, Boom Boom Satellites
, and Blankey Jet City
as their main influences, and named their album Jet CD after Blankey Jet City
.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
rock duo that is currently signed with Sony Music Japan. The group continues to go by the moniker of PUFFY in Japan, but in order to avoid legal naming conflicts with Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
, it has adopted the name Puffy AmiYumi outside of Japan. They sing in Japanese and English.
Ami Onuki
Ami Onuki
is a member of the pop group PUFFY.She has co-hosted several Japanese TV shows with the "cool" half of PUFFY, Yumi Yoshimura, including the talk show Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Puffy, part of a morning show called Saku-Saku, and the 2006 series Hi Hi Puffy Bu, in which Ami and Yumi perform one given task each...
, whose nickname is Jane, and Yumi Yoshimura
Yumi Yoshimura
is a member of the Japanese pop duo PUFFY, along with Ami Onuki.She was born in Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan. In 1995, she learned that there was a talent search underway in Tokyo. She successfully tried out and was paired with Ami Onuki to form the group PUFFY.From 1999 to 2003 she was married to singer...
, nicknamed Sue, were scouted by Sony-affiliated talent agencies and put together in the mid-1990s. The band gained mainstream success in Japan during 1998, following the release of their Jet album and tour in support of it.
Their first release "Asia no Junshin
Asia no junshin
"Asia no Junshin" is the song recorded by the Japanese pop rock duo Puffy, released in May 1996 as their debut single. It was produced and composed by Tamio Okuda, with lyrics written by Yōsui Inoue.-Cover versions:...
" sold a million records and their success has continued with several more full-length releases (totaling 14 million sales in Japan).
Early recordings
When she was in high school, Ami sang for a band called "Hanoi Sex". In her sophomore year, the band auditioned during the Sony SD Audition and passed, becoming employees of Sony Music Entertainment. Years went by with little action by either the band or the record label, as Ami took vocal lessons and attended a professional school to learn how to become a better performer. Eventually the band dissolved, leaving only Ami under Sony's employment. She was encouraged to stay, despite lacking a band and a clear musical direction.Separately, Yumi had learned of the Chotto Sokomade talent search underway by Sony Music Artists when she was "around 18". She also auditioned and passed. She moved on her own from Osaka to Tokyo, where she eventually met Ami by chance in the Sony Music offices and then at a concert after-party, when the two hit it off. Both felt alone within the large Sony organization and neither were confident in their abilities as solo artists, so even though Ami had already recorded a solo CD under the guidance of former Unicorn front-man Tamio Okuda
Tamio Okuda
is a singer, songwriter, and producer. He started his career in 1986 as a member of the band Unicorn. After Unicorn broke up, Okuda moved on to a solo career in 1994 with the single "Ai no Tame ni." He has written and composed many songs for various artists, particularly Puffy...
(it would later become half of solosolo
Solo Solo
solosolo was PUFFY's second album. It was the group's solo album. Each one sang their own set of songs. It was released in 1997.-Track listing:Disc 1 by Ami Onuki#"" - #"Love Depth" -...
), they requested Sony pair them as a duo.
As Puffy
When paired together, their voices blended well and they had a close rapport. Producer and American pop musician Andy SturmerAndy Sturmer
Marvin Andrew Sturmer is an American musical artist, writer and producer. He was one of the founding members of the band Beatnik Beatch, which led to the formation of Jellyfish.- Jellyfish :...
christened them "Puffy", and is considered by Ami and Yumi as "the godfather of Puffy". Ami had previously met Tamio Okuda at a SPARKS GOGO concert, and he had produced her then-unreleased solo CD. He was eventually signed on to produce Puffy's first album AmiYumi
AmiYumi
AmiYumi is the debut album by Japanese pop band, PUFFY, released on July 22, 1996.-Track listing:All songs written by Tamio Okuda unless otherwise noted.# # - # # Simple# - # -...
. Their debut single, "Asia no Junshin", launched Puffy-mania. Asked if they were surprised by the attention after its success, Yumi told an interviewer "... everything that was put together for that song all came together and made it happen, but we didn't expect it. It was luck."
As "Puffy-mania" exploded, they became multimedia stars, including hosting their own weekly TV show Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Puffy
Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Puffy
Pa Pa Pa Pa Puffy was a variety TV show which aired in Japan from October 1, 1997 to March 27, 2002. Re-aired as a PUFFY 10-year anniversary broadcast for a short time in 2006...
with guests such as Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
, Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
, Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
, and rock band Garbage
Garbage (band)
Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production...
.
Puffy in the United States
Puffy made their first US appearance as part of Music Japan's "An Evening with Japan's All-Stars" showcase at the 2000 South by SouthwestSouth by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
(SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. After their performance at SXSW, attorneys for Sean "Puffy" Combs sent the band a cease and desist letter asking them to change their name. After changing their name in the US to Puffy AmiYumi, they told Entertainment Weekly:
After Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Puffy ended production in 2002, Puffy focused on performing in the United States. Several of their previous Japanese albums were released for the US market and they recorded theme songs for the animated series Teen Titans
Teen Titans (TV series)
Teen Titans is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics characters of the same name. The show was created by Glen Murakami, developed by David Slack, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003, and the final episode "Things Change"...
and SD Gundam Force
Superior Defender Gundam Force
is a Japanese anime series. The scenario was created by Yūichi Abe.-Overview:A Japan/America co-production, SD Gundam Force initially aired on Cartoon Network in the U.S...
. They have also done a cover version with Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
of her hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". They were also interviewed on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
by Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel
James Christian "Jimmy" Kimmel is an American television host and comedian. He is the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show that airs on ABC. Prior to that, Kimmel was best known as the co-host of Comedy Central's The Man Show and Win Ben Stein's Money...
and have performed their songs "Hi Hi" and "Akai Buranko
Akai buranko
-External links:**...
" (Red Swing) on the show. They came back to the US in 2006 for their Splurge Tour.
Animated series
On November 19, 2004, an animated series featuring cartoon versions of Ami and Yumi, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumiHi Hi Puffy AmiYumi
is an American-Japanese animated series from Cartoon Network, produced by Renegade Animation. The show was created by Sam Register, who also serves as the series' executive producer....
, premiered on the United States' Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (United States)
Cartoon Network is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting which primarily airs animated programming. The channel was launched on October 1, 1992 after Turner purchased the animation studio Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1991...
. Although they are voiced by American actresses, the real Ami and Yumi star in short live-action segments taped in Japan. The show also features some of Puffy's music. Cartoon Network's Japan service started airing episodes of the series (in English with Japanese subtitles) in 2005. In October of that year, TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
began airing a Japanese-dubbed version of the series, which eventually also went to CN Japan on January 8 , 2006.
Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi also debuted in other countries such as Mexico, dubbed in Spanish, transmitted on Cartoon Network.
Yumi said in an interview with LiveDaily
LiveDaily
LiveDaily was a music and entertainment site owned by Ticketmaster, created in 1998 and seen in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom. It provided news updates, tour announcements, and ticketing information relative to Ticketmaster. Its news reports were used by media entities such as MTV...
:
Puffy AmiYumi made an appearance and performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
in 2005 where they were also represented by their own Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi float and balloon.
On January 16, 2006 Ami and Yumi were appointed goodwill ambassadors to the United States as part of the Japanese government's campaign to encourage tourism in Japan. They kicked off their 10th anniversary tour in Japan on April 14, 2006, then toured the East Coast of the United States with the PuffyAmiYumi Tour '06 Splurge! Splurge! Splurge! from July 8 to July 19, 2006, coinciding with the premiere of their new television show, Hi Hi PUFFY Bu
Hi Hi PUFFY Bu
"Hi Hi PUFFY Club", more accurately titled "Hi Hi PUFFY Bu" is PUFFY's reality television series, which premiered on TV Asahi on 5 July 2006. The show stars both Ami Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura, and its opening credits include them in a cel-shaded manga...
.
Ami and Yumi have also made cameo voiceovers in an episode of the 2011 anime series, Usagi Drop, which aired on July 8, 2011. They also perform the opening theme to the anime.
Musical style
Their music has been largely a collaboration between producer Tamio OkudaTamio Okuda
is a singer, songwriter, and producer. He started his career in 1986 as a member of the band Unicorn. After Unicorn broke up, Okuda moved on to a solo career in 1994 with the single "Ai no Tame ni." He has written and composed many songs for various artists, particularly Puffy...
, American singer-songwriter Andy Sturmer
Andy Sturmer
Marvin Andrew Sturmer is an American musical artist, writer and producer. He was one of the founding members of the band Beatnik Beatch, which led to the formation of Jellyfish.- Jellyfish :...
, and Ami and Yumi themselves. Ami and Yumi's vocals are likened to U.S. vocal sister group The Roches
The Roches
The Roches are a female vocal group of three songwriting Irish-American sisters from Park Ridge, New Jersey, known for their "unusual" and "rich" harmonies, quirky lyrics, and casually comedic stage performances.The Roches have been active as performers and recording artists since the mid-1970s,...
. They often sing whole songs together with harmonies and their sound borrows heavily from The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and other artists such as ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, and The Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
. Both Ami and Yumi themselves have openly admitted that their music is hard to put into just one genre because of the many different influences.
Influences
They have mentioned Tamio OkudaTamio Okuda
is a singer, songwriter, and producer. He started his career in 1986 as a member of the band Unicorn. After Unicorn broke up, Okuda moved on to a solo career in 1994 with the single "Ai no Tame ni." He has written and composed many songs for various artists, particularly Puffy...
, The Blue Hearts
The Blue Hearts
was a popular Japanese punk rock band that performed from the mid-1980s to the early-1990s. In 2003, they were ranked by HMV Japan as number 19 on their list of 100 most important Japanese pop acts...
, Boom Boom Satellites
Boom Boom Satellites
is a Japanese electronic music duo consisting of guitarist and vocalist Michiyuki Kawashima and bassist and programmer Masayuki Nakano. While their music can be mostly classified as big beat or nu skool breaks with heavy jazz influences, they are famous for the heavy usage of electric guitars in...
, and Blankey Jet City
Blankey Jet City
Blankey Jet City was a rock and roll/rockabilly trio from Japan.- Members : Vocals, Guitar* He also plays in Sherbets and Jude and was a part of Ajico...
as their main influences, and named their album Jet CD after Blankey Jet City
Blankey Jet City
Blankey Jet City was a rock and roll/rockabilly trio from Japan.- Members : Vocals, Guitar* He also plays in Sherbets and Jude and was a part of Ajico...
.
Television work
- 1997–2000: Saku Saku Morning CallSaku Saku Morning CallA morning show on which PUFFY made several appearances throughout the late 1990s. It broadcast from 1997 - 2000 on TVK. Each episode would be like a "morning variety show"....
- 1997–2002: Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-PuffyPa-Pa-Pa-Pa-PuffyPa Pa Pa Pa Puffy was a variety TV show which aired in Japan from October 1, 1997 to March 27, 2002. Re-aired as a PUFFY 10-year anniversary broadcast for a short time in 2006...
- 2004–2006: Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumiHi Hi Puffy AmiYumiis an American-Japanese animated series from Cartoon Network, produced by Renegade Animation. The show was created by Sam Register, who also serves as the series' executive producer....
- 2006: Hi Hi PUFFY BuHi Hi PUFFY Bu"Hi Hi PUFFY Club", more accurately titled "Hi Hi PUFFY Bu" is PUFFY's reality television series, which premiered on TV Asahi on 5 July 2006. The show stars both Ami Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura, and its opening credits include them in a cel-shaded manga...
- 2011: Usagi Drop (Episode 9 voiceover)
External links
- Official Japanese site
- Official English site
- 10th Anniversary website
- Sony Music's Puffy site (2003–2004)
- Hi Hi PUFFY Bu official website
- Puffy AmiYumi World
- J!-ENT Puffy AmiYumi interviews from 2000-2007
- Puffy AmiYumi on Bar/None RecordsBar/None RecordsBar/None Records is an independent record label based in Hoboken, New Jersey.-Early history:Tom Prendergast started Bar/None in early 1986. Having previously worked in pirate radio and booked and promoted bands in his native Ireland, Prendergast moved to Hoboken in 1982 and started Pier Platters...