6th Station ~Other Bands for H!P Fans~

[Nayoko-Kihara]

but I can't find anything (in English) about SING女團 or MERA.

I can relate. I usually just check in on the channel Mainland China CPOP MV 2 once in a while to watch new (to me) SING videos.

Someone did make a thread on a kpop forum last December. It's the most information I've ever come across in one place in English, but even the OP says it isn't entirely up-to-date/accurate.
https://onehallyu.com/topic/625826-✿-sing-thread-✿-super-impassioned-net-generation

[Amped]

E-girls new single "Pain, pain"

[Zunu]

^ That was lookin pretty good up til the workout video portion chorus.

[Amped]

LIttle Glee Monster - Over

[Nayoko-Kihara]

the Anime Song Cover 2017 contest . . .
. . . local Idol group Chuning Candy from Okinawa, also announced their major debut at the final event.

I'm not sure if I like it, but I'm happy for them.

[Zunu]

Not exactly sure where to put this. It's a Nogizaka46 clip so I'm going to spoiler it so as not to offend anyone's sensibilities.

Spoiler: show

I actually have a question though. One of the girls in the video does a "Himetan Beam" which of course reminds me of Yaguchi's "Sexy Beam." But I wonder, where did this "beam" fascination originate? Was "Sexy Beam" the first, or did it start way before that? Anybody know?

Might as well stick a legit 6-sute video here too. If it sounds familiar it's because it was (over)used in an Apple commercial last year. It's still a good song though. It's a re-recording of an old 1960's Ray Davies by way of Dave Berry song. It has a strange effect on me, and I like it.




Hooverphonic also put out an excellent cover version as well. It has that neo-retro "spy" sound that was pretty popular 10-15 years ago.

[boinsie]

I actually have a question though. One of the girls in the video does a "Himetan Beam" which of course reminds me of Yaguchi's "Sexy Beam." But I wonder, where did this "beam" fascination originate? Was "Sexy Beam" the first, or did it start way before that? Anybody know?

Japanese Wiki for Koi no Dance Site references Tsunku saying in 2007 that "Sexy Beam" was taken from FUJIWARA's "Chiku Beam" gag. Evidently he would place his fingers in a V-shape around his nipple-region and say the catchphrase "Chiku Beam!" It would seem that this is in reference to a protruding type of locomotive headlamp. I watched nearly 9 minutes of back-to-back Fujiwara gags and didn't end up finding him doing it, so I give up. I assume he retired the gag before Koi no Dance Site came out, and TV clips so old are rare, especially when I don't really know what to search for.

BUT TO YOUR GENERAL QUESTION, I think "beam" type gags are common due to Gundam/Godzilla/tokusatsu type stuff. It's an easy/cheesy/fun-to-say way to make a joke.

[Celedam]

BUT TO YOUR GENERAL QUESTION, I think "beam" type gags are common due to Gundam/Godzilla/tokusatsu type stuff. It's an easy/cheesy/fun-to-say way to make a joke.

This. I always thought it was a joke on Ultraman.

[Nayoko-Kihara]

I watched nearly 9 minutes of back-to-back Fujiwara gags and didn't end up finding him doing it

Isn't he doing it around 4:58? This thing:

Spoiler: show

[boinsie]

Ah, maybe? This list of his gags has it as "チクビーム" without the other words, but could be. If that's the case "Sexy Beam" really doesn't seem too derivative of it.