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Puffy AmiYumi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"PUFFY" redirects here. For the American hip hop artist, seeSean Combs.For other uses, seePuffy.
Puffy AmiYumi
Yoshimura (left) and Ōnuki (right) performing as PUFFY at the 2009 Japan Expo in Paris
Yoshimura (left) and Ōnuki (right) performing as PUFFY at the 2009Japan Expoin Paris
Background information
Also known asPUFFY
OriginTōkyō
Genres
Years active1995–present
Labels
MembersŌnuki Ami
Yoshimura Yumi
WebsiteOfficial web-site

Puffy(sometimes stylized in all-caps), also known asPuffy AmiYumiin the US, are a Japanesepop rockduo formed in Tōkyō in 1995, consisting of singers Ōnuki Ami (born '73/9/18) and Yoshimura Yumi (born '75/1/30). In the United States, they adopted the namePuffy AmiYumito avoid legal naming conflicts withSean Combs,who also performed under the name Puffy. The duo sings in Japanese as well as in English and in Mandarin Chinese.

Both Ami and Yumi were scouted by Sony-affiliated talent agencies and put together in the mid-1990s. Most of their work was produced or co-written byOkuda TamioandAndy Sturmer,formerly of the bandsUnicornandJellyfish,respectively.[1][2]

The duo's first single,Asia no Junshin(1996), sold one million records. They gained mainstream success in Japan in 1998 following the release of their album,Jetand continued with several more full-length releases (totaling 15 million sales in Japan).[3]

In 2004, an animated series featuring animated versions of themselves,Hi! Hi! Puffy AmiYumi,premiered on the US'sCartoon Network.Although their characters were voiced by different voice actresses, the singers portrayed themselves for short live-action segments taped in Japan.

History of PUFFY

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Pre-debut activities

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When Ōnuki was in high school, she sang for a band called Hanoi Sex that participated in a Sony SD Audition and passed, becoming employees of Sony Music Entertainment. She later took vocal lessons and attended a professional school to learn how to become a better performer. The band eventually disbanded, leaving only Ami under Sony's employment. She was encouraged to stay despite lacking a band and a clear musical direction.[4]

Yoshimura had learned of the Chotto Sokomade talent search underway by Sony Music Artists at the age of 18. After passing the company's audition, Yumi moved on her own from Ōsaka to Tōkyō, where she eventually met Ami by chance in the Sony Music offices. Both felt alone within the large Sony organization and were not confident in their abilities as solo artists. Although Ōnuki had recorded a solo CD under the guidance of former Unicorn frontmanOkuda Tamio,which later become half of solosolo, she and Yumi requested Sony pair them as a duo.[5]

Debut and beginnings

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Producer and American pop musicianAndy Sturmerchristened them as "Puffy",and is considered by both Ami and Yumi as" the godfather of Puffy ". Ami had previously met Tamio at a Sparks Gogo concert, and he had produced her then-unreleased solo CD. He was eventually signed on to produce the duo's first studio album, titledAmiYumi.Their debut single, "Asia no Junshin", launched a big craze known to some as “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."[6]

On July 13, 2005, their song Song of Origin(はじまりのうた,Hajimari no Uta)was used as the ending theme of the eighthPokémonfilm:Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew.

PUFFY in the United States

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Puffy AmiYumi perform inNew York City,dated 2006.

Puffy made their first appearance in the United States as part of Music Japan's "An Evening with Japan's All-Stars" showcase at the 2000South by Southwestfestival inAustin,TX.[7]Soon after their SXSW performance, attorneys for Sean "Puffy" Combs sent the band a cease and desist letter asking them to change their name. After adopting the new name "Puffy AmiYumi", they toldEntertainment Weekly:[8]

Yumi: It doesn't bother us at all. We respect the fact that Puff Daddy is Puffy in the U.S.
Ami: The bottom line is that we don't know what the word “puffy” means. We were given our name by somebody else (Andy Sturmer) six years ago, and we really don't have a clue.

After their show,Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Puffyended 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 seriesTeen TitansandSD Gundam Force.They have also done a cover version withCyndi Lauperof her hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". They also performed their songs "Hi Hi" and "Red Swing"[9][better source needed]on the show. They came back to the US in 2006 for their Splurge Tour, and also toured withTally Hallfor the Super-Ultimate Awesome Exploration tour that same year.[10][11]In January 2017, they announced theirNot Lazytour to hold place in April.[12]That same month, the band made an appearance atAnime Bostonfor autograph signings.[13]

Animated series

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On November 19, 2004, an animated series featuring cartoon versions of Ami and Yumi, titledHi! Hi! Puffy AmiYumi,premiered on the United States'Cartoon Networkon their Friday-night block,Fridays.Despite both of them being voiced by American actresses (althoughJanice Kawaye,who plays Ami, is of Japanese descent), the real Puffy AmiYumi star in short live-action segments video-recorded in Japan. The series also featured some of the duo's best songs around the time.

Yumi said in an interview withLiveDaily:[14]

Yumi: The Cartoon Network show has given us a great opportunity to introduce the music to a new audience. When we toured, after the Cartoon Network show started, so many little kids came to our show. We always wanted as many people as possible to listen to the music.

The duo then made an appearance and performed in the 2005Macy's Thanksgiving Day Paradewhere they were also represented by their ownHi! Hi! Puffy AmiYumifloat and balloon.[15]

On January 16, 2006, Puffy AmiYumi were appointed goodwill ambassadors to the United States as part of the Japanese government's campaign to encourage tourism in Japan.[16]

Puffy AmiYumi also performed cameo voiceovers in episode 9 of the 2011 anime series,Bunny Drop,airing on July 8, 2011. They also performed the opening theme to the anime.[17]

Musical style

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Puffy AmiYumi has collaborated with producerOkuda Tamioand American singer-songwriterAndy Sturmer.The duo's vocals have been compared to American vocal sister groupThe Roches.[18]

Members

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  • Ōnuki Ami, Yoshimura Yumi - lead vocalists
  • Yanagisawa Fumio - lead guitarist, backing vocalist
  • Tsuji Takeshi - keyboardist, backing vocalist
  • Hiroharu Kinoshita - bassist, backing vocalist
  • Furuta Takashi - drummer, percussionist
  • Fujimoto Junichi - rhythm guitarist

Discography

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Main article:Puffy AmiYumi discography

The following is a list of albums published under the names Puffy/Puffy AmiYumi and their release dates.

Television works

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References

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  1. ^Segal, David (July 22, 2002)."Puffy: Pop With A Japanese Accent".Washington Post.
  2. ^Weller, Jam (August 26, 2005)."Japanese Beatles".Chicago Tribune.
  3. ^Smith, Dennis A."J!-Ent 50-page Special Feature: Puffy AmiYumi 15th Year Anniversary featuring interviews from 2000-2010"(PDF).NT 2099.RetrievedDecember 5,2010.
  4. ^"Puffy 10th Anniversary Book 'Ayumi'", Ami Interview Chapters 1 and 2, Sony Magazines Inc., 2006
  5. ^"Puffy 10th Anniversary Book 'Ayumi'", Ami Interview Chapters 1 and 2, Yumi Interview Chapters 1 and 2, Sony Magazines Inc., 2006
  6. ^Whelski, Tina."Feature: Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi".Woman Rock.Archived fromthe originalon March 16, 2006.RetrievedDecember 7,2006.
  7. ^Smith, Dennis A. (March 2001)."Prepare for the Puffy Invasion".NT2009 Entertainment.p. 1. Archived fromthe originalon 24 June 2002.Retrieved1 December2021.
  8. ^Bruner, Rob (April 3, 2001)."Sayonara, Puffy".Entertainment Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon December 13, 2006.RetrievedDecember 7,2006.
  9. ^"Akai Buranko".YouTube.Archived fromthe originalon April 10, 2017.RetrievedNovember 30,2016.
  10. ^"Super-Ultimate Awesome Exploration America 2006 by Tally Hall".YouTube.25 May 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-21.
  11. ^"Does a video exist of super ultimate awesome exploration america 2006? No results on YouTube or google, did it even happen?".Reddit, 2022/11/12
  12. ^"Puffy to hold U.S. tour in April".Tokyohive.6Theory Media, LLC. January 4, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 14,2021.
  13. ^"Guest Info: Puffy AmiYumi".Anime Boston.RetrievedApril 3,2017.
  14. ^Fuoco, Christina (19 July 2006)."LiveDaily Interview: Puffy AmiYumi".LiveDaily.Archived fromthe originalon October 21, 2006.RetrievedOctober 16,2007.
  15. ^"Cartoon Network UnveilsHi Hi Puffy AmiYumiFloat For the 79th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade "(Press release). Time Warner. October 31, 2005. Archived fromthe originalon November 26, 2005.RetrievedDecember 7,2006.
  16. ^"Puffy appointed goodwill ambassadors to U.S. for tourism".Kyodo News.January 16, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon February 13, 2006.RetrievedDecember 7,2006.
  17. ^Sherman, Jennifer (August 4, 2011)."Rock Duo Puffy to Voice-Act in Usagi Drop Anime".Anime News Network.
  18. ^"Hi Hi Puffy Amiyumi (Expanded European Edition)".Archived fromthe originalon February 9, 2019.
[edit]
Preceded by
Junko Miyama
 Japan Record Award for Best New Artist
1996 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Puffy_AmiYumi&oldid=1249122535"