Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Most people become a musician intentionally and set out to find success. But me, I just uploaded a song to (video-sharing Web site) Nico Nico Douga without any big intentions. People on that site go by their user name, not their real name — though Ryo is actually my name — and never reveal their true identity. Since that’s the world I came from, that’s just what stuck.
Unfamiliar in the field of Japanese music, little did I know I would stumble upon my most loved artist of all time: supercell. As an 11-membered ‘cell’ of artists, ‘supercell’ is led by ryo who is a composer and lyricist. supercell is works more like an entity rather than like a band we generally see today. Being the only resident musician, ryo works closely with video game artist, Huke, digital illustrator, redjuice and manga artist ,Miwa Shirow, including designer Yoshiki Usa. Collaborating closely, ryo can effectively communicate within his group about aspects of the band ranging from composition to packaging designs and details which is vital element within for supercell because they do not represent themselves in any form of media other than illustration from artists that communicate the look and feel of an album and so forth. With so little known about them unlike other popular bands or idols, ryo started as a doujin artist collaborating with similar artists with the same goal in mind thus released one of the most important songs that eventually led him to his professional contract with Sony Music.
From the moment ryo posted his first ever song by supercell, メルト (Melt) online, he slingshot himself to fame without delay. The popularity of the song grew from tens to millions within weeks and inevitably led him into the professional music industry now having released 3 successful singles up to date, supercell is without a doubt a new-comer into the world of artistic expression that has massive potential to launch their careers across worldwide. With that said, I’d like to introduce what and who exactly makes up this ‘supercell’.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
For those who browse for more than just anime or news for Japan will know or have heard of ニコニコ動画 (Nico Nico Douga). It is the equivalent of YouTube in Japan as the site acts as a popular source for users to post their videos of almost anything to share among the general population who surf through the site. Although YouTube and Nico Nico have various differences, this is where ryo posted his well-known song, Melt.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
As any child with an Asian background, the piano was an instrument that ryo had been tasked by his parents to gain mastery over. ryo started out small as his talents as a composer began to grow ever since he got his first synthesizer in the 1980’s from his parents after it was promised to him if he passed his high school entrance exam. Later on he developed his co-ordination on the drums in the 1990’s. However it was by fate that he would discover digital music which captured his senses and heart by the Scottish electronica duo Boards of Canada. Eventually as time passed by ryo now uses the piano along with his electric piano to create his songs utilizing chord progressions from the piano. With the appreciation for the different genres of music, ryo has experimented with many of them making him an extremely capable composer.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Only one problem remained when he went composing his songs. He required… a vocalist. The core or main ingredient was missing from his songs was a voice. Not knowing any singers, a couple of his friends suggested he use 初音ミク (Hatsune Miku) a vocal synthesizing program that took the Japanese world by storm. Miku was featured as 16 year old girl with the iconic twin tailed turquoise hair. The appearance of Miku prompted ryo about his lyrics to consist of the main topic about teenage love. His friends would often tease him about the lyrics he wrote for the vocaloid celebrity, however he found it fitting that Miku would proclaim the lyrics he wrote where it was what a young girl would be singing about topics as such. Eventually Melt was released onto Nico Nico on 7th of December, 2007.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
With their increasing popularity supercell continued to release a numerous songs that kept their popularity at the top of the site. With 恋は戦争 (Love Is War), ワールドイズマイン (World Is Mine) and ブラック★ロックシューター (Black★Rock Shooter), supercell’s popularity grew day by day with all videos each receiving over a million hits. Eventually ryo released a self-titled album ‘supercell’ out at Comiket 74 in 2008 which consists of all his previous songs including recently unreleased ones at that moment in time. Eventually supercell’s work came to an end with it’s doujin work releasing a final single 初めての恋が終わる時 (When the First Love Ends) on Nico Nico for the very last time on December 12th, 2008.
ryo always found himself losing tone with every phrase or line produced by the vocaloid, Miku. Preferring a human voice as the solid foundation for his works, it wasn’t long until he found a young female singer who was captured by supercell’s very first song: Melt. Going by the name of ガゼル (Gazelle) on Nico Nico she performed a cover supercell’s most beloved Melt, flawlessly. Already popular within the Nico Nico Douga community, Gazelle generated interest in working with ryo one day. However Gazelle retired from the Nico Nico community from singing on Nico Nico Douga on 29 February/1 March, 2008. It wasn’t until the announcement of supecell’s professional debut generated excitement among Gazelle’s fans when they presented news of supercell’s and Gazelle’s collaboration also changing her alias to nagi.
Oppurtunity surely arised when Sony Music Entertainment Japan signed a contract label with ryo making their debut on to the Oricon charts topping 4th with their self-titled album ‘supercell’ as a major release instead of it listed as an independent doujin work. on March 4th, 2009. However it only took a few months for supercell to release their first single for an anime, winning fans over with their synthetic pop. From then on nagi and ryo have been closely working together producing new the singles as they came out. nagi had become a vital member of supercell, although now she is still not listed as proper a member of supercell, many consider her to be a permanent addition to the group. ryo also has made personal claims that Miku is still an important member of the band as well as he continues to utilize her unique vocals for some of his compositions.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Since then supercell has touched the hearts of many with their music topping the charts in Japan. They have also won a prize as one of the best five new Japanese artists of 2009 during the 2010 Japan Gold Disc Award competition. supercell’s journey as a group has only just been established and I look forward in continuing to follow them.
Trivia: All of supercell’s releases so far including ryo’s separate works (Professionally) have all made it into the the Oricon Top 10.
Please stay tuned for my review of supercell’s current professional discography in ‘Part 2’!