Your Homicidols Weekender #324

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It was a very eventful week in the global scene. Isiliel performed in France and  Germany and is now heading for Sweden to record her next album, Kasen of RILISREVERSE got her Twitter account suspended for some reason, and the South Korean live idol scene bore witness to a scandalous meltdown with more melodrama than a makjang. 

This past week was also special in that we received PVs from both SU-METAL and Pour Liu, the original queens of alternative idol. I flipped a coin and Pour Lui and  PIGGS won the honor of kicking off the Weekender.

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Guest Column: Let’s Catch Up with REBEL REBEL

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Todays post is authored by Homicidols’ reader, BobIsRandom, who is also active over on the Homicidols Discord Server. This is not the first time Homicidols has received and published an unsolicited column, but it is the first in a while.  BobIsRandom may be one of REBEL REBEL’s biggest overseas fans and, since we on Team Homicidols haven’t paid the unit much individualized attention in some time, they decided to take matters into their own hands.

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Your Homicidols Weekender #323

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This weekend should prove to be a lot less eventful than last when PLANCK STARS was galivanting around London live tweeting drinking parties, attempts to master electrical adapters, and their debut European live. In case you missed it, in the midst of all that chaos , their management announced that they were moving their upcoming US show from LA to New York.

Now, those of you within easy traveling distance of the New England States are in for an eventful February. In addition to Plasta hitting The Big Apple, don’t forget that Broken By the Scream are on their way to the East Coast as well. I’ll just be over here living vicariously through you all.

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Get Exposed to Chemical X: We Go Behind the Scenes of an Idol Debut

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On a recent winter evening in Japan, an over-reliance on Google Maps had Papermaiden and I well and truly lost in Shibuya. We were attempting to locate the address of a legendary dance studio that currently serves as the rehearsal space for NEO JAPONISM, APOKALIPPPS and other prominent chika idol units. Google insisted that the sought-after place was housed in a building among the side streets off Dogenzaka, but after fruitlessly circling through several alleyways, Papermaiden took over navigation. Soon after, Papermaiden’s efforts in orienteering led us to a single bright, square sign on a towering storefront among the thousands of others lighting the surrounding buildings and marking the target of our search.

Here, on the sidewalks of Shibuya, we met Hiroshi, the manger of the new chika idol unit, Chemical X. Papermaiden and I had been fortunate enough to be invited to attend the group’s rehearsal as the members prepared for their January 20th debut. It was a chilly evening, so the introductions were brisk: we quickly met Yossy, the group’s creator and producer, and members Amemiya R Galaxy, Chiimayu, Aoi Hitotsuki and Maho Setsuna. KILLERMACHINE, we were told, was running a bit late as she was coming from another commitment. After brief greetings, we hurried inside and upstairs to the warmth of the studio.

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Your Homicidols Weekender #322

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As I type this, PLANCKSTARS just posted that they have landed in Dubai enroute to their weekend appearance in London. I’ve seen various odds laid regarding their chances for successfully clearing UK customs. Judging by the amount of wine flowing during the in-flight meal service, bookmakers may want to adjust their betting lines.

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Your Homicidols Best of 2022

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We did it! It took longer than usual this year but there was a LOT going on. In the end, you, as the Homicidols community:

  1. Survived the year (a very important step there)
  2. Sorted through more alt, indie and chika idol media than ever to nominate your favorites of 2022 (not an easy task), and
  3. Voted your hearts out. 

Here are your results.

The votes were close in almost every category (Surprise of the Year managed a straight-up tie), but in this year of the solo idol, more often than not, the soloists came out on top. The other noticeable trend for 2022 was, despite the emergence of dozens of new, high quality and highly talented new units, the old favorites held off the upstarts to take the major awards.

Without further ado, here are your Homicidols Best of 2022:

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Your Homicidols Weekender #321

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I am back in the States after two short weeks in Japan. I saw dozens of stellar idol lives, spent time with old friends and new, and generally encountered one amazing experience after another. After three years away, I was happy to find the chika idol scene as vibrant, welcoming and overflowing with creativity and talent as ever. I can’t wait to go back.

While I recover from jet lag, be sure to get your votes in for Best of the Year 2022!! Voting closes this Sunday. In the meantime, the early entries for Best of 2023 have already started to roll in, like:

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VOTE HERE!! Your Homicidols Best of 2022 Ballot

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After twelve months of watching, streaming, celebrating and grieving all that the world of alternative and underground idol can throw at us, the readers and writers of Homicidols have nominated what we feel could compete for being the best and most compelling artists, acts and moments of 2022. It is now time to vote for the winners. 

We are criminally late in getting this out the door (damn you, obstructions and obligations of REAL LIFE®) so let’s just get to it: The nominations are in! Check them out below and find your ballot at the bottom of this post. (As always, please note that our Best Of award year runs from December to November.)

You have until Sunday, January 15th, 2023 to vote your hearts out.

Let’s go!!

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Your Homicidols Weekender #320

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Greetings from Japan again. I’m about two-thirds of the the way through my return to the birthplace of the genre we love and still sprinting through idol lives. In the past week, I have managed to see MANACLE, KAQRIYOTERROR, Zenbu Kimi no Sei da., Akugi, Seireki13ya, TOKYO Tefutefu, INUWASI, NEO JAPONISM, AMEFURASSHI, THE ORCHESTRA TOKYO, Title Mitei, KING SARI, C;ON, #2i2, POPPiNG EMO, NOW DRAMATiC, SUPER REPLiCA, YUKiRU, The Candace, Qppo, NELN and many, many more. My feet are killing me, but I’m having a great time.

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We Interview 14th Generation Toilet Hanako-San

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Homicidols caught up with 14th Generation Toilet Hanako-San on the evening before her recent LA performance to talk about her new album, life as an idol during the pandemic, and the possibility of getting her banned Twitter account reinstated now that Elon is in charge. Things have changed since we last talked to Hanako-San back in 2018. She has a new love in Kamen Rider and a new, brighter disposition. But don’t worry: Hanako-San still wants to kill each and every last one of you.

Special thanks to Monsterpanda as always for his expert translation skills. Also, a big “Thank You” to Derek Vasconi and staff at Idol Underworld for coordinating the opportunity for us,