Double-And

Let’s All Listen to the Trailer for the New 2& Album Together

/ Homicidol Maniac

The unyielding mess that is human existence in this the Year of Pour Lui 2020 has given us some nice things, you must admit. People liked “Tiger King,” you know? And I used the personally got a bunch of things in order, started working on some cool projects that will hopefully bear fruit soon, got some new toys. Good stuff. On the idol front, despite everything, 2020 has ably followed the every-even-numbered-year-has-lots-of-great-debuts trend, and without saying what they are I’ll say that a few records have even entered my all-time idol top 10, which is very cool. Good things are indeed afoot.

And speaking of good things and all-time favorites, let’s check in on one of the chika scene’s greats and … a new compilation album that releases imminently!

I share this with the caveat that Saki has technically not been one of those idol things in quite some time. Does that bother us? Absolutely not! Have I delivered this same spiel before? Probably! Does it matter? No! Let’s listen to the dang thing! Continue reading →

Weekend Livestream Spotlight: MANACLE Debut, 2&, a NECROMA Birthday and Depression Fest

/ DAEMON

The latest trend in idol lives is to not announce livestreaming options until the in-person show is sold out. While I’m sure this makes good financial sense to manager-san, it creates nothing but headaches for fancy idol bloggers trying to put together a robust weekend livestream  preview. Luckily, there is also The Calendar which receives constant updates as last-minute livestream announcements come to light. In the meantime, here’s some notable shows we’re aware of that are coming your way this weekend via various streaming media platforms. 

ZOMBIE POWDER kick off the weekend, sharing the stage with the hardest working unit in chika idol, Dan te Lion and others in the 41st volume of the excellent Diffusion Φ Brightness taiban series.

https://twitter.com/ZomPow_official/status/1303722560060682241

If shoegaze and dreampop are more your style, the incomparable LiLii Kaona, cana÷biss and more are performing in a line up headlined by electro pop artist Mariko Takei.  Continue reading →

Hey! Enter This Contest for 2& Stuff

/ Homicidol Maniac

So as mentioned in the Weekender, this was a busy last few days for pretty much everybody on Team Homicidols. I espied this all the way back on Monday, in fact, when I was at Peak Busyness, and really just wanted to get it out the door, only for, well, everything else to intervene. Nonetheless! It must be done, as the subject of this post, our very own Yes She’s Still the Official Oshi She Won the Contest Saki from/who is 2& has a contest in honor of, well, just read the tweet:

Do it. And because I have nothing else worthwhile to add, enjoy this photo of Saki’s forehead:

Saki Has a New Single!

/ Homicidol Maniac

One of my greatest regrets from the past year has been the effective abandonment of the Oshi Digest and the regular celebration of our latest Official Oshi, Saki of 2&, whose final showdown with Necroma’s Himari during Queen of the Scene last year ended in a tie. The reason that most of you don’t know that is: I never published the final post, because the 2018 QOTS was the swan song of Maniac doing Homicidols the way he always had and wishes he always could. Alas.

But yes, technically Saki is still our official Oshi, so imagine my delight in seeing that she was up to some sharable things lately, and then getting that outcome to pay off yesterday, when she released her new single and this MV to go with it:

Krv used to provide some truly great insights into Saki and the progression of 2& since she left Daichi and connected with new management. Plus: She made it to the West! Minus: I guess it depends on where you, as an older or newer fan or just benign passerby, fall re: Saki’s music now vs. her earlier work, and if you’re a “2&” person or a “DOUBLE AND” person, and things like that. I personally enjoyed the track and am effectively overjoyed that we have 2& in our lives for the foreseeable future. 2& Day is only a couple of months away now!

Oshi Digest #46: Input

/ Homicidol Maniac

This week’s Oshi Digest held up for legitimate reasons, I swear!

The nice thing about Saki as Oshi is that she’s so totally and deliberately interactive she is with her fans:

Yes, which color do you prefer? Do you like the sunflower? You can tell her! Continue reading →

Have 30 Minutes of 2& to Brighten Your Morning

/ Homicidol Maniac / 4 Comments

Guso Drop just wrapped up a little international tour in Taiwan (which I’d have covered more except I only found out about it as they were finishing it oops), and when Guso Drop does a set, so often too does 2&.

For the uninitiated, 2& is Gudro’s own little red center, Saki, performing solo as the still-going remnant of a project that actually pre-dates Guso Drop; originally a duo, she kept it going under the fun little slogan “Saki+You=2!”.

Pretty cute for a woman who probably likes to pinch children just to hear them cry.

I don’t give enough attention to 2&, arguably because it’s mostly Saki’s side project, but it is a big favorite for people into the scene that Guso Drop kind of leads, so mayhaps we can look to incorporate it more going forward. Whether it’s busking in the streets or doing a 30-minute stage set, 2&’s always a good time.