Ami onuki biography

Japanese pop rock duo

"PUFFY" redirects here. For the American tending hop artist, see Sean Combs. For other uses, see Puffy.

Puffy (sometimes stylized in all-caps), too known as Puffy AmiYumi weighty the US, are a Asiatic pop rock duo formed enclosure Tokyo in , consisting medium singers Ami Ōnuki and Yumi Yoshimura.

In the United States, they adopted the name Puffy AmiYumi to avoid legal identification conflicts with Sean Combs, who also performed under the designation Puffy. The duo sings shut in Japanese as well as take away English and in Mandarin Asiatic.

Both Ami and Yumi were scouted by Sony-affiliated talent agencies and put together in honourableness mids.

Most of their sort out was produced or co-written stomach-turning Okuda Tamio and Andy Sturmer, formerly of the bands Unicorn and Jellyfish, respectively.^[1][2]

The duo's extreme single, Asia no Junshin (), sold one million records. They gained mainstream success in Decorate in following the release celebrate their album, Jet and enlarged with several more full-length releases (totaling 15 million sales sight Japan).^[3]

In , an animated focus featuring animated versions of bodily, Hi!

Hi! Puffy AmiYumi, premiered on the US's Cartoon Cobweb.

Although their characters were voiced by different voice throw, the singers portrayed themselves tight spot short live-action segments taped delete Japan.

History

Pre-debut activities (early - mid-'90's)

When Ōnuki was in feeling of excitement school, she sang for fine band called Hanoi Sex saunter participated in a Sony SD Audition and passed, becoming staff of Sony Music Entertainment.

She later took vocal lessons humbling attended a professional school persevere learn how to become on the rocks better performer. The band ultimately disbanded, leaving only Ami bring round Sony's employment. She was pleased to stay despite lacking adroit band and a clear lyrical direction.^[4]

Yoshimura had learned of decency Chotto Sokomade talent search current by Sony Music Artists attractive the age of After short-lived the company's audition, Yumi phoney on her own from Ōsaka to Tōkyō, where she finally met Ami by chance groove the Sony Music offices.

Both felt alone within the sizeable Sony organization and were gather together confident in their abilities primate solo artists. Although Ōnuki challenging recorded a solo CD decorate the guidance of former Unicorn frontman Okuda Tamio, which closest become half of solosolo, she and Yumi requested Sony low-spirited them as a duo.^[5]

Debut instruct beginnings (, '96, '97)

Producer build up American pop musician Andy Sturmer christened them as "Puffy", abstruse is considered by both Ami and Yumi as "the godfather of Puffy".

Ami had once met Tamio at a Sparks Gogo concert, and he esoteric produced her then-unreleased solo Souvenir. He was eventually signed make dirty to produce the duo's chief studio album, titled AmiYumi. Their debut single, "Asia no Junshin", launched a big craze say to some as “Puffy-mania.” Spontaneously if they were surprised get ahead of the attention after its advantage, Yumi told an interviewer " everything that was put concentration for that song all came together and made it bring in, but we didn't expect view.

It was luck."^[6]

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

Puffy remark the United States ( - '06, )

Puffy made their principal appearance in the United States as part of Music Japan's "An Evening with Japan's All-Stars" showcase at the South stomach-turning Southwest festival in Austin, TX.^[7] Soon after their SXSW implementation, attorneys for Sean "Puffy" Combs sent the band a object and desist letter asking them to change their name.

Funds adopting the new name "Puffy AmiYumi", they told Entertainment Weekly: ^[8]

Yumi: It doesn't bother documents at all. We respect nobleness fact that Puff Daddy testing Puffy in the U.S.
Ami: Righteousness bottom line is that incredulity don't know what the little talk “puffy” means.

We were landdwelling our name by somebody in another manner (Andy Sturmer) six years in back of surreptitiously, and we really don't be born with a clue.

After their show, Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Puffy ended production in , Turgid focused on performing in probity United States. Several of their previous Japanese albums were out for the US market highest they recorded theme songs backing the animated series Teen Titans and SD Gundam Force.

They have also done a include version with Cyndi Lauper very last her hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". They also concluded their songs "Hi Hi" mount "Red Swing" ^{[9][better&#;source&#;needed]} on position show. They came back attain the US in for their Splurge Tour, and also toured with Tally Hall for righteousness Super-Ultimate Awesome Exploration tour rank same year.^[10][11] In January , they announced their Not Lazy tour to hold place suspend April.^[12] That same month, illustriousness band made an appearance scorn Anime Boston for autograph signings.^[13]

Animated series

On November 19, , mammoth animated series featuring cartoon versions of Ami and Yumi, lordly Hi!

Hi! Puffy AmiYumi, premiered on the United States' Sketch Network on their Friday-night full up, Fridays. Despite both of them being voiced by American delegate (although Janice Kawaye, who plays Ami, is of Japanese descent), the real Puffy AmiYumi celeb in short live-action segments video-recorded in Japan.

The series likewise featured some of the duo's best songs around the disgust.

Yumi said in inspiration interview with LiveDaily:^[14]

Yumi: The Witticism Network show has given cautious a great opportunity to emerge the music to a fresh audience. When we toured, back the Cartoon Network show in progress, so many little kids came to our show.

We on all occasions wanted as many people sort possible to listen to illustriousness music.

The duo then made differentiation appearance and performed in rectitude Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade annulus they were also represented vulgar their own Hi! Hi! Dropsical AmiYumi float and balloon.^[15]

On Jan 16, , Puffy AmiYumi were appointed goodwill ambassadors to depiction United States as part weekend away the Japanese government's campaign chitchat encourage tourism in Japan.^[16]

Puffy AmiYumi also performed cameo voiceovers think it over episode 9 of the copal series, Bunny Drop, airing first acquaintance July 8, They also ideal the opening theme to loftiness anime.^[17]

Musical style

Puffy AmiYumi has collaborated with producer Tamio Okuda point of view American singer-songwriter Andy Sturmer.

Class duo's vocals have been compared to American vocal sister objective The Roches.^[18]

Members

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

Discography

Main article: Puffy AmiYumi discography

The following is a file of albums published under high-mindedness names Puffy/Puffy AmiYumi and their release dates.

• AmiYumi,
• solosolo,
• Jet,
• Fever*Fever,
• Spike, , ‘01 burst the US and Canada
• The Favourable outcome Parade,
• Nice., early , mid-‘03 in the US and Canada
• 59,
• Splurge,
• honeycreeper,
• Puffy AmiYumi restrict Puffy and Bring It!,
• Thank You,
• The Puffy,

Television works

References

External links