Hey Everyone!

Every year Tokushu Anime (Now known as Studio Oto) conducts an annual J-Pop Music Awards. I really encourage anyone who is a J-Pop fan to vote at the following URL: http://www.studiooto.com/vote.php

However you can also vote by replying here with your picks. This way you can sort of have like 2 votes. I really do ask that you guys stay on topic with this, since I will be collecting votes here by hand. I also would highly discourage write-in votes because if your favorite artist or band didn�ft do much in 2004, they�fre probably not on here and probably not going to win. Nominees have been selected on merit and the Studio Oto point system. Each nominee has been put into what I feel is an appropriate category for them. I�fve put in a brief description of what each category means. Please vote for whom you think did the best job in 2004 rather than who you like best. Anyways have fun!

Voting begins now and ends on December 19th. Results will be announced December 21st.
Oh and if you�fre too lazy to type up the category names, I have a blank category thing typed up at the end of this post, where you can just copy and paste into your reply

Best Female Artist: (Self Explanatory, Overall Best Female)
Hamasaki Ayumi
Hirahara Ayaka
Otsuka Ai
Shibasaki Kou
Utada Hikaru

Best Male Artist: (Ditto)
Domoto Tsuyoshi
Hirai Ken
Kawaguchi Kyogo
Inaba Koshi

Best New Artist: (Either made their debut late 2003 or in 2004)
Gorie with Jasmine & Joann
Hirahara Ayaka
Otsuka Ai
News
nobody knows+
Tokyo Incidents

Best Breakout Artist: (Been around for a while and now finally recognized)
Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Bump of Chicken
Exile
Ketsumeishi
Orange Range

Best Pop Artist: (Pick one!)
Hamasaki Ayumi
Hirai Ken
Hirahara Ayaka
Otsuka Ai
Shibasaki Kou

Best Comeback Artist: (Took a hiatus from the Jpop scene and is now back)
Dreams Come True
Namie Amuro
Shiina Ringo (Tokyo Incidents)
Utada Hikaru

Best Female Group: (No explanation needed here)
Dreams Come True
Gorie with Jasmine & Joann
Morning Musume
Tokyo Incidents (Shiina Ringo)

Best Male Group: (Ditto for this)
B�fz
L'Arc-En-Ciel
Mr. Children
News
Orange Range
Southern All Stars

Best Rock Group: (They sing rock songs so which is the best)
B�fz
L'Arc-En-Ciel
Orange Range
Porno Graffitti

Best Pop Group: (Same here but for Pop)
Dreams Come True
Mr. Children
News
SMAP
Southern All Stars
Yuzu

Best Rap Group: (Much smaller category but just vote)
Arashi
Ketsumeishi
nobody knows+

Best Record Label: (Which company did you think did the best job with their artist and bringing out songs)
Avex
Defstar Records
Johnny's Entertainment
Sony Music Records
Toshiba EMI
Toy�fs Factory
Universal Music(JP)
Victor
Zetima

Best Single: (Self explanatory)
Hirahara Ayaka - Jupiter
Hirai Ken - Hitomi wo tojite
Mr. Children – Sign
Orange Range – Hana
Orange Range - Locolotion
Shibasaki Kou - Katachi Aru Mono

Best Album: (Self explanatory)
Moriyama Naotaro – Aratanaru Koshinsho wo Motomete
Mr. Children – Shifuku no Oto
Nobodyknows+ - Do You Know?
Otsuka Ai – Love Punch
Queens - Jewel
Utada Hikaru - Exodus

Best 2004 Drama: (Self explanatory)
Boku to Kanojo to Kanojo no Ikiru Michi (The Way We Live)
Last Christmas
Orange Days
Pride
Sekai no chuushin de, ai wo sakebu (Crying out, in the Center of the World)
Shiroi Kyoto (The Great White Tower)


Copy and Paste this into your reply and put in the winners�c

Best Female Artist:
Best Male Artist:
Best New Artist:
Best Breakout Artist:
Best Pop Artist:
Best Comeback Artist:
Best Female Group:
Best Male Group:
Best Rock Group:
Best Pop Group:
Best Rap Group:
Best Record Label:
Best Single:
Best Album:
Best 2004 Drama:

Technically speaking Otsuka Ai debut in 2003 so she wouldn't really be a new artist of 2004.

Here are my picks:

Best Female Artist: Shibasaki Kou (that damn single sold too many copies)
Best Male Artist: Hirai Ken (do I have to choose? )
Best New Artist: Ohtsuka Ai
Best Breakout Artist: Orange Range
Best Pop Artist: Ohtsuka Ai
Best Comeback Artist: Shiina Ringo (Tokyo Jihen)
Best Female Group: Tokyo Jihen
Best Male Group: Mr. Children
Best Rock Group: L'Arc~en~Ciel
Best Pop Group: Mr. Children
Best Rap Group: nobody knows+ (because I don't know them and I don't care)
Best Record Label: Sony Music Records
Best Single: Shibasaki Kou - Katachi Aru Mono
Best Album: Utada Hikaru - Exodus (gotta vote once for my girl )
Best 2004 Drama: Orange Days

Best Female Artist: (Self Explanatory, Overall Best Female)
Utada Hikaru

Best Male Artist: (Ditto)
No idea

Best New Artist: (Either made their debut late 2003 or in 2004)
Otsuka Ai

Best Breakout Artist: (Been around for a while and now finally recognized)
Orange Range

Best Pop Artist: (Pick one!)
Shibasaki Kou

Best Comeback Artist: (Took a hiatus from the Jpop scene and is now back)
Dreams Come True

Best Female Group: (No explanation needed here)
Morning Musume


Best Male Group: (Ditto for this)
Southern All Stars

Best Rock Group: (They sing rock songs so which is the best)
B�fz

Best Pop Group: (Same here but for Pop)
Southern All Stars

Best Rap Group: (Much smaller category but just vote)
No idea

Best Record Label: (Which company did you think did the best job with their artist and bringing out songs)
Sony

Best Single: (Self explanatory)
Mr. Children – Sign

Best Album: (Self explanatory)
Mr. Children – Shifuku no Oto

Best 2004 Drama: (Self explanatory)
Boku to Kanojo to Kanojo no Ikiru Michi (The Way We Live)
Pride (I have not seen Orange Day's but I have heard it was excellent)
_________________

ruroshin wrote:

Technically speaking Otsuka Ai debut in 2003 so she wouldn't really be a new artist of 2004.

Haha yea, that's why it's late 2003 And I felt she hasn't been around long enough for a break out artist category

Anyways thanks for voting for those who have ^_^

Best Female Artist: Hamasaki Ayumi (well....)
Best Male Artist: Hirai Ken
Best New Artist: Otsuka Ai
Best Breakout Artist: Orange Range (WHY nobody vote for bump of chicken?)
Best Pop Artist: Hamasaki Ayumi (well...well....)
Best Comeback Artist: Shiina Ringo
Best Female Group: Tokyo Jihen (erm...female group???)
Best Male Group: Orange Range
Best Rock Group: Orange Range
Best Pop Group: Mr. Children (not many choice thou....)
Best Rap Group: Ketsumeishi
Best Record Label: I have no idea
Best Single: Orange Range hana/locolotion
Best Album: Otsuka Ai - Love Punch
Best 2004 Drama: sekai no chuusin de, ai wo sakebu

Best Female Artist: Utada Hikaru
Best Male Artist: Hirai Ken
Best Breakout Artist: Bump of Chicken
Best Pop Artist: Hamasaki Ayumi
Best Comeback Artist: Namie Amuro
Best Female Group: Dreams Come True
Best Male Group: (I can't really decide) Southern All Stars / B'z
Best Rock Group: B'z
Best Pop Group: SMAP
Best Rap Group: (sorry, never heard of any of them )
Best Record Label: Avex
Best Single: Shibasaki Kou - Katachi Aru Mono
Best Album: Utada Hikaru - Exodus
Best 2004 Drama: I haven't seen any of the ones mentioned. But out the the ones mentioned, I'd like to see orange range and Last christmas. Pride I've seen the 1st 4 eps and it looks good, but can't draw a conclusion yet.
_________________

Best Female Artist: Shibasaki Kou
Best Male Artist: Hirai Ken
Best New Artist: Otsuka Ai
Best Breakout Artist: Exile
Best Pop Artist: Hirai Ken (I dunno why I picked him in the end )
Best Comeback Artist: Utada Hikaru
Best Female Group: Dreams Come True
Best Male Group: L'Arc-En-Ciel
Best Rock Group: L'Arc-En-Ciel
Best Pop Group: Dreams Come True
Best Rap Group: Arashi
Best Record Label: Sony Music Records
Best Single: Shibasaki Kou - Katachi Aru Mono
Best Album: Otsuka Ai � Love Punch
Best 2004 Drama: Sekai no chuushin de, ai wo sakebu (Crying out, in the Center of the World)

Best Female Artist:
Utada Hikaru

Best Male Artist:
Hirai Ken

Best New Artist:
Otsuka Ai

Best Breakout Artist:
Orange Range

Best Pop Artist:
Hirai Ken

Best Comeback Artist:
Utada Hikaru

Best Female Group:
Tokyo Incidents (Shiina Ringo)

Best Male Group:
Orange Range

Best Rock Group:
L'Arc-En-Ciel

Best Pop Group:
Mr. Children

Best Rap Group:
Ketsumeishi

Best Record Label:
Sony Music Records

Best Single:
Hitomi wo tojite

Best Album:
Utada Hikaru - Exodus

Best 2004 Drama:
Sekai no chuushin de, ai wo sakebu (Crying out, in the Center of the World)

best female artist: Otsuka Ai

best male artist: Hirai Ken

best new artist: NEWS

best breakout artist: who else but Orange Range? ^^ great job!]

best pop artist: Hirai Ken

best comeback artist: Shiina Ringo from Tokyo Jihen .. really good!

best female group: i hate to say this, but Morning Musume have been great this year..

best male group: Orange Range all the way!

best rock group: B'z

best pop group: Dreams Come True, smap kind of didn't release anything..

best rap group: Arashi, not being biased, but i really think they deserve it for working soo hard..

best record label: Sony Music - what with hirakawachi, orange range, chemistry.. whew!

best single: hitomi o tojite - hirai ken

best album: Moriyama Naotaro – Aratanaru Koshinsho wo Motomete

best jdorama: Pride

Best Female Artist: Utada Hikaru - she had the best selling album of the year... and another in the top 10... (and you can tell by my user name that I'm a little biased )

Best Male Artist: Hirai Ken - top selling single of the year... which is the first time that a male has done this in 13 years... plus, he's a GREAT singer

Best New Artist: Hirahara Ayaka - Jupiter is just beautiful... I need to hear "The Voice" now...

Best Breakout Artist: EXILE - I want to vote for them because I've had Orange Range overload... on TV everywhere... I hear Hana whenever I go downtown or to a music/video shop...

Best Pop Artist: Hamasaki Ayumi she still performs her heart out reguardless of the little Avex debacle a few months ago.

Best Comeback Artist: Amuro Namie I just love Amurocchi's new singles this year... Her TV appearances have also been fun... and her lives have been great

Best Female Group: Dreams Come True - Miwa never fails to impress... seriously, it's just hard to top DoriKamu

Best Male Group: Southern All-Stars they just released their 50th single... and they've been around forever... much respect

Best Rock Group: Porno Graffiti - they definately released some noteworthy songs this year!

Best Pop Group: Every Little Thing - yea, they aren't on the list... but, I just love their latest release

Best Rap Group: Keitsumeishi

Best Record Label: AVEX they have a deep talent pool

Best Single: Hitomi o Tojite Great song... plus, it's the top selling single of the year.

Best Album: no comment... there were other better releases this year...

Best 2004 Drama: Orange Days - I've only watched the first episode... but, I just love it. Sure, it had a big flaw by not having Shibasaki speaking a little bit, but I guess they annotated why she doesn't speak later on in the dorama (after fans raised a fuss).

Thanks for all the help everyone and here are the 2004 results! More pics and info on this is posted up on the Studio Oto site ^_^

Best Female Artist: Hamasaki Ayumi
Best Male Artist: Hirai Ken
Best New Artist: Otsuka Ai
Best Break Out Artist: Orange Range
Best Pop Artist: Hamasaki Ayumi
Best Comeback Artist: Amuro Namie
Best Female Group: Tokyo Incidents (Shiina Ringo)
Best Male Group: Orange Range
Best Rock Group: L'Arc-En-Ciel
Best Pop Group: Mr. Children
Best Rap Group: Arashi
Best Record Label: Avex
Best Single: Hirai Ken - Hitomi wo tojite
Best Album: Utada Hikaru - Exodus/Single Collection Vol. 1
Best J-Drama: Pride
Studio Oto Artist of the year award: Hirahara Ayaka