iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

6 favorites from the umezawa minami grad, in setlist order “boku wa boku wo sukininaru” “fundeshimatta” “hodokyo” “time limit kataomoi” “influencer” “kaerimichi wa toomawarishitakunaru”

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

This Side of Japan's Best of 2020-2025: The Friend's List Wrapping up, we invite back our friends and contributors from over the years for their list of favorite Japanese songs from this decade so far! Enjoy our friends picks - nearly 300 songs! thissidejapan.substack.com/p/friends-li...

thissidejapan.substack.com

This Side of Japan's Best of 2020-2025: The Friends List

Wrapping our big 100th issue with our friends and their picks for the best of the decade

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

This Side of Japan's 100th issue - Top 100 Japanese Songs of 2020-2025 We look back at the decade so far through the era's best songs from Ado, Pasocom Music Club, PAS TASTA and many more! thissidejapan.substack.com/p/issue-100-...

thissidejapan.substack.com

Issue #100: This Side of Japan's Top 100 Songs of 2020-2025

For the big 100, let's look back from the very beginning and check out the best from this current decade in Japanese music

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

oomfs who i asked for stuff for tsoj 100: sorry it took so long but it is finally coming and your stuff will be up later this month

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

Idol Watch presents… Top 100 Idol Songs of 2020-2025! Ahead of This Side of Japan issue #100, we look back a decade in idol so far with our favorite songs from iLiFE, FRUITS ZIPPER, RAY and many more! thissidejapan.substack.com/p/idol-watch...

thissidejapan.substack.com

Idol Watch #27: Top 100 Idol Songs of 2020-2025

We look back at this decade in idol so far through songs by iLiFE, FRUIT ZIPPER, RAY and many more

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

gonna karaoke next weekend, gotta start brainstorming what song to sing

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

been emotional all day at sakurazaka referencing the cover art of their own first single for the promo photo of their 5th anniversary show

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

hello project hitting spotify got people reminiscing and appreciating the hits but i've seen a few also holding up the morning musume discog to do some "heisei idol vs reiwa idol" argument with the former being better messaged and... it just makes my kawaii lab defense go way up again

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

@jackwannan.bsky.social hey! sent you a dm not long ago but idk if it ever went through..

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

@kimonobeat.bsky.social hi! sent you a dm not long ago but not sure if it ever went through

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

spent the past year digging into a dozen discographies of ‘80s idols to step out of akina only for it to reaffirm that akina is my absolute favorite

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

it’s hard to hear a record like this, along with the rest of its peers, that’s so indebted to New York hip hop of its time as music that needs legitimizing when it feels so definitive to the point its descendants are still so stuck on it as the genre’s core if not superior sound

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

writing about kpop this week for this annual tradition, first i go a bit on nmixx

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

this week chose new songs by Chanmina, Kimiga shikakuku narumaeni and PASSEPIED

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

i’ll do a slightly shortened version of #mwe posting mon, wed and friday instead of everyday just so i can poke my head back here on the bluesky

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

if seiko and akina is blur vs oasis, is kyonkyon the answer equivalent to pulp

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

since 2016 nostalgia is in, i’m looking back at my 2016 in music mix and, marveling from me sequencing demi lovato into godflesh in a span of 7 songs

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

our first Monthly Listening is out for the new year! A round-up of new Japanese releases I enjoyed from January, ft. REBEL REBEL, House of the Blood Choir, Magnolia Cacophony & more also our first guest Bonus Beats, curated by @citygamepop.substack.com ! thissidejapan.substack.com/p/monthly-li...

thissidejapan.substack.com

Monthly Listening: January 2026

A round-up of favorite new releases by REBEL REBEL, The House of Burning Choir and more; plus our first guest Bonus Beats selection!

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

this week chose new songs by CYNHN, IM DENPA.wav and Postmodernhippie & Hana Miketa

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

this week I chose new songs by ano, Beachside talks and REBEL REBEL

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Reposted by ryo

イバン @citygamepop.substack.com · 16/01/2026

Hoy en la newsletter: la reinvención de Ayaka Wada, ex-líder de Hello! Project y ANGERME. Además: lo nuevo de KIRINJI, la despedida de ASP, CUTIE STREET lo vuelven a hacer y el reencuentro de Pasocom Music Club con Hakushi Hasegawa. citygamepop.substack.com/p/city-game-...

citygamepop.substack.com

City Game Pop Express #206: Ayaka Wada / LOLOET

La reinvención de la ex-líder de Hello! Project. Además: lo nuevo de KIRINJI, la despedida de ASP, CUTIE STREET lo vuelve a hacer y el reencuentro de Pasocom Music Club con Hakushi Hasegawa.

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

hello! are there any followers here who would be interested in contributing a year end list of japanese music for this year’s friends list of this side of japan? here’s the list from last year if you don’t know what i’m talking about thissidejapan.substack.com/p/friends-li...

thissidejapan.substack.com

This Side of Japan's Best of 2024: The Friends List

We wrap up our best of 2024 coverage with selections picked by friends of the newsletter

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

the bigger question is, will asap ferg show up on music station?

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

i knew they perform in complete darkness but still i wonder how the autechre show’s gonna be this week

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

New Monthly Listening is out for September! Our round-up of new albums we enjoyed this month, from omeme tenten, mei ehara, and more thissidejapan.substack.com/p/monthly-li...

thissidejapan.substack.com

Monthly Listening: September 2025

Rounding up great new releases we checked out during August from omeme tenten, BAILEFUNK KAKEKO, mei ehara and more

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

For this new issue of This Side of Japan, we look back at the 2020s so far in TV drama music! We highlight J-pop favorites from 2020-2024 featured on a show, from Kenshi Yonezu, Official HIGE Dandism, STUTS and many more thissidejapan.substack.com/p/issue-98-t...

thissidejapan.substack.com

Issue #98: The 2020s in TV Drama Music

We look back at our favorite J-pop singles tied up with TV dramas from 2020-2024, featuring music by Official HIGE Dandism, Kenshi Yonezu and more

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

New This Side of Japan! What's inside: 🎸 Bonus Beats: I've Sound - Selections 🎸 new SATOH EP 🎸 singles by InoutsuhaSA, Mohou No Rakuen, sheidA 🎸 SPEED's "Body & Soul" thissidejapan.substack.com/p/issue-97-w...

thissidejapan.substack.com

Issue #97: World End Love Song

Discussing the new SATOH EP, SPEED's debut single and the early catalog of I've Sound

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

After a couple of months on vacation, we're back with a new This Side of Japan issue! What's inside: 👻 on Perfume's "Megu-loop" and Chihayafuru: Meguri 👻 new Emma Aibara album 👻 singles by Barren Path, cyber milk chan, e5 👻 GLAY's "HOWEVER" thissidejapan.substack.com/p/issue-96-u...

thissidejapan.substack.com

Issue #96: u:phobia

This Side of Japan is back to discuss the new Emma Aibara album, GLAY's "HOWEVER" and Perfume's new single for the latest Chihayafuru spin-off

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

After some months away, there’s finally new Idol Watch for July & August! A round up of the best idol singles from the past 2 months, ft. PiKi, XUDAN, FOKALITE and more, plus my report of Sakurazaka46 at Tokyo Dome thissidejapan.substack.com/p/idol-watch...

thissidejapan.substack.com

Idol Watch #26: July/August 2025

Rounding up the best idol songs from the past two months, featuring PiKi, XUDAN, FOKALITE and more, plus a report of Sakurazaka46's Tokyo Dome show

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Reposted by ryo

shy🎀 @shy.center · 18/08/2025

Hello. For the latest post on my newsletter, I go long on some Vocaloid history, using one particular song as a jumping point to discuss some lesser-known lore about the early fandom. Hatsune Miku lovers tap in. www.shy.center/p/triple-baka

shy.center

The Return of the Triple Baka

An examination of vocal synth fandom through one song and three characters.

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

picked new songs by Layla, Tonalia and Yureruwayurei this week

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

man look at these phones youtu.be/_Lj7fGpUDik?...

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

the one who keeps making personal anthems for my 2025 youtu.be/B-2MpKZN_2M?...

youtu.be

Effie - CAN I SIP 담배 (Official Video)

YouTube video by Effie

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

so, i went to japan a few weeks ago to see sakurazaka46 at tokyo dome, and i've been jotting down bits and pieces from it as a kind of diary entry for memory's sake.. here's one on morita hikaru and "manhole no futa no ue" i just wrote sneek-m.tumblr.com/post/7917443...

sneek-m.tumblr.com

And Then What

"Manhole No Futa No Ue" [Shonin Yokkyuu, 2023] Darkness fell on the set at Tokyo Dome, the glitzy showbiz theater of “Addiction” transforming into an industrial fire escape. You can soon hear the...

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

hope noa put her usual punk rawk like this for the song she wrote for ILLIT youtu.be/qNU-SUKjMz0?...

youtu.be

1000日間

YouTube video by noa - Topic

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

time to look after our new children

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

wrote a primer on tokimeki sendenbu!

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

can’t believe we got stans doing critic takedowns for the clipse album….

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

just saw a tiktok introducing this jpop architect no one talks about and it’s…. yasutaka nakata

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Monthly Listening list for June is out for my readers! Rounding up great new Japanese releases I checked out this past month from Ano, AQ, iVy and more thissidejapan.substack.com/p/monthly-li...

thissidejapan.substack.com

Monthly Listening: June 2025

Rounding up great new releases we checked out during June from Ano, AQ, iVy and more

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

my fav 25 albums of 2025 so far (non-asian)

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

New This Side of Japan! What's inside: 🛟 2025 in Japan's rap so far 🛟 new Yuka Nagase album 🛟 singles by Mogry Home, Wednesday Campanella, Yusuke Takenouchi 🛟 Aya Matsuura's "Yeah! Meccha Holiday" thissidejapan.substack.com/p/issue-95-m...

thissidejapan.substack.com

Issue #95: Mofu Mohu

Discussing the new Yuka Nagase album, Aya Matsuura's summer classic, and the year in Japan's rap so far

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

this week i picked new songs by The Whoops, rirugiliyangugili and Lilniina

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

this week i picked new songs by airi suzuki, xamiya and yuki chiba

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Reposted by ryo

scrmbl @scrmbl.com · 06/06/2025

It's that time of week again for us to update our playlist with some choice new music! This week's additions include new songs from: Airi Suzuki FARMHOUSE Penguinrush XAMIYA Yuki Chiba Yuta Orisaka

scrmbl.com

scrmbl selection June 6, 2025 - Airi Suzuki, FARMHOUSE, Yuki Chiba, and more | scrmbl

Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distri...

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ryo @sneek.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

mariah carey back with a new song that samples "eric b is president" she remains the queen www.youtube.com/watch?v=04-s...

youtube.com

Mariah Carey - Type Dangerous (Official Lyric Video)

YouTube video by MariahCareyVEVO

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