@ Fobbel: Get well soon!

@ IceT: I was also thinking of mentioning other bands, but my bands of choice would have been completely different from those you mentioned! ^^ And that's the clashing point. Considering that they maybe won't spend a lot of time on reading the mails, we should put the clear focus on Scandal, because this is the one big thing we all got in common.  Of course we can name some other bands, too, but in the end, the reader should think: Okay, that guy liks japanese music, but he WANTS/NEEDS Scandal! 
You get what I mean?
Referring to the magazines: Yes! Do you know more magazines where we could have a chance? Tell us! Let's collect them all! I actually mentioned these magazines, because they are the big ones, that I know.

@ Rararata:Yupp, that's the vicious circle! But if we want to get something done, we need to start somewhere, don't we?  We could also try to involve the Scandal Germany Facebook group, and maybe we can also get some help by the SH Facebook page or twitter. But first we need to do some planning!

Rararata wrote:Considering that the Japanese music market is almost as big as its American counterpart (as far as I know it even has higher sales) it's really wondrous that Japanese music is reduced to such a niche market in Germany/Europe/America.

That, by the way, would be a great opening phrase for your e-mail!

Thanks... feel like I'm dying.

No eating, no coffee, no smoking, can't sleep. So why not sit in front of the PC, lamenting to myself and thinking about SCANDAL .cool.

Totally agree to that opening phrase! Don't really know any magazines beside Bravo and things like Sonic Seducer, Hammer an other Hard Rock/Metal magazines (not really the ones to bring something about SCANDAL I think). But what about Animania. I think j-rock/pop and SCANDAL is somehow also connected to anime and I could imagine that a lot of manga-readers/anime-watchers in germany could be (or are) interested in them!

Fobbel78 wrote:Don't really know any magazines beside Bravo and things like Sonic Seducer, Hammer an other Hard Rock/Metal magazines (not really the ones to bring something about SCANDAL I think). 

Haha, I think so, too!

Fobbel78 wrote:But what about Animania. I think j-rock/pop and SCANDAL is somehow also connected to anime and I could imagine that a lot of manga-readers/anime-watchers in germany could be (or are) interested in them!

Hell, yes! Of course!!

Well, maybe Bravo, Popcorn and the likes aren't that good for the beginning but rather more specialized magazines that aren't aimed for 12 to 16 years old girls.

The animania suggestion was really good. And with that one we could go the extra mile and appeal to some of those magazines that specialize in japanese culture. I don't know what they are all called but I see them when I buy manga in the bookstore I occasionally visit.
And I am no expert, but aren't there some music magazines that specialize in non mainstream and non english music?

On the other hand we can use social network sites like facebook (what is the german Scandal Page there called?), twitter (maybe #ScandalGER hashtag?) and we could advertise them on otaku and/or japanese culture websites like animexx embjapan.

And people who study Japanology could always talk to their fellow students to listen to SCANDALS best songs (so all of them XD) And non students could also infect their friends with the SCANDAL virus :D

@ Fobbel: Good luck on the road to recovery!!! 

First of all we should narrow down the target audience. I'm not sure whether Bravo readers would be into Scandal!? (it may be biased, but i guess they'd prefer one direction, justin bieber, etc...)

In my opinion the Manga/Anime community holds the highest prospects of sucess because they are most likely somewhat accustomed to the Japanese language. From my personal experience I'd say that, in general, the biggest stepping stone with Japanese music is the language itself.
(at least that's what my friends tell me everytime I listen to anything Japanese... )

Edit: Well said Ryudo!!! :D

@ Rararata and Ryudo: I mentioned the Bravo because it has an enormous influence being the biggest youth magazine in Germany and therefore reaching thousands of young people. I read it ten years ago, and now, look what music I listen to today! ^^
Apart from that I think we should try out EVERY magazine that comes into our mind, since the chance of being succesful will be reduced enough by their editorial staffs. We should take every option that we can get and appreciate every new fan in Germany

@  Ryudo: There's no German Facebook page, only a group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/221678881192546/?fref=ts But somehow, it's not very german, anyway.
And I don't know about those non-mainstream-non-english music magazines. But if you can find out, let us know!

@Hasenfu:
Have you had a Bravo in your hands lately? I'd like to know if they have something like a special category about non-mainstream artists...?

@ Rararata:
Thank you

@Ryudo:
There are magazines about japanese culture...? Please give me names when you see them the next time .wow.

Already tried to infect some of my friends, with moderate success. One says "whoo they look like 12 years old", the other one can't become friend to japanese language within music, the next one thinks about japan only as the land of samurai and yakuza movies, the next one says "they look all the same"... One of my friends even used "Japsen", I got really angry about that. Only one good friend of mine is interestet in SCANDAL and japanese culture, mostly because he's interested in and open for things his friends are interested in.

@ Fobbel: No, I haven't  But Maybe they start one, if we write enough mals ;>.>
But I know from a friend of mine, that they brought a poster of Shinee (K-pop-band) to Popcorn (I guess it was Popcorn!)

Fobbel wrote: "whoo they look like 12 years old"

Well, that would be another Point for Bravo etc. 

@Fobbel the only magazine I could recall now is called 'koneko'
When I see the others I will tell you

@Hasenfu:
Yes, you're right! Don't want to know what he calls me after I told him that I like them though .lol.

@Ryudo:
Thanks! Maybe I find a shop in my city where I can buy (or at least look into) them!

@ Fobbel: I guess I can imagine .evilgrin.

@ Ryudo: Yeah, then let's try out koneko, too
I already tried to convince my Japan-studies friends... They're more visual key. Some of them think, Scandal is okay, but not more .wew.

And once again to the Bravo etc.: At least from the management point of view, Bravo readers would exactly be the main target! They are the group who's the most... konsumgeil..., dedicative and most easily to be hooked by merchandise and the like. I also checked the community forum. There exist a few topics about J-Rock/Pop. I think it's worth a try. In the end it's up to the staffs of the magazines.
And for us, it's not really more effort. Write the mail once and then send a copy to every magazine

I just came back from university and on my way home I thought about potential reasons for the abscence of Japanese music in Europe. (there are few concerts here and there but in general it's pretty much non-existent)

I came to to the conclusion that the root of the problem is the Japanese music market itself (seeing as it is very homogenous and pretty much self-sufficient). Is there really an incentive for labels to pursue any endeavours outside of Japan/(Asia)!? 
Considering all the variables and risks of an international tour I'd guess that the risks greatly outweigh the potential gains.

Music is much more expensive in Japan (that's why they have overtaken the US music market in overall value (2010) although they sold less units). I think it's because the Japanese market is so lucrative, that labels don't feel the need to branch out and try to become successful in other countries, like for example the Korean artists tend to do.
The new Japanese anti-piracy-laws will most likely amplify this even further...



Regardless of whether the chances are slim it's definitely worth a try and I'll gladly volunteer to help!!! (...after the exam period... .boom.)

PS: seeing as this wall of text doesn't really contribute to our cause I hereby apologize for my endless ramblings and any inconvenience they might have caused...

Yeah, it's mostly because of the things you wrote here, Rararata. As the japanese market is self-sufficient, they don't really think about expanding their sphere of influence by targeting the european market. And personally, I really think that they could try it at least once.

When you see what K-pop realised during the last 4-5 years, just because of the support by the korean government ... I mean, just think about what Japan could do with it. .happy.

But still, in France it is much easier to find japanese music than in Germany (yes, France's the exception^^).

I'm not sure about this but I think they would have to find a german or at least european publisher, similar to the animes. Would be difficult to find a correlate company though even animes are quite a niche product in germany.

By the way, wonder if we should send similar mails to magazines or should everyone "find his/her own words"?

Kaze(Wasabi records) has published a album of SCANDAL and m.o.v.e . But they don't publish music very often.

Concerning SCANDAL I'd never expected that. I'd rather expect that Sony Music wouldn't give the license to someone else.

Kaze normally publish anime and manga, don't they?

jap, and both have some opening songs of some anime.

Yes, that makes sense. And is one more reason for sending an email to Animania .uhuh.

Fobbel78 wrote:
By the way, wonder if we should send similar mails to magazines or should everyone "find his/her own words"?

 Since we're not that much people, I would say, that everyone should find his own words. Everyone can present his favourite aspects of the band and try to draw the staff's interest.

To my mind, it looks poor, if there are... five? people that write the same mail. If we were 50 or more, then maybe yes, but so... :-/

Hey Guys, Hasenfu informed me about this Operation, you can count me in.

Hey all!

I was in Japan last month and did not have time for anything else. Soe we totally missed to start our operation. .pinch. 

Well, the next PV, Overdrive, is out and the album will come soon. I guess now is a good time to get started! We have nothing tof loose. Should we get started?

I have to work tomorrow and the day after, but then I'll have time to make a list with the adresses where we can write to, and then maybe we can start next week? Should I open a separate thread for it? If you know more german fans, please ask them to join us!

Greetings,
Caro

Hey Caro, welcome back .clap. 

Totally forgot about this, too. Have to go through 50+ hour weeks for quite a while now and don't see the end to come .wew. 

Next week sounds good. It would be great if you have the time and will to make an applicable list. I'm trying to convert one of my friends to be an SCANDAL fan lately but it's hard work, don't know if he will join the operation...

Created a thread for the activity. Please have a look at it! https://www.scandal-heaven.com/t9389-ger-fan-activity-more-scandal-for-germany

Already did. Thanks for your work!

This is annoying! 

Whose Standard-copy ist still in customs? Mine is there since October 3rd! Come on!  

I should quit my studies and become an custom officer instead. Drinking coffee and doing nothing the whole day.