The Formation of Manikyua-Dan

The works explored in the previous posts were indications of developing styles of music that would later become a symbol of otaku culture - in particular, the denpa-moe music that would dominate otaku culture the next decade. In this post, I will expand on the events behind the formation of the band Manikyua-Dan, but before we begin, I have one comment to give. The production of SYNERGY MUSIC NETWORK compilation albums MCMLXC, MCMXCI and MYSTERY CASE IN HI! SCHOOL!! provided the opportunity for amateur and professional composers, arrangers and lyricists to interact with one another and work together. From MCMLXCI, they would include comments on their experience within the circle. With any BBS they may have used no longer being maintained in this day of age, these comments are invaluable. Despite this, there is an even better source of information - the websites put up since the advent of the Internet in Japan, somewhere around 1995. My work is nothing compared to the documentation these people put on the Internet more than twenty years back, so my thanks goes out to them.

Artist comments from within the MYSTERY CASE IN HI! SCHOOL!! booklet

Shinji Hosoe (細江慎治) and Takayuki Aihara (相原隆行), game composers from Namco, joined together to form TROUBADOUR RECORD in 1991. One year later, in Winter Comiket C43, TROUBADOUR RECORD released their first compilation album Be filled with feeling. Design wise, it was similar to the previously released SYNERGY MUSIC NETWORK compilation CDs. Note the flavor text and bizarre graphs. I think there is also likeness in the sound, with elements of amateur DTM and professional game composition combining together into one.

From SYNERGY's MCMXCI

From TROUBADOUR RECORD's Be filled with feeling

Following their success , TROUBADOUR RECORD would go on to record two albums for the next Summer Comiket C44: GREAT WALL, an album imaged around outer space, and KAKI-IN 1993・夏, a compilation album in the same style as the first. The likeness to SYNERGY in design was to the extent of the latter being mistaken for a new SYNERGY release, as described in the album information page.  Shinji Hosoe and Ikuko Ebata (江幡育子), both of which previously participated in SYNERGY albums (Hosoe as たま "tama" and in name, Ebata as Nekoyo and under alias 谷川むつみ "Mutsumi Tanikawa"), encountered one another in one cherry blossom viewing in April 1993. They conversed about the past Nekoya (猫屋) works and if perhaps Hosoe had listened to them before, and then decided to collaborate for the release of KAKI-IN. Together with lyricst Shinji Makino (牧野進司) they created "マニキュア団のテーマ" (Theme of Manikyua-Dan)

Manikyua-Dan website logo (February 1997)

The success of the theme of Manikyua-Dan prompted the first live appearance, which took place in November within venue Shin-Yokohama Space Alter (新横浜スペースオルタ). For the live event, Hosoe and Ebata enlisted the help of three more to liven up the stage: Ayako Saso (佐宗綾子), Nobuyoshi Sano (佐野信義) and Hiroto Sasaki (佐々木宏人). The three were associates of Hosoe and Aihara, working together under Namco on the game Ridge Racer. Saso was placed behind an electronic keyboard, with Sano and Sasaki as dancers at the front of the stage. The three would later become Manikyua-Dan members.

(Below are member portraits from the official website. In top to bottom, left to right order: Ebata, Hosoe, Saso, Sano and Sasaki)

Despite their success, TROUBADOUR RECORD could not yet afford to dedicate an album towards Manikyua-Dan, and so a four-track 8mm CD single was released in Winter Comiket C45, December 1993. Their song from KAKI-IN was rerecorded as an extended single version alongside new songs, like "ぷあぷあ" (Pua Pua). The singles planned to be serial numbered 1~2000, with numbers 1~5 belonging to the five unit members. That is not to say, however, that 2000 CDs were actually printed, or otherwise if they were all sold. Live appearances resumed alongside CD sales, with number of guests coming to the event increases. Their appearances included both original songs and comedy skits. Up until then, they operated under the name of Shinji Hosoe's band 劇団しょうが (Gekidan Shouga), but following their popular live appearances, they decided in favor of naming themselves after their first song "まにきゅあ団のテーマ" (Theme of Manikyua-Dan). It was then that the band name was officially made into Manikyua-Dan.
In December 1994, they released their first full album, ラジヲまにきゅあ1374Khz (Radio Manikyua 1374Khz), featuring new original songs as well as versions from their live events.

Over 1995, Manikyua-Dan saw its most immense period of activity yet. Besides three live events across the year, they also recorded two new songs for the TROUBADOUR RECORD compilation album TROUBADOUR to be released in August. Then in September, they released their second full album, らじまに2号 (Radi Mani #2), which contained まにまにステ～ション (Mani-mani Station) original comedy skits as well as recorded songs from live appearances. Manikyua-Dan members participated in the TROUBADOUR compilation album ZUKI-iN 1995・冬 to be released in December, and released a full album of their own the same month, みんなのまにきゅあ (Minna no Manikyua).

Right at the beginning of 1996, they conducted their 8th live appearance. This live appearance was recorded by tape, and later converted into RealMedia video and uploaded on the newly created Manikyua-Dan website somewhere around 1997 (Before then they operated under TROUBADOUR NET, which I believe to have been a BBS). Other RealMedia clips were put on the website as well. After TROUBADOUR RECORDS migrated their website, the section was closed off, but fortunately the files could still be salvaged. For the time being, one clip from the live appearance has been uploaded onto YouTube. The song is "パラ・レ・モーション" from the previous year's TROUBADOUR. Note the position of each member on stage. Please excuse the low quality recording, as that's the extent of what could be shared at the time.

So the first half of the 1990s was sealed for Manikyua-Dan. In the next post we will continue to watch the growth of Manikyua-Dan in the latter half, alongside separate ventures in doujin music within units and bands such as Manikyua-Dan Sepia, O.M.Y., Sound Terror-Rhythm, ANAKREON and the aforementioned Nekoya.