DCTJoy.Com Forums

Hello all:

I have been listening to DCT for about two and a half years. I found DCTJoy when I first had access to a computer, about a year ago, but because I had limited access, I could only read, and not listen. I visit Japan at least once a year, so I have been able to acquire much of the DCT catalog. I purchased my own computer last July, but right before that, I visited Japan and had a peak (literally) DCT experience. 'Ola! Vitoria!' was the chart single at the time, and I was following its' progress , but had never heard it. The first part of the trip was to climb Mt. Fuji with my wife. Early July is the beginning of the climbing season, and we walked into a heavy thunderstorm during the first part of the climb. When we reached our stopover cabin, we were totally soaked and much of our spare clothing was as well. Instead of resting for a few hours and continuing the climb at eleven pm to reach the summit at sunrise, we spent fifteen hours waiting for the storm to let up. Finally, at 4:30 am, the rain stopped and we continued our climb. In damp clothes, high winds, and increasing altitude, the climb was a bit arduous. We reached the crater around 9:30. It was surreal - socked in with fog, little wisps of cloud blowing by, and no sun in sight. Surprisingly (for me, anyway), there was a restaurant and gift shop up there! We went inside to warm up and get something to eat. There was music playing , and as I gradually thawed out, I realized I recognized the voice singing! It could only be Miwa, and at 11,000 feet, she was greeting us with 'Ola! Vitoria!' It was the first time I had heard the song, but I knew immediately. My wife and I thought it was very appropriate.

I realize this is a bit long (and thank-you for putting up with it, if you did), but can you tell I love DCT? I do!

welcome nogizaka!

Ah, tachikaze. 'Wind caused by the stroke of a sword'. I am 'nogi slope' because I like to visit Nogi-san when I am in Japan. Doozo yoroshiku!

Welcome to the group, Nogizaka!

Great story on 'Ola'!
I got to watch 'The Monster' all over the place in Osaka when it was released...nothing like seeing a large Miwa go by on the side of a bus. ^^

So...what song/album got you into the band, initially?

Hello Jei!

I was introduced to DCT by my wife (who is Japanese). One evening, not long before we were married, she told me how lucky she felt to have met me. I told her she was my dream come true (I'm not making this up). She then proceeded to tell me about this Japanese band with a powerful female singer. She didn't know much else about them except that they were very popular.

After we were married, I found 'Sing or Die' in a record shop. I thought it would be worth a listen. I was impressed with Miwa's voice, but confused by the liner notes. I set it aside for further contemplation.

My first trip to Japan was for our honeymoon (we are both teachers, and had to postpone any major trips until the holidays). While in Tokyo, I was presented with a bewildering array of DCT merchandise when visiting the record stores. I didn't know what to buy, so I held off.

Fast forward a year and a half. My second trip, and a same moment of indecision until I saw 'The Soul' at 10% off! Definitely worth a try.

Our love affair with DCT began with this album. It tells you everything you need to know, which is "buy every album, and get the complete experience!" Really. After hearing 'The Soul', I wanted to know all about each one of those little pictures in the discography. And so my collection has grown.

In 'The Soul', I found the 'Song of Joy/Yorokobi no Uta' connection. This is not my favorite (The Signs of LOVE!), but it was my first. Since I am still struggling with Japanese, having versions in both languages was very satisfying, and it is SO easy to fall in love with Miwa's soaring style.

I'll stop here for now, but I feel (can you tell?) like every little revelation about DCT is part of an unfolding epic for me. I think Dreams Come True
and I were made for each other.

I used to live near the Nogizaka neighborhood in Tokyo. Kinda sleepy area of central Tokyo...

http://loca.ash.jp/photo/tokyo/mt/nogi02.jpg

The English versions of Miwa's songs keep pretty close to the original.

Learning Japanese via Miwa's lyrics is a pretty good way to go. She at least sings very clearly. I envy you that you have 15 years of DCT back catalog to explore... the past 5 years have been pretty dry IMV but the middle 5 were of course incomparable.

tachikaze, thank-you for the photo! I will be in Japan during the week of July 4th, so I will send you a photo of me on those stairs. I am also in the process of posting photos my wife and I took at Diamond 15 in IKSPIARI at Tokyo Disneyland, if msn acknowledges the user group that I (supposedly) created.

I am very fortunate in amassing the DCT collection I have. It includes:

My wife's thorough browsing of Amazon.com;
My mother-in-law happily purchasing DCT singles as they appeared;
Stopping at every used CD shop in Tokyo, Nagano, Matsumoto, Hanamaki, Morioka, Karuisawa, Obuse, etc. I saw;
Constant visits to 'Book-Off' (their selection changes daily) wherever we saw one;
Ceremonial (but nonetheless profitable) visits to Yamano Music;
An accidental visit to a Shinseido going out of business (DCT Clips V1, Beauty and Harmony Tour, Funk the Peanuts (Hai! Hai! Hai! Hai!) videos at 75% off, and Children of the Sun DVD at 50 % off!);
And a memorable visit to Books Kinokuniya in LA where I found the English and Japanese versions of 'The Monster', and the Japanese version of 'Sing or Die' (a trip I will only relate to you if you so desire).

I agree with you that the middle five years of Dreams Come True's catalog are the most profound- a veritable tour-de-force of realized potential (although I love the early albums, and the newer material shows the strength and confidence of maturity). Also that DCT (and my wife) have drawn me into learning Japanese. I have put a lot of legwork and listening time into my collection, but the real creator of my opportunity (and my happiness) is my wife. Enough said.

Don't go to Nogizaka, it's gotta be the most boring place in Tokyo. Well, it's close to the big Aoyama cemetary and it's fun to walk thru that, and that's close to Omotesando, which is close to Shibuya and Harajuku...

Actually now that I think of it that is one of the few road viaducts in Tokyo (not counting expressways), maybe the only one not over water.

I think the Children of the Sun is my favorite concert performance. The beginning is great an the last half bloc of songs is also really good. And no idiot dancers! DCT concerts would be a lot better with snipers picking off the male dancers one by one (but Sae and Aya are OK...).

And Video Clips V1 gives you all the best songs from MGO. I actually ripped a couple of mp3s from the video.

Actually, that reminds me, instead of Nogizaka you should make a pilgrimage to Daikanyama, where the video for Snow Dance was shot.

I can't say I've been to any boring places in Tokyo- possibly because my visits are usually limited to ten days or so- but when I'm there, I can't pass up an opportunity to talk to the General. Just seeing that subway sign gives me a little chill. Aoyama cemetary is definitely a good walk, Harajuku (and Omotesando) always a lot of fun to see, and last winter, I finally got over to Shibuya (to see 'amoretto').

I'll have to visit Daikanyama this time, although darned if that video doesn't remind me of the walk my wife and I take from Ogikubo station to her parents' house almost every evening we're visiting! Anyway, it's certainly worth a look. Thanks for the heads-up.

According to the newly opened 'What Mee Mee Wants' site, there is a store in Daikanyama called 'Cor Blimey' (help me, British DCT fans) that will have some of the items featured to try on. One of the members of wmmw owns this store. It looks like most sales, though, will be through the site. Guess I'll have to go...

Luckily you have a wife who should hopefully find enough interest in Daikanyama.

The SNOWDANCE video starts with Miwa walking by a store called NIMES.

It's #4 on this map:

http://www.stylife.co.jp/fashionmap/04.jhtml

so retracing the route shouldn't be that hard.

Sigh, I really really miss SW Tokyo. Tokyo was an amazing city to ride a bicycle around in, and SW Tokyo had some killer architecture, much better than the cookie-cutter McMonster houses that we build here in the USA.

Thanks for the map- it will make our trip that much more interesting.

In America we are so used to having so much space and spreading everything out. In Japan, available space is maximized, making for some very attractive (as well as functional) homes and buildings. As for travel in cities, my wife makes a good point: "Japanese cities are made for walking, American cities are not." That walk from Ogikubo station is one of the things I love most about Tokyo.