Tuesday, May 06, 2003

>> Folder/Folder 5 to release two CD box sets

One of the last groups to come over from Okinawa’s famous actors school is the J-Pop group Folder/Folder 5. The group began as Folder about six years ago with the release of their debut album “The Earth”. The group’s lineup featured a boy lead singer and six background dancers (all but one of them was a boy).

Daichi, the lead singer, was the first to branch out into a solo career with limited success. Next came Folder 5, the group sans to the two little gentlemen (the other was Joe — nifee to J-Fan for their foresight). This group (of Akina, Arisa, Hikari, Moe, & Natsu) proved to be a greater success than Daichi’s solo attempt and the group has gone on to hold the torch for the past six years.

Folder 5

Of course, what’s another group without another member branching out into a solo career (see my earlier entry on ISSA from DA PUMP)? Folder 5 cutey AKINA has gone to test the waters of the finicky J-Pop listening community.

AKINA

There’s no doubt that she certainly is one of the cutest of the five, but judging by the lackluster acceptance of their sempai, SPEED, and their attempt at solo careers, the road to fame is long and winding.

So, after six years, two solo career starts, a name change (adding the “5” after “Folder” does count, doesn’t it?), and a member change drop, they have two CD box sets (“Folder/Folder 5 Complete Box” & “Folder/Folder 5 Single Collection”) that will be released concurrently on June 25, 2003.

The complete box spans the groups’ six years in the J-Pop scene and will contain a mix of 8 CD/DVD and will retail for Yen 15,000. The CDs included are: “The Earth (Complete Version)”, “7 Soul (Complete Version)”, “Hyper Groove 1 (Complete Version)”, “Five Girls (Complete Version)”, and “Hyper Groove Party”. The DVDs are: “Folder Clips”, “Hyper Groove Clips”, and “Hyper Groove Clips 2” (which was just released 2003.3.19). Also included are 80 trading cards. The single collection will sell for a modest Yen 3,000 and will contain 15 tracks from the “tensai shonen” period to the current “shojo yunitto” period.