May 3, 2024

An Incredible Spring Celebration for ARASHI Fans in “Love So Sweet”

Ryu for TeamARASHI @StormLoverUSA March 14, 2023
ARASHI collage photo

ARASHI collage photo

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On March 22, 2022, Arashi’s first live performance film, “ARASHI Anniversary Tour 5X20 FILM ‘Record of Memories’” was shown in U.S. theaters. The film had already been a blockbuster hit in Japan since November 2021, and a commemorative event was held on that day to celebrate the simultaneous screenings in Japan and the United States. Also featured was the new visual image of ARASHI in red costumes designed by Yohji Yamamoto. Naturally, the film “Record of Memories” was treated as an indie film as ARASHI, J-Pop Legends in Japan, is an unknown foreign artist in the U.S.

While Japanese anime films are rapidly gaining popularity in the US, the other Japanese films don’t have many opportunities to be shown in local movie theaters. If there are any, they are usually only shown in Los Angeles and New York, where large Asian communities are established.

Film screenings for Japanese residents in the U.S. are often sponsored by Japanese companies or supported by public organizations as part of charitable or promotional activities, and are not intended to be profitable from a business standpoint. Therefore, there is little opportunity for information to spread outside of the local Japanese community.

While this is great for visitors because of the discounted ticket prices, it also means that tickets are difficult to obtain due to the limited number of seats available. In fact, ARASHI fans in the U.S. were anticipating an epic ticket battle for “Record of Memories,” similar to when “Mumon: The Land of Stealth,” starring ARASHI’s Satoshi Ohno, was screened at Japan Cuts 2017 Film Festival in New York City. Many fans expressed their hope that Fathom would form a business alliance with GAGA Corporation, the Japanese distribution company in charge of international sales, so that the film would be shown in more movie theaters. Fathom is a joint venture of AMC, Regal, and Cinemark, the three major cinema chains in North America, and has a proven track record of distributing Japanese anime and artistic films to movie theaters throughout the country.

Fans also expected that the film would be in theaters for one week in cities like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami, and Atlanta to fulfill the Academy Award nomination requirements. Winning the Academy Award was by no means just a pipe dream from the perspective of core fans. The film was shot to Dolby Cinema specifications featuring the latest technology such as Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, to enhance state-of-the-art cinematography and dynamic sound quality. The film had its world premier in Dolby Vision sections at the 24th Shanghai International Film Festival in 2021.

After the 2018 film “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which sparked the third Queen boom worldwide, establishing a new culture of enjoying concerts in movie theaters could be a breakthrough to accelerate the post-pandemic recovery nationwide. Aside from its box-office revenues or number of attendees, the film deserves to be recognized for its contribution to society in terms of introducing the latest technology and revitalizing the film industry.

The announcement greatly betrayed such expectations in a positive way. Picturehouse, an LA-based distribution company specializing in independent films, had formed a business alliance with GAGA, and the film was shown at AMC Theatres, the nation’s largest movie theater chain. Although it was a One-Day Only event, two show times each in 135+ theaters across the U.S. was truly an exceptional accomplishment for an “independent” film.

There are no AMC Theatres in Hawaii, where ARASHI debuted in 1999, but a separate contract with local theater Consolidated Theatres made it possible for the film to be screened on the day after the event. This was amazing news for ARASHI fans living in Hawaii, of course, but it was also true that fans in Japan were eagerly waiting for the ARASHI movie to be shown in Hawaii, the important place where ARASHI made its debut.

Box-office revenue in the U.S. wasn’t disclosed. However, online ticket booking indicated that many movie theaters in large cities across the US had nearly all the seats purchased, making it a huge success for an ordinary weekday night. Some fans came to the theater alone, but they actively interacted with the others in the theater before the show. Some even handed out handmade photo cards as free souvenirs or glow sticks to substitute the official concert penlights.

The event was covered extensively both in newspapers and on the website of NY Biz, a Japanese-language media company in the New York region. Interviews with visitors and scenes from the theater were also posted on their YouTube channel.

ARASHI fans around the world are still actively enjoying the celebratory events despite ARASHI being on hiatus. On March 22 this year, WPVR NY Platinum Vibes Radio, a radio station in New York City, will broadcast a special one-hour program titled “Love So Sweet,” also known as the title of ARASHI’s hit song.

Platinum Vibes Radio has rapidly become a popular station where listeners can enjoy songs from a wide range of music genres as well as songs requested by fans. The station recently announced the WPVR 2022 Year-End Pinnacle Awards winners in 30 categories. ARASHI received awards for Best Group, World Song of the Year for “Turning Up,” Best Ballad for “Whenever You Call.”

Two of the three crystal statues with ARASHI’s name engraved were posted on social media, which made many fans cry over joy. The excitement for ARASHI fans around the world won’t stop as the special program on March 22 approaches. Don’t miss an hour long playlist of ARASHI’s great songs, carefully selected by the executive producer, Kevin James.

【 嵐 Live Film ＠ NY 】NEW YORK HIGH! YouTube channel by NY BIz!  



ARASHI – Love so sweet [Official Music Video]



ARASHI – Turning Up [Official Music Video]



ARASHI – Whenever You Call [Official Music Video]



ARASHI Anniversary Tour 5X20 Film “Record of Memories” [4K ULTRA HD Blu-ray+Blu-ray]



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Ryu for TeamARASHI @StormLoverUSA

https://lit.link/en/arashi5wind
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