Jpop: Dark DPG (ブラックDPG)

I have already written about the semi-serious group Natsu no Mamono, and here is their sister slash rival group Dark DPG! So. On the same single as Tokyo Moso Forever Young (from NnM), there is also Forever 88 sung by Dark DPG, and it has a great (well...) Star Wars theme in it! This whole concept is high level jpop culture - cosplay, cheesy humor and wildgoose videos.

• Dark DPG - Forever 88 (邪88)
• Dark DPG - Speechless Tokyo (絶句東京)
• Dark DPG - Do-Do-Do-Do-Down (ダダダダダン)
• Dark DPG - Bonkyubbon (バンキュッボン)

Jpop: Natsu no Mamono (夏の魔物)

The group Natsu no Mamono was put together by the organizer of the Aomori Music Festival, something that can be traced by cameos in their videos by artist like Ladybaby, who has visited the festival. The group has just heaps of fun in their video, with lots of ironic stuff being thrown about. And then there's Dark DPS, the "dark" opponent group...

• Natsu no Mamono - Renai Shijo Shugi Summer Everyday (恋愛至上主義サマーエブリデイ)
• Natsu no Mamono - Tokyo Moso Forever Young (東京妄想フォーエバーヤング)
• Natsu no Mamono - どきめきライブ・ラリ
• Natsu no Mamono - Demon Bom-Ba-Ye, Awakening version (魔物、BOM-BA-YE 〜魂ノ覚醒編〜)
• Natsu no Mamono - Kikainokokoro (キカイノココロ)
• Natsu no Mamono - Ring Demon (リングの魔物)
• Natsu no Mamono - I love Shichaina RPG (恋シチャイナRPG)
• Natsu no Mamono - Darling no cry!!! (ダーリン no cry!!!)

Jpop: Ladybaby

After the international success of Babymetal, many have tried to copy the formula, but I think the trio of Ladybaby may be the first to come near. They follow the same idea of a) crossing metal and idol pop and b) having young girls (Rie Kaneko and Rei Kuromiya) doing this, but - and it is a big but - there is a big difference and that comes in the form of its third member Richard Magarey who is a male cross-dressing, wrestling Australian known as Ladybeard who does the heavy metal roars. He has actually been doing this for a while and the cross dressing started a long time ago. It is more a question of that his and the girls time has come, and I actually find them quite charming. Read more at Dazed.

• Ladybaby - Nippon Manju (ニッポン饅頭)
• Ladybaby - Renge Chance! (蓮華チャンス！)
• Ladybaby - C'est si bon Kibun (セシボン・キブン)