Base Ball Bear

Base Ball Bear
File:Baseballbear.JPG
Background information
Origin	Tokyo, Japan
Genres	Rock
Years active	2001 (2001)—present
Labels	Blitz Pia Records (2003–2005) EMI Music Japan (2006–present)
Members	Yūsuke Koide Shōhei Yuasa Shiori Sekine Daisuke Horinouchi

Base Ball Bear is a Japanese rock band from Tokyo that formally began in 2002, although the members assembled in the autumn of 2001. The band, which was initially named Planet, was formed for a one-time performance at a high school culture festival, but decided to continue playing due to how well they were received at the festival and how much fun they were having. Base Ball Bear made its major debut in early 2006 with EMI Music Japan. Their style influences include Japanese indie rock bands Number Girl and Supercar, and British rock bands such as Oasis. The band has been noted for the "nostalgic" feel of band leader Yūsuke Koide's lyrics, often about teenage life and memories. They are also known for their contributions to the soundtrack of the movie Linda Linda Linda (in which female bassist Shiori Sekine had a leading role) and performing the themes to the anime series Toshokan Sensō, Ōkiku Furikabutte and Gintama.

The band's former name, Planet, most likely came from a Supercar song of the same name. Their current name also derives partially from a song name. Koide thought of Japanese singer Chocolat's song "Base Ball and Elvis Presley", and suggested the name "Base Ball". Guitarist Yuasa thought it would be better if they added one more word to it, and the rest of the band agreed. They eventually settled on the word "bear".

Members

• Yūsuke Koide (小出 祐介, Koide Yūsuke) (born December 9, 1984 in Tokyo) - Vocalist & guitarist, primary songwriter and the leader of the band. He likes movies, music, and reading. He likes old school hip hop and his favorite artists include XTC, Happy End and Perfume. He is also a fan of drama actress and idol Meguru Ishii.

• Shōhei Yuasa (湯浅 将平, Yuasa Shōhei, born April 16, 1984 in Chiba Prefecture) - Guitarist and unofficial dancer. Shōhei was on the swim team when he was in high school and worked as a lifeguard before the band became famous. He occasionally does yoga. He likes drinking and eating. His favorite artists are Thee Michelle Gun Elephant and Sly & the Family Stone.

• Shiori Sekine (関根 史織, Sekine Shiori, born December 8, 1985 in Saitama Prefecture) - Bass guitarist and Backing Vocalist. Shiori is the only female member of Base Ball Bear and had no experience playing bass guitar before joining the band. Shiori had a leading role as Nozomi in the movie Linda Linda Linda. She is a fan of Ultraman and likes cooking (especially desserts). She also likes manga and is a fan of Namie Odama. Her favorite artists include Jethro Tull, Caravan, Keiichi Suzuki, Yui and GO!GO!7188.

• Daisuke Horinouchi (堀之内 大介, Horinouchi Daisuke, born January 17, 1985 in Tokyo) - Drummer and chorus. He has a younger sister. He is considered the most immature member. His favorite hobbies are lifting weights and watching pro wrestling and soccer. His favorite artists are The Police, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Frusciante, and Nile Rodgers.

Staff

• Kenji Tamai (玉井健二 Tamai Kenji) - He has been the primary arranger of songs that Koide writes since 2007. He has also produced songs for other major Japanese musicians including Yuki, Genki Rockets, and Yuna Ito.
• Ham-chan (ハムちゃん Hamu-chan) and Ōkubo (大久保) - the band's managers.
• Imamura (今村) - the band's director.
• Oku (オク) - the band's personal assistant.

History

Koide originally assembled the band in 2001 under the name "Planet," to perform at their high school's fall festival. They performed covers of the songs OOYeah!! and OOKeah!! by the band Supercar. Following their festival performance, they decided to continue with the band as a hobby.

In April 2002, the band began sending demo tapes to record labels, whereupon they were advised by Toshiba EMI to change their name. They eventually chose "Base Ball Bear," the name under which they performed their first gig at Shimokitazawa Garage that July. Throughout the rest of the year, they continued playing in the Shibuya and Shimokitazawa areas of Tokyo as their fan base began to grow.

In November 2003, Base Ball Bear signed with Blitz Pia Records, an independent label. They immediately released their first mini-album Yūgata Generation on November 26. The band released its first single, Yume is Vision, in April of the following year. It was the first of the band's songs to be accompanied by a music video, which was created in collaboration with Yūki, a Japanese fashion magazine model and Base Ball Bear fan. The band spent the rest of 2004 practicing and writing new songs, some of where were featured on compilation CDs.

The band released its first full-length album, High Color Times, on March 16, 2005, and started playing concerts to sold-out crowds in larger venues. Also, Shiori Sekine was cast in one of the lead roles in the film Linda Linda Linda, which featured some of the band's music.

Base Ball Bear signed with EMI Music Japan in January 2006, and immediately released an introductory album, Band B ni Tsuite, on January 12. (They had released another version of Band B ni Tsuite on October 14, 2005, but the new release included one new song and other remastering.) They played on the Nyakunyaku Nannyo (若若男女) Summer Tour with Chatmonchy and Snowkel and released their first major album, C, on October 29.

Their first solo tour "Live by the C" took place in the spring of 2007. Over the course of the year, they released four more singles, as well as their second major album, Jūnanasai. Their live performances included the Rock in Japan Festival, another round on the Nyakunyaku Nannyo Summer Tour, and the B-Pop High School Tour.

In 2008, the band went on a solo tour called "17-sai Kara Yattemasu Tour" (Starting from 17 Tour) that ran from the middle to the end of March. Their first single of the year, Changes, was released on May 8, 2008 and was the ending theme to the Production I.G anime series Toshokan Sensō. There are many live shows scheduled during the summer, including the third round of the Nyakunyaku Nannyo Summer Tour and the Higher Ground 2008 festival in July, and the Rock in Japan Festival in August. Base Ball Bear is also planning a two-day show at Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall in late September.

Discography

Amateur releases

• Mae: Front (前－front－, Front: Front) (July 2002)

1. My Generation' (マイジェネレーション)
2. Wave
3. November; JHS (ノーベンバー；JHS)
4. Pureway
5. Sky High (スカイハイ)

• Ushiro: Back (後－back－, Back: Back) (July 2002)

1. Hope
2. Rainpark
3. Evilway
4. 89
5. Boy

• Change Up (チェンジアップ) (September 2002)

1. Change Up (チェンジアップ)

• White Twilight (ホワイトワイライト) (October 2002)

1. White Twilight (ホワイトワイライト)
2. November: JHS (ノーベンバー：JHS)
3. Planetarium (プラネタリウム)
4. Slogan (スローガン)
5. My Generation (マイジェネレーション) (acoustic version)

• School Life (スクールライフ) (November 2002)

1. School Life (スクールライフ)

• HR (March 2003)

1. HR
2. School Life (スクールライフ)
3. Slogan (スローガン)

• Yume Is Vision (June 2003)

1. Yume Is Vision (Dream Is Vision)

• Yume/Sayonara (October 2003)

1. Yume Is Vision (Dream Is Vision)
2. Sayonara-Nostalgia (Goodbye Nostalgia)

Indies releases

• Yūgata Generation (夕方ジェネレーション Evening Generation) (November 26, 2003)

1. Sayonara-Nostalgia (Goodbye Nostalgia)
2. Tsuyogari Shōjo (つよがり少女 Show-of-Force Girl)
3. Metamorphosis Massaichū (メタモルフォーゼﾞ真っ最中 Right in the Middle of Metamorphosis)
4. Binetsu Boy (微熱ボーイ Low Fever Boy)
5. Sunset-KI･RE･I (Sunset: Beau-Ti-Ful)
6. Yūgata Generation (夕方ジェネレーション Evening Generation)
7. Boy Meets Girl

• Yume Is Vision (July 7, 2004)

1. Yume Is Vision (Dream is Vision)
2. Kimi no Speed-kan (君のスピード感 Your Sense of Speed)
3. Tokyo Pyramid (東京ピラミッド)
4. Doppelgänger Graduation (ドッペルゲンガー・グラジュエーション)

• High Color Times (March 16, 2005)

1. Gokusaishiki Imagination (極彩色イマジネイション A Vivid Imagination)
2. April Mirage
3. Kūhi Ganbō (空飛願望 Aspiring to Fly)
4. Himawari no Jūnigatsu (向日葵の12月 Sunflower's December)
5. Shirayuki no Kanojo (白雪の彼女 Snow White Girl)
6. Umi ni Naritai (海になりたい I Want to Become the Sea)
7. Aimai Memories (Unclear Memories)
8. Satellite Town Nite (サテライト・タウンにて In Satellite Town)
9. Kimi-iro no Machi (君色の街 A Town of Your Color)
10. Kagenai Futari (翳ない2人 A Shadowless Couple)
11. Kareshi Kanojo no Kankei (彼氏彼女の関係 Boyfriend-Girlfriend Relationship)
12. High Color Times

• Band B ni Tsuite (バンドBについて About Band B) (October 14, 2005)

1. Crazy for You no Kisetsu (CRAZY FOR YOUの季節 The Season I'm Crazy for You)
2. Gokusaishiki Imagination (極彩色イマジネイション A Vivid Imagination)
3. Satellite Town Nite (サテライト・タウンにて In Satellite Town)
4. Kareshi Kanojo no Kankei (彼氏彼女の関係 Boyfriend-Girlfriend Relationship)
5. Yume is Vision (Dream is Vision)
6. Yūgata Generation (夕方ジェネレーション Evening Generation)
7. Sayonara-Nostalgia (Goodbye Nostalgia)
8. Girl of Arms

Major releases

• Band B ni Tsuite (バンドBについて About Band B) (January 12, 2006)
  • This is the same as the indies release except for track two, which was changed to Labyrinth e no Timing (ラビリンスへのタイミング Timing to the Labyrinth) for the major release.
• Girl Friend (April 12, 2006)

1. Girl Friend
2. Black Sea
3. City Dance
4. 4D Kaiwai (4D界隈 4D Neighborhood)

• Electric Summer (June 21, 2006)

1. Electric Summer
2. Good Bye
3. Sayonara-Nostalgia (Goodbye Nostalgia) (Last Summer version)

• Stand by Me (October 4, 2006)

1. Stand by Me
2. Tenkū Lonely Hearts (天空Lonely Hearts Lonely Hearts in the Ether)
3. Boy Meets Girl (live)

• C (October 29, 2006)

1. Crazy for You no Kisetsu (CRAZY FOR YOUの季節 The Season I'm Crazy for You) (album version)
2. Girl Friend
3. Matsuri no Ato (祭りのあと After the Festival)
4. Electric Summer
5. Swimming Girl (スイミングガール)
6. You're My Sunshine no Subete (You're My Sunshineのすべて You're All of My Sunshine)
7. Girl of Arms
8. Death to Love (DeathとLove Death and Love)
9. Stand by Me
10. Last Dance (ラストダンス)
11. She is Back

• Dakishimetai (抱きしめたい I Want to Hold You) (April 4, 2007)

1. Dakishimetai (抱きしめたい I Want to Hold You)
2. Kareshi Kanojo no Kankei [Atarashii Kankei ver.] (彼氏彼女の関係[新しい関係 ver.] Boyfriend-Girlfriend Relationship [New Relationship ver.])

• Dramatic (ドラマチック) (May 16, 2007)

1. Dramatic (ドラマチック) - opening theme to the anime Ōkiku Furikabutte
2. Tōmei Jūrokuji (透明26時 2 A.M. Clarity)
3. Yūgata Generation [Atarashii Yūgata ver.] (夕方ジェネレーション [新しい夕方ver.] Evening Generation [New Evening ver.])

• Manatsu no Jōken (真夏の条件 Midsummer Essential) (July 18, 2007)

1. Manatsu no Jōken (真夏の条件 Midsummer Essential)
2. Gokusaishiki Imagination [Atarashii Imagination ver.] (極彩色イマジネイション [新しいイマジネイションver.] A Vivid Imagination [New Imagination ver.])

• Aishiteru (愛してる I Love You) (October 31, 2007)

1. Aishiteru (愛してる I Love You)
2. Casual Love (カジュアル・ラヴ)
3. Aishiteru [karaoke ver.]
4. Aishiteru [Shiori Rockets ver.] (愛してる [史織ロケッツ ver.])

• Jūnanasai (十七歳) Age 17) (December 5, 2007)

1. Jūnanasai (17才 Age 17)
2. Dramatic (ドラマチック)
3. Dakishimetai (抱きしめたい I Want to Hold You)
4. Heaven's Door Girls (ヘヴンズドアー･ガールズ)
5. Aishiteru (愛してる I Love You)
6. Seventeen Romance
7. Futatsu no Sekai (Two Worlds)
8. Manatsu no Jōken (真夏の条件 Midsummer Essential)
9. Aoi Haru, Kyomu (青い春.虚無 Youth, Nothingness)
10. Wink Sniper
11. Kyōsōkyoku (協奏曲 Concerto)
12. Kizuite Hoshii (気付いてほしい I Want You to Notice)

• Changes (May 8, 2008)

1. Changes - ending theme for Toshokan Sensō
2. Summer Anthem
3. Fiction Once More
4. Dramatic to Eresama (ドラマチックとエレサマ Dramatic and Electric Summer) (live from Countdown Japan 07/08 at Galaxy Stage)

• Love Mathematics (January 7, 2009)

1. Love Mathematics
2. School Girl Fantasy
3. Wakamono no Yukue (String Graduation Version) (若者のゆくえ(弦楽グラデュエーションver.))

• Kanzenban Band B ni Tsuite (January 7, 2009)

Disc 1

1. Sayonara-Nostalgia
2. Tsuyogari Shōjo
3. Metamorphosis Massaichū
4. Binetsu Boy
5. Sunset - Ki・Re・I
6. Yūgata Generation
7. Boy Meets Girl
8. Shōjo to Nue
9. Yume Is Vision
10. Kimi no Speed-kan
11. Tokyo Pyramid
12. Doppelgänger Graduation
13. Tragic Heroine

Disc 2

1. Gokusaishiki Imagination
2. April Mirage
3. Kūhi Ganbō
4. Himawari no Jūnigatsu
5. Shirayuki no Kanojo
6. Umi ni Naritai
7. aimai memories
8. Satellite Town Nite
9. Kimi-iro no Machi
10. Kagenai Futari
11. Kareshi Kanojo no Kankei
12. High Color Times
13. Labyrinth e no Timing

• 神々Looks You (Kamigami Looks You) (April 15, 2009)

1. 神々Looks You - theme of the movie Kamogawa Horumo
2. Image Club
3. Boys May Cry

• Breeeeze Girl (June 24, 2009)

1. Breeeeze Girl
2. Breeeeze Girl II
3. Love Mathematics (Shibuya-kai "True Love" Remix)

• Stairway Generation (August 5, 2009)

1. Stairway Generation
2. User Unknown
3. Ren'ai Hakusho (恋愛白書)

• (What Is The) Love & Pop? (September 2, 2009)

1. Stairway Generation
2. Sosos
3. Changes (album version)
4. Kamigami Looks You (神々LOOKS YOU)
5. Love Letter from Heart Beat
6. White Twilight (ホワイトワイライト)
7. Breeeeze Girl
8. Love Mathematics
9. Simaitai
10. Umi ni Naritai part.2 (海になりたい part.2)
11. Lemon Squash Kankaku (レモンスカッシュ感覚)
12. Love & Pop (ラブ & ポップ) - includes an unnamed hidden track at the end.

• 1235 (March 17, 2010)

Disc 1

1. 極彩色イマジネイション
2. スイミングガール
3. 彼氏彼女の関係
4. School Girl Fantasy
5. 抱きしめたい
6. 少女と鵺
7. ラビリンスへのタイミング
8. ホワイトワイライト
9. 17才
10. 愛してる
11. Sayonara-Nostalgia

Disc 2

1. レモンスカッシュ感覚
2. Breeeeze Girl
3. 真夏の条件
4. 海になりたい
5. Love Mathematics
6. Changes
7. Girl Friend (Encore)
8. ラストダンス (Encore)

• 新呼吸 (November 9, 2011)

1. 深朝 Fuka asa
2. ダビングデイズ Dubbing Days
3. school zone
4. 転校生 Transfer Girl
5. スローモーションをもう一度 Slow motion again
6. short hair
7. Tabibito In The Dark
8. ヒカリナ Hikarina
9. 夜空1/2 Night Sky 1/2
10. kodoku no synthesizer
11. yoakemae (hontou_no_yoakemae ver.)
12. 新呼吸 New Breath

Compilations and Collaborations

• Hi-Style vol.7 Grip (2004)

9. Shōjo to Nue (少女と鵺 A Girl and a Nue) (demo version)

• Suteki Compilation (January 21, 2004)

9. Sayonara-Nostalgia

• D Seldom Sono 9 (July 28, 2004)

2-8. Sayonara-Nostalgia

• B Beginning!! (December 24, 2004) - split single with Japanese band Bacon

2. April Mirage

4. Tragic Heroine

• Linda Linda Linda Original Movie Soundtrack (July 20, 2005)

7. April Mirage

9. Sayonara-Nostalgia

• ∀ (June 23, 2010)

5. Utatterunda Baby (歌ってるんだBaby Baby I'm Singing)

Related artists

• Art School
• Chatmonchy
• Fujifabric
• High and Mighty Color
• Monobright
• Nico Touches the Walls
• Radwimps
• Shione Yukawa
• Shutoku Mukai
• Snowkel
• Throwcurve
• Triceratops
• Vola and the Oriental Machine

External links

• Base Ball Bear official website Template:Jp icon
• Base Ball Bear @ EMI Music Japan Template:Jp icon
• Base Ball Bear's Base Ball Variety Template:Jp icon
• Base Ball Bear @ Excite Music Template:Jp icon
• Base Ball Bear @ Nippop