Agree and yeah I love Viki. I actually think Arashi's variety shows are better and more creative telly than the dramas they starred in. I did send SBS an email begging them to renew streaming Vs Arashi (for which they seem to have gone to the trouble of commissioning their own subtitles.) It's such a waste that show can't be seen anywhere right now.

OTOH I was able to catch the brilliant film Drive My Car on SBS on-demand.

Personally I want the variety shows more than the dramas. More than anything I want Vs Arashi back on a streaming platform (after Australia's SBS on-demand dropped it recently.) The format was clever and and entertaining, and the hosts, Arashi, were funny and charming.

1 Gokusen 2 Given 3 Nodame Cantabile

J-pop is my favourite form of immersion. Replaying my favourite tracks, I painlessly learn whole phrases. Now, on Spotify and YT Music, I can even follow along with the lyrics while they sing the reading of all the kanji.

I can read 生ビール (the only one that matters)

My tastes are all over the place, but four come immediately to mind. I vote for Cinderella Girl by King and Prince, Shinu no ga ii wa by Fujii Kaze, Fireworks by DAOKO & Kenshi Yonezu, and, like another poster, Grand Escape by Radwimps.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check them out.

Another Aussie here.

Thanks for this great answer. I think Record is the last live concert they performed with an audience. So they must have filmed it twice. Ah I really want to see it now.

Thanks. I borrowed the 2 DVD set of 5x20 from the library in Sydney, but there was no bonus content. As far as I can tell it's the same songs as Record in the same order. And both were filmed at Tokyo Dome. Still I have a suspicion they're different performances. Also AFAIK Record is the last concert they performed live. Maybe they captured it with more cameras etc to make it more cinema-worthy. I would be really grateful if you could check.

Wow thanks for the links. You're really kind. But I think so yes. At least, she sent me a photo of one. (But then apparently she had to go straight to work and didn't have time to contact me again.)

Sounds like you know more than me. I don't disagree they work very hard.

Thank you!

Read Oshi no Ko. Very good-looking young people tend to get scouted by talent agencies just walking through Tokyo. Others apply around middle school age to be trained at an idol agency (and have to pass an audition with like a 20 to 1 acceptance rate.) But you can also just declare by yourself that you are an idol and start engaging in idol activities, like singing and dancing in a group. Those wannabe types are sometimes called "underground idols".

Thank you. That's helpful.

Thank you

Same issue here