V6 (band)

V6 (ブイシックス, Bui Shikkusu) is a six-member Japanese boy band formed by Johnny & Associates. The group debuted on November 1, 1995 with the single "Music for the People", which was used as the image song for the World Cup of Volleyball in 1995. Their first four singles, including "Music for the People", were all cover versions of the same-titled eurobeat songs composed by Italian producers such as Giancarlo Pasquini, Andrea Leonardi, Alberto Contini, Sandro Oliva.

Similar to their agency seniors Hikaru Genji, the group is separated into two subgroups based on age. For V6, the group is split into 20th Century and Coming Century, which consists of the three oldest members and three youngest members respectively.

History

Name

In an interview on Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ, the group stated that the "V" in V6 also stood for "Versus" (20th Century versus Coming Century) at first. However, then-president Johnny Kitagawa informed the group that the "V" had multiple meanings, such as "Volleyball", "Vegetable" (as Sakamoto's parents own a green grocers), "Bicycle" ("V" and "B" are indistinguishable in Japanese; Nagano's parents own a cycling store) and "Veteran".^[1]

1995—present

From 1997 to 2008, V6 hosted their own variety show Gakkō e Ikō (学校へ行こう, Let's Go to School)^[2] and is hosting Viva Viva V6 since 2001 on Fuji TV.^[3] Along with their group shows, the members also have individual TV shows, dramas or radio programs.

V6 celebrated their tenth year anniversary in 2005, commemorating the event by holding about thirty concerts in sold-out arenas all over Japan, holding 3 major "Thank You Events", releasing the movie Hold Up Down and releasing Musicmind as their new album. They also had a rare "Handshake Session" with hundreds of thousands of fans in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka.^[4]

As separate bands, both of them performed the opening song for the anime, Eyeshield 21. Coming Century performed "Breakthrough", the first opening theme song and 20th Century performed "Innocence", the second opening theme song. As V6, they performed "Chain of Power" as an insert song. They also sang "Change the World" and "Brand New World", the 1st opening and 8th ending themes, respectively of the popular anime InuYasha

Members

20th Century (Tonisen)

Coming Century (Kamisen)

Note: Colours based upon the concert Sexy.Honey.Bunny! which are their member colours.

Discography

Singles

20th Century

Coming Century

J-Friends

• 1998: "Ashita ga Kikoeru/Children's Holiday" (明日が聴こえる/Children's Holiday)
• 1999: "Next 100 Years"
• 2000: "I Will Get There"
• 2001: "Always (A Song For Love)"
• 2002: "Love Me All Over"

DVD

Videography

DVD/VHS

Other activities

As a group, the members of V6 have done dramas such as V no Honoo in 1995 and movies such as Hard Luck Hero in 2003 and Hold Up Down in 2005.

Films

V6

• "Hard Luck Hero" (ハードラックヒーロー) (2003)
• "Thunderbirds" (サンダーバード) (2004) (Japanese Dub)
• "Hold Up Down" (ホールドアップダウン) (2005)

Coming Century

• COSMIC RESCUE (2003)

Drama

• "V no Honoo" (Vの炎) (1995, Fuji TV) - all members of V6
• PU-PU-PU- (1998, TBS) - members of Kamisen
• "Shin・Oretachi no Tabi Ver.1999" (新・俺たちの旅Ver.1999) (1999, NTV) - members of Kamisen
• "Shounentaiya(doramaserekushon)『Shinsen~Yoru no Ongaku』" (少年タイヤ（ドラマセレクション）『室温〜夜の音楽〜』) (Fuji TV) - members of Tonisen

Variety Shows

• "Majikaru Zunou Pawaa!!" (マジカル頭脳パワー!!) (1996-1999, NTV)
• "Gakkou e Ikou!" (学校へ行こう!, lit. "Let's Go to School!") (1997 - 2005, TBS)
• "24 Jikan Terebi" (24時間テレビ, 24 Hour Television) (NTV, 1998, 2000)
• "V6 no Moto" (V6の素) (1999 - 2000, Fuji TV)
• "Mahha buiroku" (マッハブイロク, Mach V6) (2000, Fuji TV)
• "Owarai V6 Byoutou" (お笑いV6病棟!, lit. Laughable V6 Hospital) (2000 - 2001, Fuji TV)
• "MyMiCen!" (ミミセン!, short form of "Mysterious Midnight Century") (2001, TBS) - Kamisen
• "Otosen!" (オトセン!, short form of "Otona Century" lit. Adult Century) (2001 - 2002, TBS) - Kamisen
• "Otosen II" (オトセンII) (2002, TBS) - Kamisen
• "Rabusen!" (ラブセン!, short form of "Love Century") (2002 - 2004, TBS)
• "Asuriito Ouen TV! Nippon! Chax3" (アスリート応援TV! ニッポン!チャ×3) (2006 - 2007, TBS) - Tonisen
• "Gakkou e Ikou!MAX" (学校へ行こう!MAX, Let's Go to School!MAX) (2005 - 2008, TBS）
• "VivaVivaV6" (2001 - 2010, Fuji TV)
• "Shinchishiki Kaikyuu Kumagusu" (新知識階級 クマグス) (2008 - 2010, TBS)
• "Misshon V6" (ミッションV6, Mission V6) (2010 - 2011, TBS)
• "Otoko no Hensaachi" (男のヘンサーチ!!, Search for Strange Men) (Oct 2011 - Oct 2012, TBS)
• "Gacha Gacha V6" (ガチャガチャV6, Gacha Gacha V6) (Oct 2012 - Ongoing, TBS)
• "V6 LOVE VICTORY" (ヴィシックスラヴヴィクトリー, V6 LOVE VICTORY) (Apr 2013 - 2 Episodes Aired only TBS)

References

1. ↑ KAT-TUN (2006-04-03). "Interview with Downtown". Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ (Interview) (in Japanese). Interview with Downtown. 
2. ↑ "Class is over for "Gakkou e Ikou!"". Tokyograph. 2008-07-21. Retrieved 2009-12-20. 
3. ↑ "VVV6" (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Retrieved 2010-02-07. 
4. ↑ "V6's 2005 Timeline" (in Japanese). Johnny's net. Retrieved 2010-02-07. 
5. ↑ "Hot 100｜JAPAN Charts｜Billboard JAPAN" (in Japanese). Billboard. 

External links

• Official site on Avex Trax
• Official site on Johnny's net
• V6 at AllMusic