Akina Nakamori makes an appearance on Music Station for the first time in 30 years

Akina Nakamori has been making a bit of a comeback over the past couple of years. What started out as Akina doing a couple of small gigs here and there, has now turned into a tour, a new single release, an appearance in GQ magazine and a performance on Music Station. The latter being particularly significant, as it marked the first time Akina had appeared on the show in 30 years.

With Japan being Japan, there will be no official upload of this appearance. I still think it’s crazy for there to not even be an official YouTube Short of her appearance or a 30 second clip of her performance — especially given how Akina’s popularity has grown amongst international audiences. Whilst Akina is not a city pop artist, she has gained huge exposure alongside the genre, with many city pop fans discovering her through the “Plastic Love” woman who wrote half of the songs on Akina’s 1986 album Crimson — one song of which Mariya would self cover on her album Request, which released the following year and another which would appear on the anniversary release of her album Variety. And there is so much overlap between kayōkyoku and city pop. Not just sonically, but in terms of songwriters, producers and musicians and the period during which they were popular in Japan.

But we know been knew that Japan don’t be caring about no fans outside of Japan. But still. Not even YouTube uploads for the locals!? Japan stays kidding itself that YouTube is not as big as it is.

HENNYWAY.

Akina’s return to Music Station had been a huge deal which made headlines in Japan and had many Japanese YouTubers react and share their thoughts. Even Music Station host Tamori was taken aback by Akina’s appearance on the show after so long. You could feel the emotion between the two of them reuniting after so long. It must be such a weird feeling for Tamori. Being the host of Music Station for almost 40 years since 1987, he’s seen artists come and go. But there have been so few acts who have had careers so long that they had appeared on Music Station during the peak of their career, through the 80s and 90s, and then made an appearance on the show decades later in the 2020s.

Akina Nakamori felt like a special one of a kind success story during the height of her success in the 80s. And even 40 years later, she’s still enjoying a level of success which still feels special and one of a kind. The fact that she managed to still maintain a career after that whole mess with a Suica attempt, Seiko Matsuda, Masahiko Kondō and Paedophile & Associates is crazy. That shit would have torpedoed the career of most. We really could have had a reality where Akina either died or just chose to not continue with her music career. And I think this is what has made Akina’s comeback and return to Music Station so emotional for both Akina herself, her fans and her peers.

It’s just good to see her seemingly back in a good place, still able to enjoy a career and see that she still has a legion of fans who support her. Akina Nakamori is J-pop royalty. It’s what she deserves.