Arama They Didn't

12:24 pm - 01/19/2013

Fans are not happy with this year Johnny's Countdown!


Many fans have expressed their dissatisfaction with this year Johnny's Countdown Live, the annual program that aired on Fuji TV on New Year's Eve.   And the main complaint about the show is the VTR segment of the program.

This year Johnny's Countdown was held in Tokyo dome with the participation of  Noriyuki Higashiyama, Masahiko Kondo, V6, Kinki Kids, Tackey & Tsubasa, Yamapi, NEWS, KAT-TUN, Hey! Say! JUMP, Johnny Jr. , ABC-Z for the first time in five years, Uchi Hiroki, Nakajima Kento, and  Nakayama Yuma. 

Arashi, TOKIO, and Kanjani8 showed up on the venue's VTR only, and the usual emphasis "LIVE" displayed on the screen up until last year was gone.   Many fans feel for a program that claimed to be "LIVE",  this is really a shame.  On top of that, it lacks the hyper, energetic presence of TOKIO who usually worked up the crowd.  Instead the program featured too many of the "boring old men" Noriyuki Higashiyama and Masahiko Kondo.   There were also more  VTR performances of groups this year,  more than the collaboration between groups or group shuffles.   Many fans want to see more of the group shuffles because that has been the big charm of Johnny's Countdown.

Aside from Arashi who had to moderate NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, TOKIO  should have been moved to the Countdown Live  after their performance from Kohaku.  So why didn't they?  Editors familiar with Johnny's talk about certain circumstances. Johnny's has become a house divided.  Iijima faction which includes mainly SMAP and the SMAP bartered, co-starring groups like Kis-my-ft2 and Yamapi.... Julie faction which includes Arashi, TOKIO and Kanjani8.   The bartered, co-starring groups and the groups plus individuals who stand on their own made up Johnny's Countdown.  Although Arashi had been hosting Johnny's Countdown before but there were speculations flying around that  Johnny's favorite, Kinki Kids, namely Domoto Tsuyoshi, looked like he was in a bad mood while performing further complicated the matter.

For Julie and Iijima factions, the main battleground is TV Variety show.  There is no longer a "royal road" that will lead to the Presidency.  Incidentally, on the  music show  hosted by Nakai "Tuesday music! SP" (broadcast on December 25), there was a Johnny's medley with SMAP followed by the younger generations in the back dancing to "SHAKE".  Takuya Kimura and Yamapi sang "Seishun Amigo".  And group shuffles were seen as Hey!Say!JUMP members smiling and  dancing in the back performing "NAI-NAI16" with Nakai, Kusanagi and Katori Shingo.   Many of the performances from Johnny's Countdown were seen and heard on that show.
[Cyzo daily]

Source: johnnys-watcher translated by 4miu_miu
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eevaleena 20th-Jan-2013 03:27 am (UTC)
I don't get why are they complaining. I'm actually happy coz it's the 1st time in so many years they all in Tokyo Dome together (aside from the VTR by Arashi, Eito & TOKIO, of course). And I don't see anything worth complaining at all.

"we don't need the boring old guys!!!"
Oh gosh. They're so freaking rude for saying this!

And.... this Julie/Iijima things is already starting to get on my nerves. They're annoying. Enough said.
camaronzin 20th-Jan-2013 04:04 am (UTC)
I was hoping to see Kazama and Hasejun, but more Kazama afterall he was in an Asadora and all.

The countdown was just OK.
chibi_hime 20th-Jan-2013 04:27 am (UTC)
I was able to hit for tickets for Countdown years ago, so my seat was 5th row in the arena. I remember being utterly confused when they switched to VTR for Hey Say Jump (because they were not of age yet) and didn't tell us. I can't imagine how it was for the audience now with so many groups not being there. The best moments were when the cameras were off and the guys were just fooling around.

This family feud nonsense is getting on my last nerve.
asweetsymphony 20th-Jan-2013 04:30 am (UTC)
Iijima vs Julie rumour is so annoying and if this rumour is indeed true, I hope someone would slap the sense out of them. This division is not good for business.
polluxme 20th-Jan-2013 04:35 am (UTC)
This thing about this in-house fight starts to bore me so much tbh.
hika_ryuu 20th-Jan-2013 04:35 am (UTC)
OMG I thought I was the only one thinking this year's JCD was boring (because my T-List thought it was awesome).
hika_ryuu 20th-Jan-2013 04:42 am (UTC)
pretty sure Tsuyoshi looked pissed off because he was trying not to look too afraid on the stage (because he's afraid of high places).
edneichon I missed Nagase embracing Koichi xD20th-Jan-2013 05:05 am (UTC)
On the contrary i liked Tsuyoshi, that's his style xD
I knew Arashi wouldnt be there, i want them back in jcd, i know they'll be back also Tokio and as a Pi fan im glad he was there, he even interacted with news guys, hugged them *o*
I dont get it why tabloids are pressing this topic so much, faction wars~ LOL.. why not?
For me all of them should be together like the family they used to be in the early 90's. Though i would love to see Smap as well with them, they have been interacting with johnnys more often lately and i truly appreciate that, also i'ts amusing all the johnnys working together lately.
The question i always made to myself is, when Johnny-san is gone, who will remain in charge?
thewarpedmelody 20th-Jan-2013 05:11 am (UTC)
"On top of that, it lacks the hyper, energetic presence of TOKIO who usually worked up the crowd"
This totally
whited_79 20th-Jan-2013 06:24 am (UTC)
Are we at this again?
crystalluvshun 20th-Jan-2013 07:37 am (UTC)
I watched this year's countdown...and I have to say, it was B-O-R-I-N-G! Certainly not not up to par with previous years...the only performances I really managed to watch all the way through were from KT and TOKIO...everyone else I only could manage to watch a little bit then skip...very disappointed indeed.
lilly0 20th-Jan-2013 08:11 am (UTC)
JC is boring since a few years already to be honest. Also I think this we-are-all-a-huge-big-family has always been rather fake. For an hour everyone pretends to love each other and hug and laugh with each other. It's nice to see that, but it's far away from any real interaction. It's so fake and it has always been from the moment the Countdown turned from a J-Friends thing into a whole-JE thing. Nagase - energetic during the Countdown? Seriously? Dude is awesome, but I can't remember him being too excited when he was performing at the Countdown. Same goes for some other groups.

By the way, on contrary of what the article says I think that these 'boring old men' made the countdown a bit more interesting. And there were tons of new performances this year! Finally some of the Jrs who reached the age limit were allowed to perform late at night. There was Yuma. And Uchi. TakkiTsuba were at the countdown for the first time in years.
Isn't it normal that the 'older generation', namely all the groups from KT up to TOKIO, slowly fade into the background for the countdown and the younger ones, like Jr groups etc. get more spotlight?
Besides as far as I'm concerned there were three VTRs or more since years already: Arashi, Kanjani (since they were doing their Countdown concert in Osaka), sometimes TOKIO, I remember that V6 wasn't at the countdown live every year, TakkiTsuba. Sometimes KK weren't there either - they had a time when they did a Countdown concert in Osaka.

Also it's ridiculous to bring the Iijima-Julie fight into this. What has it to do with the countdown? And what's wrong with two managers wanting to promote their groups? Seriously, I'm sure these two are not stupid - they might fight, but definitely not ruin their own groups by doing so. This whole matter is getting out of hand by the newspapers

Edited at 2013-01-20 08:20 am (UTC)
reddiereds 20th-Jan-2013 08:54 am (UTC)
like / +1 / etc.

K8 and their crazy (cos-playing) antics were the only JCD highlights for me for the past few years so yeah, last JCD was so meh.
but i still prefer them being on kouhaku especially when they're sooo happy to be part of it.

rhylle05 20th-Jan-2013 10:30 am (UTC)
i totally agree with this. previous JE Countdowns was way way better than last year. hopefully this year's Countdown 2013-2014 will be just like before.

no offense meant to Noriyuki Higashiyama and Masahiko Kondo. i liked the fact that Matchy was there. ^_^

Edited at 2013-01-20 10:37 am (UTC)
nozo_rin 20th-Jan-2013 10:38 am (UTC)
I was actually disappointed in the countdown as well but not for the `boring old men`. I think it did lack the usual hype and shuffles and it ended fairly quickly. Last year was really great so I`m disappointed from this years
momosimana 20th-Jan-2013 12:04 pm (UTC)
Idk, I'm quite satisfied with this year JCD.
yuji07 20th-Jan-2013 12:46 pm (UTC)
well honestly yes, this year's JCD is a bit boring and short the other problem lies with Julie and Ijima! I wonder why Johnny-san is not making any solution with this two problematic women. the more they fight the more the talents were affected! gee..

anyway, Matchy is not that boring, he still got it...if you know what i mean! LOL :)

Edited at 2013-01-20 12:49 pm (UTC)
inachan89 20th-Jan-2013 12:49 pm (UTC)
I didn't watch Countdown,but you don't dare call Higashiyama and Matchy boring old men!!
kodochalover 21st-Jan-2013 04:49 am (UTC)
izumi_ixa 20th-Jan-2013 01:16 pm (UTC)
Agree with the part "the main complaint about the show is the VTR segment of the program".

But I think there were some other things that make JC in recent years lack the same energy they had years ago. I watched all the JC, and since 2010 is not the same... Something is missing, camaraderie, energy and happiness that it did before is not present for some years.
megumi_nagase 21st-Jan-2013 09:20 pm (UTC)
Agree with you! How could TOKIO not be there being one of the countdwon's "fundational" groups?? It's a shame =(
dori_liv 20th-Jan-2013 01:21 pm (UTC)
Countdown was kinda blah this yeah. It has been getting worse the last couple of years but i do think this yh was really bad. I dont even remember seeing K8 on VT footage. I thought it was weird they werent there at all but i guess i missed it or it was forgetable or they didnt air that part.
Kanjani8 were there in VTR :3
stole_away 20th-Jan-2013 03:57 pm (UTC)
kodochalover 21st-Jan-2013 04:48 am (UTC)
the whole Iijima and Julie thing x.x
How depressing.

I didnt have much of a problem myself with this years countdown, BUT i did miss the song shuffle :/
megumi_nagase 21st-Jan-2013 09:17 pm (UTC)
It was long ago when i watched a good countdown. Every year is worse. It's supposed to be fun with all that groups interacting, but all the years is the same now with so many groups and people even not going... it's a shame.

stole_away 23rd-Jan-2013 08:14 am (UTC)
i know, it was boring ugh
gray_fairy 28th-Jan-2013 12:30 pm (UTC)
I agree. This year's CD was a bit lackluster :/
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