When, Where and How did you first discovered Japanese Music?

[ronluna 17]

answer it in details. add your first japanese band/artist or both. write your first song of that band if you remember.

I discovered japanese music when watching animes like Gensoumaden Saiyuki at my home in early 2000s.
My first favorite Japanese band is L'Arc~en~Ciel and first song from Driver's High from GTO
and the rest is history...

i discovered bands through connections to my favorite bands.

[Zeus 7997]

When: Sometime in November 1999.

Where: Elementary school lunch room. Weeaboo introduced me to Dir en grey. First response was "who the hell are those faggots".

First song: Cage. The rest is history.

[jurideluhi 6]

when: age 12

where: in my room while watching anime.

first song: Naruto's 1st OP theme.

[Guest o hai itz will]

When: sometime in 2004 (late bloomer). First found out about the Pillows through some Indie kid. Then I checked them out. My first song was Ride of Shooting Star

[SUBLIMINAL 52]

When: 2000/2002/really got into it 2003 onwards.

Where: I was forever desperate for new music. I didn't want to have a small list of bands I was interested in, I wanted to experience as much music as I possibly could at the time. I discovered my first Japanese group via a television show (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, actually, herp derp), my second as I hunted for similar artists (although they weren't similar at all) and my third, fourth and fifth simultaneously when a friend sent me files via MSN, which is when I really started to delve into Japanese music.

Who: The first band was Cibo Matto, who are based in America and, like I said, featured on a television show so they were found with ease. The second was noodles. But I credit LUNA SEA and Dir en grey as the two bands to truly lure me in. A friend was obsessed with Japanese "culture" and force fed me the files over MSN. She sent MALICE MIZER, too, but I have never been a fan of them. Later that year, I was sent D'espairsRay, then I began exploring more bands on my own and buying what I could. Mostly because we stopped chatting in 2004 altogether, but I'll still always be grateful she introduced me to the bands she did.

First songs: Forgot this before I posted! Cibo Matto: Spoon and Sugar Water. noodles: I listened to the whole Long Long Chain album. I haven't listened to them since, wow. Dir en grey: Hydra, ??, which is my favourite to this day, and FILTH. LUNA SEA: STORM. MALICE MIZER: Cannot remember. I didn't like, I know that much. And D'espairsRay: murder freaks.

[LIDL 692]

Japanese music in general?

There was so many Japanese shows (anime, sentai & tokusatsu) on locale channel at that time on the place i was living before.

And i am an avid fans of those shows, Goggle V, Candy Candy, Ultraman 7, Getter Robo, Saint Seiya, Kamen Rider Black and Voltus V are some shows that i never missed.

That the first time for me listening to Japanese music.

I don't have any idea what they were singing about,

but i remember i always imagined myself as one of those tokusatsu or heroes everytime the OP on, jumping from couch to the floor whilst slaying my toy sword. well, except for Candy Candy cos it's a drama anime lol

edit: this happened when i was 5-6, don't remember.

Was living abroad because of my Dad's duty as a Navy.

Was culturally challenged that time

[Champ213 1858]

When: 2000. I had just started studying Japanese at university and thought listening to japanese music would be helpful.

What: I don't remember. A few pop songs at first, mostly from Animes because it was the most easily accessible back then, but I didn't like too many of them. Then I heard 'Knife of Romance' by Phi and wanted to find out more about J-rock. 'Blue Blood' by X Japan and 'Rosier' by Luna Sea are some of the earliest songs I can remember.

[tosinn 3]

When: 2007/2008.

Where: Downloading GTO's OP.

What: L'Arc~en~Ciel's "Driver's High".

[Kaleidoscope 195]

I'm pretty sure it was in 2007, i saw Dir En Grey in the charts of someone and decided to check them out since was obsessed with japanese stuff back then. First song was either The Final or Saku, i don't remember exactly, but i loved the fact that the music and especially Kyo's voice sounded so different from the heavy music i used to know. Shortly after downloaded Withering To Death, i was not completely blown away but i thought the music was pretty interesting so my interest in J-Rock grew. The thing that really got me into japanese music was something else though: After i listened to some Dir En Grey i decided to buy Gokusai by Mucc in a shop since it was released in Europe and i heard it was pretty good - well, the shop didn't have that album, but instead i saw D'espa's [Coll]. I loved the cover and remembered that they are japanese too so i took that one and didn't know that i just bought my favorite album ever ;D

[Kaye 296]

I watched Sailor Moon when I was 6 (1994) and from that moment I've only seemed to like anime (Without knowing that it was anime at that point)

Then it all became worse in 2002/2003 while playing Kingdom Hearts.

Went searching for the title track, found Utada and never left.

[Prism 8]

On the bus either to/from school, my best friend let me listen to X Japan on his iPod. Don't remember the year.

[Number Girl 48]

December 2006; got a video game for Christmas with Gackt's "Redemption" on it. Liked the song, so I decided to look up who sang it and at the same time discovered the website Last.FM. From there, I discovered Luna Sea ("Gravity") and D'espairsRay ("Abel to Cain") and some others I now like today.

[Aion 184]

When: November 2003 or something..

Where: behind my PC watching Hunter x Hunter and Naruto

What: First songs would be AKFG's Naruto-theme and Keno's HxH-theme. First really loved songs would be ART-SCHOOL's Lolita Kills me and ACIDMAN's Hibikari

[Cas 4]

I discovered Japanese music somewhere in 2008 via youtube. I watched a few PVs and really liked them. I believe they were some Plastic Tree and Mucc music videos; however, I don't remember which PVs I watched, but they definitely got me interested.

[evilcoconut 109]

When: 2000/2002/really got into it 2003 onwards.

Where: I was forever desperate for new music. I didn't want to have a small list of bands I was interested in, I wanted to experience as much music as I possibly could at the time. I discovered my first Japanese group via a television show (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, actually, herp derp), my second as I hunted for similar artists (although they weren't similar at all) and my third, fourth and fifth simultaneously when a friend sent me files via MSN, which is when I really started to delve into Japanese music.

Who: The first band was Cibo Matto, who are based in America and, like I said, featured on a television show so they were found with ease. The second was noodles. But I credit LUNA SEA and Dir en grey as the two bands to truly lure me in. A friend was obsessed with Japanese "culture" and force fed me the files over MSN. She sent MALICE MIZER, too, but I have never been a fan of them. Later that year, I was sent D'espairsRay, then I began exploring more bands on my own and buying what I could. Mostly because we stopped chatting in 2004 altogether, but I'll still always be grateful she introduced me to the bands she did.

First songs: Forgot this before I posted! Cibo Matto: Spoon and Sugar Water. noodles: I listened to the whole Long Long Chain album. I haven't listened to them since, wow. Dir en grey: Hydra, ??, which is my favourite to this day, and FILTH. LUNA SEA: STORM. MALICE MIZER: Cannot remember. I didn't like, I know that much. And D'espairsRay: murder freaks.

Hahah, Cibo Matto! Me too, actually, lol. I still have their stuff.

I liked Jpop for awhile before moving onto rock/VK. Things like DAI, hitomi, The Brilliant Green, Every Little Thing, etc. It was after Megadeth broke up (the first time) that I started looking into the rock scene. Started with stuff like L'arc, the Pillows, Ajikan, LUNA SEA, etc.

First VK band was D'espairsRay, and I was really into them for a short time, then Kagerou, and Deadman shortly after. Eventually fell in love with MUCC and the rest is history and involves too many bands, lol.

[doaseternity6 93]

Had to be in the 2000/2001 area, I know I was just entering middle school or something. I'd been really into art since elementary and someone up at this point mentioned that my drawing style was similar to something called anime. After that I did a bit o' research and decided I wanted to be a mangaka (hahaha childhood), started teaching myself Japanese and started watching this animu thang. I forget what song it was now but I know for some reason I became quite addicted to this horrible horrible song...I think it was by dream and I decided I needed more. I joined nanokiero, which was bascially all Mv related, and because I was an internet n00b I did this ghetto thing where you use windows media player to burn videos to a CD-r in order to make a PV rip xDDD

I started going through the basic J-pop things. Met a few things I disliked (gackt, ayumi, Morning musume) met some things I liked (utada, namie, L'arc, ajikan)...but I wasn't quite addicted until I heard shinjitsu no uta by Do As Infinity. I'd heard fukai mori before as everyone somehow does...but it fell with the rest of the normal likes. When I heard shinjitsu though, my world changed, angels started to sing and the clouds opened up. Thus a love affair with japanese music began.

[sai 868]

Upstairs on the old computer, I was watching some parody on Kingdom Hearts called "Kingdom Hearts Crazy Files." Suddenly there was playing Japanese music, and I kinda liked it. It were Asterisk by Orange Range and Redemption by Gackt. Loved the second one immediately. After that I heard some UVERworld too. First it were always anime themes until I discovered An Cafe. Liked that for quite a bit, but then I started getting into heavier bands. Don't listen An Cafe anymore. It's pretty much crap compared to what I listen now XD

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

Late 2003 but kicked off in 2004. I had been aware of bands such as Malice Mizer and a few others for awhile but the music was incredibly popish for me (I was only into heavy screamy loud music) so I was really turned off by Japanese rock for awhile. Eventually stumbled upon Child Prey and tracks from Aliene. Then I fell into this shit hole and here I am now

[D.L.S 11]

When: August 2008. I was 13.

Where: My room?

How: I asked for some good Japanese metal bands on Yahoo Answers because I was interested in how it sounded.

First Song: Zombie by Versailles. It was the first on a list of many.

[jarrad 1]

When: Well, I've know about japanese music since I think around 2007, but that was only anime openings and such. Then I didn't bother until about 2 years later, 2009, I got into Maximum the Hormone. Didn't get into anything after that until December last year or maybe January this year.

Where: Um, at my house

How: Well when I was on Last FM one day I was bored and was clicking around on random profiles and someone had a picture of Versailles and they looked interesting so I tried them and HIZAKI grace project. But that was when I got into jrock Decemberish/Januaryish. Before it was just anime openings.

[gyakutai 12]

When: January 2008, I was 13.

Where: Internet -> Anime -> Death Note

First song: so it was Alumina by Nightmare, but I never liked them o-o' but thanks to them I am arrived here XD

[cruel-crucible 89]

No idea when I discovered Japanese music itself, must've been during watching some anime I guess. As for J-rock:

February 2007, 12 yrs old.

Thanks to Acey Slade's Trashlight Vision, who were apparently successful in Japan. They had something to do with Kagerou, I've seen a pic of Acey with Daisuke. Wanted to check them out, and fell in love. First song - Urami Koto <3

Later discovered Plastic Tree, Phantasmagoria, LAREINE, HISKAREA and others.

Phantasmagoria became my favorite band and here I am now <3

[Ryuusei87 0]

My cousin was playing Utada Hikaru's "Letters" in her room. I'm sure it was 2002 when DEEP RIVER was released. I loved it at first listen. Unfortunately, I never asked my cousin what song it was at the time, so I never could listen to it again until a few years later when I somehow came across the song again, making me one of the happiest people in the world. From there, I looked through the rest of her discography, and then onto other Jpop artists like Hamasaki Ayumi, then onto the Jrock/metal!

[Empyrean 0]

2004, I was 12 and an online friend at the time sent me Quarter Void by D'espairsRay over MSN. I liked it and I think that's how it all started. I think she also sent me a link to some Gazette and I began to look up more music and then got into Dir en grey and Alice Nine too. So those were the first three bands I became a fan of.

On YouTube I remember watching Cassis by Gazette, Yami ni Chiru Sakura by Alice Nine and Obscure and Child Prey by Dir en grey. Chocoripeyes by Vidoll was a song I really liked at the time as well.

Then later I became a fan of An Cafe, Girugamesh and Miyavi. Then I found out about Livejournal and joined because of the communities with Visual Kei music downloads. So that way I found out about more bands.

[Kanopi Kanae 0]

When : something like 3 years ago?

Where : some blogs

How : I was randomly searching about lolita and I found out about Moon Kana on some blog, there was a link to her song hebi ichigo ~