Who knew so many anime characters were so good at playing the piano? In the more than two decades since Neon Genesis Evangelion hit the airwaves, its iconic opening theme “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” (Zankoku na Tenshi no Tēze), has been covered countless times. In fact, there’s so many of these covers that at least a couple of them have …

An unexpected collab in the age of jishuku. Like much of the rest of the world Japan is in the midst of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Leaders in Japan are asking people to refrain from going out as much as possible in order to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. That, of course, has resulted in many creatives …

Who knew you could play Mario with drums? The soundtracks from the 8-bit Super Mario Bros. games contain within them some of the most iconic and instantly-recognizable video game songs ever. As such, countless people have produced all kinds of covers of these songs, so of course, it takes quite a bit to produce a cover that manages to stand out from …

Feel the samurai spirit.The fox mask wearing female music group Mahora has released a cover of one of Japanese heavy metal’s most famous and beloved songs.Known for their use of wagakki (traditional Japanese instruments) to perform covers of popular Japanese songs, Mahora has been wowing people for the past couple of years both with their live performances and on their …

The most delicious cover of “Smoke on the Water” ever. The humble Pocky is easily one of Japan’s most instantly recognizable and beloved snacks. And for good reason. Not only are these chocolate-coated biscuit sticks delicious, they’re fun to eat. However, did you know that aside from being a great snack, Pocky can also be used to play classic rock? …

The beauty of acoustic anison. Harudori is a talented Japanese singer/songwriter/guitarist from Yamaguchi Prefecture. Born in 1984, Harudori took up playing the guitar while in junior high due to his love of the Japanese band Mr. Children and ever since then he’s been creating and performing music. That’s basically the kind of information that his official website will tell you. …

Who knew a cajon could be so metal? Given the way Japanese media seems to be overrun by pop idol groups, at times you can’t help but wonder if there’s any other kind of music in Japan. Perhaps something with a bit more edge to it? Something with more “power” to it. Thankfully, if you look beyond mainstream media, you’ll …

These guys have some mighty fine mouth skills. The five member acappella group Yokaroumon has released an impressive 18 song medley of some of the most popular anime songs in recent history. Check out the Yokaroumon guys doing their thing in the video below (check the list below to see a full track list of all the songs they cover). …

Who knew wookies were such talented musicians? Even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, you almost certainly know Chewbacca. This famous and lovable creature is incredibly strong, loyal, and, of course, very hairy. Judging by a new video though, it would appear that he’s also an expert xylophone player. Released late last month to coincide with the June 29 …

Za kuraabu izun besu purei tu fain zarasoba bar iz ue ai go Miyama Sensei to gibojin shiyotte Since Ed Sheeran released his smash hit single “Shape of You” last year, countless people around the world have uploaded videos of themselves performing this incredibly catchy song to YouTube. Most of these performances are of course, pretty forgettable and no match …

These are some foxy ladies. Have you ever wondered what the Pirates of the Caribbean theme would sound like if the movie was about samurai rather than pirates? You probably haven’t but thanks to a group of Japanese musicians you’re about to find out. Take a listen below. This cover of the Pirates of the Caribbean theme is the work …

This guy gives Nyango Star a run for his money The masked Japanese YouTuber/drummer dainashi has released an epic and absolutely amazing video in which he shows off his impressive drumming skills by covering the entire soundtrack of that classic fighting game Street Fighter II. Although he may look like some sort of bizarre scrawny lucha libre wrestler, dainashi is …