Super Monkey's
Encyclopedia
was an Okinawan pop-singing and dancing group that spawned the careers of Namie Amuro
and some members of the girl group, MAX
. The group went through several member and name changes before coming into prominence in 1995 with the release of their fifth single, Try Me ~Watashi o Shinjite~
.
, Hisako Arakaki
, Nanako Takushi
, and Minako Ameku.
" on the Toshiba EMI label. The group was promoted as a teen idol group with an American pop music sensibility. Their debut single was a moderate hit debuting within the top 30 of the Oricon
charts. Makino, who was considered their leader, left the group in December that year. She was replaced with Rino Nakasone. She was announced as a new member to the group in magazine promotions and was scheduled to perform publicly with the group at the Sapporo Snow Festival
in 1992 but couldn't due to an appendicitis
. She left the group without recording any material. She was not replaced following her departure.
" in May 1993 under a new name, Super Monkey's 4. It was not as successful as their first release. Following the release of the single, the group took part in an ensemble singing unit, PJG, for NHK
music show, Pop Jam, with several other teen idols
. A third single, "Aishite Masukatto
" was released in November that year and peaked in the top 70.
television program, Yoru mo Hippare in April 1994. They released their fourth single, "Paradise Train" in July 1994. The single was the group's worst performing single failing to reach the top 100. The single has no official ranking as Oricon only monitored the top 100 releases at the time. Hisako Arakaki left the group shortly after the release of the single and was replaced by two new members. Reina Miyauchi
and Ritsuko Matsuda
joined the group in late 1994 and made their official debut with the group on January 25, 1995 with the release of their fifth single, "Try Me ~Watashi o Shinjite~
." The song, a Japanese language cover of Lolita's "Try Me", was a major hit peaking within the top 10 and selling over 700,000 copies. It was the first of three singles produced by Max Matsuura
.
After the success of the single, Matsuura suggested that Amuro become a solo act while the other members of the Super Monkey's formed a new girl group. In April, the single "Taiyou no Season" was released and accredited solely to Amuro although the background vocals were performed by the other members of Super Monkey's. Those other members, Nanako, Minako, Reina, and Ritsuko formed the group MAX
, named after Matsuura, and signed to fledgling dance label, Avex Trax
. They released their debut single, "Koi Suru Velfarre Dance ~Saturday night~
" in May. Super Monkey's released their final single together, "Stop the Music
" in July. As MAX
, they released their debut album, Dance Tracks Vol.1
in October. Days following the release of their debut album, Amuro released her first single under the helm of producer, Tetsuya Komuro
, "Body Feels Exit
."
(1996), the Super Monkey's former label, Toshiba EMI, released a greatest hits
compilation, Original Tracks Vol.1
(1996). MAX continued to release their own material after the official disbandment of the Super Monkey's. However, they continued to perform with Amuro under the Super Monkey's name for her first two singles with Avex, "Body Feels Exit
" and "Chase the Chance
." MAX retired the Super Monkey's name and completely parted ways with Amuro after her 1996 show at Chiba Marine Stadium. MAX eventually came into their own success that same year with the release of their third single, "Tora Tora Tora
." The group would go on to surpass the success of the Super Monkey's selling several million albums and attaining a number one single with "Give me a Shake
" released in 1997. Both Amuro and MAX have continued to be active recording artist over a decade following the groups' break up.
Original member, Anna Makino returned to Okinawa Actors School following her departure from the group. She became chief dance instructor at the school before leaving her position in 2002 to open another dance school for children diagnosed with down syndrome
called Love Junx. Hisako Arakaki who left the group in 1994, also returned to Okinawa to become an instructor at the school. She would join and become the leader of B.B. Waves, the school's own dance unit that fostered the talents of future school graduates, Speed
, Rina Chinen
, Da Pump
, D&D
, Yu Yamada
and Meisa Kuroki
.
In 2006, Amuro, Makino, Arakaki and Ameku came together for an original Super Monkey's reunion piece in a pamphlet for Amuro's "Live Style 2006" tour. Takushi did not participate.
Namie Amuro
is a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
and some members of the girl group, MAX
MAX (band)
MAX whose name is an acronym for "Musical Active eXperience" is an Okinawan vocal group popular in Japan. The original members of MAX made their musical debut as members of the Super Monkey's along with lead vocalist, Namie Amuro...
. The group went through several member and name changes before coming into prominence in 1995 with the release of their fifth single, Try Me ~Watashi o Shinjite~
Try Me ~Watashi o Shinjite~
"Try Me ~Watashi wo Shinjite~" is the fifth single by Namie Amuro with Super Monkey's. The song is a remake of the Eurobeat song "Try Me" by English singer Annerley Gordon. This single did well, as it peaked to number 8 on the Oricon Charts...
.
Pre-debut
The group was originally part of a larger 15-member group Club Heart including the future lead singer of Super Monkey's, Namie Amuro. Their name was changed to Super Monkey's before their debut which was on September 16, 1992. In a magazine interview, Amuro revealed that the Super Monkey's were supposed to debut as a co-ed group with 5 female members and two male members. The concept was changed and the Super Monkey's made their debut as a five piece all girl group with members Namie Amuro, Anna MakinoAnna Makino
Anna Makino is a J-pop singer, and an original member of the group Super Monkey's. She was born in Okinawa, Japan. She made her debut as a solo J-pop singer on 22 January 1987, aged 15...
, Hisako Arakaki
Hisako Arakaki
Hisako Arakaki is a J-pop singer from Okinawa, Japan, and an original member of the group Super Monkey's. She left at the end of 1993, and later worked as a dance instructor at the Okinawa Actors School....
, Nanako Takushi
Nanako Takushi
Nanako Takushi is a J-pop singer from Okinawa, Japan, and an original member of the group Super Monkey's. After the group disbanded, she formed the group MAX with other Super Monkey's vocalists.- See also :...
, and Minako Ameku.
Super Monkey's (1992–1993)
The Super Monkey's officially debuted on September 16, 1992 with the double a-side single, "Koi no Cute Beat / Mister U.S.A.Koi no CUTE BEAT / MISTER U.S.A.
"Koi no Cute Beat / Mister U.S.A." is the debut single from the Super Monkey's released under the Toshiba-EMI label. It is the only single by the group to be released under their original moniker...
" on the Toshiba EMI label. The group was promoted as a teen idol group with an American pop music sensibility. Their debut single was a moderate hit debuting within the top 30 of the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts. Makino, who was considered their leader, left the group in December that year. She was replaced with Rino Nakasone. She was announced as a new member to the group in magazine promotions and was scheduled to perform publicly with the group at the Sapporo Snow Festival
Sapporo Snow Festival
The is a famous festival held annually in Sapporo, Japan over seven days in February. Currently, Odori Park, Susukino, and Tsudome are the main sites of the festival. The 2012 Yuki-matsuri dates are February 6 to 12.-Overview:...
in 1992 but couldn't due to an appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
. She left the group without recording any material. She was not replaced following her departure.
Super Monkey's 4 (1993)
The group released their second single, "Dancing JunkDancing Junk
"Dancing Junk" is a song by Super Monkeys 4, released in 1993 as their first single under their new name. The b-side to the single "Rainbow Moon" is a solo song by the group's lead singer, Namie Amuro...
" in May 1993 under a new name, Super Monkey's 4. It was not as successful as their first release. Following the release of the single, the group took part in an ensemble singing unit, PJG, for NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
music show, Pop Jam, with several other teen idols
Teen Idols
The Teen Idols were a pop punk band originally from Nashville, Tennessee. They were formed in 1992 by Phillip Hill and originally broke up in 2003...
. A third single, "Aishite Masukatto
Aishite MASUKATTO
"Aishite Masukatto" is a song by Super Monkey's, released as the second single under the moniker Super Monkey 4, and their third single in total...
" was released in November that year and peaked in the top 70.
Namie Amuro with Super Monkey's (1994–1995)
As Amuro began to gain notoriety from acting and modeling gigs, the group name was changed again to Namie Amuro with Super Monkey's. The group became regulars of the karaokeKaraoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
television program, Yoru mo Hippare in April 1994. They released their fourth single, "Paradise Train" in July 1994. The single was the group's worst performing single failing to reach the top 100. The single has no official ranking as Oricon only monitored the top 100 releases at the time. Hisako Arakaki left the group shortly after the release of the single and was replaced by two new members. Reina Miyauchi
Reina Miyauchi
Reina Miyauchi is a J-pop singer from Okinawa, Japan, and a current member of the group MAX. She made her debut with the group Super Monkey's on 25 January 1995, and then, after the departure of Namie Amuro, she formed the group MAX with the remaining group members.-References:...
and Ritsuko Matsuda
Ritsuko Matsuda
Ritsuko Matsuda is a J-pop singer from Okinawa, Japan, and a member of the group Super Monkey's from 1995. After the group disbanded, she formed the group MAX with other Super Monkey's vocalists.- See also :...
joined the group in late 1994 and made their official debut with the group on January 25, 1995 with the release of their fifth single, "Try Me ~Watashi o Shinjite~
Try Me ~Watashi o Shinjite~
"Try Me ~Watashi wo Shinjite~" is the fifth single by Namie Amuro with Super Monkey's. The song is a remake of the Eurobeat song "Try Me" by English singer Annerley Gordon. This single did well, as it peaked to number 8 on the Oricon Charts...
." The song, a Japanese language cover of Lolita's "Try Me", was a major hit peaking within the top 10 and selling over 700,000 copies. It was the first of three singles produced by Max Matsuura
Max Matsuura
, better known as Max Matsuura, is a record producer and president of one of the largest music labels in Japan, Avex Group. He is known mainly for discovering and developing new artists and converting them into big stars. Ayumi Hamasaki is the most famous example of Matsuura's work...
.
After the success of the single, Matsuura suggested that Amuro become a solo act while the other members of the Super Monkey's formed a new girl group. In April, the single "Taiyou no Season" was released and accredited solely to Amuro although the background vocals were performed by the other members of Super Monkey's. Those other members, Nanako, Minako, Reina, and Ritsuko formed the group MAX
MAX (band)
MAX whose name is an acronym for "Musical Active eXperience" is an Okinawan vocal group popular in Japan. The original members of MAX made their musical debut as members of the Super Monkey's along with lead vocalist, Namie Amuro...
, named after Matsuura, and signed to fledgling dance label, Avex Trax
Avex Trax
, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
. They released their debut single, "Koi Suru Velfarre Dance ~Saturday night~
Koi Suru Velfarre Dance ~Saturday night~
"Koisuru Velfarre Dance ~Saturday night~" is MAX's debut single released under Avex Trax. It is a Japanese language cover of the song "Saturday Night" released in 1994 by Whigfield. As the song was originally recorded for the opening of Avex's Velfarre club, it was meant to be MAX's only release...
" in May. Super Monkey's released their final single together, "Stop the Music
Stop the Music
"Stop The Music" is a single by New Zealand DJ P-Money featuring rapper Scribe, released in 2004. It went to number one on 25 October, where it remained until it was knocked off by Eminem's Just Lose It Speculation of Eminem actually singing the chorus, was brought up because it is very similar to...
" in July. As MAX
MAX (band)
MAX whose name is an acronym for "Musical Active eXperience" is an Okinawan vocal group popular in Japan. The original members of MAX made their musical debut as members of the Super Monkey's along with lead vocalist, Namie Amuro...
, they released their debut album, Dance Tracks Vol.1
DANCE TRACKS VOL.1
Dance Tracks Vol.1 is Namie Amuro's first and only album with her first record company, Toshiba-EMI. Nine days after Dance Tracks Vol.1 hit stores, she released her first Avex Trax single, "Body Feels Exit" on October 25, 1995...
in October. Days following the release of their debut album, Amuro released her first single under the helm of producer, Tetsuya Komuro
Tetsuya Komuro
, also known as TK, is a Japanese keyboardist, guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer born on November 27, 1958 in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. He is recognized as being the most successful producer in Japanese music history and introduced dance music to the Japanese mainstream...
, "Body Feels Exit
Body Feels EXIT
"Body Feels Exit" is Namie Amuro's debut solo single on the Avex Trax label. Released nine days after her only album with former label, Toshiba-EMI, "Body Feels Exit" debuted in the top three and would be her first of 24 consecutive top ten solo singles....
."
Post disbandment
Following the disbandment of the group, lead vocalist, Namie Amuro, began a solo career joining former band members MAX on record label, Avex Trax. Paired with producer Tetsuya Komuro, Amuro went on to become one of the most successful Japanese musical acts in history. Her status as a fashion icon was solidified after the emergence of the Amura boom made her a cultural phenomenon. Following the success of her breakthrough album, Sweet 19 BluesSweet 19 Blues
Sweet 19 Blues is Namie Amuro's first original studio album under the avex trax label, her first with producer, Tetsuya Komuro, and her second album overall. The success of the album helped Amuro accomplish feats never realized by a solo female artist, and made her one of the most popular and...
(1996), the Super Monkey's former label, Toshiba EMI, released a greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilation, Original Tracks Vol.1
Original Tracks Vol.1
Original Tracks Vol. 1 is the first compilation album by Namie Amuro with Super Monkey's, compiling all the singles A & B sides that were released. This is the last album that the group had recorded together before Namie Amuro going solo with avex trax in 1995 and Minako Inoue, Nanako Takushi,...
(1996). MAX continued to release their own material after the official disbandment of the Super Monkey's. However, they continued to perform with Amuro under the Super Monkey's name for her first two singles with Avex, "Body Feels Exit
Body Feels EXIT
"Body Feels Exit" is Namie Amuro's debut solo single on the Avex Trax label. Released nine days after her only album with former label, Toshiba-EMI, "Body Feels Exit" debuted in the top three and would be her first of 24 consecutive top ten solo singles....
" and "Chase the Chance
Chase the Chance
"Chase the Chance" is Namie Amuro's second solo single on the Avex Trax label. Released in December 1995, it debuted at number one on the Oricon charts becoming her first of five million selling singles. At the end of the month, she would make her first appearance as a solo artist on Kōhaku Uta...
." MAX retired the Super Monkey's name and completely parted ways with Amuro after her 1996 show at Chiba Marine Stadium. MAX eventually came into their own success that same year with the release of their third single, "Tora Tora Tora
Tora Tora Tora (MAX song)
"Tora Tora Tora" is a song by Okinawan dance unit MAX. It is a Japanese cover of Italo Disco artist Domino's song of the same name. It was composed by Tiger Boys with Japanese lyrics written by Kazumi Suzuki...
." The group would go on to surpass the success of the Super Monkey's selling several million albums and attaining a number one single with "Give me a Shake
Give Me a Shake
"Give Me A Shake" is MAX's 6th single released under Avex Trax. Until the release of this single, all of MAX's music was covers of Italian Eurobeat songs, "Give Me A Shake" is their first original Japanese language song. Upon its release the song debuted at #1 on Oricon weekly charts, becoming...
" released in 1997. Both Amuro and MAX have continued to be active recording artist over a decade following the groups' break up.
Original member, Anna Makino returned to Okinawa Actors School following her departure from the group. She became chief dance instructor at the school before leaving her position in 2002 to open another dance school for children diagnosed with down syndrome
Down syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
called Love Junx. Hisako Arakaki who left the group in 1994, also returned to Okinawa to become an instructor at the school. She would join and become the leader of B.B. Waves, the school's own dance unit that fostered the talents of future school graduates, Speed
Speed (band)
Speed is an Okinawan female vocal/dance group comprising Hiroko Shimabukuro, Eriko Imai, Takako Uehara and Hitoe Arakaki. All four members are former students of Okinawa Actors School which also trained popular artists Namie Amuro and MAX.Speed made their major label debut on August 5, 1996 and...
, Rina Chinen
Rina Chinen
Rina Chinen is a female Japanese entertainer, former singer, model and TV actress. Rina was born in Naha, Okinawa. Although Okinawa is now part of Japan, it has evolved its unique culture and music blended from Chinese, Japanese, and Pacific influences...
, Da Pump
Da Pump
is an Okinawan male idol group comprising lead vocalist, Issa and MCs Ken, Yukinari, and Shinobu. The group formed as students at Okinawa Actors School in 1996...
, D&D
D&D (band)
D&D was a Japanese girl group that was moderately popular in the late '90's. Its members were Olivia, Chika and Aya . The trio are from the Okinawan Actors School and were managed by Rising Production....
, Yu Yamada
Yu Yamada
is a model, actress, and singer best known from her modeling work with CanCam magazine. Shintaro Yamada is her brother.- Career :Yamada graduated from Okinawa Actors School...
and Meisa Kuroki
Meisa Kuroki
, better known by her stage name , is a Japanese actress, model and singer born in Nago, Okinawa, Japan. She is represented by the agency Sweet Power and is signed to Sony Music Japan. She made her acting debut in 2004. She has modeled for the popular Japanese fashion magazine JJ, among others, and...
.
In 2006, Amuro, Makino, Arakaki and Ameku came together for an original Super Monkey's reunion piece in a pamphlet for Amuro's "Live Style 2006" tour. Takushi did not participate.
Singles
(1992)- "Dancing JunkDancing Junk"Dancing Junk" is a song by Super Monkeys 4, released in 1993 as their first single under their new name. The b-side to the single "Rainbow Moon" is a solo song by the group's lead singer, Namie Amuro...
" (1993) (1993) - "Paradise Train" (1994) (1995) (1995)
- "Stop the Music" (1995)