Introduction

Hello, this is Konno, a member of the OKUDAYA CONNECT editorial team.
When I thought about what kind of topic I could write about, music came to mind.
I might be able to write about manga, but there could be copyright restrictions on publishing such content, so I decided to go with music instead.

I’ve listened to various music since my student days.
(Though my musical taste might be considered “narrow and shallow”…)
As I’ve gotten older, the range of music I’ve listened to has expanded, but here, I’d like to introduce albums that I was really into at certain points in time.

Not just a favorite song, or artist, but an album that I was into.
It’s not necessarily my all-time number one album.
And I’m not trying to explain or analyze it. (I can’t.)
I’m making this kind of disclaimer to hopefully avoid being called a “poser” by hardcore fans.

Anyway, I hope this article resonates with people of the same generation, or with similar music tastes, and perhaps even inspires someone who wasn’t familiar with the artist to give them a listen.

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“12 no Yoru” (A Night at Twelve)

The music I was exposed to when I became aware of my surroundings was what my parents played in the car: Spitz and THE YELLOW MONKEY.
They’d rent CDs, burn them onto MDs, and play them in the car. (Does “burn onto MDs” still make sense to people today?)
I did enjoy the songs and became fond of the artists, but I hadn’t yet started searching for music on my own.

Then one day, I heard that a new album from Spitz was coming out, along with two advance singles: “Hanemono” and “Mizuiro no Machi.”
For the first time, I used my own pocket money to get music. (Though it was rented, since I didn’t have much money.)

I listened to those two singles, including the B-sides, many times and prepared myself thoroughly.
Then, I finally encountered the album: Mikazuki Rock.

That night, I locked myself in my room and put on my earphones.
My overblown expectations? They were not disappointed.

(Illustration is for image purposes only.)

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The First Album I Listened to from Start to Finish

Album Title: Mikazuki Rock
Artist: Spitz
Release: September 2002
https://spitz-web.com/discography/album-10/

From the intro of the first track, “Yoru wo Kakeru,” I was immediately hooked.
It felt different from the Spitz I knew up to that point.

(At the time, I didn’t know this, but Seiji Kameda, known for working with Tokyo Jihen and others, had started producing for them.)

I love every song on this album, but especially:
“Yoru wo Kakeru,” “Mikanzu no Theme,” and “Garbera.”

I can’t express it well, but compared to well-known singles like “Cherry,” “Robinson,” and “Sora mo Tobero Hazu,” this album shows a different side of Spitz.

This might be true for many artists, but with Spitz in particular, I felt:

“If you only listen to the singles, you’re missing out.”

I also recommend albums like “Kachoufuugetsu” and “Iroirogoe,” which are more like B-side collections.

There’s a lot more I could say, but I’ll stop here.

This album taught me the joy of listening to music as a full album, not just as individual songs.

Please give it a listen.

And what about you?
What albums did you fall in love with?

We welcome your submissions!

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Date of Contribution: August 2025
Author: Daiki Konno
Development Department
Okudaya Giken Co., Ltd.