Pop Genie Explodes from Aladdin's Lamp
Yoshimoto R and C
“Preserve Japan!” “Soldier on, Japanese businessmen!” Slogans from post-war era Japan are hip again thanks to pop group Aladdin’s debut single “Hi wa, Mata Noboru,” released on July 30.
Aladdin is the latest musical act spawned from Fuji Television’s popular celebrity game show, “Quiz! Hexagon II.” In fact, it’s a super group that consists of two pop acts put together by “Hexagon”: female trio Pabo (Mai Satoda, Suzanne and Yukina Kinoshita) and boy band Shuchishin (Takeshi Tsuruno, Naoki Nokubo and Yusuke Kamiji). “Hexagon” host Shinsuke Shimada writes lyrics while regular guest Kei Takahara composes for the groups. The game show prominently features both acts as well as viewer-submitted home videos of children haphazardly mimicking their choreography routines.