The Other Kondo on the Block
I don’t know how many other people are aware of this, but Mizuki Nana’s younger sister Kondo Mika (stage name MIKA) was in a group called Daisy x Daisy. They’ve been active for a couple of years, releasing a bunch of singles and albums before guitarist YUUKI left, leaving MIKA to go it alone, still using the Daisy x Daisy name. And her big break has come – Daisy x Daisy/MIKA will be making her major debut with the Asakura Daisuke-produced opening theme for winter anime Kokaku no Regios, called ‘brave your truth’.
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I had heard a bunch of their songs before (like PV above), which were cheaply produced and didn’t really appeal to me that much at the time. MIKA pretty much sounds like a younger version of Nana minus the enka stylings. She and Nana don’t really look that much alike though, methinks… er well, apart from the similar dental problems.
with Regios cast (L-R: Nakahara Mai, MIKA, Takagaki Ayahi)
I can understand why the link between them is being downplayed, nobody wants to live in their famous sibling’s shadow forever. Which is why I sort of feel sorry for misono, who’ll never match big sis Koda Kumi in the popularity stakes.
Anyway, I’m not that crazy of a Nana fan to want to support her sister’s musical endeavours, but I wish Daisy x Daisy well. An interview with MIKA about Regios below – I detect a hint of a lisp (which I actually find very sexy)!
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woah, I guess I’m in the middle of your description. I’m not that crazy to suppport her just because she’s her sister, but I guess I’m crazy enough to find a ressemblance in their voices which makes me like her. Of course it’s not the same, not only regarding the enka approach but more importantly, she’s missing the vocal power that makes me like Nana so much. Anyway it’s also nice that she isn’t a carbon copy. So…where could I find more stuff about her group? (meaning mp3 rips xD)
Hmm..no offense but she actually looks older than Nana-chan. But hey she sticks to her last name. Then again, Mizuki Nana sounds better than Kondo Nana…hmm.
Never heard of the younger sister before so thanks for the info. And I just realized I shared the same birthday as Mika lol. I wonder how old she is actually…
Wow, Nana has a younger sister? Never hear you mentioning it neh…anyway, thanks for sharing~ ^^
She looks alike Nana from the pict u posted above but a different one in her website -_-”
Nana’s page on Japanese wikipedia used to say that she had a younger sister in Daisy x Daisy as the vocals. But I think its changed already O_O
I guess they’re really trying hard to hide the connection, lol. I don’t think Nana wants people to buy Mika’s records just because she’s her sister…
But yeah, Mika actually provided background vocals on some of Nana’s records (just check the sleeves for Dream Skipper & Alive & Kicking for the name 近藤美香) but I suppose she wants to make it on her own now.
Or maybe they just hate each other’s guts now heh.
Sounds like what’s happening in Rosario Vampire. XD
I’ve met Mika before – during my first year in Japan I went to Nana’s first concert tour and Mika was helping the fanclub sign up booth. I spoke a few words to her then with my really crappy Japanese at that time when she noticed that I’m a foreigner and she tried to talk to me.
Yeah, not really look alike, I’ll believe it too if she says she’s Shimizu Kaori’s younger sister lmao. Wait, on second thought MIKA has young Nana’s eyes and smile.
I respect her attempts to hide the fact that she’s Nana’s sister, so I didn’t put her into Nana’s Eng wiki when I was heavily editing that (Jap wiki also doesn’t have it). Her music is still too generic for me (like Nana’s earlier works, which I bought backwards after I started to like her). Wish her luck too.
Perhaps its all about breaking out of ‘living in Onee-chan’s shadow’.
Perhaps its of importance that the record company does want to draw a link between both sisters as it will inevitably lead to fanboy wars who will start drawing comparisons between Onee-chan and Imotou-san. Onee-chan is Onee-chan, Imotou-san is Imotou-san. Guess we have to respect them as 2 individuals.
As for singing ability, well, lets all judge on merit rather than doing an upward comparison.
Her speaking voice is pretty low compared to Nana :O I wonder if Nana’s voice was/would be that low if she had not gone into voice acting.
owh, too bad with the “minus enka style”…
thats what i like about nana’s voice, enka… :O
but she resembles nana a lot.. XD