Eurobeat On Its Own Terms
(Written in WAY too broad of strokes since I'm tired)
The path forward for eurobeat as a genre will not be built on re-establishing its connection with Initial D/MF Ghost, nor will it be through associations with dance games or fandoms such as My Little Pony or Touhou. The path forward for eurobeat will be built on eurobeat's ability to exist and be loved on its own rights and merits.
Because of the isolation the genre experienced after exclusivity became successful, the world outside of Japan experienced eurobeat almost exclusively through associated properties— specifically, anime (Initial D) and video games (DDR, other rhythm games, and... well, Initial D). Because of this, the rest of the world didn't experience eurobeat (or its associated dance style, parapara) as its own distinct cultural phenomenon the same way Japan did. Instead of a eurobeat song release being its own cultural unit, a eurobeat song is instead associated with its attachments.
Night of Fire by Niko and Deja Vu by Dave Rodgers get lumped in with Initial D. John Desire's cover of Hot Limit (by TM Revolution) gets associated with a Flash Animutation ("We Drink Ritalin"). Fantasy by Melissa and Nori Nori Nori by Judy Crystal are part of Bemani music games. Fans and indie creators introduce the genre to the Touhou fandom and later the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fandom (*ahem*), and new associations get built.
So now, eurobeat has a strange double identity. In Japan it is its own distinct thing— a dated genre with positive associations of the bygone Heisei era struggling to find its footing in the modern Reiwa era, but a distinct thing nonetheless. In the rest of the world, however… "meme music". "DDR music". "Brony music". "Initial D is the artist".
I should indicate now, having associations with eurobeat through something else is not a bad thing. Life is short— if you like Initial D's soundtrack, if Touhou Eurobeat makes you happy, if the song "Discord" introduced you to the genre or if DDR or Beatmania showed you this style, then cling to that. Love it. Embrace that with your heart. It is okay to like eurobeat THROUGH something. FAR too often in this space I see folks shamed for liking eurobeat through something else, or implying that the eurobeat that caters to those spaces is lesser (or even synth rock not eurobeat at all). As someone who has spent over half of her life in the genre, it's... really okay to like it THROUGH something.
But for those interested in the longevity of the genre itself, for those who want to see the genre in a prospering here-and-now, see its potential realized… what comes afterwards is even better. The next step is to love and celebrate Eurobeat as it is. Not through the lens of Initial D or Touhou or MLP or even Vtubers as of late (again *ahem*), but in its own light. The next step is seeing eurobeat as a genre that is wholly itself, beholden not to external franchises or licenses, but to itself. Eurobeat CAN be about those things, but what makes it wonderful is what it has to itself.
Energy. Whimsy. That fast tempo. That delectable arrangement. The breadth of sub-styles it can contain (guitar-driven? Aishu/bittersweet? Poppy? Masculine? Feminine? Other themes? Blending with other genres?). There's so much to eurobeat on its own that's worthy of adoration, celebration, sharing with the world.
The world has had enough time to experience eurobeat THROUGH something else. Hell, I haven't stopped creating eurobeat about or with certain subjects, and probably won't. However, it's a BIG reason I've focused on originals, done few songs specifically about cars/racing, avoided the Initial D Takumi AE86 leaning thumbnail... I'll confess, even when discussing the music video of "Night Cover" with Matara Kan, I requested that the AE86 would NOT be used. This is not out of some hatred for Initial D; rather, I wanted folks to enjoy the song on its own merits, as a Matara Kan song and not as a "knockoff Initial D" song. The decision to use the motorcycle with the extra cab for the Momo she brings with her is a brilliance I did not introduce, and I think Teru's execution of that idea shaped the experience of that song beautifully.
(On the subject of Vtubers, I should indicate that I understand my own work could be seen as "through the lens of the Vtuber community". I do not shy away from that criticism; Vtubing has deeply shaped my brand recently, and I enjoy this new shape. However, I also firmly believe that Vtubers are sufficiently broad in scope AND uniquely fascinated with the genre, to where such an association will not pigeonhole or typecast the genre as deeply as its associations with drift racing have. I see it as an opening up, not a closing in.)
In closing, I think the path forward for a eurobeat that is capable of withstanding the test of time is putting the genre in front of new audiences. Existing eurobeat fans already love eurobeat. Initial D and MF Ghost fans already love eurobeat. Touhou fans already love eurobeat. Bronies already love eurobeat. Vtubers themselves love eurobeat, though their audiences are still fresh and new to it. Vtubers aren't the only path forward; rather, my point is this:
Put Eurobeat In Front Of New Audiences, Exactly As It Is & As It Can Be.
People who don't know what eurobeat music is, seem to love it in all its flavors. Older and slower/still Italo Disco-flavored, newer and faster and EDM-flavored. Old synths and samplers, new sounds and influences. It doesn't tend to matter-- the song itself tends to be fantastic. It doesn't need to change to reach an audience (singular), all of its flavors need to be brought to more audiences (plural). The availability, the marketing, the presentation— fix these, and focus them on loving eurobeat as it is; and I foresee the genre prospering.
That's enough out of me, I've been up for hours and haven't had breakfast. I'm gonna do that.
