In praise of Chinamist and the H!P remixes

°C-ute's “Tokaikko Junjou” was target for Chinamist’s remix using the crazy Japanese workplace farce of 2002, “Yatta.”

Breakthrough DivX video site Stage6 is, alas, no longer with us, but the legendary Chinamist lives on through a variety of Web sites, mostly YouTube, where his precious collection of 100 amazing remixes remains today.

Who can forget Berryz Kobo and “Pop Music,” or °C-ute and “Yokaroumon?” The thing about Chinamist is that he speeds up or slows down the videos in order to synchronize them right to the beat of the music.

Further, Chinamist glorifies both American music and J-pop equally, because many of the US tunes seem to flow along nicely with the Hello Project video footage.

My top five of Chinamist’s astonishing video remixes:

1. °C-ute and “Yokaroumon.” UFA’s crazy Konkatsu Pistons are interfaced over °C-ute's “the making of Sakura Chirari.” Chinamist skillfully matches, for example, Umeda’s mouth openings with the Pistons’ shouts.

Berryz, shown singing “Kokuhaku no Funsui Hiroba” in July 2007, were graced by Chinamist, who overlaid “Pop Music” in a great remix.

2. Berryz Kobo and “Pop Music.” Unreal how Chinamist coordinates this one, with footage from Berryz’ dance version of the “Kokuhaku no Funsui Hiroba” PV slowed beautifully to match, step for step, the beat and even lyrics of “Pop Music.” It even appears as if Miyabi, Yurina and Risako are actually singing it.

The dance version of Buono!’s “Honto no Jibun” became a fabulous remix using the JAM classic, “Radio,” again by Chinamist.

3. Buono! and “Judy and Mary.” The fantastic, vintage Judy and Mary song about young rockers dreaming about getting their song on the radio, and “cutting a demo” and all that cool stuff is superimposed skillfully over Buono!’s dance version of “Honto no Jibun,” in one masterful take. Chinamist outdid himself in this one.

”That’s the Power,” a °C-ute hit throughout 2007, was backdrop for another great Chinamist remix using “Shining Star,” misspelled “Shinning Star” online.

4. °C-ute and “Shining Star,” a wondrous and dreamy J-pop classic. The song is overlaid on top of footage of “That’s the Power” off the group’s electrifying Sept. 30, 2007, concert at the Yokohama Blitz. Again, the synch is perfect.

5. °C-ute and “Yatta.” Remember the crazy 2002 number sung by the six Japanese businessmen who lost their shirts (and shorts, for that matter) during the Japanese recession and went around the country in fleshtone body suits (with the obligatory oak leaves in just the right place) singing this brutal song? Chinamist overlays in over °C-ute's “the making of Tokaikko Junjou.”

There are so many more, and thankfully YouTube is available to archive them. Stage6’s big-screen display and superior sound quality made Chinamist’s offering something from another dimension, but they still hold up well at YouTube.

Better enjoy these classics before they get taken off the Web by some stingy music company. The Chinamist genius must endure.

This is Radicalipton signing off – for now.