Japan's Otoboke Beaver, one of world's most exciting bands, returns to Korea

Otoboke Beaver / Courtesy of Mayumi Hirata

By Jamie Finn

With their brash, raw sound, energetic live shows and uniquely bright and vintage aesthetic, Japanese band Otoboke Beaver has become a force to be reckoned with in the world of punk. The all-woman four-piece has been tearing it up with insane performances all over the world. They are about to embark on a massive tour of North America. First, Otoboke Beaver will make a few stops around Asia, including Japan, Taiwan and, of course, South Korea. Ahead of their Seoul performance on Nov. 23, the band popped in to tell us about the world through the eyes of Otoboke Beaver.

Otoboke Beaver's plans for world domination are well underway. Their much-lauded brand of fast-paced noise has seen them regularly labeled as "one of the world's most exciting punk bands." Despite this, the members don't feel that the term "punk" completely fits them.

"We often struggle with that label," Otoboke Beaver guitarist Yoyoyoshie told The Korea Times. "We try to include a variety of genres in what we do, and calling us punk doesn't capture all of them. We describe our sound as 'fast and loud' to anyone who hasn't heard us."

Their most recent album, 2022's "Super Champon," is a cacophonous swirl of bright and abrasive sounds that are indeed loud and fast. As well as punk, Otoboke Beaver explores garage rock, art-pop and hardcore on a collection of songs that rarely exceed 90 seconds in length. "We just go for the speed and rhythm that feels right for us," Yoyoyoshie explained. "Right now, that means playing really fast."

Otoboke Beaver / Courtesy of Mayumi Hirata

One of the catalysts of Otoboke Beaver's recent success is working with British music label Damnably, which also features Korean bands Say Sue Me and Drinking Boys and Girls Choir. The label is run by British couple George and Janice, to whom the band lovingly pay tribute in an eponymously titled song. "They are the ones who brought our music to our world, so we really wanted to write something about them," Yoyoyoshie said. "When they got married, Say Sue Me wrote a beautiful wedding song for them, and that inspired us to write one, too, but in our own style. The Say Sue Me song shows Damnably's calmer side, whereas our song shows their lively side."

Since signing with Damnably in 2016, Otoboke Beaver has gone international, with extensive tours around the world, including some high-profile festival appearances. The band has become a must-see act for any lineup lucky enough to have them, and this is a big part of their current momentum. Still, the members argue there's a very organic feeling to their new-found acclaim. "I think it is largely due to word of mouth," Yoyoyoshie said. "People have been recording our shows and sharing them, which has really helped us find a new audience. Many Japanese artists and venues don't allow the audience to film shows, but we have no issue with it. More people have been sharing our performances, and Otoboke Beaver's fanbase has been growing from there."

It's true. One of the quirks of Japan's live music culture is that many venues (and even some performers) put heavy restrictions on the use of photography and filming equipment. There are several reasons for this, one of which is a desire to control the perceptions of the artists as a brand. Despite these limitations, Yoyoyoshie insists the Japanese punk/DIY community is thriving. "It's a scene that I've always admired because people continue to create cool things now and in the past. Some bands you should definitely check out are Less Than TV, Guitar Wolf, DMBQ, Delacine, Oshiri-penpens and Ni-hao!"

Otoboke Beaver / Courtesy of Mayumi_Hirata

The Otoboke Beaver name has become synonymous with riotous live shows and on-stage chaos. The unpredictable nature and DIY style of their performances may make you think that they approach events with an anything-goes mentality, but they take preparation very seriously. "Checking our sound is very important, and we often rehearse for a solid hour before each show. It's important for us to feel comfortable on stage, so we prepare carefully."

Yoyoyoshie of Japanese band Otoboke Beaver throws her guitar into the crowd at Pentaport Rock Festival in Incheon, Aug. 5. Courtesy of Eric Chen (@103mc_milkgreen)

Touring has contributed to Otoboke Beaver's success, but more crucially, it has given the band a sense of freedom that they say is important to them. "We wanted to feel like we could play anywhere we wanted," Yoyoyoshie said. "That came from playing outside of Japan. It gave us confidence and the space we needed to become the band we are today."

Of all the countries the band has played in, the one they got the best response from was Mexico. "That performance was insane," Yoyoyoshie said. "The crowd went absolutely wild. I heard that some of the audience got so excited during our show that they shit their pants!"

The four members of Otoboke Beaver pose on stage during Pentaport Rock Festival in Incheon, Aug. 5. Courtesy of Eric Chen (@103mc_milkgreen)

Yoyoyoshie was also keen to highlight Korea as a place where they love to play. "We got invited to Pentaport this year, and it was an amazing experience," she said. "Playing there was fun, but it was also so great to see so many Korean bands. Also, even though it was hot, it was really fun to dance with friends while The Strokes were playing."

Otoboke Beaver is back in Korea for a show this Thursday at Rolling Hall near Hongik University in western Seoul. They will be joined by labelmates Drinking Boys and Girls Choir.

Visit otobokebeaver.com for more information. Tickets are available on Interpark.

Jamie Finn is chief editor of Platform Magazine.