CHARA’s Black-Haired Throwback From Her Debut at 23 Sparks Reactions — 5ch: ‘I Love “Tsumibukaku Aishite yo” (“Love Me Sinfully”)’

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The story

On September 20, singer CHARA posted a black-haired throwback photo from age 23 on her Instagram ahead of her 35th debut anniversary. CHARA debuted in 1990 with the single “Heaven,” and is known for hit songs like “Tsumibukaku Aishite yo” (“Love Me Sinfully”) as well as her role in director Shunji Iwai’s film Swallowtail Butterfly. The post sparked a wave of nostalgic comments on 5ch about her songs and film roles, with the thread branching out into talk of her children with actor Tadanobu Asano and even a joking suggestion that CHARA, Char, and Chage should form a band together.

CHARA’s Black-Haired Photo at 23 Draws Reactions! Shared Ahead of 35th Debut Anniversary: “Thought It Was Eliza for a Second,” “She’s Always Been Cute”

Sun, Sept 20, 6:59 PM

Singer CHARA (58) updated her Instagram on the 20th, sharing a photo from her debut 35 years ago.

Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Read the original article here

What people said

10AnonymousSep 21, 2026 12:58
They're doing a 30th anniversary revival screening of Swallowtail Butterfly, and Chara is just relentlessly cute in it.

Probably fried a lot of guys' brains back in the day.
12AnonymousSep 21, 2026 12:59
She bought a Swahili dictionary, found the word 'UA,' called up the university professor who'd compiled the dictionary to confirm its meaning, and used it as her stage name.
44AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:22
Re: #12
That's Cocco (a different singer).
14AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:01
The psychology behind posting photos of your own younger self
27AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:07
Re: #14
It's the mindset of someone confronting their own aging.
Celebrities probably feel the fear of getting old and losing their looks more intensely than anyone else.
15AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:02
I wonder what happened to 'Shijin no Chi' ("Poet's Blood")?
32AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:11
Re: #15
Crooked teeth like that were totally normal up through the 2000s.
These days she'd get roasted online for it.
67AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:42
Re: #15
Takehara Pistol is doing solo work now.
20AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:04
That sickly-sweet voice of hers is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it thing.
77AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:07
Re: #20
It's less about the voice itself and more her vocal delivery and way of talking.
Same with YUKI — it comes off like some kind of baby-talk act, I really can't stand it.
23AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:06
You probably won't believe it, but when Kaela Kimura debuted, I genuinely thought an angel had descended to earth.
28AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:07
Re: #23
Watched the "Happiness" music video and was floored — she looks like a completely different person now.
26AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:07
Musicians from Kawaguchi City:

Toshiteru Chiku (of Tama)
CHARA
Kayoko Yoshizawa
72AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:59
Re: #26
I had a classmate named Chiku — apparently their dad was into the arts, so I randomly wondered if they were related to the guy from Tama.
41AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:16
The Indian enka singer guy!?
47AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:24
Re: #41
That's Tiger Jeet Singh (the pro wrestler).
45AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:22
I want CHARA, Char, and Chage to form a band together.
69AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:49
Re: #45
Throw CHAKA in there too.
53AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:27
I love 'Tsumibukaku Aishite yo' ("Love Me Sinfully").
58AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:31
I always liked 'Uso Tsuku no ni Narenaide' ("Don't Get Used to Lying").
80AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:16
Re: #1 Re: #58
Even listening now, it's a great song — stylish, full of feeling, really something.
Same with "SOUL KISS."


Re: #53
Her freewheeling, do-whatever-she-wants dancing is the best part too.
62AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:37
'Heaven's Kitchen♪ Heaven's Kitchen♪' — man, that takes me back.
66AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:41
Re: #62
That's Ringo Sheena.
76AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:07
Shunji Iwai was basically a one-hit wonder with Swallowtail Butterfly.
Haven't seen anything from him since.
83AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:23
Re: #76
Uh, there's All About Lily Chou-Chou, a landmark of Japanese cinema.
85AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:25
CHARA's best album has to be Madrigal, right?
93AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:46
Re: #85
For me it's Violet Blue, with SOUL KISS as a close second.

Background and Key Points of This Topic

CHARA debuted in 1990 with the single “Heaven,” and this post came ahead of her 35th anniversary in the industry. The film Swallowtail Butterfly (1996, directed by Shunji Iwai), which came up repeatedly in the thread, is one of her defining works — she starred in it and sang its theme songs — and its 30th-anniversary revival screening is part of the context behind the discussion. While the thread mostly centered on nostalgic talk about her songs and film roles, some posts veered into commentary on her family’s appearance and politically charged remarks about how Iwai’s recent work is regarded, and those portions have been left out of this article. The act of posting one’s own debut-era photos is generally seen as a way of marking a career milestone on one’s own terms.

*This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Music] CHARA: “I’m Chara, who debuted with Heaven.” Black-haired photo at 23 draws reactions! Shared ahead of 35th debut anniversary.”

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