Ali Baba had his 40 thieves, and Scheherazade had 1000 tales, but none are as good a story as Japanese high school students from different schools coming together to put on a joyful show of “Friend Like Me” from Disney’s Aladdin! Students in the dance and band clubs from two high schools joined forces to create an unforgettable performance to the classic Disney song that you’ll want to watch over and over.
Tomioka High School Dance Club in Osaka and Kyoto Meito High School Marching Band Club can be seen dancing and performing in the classrooms and hallways of a typical Japanese high school. The high-energy lyrics are sung in Japanese, adapted from the film version performed by Will Smith, by an equally exuberant and talented genie.
This isn’t the first time the dance club from Tomioka High School has gotten international attention. Their 80s-inspired dance video has over 80 million views, and the team competes in dance championships on some of Japan’s biggest stages.
The live-action Aladdin released this summer is a big hit in Japan, reports SoraNews24, and Smith learned some Japanese phrases from Yamapi, one of the country’s biggest idols, during his trip to Tokyo for the premiere of the film.
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(We love that Smith chose “Welcome to Earth” as an essential phrase to learn.)
The high school students seem genuinely thrilled to be working with Walt Disney Japan on this collaboration, and their energy and joy are infectious. We dare you to not crack a smile when you watch this upbeat music video on repeat.
Featured Image: Walt Disney Japan
