Tuesday, 23 December 2014

[12 Days of Idols] Just like the Tears Upon her Face, the Snow will Gently Fall... Juliet's 'Yuki Love' Music Video Review

All thoughts and opinions regarding the group, music video and song within this review are completely my own. Please, respect what is said. If you feel offended by what I write, honestly, that isn't my issue; it's yours, because you're the one thinking it's a problem. You don't have to read what I write, but if you enjoy a bit of conflict in opinion, you may not mind so much. Thanks.

I harp on about how the Winter and Christmas season is so warm and loving, a time to be celebrated. Well sometimes, it's the opposite - sometimes the winter is as cold and bitter as how the wind feels, breaking our hearts along the way. It can't always be pleasant, but we make this time of the year a happy time, despite how we feel sometimes towards it.

Even when we're heartbroken or hurting in this period, we try to put the memories aside, though despite all the efforts, we may still feel the icy winds of a love turned sour.

With all of these memories within my heart, how can I move on from the turmoil you gave me during that snowy, blusterous love back then on that cold Winter's Eve...?

We Countdown to 2 Days, so Idols please hide from me...
Memories in pictures of what was never meant to be...

Juliet are a group I enjoy listening to greatly. Their songs have power and emotion behind them, and whenever I watch their videos I feel such a strong sense of emotion, I can't help but feel engulfed by it. So, after re-discovering the beauty and turmoil that is the song Yuki Love, I decided that I would return to an older song and review it for my [12 Days of Idols] series, even if Juliet themselves aren't really Idols.

Originally, I had planned on reviewing Koi Yuki by Silent Siren, however upon trying to capture screenshots I realised how bored I was by the imagery given. The song itself is fine, I thoroughly enjoy it in fact, however the video does little to motivate me or grab my attention, no matter how pretty the background looks, so I knew that I would have to find another video or song to review. Que some rifling around and a bit of thinking, and eventually I thought of reviewing Yuki Love instead, because heck, why not? Last year I reviewed Fuyu Love, so it would be nice to rediscover some of the groups earlier stuff before I became a fan. And so, here we are.

Now Yuki Love isn't really that old, it's been around for 4 years now since December 15th this year, and is the second winter song by Juliet. Compared to Fuyu Love however, the video and song seem to take a turn from a positive, sweet outlook to a rather sad one... but I like that. I like that it's a new chapter in a winter story, even if it is pretty emotional one in tone and setting, mostly because it reminds that whilst winter is one of the happier times of the year, it can also be a cold one, much like the season itself; it just takes someone, or something, to hurt you in order to you feel so strongly about the true bitterness of winter.

So with all said and done, today we will be taking a look at one of the sadder winter videos in this Idol collection of winter PV's and songs, because even though we shower ourselves in light and happiness, we can't always escape the true sadness that winter can bring to our hearts. For the penultimate Winter review, let's take a look at Juliet's emotional Yuki Love, a song of sorrow and snow...

When the snow falls down, my tears fall with it. Watching it fall reminds me of when you...


You know, seeing the frost and snow on this pavement, it makes me realise that we haven't had any snow where I live this year...

That's a tad depressing, but also a good thing. I'd slip, for sure!


Either someone's moving out, or someone's moving in! Take a gander at which one it is?

And if only I could pack with such minimalism, it would be so much better! Sadly, I'm a hoarder!

"... Huh?"
Okay, so it is just me, or does she look a tad like Goto Maki in this screen shot? No, just me? Okay!

Anyway, what has Gotomo found?

"What... why do I still have this?"
A book? Well, what's in it? Open it up!

"... Ah..."
Hmmm, still can't see much... Gotomo, gimme a glimpse!


Okay, what in the fluffy fuck is that on your head, Maiko? o-O

"No, wait! Don't go!"
No, Bae, don't leave! I'll change my fluffy hat for you, I promise! ;^; Just give me another chaaaaance!!!

"Please... Please don't leave me..."
;______________;

BAAAAAE!!!!



By the way, keep an eye on Maiko in this music video; she's gonna make you remember this video! Well, she made me remember it!

"Wh... What do I do...?"
;____________________;

To be honest though, I wouldn't want to walk into the streets when it's snowing, in shorts no less, even if my boo did leave me. I ain't catching pneumonia just cause I'm moping!


When you're single, happy couples are all you see, right? Especially when you just broke up, they somehow flock around you...

Life enjoys being a little bitch .____.


By the way, Yumi, love the hat ;D

Disliking that lipstick, however.

"He's gone... he's really gone, hasn't he?"
...

Oh shit. No, no no no, don't cry sweety! It'll be okay, I promise!

): These scenes make my feels go haywire


Holy Hami, why you so beautiful? Your face is not present enough in this, nor your voice.

"What did I do wrong? I loved him, right...?"
I just... I just want to hold her, okay? ;___; I want her to know that it's all right, these things happen, you know?

"So why... Why did he leave me?"
Like, plenty more fish in the sea and all that jazz, yeah? It's gonna be okay...

It'll be okay, won't it?


Feeling a little nippy out there, Maiko? Maybe you should have invested in a decent coat rather than whatever the heck you have on your head ^o^

"I thought that he loved me too..."
Ah, memory lane... I can tell because we're in Sepia-tone-mode, and it sends me some warm fuzzies!

Plus, she's kinda not crying.

"No matter what, he always knew how to make me smile."
Ah, finally! He sent a text message! What's he saying, girl? Anything cute?


... Yeah, I can't read Japanese, so I have no clue what he is saying, dear o 3o One way to keep the messages private from prying, foreign eyes, at least!

"Oh, I remember that time. We were really happy..."
A Photo Album?


This is a really pretty shot, hence why it's in here.


And Yumi looks damn cold, even though she's wrapped in what I hope is faux fur!

"I would see you off to work everyday and wave..."
A time when our heroine was glowing with love and pride! Ah, what a blissful smile!


D'awww, how sickeningly cute! His and Her toothbrushes!

Bet his was the pink one~


Hami, you're a doll, just so you know <3 Need moar screen time from you, too!

"Was I not enough for him? Didn't I give him what he wanted?"
Sweety, it's not you!

"Wasn't I ever good enough for his love? Why... Why, God, Why!?"
It's him who wasn't good enough! Don't blame yourself! ;____; He doesn't deserve your tears! No one should ever put you in this much pain, ever!


Cold, hard stone. Is that what it feels like when breaking up with the person you love the most? Is that why Juliet are laying there, to represent the emotions of the girl?

;________________;

"I remember that the first thing I saw in the morning, it was always your smile..."
More memories to bring forth the feels that I am not prepared to let loose yet, though honestly, they're already pouring out...


... Oh shit, there is cake, and it's a Birthday. Birthday's are always supposed to be happy ;____;

"We were so happy back then..."
These memories feel like they hurt...


Yumi, Yumi I don't feel good, can you hold me? ;^;

Yumi: "Sure I can, sugar. C'mere."

Thank you ;____;

"But... you ended that happiness."
;_____________________________; NO!!!!!!!!!!

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!


Still can't read Japanese, but holy fuck, what is he saying to make her cry so much!? And why the fuck is he doing his break-up/reasoning to end it all over a text message!?

THAT SHIT HURTS, YOU DOUCHE BAG!!!!


"Do You Wish to Delete This Jack-Ass?" *boop*

YES SHE FUCKING WELL DOES!!!


Dick Weed DELETED Thanks, Siri!

;___________________;

It's going to be okay! You can do this, you're strong! You don't need him any more!


Hami, you're lovely and all, but right now my feels are EVERYWHERE and I don't know what the fuck to do, kay? Kay ;____;

Can I has hug? ;^;

"... No..."
Inwardly screaming for this girl right now, and seriously, my heart is breaking ;____;

"... No, it can't be... it can't be over..."
"Please, please God... I don't want this to end, not right now..."
Holy shit holy shit no, no, don't cry, don't cry... shhh, it's okay girl, it's okay, I'm here ;___; I'll be right here for you!


Yumi, SAVE ME FROM THIS PAIN! ;___________;

Yumi: "Sugar, when it comes to the pain of the heart, we can only save ourselves..."

;______________;

"That's enough for today..."
Huh? You're putting it down?


I don't know why, but this imagery feels so strong and just represents how that poor girls heart is, to me. It feels so sad! ;_____;

All the tears


... The snow melted?

Along with the winters snow, the sadness of my memories slowly began to melt away...


Hami, you so pretty ;^;

I won't say that enough, not to you~


Yumi's pretty too, and my favourite. Seriously though, they're all a good-looking bunch!


Ah, the box is disappearing...


But when everything else goes, she decides to leave behind her memories in that book.

Memories that will not hold her back...


... Wait, Maiko?


Maiko...?


Oh Shit...


Holy shit.


Holy... All the feels. All the fucking feels, guys ;____: Cuddle me. Cuddle me NOW because I need some fucking love right now, you hear!? So CUDDLE ME!

YUMI!!! ;______________;


;___________;

This got real, guys. Maiko, our Maiko, she's crying ;_______; Maiko...

Is this your memory?


Or... are you guys the memories? Is that why you're sleeping, because she's finally put her sadness to rest?

... Well, this just got deep.

"This is it."
Ah, so it's goodbye now? You're finally moving on from the past?


I'm glad. Now, you can close the door and never look back. The sadness will stay here, but I know you will surely become happier.

"Ah... wrong way."
... Wait, isn't that the way he always went? Is that the way you walked when he left you behind?


Well, it's time to take a new direction. You're going to create a new beginning, one where you are stronger than you were before.

"I still love you, but you can't hold me back any more."
You will still remember, but but it won't hurt any more;  you have finally let go of your sadness. Now, nothing will hold you back.


The only thing you can do from now on is move forward. If you look back, surely you will fall behind...

...

I think things got a little bit more intense in this PV review, more-so than what I am used to doing here. That said, it felt a lot more appropriate for this sort of video. I was still a little silly, however I seem to have a serious tone going on regardless... then again, hearing this song and watching the video, it brought out that side of me that was truly emotional and touched by what the music video says in terms of story, as well as the emotions of the character portrayed here. So, I think my overall tone adapted to how I felt towards the video (even if I still maintained my silly side).

When I first re-watched the music video for Yuki Love, I couldn't help but think about how drastically different the video was to Fuyu Love, which was made a year prior to this song and video. Both are winter songs, however Fuyu Love is very much a sweet love song that is happy and heartfelt, whilst Yuki Love is the complete opposite in tone and emotion; its sad, overwhelming and extremely emotional, showing you the darker side of a winter love song that I wouldn't have expected when I first watched this a year or two ago. Where one song is warm, this song is heartbreaking and cold, but still very powerful and emotional.

The video is beautiful in a bitter way. It's saddening, showing us memories that should feel warm and joyful, but are instead tinged with the sadness of the heroine as she thinks of happier days mixed with the days where she was truly sad and helpless, in constant turmoil over the loss of the man she loved. We see her go from a happy, smiling young woman to someone who is a crying wreck, to a serious person who has left behind her sadness, but still remembers the coldness she felt from the break-up she experienced. It has a range of emotions to experience when watching the video, and even though it may feel negative and disheartening when you watch it, I do think that video has a positive message within it towards the end - to keep on moving forward, even when something brings you down. Don't let your emotions keep you behind, and don't let one person keep you in permanent misery just because they couldn't love you as much as you loved them. Yes, it is a very sad music video, but it still seems to have a glimmer of a message of hope there, you just need to search for it a little.

Aside from that small patch of hope though, it is a very emotional music video, one that is filled with the turmoil of the lead girl and the powerful emotion behind the lyrics and vocals creating this glorious piece.

Really, Juliet did an amazing job creating this piece, it felt so personal and real when I heard it. The composition suits the tone of the video perfectly as well, but it was Maiko's voice towards the end of the song that really caught me off guard, especially when I first experienced Yuki Love; I never expected the emotion, nor did I expect to see her crying in the scene. Once that happened, it felt real to me, and it felt like it was Maiko experiencing the turmoil and grief the girl in the video was going through. So, of course, I assumed it was Maiko's own experience that was being portrayed in the lyrics. It felt so true and heartbreaking, and I felt for her.

She put on a truly stellar performance at that point, and before I had never really taken note of Maiko much (as I stated in the screen captions, Yumi is my favourite) but once she brought forth that power, emotion and her amazing acting performance, I was floored.

I enjoy this song a lot, even if it does make me feel emotional. Of course I also love the video and, whilst it doesn't have any interesting camera angles as such, it does have wonderful direction and a beautiful performance from a very talented actress. The girls of Juliet also created a brilliant performance themselves, in both song and vision, and overall I felt that the video was perfect in how it was made. It had the right emotion, the perfect tone, an intense atmosphere and wonderful actresses to really bring across the feeling and reality of the song without over-doing it or making it look tacky. Truly, it is a beautiful PV, one that shows the darker side of the winter we come to see as joyous and loving.

It is truly a heartbreaking music video, however it is still beautiful in its own way. Though it makes me cry, I really do enjoy it. Yuki Love is bitter like the ice cold December winds, but I suppose that is what makes it so wonderful.



When the snow begins to fall, so do the tears as the memories of the love she once had reappear in her mind...

Until next time.

Much Love,
Chiima~

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