On this night before All Hallow's Eve the idol group called STARMARIE cast a magic spell, one that would enchant its viewers the longer they viewed this spellbinding video...
It's the night before Halloween, a time for us to prepare the finishing touches on our costumes, the decorations that surround our houses, or perhaps the last chance we have to buy the last few handfuls of candy to give out to those who may be trick-or-treating tomorrow eve. For those who do not want to go out or invite strangers to our doorstep however, it may be the evening that we wind down and relax in front of the television to watch some scary movies, or something a little lighter.
In today's pre-Halloween review we will be doing just that with STARMARIE's Kimi to Hitori Getsuya ni Utau, a lighter music video that will ease you into the Halloween spirit thanks to its magical feeling and the beauty that it holds in its visuals. Acting as a much deserved break from the heavier music videos that we have watched before now, it is time to allow STARMARIE to invite you into their own world of magic and fantasy as they walk through the wooded graveyards and call upon the spirits to guide them.
Now it's time to wind down together and enjoy something that focuses on its beauty as opposed to its storyline, because whilst it is fun to focus on the horrific and ghoulish aspects of Halloween, it is also nice to be taken in by its simplicity. So, without further ado, let us enter into the beautiful world of STARMARIE and bask in the light of their magic.
Let's go down to the woods today...~
Ah, it's that time of the day again: Time to walk through a graveyard. Doo-bee-doo-bee-doo, isn't this nice?
Truth be told, I can't say much because I used to hang out in the church graveyard as a kid. So, whilst this should be scary, it really isn't. In fact, I think this setting looks quite pretty in the least morbid way possible.
Em, girls... Question: Aren't flowers flammable? If the answer is yes, then don't stick your fucking candles in the middle of the flowers, no matter how instagram-able this summoning looks!
The fact that the editors managed to make the member look like a 2D cardboard cutout is incredible, and I commend them for it.
Also: This backdrop is bloody pretty, because I need to reiterate that I really like creepy settings.
This PV has a few issues with some scenes flashing by as quickly as they come, but the clips that we do linger on a little longer are so nice to look at, like this one here.
I... I really don't think that having that many open flames close to paper is a wise idea, girls...
Okay, fine. Ignore me. But see where those flames and flimsy bits of paper get you later on!
Also, I love this setting. It feels aged and lived in, and look at those books. BOOKS!
The member on the right looks like she is in constant pain in this PV. I'm gonna call that the Jasper Cullen effect, because why not?
Honestly, if I wasn't paying attention to this video, I would have thought the cloaked figure was one of the headstones, but with a face.
Ohhhhh, that would be creepy now that I think about it.
These transitions are everything, even if they do give me whiplash.
No idea who she is, but I think she is my favourite STARMARIE member now. She is just so pretty!
Lord, there is some gorgeous imagery in this PV, and it would be so nice to appreciate it without having to pause the fucking video because of the whiplash inducing editing D8<<<<
Ah, sunlight! It actually exists in this video, I see.
Ahhhh, a black cat crossed my path! Bad luck and allergies galore, yada yada yada...
Why does she remind me of LiNG LiNG from BiSH?
This PV does the aesthetically pleasing backdrops right, because despite its lack of colour in most scenes, they are all so stunning to look at.
Good God these shots are everything. That slow motion was done to perfection and just flows so perfectly in both scenes. Damn.
Such glorious imagery, I really love how ghostly the members look here as they are illuminated and blurred by the moonlight.
Oh, if only these scenes weren't half a second long :D
These effects are simple but sooooo effective and I live for it. It really does feel like magic.
The elegance of her movement in this scene is just... -chef's kiss- This director really knew how to make them look hauntingly beautiful.
I just want to jump into this world and envelope myself in the fog and throw myself into the dead leaves on the ground.
Whoever she is, she reminds me of Fukumura Mizuki in this video. Also, I love how seamlessly she fits in with the surroundings. Whoever did the keying for this video did it right!
I wanna be in this world, I wanna have a foggy, spooky setting for Halloween aaaaaahhhh!!!
But like any chroma keyed video, there comes some limitations and issues. I'm loving the lag from the idol as she tries to walk out of the frame there xD
Scenes like this are so effective. Simple but pretty, and it delivers he emotion needed in that moment. I love it.
This member especially intrigues me. I love how her expression changes and how the emotion she is feeling flits across her face.
Here, kitty kitty kitty... -waves catnip around-
LOOK AT HER!!!!!!!
I love her.
Me when I have a migraine but no aspirin to yeet it out of my brain.
Adorable. I also love the cheek tat.
Again, the main problem here is the lack of lingering on shots, but this scene's editing works well in portraying their actions and emotions.
Ah, America's up-coming nemesis: The Wall!
What's that, LiNG LiNG clone? You don't want to go back to BiSH? Okay, then don't go! What, Watanabe will drag you back??? Then just go all GiANT KiLLERS on him! You can do it!
This is a cute moment and - gasp! - THEY LINGER ON THE SHOT!!! YESSSS for no quick edits here!
Heeey, wait a second... is that a chair in the photo frame?
Why yes! Yes it is a chair! RikoRiko would be proud!
See, she's already on her way to claim this chair picture as her own!
Oh, wait. Something was happening in the PV. Holding hands, lingering camera shots... Ah, right! Back on track now.
I hope this isn't insinuating that they are being pulled apart?
One of the few times where the imagery can not keep up with human movement, making it look a little clunky.
Also, what the hell is going after her? This video has hardly any context, so I don't know if this is good, bad or just the fog developing a conscience.
Also, why does this remind me of Twilight?
-makes this my background-
That transition from greyscale to colour is impeccable. It is gorgeous and I love it. Also, I like the oving images in the picture frames. Very magical and fun.
ARGH! The cat is looking at me. It knows I've been watching it D8
Oh damn, now this is pretty, and because there is so little colour in this music video it makes this scene even more impactful, and really allows you to appreciate how beautiful it is.
Too bad it lasts for like a second! :D
These effects are so well done. I really love how far and few between the magic effects are, so when we do see them we truly appreciate how nice they are.
Also: COLOUR!!!!
No lie, I just looked at this image and thought it was a giant cake in the middle.
This is what hunger does to me, readers. Also, I thought the candles were giant birthday candles, so it's partly the PV's fault, too.
So. Farkin'. PRETTEH!!!!
I love that there are a few black roses thrown in there, but again: That colour. It's freakin' gorgeous and just stands out so much after seeing mostly grey and sepia tones throughout the rest of the music video.
This is a nice scene too, though a little muted compared to the other flower scenes.
To reiterate: SO. FARKIN'. PRETTY!!!!!
For such a short music video, it really does have some gorgeous scenes, and I love it for that. Why d'ya think I wanted to review this in the first place?
It just... It's so nice. I feel so relaxed when I watch it. It really does feel like they are casting a spell or summoning something beautiful.
God damn, that summoning circle reminds me of a fruit platter right now... Mind if I have some of it for lunch, STARMARIE? >.>
Mmmm.... magical fruit platter...
Ah, so she was the cat all along? Would have been nice to have a little more context, Director and Editor. Sheesh.
Though it by no means spooky, STARMARIE's Kimi to Hitori Getsuya ni Utau does fit in that Halloween bubble thanks to its grey, foggy look and its use of alchemy, graveyards and transformation. Yeah, it lacks a solid storyline, but I didn't want to review this video based on its plot: I wanted to review it based on its imagery.
Outside of its visual elements and the beautiful song that accompanies it, this video doesn't offer much in regards to plot substance, but that's okay. Sometimes we just need a little eye-candy, something to treat ourselves with in the days leading up to Halloween that isn't heavy to watch, and something that we can just appreciate without having to think too much about its plotline. Besides, there are plenty of people out there - myself included - who purely love Halloween for its aesthetic over its traditional meaning or the festivities that come along side it.
So this is for the Halloween lovers who want the dead trees, the hanging fog and the cloaks wrapped around you. Kimi to Hitori Getsuya ni Utau is a pretty music video that does its basic duty to entertain and please your eyes, and that's why I wanted to review it. Because it is super pretty, and also because it breaks up the heavier videos I have reviewed this Idol'ween season.
Of course Kimi to Hitori Getsuya ni Utau has its merits outside of being pretty, but it does have its own issues as well. In regards to its editing especially, this has to be one of the biggest drawbacks of the video, as well as one of its biggest merits. The colour keying is well done, the chroma key backdrop is absolutely gorgeous and the generated effects such as the fog, flow of magic, smoke and backdrop are beautifully worked into the music video. You can see that these elements of the video have been edited with such care, because it doesn't look cheesy or feel overwhelming. I really felt like there was magic in this video, and I have to applaud the editors who worked hard on these elements for that.
The basic editing however was not one to a high standard. With so many quick cuts, a lot of scenes felt too fast and too short for my liking as a viewer. It disrupted the overall flow of the video, had me pausing to capture scenes that I wanted to look at longer, and made me feel like I was going through whiplash, figuratively speaking. It was annoying to say the least, and my most disliked aspect of this entire music video. The end product looks good, yes, but that is down to whoever was in charge of effects and backdrops, because whoever edited the videos sequences didn't care about the product at all, or the time it takes to appreciate a scene and the pacing needed to fit the song. At best it feels like a haphazardous edit, and that saddens me.
Kimi to Hitori Getsuya ni Utau honestly deserved better in regards to its editing, and I am so sad that I could not appreciate some scenes because of this.
Still, I like the music video. Again, I wanted to review it because of how it looks as opposed to its (lack of) storyline and I will stand by that. It has a hauntingly beautiful appeal to it, one that is void of most colour until we see the members laying upon the bed of flowers, or during a few transitions which zap us between scenes. Actually, that is one aspect of the basic editing I like; the transitions are well done and allow us to travel through the video effectively, and there aren't too many of these that it feels like it's overwhelming. So, kudos to the editor for that, but I will still wag my finger at them for ruining the flow of the PV.
Anyway, Kimi to Hitori Getsuya ni Utau looks stunning, and I love that it chooses its moments in when it uses colour and how it uses light. It is simple, the imagery is rather breathtaking and I just can't help but enjoy it. The song is also a light, pretty tune that fits the music video fairly well, and it allows the video to feel like a short Hallows Eve tale that you read as a child. It's familiar and calming and something you might want to revisit the next year, and so on so forth.
It is a beautiful music video, one that has its own flaws but still manages to maintain a look of elegance and dark beauty. It may have little in regards to its plot, but what Kimi to Hitori Getsuya ni Utau does contain is that Hallows Eve aesthetic many of us aspire to obtain during this wonderful season of ghouls and ghosts. Thanks to its lighter sound and appealing visuals, this is a great video to watch for those who simply want something beautiful as opposed to heavy and horrific. No matter what it is about though you can not deny that Kimi to Hitori Getsuya ni Utau really does capture the essence of Hallows Eve and its mysterious ways.
Is it just me, or do you have a sudden urge to walk through a graveyard this chilly evening? No? Well, I don't blame you. Who knows what spirits are ready to come out and play this Hallows Eve?
To bring this review to an end, I hope that STARMARIE'S Kimi to Hitori Getsuya ni Utau entertained you this evening, whilst also giving you a break from the creepy and gory movies or music videos you might have been watching. For me it was a well-deserved break from the plot-heavy videos such as Fly High by Dreamcatcher and NECRONOMIDOL's santa sangre, whilst also giving me a chance to simply appreciate the visuals by themselves without having to try and fit pieces together. All in all, this was a pretty relaxing review to sit through and write up, and I am glad that I finally got around to talking about it.
Of course with this review being posted the day before Halloween, it's time to really get into the spirit of the season and prepare for the big night itself! Are you ready to trick or treat your way through the evening, or will you hide away in case the monsters come out to play? Whatever it is you plan to do, I hope you Halloween night will be an entertaining one that is filled with magic and yummy little treats!
Until the next post though everyone please stay safe, be considerate of those around you, take care of your physical and mental well-being, do something that you love and of course: Love those Idols!
Take care and Happy pre-Halloween!
Chiima~
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