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Nostalgia will surely kick in at some point in this post...
Here's something that I rarely dabble in now, and that's anime Idols/singers. It's not that I don't like them, it's more to do with the fact that I just pay attention to Idols in general right now. My interest in anime itself has wavered somewhat, but considering it's where my roots came from, I do appreciate anime music and how wonderful it truly is. I just don't listen to it as much because I obsess over the more prominent demograph of Idols, such as Morning Musume, AKB48 and other Idols...
That said, I am once again heading back to my roots, because whilst this may not be an anime song (it's a PSP song, actually), the singer herself is someone from my anime-loving past. The voice actress of Seira from Mermaid Melody, one of my favourite anime's from when I was 13 going up, and the singer of the glorious song Before The Moment, Kitamura Eri is one of the anime singers I liked a lot growing up as an Otaku, and one I obsessed over despite not knowing her name. She was one of the few cast members out of the minor (hell, even the main!) roles who could actually sing, and the fact that she could sing low and high was pretty amazing to me at the time. Yes, I liked her a lot, and so when I stumbled upon the PV preview for Destiny and looked up just who Kitaura Eri was after recognising the name, I was surprised and happy to find a childhood singer from my anime days.
Oh lord, Nostalgia is creeping back in, guys. We need to close this damn door!
So yeah, other than that, I actually really like this song. I was surprised by how different it sounds to anime songs in general, or what I remember from anime songs back in the day, and Kitamura Eri has really impressed me with the performance she has given in both the song and the PV.
Want to know more? Well, check out the pic spam, stay for some tea, and then read the review afterwards, because we're going to find our Destiny with Eri in her latest PV!
Is it bad that the forest instantly reminds me of Mayuyu's Synchro Tokimeki...?
That hall looks absolutely gorgeous, and so does Eri...
Gawd I want that corset and that skirt...
Lord she is beautiful, seriously... How can someone look so lovely?
Just epic!!!
Let's just say that she's flawless, shall we? And if I have to, I will say it again!
It's so dark and gothic but at the same time enchanting and fairytale like...
Eri: "I swear I saw that damn Mayuyu go this way..."
I am seriously getting some De Ja Synchro Tokimeki here...
Except that our dear Eri seems to be injured, tired and cold... wait... Eri, were you the ball of light that Mayuyu battled in Synchro Tokimeki!? Is this your human form?
Eri: "Is that a light I see...?"
Eri, no! Don't give up hope! You will find your Destiny, I promise! And I was only kidding about the Synchro Tokimeki thing!
Okay, thanks for stealing my heart away with your perfection <3
Let's just say I love some of these camera angles, they're pretty epic~
Fierce!
And we have some classical instruments here in the background! Don't forget to give these lovely ladies some love!
Dat ass!
Is it just me, or does she look like a doll?
Eri: "I'm better than most Idols when it comes to singing!"
A doll with the voice of an Angel, that is. Sing, Kitamura, SING!!!
Oh look, more epic shots, and wow that forest looks nice...
Eri: "Will I ever be able to get out of this forbidden forest...?"
Where's my up-skirt shot?!
Working the microphone there, are we Eri?
Eri, do not feel dejected! You WILL find a way out of this forest, I promise! Just look some more and you will find a way out!!!
Eri: "It is my destiny to find a way out!"
Looking fierce once again Eri. And omfg I LOVE YOUR MICROPHONE! IT'S AN EFFING SWORD!!!
Eri: "I can make it..."
Almost there, Eri, I promise...
Yes, Eri, it's there! Run, Eri, RUN TOWARDS THE LIGHT... Wait, no! Go back, do NOT run towards the light!!!
I've said it once, and I will say it again, but this time, chant with me... On the count of three: One... Two... Three:
FLAWLESSS!!!
YAY!!!! She made it through the Forest of No Return, YES!!!
Well, aren't we gettin' classy now! Look at that house and that garden, wowzers!!!
Now, is it just me, or does Eri look totally hot in that outfit? Seriously, if she was a dude, I would...
If I was a dude and I saw her, I still would.
Where will this door lead our cold and tired heroine of this story...?
No, you aren't drunk, because this is actually what happens in the PV...
Though if you're seeing triple or quadrupole, then yes, you are drunk.
Oh no, Eri, wake up, they're gonna MUG YOU!!!!
Wait, they didn't mug you! They dressed you!!!!
Damn they got to see you naked D; So unfair...
Eri: "I'm so... pretty..."
You were always pretty, Eri. It's just that you look like a princess now.
Yes, Eri, that is your reflection. She won't run away.
Oh my gawd it changed! So your reflection did run away! Oh gawd oh my gawd, what the hey...
I like the image, it says: The past created the present you, and your past self created what stands in front of you. Do not hate the past for the hardships you have been through, because ultimately, it creates a better person...
Or something philosophical like that xD
On the count of One... Two...
SO EFFING FLAWLESS!!!
Aww, Eri, don't be sad! You have become a princess!!!
I want that hall, I want that microphone stand... Hell, I want that house!!! With Kitamura Eri in it, please
My lord, this took a while to finish, and not because of the pictures, but because I was distracted by Facebook and tagging people in Morning Musume photo's. Really, I need to learn how to concentrate, because a good hour or two has passed since I began this review, and I have yet to actually start the review portion of it...
Okay, facebook gone, review on! Le's get through this lovely little PV and have a nice little chat about it, shall we?
The video for Destiny is, in my eyes, an extremely gorgeous music video. There are such beautiful scenes in this video, from the solo shots of Eri standing alone, to the hall where she sings in and the dark, deserted forest which she walks through in order to get to her destination. Every scene is beautiful in this video, and I applaud the director or producer who thought up the concept of the video, because honestly, the shots are lovely, and so much more than what you would normally expect from a PV for a PSP game theme song. Really, Kitamura Eri must be a very popular, high-up singer in the anime/Idol world to get something this lovely and clearly well-budgeted for a PV that is for a game. It's amazing, and I honestly was surprised by just how great the video itself was, let alone how epic the song is.
Whilst I didn't really find a prominent storyline in the video itself, I did find some meaning behind the video itself. After watching it with my sister, she found a 'Prince and the Pauper' story behind it all, feeling that Eri became a Princess after the aftermath of being a pauper. I don't entirely agree with my sister on this one, because I see something different, and probably something a little more meaningful... or at least, meaningful to me.
After watching this video more, I have found that the video shows something of a journey for Eri herself, one where she ultimately finds her destiny. She goes through hardships, and intends to find something better for herself, and ultimately works hard and fight for that destiny that she wants to achieve. She doesn't give up on herself, and fights through the forest despite the fact that she is hurt, cold and probably even hungry. She trips and falls along the way, nearly on the rbink of collapse, but she pulls herself forward and eventually, despite the long, gruelling journey she has undertaken, and finally reaches her goal, where she ultimately collapses, but she knows that she is safe from the harm that the forest harbours. In the end, she is rewarded for all of her hard work, and she becomes better off in the end of it all because of this hard work. Finally, when she see's her reflection towards the end of the video, she see's what she has become, before seeing what she used to be and finally comes to acknowledge what she has achieved by never giving up, and basically thanks her past self for doing what she could to achieve her destiny, and making her a better person.
I really get into the stories or motto's of video's, don't I? But honestly, I feel like all video's can have a deeper meaning behind them which can stick true to some people, kind of like this one and me in a way. I do like that I found a nice meaning behind this video, because it does work with the imagery in the video itself, and throughout it, you can truly feel a sense of Eri thanking herself not just through the reflection scenes, but also through the scenes where we see her singing. She's standing in the very same house with the women who gave her new clothes and a new life to live, as well as the clothes she wears towards the end, which shows you the Eri we see now, but she is telling us through the song what she experienced and how she became what she was, and that is how she is thanking herself for never giving up and for always trying.
It's a great PV in my eyes, and I love the imagery used. There are so many gorgeous scenes in this video, and it just shows what you can do with few (and gorgeous) locations, but great execution. It's beautiful, and the PV works so well with the song. I really like it, and whilst I didn't really get the storyline, or lack of, I find the meaning behind it nice and inspiring for the people who do like video's with meanings, and not just pretty imagery.
The song is just as beautiful as the video is, and everything that I didn't expect. Strong vocals, a wonderful instrumental and a great up-tempo sound. It's mature and sounds somewhat classical despite the use of an electric guitar in the song, and it just has a really great rhythm to it. I love the sound of the song because of how different it is to most anime or game songs that I used to listen to, and it realy stands out for how great it is and how heavy it sounds thanks to the instrumental. Paired with Kitamura Eri's vocals, you get a very strong and memorable song, one which will run through your head for a while because of how beautiful it sounds.
It sounds pretty intense to me, especially through the instrumental break where we get a nice dose of guitar rifts that just continue to heighten alongside the classical instruments such as the violin and what I think is a piano. It sounds amazing, and when it finally becomes softer you get such a wonderful mix of slow-paced sounds which return to that fast-paced, up-tempo beat that the song has which Eri compliments perfectly with her gorgeous voice. This song is so beautiful, and I just love how it can change from up-tempo to soft and classical in the blink of an eye. It suits the video's tone and concept wonderfully, and just works so well!
It's all beautiful, and Kitamura Eri has done a great job with both this song and the video! They work wonderfully together, and create such a mature and meaningful PV. I really like both the song and video, and hope that in the future I pay more attention to Kitamure Eri and her work, because she was a fabulous singer from when I remember her during my anime days, and she is still a fabulous singer now!
Definitely check this girl out, because she is just glorious, and everything about her, from her voice to how she portrays herself in a video, is absolutely breathtaking.
What a nice blast from the past... >3<
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