18 February 2017

IMHO. Aimer ~ ohhh why do they all touch my favourite songs...

I must confess, the most beautiful thing in Aimer's discography is her album covers.

In fact, her voice is pleasant and has a distinctive hoarse tint, just a slight one, which could be her shtick... well, if she had a decent composer. But I guess if she does the same style for so many years she must like it. And that's a disgrace!
But when such singers turn to covers - and why did she have to publish almost the same collection twice? - they start to create 'their own atmosphere', which leads to the lyrical and sorrowful 'I Will Always Love You' being produced as an rnb (correct me if it's something else), powerful 'Poker Face' downgraded to a musical slowmo, and my beloved, my earcandy 'Viva la vida'... ugh...
I heard she collaborated as well with Hiroyuki Sawano, my friend's most adored composer. I feel even more sorry now that I know this fact...

IMHO. Natsumi Abe ~ one more

She is just so like may other female singers in Japan who after singing your usual pop songs for 10 years turns to classics as if hoping that such change of style would save their career. The problem is, Abe's voice is not particularly strong or beautiful, and while her 'stress is harming this world' may be at least interesting, her 'I dreamed a dream' is not touching or overwhelming as it could be, and is not even performed properly.

The stress
I'm highlighting this song because it is the most outstanding hit, if not the only, among her earlier singles. Though I don't particularly like it very much.

Rose
So, after 10 years she publishes a 'classical & crossover'. And poor 'Rose', covered by thousands of people be it a person who makes the song even more beautiful or a person who just wants to sing it no matter what, again suffers at the hands of a singer striving to gain more listeners, at least with the help of such timeless hits.

I dreamed a dream
Like I said, this is the song the reason of her cover I really don't understand. Sorry to all the fans, this is not what this song is supposed to sound like.

I couldn't find any other song to share my opinion about. By the way, this post is written during my current attempt to get rid of music I'm not going to listen to.

09 February 2017

IMHO. 'Tamayura' ~ OVA, 2 TV series and specials, totally made of kindness

When I first watched 'Tamayura hitotose', it was just a short series for relaxed entertainment. What I didn't expect is that by the end it would turn out into such a wonderful coming of age story with the characters so deep and the story so full.
Speaking coolly, I can say 'Tamayura' is a great source for learners of the Japanese language and culture. It brings out many important aspects of the Japanese society such as taking bath together with friends and family members, even if they happen to be of the opposite sex:
gratitude and respect towards parents and relatives:
proper attitude to serving the clients:
and the importance of supporting and inheriting the family business:
But the main idea of 'Tamayura' is that this world is entirely made of kindness. To an unprepared person it will seem saccharine sweet. Especially if today in the morning you had to make your way into the bus with your elbows lest you fail to secure a seat in the bus. Especially when a couple of days ago another suicide bomber killed a dozen of people in some country.
The idea of total kindness and happiness appears the very moment 'Tamayura' starts and does not leave the screen even for a second. Happiness is everywhere, in the head:
in drawings:
 in photos and memories:
 in sweets:
 in fairytales:
Next time you worry about entering a new collective, try to whistle.
Okay, just a bit more happiness
 aaaaand
However, after watching lazily the first episodes about peaceful everyday life of several teenage girls eating desserts and having fun, I gradually noticed myself taking one by one paper tissues to wipe the tears streaming down my cheeks. By the last episode of the specials, I realised how grave the issues in the story had become, and how realistic the way the girls were dealing with them was. If some stories may be called 'bittersweet', this one I would call sweet-bitter, in the order of appearance.

graphics
If the first episodes may be simpler in terms of shapes and details of different things including faces, the last specials change very much adding even more lustre to everything. However the backgrounds were gorgeous from the very beginning. That wonderful ability to create beauty in everyday life and notice beauty in ordinary things is probably something I respect the most in Japanese.

music
If there must be a fly in the ointment, it will be music in 'Tamayura'. While the background melodies were good and always fitting the situations, the OPEDs were extremely weak expressing nothing in particular, being just average tender songs performed by average singers. The best songs in all 'Tamayura' parts were 'Yasashisa ni tsutsumareta nara' and 'Sotsugyou shashin', both performed by Sakamoto Maaya with her soft voice, but both being songs of the legendary Matsutoya Yumi. Which proves her legendary-ness once again.

voice acting
Since seiyuus with soft voices will never cease to exist in Japan, there will never be a problem to find proper seiyuus for cute teenagers in Japan. However, I can probably say I am completely satisfied with the performance of the 'Tamayura' crew.

conclusion
As for me, I would never agree that living on memories is enough. Memories will not bring you a cup of hot tea when you catch a cold, will not fill your stomach when you're hungry and will not hug you when you feel blue. However, there's no argument to the fact that just being near each other is not enough. The saddest thing is that not everyone of us is blessed to live in the world similar to that of Fuu - a world full of kindness and of people who would welcome her back whenever she wants to return.

p. s.
and a tint of humour just enough for the story not to become too serious. A funny PE teacher:
 mom's old friends from a biker club:
 and his majesty the Pink Cat