⚡ 💀 💕 / 👻 👻 👻 Like a lot of BABYMETAL songs, this one has a positive message about facing challenges, both internal and external. For this one, Su, Yui and Moa watched a lot of martial arts movies and worked with their choreographer MIKIKO to incorporate those kinds of moves into the dance routine. Good job catching the 'Karate Kid' reference. Of course Moa lets the fly go unharmed. Her catch phrase, based on her given name Moa (最愛), was "Treasure love the most".
Nice reaction again. 'Karate' was the lead single for their second album (2016). It is about fighting adversity, when life knocks you down and everything seems too hard so you're hurt and crying, its about standing up and fighting on, helping each other through the hard times. They used karate to illustrate this because as a Japanese martial art it reflects their culture - as with a lot of their songs it is also about always moving forwards. In the video the figures in white were the girls all along and they were conjuring up their own inner demons to fight against. They beat the first, the second knocked them down but they got up to eventually defeat themselves (did you notice the reflections of each of the girls in their own eyes when the masks shattered and it was revealed as them? Not many people spot that). They did watch a lot of martial arts movies to get ideas for the choreo as they wanted it to look as authentic as possible (but they are not martial artists). Well spotted, yes, Moa catching the fly was a nod to Mr Miyagi in The Karate Kid. Mr Miyagi may have used chop sticks (and it may have taken him two or three films before he caught one), Moa caught her fly with her eyes closed - first time. This song and video won 2 awards. "Best Metal Video in MTV Video Music Awards Japan 2016" and "Best Metal Song in 6th Annual Loudwire Music Awards". If you didn't find it yet, the live at Download 2016 in the English rain is a good one - or live at Budokan 2021 is spectacular.
Karate was released as a digital single in February 2016. Su was 18 while Yui and Moa were both 16 years old at the time. They were younger at the "Megitsune" MV you already watched. Not to mention in "Doki Doki Morning" or even "Iine"... 🤭 "Karate" is kinda poppy in my opinion but it gets way better live thanks to Su-metal's incredible vocals (and the Kami Band, of course).
The film Karate Kid actually references an older Japanese movie which references an old legend from 100s of years ago, so it's all a deeper hole than it might seem.
Nice one! If somebody asks me for BABYMETAL studio videos, I recommend "Karate" first, followed by Megitsune&Metali! (same director, this is visible immediately). "Karate" first, because it is an outstanding MV. It is a piece of art. Everybody I asked about it so far immediately got the meaning of the song simply by watching the video. All parties involved in this did an incredible job! Sometimes I blast the studio version of Karate in my car, although I´m the "BABYMETAL live is the thing to go!" type of fan. It sounds SO well! What Ganimal83 is referring to is the end of the video... take a second and VERY close look at it! The eyes are the mirror of one´s soul 😉 You think they were young in this? Watch "Doki Doki Morning" or "Iine!" 🤣 P.S.: just saw your comment regarding DDM... you will have fun, and watch out for tiny red figures somewhere! 😉
