@@emmanuelperez5741 She's native in both languages. Her parents are Japanese citizens, but she was born in New York and lived in the US until she was... 15, I think
I'm wondering if the copyright doesn't apply if the the song is the subject matter of analysis like it is here as opposed to being used to enrich an aspect of the production therefore adding value to the media without purchasing the license or rights to do so.
Utada is an once in a lifetime kinda singer in my opinion. Their upbringing, education at an international school, their mother also being a singer, their commitment towards their craft, the stars and planet had to have aligned for some one like Utada Hikaru to bless us in our lifetime
Why do you keep saying their? It's a single person you're talking about. Also, I don't get what you mean by once in a lifetime. There are a lot of amazing vocalists.
@@tasogarerubica It doesn't really matter what someone "considers themselves" to be. I can't "consider myself" to be non-racial...I'm a white guy. That's a fact and it's unchangeable. Utada is a woman whether she likes it or not. Pretending not to be what you are doesn't change what you are.
This song still gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it. That cutscene in the first game with this in the background and Sora & Kariri.......was so significant to my younger years
Dude it was such a surprising mix of happy and sad at the end of a journey like that. Super impactful. The kh2 ending with the After The Battle version of Sanctuary still hits me harder tho
Hikki is super talented. She doesn't even consider herself just a singer anymore. She recently said in an interview that she spends a lot more time composing, writing and arranging than singing.
I'm still here. I sincerely hope that 1) this doesn't get a copyright strike, and 2) you're able to review her song Sanctuary from KH2. Just as, if not more, phenomenal -- in both languages!
The reason I love this song personally is because of how strong and sweeping her voice is. The instruments and everything else take a very nice back layer. This is a song for a SINGER and she sounds amazing
If I remember correctly, Utada Hikaru (I think in the Japanese tradition of having the family name first) released her first album around the age of 14 or 15 maybe, under the name Cubic U, in the US... She became really big in Japan, then probably gained a lot of her popularity in the West via this song, featured in Kingdom Hearts. She is Bilingual, mostly releasing in Japanese because of her popularity in Japan, but has some English language albums too... Her early stuff is maybe a bit more 90s pop/RnB, but some of her later stuff gets a little more weird and experimental, yet remaining generally quite pop... I'm not sure exactly how to describe it... But yeah, I think she has a lot of cool music.
Utada Hikaru fan community here from the Philippines. Thank you so much for reacting to this song. Your reaction to PINK BLOOD was also amazing. We just wish you also listened to "Hikari", which is the Japanese version of the song and the intended version of the song. For context, Utada Hikaru had to use a different melody for the first part of the chorus (which is the same melody as her other song called Uso Mitai na I Love You and you might like that as well because it is pop rock) because she was having hard time laying down English lyrics to the original melody line. The Japanese version also has more variations of the chorus and so they have a different kind of feel to them. We think that you might find them interesting as well as much as they are to us. Anyway, we are already seeing people requesting for you to review her other song "Sanctuary" as well. Just so in case that you'd end up doing so (and we really hope that you do), please please please listen to its Japanese version as well, which is "Passion". The Japanese version even includes a verse that is not included in Sanctuary so it would have been such a missed opportunity.
I remember playing Kingdom Hearts long ago and listening to this song on repeat. I and my group of friends were listening to Ill Nino, Otep, Tool, Deftones, etc.. and I got so much shit for liking this song. Eventually we all grew apart but this Utada song has stuck with me and helped bring a different sound into my life. I am so psyched to see you listen to this one!
I remember hearing this song as a kid back when Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories was new and they played this song for the commercials. This song was like nothing I heard before, so beautiful. I would always try to catch the commercial so I could hear it again and later bought the game mostly because of the song.
BTW, Hikki is singing the theme song for a Japanese historical movie call Kingdom about a Chinese general from the warring states (400 BCE) coming out this on 7/28/23. Sounded pretty good. again, her trademark complex mix was used for that theme song as well.
This song just immediately elicits an emotional response from me. It takes me back to the early 2000s when the commercials first started airing for Kingdom Hearts. Before I even played the game, I remember the cinematics paired with this song would make me pretty emotional. It's also when my love of JRPGs was born.
At this point, Hikaru Utada was one of - if not THE highest grossing, biggest pop stars in Japan. Everything about this song was, and should've been, MASSIVE.
I would love for you to do more Utada. They became so many people's favorite artist after we discovered Simple and Clean from Kingdom Hearts 20 years ago
The Planet B Remix version of this song is a more upbeat version that was featured in TV commercials for the game and it's definitely an interesting and popular version of the song.
This song literally got me (back) into gaming. After putting away my kids toys (nes, snes, etc) and running the streets and young adult life i finally had some kids n settled down in the early 2000s. My kids were entering video game age (5-8) when i saw this disney commerical on tv n went out to buy a ps2 and KH1…. 20 years later, im still gaming in my 40s lol.
I am more a fan of Japanese version, also by her (titled 'Hikari', i.e. 'Light'). Do love lyrics. There is also a great live ochrestra version of Hikari + Dearly Beloved (it is nine y.o. YT video titled 【2014 巴哈姆特 LIVE！】VGO Live at Symphony Hall - Dearly Beloved & Hikari ). Great stuff! KH fans probably all know about it, but I am not a KH fan, so it is just a suggestion to everyone who is also not.
I love your Utada reviews! This is the same artist that did "Pink Blood" which you reacted to previously. Your deconstruction of the production is very insightful. I also love that you said the production is current, while this song is now 21 years old lol! Utada's songs tend to sound very classic and timeless no matter what year they came out.
I love this song. I liked it when I heard the remix version played in the intro of Kingdom Hearts and loved it when this version played during the credits. At the time it blew my mind how two fit so well and felt so different from each other.
This song holds up so well after 20+ years. It's always going to be instantly nostalgic for me. I love how soulful and intricate the vocal layers and "embellishments" are all throughout. Also what would you call the sound that accompanies the start of every chorus, including the very beginning?
One of those singers whose voice just cuts straight to my heart. She's not doing anything earthshattering here, it's just good lyrics, heartwrending high notes, and excellent composition. The Michelin dish comparison is spot-on. I think this song is about 95% responsible for why so many people attached to the Kingdom Hearts series the way they did. Punching you in the face with this, in the first five minutes of a game, on *Playstation 2*, is just an insane creative swing for the fences.
It's so funny to me. This is a main theme song in a videogame where the protagonist loses their female childhood friend and is trying to get her back. BUT, if you listen to the lyrics its a breakup song about an adult women trying to explain to her partner that they can't be together because he's not mature enough to be with her and understand the situation. It's actually not appropriate for Kingdom Hearts at all ;).
Utada is her family name, Hikaru is her given name. Aside: the Japanese version of this song is a wordplay on her name. Hikaru is represented by 光 (kunyomi reading), and the name of the song is Hikari….. also represented by 光 (alternate reading). Note on different sounds being represented by the same character - the English analogy is to-MAY-to vs to-MAH-to. Because she uses an uncommon reading of her given name you’ll often see her name written as ヒカル (literally: hi-ka-ru) rather than merely the Chinese character (which has multiple potential readings).
Her name is actually a verb. If you have the word "hikari" (light), you only need to make the "ri" at the end a "ru" to get "hikaru", which means 'to shine'. In my opinion, the title of the Japanese song is very appropriate, so I don't think the wordplay is intentional. In one of the verses, 君という光が私を見つける The light that is called "you" will find me [in the dark]. In the Japanese song, the lyrics describe how we feel found and complete simply when the person we love sits beside us. It's as if their presence is the sunshine after a stormy rain (in the darkness). I feel that the English song ended up being more ambiguous in meaning.
Man. this song is my childhood. what a way to start out one of the greatest games of the generation. But even with 20 years of nostalgia, i would say the 2017 ray of hope remix of the song that i believe was made for fragmentary passage(sometimes called Kingdom Hearts 2.8), a short prologue that basically served as a playable teaser trailer for Kingdom Hearts 3 is even better.
Hello I am Japanese!! I am so happy to hear the analysis of Utada from someone in a different country. Because I like her music so much!! I just want to share the background information of Utada. Her father is music producer and her mother was famous singer. She is also a composer and a lyricist sometimes an arranger, herself. How cool she is. And if its possible, I want to hear about analysis for theory things of her songs from you. Because I want to know more about her songs.
You should definitely listen to the version used in the game opening. There’s an opening sequence to watch along with it. So good. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0nKizH5TV_g.html And if you have time, watch the opening sequence to the sequel which might even be a better song. It’s one of my favourite records of all time. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rgCSgNakvlo.html
With that being said, you might as well review the kingdom hearts 2 and 3 theme songs that she did as well. She also arranged and produces her own songs too
This was shocking for my ears. I don’t remember what I heard in KH but the PLANITb remix has been in my likes playlist for a long time. Amazing differences!
Ah yes, Simple and Clean Pretty much one of the only songs from Kingdom Hearts that get copyright claimed almost immediately :( You should totally watch the opening cinematic it plays on
I was actually surprised that no one (at least I couldn't find any RU-vidr) reacted theme from Lupin III. It's from long lasting anime (first series were released in 1971!) and this particular clip is from live performance in 2022. Closest music I can think of Tank! from Cowboy Bebop. I hope you like it! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Kyl7fgvV1oo.html
Not gonna lie, I prefer the faster version of the song used in the opening. It opened my eyes to a whole new world. Like the song for the end of the game, but the faster version is my preference.
Have you listened to Mechanicus OST? it has a pipe organ for a bass drop. If by any chance i got your attention - check noosphere or millenial rage tracks.
I see you have been listening to the song beleza pula from masayoshi takanaka. Could you please do an reaction again and tell us your thoughts about that song 🙏🙏🙏 I subscribed to you, hoping you will react to that song again, that song is soo freakin good
