The Koda Kumi Rate PART II: WE'RE DONE, for now
- Thread starter evilsin
- Start date
D
Deleted member 7462
Impressed you heard her at all! Where and what song(s)?
Butterfly exiting Don Quixote and PARTY in Bookoff. Both were in Akihabara.
And guys... I think I won't be able to finish the rate, because Kumi herself just freaking murdered me! I fucking bawled my eyes out, she's so good live. Some of the songs just pop the fuck off in live environment (I looking at you PARTY) and I still can't believe that after 13 years of stanning I actually got to witness her.
She just as you see her in the videos: bold, loud, happy, fun and talkative. Only smaller, haha, she's very petit.
Sometimes Dreams (do) Come True.
Last edited:
she/her
Aw, I'm glad you got to see her live! Must have been so fun.
I read that she's like 5' tall? So cute www.
Thank you! I mean, I'm just average height wise, but she looks like she's a whole head lower than me.
It's what you deserve.gif
You got to see the goddess in the flesh! Glad your trip is going great! Already got me excited for the tour blu-ray.
SANKYU-!
But do I? Do I though?
Thank you! Although, for some reason I don't think there will be a stand alone release for this tour, since it's a fanclub one. They will probably tuck it onto DNA or something.
Yeah, she's so great live!
I saw her during her Best Singles Collection tour in 2016, she's truly the queen of live.
I'm back!
Now we're on track!
I'm still wack!
APOLS!
57
(TIE)
WIND
Average: 7,00
Highest score: 10x2 (@Weslicious, @TABOO) 9x3 (@RUNAWAY, @ThisIsRogue and @me!)
Lowest score: 1x1 (@Osiris, like... how?) 3x1 (@Eskiath) 5x1 (@yuuurei)
My score: lookie above
Now we're on track!
I'm still wack!
APOLS!
57
(TIE)
WIND
Average: 7,00
Highest score: 10x2 (@Weslicious, @TABOO) 9x3 (@RUNAWAY, @ThisIsRogue and @me!)
Lowest score: 1x1 (@Osiris, like... how?) 3x1 (@Eskiath) 5x1 (@yuuurei)
My score: lookie above
Arriving at the 7 point average we lose yet another Morimoto Kosuke production and it's a single! WIND was released as the 11th single in the 12-in-12 and is a breezy cute cotton candy bop, that was used as a theme song for the Fuji TV's broadcasts of 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. I find this to be very catchy as all of the parts of the song have quite memorable melodies, especially the chorus. This is also one of those songs that always had this classic JPop feeling to me, practically an essencial listen when introducing someone to JPop, alas, not all of you agree with me. Lyrically this is a self-assurance anthem with some really nice ideas sprinkled here and there:
It's really irrelevant
if someone is superior or inferior to me
Because there's meaning to me
in doing my best as myself
If I try to like
myself more and more, then someday
maybe I'll find something new
Try raising your face when you stumble
Your friends holding out their hands will be there
Because everyone is on your side,
Believe once again, and stand up
The wind informed me
that in order for us to erase the tremors and doubts
that shook our dreams,
we need to say goodbye to painful hunches
I want to embrace our overflowing wishes
with my hands, with my heart...
(c) @otenkiame
What a lovely message! I certainly always feel a lot more happier and motivated after listening to this track. Moving on to the amazing artwork of the 12-in-12, we come to a genderbender Kumi representing Italy:
Appropriately segueing to your comments, we begin with @vague (7), who was confused by the single's artwork, "what's with the facial hair on the single cover??? this track is cute and has really sweet lyrics, but it's not a personal favorite tbh. the chorus is pretty great, tho, and the guitar solo's neat." DOWN WITH GENDER NORMS! Let Kumi be hairy if she wants to. At the same time, @Cutlery (7) almost let his bitter and resentful side to show, "This first gave me a few ugly vibes as in its summerish, saccharine and positive sound, but it turns out to be a nice post-depression and self-hate" So glad you've seen the positivitea in all this, hun. Another 7 point giver in the face of @otenkiame appreciated Kumi not going overboard, "One of Kuu's encouraging cutesy tracks, though she keeps her voice from going disgustingly sweet. I really do enjoy this when it pops up on my shuffle, but never seek it out. I guess that's why I didn't rate it higher." Fair enough, although have you tried giving it a couple more spins? Dddd, okay, okay, I'll stop.
Next up are our highest scorers. Up first is @Remorque (8), who totally knows what's up, "A cute, poppy song. You can literally feel the breeze on your face when listening to this. She sounds great too!" The positive vibe is infectious, yes! Meanwhile @RUNAWAY mirrors my sentiment about the track, "this song is a classic to me. I know a lot of people think it’s childish or something, but I’ve never seen it as that at all. It’s a great song." Haven't heard the childish argument before. People are stupid, Leslie (c). One of our top scorers, @Weslicious, loves a good live performance, "Cute, uplifting excellence. My only problem is I tend to listen to her concert rips more than studio versions, so when hearing this without the shouty confetti release it’s not the best way to experience this song." Now that I've seen Kumi live OH MY FUCKING GOD! I can see how this can actually pop the eff off in the live environment. We're ending this reveal with @TABOO, who managed to encapsulate everything that's good about this song better than anyone, "This song has always been one I’ve come to on those days where I felt despondent. WIND is such a positive and uplifting force, that I can’t help but sing along with it as it encourages me. Kuu’s lyricism truly shines here, and as such, this was a very strong contender for my 11. Additionally, Kuu and Rum are too cute in the PV!" Thank you for this and yes, the PV is so freaking cute!
Next up are our highest scorers. Up first is @Remorque (8), who totally knows what's up, "A cute, poppy song. You can literally feel the breeze on your face when listening to this. She sounds great too!" The positive vibe is infectious, yes! Meanwhile @RUNAWAY mirrors my sentiment about the track, "this song is a classic to me. I know a lot of people think it’s childish or something, but I’ve never seen it as that at all. It’s a great song." Haven't heard the childish argument before. People are stupid, Leslie (c). One of our top scorers, @Weslicious, loves a good live performance, "Cute, uplifting excellence. My only problem is I tend to listen to her concert rips more than studio versions, so when hearing this without the shouty confetti release it’s not the best way to experience this song." Now that I've seen Kumi live OH MY FUCKING GOD! I can see how this can actually pop the eff off in the live environment. We're ending this reveal with @TABOO, who managed to encapsulate everything that's good about this song better than anyone, "This song has always been one I’ve come to on those days where I felt despondent. WIND is such a positive and uplifting force, that I can’t help but sing along with it as it encourages me. Kuu’s lyricism truly shines here, and as such, this was a very strong contender for my 11. Additionally, Kuu and Rum are too cute in the PV!" Thank you for this and yes, the PV is so freaking cute!
Kumi performs this all the time during her concerts, so let's have a look at the J-Wave 2006 performance.
Last edited:
Yay, you're back!
WIND took years to grow on me, though, happy it hit 7.0. I've never seen the PV and whoa is it adorable, if a little odd.
WIND took years to grow on me, though, happy it hit 7.0. I've never seen the PV and whoa is it adorable, if a little odd.
YORI YORI YORI YO!
YARI YARI YARI YA!
57
(TIE)
WON'T BE LONG
Average: 7,00
Highest score: 10x3 (@vague, @Weslicious, @Eskiath) 8,5x1 (@Cutlery) 8x2 (@EachSmallStep and @me!)
Lowest score: 3x1 (@yuuurei) 5x3 (@otenkiame, @soratami, @aaronhansome)
My score: lookie above
YARI YARI YARI YA!
57
(TIE)
WON'T BE LONG
Average: 7,00
Highest score: 10x3 (@vague, @Weslicious, @Eskiath) 8,5x1 (@Cutlery) 8x2 (@EachSmallStep and @me!)
Lowest score: 3x1 (@yuuurei) 5x3 (@otenkiame, @soratami, @aaronhansome)
My score: lookie above
And just like that another single falls! Well, kinda. Released as a split single with avex's milking cow (bull?) EXILE, the track is a cover of a 1990 hit smash by DA BUBBLE GUM BROTHERS and was written by one of the members, Bro.KORN, and the version that we're rating was arranged by h-wonder. The track is fun, funky and perfect to sing along to. It has quite a few versions if you look deep enough, Kumi herself is featured on 4 of those and the parent album Black Cherry has 2 of them, if you're lucky enough to get a first press edition. Most people would probably know the solo remixed version titled ~Black Cherry Version~, which is nice and all and has cute vocal layering in the chorus, still the "original" version with EXILE is where it's at. The back and forth between Kumi and ATSUSHI is very playful and only brings more to the table. Personally, I almost never listen to the ~Red Cherry Version~, which is an unremixed Kumi solo one, unless she sings it live on the tour, of course. Lyrics wise, this is confusing to me, as at first glance it's a party song, but on the second one it's another empowering moment?
I've been embarrassed in order to get here
But, you're by my side, so there's nothing to fear
Before I knew it I found (da) sunshine day
I won't lose it anymore, even if my heart is crushed
Won't be long, won't be long
Won't be long till we can smile
Won't be long, won't be long
Everything's for you
Oly oly oly oh! Yely yely yely yeah!!
The up-town Tokio, slamin' night!!
(c) @otenkiame
The track made quite an impression on you lot with all of its versions. Why go far away, when we can ask @otenkiame what he thought about all this while he's here, hm? "The album version is flat all the way through - Kuu sounds, dare I say, bored, and the track starts dragging after like two minutes in. Single version is much better, but still too long." Yeah, I was never bothered with the length of the track for some reason and I noticed that it was 5+ minutes only writing this elimination. Huh. @yuuurei looks like a true rate villain more and more with each reveal, "I guess this is okay...? It's kinda boring and I don't like this dude wondering where his shawties at or the weird "oly oly oly oh" chant. Yeah, actually I just don't really like this whole song." Ouch. @TABOO (6,5) tried really hard to like the song, "I thought that surely with three variations to revisit, this one would get a higher score from me. Definitely don’t get me wrong, I like the chorus, and the hook does bop. But the rest of the track kind of slogs along. I’m gonna have to say the Red Cherry Version is the one." See, I think without ATSUSHI it loses a bit of an oomph.
Transitioning to more favorable reviews we stumble upon @Remorque (7) who just doesn't know, "Enjoyable in a basic kinda way? Idk." What about now? @Cutlery (8,5) hides his sharp edges for once proclaiming which version of the song is the most to his liking, "The classy reggae-inspired ~Red Cherry Version~ WIPES the floor with ~Black Cherry Version~’s discarded, awkward Hip-Hop scalp, and that's that on that" Okay, werk.
Moving on to the top scorers @Weslicious is brief, "Rating the standard feat. EXILE version, a total Nineties piece of awesomeness." Literally the break of the 90s, hah. We're finishing off this round with @vague, who is not embarrassed to show their love for the song, "oh, man, i wore this shit out when it first came out!!!! the original mix with EXILE is by faaaar the superior version to me; it's just so bouncy and fun and really puts me in a good mood every single time i play it. the ~Red Cherry Version~ is also great, but this is one of her few duets where i find the other artist pretty integral to the song dddd. i do enjoy Kuu's ~Black Cherry Version~, too, but the production strips a lot of the fun out of the track for me." You've certainly said it, hun.
Transitioning to more favorable reviews we stumble upon @Remorque (7) who just doesn't know, "Enjoyable in a basic kinda way? Idk." What about now? @Cutlery (8,5) hides his sharp edges for once proclaiming which version of the song is the most to his liking, "The classy reggae-inspired ~Red Cherry Version~ WIPES the floor with ~Black Cherry Version~’s discarded, awkward Hip-Hop scalp, and that's that on that" Okay, werk.
Moving on to the top scorers @Weslicious is brief, "Rating the standard feat. EXILE version, a total Nineties piece of awesomeness." Literally the break of the 90s, hah. We're finishing off this round with @vague, who is not embarrassed to show their love for the song, "oh, man, i wore this shit out when it first came out!!!! the original mix with EXILE is by faaaar the superior version to me; it's just so bouncy and fun and really puts me in a good mood every single time i play it. the ~Red Cherry Version~ is also great, but this is one of her few duets where i find the other artist pretty integral to the song dddd. i do enjoy Kuu's ~Black Cherry Version~, too, but the production strips a lot of the fun out of the track for me." You've certainly said it, hun.
This is definitely a fun track to sing along to, so it's performed live quite often, so here's a performance from one of the year-end TV programs, where the artists tend to sing together.
Dddd, at the uploaded messing up the end and playing the video over again.
And if you're feeling adventurous, you can always check out the original, which somehow manages being even slower sounding, yet still as fun.
Dddd, at the uploaded messing up the end and playing the video over again.
And if you're feeling adventurous, you can always check out the original, which somehow manages being even slower sounding, yet still as fun.
Last edited:
she/her
Glad you're back to slander me hon! You can take that back later on when you post my glowing commentary for the actual masterpieces in this rate that get eliminated too early just for being ballads.
I will say that I only rated ... whichever version of WON'T BE LONG is in the middle of Black Cherry, I didn't listen to the others. Maybe I would have liked them more. I mean, it's not very likely, but maybe!
No comment on WIND since I have no memory of it whatsoever.
Last edited:
