Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - [Koda Kumi] 203rd Thread - Still celebrating her 20th year

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- - [Koda Kumi] 203rd Thread - Still celebrating her 20th year (http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124916)

Wow this is my favourite release from her in some time! Love the song, esp the ethereal bridge and the PV is one of her best in ages too. At first I thought I might find the chorus too repetitive but I love it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corvina (Post 3327229)

Was kind of expected she'd use another duality/identity concept like in the last 5 years.
To wrap it up so to say or to get to the point.
It's going to be interesting what she's going to do afterwards.

Imo the XXKK PV has two possible interpretations.
The black Kumi is symbolizing the inner war she's fighting with herself and behind the scenes nobody else sees.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...923/lun5gz.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...924/KubUtF.jpg

Or it symbolizes the way she builts up her attitude inside to face the obstacles she's encountering outside/in daily life.
That's why only the black Kumi is painting on her war paint (of course the triangle, her logo for the past 5 years) and why there are those two scenes with the black Kumi to begin with, clean and dirty.
W FACE is about her two different sides, which stay in contrast to each other; in the course of the tour those two sides later become one.
In XXKK it's not two sides, it's already one character - that's why they use those vanishing effects, cause they're interchangable. And why the black Kumi has one claw hand and one normal.
And the ending points to that as well imo, though I'm not quite sure what that actually is at the end after the loop.

We will see with the tour how exacly it's gonna play out I guess.
Though with the other dirty versions of the 10th and 15th anniversary pics it points to the dirty side behind everything we/the public sees in the end and what made her to what she is today (the dirty/clean Kuu from the FC magazine preview).

That's a good interpretation, thank you!

I was quite surprised by the song and PV, but in a good way! The song fits her well and I love the softer verses and bridges that she did with Lucky Star and XXKK, respectively. I've had the 'crown on top' part stuck in my head since the first teaser. I love the PV as well. It's high quality, I love the W FACE theme (W FACE is one of my favourite songs from her) and her outfits are gorgeous. It's great to see her being a (literal) fierce kuween! :yes

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corvina (Post 3327229)

I was re-watching the music video and thought of the second idea you had, Corvina, that the crown-less Kumi represents her personal self, and the queen one was the queen of live, the Kumi that goes up on the stage. And even though she got dirty/hurt, no one saw that cause that was the backscene (the black Kumi always appear on the same side of the screen, which looks like a backstage scene to me, or upside down, under the stage). Whenever Kumi went on performing, she'd be the flawless and fierce queen and could leave some things behind. They're using the term ''queen of live'' a lot this year, way more than during her 15th, so I guess she'll put emphasys on her power on the stage, and even the PV shows that.

The astonishing thing for me is, that they're exploring one theme all these years and inlcuding nods to everyoriginal concept she did in recent years in this one.
There's W FACE, which was about her journey accepting herself and that she doesn't have to choose one of her sides -> one character in XXKK.
Then one step further with DNA, that she can't be different, cause that's who she simply is, it's in her DNA (and AND for being able to openly live it thanks to the support of fans/family/friends/staff) -> the loop at the end of XXKK e.g..
And then re(CORD), where she actively revisits her past works and self, trying to compare what became of her -> e.g. revisiting Kingdom, also Japonesque with this simple and clean Ikebana throne, as well as the past years works in XXKK.

Or you could simply call her lazy for using it again. :P

extremely beautiful PV and I really like the song too! I love her fierce songs so this is a spot on for me.

the white queen crown is sooooo cool. omg. I think it's my favorite crown design a pop girl has ever worn.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEuL01fD7o9/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEu11Q_jm9b/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEvp1v0D7t4/

So gorgeous <3

And unfortunately Kuu will not be performing on next week's THE MUSIC DAY , finalised list of performers' names been released

https://natalie.mu/music/news/395183

XXKK is awesome, both song and PV. Haven't liked a KK song that much in a while <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Utena (Post 3327275)

XXKK is awesome, both song and PV. Haven't liked a KK song that much in a while <3

My sis!!!!!! Felt exaclty the same way!!!!

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/5FlUZH.png

XXKK is at #18 on its first day on Oricon's digital chart!
And it's stable on its position on iTunes so far.

Kuu shared the PV director on Insta today:

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...923/luYQq4.png

It's Ryuji Seki, he e.g. did Koi no Tsubomi and D.D.D in the past as well as a bunch of other good ones of her.
A list of his works can be found here.
Kuu also shared that he did the interlude movies for the new tour. Kind of expected if they have the same or similar theme.

Didn't have time to watch the live today, but went shortly through it.
The booklet for My name is... is a thicker one and the pics are ones we haven't seen before. It comes in a thick jewel case.
20 random people who purchased the album will get a real autograph on the sticker, not only a print.
And she went through the PV and for the queen look e.g. she mentions Kingdom and how she used gold for it and so on.
I actually don't know how she was able to read the comments from viewers, they went so fast, lol.

The PV is definitely great, really liked to watch it! Can't decide yet if I like the song or if I find it a bit repetitive, but I guess it will depend on my mood. Still, love that PV!

The penlight & sports towel will be sold next Sat at Osaka Jo Hall when KODA KUMI 20th ANNIVERSARY TOUR 2020　MY NAME IS... begins

Depending on how COVID-19 is like situation wise , both goods' sale might be cancelled

https://rhythmzone.net/koda/news/detail.php?id=1085830

I guess if the tour begins the weekend after , Kuu would have performed on next Sat's THE MUSIC DAY

Ah well she would have made a great epic performance if she perform XXKK on THE MUSIC DAY

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corvina (Post 3327296)

Didn't have time to watch the live today, but went shortly through it.
The booklet for My name is... is a thicker one and the pics are ones we haven't seen before. It comes in a thick jewel case.
20 random people who purchased the album will get a real autograph on the sticker, not only a print.
And she went through the PV and for the queen look e.g. she mentions Kingdom and how she used gold for it and so on.
I actually don't know how she was able to read the comments from viewers, they went so fast, lol.

I was quickly going through the video. She showed a photo in the booklet that hasn't been revealed officially yet and it's beside the page for IS THIS TRAP?'s lyrics so I guess we can expect that song in the album.

Promise & Star PVs been uploaded

Promise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BIQRldwWjk

Star

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNtqWHHhCSg

Such a shame Star never had a full PV made ._.

^ I agree on that. I've always loved the PV for Star

I totally adore this single!
Promise contributed a lot to make me the Kuufan i became.
The PV is so beautiful!

Her styling in XXKK is incredible but I’m not a fan of the song and the dancing in the PV is a no from me, dawg

Any of the first 3 tracks off re(CORD) can run circles around XXKK

Just ordered the choker, really excited for it to come in the post. :) I would like to order the album as well, although if it is FC only I assume it's going to be quite expensive. :/

She is worth it though.

Love the XXKK video but ever since I saw someone mentioning it, I can't unsee the hairpiece showing. :laugh

They've decided to live stream the first performance of the tour on Saturday as mu-mo live!

https://rhythmzone.net/koda/news/detail.php?id=1085868

So we get the first performance over mu-mo and the second over TV Asahi as live stream.
Happy that I can watch it and support her now!

seems like the track-list for the album will be a surprise.