I was so tempted to order it at cdjapan... but dunno if I wanna pay $130CDN for the blu-ray, 2DVD (that probably I won't watch), the strap, etc.

Gotta sit for two days to make the final decision, hopefully it will not be sold out by then lol.

If i'm not wrong, the release via Netflix implies on... subtitles!

I'm very excited to finally see a japanese show without skipping the MC parts haha

Yeah, I much prefer a physical copy but I was wondering if we would get the bonus of subtitles on Netflix and that they might consider releasing other JPop concerts on the platform if it does well? Wishful thinking I know!

Hikki's new Suntory cm:

https://www.suntory.co.jp/enjoy/movi...930400659.html


She looks like in First Love era :D. Love it haha.

She is too cute :luv2

sick jazz cover of S&C

The tour is up on Netflix!

It was really nice that she translated the lyrics:love

^ yeah and all the MC. The show was beautiful, she’s beautiful, her voice, her stage presence, stage setup, everything was perfect!

It'd be interesting to compare these "official" translation subtitles (presumably she approved these or done them herself like the English to Japanese translation for the Japanese version of Exodus) to the fan-done translations we've been using as gospel for years.

She really translated her own songs to English? After all these years?:yeek
I always wondered why she never did this sooner.

I'm not sure - I haven't watched it to the end/credits yet but I imagine she was involved in someway with the translation.

She did, this is what she wrote on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/utadahikaru/stat...251819009?s=21

O wow. I compared the fan translation of SAKURA DROPS to her translation and it was very different.

I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I just don’t like her concerts. I don’t like listening to her sing live. I love her discography so much but..........sigh

That said it’s really fucking cool to see a J-Pop legend’s concert on Netflix; did you ever think we’d see the day?!?!?

^somehow I agree with you. Utada United 2006 was the peak of her career, concert wise, voice wise. It's like watching an artwork.

Her voice changes so much these year, not a bad thing, but I miss her old voice though.

Her singing voice during that concert was absolute terrible in a lot of songs. "Be My Last" and "Kremlin Dusk" were godawful.

That said, I like the concert and You Make Me Want To Be A Man on that show still is the best version of the song in my opinion.

I don't think she's a great live vocalist right now, but her technique improved a lot since then.

I know, it's crazy!

Really enjoyed the concert - it flowed so well throughout, felt very Hikaru-y. The sketch with the comedian didn't do much for me but I think that's down to sense of humour. It was nice after all the years to have subtitles too, especially translated by herself!!

I'd still love to own the concert physically but am happy if we continue to get more stuff on Netflix.

Honestly can't believe I'm living in a time with a subtitled Jpop concert available for streaming!! Hopefully this is first of more to come.

Definitely agree with the sentiment that this is exciting to see. My teenage self would never have imagined this.

I took some time the other evening to relax and watch the concert in full with some wine. It's been a while since I've watched anyone's concerts so it was very nice. Even though it wouldn't have been the most ideal setlist for me, I enjoyed watching it. She tends to lack charisma in the traditional sense but there is something charming and fascinating about watching her Express herself and the music she created in the way that is natural to her.

I really hope I have the chance to see her eventually.

Also the lyrics were great. Interesting to see her translations

Right? It's crazy to think back when I got into JPop I would just blind buy CDs (happily, I liked to be surprised) but nowadays we have YouTube (to an extent), Spotify, iTunes and social media accounts from our faves.

I still buy blind CDs from Hey Say JUMP and many others :shakehead

^Yay, glad to hear it. I don't tend to anymore as it's always so easy to check out at least 1 song or sample from an album. Although I do avoid listening to any singles before I buy an album.

Music news: Hikki will contribute a song to Yosui Inoue Tribute to be released on November 27th.

I was watching Paralell Wold Love Story (パラレルワールド・ラブストーリー) on my flight back from Tokyo and the whole time I was wrapping my head around where I knew it from. Right before the end I remembered seeing the trailer because it has an Utada tie-in - which played right after that lol

Shiina Ringo and Utada's new song/video was leaked by the music video's production company YT channel but the powers that be are doing a good job getting it deleted from the Internet.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EHxFLXeX...jpg&name=small

I actually got to hear it before it was deleted. It was really good! I'm excited to purchase it!!

Omg what? I'm so excited now!:heart

is it from the Shiina's new album?

Yes, it's the "special" unannounced track from her new best album out next month

I see! I really like the idea of this new collabo in her new best! It would be nice if they work together in a project or something, like a single. Their voices are beautiful together ♡

I dunno, but I don't really feel the song...?

Nijikan Dake no Vacance is hikki-ish with some distinctive elements from Ringo and the chemical reaction is quite phenonmial. This new song is very Ringo (well obviously lol it's for her best album), and somehow it doesn't feel much hikki element injecting into the songs except her voice. Maybe I need to listen some more to appreciate the song. Unlike this song, I fell in love immediately with Nijikan.

Btw, is hikki wearing a wig in the pv, or did she cut her hair?? Or did they film the pv long before...? Hikki's hair style resembles her Anata era (when she took the song cover).

Is this the third song they’ve done together?

Technically yes.

• Two versions of I Won't Last a Day Without You - first one live version with Hikki singing the first verse. Studio version in Ringo's album "Utaite Myouri: Sono Ichi", with Ringo singing the first verse instead.
• 二時間だけのバカンス (Nijikan Dake no Vacance) - in hikki's Fantôme.
• Soroban - in Ringo's upcoming best album

I really want to listen to it. Someone ripped the song / PV before it was taken down?

The pv is official out, and the title of the song is 浪漫と算盤.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXJdG0elwSY

The first thing I noticed is not the tetris CG, but that both of their faces are smoother lol.

God so surprised by the number of views already, 657K in just one day!!

The song is alright. Not my taste but nice to see Hikki still active.
I think her voice and Shiina’s are nice together.

Yeah... I still can't get into the song. At least hikki is in.

I'm more looking forward to the studio version of hikki's 少年時代!! Can't wait!

Hikki went to Rina Sawayama's set in Brixton this weekend. For those who might not know, Rina Sawayama is a Japanese based in London singer that always mentioned Utada as her biggest idol since she was a teenager. So cute that Hikki went to see her live and meet her backstage!

https://i.imgur.com/x5IV2OP.jpg

@rinasonline
thank u Hikaru for coming to see my set at Brixton �� as many of u know Utada Hikaru is one of my biggest musical inspirations �������� what is lifeeeee ???!!!!! ������������������������������������
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4XILSqAucF/

Hikki pulling a Benjamin Button and aging backwards I see

So cool that she went to Rina's show!

omg that's a huge deal!! Rina is a big fan! I'm so glad they met.

It'd be amazing for me to meet Hikki, I can't even imagine how it feels to Rina, probably the best feeling ever. Soooo happy for her, and also it's amazing Hikki went out to meet her. I truly love Hikki as a person and artist!

What is the new song on apple music? "The Sun & Moon in Tokyo"?

^It's a different version from "The sun and Moon in London" with Shiina from her best of.

The TYO ver. is ok, but I think the LDN ver. is so much better.

Did you see they uploaded a full clip of her Yosui Inoue's rendition of "Shounen Jidai" from that DVD of her 20th birthday anniversary?



They also uploaded a short video of the 2019 version that will be included on the composer's tribute album.

Hikki will release a new song called Time, which is for the new drama "Bishoku Tantei Akechi Goro". The drama will be aired on Apr 12, while the song will be digitally released on May 8.

Something that I can look forward to during this boring moment.

Yay, so glad she's treating us to a new song at a time like this! Hatsukoi was so good so I can't wait to hear what she comes up with next.

Quick question. Why did Single Collection Volume II underperform? There were plenty of hits on that album, maybe not a bit going into the album like COLORS for Volume I, and only covered two albums, but still. Any thoughts?

I would think that it is indeed primarily cos of the reasons you mentioned, especially with half the album belonging to HEART STATION which already sold 1m+ copies so it probably didn't give fans much of an incentive.

I also think the new songs, which were a big selling point, weren't really that big hits — I would say Goodbye Happiness was only somewhat of a moderate hit? And Hymne a l'amour did get a tie-in but I think because it's not really a conventional pop song it didn't turn out to be a hit either. Considering Hikki's career stage by that point, I think it would have really taken only a mega hit (Flavor of Life for HEART STATION, Hanataba wo Kimi ni + comeback hype for Fantome) to yield big numbers because her sales no longer rely on her being the "it" girl that she was in the late 90s/early 2000s. So the result was probably the same reason why Hatsukoi didn't sell as much since it didn't yield big hits either (it still got #5 album of the year, but it still was a >50% drop tho).

And in terms of actual album promotion I don't think she actually did any, she probably went on only 1 or 2 music shows, if any at all (my memory is failing me, but I just remember that aside from the tie-ins there was virtually no promo for this album other than the typical billboards etc.).

^she went straight to hiatus from basically the announcement.

The R&B hikki is back :P.

My god, I'm absolutely in love with the preview already. :heart

I’m actually not feeling it at all :( I’ll give it another chance when the full version comes out though. I’ll try to stay open to it lol. I’ll probably be watching the drama too so that might help lol.

While I can hear the R&B influences, I also feel this is the closest she’s been to the ULTRA BLUE vibes in ages! I think I’ll like it. I never listen to Hatsukoi. In fact, half the time I forget it exists. I still perceive her last effort to be Fantome. Lol.

im surprised no one posted this yet...
But Hikki has another song coming out on May 29th

CM 30s (more upbeat part)

CM 60s (intro+verses)


love the direction of the new songs so much :heart
this new album will be a bliss for my ears

hope we'll get a vinyl as well

https://youtu.be/Tu4s1ijpHxU

how does this youtuber already have the full song covered ><

Hikki is doing an IG live right now! She said she will do one every Sunday this month.

I missed the Instagram live! Is there any way to watch it online? I'd better put the next Instagram live in my schedule.

Who else is excited for the new song dropping this week?

Time is released in japan... the full version is amazing.
the bridge is KILLING it, damn
i'm so in love with the direction she's going this era :heart
hope there's going to be a vinyl release as well

I can't wait for Time. I feel like it's gonna be one of my new favourites by Hikki :heart

I've tried to download it through Jpopsuki, but none of their torrents are working for me. Anyone has a link?

The song is amazing. I love it so much. :heart

Time is super refreshing. It has the most character of any song since Sakura Nagashi. The soundscape is quality - really interesting and keeps you engaged. There’s a lot of movement and development which I nice.

I've failed to be a hikki fan... Kept thinking about getting the song last night (a few hours before release), and totally forgot about it today because I've been too addicted to Animal Crossing :P lol.

Love Time! Gives me Distance meets Hatsukoi vibes!

It's an okay song, nothing too memorable. Overall I think it sounds pretty cheap somehow, especially the instrumental bridge, like the verse right after and the ending. very old-school tho, which is nice.

I went off Utada with her Fantome album but Time makes me rethink going back and giving her another listen.

Funnily enough the single "Ōzora de Dakishimete" was released on my birthday and that never happens to me. :love

This is immaculate. Love this, definitely on repeat.

I don't think is bad, but I agree that it is not too memorable (still can't remember the melodies the whole song). This is the first hikki single that cannot stick inside my head after post-hiatus era.

I will have more faith for the next single :P.

It's a nice song, but that's it, I also found it not so memorable. The other one she's releasing at the end of the month sounds more interesting.

I...found myself a tad bit disappointed with this song as well. I was super looking forward to it based on the preview, but somehow I'm not as keen on the full thing.

LOL this shouldn't be happening. Hikki is releasing songs and I should love every single one haha.

Well I didn't like Oozora and Play A Love Song when they released (cuz I thought they were a bit too blend), but now I really like them. I hope eventually I will like Time as well, but I kinda doubt I will. I can't say I dislike R&B (if so, I wouldn't fall in love with her songs in the first place), but I prefer her other styles.

the new single is out in Japan… it's so ethereal and heavenly. The second half is glorious.

^should be out in Europe by tomorrow, right?

^yes at midnight local time

^just pre-safed/ordered it. Thanks!

Wow, what a fascinating and beautiful track. I'm loving the direction she's going in.

"Time" didn't hit me the way I wanted it to in the end, but damn. "Dare nimo Iwanai" is amazing.

^as time grew on me as a background song, I again think this is song is kinda lame. I can see the interesting choice in composition she made here but it sounds like an album track - nothing more.

I have mixed feelings.

Just the preview was enough to get me excited, so...

At first the only thing that put me off a bit were the weird "horn" sounds, but still I was enjoying it. It's glorious, ethereal, much better than Time, then the second half came... the let down. Wish she kept it going the same way as the first half, I just can't connect with it.

Idk if this will grow on me but I don't feel like listening to it a lot, at least not the full thing.

It's really nice.

Not surprised some people don’t like the second half, JPop listeners are notoriously prude lol

The second half really takes off, the whole song is fantastic.

I like this song a lot. Really looking forward to the new album!

I didn't like the song at all until I listened to it again with the earbuds. Blame amazon echo dot, a mono speaker with no dynamics at all lol.

I don't even know what the lyrics are lol but that's not my issue

^yeah, i was also confused by Akutenshis post. Nobody talked about the lyrics here and musically there is nothing insane going on

I love the new song. I feel like I can hear her personality coming back to the music. I also don't understand the prude comment. How is this song explicit?:laugh

This is a song I’d gladly listen to. It feels melancholic, which I enjoy. It feels like one of those songs you’d listen to staring out a train window, pretending you’re in you’re own music video, lol.

The song flowed into For You on my Spotify, and it was a great transition.

This is also the type of music J-POP needs right now. There’s absolutely nothing interesting or exciting happening in right now, in my opinion. (Less famous rappers are exciting me but on the pop sphere I can’t say I’ve been into very much...)

^there is quite a lot going on, just mostly not mainstream.
But I don't feel like this song adds anything fresh either. Its just an enjoyable listen on the side.

Yes, I was referring to mainstream music. It’s been pretty stale. I know there’s at least some interesting stuff if you dig around, but big J-pop artists have been pretty stuck IMO. Either it’s singer-song writer stuff, which isn’t particularly “exciting”, or K-pop inspired stuff.

If I hear Paprika or Lemon or Marigold one more time... lol

I don’t think this song is a “hit” I just meant it’s... different, compared to other big names. Which is exciting enough for me lol.

Kenshi Yonezu is great tho. Dunno why you dislike it - pretty amazing compositions and lyrics. Mainstream Pop yes, but good ones and there is a reason he is a big hit.

I don't even think this Utada song is too far off from his style.

But you are right - J-Ppop isn't moving forward especially if you are a longtime fan. These two Utada songs are pretty meh for me for exactly that reason. Nothing fresh - heard it before.

I didn’t say I didn’t like it or him, just saying that’s it’s overplayed. I’d get tired of any song if it was overplayed.