Ewan Chaos Posted January 31 Posted January 31 WAIT the way I'm not even really a massive Bobtome hater and I was somehow the lowest scorer???? It must have been my harsh scores for the second half because I wanted to make sure most of those songs didn't get above most of Distance/Ultra Blue/Deep River 2
AMIT Posted January 31 Posted January 31 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Subomie said: LOW SCORERS 1. Ewan Chaos - 6.45 2. AMIT - 6.545 3. Reverie - 6.59 but for real, I love this song! I'm still surprised y'all love Nijikan so much, y'all should check out more of Shiina's earlier stuff Edited January 31 by AMIT
Suilen Posted January 31 Posted January 31 1 minute ago, AMIT said: but for real, I love this song! I'm still surprised y'all love Nijikan so much, y'all should check out more of Shiina's earlier stuff I feel like Sandokushi will be right up Fantome's fans' alley 1
AMIT Posted January 31 Posted January 31 Just now, Suilen said: I feel like Sandokushi will be right up Fantome's fans' alley what is that? 1
Graves Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 3 minutes ago, Ewan Chaos said: WAIT the way I'm not even really a massive Bobtome hater and I was somehow the lowest scorer???? It must have been my harsh scores for the second half because I wanted to make sure most of those songs didn't get above most of Distance/Ultra Blue/Deep River You really said 1
Graves Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 3 minutes ago, AMIT said: but for real, I love this song! I'm still surprised y'all love Nijikan so much, y'all should check out more of Shiina's earlier stuff I absolutely am, every night 2
Curaga Posted January 31 Posted January 31 1 minute ago, Suilen said: I feel like Sandokushi will be right up Fantome's fans' alley The way Sandokushi is my fav Sheena album askdjfaopies You f uckin clocked me, sis 1 1
Suilen Posted January 31 Posted January 31 1 minute ago, Curaga said: The way Sandokushi is my fav Sheena album askdjfaopies You f uckin clocked me, sis No way
AMIT Posted January 31 Posted January 31 Just now, Subomie said: I absolutely am, every night We need a Hi Izuru Tokoro live reaction from you 1
Graves Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 6 (Subomie, Curaga, scenekiller, AMIT, Cruel Summer, Hey Dude) LOWEST SCORE: 6.5 x 1 (Reverie) MY SCORE: 10 Would it be wrong of me to say that this is one of the greatest love songs of all time? I know that sounds corny but nnn I really believe it. So, to start us off, I'm going to come clean. I am indeed one of those basic ******* who first heard Hikaru Utada through Kingdom Hearts. I know, I know. I'm sorry. I don't even like Kingdom Hearts that much! I was playing it on recommendation of a friend. But I do remember sitting there, listening to this song roll in at the beginning of that game. I think my initial reaction was something akin to "neat". I definitely thought it was fun, I liked the beat! What I mean is, it wasn't immediately grabbing me. It wasn't until I ventured into Hikaru's discography proper that these tracks started to grow on me. Honestly, I think being known as just the "Kingdom Hearts songs" is a disservice to the music. These are some of the best-written love songs I've ever heard. They really embody that feeling of bliss in a relationship, when everything is right and you feel like nothing can tear you down. Who cares about the future when right now is making me this happy? Those times can never last forever, but to able to just live in it while it's occurring is the greatest feeling of all. Which do I prefer? Man, it depends on the day you ask me! Hikari was initially released as a single in February of 2002, about a week before the launch of Kingdom Hearts in Japan. It was another #1 smash for Utada, becoming one of the best-selling songs of 2002, and, in time, one of their most well-loved tracks overall. The video is a neat oddity. A larger scale production was planned, a la traveling or Final Distance, but time and scheduling problems forced the team to act fast. Hikki's then-husband, Kiriya, filmed an impromptu video at the last moment. A one take video of Hikaru singing the track while washing some dishes was made instead. It's a pretty clever way to make a video, real memorable. How simple and clean of them. Hehe. Simple & Clean, on the other hand, was first heard on the game disc of the western release of Kingdom Hearts in September of 2002. It wouldn't receive a proper musical release until being used as a B-side to the COLORS single in early 2003, and for western audiences it would take until This Is The One came out in 2009! Between both versions, this might be the most-performed track of Utada's career. Done on Utada United, In The Flesh, Laughter in The Dark... Heck, it was even done live at Coachella during their tiny set in 2022! I never had any doubt that this song would do well, I'm only surprised that it isn't winning! Curaga is another KH-unty, represent! "Another 11 contender. Obviously the first song I ever heard of theirs in KH. Just perfect. Simple & Clean > 光." Meloetta Carey hails it as "the end of the second-best three track run in parent's discography, yes incl. the bridge interlude." But wait! If I do an impromptu interlude rate, who's taking it? And finally, Ewan Chaos grants them the illustrious title of "Monarch of washing dishes." Amen. "When we are older, you'll understand it's enough when I say so, And maybe some things are that simple.." 2 1
Suilen Posted January 31 Posted January 31 Well, I first played Kingdom Hearts in like 2016 so the song doesn't have any particular meaning to me, so it's around the nice level.
Graves Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 3 minutes ago, AMIT said: We need a Hi Izuru Tokoro live reaction from you My Shiina playlist is like 250 songs so I'll be sure to tell you my thoughts when I get to it in 2026. 1
confide in me Posted January 31 Posted January 31 Don't get me wrong I love you But does that mean I have to meet your father 3 1
Graves Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 1 minute ago, Suilen said: Well, I first played Kingdom Hearts in like 2016 so the song doesn't have any particular meaning to me, so it's around the nice level. I didn't play it until 2021 and I still got a childlike attachment to this tune. 1
Graves Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 1 minute ago, Curaga said: Gentle Beast Interlude clears the other interludes easily I'm afraid the Animato - Crossover Interlude - Kremlin Dusk run is a collapse that the other albums just don't have. 2
AMIT Posted January 31 Posted January 31 1 minute ago, Suilen said: Well, I first played Kingdom Hearts in like 2016 so the song doesn't have any particular meaning to me, so it's around the nice level. I have never played KH so while I knew about the Hikki songs connection to the franchise I never had that sort of attachment to them in that kind of way. Still think they are top tier songs in their own right though. 3
Curaga Posted January 31 Posted January 31 I played the first Kingdom Hearts on release and it’s still my favorite in the series, so obviously I have an emotional attachment to the song, but it’s not my favorite of theirs anymore. Almost nothing makes me go feral quite like the PLANITb remix though.
Suilen Posted January 31 Posted January 31 Shiina singles rate next (because no one will be sitting through her solo AND Tokyo Jihen's discography) 1 1
Graves Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 6 (scenekiller, AMIT, Cruel Summer, confide in me, Hey Dude, Reverie) LOWEST SCORE: 5 x 1 (Curaga) MY SCORE: 9 Automatic was the official debut of Hikaru Utada, released as a double A-side single with time will tell back in December 1998. They were only fifteen years old at the time! The song was an instant smash and entered at #2 on the Oricon singles chart. It's combined versions sold over two million copies in 1998/1999, making it one of the best-selling physical singles in Japanese history. The song was also used as the ending theme for the Fuji TV show Warau Inu no Seikatsu -YARANEVA!!-, setting a long standing precedent of TV show tie-ins for Utada singles. Automatic would chart again in 2008 when it was re-released as a ringtone to celebrate ten years of their career, and once more in 2014 as part of the fifteen year anniversary of First Love. Simply put, it's one of the commercial behemoths of Utada's career. Penned and produced by the singer herself, it was an early sign of of Hikki's writing talent (and their love for R&B). An English version was recorded but it remains unreleased to this day... Maybe some day? A breezy love song, Automatic is just plain cool. A chilled R&B groove that vibes along for five minutes, it sounds like something that really could've gotten played on US R&B radio back in the late '90s. And while there's certainly a juvenile innocence to the lyrics, there's also an undeniable relatability to them. The sensation of finding somebody who's presence alone is a pick-me-up. Whether in-person or through the screen of your phone/computer... Yeah, she snapped on this one. Fifteen and penning better love songs than some of the fully grown popgirls of today. Who's doing it like her? Professional hater, Curaga, gets one final lick in on early Hikki: "Pretty good. Not exactly my style and I think her vocals are sound a little shaky/immature on this one, but it’s not bad at all." Not with that score... AMIT stays bopping, twenty five years later. "never gets old, a bonafide classic!" 2
AMIT Posted January 31 Posted January 31 1 minute ago, Suilen said: Shiina singles rate next (because no one will be sitting through her solo AND Tokyo Jihen's discography) good thing the whole Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana album was released as a single in my household 2
AMIT Posted January 31 Posted January 31 @Curaga is winning again. Somehow she always stays here. I cannot stand it. 1
Ewan Chaos Posted January 31 Posted January 31 The CORRECT Kingdom Hearts song outsold! The remix TUGS on Passion / Sanctuary's wig though. Automatic is also amazing and a classic. Perhaps a little too high! But I'm not mad about it at all. 1
Graves Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 HIGH SCORERS 1. Hey Dude - 9.05 2. confide in me - 8.75 3. scenekiller - 8.56 LOW SCORERS 1. Curaga - 4.4 2. Suilen - 5.85 3. Reverie - 7.05
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