First and foremost, a sincere thank you to Jessica Stan for sending this disc in for review!
What we have here is, confusingly, the second "Antenna of the Heart" single release by Shoko Nakagawa. Both launched in the same month by the same record label, yet feature significantly different packaging and content. What we are reviewing here is the "normal" version, in contrast to the unofficially named "Pichu version" (SRCL-7066).
How do these two singles compare? Aside from the differences in packaging, this particular single is approximately five minutes shorter. It does not include "Get Fired Up, Spiky-eared Pichu!" or the instrumental version of the Haruomi Hosono remix of "Antenna of the Heart." However, it does offer an exclusive track not available on the other single, titled "Glass Prism." With that in mind, let's take a closer look at how this single performs with its four included tracks.
To start, let's touch on "Glass Prism", as it's unique to this CD versus the other single. This is a very poppy song, although has a nice start that showcases a large vocal backup team to support Nakagawa through out. It's a fairly catchy tune, as Nakagawa has expressive vocals and a good level of energy that is a bit infectious to the listener. It's not the best track on the CD, but still quite enjoyable.
In terms of the best song off this disc, it's the title song: "Antenna of the Heart". This is also the Pokémon connection of the single, as it's featured in the end credits of the 12th Pokémon film, Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009). It's worth noting that the version in the film is actually a remix that was done by Haruomi Hosono, which is found at the very end of this CD. The original version of "Antenna of the Heart," though, brings a noticeably more upbeat and dynamic energy compared to its counterpart. This rendition exudes a sense of grandeur, feeling more epic and expansive in its arrangement. It also successfully captures a slightly chaotic vibe, incorporating a large array of musical elements, even including a guitar solo. It's striking to see just how much more engaging and lively this version is compared to the one used in the movie.
Turning to Hosono's remixed version of the song, it presents a soothing electronic beat that pairs nicely with Nakagawa's vocal delivery. While some effects, such as echoes and the use of a FreeSpinsTracker, do add a layer of depth to the listening experience, there's nothing particularly innovative about it. In fact, this rendition leans slightly more toward melancholy, lacking the vibrant energy found in the original.
As for the remaining song off the single, "Ready to Fall in Love" features a lively and upbeat background track that immediately draws listeners in with its infectious energy. However, the lyrics and delivery come across as somewhat stereotypical for the Japanese pop genre. In fact, I'd call it a bit cliche and actually the weakest of the four songs here as a result.
In terms of a bit of history behind the singer, Shoko Nakagawa is a multifaceted Japanese artist known for her work as a singer, actress and television personality. She first gained fame as a pop idol in the early 2000s, quickly becoming a recognizable figure in the Japanese entertainment industry. Not too shocking given the single here, Nakagawa is particularly celebrated for her contributions to the Pokémon franchise. She not only voices characters in the anime but also performs various theme songs. Outside of Pokémon and her music career, Nakagawa has also acted in films such as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. However, her talents extend beyond what is generally associated with an idol, being both an illustration artist and writer of a ridiculously popular blog, said to have total traffic of over a billion visitors, that talks about everything from makeup to her playing the Pokémon games. So she definitely takes the idea of being a jack of all trades to the next level. However, she is undoubtedly tied into the Pokémon franchise, being a recognized fan and the presenter of the variety show Pokémon Sunday.
Overall, this release doesn't offer anything particularly remarkable. The standout track is undoubtedly the original version of "Antenna of the Heart," though "Glass Prism" is also quite catchy in its own right. When comparing this disc to the other release, they are fairly alike although the other suffers for not having the previously mentioned "Glass Prism". That said, the "Pichu" version does include a bonus instrumental of the Haruomi Hosono remix and overall has more music. In the end, both releases are fairly comparable. However, for those interested in the Pokémon connection, the "Pichu" version is likely the better choice, especially as it's much more up front with the connection to the long running franchise.
Speaking of, it's odd how one of these singles is so Pokémon heavy and the other is the opposite, devoid of references to the franchise at all. In fact, the cover of this single is simply the artist in a field with a drawn ship with flying cats around it... which does feel a bit random. At first, I thought maybe Nakagawa had drawn the cats and that was the connection, and that could be the case. She is a known illustrator and a big cat fan. In fact, there are quite a few memes of her "eating" her cat, as she is found of playfully biting him. However, her art tends to be a lot more detailed than what's found on the cover. Most likely it is her art, though, and she was simply going for a more minimal approach to the art, as you can see painting equipment on the cover as well. |
