I always expected that the first American anime/music video hit would come from Utada Hikaru–I thought it would be a great way for her to showcase her talent and capitalize on the whole Japanimation fascination that seems everywhere these days. And I still think so (Hikki–please hurry up! Can’t you, like, hire Miyazaki or something? You know that would drive the Americans crazy.) But, no, it seems the Britney Spears has beaten Hikki to the chase–in being first, at least. I’d argue that Utada Hikaru is vastly–and authentically–more talented. But I digress.
Here is Britney’s new music video, in which she stars as an anime character who awakens from a cyborg slumber, beats up bad guys, and sets off a bomb. If you know your anime, then you’ll recognize all these tropes.
I’ve been unable to find out who did the actual animation, though the direction was done by Robert Hales, a British graphic designer and director who oversaw the intriguing VR-meets-pop-star video that made up Justin Timberlake’s “I Think She Knows.”
Are we entering the Idoru age where an out of shape popstar with mental health problems can still be a star, at least virtually? Or is this just going to go down as another cool thing that white people like? Is this another Gwen Stefani cultural appropriation thing? Or is it just . . . a fifteen-seconds of fame type thing. What do you think?
This Britney Spears’ anime song is cool.
I think Misia can sing much better than Utada. (She actually can’t sing ” Boulevard Of Broken Dreams ” well.) But a problem is that we have never heard Misia singing in full English lyrics.
That mouth is way too big for anime!
I know nothing about trends, but I assume the idea came pretty naturally…she used the popularity of animation to avoid putting herself in the video.
I’d like to see more animated music videos, but in different genres. Things don’t always have to explode.
I think Misia can sing much better than Utada.
Wow. Well, they are so different, right? Misia is very R and B and has a pretty powerful instrument with those 5 octaves (though she’s a bit pitchy). Utada is in a different genre–a more pop influenced one, and she actually writes her own songs, which is pretty impressive (as opposed to just interpreting them). I like them both, though Utada seems intent on trying to cross over.
Utada is better as a song writer. The way she sings in high pitch is kind of annoying to me (or it’s just my taste). I assume many singers can sing Utada’s songs better than herself. At least I find Britney Spears better than Utada. Also Misia composed some songs (and wrote almost all the lyrics). Recently I watched her DVDs. I am very impressed how good she sings, and dances and plays piano and guitar.
As for the animation (according to the news source it was made in south Korea for lower cost.), it’s just that people are probably tolerant or even compassionate for Spears’ past mental disorders.