Finally, I get to talk about Aiko again. I won't spend a lot of time talking about how cute she looks or how well she does with her part, as I'll have plenty of time in the future to do all this and more. No, the issue at hand is LOVERS HIGH, the Girl's Box Movie, a film I've wanted to see since I heard it was being made.
In this film, Aiko plays 'Ai', a name which I'm sure took countless hours of thought, but I'm just kidding, that's not the important part. She gets a much bigger role than Nacchan and like Nami (Nao) and Yua (Yu), Ai is a waitress at the Girl's Box bar.
We get our first glimpse of Aiko in the 'apartment' above the bar, slaving away making what looks like (at best) two helpings of beef stew. She offers Nami a taste test and Nami confirms that it's good indeed. This pleases Ai, until Nana wordlessly wanders off with her guitar. Ai says essentially, "where are you going, don't you want your thimble-full of stew?" and Nana replies, "lay off!" This does not please Ai, and their long-term rivalry is made apparent when Ai gets upset and starts throwing air punches and kicks, but the arrival of Yua is enough to lift Ai's spirits.
Throughout it all, Aiko plays the 'girlie' character that everyone likes, save Nacchan, who has issues with everyone. Ai cooks, she can't stand beer and she makes it known, and she gathers a crowd of would-be admirers when papering the town for the Big Blowout. Later, at the event itself, she's confronted by two men who say "hey, Ai, you said we could go out sometime!" alluding to some empty promise she'd made just to get them to the bar, and Miku (Michi) abandons Ai to deal with the situation on her own. Instead of standing up to the pair of guys, Ai wordlessly crouches to the floor with a panicked look as they lean in on her. Another hilarious/cute-as-a-bedbug's-ear moment from Aiko, and I laugh every time I see this.
It's soon discovered that Aiko has a singing talent and thus begins Phase 2 of 'Save Girl's Box', where a little bar becomes a big hit after showing off some local talent, courtesy of the soundtrack songs. She sings 'Runaway Girl' in a montage that shows the bar gaining more and more popularity, and in the end it's decided that Kingyo (Yua, Nami, and Aiko) should be formed and marketed. So they use Mama's old song, "Lover's High", and based on the strength of that one song, they are given the keys to super-stardom. And that's where the movie ends, you know, back where you bought the Lover's High single.
It's great to see Aiko in a movie, especially a good film like this. It was well-acted, well-edited, and well, everything else was enjoyable, and in repeated viewings it hasn't lost much integrity in this viewer's opinion. All the girls do a great job acting and singing, and at the end of the day, they have nothing to be ashamed of. I curse them not, and this movie has served its purpose in introducing me to the others to whom I haven't been paying attention. If only the marketing department and the writers could be so lucky as to be spared the wrath of my rantings...
First of all, writers, that's enough! Stop pretending that Aiko needs to be coaxed into singing. Furthermore, stop perpetuating the myth that anyone can sing, provided you push on their stomach! She's been the featured soloist on 12 singles that date back to 5 years ago -- we don't need convincing! Even -if- it had to be done for delicate story purposes (i.e., to keep the bar in business), this is the one and only time you can play that card, and ever after, she's a singer! Not an "oh-my-god, I could have been singing this whole time" singer, but in reality, an "I can sing, I've done it before, it's no problem" singer. She sings; she's a singer.
Next, there's a scene in this movie where the girls first listen to "Lover's High" and we watch them fawn over the 'unheard' and beautiful song. This would've had more impact on the core audience, -if- we hadn't gone partially deaf in the last year from listening to it endlessly, waiting for the movie to come out. Kingyo really needed a B-side, you know, a 'c/w', which would have given the group a little more depth. Instead, you marketing geniuses said, "one song, that's all you get!" and it appears that the viewers have more insight into the group than the girls themselves. Please buy a clue and put the song out at the same time as the movie, not a full year before! Any of those who thought this movie might be slightly esoteric have already refused to buy a ticket based on the song they've already heard!
Last, when it comes to Special Features on the DVD, let's think about the market. If you offer a Special Edition for $20 more than the Regular version, please put features on the 'other disc' that the dedicated fan might like to see, and hasn't already been assimilated by the target audience. The one feature which no one has already seen is a skit done by the lead actresses for the film's première, the rest are already in the collection of those who've paid a premium. The "Original PV Clip" of Lover's High... I already have. The "Movie Version PV Clip" of Lover's High... I already have. As I paid at least $10 more dollars each for the DVD versions of the single and movie soundtrack, respectively, I should get more from the "Special Edition" of the film. Is it too much to ask? Those who purchase the overpriced 'Special' film will undoubtedly have purchased the "Special Editions" of 'Lover's High' and the 'Girl's Box Movie Original Soundtrack'. Again, buy a clue... does it do any good in the long run, for Aiko's sake, to rip off hardcore fans while simultaneously alienating the casual fan?
I sigh deeply and admit that I'll buy anything which gives me more Aiko, anytime, anywhere. But it makes this fan wonder if the stone isn't exhausted from being bled dry. The future of Aiko depends on you marketing so-and-so's.
A lot has changed since I first registered this site. She stopped putting out singles in favor of 'Cheer Up Indies!', another show which the Japanese can see but I can't. Her popularity could transcend Japan's coastal limits; her personality is so askew from the global status quo that we could use such optimism down here in the doldrums. And yet you squander it all for a quick buck.
Ms. Kayo, I have not lost faith in you. I'm writing you in for President, if only to see how the voting machines scan your name (嘉陽愛子). And the worst crime of all would be to let you fade into obscurity because your reputation has been besmirched. This site was intended as a counter to that possibility.
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.