Let's get to unravelling the mysteries of this video, shall we? I believe that many answers to the meaning of life are buried within. Click on a frame to see a larger, better picture (but you already knew that...).
Begin the video with, appropriately enough, some cloud art with the name of our star. Although the correct romanization of her name is either Kayou or Kayō, I've always preferred the 4x4 'Aiko Kayo'. It's really a matter of opinion, I suppose, but then again, Avex never used anything different.
Aiko comes out from behind a tree and a man in a stuffed bear costume (arm visible here) onto the waiting stage.
Aiko proceeds to rock you house, while the timid bear hides in the background.
Closeup of Aiko, where she mostly stares into the camera, except for one moment (shown above) where something distracts her. Maybe the caterer had just arrived, I don't know. Far from being disappointed with the fact that the editors left this 'error' in the final version, I just think it's awful cute, for whatever reason.
Aiko runs back to the bear and says, 'hey, we're filming a video, stop being shy and get your happy ass out here!'
Inexplicably, out come the cheerleaders (I mean, thanks, but why?) and the first one actually knocks the 'Kayo Aiko' sign about with her pom-poms. I don't think that was supposed to happen, but they left it in the video, nonetheless. If you think of the sign as the 'real' Aiko Kayo, then in reality, Aiko is being assaulted by a cheerleading squad, and now (understandably) your psychiatrist is seeing dollar signs.
The second verse is omitted from most youTube versions but this portion of the video *does* exist. For anyone who's only the seen the streaming version, here's another reason to buy the DVD versions of either 'Hold on to love' or 'Dolce'.
Two characters sit on a bench which wasn't there just a minute ago. For some reason she begins to assault him, going so far as to beat on him with his own hat. My research indicates that these two have a radio show in real life, but their names and the show are as yet unknown to me. But if you lived in Japan, you might have heard of them.
Aiko catches wind of the situation after singing for another minute while the beating goes on (thank goodness that lady doesn't have a knife) and runs over to chastise them in song.
Aiko is successful in getting the two to put aside their differences, and the hat resumes its use as a hat. Aiko looks more than a little proud of herself as she thinks about enrolling in a police program for abuse intervention.
Pure pandemonium as the cheerleaders, the bench couple, the dancing bear, and Aiko continue with the song.
Then, the bench guy reaches down to grab his hat which had been absent since the start of the chorus. Another thing that they probably just left in for no reason, but we never see why it fell off. Last we knew it was back on his head, but as he's reaching for it we're thinking 'that's right, he *was* wearing a hat...' Shows you the power of the hat lobbyists; they made sure it got adequate screen time. Kudos to Aiko's outfit, btw.
Night falls and Aiko is alone as the song winds down for the bridge. This is where the youTube videos cut to instead of showing the second verse.
Although they haven't yet become important to the video as of yet, here's the first appearance of a set-wrangler without his veil, and they dress in all-black, cover their faces, move the set around, and generally look like beekeepers. They will play on this similarity in just a moment. For now, my advice: whatever this guy says, do *not* go behind the tree with him. Your life will never be the same.
The 'beekeepers' come out and start moving every part of the stage around, even going so far as moving the bench while the couple still sits on it.
Yes, they may be set-wranglers but they look like beekeepers, and they know it. One of them does a single clap along with the beat, pretending to kill a fly (or perhaps a rabid bee).
So again, a scene of pandemonium. The cheerleaders, the beekeepers, the couple on the bench, the dancing bear, and Aiko, who's a-beboppin' and scattin' out the song's chorus.
High kicks and twirls from the cheerleaders, so we can get a few panty shots in this video. You're welcome, boys and girls.
As the song comes to a close, all of us, as brothers and sisters, dance together... the bench couple, the cheerleaders, Aiko, the dancing bear, and the 'beekeepers'.
Not usually shown in the youTube versions, Aiko mouths a distinctive 'arigatou gozaimashita' at the end. You're welcome, Ms. Kayo... I should say, 'de nada' so she can understand me in her native tongue.
And for whatever reason, this shot of the set as a whole to conclude the video, for about a second. Now go play Emil Chronicle Online (often shortened to ECO), ya jerks...
It's easy (and probably the most likely explanation) to write this off as a short film of random characters smashed together on a stage, done as amateurly (if that's a word) as possible. But come on, this video is random FTW. Let's see if it gets any deeper than that.
For starters, it seems that Aiko Kayo (in cloud form) is the 'real' Aiko Kayo, not the girl in the funny hat who sings. Constantly, omnipotently, it stalwartly looks down upon us and loves us for who we are.
The bear, in actuality a character from ECO, is us... it represents what most of us would do if our lives were confronted with a sexy singing pink witch, a couple fighting on a bench, cheerleaders, and beekeepers. We'd totally hide behind the tree, in this sense; but in a real sense, they're made out of cardboard, so no real protection at all.
The cheerleaders, in my opinion, represent morality, for they continue on despite adversity. People moving your cardboard set around? 'Yeah, keep going despite all!'
The couple on the bench, well, we've all been there before. Some woman hits you with your own hat, and eventually a sexy Japanese girl will tell her to stop, and you shall continue the possession of your hat as a hat, and not as a blunt object, even if it falls off inexplicably and you must pick it up from the ground.
The 'beekeepers', well, they're just a-damn moving everything in sight for their own pleasure. It's not a stretch of the imagination to envision them as the adverse forces in our lives. If/when they stop to kill a bee-gone-wrong, move your set-pieces back to their original location, it's not hard. After all, they're not portrayed as the smart ones in this video.
Lastly, it's Aiko herself (all-woman, I don't need further research) whose role is shrouded in mystery. If the 'cloud art' is indeed the 'real' Aiko Kayo, then who is this before us? She merely sings the song, looks hotter than your girlfriend (sorry, y'all), dances, and breaks up fights, but only when necessary. How does this fit into your life? She's a sexy pink witch. She's an anamoly. Don't hurt yourself too much thinking about it, but whoever she is, she makes the world a better place, but only when she's there. I imagine that the bench/hat guy would be dead of blunt force trauma if she hadn't intervened. The bench-girl is someone you don't mess with.
There's some... (thinking...)
There's a religious message behind all of this. What could it be?
