J-Rock

One of the most recognised genres of music across the world is that of the rock genre. A key difference between rock from the east and the west is that Eastern music seems much more melodic when compared to that of western music which focuses much more on a beat or rhythm, this difference though transcends most genres of music. In the rock genre two big names are L'arc en ciel and Bump of Chicken. Firstly the band L'arc en ciel (French for the rainbow) is a rock band that was once at it peak in the years 1998-2000 where they had block buster success with their first number one single Heart. Then the following year two of their albums Arc and Ray were released on the same day of 1st July. The album Ray was released the following year in 2000, this marked the end of their new material for many years. Below is the music video Ready steady go.


Firstly there are lots of ECU (extreme close ups) being used through most of this music video of the band e.g. the singer, his mic, the jewellery, what the band are wearing etc. An effect is used where the reflections of the band are showing up on top of an eye to show that they are being watched. This effect could show how they are being perceived in different ways as every time the eye blinks the image shown from it is different. Until the last minute or so of the video it is very rarely that the camera zooms out to show the whole of the band or even a clear picture of any of the band members face. up until the same point the background seems to just be a blank void so much like the band it seems to be hiding something. Once it get to approximately the last minute of the music video the background changed to something that I'm not quite sure is. The best way I could describe it as is if the Hadron Collider had worked and the universe was imploding in on itself (hows that for abstract)? This is also the segment of the song where the camera zooms out to show the band members all playing in the same frame. Through the entirety of the music video the editting is very fast and quick as no image stays on screen for long and it keeps the viewer interested. Unlike many music videos this video doesn't have a story being shown visually like in many other music videos.

The band Bump of Chicken is a fairly successful group that was first made in 1994 and since their third single Tentai Kansoku have regularly placed in the top 10 when a new single from them comes out. They have been releasing music from 1999.

Bump of Chicken - Karma

At the very start of the song before the lyrics start there are a large number of ECUs which are used to show the band. Once the lyrics begin to play the camera zooms out to a medium shot which shows the entire band playing their instruments as the camera pans around the band. (This movement of camera going around the band may have also been accomplished through the use of a revolving floor that the bands may have been playing on). The mise en scene for this part is dark and ominous with stormy clouds up above. Lots of special effects and camera tricks are used through this music video such as the area that the band is playing in looks as though it is all CGI rendered e.g. the back drop of clouds as they turn to light at the end of the music video as well as the floor being dead one moment then flowers at certain points when the only two people in the frame are the singer (Motoo Fujiwara藤原基央) and some person sitting down in the field of flowers. One more piece of special effects is when the camera seems as though its moving along what seems to be a helix where the band are standing playing their instruments because as they are shot from a birds eye view they go past the centre of the frame and go off into the top left corner. The story seems to be of someone who is grieving or something i.e the white flowers seem to signify the funeral of a a loved one. This has part of a story to it unlike ready steady go.