chibalein

[chibalein]

Thank you so much for you insight and taking the time to reply!! Especially lately, as Wakana has been singing lots of ballads and quiet songs, I just really couldn’t ignore those „weird“ sounds she makes when she holds long notes, as if they were slipping away from her… I do hope that she works with a vocal trainer to help with it because I think it absolutely ruins an otherwise lovely live performance 😅 same with her high notes but I guess that ship sailed <_< thanks again!!!

Hello there! I'm a huge fan of your vocal and album analysis and I've been meaning to ask something regarding Wakana's vocals for quite a while. It's no secret that Wakana's head voice or her high notes sound pretty breathy and often not very pretty. But what I've noticed lately in her live performances is her vibrato. A good example might be the small clip of the live performance of "Shirushi" on her YouTube channel, around 1:40. She holds a long note, but I think it sounds very shaky and irregular. It happens in many of her live performances, especially in the ballads. Keiko's vibrato for example sounds much cleaner and more consistent, but Wakana seems to have problems with it... How does Wakana's vibrato sound to your ears? Has it changed considerably from her Kalafina days? Or am I imagining things? 😂 I’d love to hear your opinion!

Hello! Sorry for taking a while to respond to this, I actually had to do a little research. I don't actually know a lot about vibrato, for an embarrassingly long time I thought it was something you had to train to get but it's actually something that develops with good breathing techniques and happens naturally.

Wakana's vibrato has been called 'goat-vibrato' in the past and it sounds rude but it's actually based in reality. 'Caprino' meaning 'goat-like' or 'little goat' in Italian is a term used to describe a very fast vibrato, like the one you're describing. It's generally not a very healthy type of vibrato as it's very nervous and tight. Wakana's vibrato has been like this for a long time, and I think it highlights her poor control in some areas as she has a habit to just lose a note at the end of a phrase when singing quietly.

Keiko's vibrato is much more clean and consistent yes, but there are a couple of examples of her forcing vibrato instead of it occurring naturally. In Kalafina's 10th Anniversary Live, Keiko's long note at the end of red moon (at 6:11) sounds very forced and hollow (although she was dealing with vocal troubles at the time) and during this live of Yami no Uta you can see Keiko's use a form of vibrato called 'jaw vibrato' by rapidly moving her jaw and tongue (though you can't see her tongue lol). These couple of examples aside, Keiko's vibrato is most of the time very even and lovely sounding. Not trying to bring Keiko down or anything, she's a very skilled singer, it's just that nobody's perfect.

Wakana's been using this form of vibrato for so long and I've heard it's very difficult to reverse because your muscles get used to moving a certain way in order to produce the sound. She could definitely change it if she wanted to, but after 15+ years of singing the same way, I doubt she will.

If you want to learn more about vibrato, I encourage you to do your own research as I'm just one person and definitely don't know enough about vocal pedagogy to say any more than this. I am hoping to do a singing analysis video on my YouTube channel so I can give actual audio examples of the stuff I'm talking about at some point.

[chibalein]

Excited since it’s not an acoustic album, finally😂 the only song that really stood out for me was „drizzle“, but yeah, kinda underperformed during the chorus, let’s see. I am sure they will offer the album online at some point, might take a year though, like we saw her first album XD

Exclusive LIVE Venue H-el-ical//4th album「Story」Announced

This 4th album “Story” contains new songs that were written for the upcoming live “H-el-ical// LIVE 2021「生 -SAY-」”.  Please note that it will be sold exclusively at the live venue! Sales will end as soon as all copies are sold.

You can listen to preview on YouTube

prologue Lyrics：Hikaru// Compositon：Gushimiyagi Hideyuki

diary Lyrics：Hikaru// Compositon：Gushimiyagi Hideyuki

I am me Lyrics：Hikaru// Compositon： Saito Dai

awake Lyrics：Hikaru// Compositon：Gushimiyagi Hideyuki

midnight Lyrics：Hikaru// Compositon：Gushimiyagi Hideyuki

Happiness Lyrics：Hikaru// Compositon：Gushimiyagi Hideyuki

drizzle Lyrics：Hikaru// Compositon：Gushimiyagi Hideyuki

Angel 作詞：Hikaru// 作曲：【Sakurazawa Hikaru】

生 -SAY- Lyrics：Hikaru// Compositon ：fu_mou

ending Lyrics：Hikaru// Compositon：Gushimiyagi Hideyuki

Thoughts: “prologue” is a pleasant surprise, I am digging it. Love the aethereal sound of it. “diary” seems to be a solid pop song but the chorus doesn’t really stand out…Still not sure what to do with “I am me”, not my cup of tea but it fits Hikaru’s badass nature. Dying to see this performed live on stage. Really liking the strings in “awake” the chorus is also pretty neat, might become one of my faves. After listening to “midnight” again, I would say it is definitely a lovely ballad, much better than “Angel” which comes later. “Happiness” might grow on me, it reminds me of another song but I have no idea which one. The verses for “drizzle” were so promising but the chorus could have been better. Still looking forward to hearing the full track just to find out what else the song has in store for us. “Angel” is not particularly memorable.  “生 -SAY-” is decent enough. Just like “prologue”, “ending” sounds like I could really love it. I am really into intros and outros like that.

What do you think of the album?

I really hope they will end up selling the album in the online shop, otherwise it will be very hard to get our hands on the CD. Purchases are limited to two copies per person

[chibalein]

Well, it’s not a ballad xD

I am fan of the melody, I like this positive vibe throughout the song. Not a big fan of the lyrics, again so on the nose and kinda bland… but it’s not a ballad 😂

H-el-ical// 17th music video “生 -SAY-” 【Official Video】

『生 -SAY-』 Lyrics: Hikaru// https://twitter.com/Hikaru_0702_ Music: fu_mou https://twitter.com/fu_mou Movie Director: みなも https://twitter.com/minamo_mg Recording Engineer: 石塚陽大

Initial thoughts: A little late, so sorry. There is just too much happening today. Phew. But I really shouldn’t complain. It’s a blessing! Anyways, we have a new composer but his style is quite similar to Gushimiyagi’s :P I generally like the arrangement, none of the instruments rub me the wrong way, all of it sounds nice and well put-together. And YAY, it’s not a super slow ballad for a change. As is usually the case with Hikaru’s songs, I am kinda struggling to get into it. It’s not bad or anything but it’s also not an instant fave. So far my favourite part is her little wail towards the end when she sings “ 今こうして “, pretty cool XD Let me get back to this later tonight.

English lyrics:

Much closer than I ever imagined I decided to live out my life

As peaceful days pass, I realise how precious it is I’m reminded of that nostalgic day when I close my eyes

How I stretched wanting to reach higher How I cried unable to   How I desperately and blindly ran forward All now are days that shine

No longer the same way but I walk with something that I didn’t have in hand I want you to see the scenery I see now

Life takes you by surprise, how it should I wasn’t expecting anything but I still smile

I struggled to accept Hurt with words that wouldn’t come out Days enduring the burn of my throat tightening Time spent not revealing myself, this will be the last of my selfishness

There are as many “normal ways” as there are people Some cross each other and overlap I won’t take it for granted, how our skin touches now

Even if I can’t see you off I’ll forever look over you and your path forward I’ll write it down here, hoping one day it’ll reach you

TV Anime「The Faraway Paladin」Non-Credit OP【H-el-ical//「The Sacred Torch」】

We now also have an official upload of the non-credit version of Hikaru’s newest anime tie-in “The Sacred Torch”. It is the OP for the TV anime “The Faraway Paladin”. Be sure to check out the video!!

[chibalein]

Hmmmmm…. I am kinda torn.

So this is definitely one that needs a lot of listening to appreciate. I can’t help but finding it a bit „cliche“, cause this sort of style and choice of instruments is exactly what I expected from an anime with a fantasy/middle ages setting.

I didn’t like the song at first, because I can barely hear Hikaru at some point lol but that surely might be just the quality of the video, so I am going to wait with that judgement once the single is released. That’s also why I barely could make out the lyrics but I am sure it is something along the lines of „going on a journey“ and „overcoming evil“ or so lol Hikaru has been very straightforward when it comes to writing the lyrics for anime’s so I am not expecting some deep shit or anything.

All in all… solid, but nothing overwhelmingly amazing. This could have also been a song from her first album because it reminds so much of some style choices Gushimiyagi made in there.

H-el-ical// 「The Sacred Torch」 TV Size『The Faraway Paladin』

The anime doesn’t air until October 9 but for some reason the OP has already been floating around on YouTube since September 27. How come I missed this? Anyways, be sure to check out the TV size of Hikaru’s upcoming third single. It’s quite a bit longer than the snippet we got in the promo videos. Thoughts: I like it but I don’t love it (at least not yet). It’s A-okay for a generic anime OP and I can see myself listening to the song on repeat when I am in the right mood for it but I don’t think this will ever become one of my faves. It is somewhat reminiscent of “yolcu” but not nearly as good I am afraid. The thing Hikaru does at the end reminds me of her “GIRA-GIRA” cover so I am digging it. Can’t wait for the full version. I am guessing it will be available digitally pretty soon (in advance of the single release). Seems like a special anime program was on air tonight that featured the instrumental version of 「The Sacred Torch」 but I have honestly no idea how to get my hands on that.

Title: 「The Sacred Torch」 Vocals/Lyrics: Hikaru Composition: Hideyuki Gushimiyagi Arrangement: Shinya Saito

H-el-ical// 4th Single「The Sacred Torch」 TV Anime『The Faraway Paladin』 Release date: November 3, 2021 First Press Limited Edition (2CD) GNCA-0643 / ¥ 2,420 (tax included) Regular Edition (CD) GNCA-0644 / ¥ 1,320 (tax included) <Store specific tokutens> Animate: 2L size bromide with printed autograph and comment (artist photo) TSUTAYA Online: L size bromide (anime illustration) Sofmap: L size bromide (artist photo) Toranoana: L size bromide (anime illustration) Rakuten Books: A4 Clear File (anime Illustration) Amazon.co.jp: Mega jacket (artist photo)

[chibalein]

WELL, WELL, WELL, if it isn’t another ballad to haunt me.

At this point I strongly believe that Hikaru is saving the actually interesting songs for her semi-hentai anime tie-ins.

I also agree, nice in itself but utterly forgettable 😐

【H-el-ical//】Angel 【Official Video】 

『Angel』 Lyrics: Hikaru// Music: 【櫻澤ヒカル】  Movie Director: みなも  Recording Engineer: 石塚陽大 English Translator: Hillary Oyoshi Chinese Translator: cho cho

Be sure to check out H-el-ical//’s 16th music video on YouTube! Don’t forget to LIKE it and SUBSCRIBE to her channel!!

My thoughts: Okay, with that title, I was expecting something like this. But once again, it’s nothing to write home about. Not sure I like the drums in this…More bells would have been nice…and more emphasis on the strings…Even though it’s a different composer this time around, the music sounds surprisingly similar to what Gushi regularly comes up with. I like Hikaru’s vocals during her final line when she sings “kureru kara”, very lovely. Other than that, there is nothing particularly outstanding about her vocals, same old, same old XD

English lyrics

A stream of light fall through the clouds It’s a nostalgic feeling I try to reminisce But I can’t remember

Weiterlesen

[chibalein]

H-el-ical// in charge of the OP for the upcoming TV anime 『World’s End Harem』

It has just been announced that H-el-ical// will be singing the opening theme  「JUST DO IT」 for the TV anine 『終末のハーレム/World’s End Harem』 which is scheduled to start airing this October.

■ Work information TV anime 『終末のハーレム/World’s End Harem』

◆ Broadcast The TV anime starts broadcasting in October 2021 on the channels TOKYO MX, BS Fuji, AT-X

◆ STAFF OP theme 「JUST DO IT」 by 【H-el-ical//】 ED theme 「ENDiNG MiRAGE」 by 【EXiNA】

◆ PV for the TV anime “World’s End Harem” Check out the PV to get a glimpse of the work. Towards the end of the video you will also hear a snippet of the OP theme “JUST DO IT” by H-el-ical//!

2021/08/22 Tweet by Hikaru

It has finally been revealed that I will be in charge of the OP theme for the TV anime 『#終末のハーレム 』! While writing the lyrics for the song I tried choosing words that would properly reflect the unique aspects and world views of the anime. While it is an adult anime it is still important to pay attention to the characters who are thrust into a world where they suddenly have to deal with a reality they can hardly believe  (Source)

───※ ·❆· ※─── 

Ohhhhhh!! I did not expect this announcement today!! On a Sunday of all days!! Anyways, so excited Hikaru got herself a new anime OP! So she probably WAS filming a PV the other day! Wahhh, I wonder when they will announce information on the single release? Can’t be much longer if the anime is scheduled to start airing in just two months.

I am not sure I like the fact that this is an adult anime, this way it will most likely never become popular with mainstream viewers which in turn makes it pretty much impossible for Hikaru as a solo artist to attract a bigger audience. I wish she would land a gig that was a little more accessible to all sorts of people. Oh well, we will see. I have actually no idea how the industry works, maybe these sorts of shows are super popular.

As for the song, it is a generic but super catchy tune so I quite like it. Her previous anisongs have been darker and edgier (which I really loved) so I was hoping for something similar again but of course I understand that this wouldn’t have fit the vibe of the anime.

Anyways, what do you think?

[chibalein]

I mean... I don’t know what I expected lol So, it started with an interesting intro and then... well, Hikaru started singing. Bland melody for verses and chorus and I just don’t get the lyrics. They don’t really tell a story but rather describe a certain state of mind over and over again (?), but not very clearly (which I guess is the point...). May be the English translation that sounds weird to me, but just another meh type. “I am me” was super on the nose and “midnight” is pretty much the exact opposite lol And yes, fuck me, another ballad-ish song. I actually liked the cello part in the middle, but that’s pretty much it. I did like that the song gained a bit more momentum/power towards the end, but yes, this radio-sounding music didn’t really fit - I feel like the same effect could have been achieved in a different way that doesn’t sound so out of place. So I did a little bit of math: Including “midnight”, Hikaru has about 13 songs that I would consider as (happy/cute) ballad-ish (the entire blooming album, all elements song except “Hi” + “Amanhecer” and “tsumugu”). 13 songs out of around 28 (including the covers), so almost half of all releases that fall pretty much under the same song type. I mean, don’t get me wrong - Kalafina had a ton of ballads, but they almost never sounded the same and one huge reason for that is obviously Kalafina’s harmony (and well, their ability to actually have one, as they were 3 people), but also Kajiura’s songwriting skills etc. At this point, I feel like we are seeing what Gushimiyagi’s abilities and limits are and it was already tiring when “blooming” was released. Obviously, Hikaru must like these types of songs/musical direction, because I don’t think she would roll with it otherwise. From a fan perspective, that is a shame, because we don’t get a lot of variety - many (recent) songs that were “different” were either composed by different songwriters or covers, which says a lot in my opinion. Another main point of criticism is still with Hikaru, namely her singing style in these ballad-ish songs. She pretty much always sounds the same, as if she is always coming from the same state of mind when singing the songs. The emotions she is conveying, intonation, it all sounds the same to me, no matter the lyrics or melody. That is why I have a hard time telling the difference between so many of those songs, on top of the similar compositions and melodies... This is also were the lack of harmony isn’t doing her any favors, because - as much as I hate to say it - her standalone voice, that certain “vulnerable rawness” that she is portraying especially in those ballads, paired with a sometimes strained voice, don’t make the cut for me anymore. It’s just boring. When I heard “midnight”, after a long time I really started to miss Kalafina and their harmony, because I realized that I am starting to lose interest in Hikaru as a solo artist... I miss the variety of songs and emotions that the three were able to achieve both individually and together, the amazing storytelling and world-building by Kajiura, the variety and uniqueness of the melodies and so on... It’s very unfair to compare Hikaru with her Kalafina days, but I feel that she is starting to fall behind, after her strong debut with “Altern-ate-” and “disclose”. While Wakana for example was able to draw me back in with her second/anime cover album, Hikaru doesn’t seem to progress the same way with her original songs (I mean, her best release this year so far was “Giragira” for me...). So, concluding this long rant, which hopefully makes sense, I miss that feeling of excitement I got when “disclose” came out. Something fresh and unique, something that doesn’t feel like Hikaru is just trying to kill time. It’s time for Gushimiyagi to step up his game or make room for other composers that give Hikaru the ability to show her performance abilities. Then again - Hikaru might be exactly where she wants to be... and just like with Keiko, I don’t know if I like that. All in all, “midnight” is meh. The video is nice though lol

【H-el-ical//】midnight 【Official Video】

『midnight』 Lyrics: Hikaru// https://twitter.com/Hikaru_0702_ Music: グシミヤギ ヒデユキ https://twitter.com/gussy_ Movie Director: みなも https://twitter.com/minamo_mg Recording Engineer: 石塚陽大 English Translator: Hillary Oyoshi

My thoughts: First of all, sorry, I am super late, was out all day. Anyways, here’s my first impression. It’s a ballad - as expected from the promo image.  Sorry, @chibalein, I am sure you are thrilled XD Personally, I am not loving it tbh. You know me, I am typically a big fan of ballads but this is just meh. Not even the cello parts (?) could save this for me. It started out pretty interesting with this sort of radio distortion effect. For a while I thought this was gonna turn into one of these super creepy and sinister Silent Hill-type songs (along the lines of YK’s “secret game/Himitsu”) - which I would have LOVED - but unfortunately, it ended up being a typical Gushimiyagi ballad, i.e. a little uninspired… Mind you, it’s not bad or anything, solid lullaby material if you ask me but nothing to write home about. And the ending is just all over the place, so jarring. At first I thought my headphones were broken but Gushi is just using that radio effect again but it really doesn’t work with this rock-ballad outro thingy he came up with, at least in my opinion. What did you all think?

English lyrics

A pale blue light shines Clearly revealing the light and dark The clock hand strikes Making the bell toll

Weiterlesen

#H-el-ical// #midnight #long fucking rant #goddammit Hikaru #no ballads anymore pls

[chibalein]

Finally some rock! I am just glad that we got an original song again that is not ballad-ish… but I don’t really like the lyrics. I get where she is coming from and that she is pretty much telling us her honest feelings and world views and that I really appreciate. The lyrics are just so on the nose, straightforward and almost generic that I don’t really feel anything, they are nothing special at all. The music makes up for it, I get some very shonen anime vibes from it, which is both good and kinda bad lol this will be amazing during live concerts though, I already can feel the bass xD

【H-el-ical//】I am me【Official Video】 

Lyrics: Hikaru// https://twitter.com/Hikaru_0702_ Music: 齋藤大 https://twitter.com/DARuMA_o_ Movie Director: みなも https://twitter.com/minamo_mg Recording Engineer: 石塚陽大 English Translator: Hillary Oyoshi Chinese Translator: cho cho https://twitter.com/m_mikeya

My thoughts: As promised, a new song! WOW! Is that possibly the punk-inspired song Hikaru was talking about a while ago? Not really sure what “punk” usually sounds like but I guess this could totally qualify as “punk-ish”? It’s pretty hardcore and has a rebellious vibe. Surprisingly I like it. XD For once, it’s NOT by Gushimiyagi but instead by Saito Dai, another composer at Hifumi. The change is refreshing. Will have to digest the whole thing for a while because it’s usually not what I listen to but I can see myself listening to this more often.

English lyrics

Weiterlesen

[chibalein]

Wow, what a song choice! Personally, I almost fell in love with Ado‘s voice. She sounds like the evil version of Aimer 😂 I am sooo looking forward to Hikaru‘s rendition… Ado is extremely powerful sounding, and I don’t think that Hikaru can pull of some of those very distorted and growling sounds (dunno how to describe it…), so my guess is, it will be a bit „toned down“, similar to „Yoru in kakeru“.

Also yes, I can‘t help but that H-el-ical// and Ado are very similar in style and „marketing“ of their work. Since YOASOBI also kinda does very similar things with their MVs and animations, I wonder if it’s a trend among certain Japanese artists who don’t want to use their face as main marketing trait? Or if they are copying each other? 🤣

Vol#3 of H-el-ical//’s Cover Series to be released today

Episode 3 of the H-el-ical// Cover Series will feature the song 「ギラギラ | Gira Gira」by Ado. The video will be posed TODAY at 20:00 (JST).  

Part 1 | Part 2

Interesting. Just listened to the original and I think I rather like it, Ado has a nice voice, reminds me a bit of Aimer but less husky which imo is a good thing. So far this song is definitely my favourite in this series (just based on how I feel about the original). Really looking forward to Hikaru’s rendition.

I think it’s fascinating that Ado started her career in much the same way as H-el-ical// (but with more success obviously because her first song went viral). Their music videos give off similar vibes, don’t you think? So it’s certainly a good fit for Hikaru but maybe a little too close to what she is already doing….I don’t know. I kinda wish she would take some risks with her covers.

On a side note, I am still wondering how she and her team are choosing these titles to cover. Personally, I do not know any of the songs in her series but I am obviously not up-to-date with Japanese music trends. It feels like they might wanna cash in on the extreme popularity of the songs (all these tracks have gone viral for one reason or another) but it doesn’t quite seem to work because Hikaru’s videos haven’t really gotten a lot of views.(｡•́︿•̀｡)

SUBSCRIBE to H-el-ical//’s Official YouTube Channel

[chibalein]

What a pain lol It seems like, despite wanting to include international fans, this whole system is a huge compromise. I am kinda sure that they couldn’t work out a fanclub system that works for people from Japan AND other countries, in terms of payment/accessibility etc… it is still inaccessible to many or at least incredibly complicated, given that you need a Japanese app with a Japanese account. Forcing foreigners to create additional accounts (possibly in a language they don’t understand) is kinda counter-productive, especially if the whole registering process is also only available in Japanese. It’s ironic that the content is partly in English but not the way to access it (at least from what I could see) xD it seems that, when they talk about wanting include foreigners, they only mean those who already have Japanese language skills and know their way around from their Kalafina days…

It’s a shame and probably a budget thing, so I am not blaming Hikaru at all. She at least tried and came up with a solution that works for as many people as possible within her agency’s budget and knowledge. It’s more that Wakana or Keiko, hell, even Kalafina, have ever done so far 😂 but at least make a multi-Language tutorial dammit lol 😆

I also get the feeling that she will be really active pumping out new content there! however, hopefully she doesn’t forget about her non-FC fans or hide the majority of her activities behind a paywall… I am still hesitating whether to join or not… aaaaah lol I don’t like the fact that everything will probably be digital, so let’s see…

Hikaru Fan Club “Helixes” Follow up Post

Okay, I am a tad annoyed. So much for making the fan club accessible for foreign users. *grumbles* ¬_¬

I was about to register for Hikaru’s newly launched fan club but turns out you HAVE to use your phone for the registration process. While it says that you can register via app and webbrowser, you CANNOT actually apply on the website or access the fan club content using your computer, instead you NEED to get the APP to register for a paid membership. However, that proves to be quite tricky since the app is ONLY available in the Japanese iTunes/Google Play store. I do have an additional Japanese Apple ID so I was able to download and access the app without any issues. There are tons of tutorials out there on how to create a Japanese Apple ID (or I guess Google Playstore ID), feel free to check them out. Unfortunately, you can’t really do much on the app unless you subscribe to the monthly or annual plan. And that’s where the next problem arises because in order to get a paid app subscription you will need a credit card and unfortunately they only accept Japanese credit cards in your Japanese account/store settings. At this point I am at my wits’ end. Maybe I am too stupid, they kept mentioning a web payment but I have no idea how that’s supposed to work when you need the app. I might be doing something wrong with my Japanese Apple account but I am not sure.

To most of you it looks like I am super knowledgeable when it comes to registering for Japanese sites/apps/etc because I am always writing these detailed tutorials for you but in reality, I suck at dealing with this sort of stuff. It pisses me off when it feels like I need to take a freaking hacking class in order to get access to something.

I hate this shit and I have zero patience to look into this any furher right now. Maybe I will give it another try this weekend. I have seen tweets of overseas fans who managed to register so it’s definitely not impossible but as of right now, it’s too complicated for me. ｡：ﾟ(｡ﾉω＼｡)ﾟ･｡

2 hours later….

Okay, I FINALLY figured it out. But I have bad news for you. I can’t really do a proper tutorial for it since I had to do it all on my phone. And it was all over the place so I forgot to take screenshots.

Anyways, the trick is to get the app first. Like I mentioned earlier, you will need to get a Japanese Apple/Google account for that. After you have downloaded the app with your Japanese account, you can switch back to your regional account. Once you have the app, don’t try to do anything in there and definitely do not try to sign up for a plan, it will only confuse you and you will be disappointed if it doesn’t work. Close the app and go back to the registration link on Hikaru’s fan club website (using your phone). There you click on the button that looks like this

You will be asked to enter an e-mail address and a password (twice). Once you have done that, an e-mail will be sent to you with a confirmation link. From then onwards, it’s fairly easy. You need to enter a bit of info, it’s all in Japanese but pretty self-explanatory. Your nickname, your region (choose the final option = other/overseas), your birthday and sex (I don’t think there was anything else). Then you can choose between the monthly and annual plan (I chose the annual plan but whatever floats your boat). Enter your credit card information (name, number, valid to, security number) and confirm everything. DONE. You are an official Helixes member. BANZAI!! (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))

Now you can go to the app and log in with your e-mail address and password. Lots of Hikaru cuteness is awaiting you!!

Jesus, why are these things always causing mental breakdowns for me?? I can’t handle all this stress T_T Anyways, time to enjoy all the amazing fan club content. I know I have been bitching a lot in this post but all things considered, it’s actually quite easy to sign up for the fan club so I encourage EVERYONE to do it! If you are not as dumb as me, it should be fine :P

From what I have seen so far, there is a ton of awesome content available in the app so it’s totally worth the annual fee. The pictures in her digital fan club magazine are super gorgeous AND her interview has an English as well as a Chinese translation so that’s an A+ for inclusivity!!!! On a side note, Hikaru’s little animated loading icon is absolutely adorable 💕 💕 💕

[chibalein]

Yeah... that’s a song that gets better the more you force yourself to listen to it. Despite all the flashy electronic sounds, I find it pretty boring and very much mainstream (in whatever genre this belongs to). Hikaru‘s vocals are solid and they do fit to the song overall... but all in all, very meh, just a different kind of meh this time. I just hate the fact that this song is a collab for a damn mobile card game lol I was reminded of those pachinko game songs whatever they were that Keiko did waaaaaaaay back. The songs themselves were pretty cool, just the context...

[Re]Rise / Feryquitous feat. H-el-ical// FULL Version

Don’t forget to tune in to the YouTube premiere of the full version H-el-ical//’s new song “[Re]Rise”!

Release date: April 24 20:00 (JST)

Title：[Re]Rise Artist：Feryquitous feat. H-el-ical// BGM for mobile game DUEL MASTERS PLAY’S Elena, Guardian of Light Theme Song Short Version

Thoughts: Today I am in a much better frame of mind to listen to this sort of song so I am already liking it more than last time. However, I will probably never be able to love it. There is just too much going on for my taste, this sort of fast paced song is definitely not my cup of tea BUT Hikaru does a great job with what she is given. Handling it like a total badass. As I mentioned in my earlier reaction, I think her vocals are solid (except towards the end of the chorus). I REALLY hope this gives her some exposure!

[chibalein]

Uuuuh... the music is so flashy while her singing is not, interesting... reminds me of literally any kind of music that is played in Japanese arcades. I guess it fits the game? But I really don’t like that... I dunno, electronic background extravaganza lol I didn’t know that Duel Masters was even still a thing... too bad that it’s not an actual anime tho.

[Re]Rise Short Ver. by Feryquitous feat. H-el-ical//

Interesting. Not bad. Not overly amazing. Overall Hikaru sounds really good though (except at the end). It reminds me of another song but I don’t know which one. Guess I will have to sleep on it to get a better feel for the song. Not really in the right frame of mind atm. Anyways, I wonder how popular this game is…? They do have quite a lot of followers on Twitter. I hope Hikaru can gain some fans from this.

FULL Version available on April 24 https://youtu.be/YUEbEucoc0s

[chibalein]

Finally got to around to hear it... so, another acoustic song which I wasn’t so thrilled about. Hikaru just had so many in the past months that I am just craving for some uptempo songs again. I listened to the original first and wasn’t too impressed, not generally my cup of tea, but not a bad song. I prefer Hikaru‘s version, I like that her deeper register is getting some work. Other than that, solid but not overwhelming. I am getting the feeling that the cover songs are also meant to kill some time while working on original songs, so let’s see what comes next.

猫 (Neko) covered by H-el-ical//

Title: 猫 | Neko (Cat) Original Artist:  DISH// Cover Artist: H-el-ical//

My thoughts: I am only getting to listen to it now. What a hectic day! Don’t really care for the original version, the song itself isn’t all that special if you ask me or I guess it’s just not my cup of tea and I have zero connection to it so that’s probably one of the main reasons why I can’t really get into it (I wonder why it has so many views on YouTube? Especially the First Take version…? DISH// are a very popular group so that’s most likely where all the views are coming from o.O ? ) Anyways, it’s not bad or anything and the lyrics are super nice. Hikaru’s rendition is lovely, her vocals fit this type of song perfectly and I am really digging the atmosphere of the MV. Please let this result in Hikaru getting the exposure she deserves. By now I am wondering if Hikaru and her management are purposefully choosing songs that are doing well on the First Take YouTube Channel. I think her previous song was also pretty popular. I wish she would sing “Homura” because I actually know that song and love it :P

What did you think?

[chibalein]

Awww, so cool, thank you 😊

Kalafina Arena LIVE 2016 at Nippon Budokan - storia

Requested by @chibalein

[chibalein]

夜に駆ける (Yoru ni Kakeru) covered by H-el-ical//

Title: 夜に駆け | Yoru ni Kakeru (Racing into the Night) Original Artist: YOASOBI (ヨアソビ) Cover Artist: H-el-ical//

[chibalein]

TRUE　×　H-el-ical//　 「stone cold」

I am surprisingly fond of this cover. Doesn’t really sound like the original which is a good thing because this way I am not missing Wakana’s vocals too much (for me personally, Wakana is the one who shines in the FJ version - hence my dislike for the more recent YK covers of this song). Also, I am quite impressed with TRUE, hearing her for the first time. Although I am sad to say that she is overpowering Hikaru a bit. Still, Hikaru sounds super cool.

ANIMAX MUSIX 2021 ONLINE supported by U-NEXT　DAY1

All credit goes to @网上商务模式 on Bilibili.

FULL LIVE Google Drive Link (4,5 GB)

H-el-ical// Setlist

M6  H-el-ical//　×　Machico　 「名前のない怪物」 30:08~ M15 TRUE　×　H-el-ical//　 「stone cold」 01:28:32~ M26 H-el-ical//「Altern-ate-」 02:21:15~ M27 H-el-ical//「disclose」 02:26:15 M43 All artists「DREAM SOLISTER」 04:08:50

Awesome performances by Hikaru throughout the entire live. I am so proud of her. THESE are the types of songs she excels at! She SLAYS, she is rocking the stage (and there is not even an audience). Her acoustic stuff is nice and all but it lets her power go to waste imo. I might be repeating myself but I love “disclose” so fucking much. The brilliance of the song becomes even more apparent when it is performed right after Altern-ate- which is a solid song as well but not as epic as “disclose”. Plus, I think Hikaru’s performance in Altern-ate- might have been a tad weaker but I am not too sure. Will have to watch a couple more times. On a side note, Hikaru in all those amazing outfits is a treat. I feel blessed!

[chibalein]

Kalafina - Live vs. Studio

I think we all agree that Kalafina songs usually sound live a WHOLE lot better than the studio version. In my opinion, this is especially the case for the fairly old songs, where some songs like “Ongaku” or “destination unknown” just had been edited to death. Those songs also highly benefit from the live band. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all songs by Kalafina always sound better live, do they? Here are some of picks where I actually prefer the studio version.

So what do you think? Which studio versions are superior to their live counterparts and why?

1. Kantankatan

Right off the bat, I know this one is a bit unfair because there is only one recorded live version of “Kantankatan”, namely the one from the 10th Anni. I have heard the acoustic version twice before that concert, but in the end I still kinda prefer the studio version. I feel like Wakana conveys the heavy emotions of the song more convincing there and Hikaru just sounds SO much better... same for Keiko actually.

2. Ashita no Keshiki

Again, there aren’t many live recordings of this one, and especially the 9+ONE version is kinda ruined by Hikaru’s strained voice. Keiko’s support is basically the only thing that I would consider the saving grace of this particular live version because you can really hear how much she has improved her technique over time. This is also one of the few songs where I would consider Wakana’s “old” voice more fitting. Her high but frail rendition in the 9+ONE version where you can hear her struggles with the high notes always bothered me...

3. Seventh Heaven

I’m a bit conflicted on this one. There are quite a lot live versions and usually, I love them all. It’s again a song that benefits more of Wakana’s “old” voice in my opinion... but Keiko just sounds SO MUCH BETTER live, her voice is usually deeper-toned and much more emotional.

4. identify

Being such an uptempo song, this one should be live better and most of the time it is. However, I don’t like Wakana a lot there, because she interferes with her high voice a little bit too much for my taste. Of course there are some effects going on in the studio version, but compared to e.g. “Ongaku” it’s a lot more subtle. The bridge and the final chorus are the parts I actually consider superior, I don’t why those have such a bigger “oomph” moment than the lives. However, the studio version does lack that raw fun and power of the live versions.

5. ring your bell

Yeah, it’s no secret that I don’t really like that song, but the studio version is a lot more bearable than almost all live versions lol

6. Natsu no Asa

Again, only one live version... but the studio version makes me more emotional somehow. It’s Wakana’s voice that again is more convincing while delivering the lines and emotions or something like that. I dunno xD

7. Märchen

Same as “Kantankatan” and “Ashita no Keshiki”... Although this is Hikaru’s song you can hear her exhaustion during the 9+ONE live and she + Keiko just don’t sound as powerful as they do in the studio version.

#kalafina #live vs studio #opinion #tell me all about it #i am bored