Koda Kumi - Butterfly

Back in 2006, Koda Kumi won the MTV best video award for this track and it is not hard to understand why. Combining the catchy blues style that she did so well for Cutey Honey with a more modern RnB style, Butterfly itself is an irresistable, catchy song. Kumi's voice is not the strongest in all of Jpop, but it suits her music. Her vocals are slightly husky and perfect for the sexy sound that this jazzy number requires. The melody combines synthesized brass sounds with a rapid Latin drum beat, and the neat bridge section of double bass and electric guitar further highlights the underlying jazz sounds.

Your Sunshine is on the one hand a generic RnB influenced song, but on the other, it sounds about 10 years old! The synthesized instrumental sounds and beat have a definite 90s feel and while Koda Kumi handles her singing well, after the initial rush of nostalgia it becomes a bit forgettable. Your Sunshine is a basic mid-tempo pop song, and after a track like Butterfly, it's hard to get excited about. Despite this, this is a song you'll undoubtedly find yourself idly singing along to without noticing.

Butterfly wraps up with the de rigueur ballad. Taisetsu na kimi e (one glance at the title, 'To the important you', suggests the nature of this song) is an unremarkable if smooth and pretty RnB ballad. Kumi's vocals, despite their oft harsh nature manage the smoothness the song requires but it never lifts itself above a rather bland ballad. The main problem is that despite Koda Kumi's effective vocals, it lacks a heart. The melody combines the typical guitar and string and arrangement creating a mood of hope, albiet a generic one. It has the feel of a theme song for a drama and while not drama, unsurprisingly it was used for the NTV show, 'Sanctuary'. That is the best way to sum up Taisetsu na kimi e; a generic 'drama' ballad and really that doesn't inspire too much by way of a positive.

The single also contains instrumental/karaoke versions of all three songs, in case that urge to sing along to Butterfly becomes a little too much.

Butterfly is let down by two lackluster b-sides; otherwise it would have been a great single. As it is, the entire package is still good. The b-sides are inoffensive and Your Sunshine is even a little catchy at points but the single is all about Butterfly itself, one of Koda Kumi's most memorable singles and a deserved winner.