Takashi Fujii is popular in Japan as a well rounded entertainer. He is a comedian and television host, as well as a singer under the Yoshimoto Kogyo Company. It was no surprise he captivated audiences providing catchy music and comedic relief with the release of his single OH MY JULIET! in 2005. The single and PV was produced by Tommy February6, another famous Jpop artist. The special edition of the single included four tracks and a DVD, which contained the PV and making of footage.
OH MY JULIET! in itself is a great song, with not only a catchy dance beat but hilarious lyrics. The song is greeted by an electronically arranged basic rhythm which soon merges with guitar, bass and drums to produce the addictive melody you can't help but dance to. Takashi's vocals are clear and smooth and flow well with this song. Along with the voice inflections he uses to express different feelings, he sprinkles basic complimentary words in English throughout the song, adding more humor to the already silly song.
We get a touch of jazz with Star Bright Love, which begins with an opening played by keyboard before Takashi begins singing. This song sounds a bit different from OH MY JULIET! as the keyboard overpowers the vocals and his voice is much more mellow and slightly distorted by the music. The song is really adorable and happy, and with its dance rhythm, it fits well with the other tracks.
Takashi isn't done with vocal surprises, and in I Hold You Tight we hear another side to his voice. This song sounds like something that stepped out of the 1980s and sounds very aged. Takashi's voice is very deep in this track and is the most prominent sound of the song; the instruments are fairly muted to just the drum beat. As a result, we hear every flaw - including the strain in his voice during certain parts. Instrumentally, every few seconds we hear a flash of the keyboard and bass before they fade back out, only re-emerging again in the chorus.
RAIN RAIN RAIN.. begins with a loud keyboard opening. It has a bit of a dated sound like I Hold You Tight. However, with the consistent catchy keyboard and drum melody along with the powerful vocals, this song shines on the single. The overall feel of the track is cheerful and remains upbeat before exploding in energy in the chorus, where Takashi really belts out the lyrics and makes up for any lack the song may have with his energy. The passion in this song is overwhelming and makes it such a good song that it rivals the title track for the best tune on this single.
The PV for OH MY JULIET! is just as funny as the song itself, placing Takashi Fujii in a class full of foreign students with a body building teacher and himself as a super nerd. He can't stop looking at the pretty girls, and despite getting picked on, he finally gets them at the end of the story with his 'super powers.' Roll in some funky dance moves, pop up graphics for effects and Takashi dressed in a gold coat looking something reminiscent of a 1980s Michael Jackson, and the OH MY JULIET! PV can’t be beat.
Looking at all the aspects of the single, including the PV, it seems Takashi Fujii may have been experimenting for more of an older sound that could prove to still be popular by today's music standards. If this were his intention, he was successful, as OH MY JULIET! took off in Japan and has become popular in other countries as well. The single is a great one, and well worth the listen (and laughs!)
