There are a handful of ultra-popular Japanese artists whose music I’ve just never connected with. Up until Hachikō, Fujii Kaze was one of those artists. I’ve enjoyed a song here and there, but never to the point where I stopped in my tracks to realize how awesome he could be as an artist. Hachikō is the first single from his upcoming album and I hope the rest of the project sounds as exciting as this.
Hachikō makes a very strong case for the merits of a 4+ minute song. This running time gives it space to unfurl with a measured pace that sees its sonic elements build upon each other in a well-woven tapestry. By the time the song has finished its first chorus, many TikTok ready singles would already be over and forgotten. Hachikō is built around a catchy vocal rhythm that opens the track and carries through the bulk of the melodies that follow. Disco strings soon join the fray alongside brilliant waves of synth that give the song a celestial texture.
From here, Hachikō blossoms into a series of gorgeous refrains buoyed by a layered vocal arrangement that makes the song feel grand and thrilling even as its tempo remains measured. There’s just such a sense of completeness and intention behind a song like this, which is so refreshing within an industry that often favors quick hits and fast fashion. Hachikō feels like a big moment in the way the first single from a long-awaited album should. I’m glad it’s already a well-deserved hit in Japan.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 9 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Wow this is the first time I don’t like a song of his. I mean it’s still good, but I consider it inferior to songs like Matsuri, Shinunoga e-wa, Working hard, Kirari etc. The thing is, Fujii Kaze started as a jazz musician, he is unbelievably musically talented to a degree that we rarely see in pop stars right now, composes his own music, writes his own lyrics, and plays like 5 instruments. I personally really love jazz, I love listening to a real band in a concert, and this is why I loved his fusion of pop, certain Japanese traditional elements and a bit of a Brazilian/Caetano Veloso style of jazz in his work. Compared to that, this sounds painfully generic to me and so far below his capabilities. But I am not really a fan of this pop sound (not just for Kaze, in general) so that explains it I guess. I just feel this is so weightless, whereas the other songs I mentioned had a certain intensity that this one lacks. Intensity is not all about “upbeat”. A song can be slow and still very intense and melodically impactful and full of surprises. I guess that I don’t expect an electronic sound from Kaze, if that makes sense. What I do admit is that this type of sound could have been far more generic in the hands of another artist but he makes it work thanks to his artistry. It’s still an interesting song, it’s still an Actual Song to begin with (it has structure, it is developed, it lasts 4 minutes etc). I hope the rest of the album sounds more like his previous work.
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personally I think his first album remains undefeated – nothing but hit after hit after hit, ‘tsumi no kaori’ particularly remains criminally underrated. I also love his second album and ‘matsuri’ / ‘hedemo ne yo’ / ‘seishun sick’ are highlights for me on a great, but slightly weaker project. I don’t mind Hachiko but I’d be lying if I didn’t miss the vibe of his earlier songs.
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Yes his first album is probably his best. Hachiko is a good song if you like synth/disco pop, because it is doing interesting things we don’t often find in that genre. It is a bop and it is growing on me (yesterday barely 8, today 8.5). It is different compared to the TikTok trends and fast fashion tor sure, but it does feel like the fast fashion version of his previous work. I’ve seen this is very popular with the general public that didn’t know/like him before though so good for him for gaining new fans, that’s always good, because he deserves it. Also an artist has to try out new things and experiment.
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Never heard of this artist before! Most Japanese songs or artists I know are either part of the K-pop scene or have been involved with anime. This was a nice surprise, though! Aside a few anime bands or singers I don’t really connect with that style, but I’m glad he goes for more of a synth – disco pop style.
This track is produced so elegantly! The layered vocals sound so good and satisfying too. I gotta say it’s been a while since I listened to an almost 5 minute song haha, so I kinda get impatient and want the part when the chorus hits in full force to come earlier.
I’m gonna keep an eye out on him for sure, I saw the album credits and some of the bonus track are produced by A.G. Cook who is the absolute GOAT.
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hii, I found this song today, what do you guys think?
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they slayed so hard
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Spectacular! It’s been on repeat since its release
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wow we really do have different tastes lol, this was his first single that did nothing for me
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okay nevermind. a week later and im sold. this is so god damned good. fuji kaze never misses. im giving it a 9+.
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Shinunoga e-wa is still my favorite song from him, but this song’s good too.
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