Now change your life: Reverse/Re:Birth
Nov. 21st, 2015 04:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akinoameThe music video opens with Date entering with a rolled up script, wearing an OOO T-shirt featuring the Medals, and "Team Date" written in kanji on the back. Meanwhile, a team of dancers in tuxedos reveal Birth behind them while Date reviews the footage on a small TV. Oh god. Someone let him direct again.
Honestly, he's not the only one doing it. Satonaka appears to be his assistant director, but she really doesn't do much. Mostly just watches TV and gets paid for it. Once again, she scored the perfect job.
As the song kicks up, we see Goto running and jumping. Not that he's chasing anything—more like this is his usual workout in full tactical gear. Also, Birth and the dancers. The video is an experience, although not quite on the level of "Time Judged All," but since its start is relatively simple, it's easier to focus on the lyrics.
"Reverse/Re:Birth" is Goto's image song. Yes, I know that both of them sing it. But it is Goto's song through and through. As translated by TV-Nihon, Date's lines are definitely asking Goto questions:
Which Goto picks up in his line:
Date's a guy who listens to his heart and doesn't worry as much about conflict. But it's Goto who's struggled with it all the time, giving up on his dreams to become Birth. The song is Date encouraging him and supporting him, at least as far as this version is. There's also two additional remixes, one with just Date and one with just Goto—something you don't see for "Time Judged All," for instance. "Time Judged All" was about the relationship between Eiji and Ankh. It would never be able to be separated out into one character singing.
The "heads or tails" is definitely a reference to Date, who flips his Cell Medal before inserting it into the Driver, but is he the one who has to stop locking back and change his life?
And so this goes for this whole first verse. Date is watching while Goto takes part in the action. But it's toward the end of the chorus that he joins in. Both he and Goto stand in silhouette against a bright light, Goto admitting his flaws while Date tells him to accept them. Goto can't change his past, but Date encourages him to reset the way he feels so he can change his life. While there's the implied subject from Japanese, thus opening to ambiguity, there's no way this is talking about Date. It's about Goto, who has regrets and flaws. Date doesn't really let much get to him—he keeps going no matter what, until he's got "this much," as he always says. His goal is always what keeps him going.
But this time, the chorus starts off with both Births against a black field that has bright blue lines running through it, and Date has...
NOT THE MICROPHONE OF SEXUAL TENSION! Date, do you know what you have wrought? Goto seems to, since he's pulled his gun. Goto, bad. Stop shooting Riders!
This chorus is about giving it your all and turning things around to retry with your dreams, vowing to fight. And then Date leaves the microphone of sexual tension for an electric guitar solo while Birth and the dancers do some kicks in their dancing. Satonaka...still doesn't seem to care. Satonaka, you're amazing to me. I mean, you've got these sharply-dressed dancers doing kicks with Birth, Date shredding it on the guitar, and you're like, "I've seen better. Hino and Ankh nearly kissed about twice in their music video, and the effects were flashier."
With the song wrapping up, with the affirmation "Don't lose yourself" and the instance on being true to who you are and never letting anyone take that away, Birth, Date, and Goto each toss a handful of Cells. The final chorus starts and as Birth dances, he...starts firebending or something, creating blue and green streaks. The green corresponds to Date and the blue, or purple, based on this shot, to Goto as they toss and carry the Cells while joining in on the stuntwork. Nicely, as opposed to "Time Judged All," Birth starts timing his movements to make it appear that he's singing. And it's kind of hard to tell which Birth this is—the spectacle and body language imply Date, but he times this as if he's Goto singing. Or it could honestly be that they've been switching off the entire time. As the song ends, Goto and Date stand together in the light and vow to create their own legend.
Given that this adventure appears to have been funded by Kougami, naturally, this ends with a cake. It also affirms that this music video was brought to you by Akira Date, our glorious director, actor, and star. Because no matter what I said about this song really being more about Goto, it's hard to deny that Date stole the show. But more on that in the endpoint analysis.
Other than that, I can't find any credits for the video. "Reverse/Re:Birth" was written by Shoko Fujibayashi, with Hiroaki Iwanaga as Date and Asaya Kimijima as Goto. And even though she didn't do anything, Satonaka was in it and played by Mayuko Arisue.
Honestly, he's not the only one doing it. Satonaka appears to be his assistant director, but she really doesn't do much. Mostly just watches TV and gets paid for it. Once again, she scored the perfect job.
As the song kicks up, we see Goto running and jumping. Not that he's chasing anything—more like this is his usual workout in full tactical gear. Also, Birth and the dancers. The video is an experience, although not quite on the level of "Time Judged All," but since its start is relatively simple, it's easier to focus on the lyrics.
"Reverse/Re:Birth" is Goto's image song. Yes, I know that both of them sing it. But it is Goto's song through and through. As translated by TV-Nihon, Date's lines are definitely asking Goto questions:
Why don't you listen to your heart?
You shouldn't have any reason for giving up.
Which Goto picks up in his line:
It was the dream that thrust me away
It disappears... All I can do is see it off.
Date's a guy who listens to his heart and doesn't worry as much about conflict. But it's Goto who's struggled with it all the time, giving up on his dreams to become Birth. The song is Date encouraging him and supporting him, at least as far as this version is. There's also two additional remixes, one with just Date and one with just Goto—something you don't see for "Time Judged All," for instance. "Time Judged All" was about the relationship between Eiji and Ankh. It would never be able to be separated out into one character singing.
Don't look back
It's never too late
Will that Medal land heads or tails?
Now, change your life
The "heads or tails" is definitely a reference to Date, who flips his Cell Medal before inserting it into the Driver, but is he the one who has to stop locking back and change his life?
Reverse those tears, it's surely a Re:Birth
Open your eyes now
Oh, if I can feel that brightness...
It's a Reverse/Re:Birth
If you take a step forward
A new future
Is given birth here
And so this goes for this whole first verse. Date is watching while Goto takes part in the action. But it's toward the end of the chorus that he joins in. Both he and Goto stand in silhouette against a bright light, Goto admitting his flaws while Date tells him to accept them. Goto can't change his past, but Date encourages him to reset the way he feels so he can change his life. While there's the implied subject from Japanese, thus opening to ambiguity, there's no way this is talking about Date. It's about Goto, who has regrets and flaws. Date doesn't really let much get to him—he keeps going no matter what, until he's got "this much," as he always says. His goal is always what keeps him going.
But this time, the chorus starts off with both Births against a black field that has bright blue lines running through it, and Date has...
NOT THE MICROPHONE OF SEXUAL TENSION! Date, do you know what you have wrought? Goto seems to, since he's pulled his gun. Goto, bad. Stop shooting Riders!
This chorus is about giving it your all and turning things around to retry with your dreams, vowing to fight. And then Date leaves the microphone of sexual tension for an electric guitar solo while Birth and the dancers do some kicks in their dancing. Satonaka...still doesn't seem to care. Satonaka, you're amazing to me. I mean, you've got these sharply-dressed dancers doing kicks with Birth, Date shredding it on the guitar, and you're like, "I've seen better. Hino and Ankh nearly kissed about twice in their music video, and the effects were flashier."
With the song wrapping up, with the affirmation "Don't lose yourself" and the instance on being true to who you are and never letting anyone take that away, Birth, Date, and Goto each toss a handful of Cells. The final chorus starts and as Birth dances, he...starts firebending or something, creating blue and green streaks. The green corresponds to Date and the blue, or purple, based on this shot, to Goto as they toss and carry the Cells while joining in on the stuntwork. Nicely, as opposed to "Time Judged All," Birth starts timing his movements to make it appear that he's singing. And it's kind of hard to tell which Birth this is—the spectacle and body language imply Date, but he times this as if he's Goto singing. Or it could honestly be that they've been switching off the entire time. As the song ends, Goto and Date stand together in the light and vow to create their own legend.
Given that this adventure appears to have been funded by Kougami, naturally, this ends with a cake. It also affirms that this music video was brought to you by Akira Date, our glorious director, actor, and star. Because no matter what I said about this song really being more about Goto, it's hard to deny that Date stole the show. But more on that in the endpoint analysis.
Other than that, I can't find any credits for the video. "Reverse/Re:Birth" was written by Shoko Fujibayashi, with Hiroaki Iwanaga as Date and Asaya Kimijima as Goto. And even though she didn't do anything, Satonaka was in it and played by Mayuko Arisue.