In honor of Kis-My-Ft2’s complete videography being uploaded to YouTube (in edited form, of course…), I can’t resist writing about each single. To put this in context for Bias List readers, Kis-My-Ft2 (or Kisumai, as they’re often known) are my J-pop version of Infinite. That’s how much I love them and their discography.
Yet, I rarely write about them because finding online links to their music was so hard… until now!
Tonight (2017)
If Kisumai’s 2016-era music was largely about upbeat, EDM-flavored vibes, their 2017 brought back the rock bombast of their debut. The incredible Tonight is a great way to kick things off. This song is composed by one of my favorite Johnny’s songwriters – Tommy Clint. He knows his way around a knock-out, drag-down epic, and has become one of the agency’s most reliable behind-the-scenes talent.
Beyond Japan (and specifically, Johnny’s), I don’t know any other music market that creates music like this. The sound is definitely not trendy, but it’s 100% the kind of thing I go crazy for. In fact, I’ve gone crazy for this kind of over-the-top stuff since I was a kid. I love the full intensity of the instrumental, packed with powerful rock guitar, symphonic strings and a blistering beat that never lets up. For me, music is fantasy, and songs like Tonight unlock a whole new dimension.
Right from the start, the song bounds out of the gate like a hundred-ton behemoth, barreling toward its megawatt chorus without reprieve. I love how the tempo doubles halfway through verse one, only to give way to the guitar distortion of the pre-chorus. In a world of half-baked TikTok-friendly pop music, this is a full feast.
My history with Kis-My-Ft2 on this blog is checkered and weird. For whatever reason, I didn’t include this track on the “top ten” list I wrote years ago, yet there’s nothing I could say about it that would warrant anything less than a perfect score. I guess you just learn to appreciate some songs more the longer they stick around.
The music video totally appeals to the childhood me, depicting the guys as warriors preparing for battle. It directly connects with their upcoming single Explode and is a great example of the agency’s “more is more” ethos when it comes to costuming.
| Hooks | 10 |
| Production | 10 |
| Longevity | 10 |
| Bias | 10 |
| RATING | 10 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Just arrived to the chorus, and holy f**k this is amazing.
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I knew you’d like this one!!
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Still laughing at the 8.25 you gave Gravity six years ago… we all have our moments of shame…
This one is really great too. But now I have Gravity stuck in my head. It has completely commanded my attention and I can attest to it being as great as you say it is. Thanks for this feature, once again!
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This is the sort of overblown drama that makes Johnny’s themselves. This sounds like it could fit on a Kat-Tun album, and I love it for that!
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My all-time favorite Kisumai song <3. I loved it so much, there was a time I would repeat just the beginning part over and over again. The dance formation is just mesmerizing!
Unfortunately, I don't think they're ever coming back to this. The closest we've had in more recent years is Edge of Days.
Maybe we have to be satisfied with Naniwa's new single The Answer.
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I really want Kisumai to work with Tommy Clint on a single again. Their collaborations are always so great.
Speaking of… are we ever getting new music from them? It feels like it’s been forever since Fear. I’m impatiently waiting for another full album.
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Now that you mention it, they have indeed not released any new music in awhile. I guess it’s because their concert tour has been delayed because Miya and Sen got covid (again). They are basically on a second concert tour that is a continuation of the last interrupted one; they even released new concert goods for what is essentially the same concert tour. I guess that must put a wrench on everything else that they’ve scheduled.
Also, I feel like the members have been branching out to acting as supporting characters in more high profile dramas (as opposed to Johnny’s produced and late night dramas), so they don’t get to sing the theme songs for these.
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Every time this song pops up I’m always blown away by the fact that it exists. It’s so damn massive!
Also will you be reviewing inori? I knows it’s much more low key but it’s one of my absolute favourites!
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Yeah, I plan to do that one and Fire Beat at the end since they’re basically pre-debut songs that were given mvs years after they were first recorded. I wanted to open the feature with Everybody Goes, so it made more sense to save those ones until later. I might do a “further listening” post with b-sides highlights, too. We’ll see!
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