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!

Towa Musubi (2019)

Having written about a few Kisumai ballads already, there’s not much more to say. I’m not someone who seeks most ballads out, which means they generally receive a lower rating on this blog. But, I love a good melody and Kisumai’s ballads often build themselves around a strong chorus that’s difficult to resist.

Towa Musubi is a particularly satisfying example of this format. It’s sweet and treacly, but that atmosphere is given a nice symphonic lilt that drives home the sentiment. Both verses and chorus offer great melodies and the track makes room for a full bridge as well. This climaxes in a key change finale – just in case you didn’t think the song was already cheesy enough! Curmudgeons could easily label Towa Musubi schlocky, but I happen to enjoy schlock if it’s delivered in an earnest, heartfelt way. Given the choice, I’ll certainly be reaching for Kisumai’s upbeat bangers and rock anthems long before I get to Towa Musubi. But, it’s a nice breather.

The video is pretty nondescript. It’s basically what you’d expect from a track like this. Lots of hazy lighting, slow motion camera work and an unlimited supply of emoting.