was released on April 4, 2007. The title is '勇気のチカラ' which is pronounced 'Yuuki no Chikara' and can be translated as 'Strength of Courage'. The c/w is 'Destiny ～未来という名の物語～' and the Japanese portion is pronounced 'Mirai to iu Na no Monogatari' and can be translated as 'A Story Called the Future'.
Only about 5 months had passed since the release of 'Cosmic Cosmetics' so it seemed Aiko was just going to keep releasing music, but this was her last solo single on the Avex label. They filmed a music video (PV) for the song and Aiko looked so grown-up at the age of 21. She was (and still is) a beautiful woman, but that doesn't sell records just by itself. Maybe Aiko thought it was time to take a break and even if she was let go (probable) she would have seen it coming. To be correct, she had another release June 6 (an album called 'POP') that contained 3 new songs including "Runaway Girl" which was included in the soundtrack for the Girl's Box: The Movie.
Whatever. Aiko showed up one last time all by herself for the ultimate power ballad that is 勇気のチカラand the world was richer for having it. From her debut single and all throughout her career, she made "sparkly" upbeat music that evoked pureness and a dream-like (almost magical) perpetually shimmering gag-me sweet wonderland on a foundation of solidly written tunes. And then there is 勇気のチカラ which takes all of those qualities up even higher and lands to thundering applause at the other side of the gorge.
This song became a part of my life, not because I chose it in particular but more because of circumstances. I started a ritual on New Years Eve where I played the Girl's Box TV Special Live concert from when Kingyo performs 'LOVERS HIGH' as a group before the lights fade at midnight and Aiko does a solo set which begins with 勇気のチカラ. Every year from 2008 to 2014 I made sure that this was the first song I heard at the stroke of midnight. Who needs Dick Clark when you've got Aiko taking the stage and saying "minna-san, konbanwa!" to mark the official beginning of a new year? Sometimes the timing was off by a minute or so but it wasn't time to celebrate New Years until she said this, and she always did. I was 25 when this tradition started and it lasted until I was 32.
This release was truly something you could point at and say, "why isn't there more of this?" So I guess it was some unofficial vigil for her return until she actually did so in 2014. But back in 2007 she still had a single with Kingyo (a trio also featuring Yu Hasebe from dream and Nao Nagasawa). They simultaneously starred in Girl's Box: The Movie.
I began blogging at a steady pace for about a little less than a year and a half starting with posts about the movie and I had a brief exchange between blogs like helloblog and intlwota that got me a little bit of traffic. People started reading S.P.A.K.A. (the Society for the Preservation of Anything Kayo Aiko), and what people probably don't know is that S.P.A.K.A. is an actual thing: it really IS just me but there are rules. These rules started to be written the moment I first held a Kayo Aiko cd, as it was so elegantly packaged and I wanted to keep it like new forever. I also got a poster in the package that I wanted to put on the wall. So I came up with something like this.
(These are not official rules but paraphrasing, consult an attorney for actual legal advice.)
1. Do not put holes in posters or affix them to walls with any adhesive that could potentially discolor, stain, or damage the poster. (This is why I started framing posters)
2. When unrolling the poster, do so slowly on a large prepared surface and use books to hold the poster down and tall books to pull the poster open, this is to avoid the poster creasing on the short edge and also minimizes contact with oils on the hands.
3. Open a cd by inserting an X-acto knife (with a clean blade) tip into the center of the "V" (bottom right corner) then slicing downward cutting to the exact edge of the lower corner and through the bottom. Turn knife 90 degrees and slice down the long edge (back of the cd), being careful not to rub the blade on the cd case. At the edge, make a clean straight cut through the left side so the case is now able to slip through the cellophane. Make a mirrored cut on the side where you started and slide the cd out.
4. Always hold a cd case by the top and bottom (smallest dimension) edges and also try to avoid pressing your fingertip too far over the edge where the case will fog from moisture. (The whole point is to preserve these things, and yes I'm crazy). When opening a cd, always place the case on a (confirmed clean/dry) flat surface like a desk or table and handle the case by the edges.
5. Rip the music from the disk at full quality and scan the artwork including the tray sheet (because they used to just use white paper to line cd's but Aiko's have pictures EVERYWHERE).
6. Repackage the cd and store in an archival box, as the materials are all now available electronically and the materials will be preserved in best condition. Incidentally I forgot to mention that you're not supposed to breathe while the cd is open, good luck with that.
7. Any and all available materials such as videos, photographs, books, cd's, texts of interviews or song lyrics will be saved in a manner most appropriate for that medium (physical or electronic).
Also, one time I took down an Aiko poster in anger and called her a bad name. I came so very close to smashing the poster, frame and all, over the back of my couch*. That probably would have ended S.P.A.K.A. but I have kept the idea (and the poster) intact.
The c/w of this single is a low-key disco-y number that I always thought reminiscent of Donna Summer, until I actually listened to Donna Summer and even I admit that Aiko's got nothing on her. Nevertheless it is a solid track as Aiko songs always are. If you're reading this to see if I'd recommend buying a copy for yourself, um, YES. But maybe you should have done that over 10 years ago, it would have helped out. You and thousands of other people.
If you've read this far, thank you. I will go get more words and put them on this site in just a bit.
*"Why did you do that, Jyoru?" Here comes my new catch phrase: Long story; tell you later.
