Akaiko-en -- Imasara（今更）

 

Around March last year, I mentioned about the rock band Akaiko-en（赤い公園）and their 2019 tune "Highway Cabriolet" which I thought was pretty cool. In the same article, I also wrote about the tragic death of the leader and guitarist for the band, Maisa Tsuno（津野米咲）, in late 2020 which led to the eventual breakup of Akaiko-en.

Some months ago, I discovered one of the band's earlier singles. In fact, it's their 2nd major single "Imasara" from July 2013 that peaked at No. 40. When I looked up the term on Jisho.org, I found a couple of seemingly contradictory definitions for it. One is now as in "now when it's too late"; as an example, "You want me to buy pickles NOW after the store's closed?!". The other definition is "afresh" or "anew", so perhaps there is some hope.

The late Tsuno wrote and composed the relatively brief "Imasara" which might be more associated with that first definition. I think that the implications from the lyrics is that it may already be too late in this rat race but perhaps folks can just slow down and smell the coffee, at least before they have to rev up to warp speed once more.

The music video is pretty interesting as well as the band is not only performing its alternating thrashing and melodic sounds in what could be next to a dude ranch, but Tsuno and her bandmates are also getting into some aidoru-like choreography while also going on instruments. I'm not even sure whether the camera is rolling forwards or backwards since the dance moves appear so angular and jerky.

Following the breakup of Akaiko-en and the untimely passing of Tsuno, the members have gone onto other projects. Drummer Nao Utagawa（歌川菜穂）joined the rock band THE 2 in 2018 while vocalist Chiaki Sato（佐藤千明）who had left Akaiko-en in 2017 opted to follow a solo career.