Cody・Lee (李) -- Odoru Hikari（おどる ひかり）

 

Tsukishima is one neighbourhood in Tokyo that I didn't visit all that often aside from trying to teach a couple of kids at their family's apartment there. And there was that one time that I went with a friend to that area because of the street lined with monjayaki（もんじゃ焼き）restaurants. I'll let Yummy Japan's Victor and Charly explain monjayaki above but though I can eat it, it's not up there with my favourite dishes in Japan. 

Speaking of Tsukishima, I've been enjoying the anime that is established in that neighbourhood, "Edomae Elf"（江戸前エルフ...Otaku Elf）, over the past few weeks as I catch up on the episodes. For me, there's nothing like a relaxing slice-of-life show with some odd characters. 

Earlier in the spring, I wrote about the opening theme for "Edomae Elf", Akari Nanawo's（ナナヲアカリ）perky and catchy "Kien Romance"（奇縁ロマンス）that brings together the new and the old, melodically speaking. Well, in contrast with the opening, there is the different but also very good ending theme by the rock band Cody・Lee (李).

Their contribution to "Edomae Elf" is their 12th digital single "Odoru Hikari" (Dancing Lights) which was released in April. Just as a very quick aside, I've enjoyed the ending credits showing off a typical day in the life of Elda and Koito with some 3D-esque effects. But getting back to the song itself, "Odoru Hikari" was written and composed by Hibiki Takahashi（高橋響）, one of the two lead vocalists in Cody・Lee (李), and in terms of the overall picture for "Edomae Elf", whereas Nanawo's "Kien Romance" paints a picture of the traditional within modern Tokyo, "Odoru Hikari" has the bittersweet story of Elda's life which is most likely an endless one while her beloved friends come and go within their mortal frame of time. Takahashi's melody is one that I like because the guitar rhythm is reminiscent of some of the pop-rock that I was hearing back in the 1980s.

I also enjoy the music video since it shows a slice-of-life environment in the real-life Tsukishima with the band and actress Utano Aoi（葵うたの）showing up at a neighbourhood store and hanging out. The message is one of appreciating the time that one has with friends and family because it won't be permanent. My neighbourhood of Minami-Gyotoku in Ichikawa City is more of a suburban bedroom town than the inner-city area of Tsukishima so there isn't a general store or a sento around where residents can get together and chat amiably. It's usually been the case that commuters reach the station, perhaps pick up something from the supermarket or konbini and then head straight home. 

As for Cody・Lee (李), they first formed up in 2018. Along with Takahashi, there is co-vocalist and guitarist Rino Ozaki（尾崎リノ）, guitarist Riki（力毅）, bassist Kei Nishima（ニシマケイ）, and drummer Taiki Hara（原汰輝）as the current lineup. Except for their debut single, their discography has consisted of thirteen digital singles and four albums of varying lengths in their indies and major periods.