Mimori Yusa -- Hoshikuzu no Platz（星屑の停留所）

 

Sheepish J-Canuck here. Sheepish because up to now, the only article written up on eclectic singer-songwriter Mimori Yusa（遊佐未森）was February 2013 when nikala contributed Yusa's "Kureteyuku Sora wa" (暮れてゆく空は). Nikala herself mentioned in that article that "...Yusa only enjoyed mild popularity, since her music and lyrics were considered eccentric by mass audiences". And yet, there was a fairly sizable flood of fresh unusual acts coming out in the final few years of the 1980s when she debuted such as PSY-S, Tama and Jitterin' Jinn, and I've liked all those and more. So allow me to rectify.

At the end of her article, nikala also introduced "Chizu wo Kudasai"  (地図をください...A Map, Please) which was Yusa's 3rd single from February 1989. Well, I have the coupling song from that single, "Hoshikuzu no Platz" (Stardust Bus Stop), and the pop melody by Takafumi Sotoma（外間隆史）was probably like a breath of fresh air for those listeners who were perhaps getting a tad tired of all of the heavy synthesizers and electric guitars at that time. Both Yusa's vocals and the arrangement are very organic and airy for a lack of better terms.

The lyrics by Junko Kudo（工藤順子）seem to relate the beginning of a fantastical trip to isekai through the usual route of an attic with a mysterious trunk...leading to a magical bus stop(?), and Yusa is trying to invite us all on the voyage. I gather that the video above of her performing "Hoshikuzu no Platz" was from the same NHK program that featured "Chizu wo Kudasai" as shown in nikala's video, and I think that the whole setup including Yusa's outfit is very reminiscent of PSY-S' presentation, although again anything electronic is very much subdued.

Mimori Yusa -- Kureteyuku Sora wa (暮れてゆく空は)

As a child prior to my immigration to Canada, I spent my summers in remote Russian villages with my grandparents where I would take every opportunity to explore the surrounding green valleys until sunset. Upon stumbling across Mimori Yusa's (遊佐未森) music online for the first time, I had these memories return in full force. I don't think it's much of a stretch to be reminded of childhood while watching the above video for "Kureteyuku Sora wa" (暮れてゆく空は). Yusa herself has that image of a character from a fairytale singing an innocent song about the beauties of nature. It's the kind of song that temporarily suspends my sense of reality and makes me believe in dreams.

Yusa is a singer-songwriter from Miyagi Prefecture who debuted in 1988 with the single Hitomi Suishou (瞳水晶) and contributed songs for anime works such as Yokoyama Mitsuteru Sangokushi and the film adaptation of The Heroic Legend of Arslan. Moreover, many of her songs were used in CM campaigns and TV programs, but no need to list all those. In 1994, she joined a short-lived ambient unit Love,Peace&Trance alongside Miyako Kouda (甲田益也子) and Mishio Ogawa (小川美潮). It was produced by none other than Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) of YMO fame. For much of her career, however, Yusa only enjoyed mild popularity, since her music and lyrics were considered eccentric by mass audiences. It was only in 2005 that she scored a real hit with "Kuro" thanks to the song being featured in the NHK program Minna no Uta.

"Kureteyuku Sora wa" was released as a single on September 1, 1989 and was included on her third studio album Harmoniodeon. Katafumi Sotoma (外間隆史) took care of the music, while Junko Kudo (工藤順子) provided the lyrics. Yusa would become more independent in songwriting as her career progressed. Many of her early albums are accompanied by video collections which feature her singing in dreamy natural settings. The video for "Kureteyuku Sora wa" is only one of the performances from her outdoor "concert" Forest Notes -concert with trees-. It sure is staged like one, but in place of people, the audience consists of birds and flowers.

As a bonus, here's Yusa performing "Chizu wo Kudasai"  (地図をください) on NHK's Just Pop Up. She's just so mysteriously charming.

Image source: cdjournal