Ikiru Koto - Team A

Today I will talk about my all time favourite song Ikiru Koto, which is Team A's coupling song from AKB48's 31st Single Sayonara Crawl.

Like I already mentioned, Ikiru Koto is one of my favourite Team songs. Not only is the song's tune pretty awesome, but also the message behind the lyrics is actually deep. But more of the meaningful lyrics later.



What really surprised me was that Ikiru Koto is by far slower and also darker than Team B's and Team K's songs. Especially since it's a coupling song of a pretty cheery summer song like Sayonara Crawl.

Furthermore the PV does not have a single scene with all it's members together, nor does it have a proper dance shot like it's normally usual for AKB's songs/PVs. And since it never was performed anywhere we can't really say who would be it's Center -although I think it probably would be Mayu.
When you listen to the song you clearly hear thet Takamina's voice stands out a lot which I guess has also a pretty deep meaning -but more of this also later.

So let's move on to the PV

First Member to appear is Mayu, sporting a more rockish outfit

Takamina looking pretty lost over there

Thing: Just layin' here

Mariko also looks lost

As well as Tano, but this atmosphere suits the song

Kawaei: Those colours!

So we finally get to know the interpret...

... as if we didn't know already

And again that thing, I wonder which meaning it has

...at least it looks kinda creepy

Annin don't you think this colour is a bit too bright for the song?

Smooth advertising in the background Forever 21

 

And here comes the title ''Ikiru Koto'' or Living

Actually the rock genre suits Mayu really good

Yui riding the Technicolour Tank

So another 4 members appear... Izuta Rina, Kotani Riho, Nakamata Shiori

and Oshima Ryoka .... who is playing Solitaire. Really Ryoka? Solitaire?

Okay I guess even playing Solitaire is better than doing absolutely nothing

I really love how Karen looks in this PV

Smashing...

I'll just leave this here.

Juri: Ne okotteru..?
Ehm... that's the wrong character Juri

Izurina: Really tired of your shit Shukan Bunshun...

Also riding on the Technicolour Tank to freedom is Suuchan.

Actually it looks like the Thing is in pain.

Riho: This SayaMilky Fanfiction is so boring

Ayarin looking into distance....

Thing: I need to buy that single! But where is that damn record shop.

♫ Guitar Solo ♫

Also leaving this here

Marina: Damn no new texts....

The forgotten solo artist...

I really love her album.

I really love this room

 Ayaka: Jiiii-

Kawaei: Now I'm ready for Handshake Events again.

I know.... Please don't hate me

Suuchan: All those lights are blinding me~ ♫

Nakamata Shiori appears...

Monomane Part 1

Thing: I need to go. My people need me!

Monomane Part 2

Those NMB members are really good

Kusogaki mode.

Staring right through your soul

The first real Dance scene

Thing: I want to dance too!

Mayu: Dancing Time!

Karen: Please don't!!

Juri: Majide?
Again wrong Character Juri

Takamina: Noo... Atsuko....

Sado: Do this one more time....

Annin: Where is Nobunaga?

Mayu: Could you please stop! We are not at Majisuka Gakuen!

Thing: Damn I'm in the wrong drama.... 

Mayu: I give up....
Sakiko: I never appeard in those dramas....

Takamina looks as if she would remember something painful,...

... as is Mariko

and Kawaei too

Mayu: Let us end this here.

And now also the Thing disappeard.... leaving it's clothing behind...

So that was Team A's PV of Ikiru Koto.

*** Attention Personal Opinion ***

So before I try to analyse and interpret the PV let's first take a look at the lyrics.

Like I said in the beginning the meaning of the lyrics is pretty deep and I would go as far as to say that this is one of the most meaningful songs of AKB48.

If you look at the first phrase ''I came all the way here, But where am I right now?'' kind of already implies that they -Team A or even AKB48 itself- don't know what their next goal should be. This is also explained by ''My wish was already fulfilled I don't need to dream Anymore''. Yes, Tokyo Dome (1830m no Yume) is over and now? what is the next big dream they want to reach.

"Am I ascending? Am I descending?" shows that they don't know what will happen to them in the future.

''What I believed in that day was "living"

Even if I had lost something, "living"
It should have all paid off, "living"
Though I feel I will collapse for my injuries, "living"
"Living" ''
Actually this is the main message they want to convey. Meaning that although tehy did't have a goal after this they still kept on ''living'' to try to find a new goal.

''Have I reached the summit?'' I guess this explains itself....

''The air is thin, it's hard to breathe. Is this happiness? Is this unhappiness?'' I really like this line since it sais that being famous also is kind of dangerous since people try to break you and to take away your position.- I'm looking at you Shukan Bunshun!!-

''Where did my youth disappear to?'' I also like how Takamina's voice stands out while singing this line. I perfectly explains how the first Generation members gave up their youth (They startet at the age of 14) to achieve their dream.

''Breaking down our invisible walls, "moving on"
No matter how many times we may fail, "moving on" '' This also explains their situation back in 2005.

''I came all the way here,
So where can I go now?'' This should show that they don't want to stop just now. So they try to find a new dream, a new goal.

For the whole lyrics please visit here: http://stage48.net/studio48/ikirukoto.html

Now moving on to the PV:

First off the PV is mostly filmed in Shibuya but also in Shinjuku -to be precise in Shinjuku's Robot Restaurant.

The PV itself is actually pretty dark -filmed at night and also dark locations except the robot restaurant- and also has a light gloomy atmosphere since everyone is looking sad and serious.

I really like how they put each member in a different environment. For example Mayu is inging in a lounge with a lot of makeup, Takamina also wearing heavy makeup is tsanding on al balcony overlooking the whole scene -maybe a allousion to her Soukantoku position- or Yui and Suuchan sitting in that tank in the Robot Restaurant.
Furthermore it seems to me like the environment and the clothes the members are wearing doesn't really fit together. For example Kawaei, Yui, and Suuchan are wearing something like formal wear while sitting/standing in a location with lots of blinking, colourful lights. Or Annin wearing that bright yellow summer dress while standing in a dark alley.
This also strenghten my opinion that the song and the PV should show that they lost their way/goal.

Furthermore we also have the Thing.

In my opinion it's correct name should be DREAM. Yes, I think that this Person/Creature is the personification of the dreams, goals and fears of the members. Like in the lyrics it is lost and doesn't know where to go or what to do. It also looks like its sometimes in pain since it's smashing itself against walls like it wants the pain to go away -maybe even the pain the members sometimes feel.

I also like how the member suddenly begin to move and to dance when the second refrain starts to play, showing that they are alive and not just living and that they are moving on.

The end, where you can just see the DREAM's clothes, shows that they don't longer need a personification of their dreams, pains and fears since they start once more and are now looking for a new dream.

So all in all the song shows how hardliving can be and how easy it is to get lost on your actual way. And like I said it's one of my favourite Songs and also PVs, I really like how you can see this as a neutral (open for everyone) or a special situation for AKB48.

So that's it of my Review of Ikiru Koto. And I know I suck at explaining my thoughts, sorry for that. ;D