Kyary Pamyu Pamyu takes on a Japanese folk tale and snatches herself bald in "Kamaitachi"

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is still here y'all.

Some of us thought she wouldn't last more than an album. But here she is, three studio albums and a Best release deep and with her 18th single, "Kamaitachi".

Just as Pamyu Pamyu has done throughout her music career, "Kamaitachi" touches on things embedded into Japanese culture. Here, its a combination of the Japanese folktale creature which the song is titled after, and the legend of the red string. The latter is a based on a belief that each person is tied to another by an invisible red string and bound to them by fate. It's basically Japan and China's equivalent of what in the West is referred to as a soulmate.

As usual, the visual is fun, colourful and sees Kyary unafraid to play with her aesthetic. The highlight for me is Pamyu getting her hat snatched to reveal her bald-ass head.

I was on board with this song, until the chorus hit. This song isn't bad, but its certainly not of the high calibre that we've gotten from Nakata Yasutaka and Pussy Pam in the past. And we now have two songs post Japamyu which sound like they should have been on Japamyu. That album would have been far better off and been a better representation of the title had "Kimi ga ii ne kuretara" and "Kamaitachi" been on it.

It's probably safe to say that we may get a new Pamyu Pamyu album this year. Although I think she might be better off releasing an EP. It'd be far easier to lock in a sound and deliver something tight with an EP. Especially considering that both Pikapika fantajin and Japamyu felt like they were being stretched thin. Yasutaka's output over the past few years hasn't served albums too well.

*Looks over at Perfume's Cosmic Explorer and Future Pop*

📝 Kyardi P album reviews: Nanda collection | Pikapika fantajin | Japamyu
💿 Random J Pop Special Edition: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - Super Pamicom
🎧 A related playlist: This is (some of) Nakata Yasutaka