More Pure J-Pop Perfection with Yuki Saito's 'Aozora No Kakera"

Yuki Saito Aozora No Kakera (A Piece of Blue Sky)

The first song I learned from 80’s idol singer /actress Yuki Saito was her classic “Hatsukoi” (which I got on one of those great Pony Canyon Anthology discs), but it wasn’t until I checked out her album “Glass no Kodou” (which featured a collection of her singles as the bonus) that I learned just how awesome she was!

 Though I’d really loved Hatsukoi, I have to say that Glass No Kodou was a rather sombre album, mostly slow songs and ballads and I began to think that Yuki was a strictly “vocal contemporary” type singer who only did Love Song genre stuff. So I was stunned when it got to the Singles Collection and discovered that most of her singles were of the bright and poppy variety, and WOW, standing head and shoulders above them all was the genki pop masterpiece “Aozora No Kakera”!

I was listening to Glass No Kodou while I walked around the mall shopping one evening, and I was already in a good mood from the single “Kanashimi yo Konnichiwa”…and then “Aozora No Kakera” began. HOLY TOLEDO, I remember just standing in the middle of Walmart, just BLOWN AWAY by how TERRIFIC this song was! Aozora No Kakera was a bright, happy tune that captured EVERYTHING I LOVE about 80’s Idol J-pop,  bouncy synth keyboards, catchy chorus hooks, dancey beats and an adorable voice backed up by swinging horn refrains! This was yet another song of “Pure Pop Perfection” and when I got home I had to listen to it ALL OVER AGAIN!

There are certain J-pop songs that really hit my heart with their sweet, bubbly sincerity- They’re usually heavily 80’s flavoured and sung with very animated singing; tunes like “Otome No Rehearsal” by CoCo, “1/2 Ticket” by Ribbon, even “Onnanoko Rika-ishite yo” by MoMusu Rika Ishikawa and (more recently) “Peach” by Ai Otsuka….these are a few of the songs that really capture the spirit of what I consider “Pure Pop Perfection”, and whenever I hear them I get filled with a warm, fuzzy feeling! You can now officially add “Aozora No Kakera” to this list!!!

     As I spend my nights now trying to download all of Yuki’s performances of this song (as well as her other great singles) I’ve been reading up on her tracks, and I was surprised to find that although “Hatsukoi” is her signature tune, Aozora No Kakera is the ONE song of hers that hit Number One in the charts! It’s very humbling to know that this amazing song of hers that I’ve jsut discovered has been well-known and beloved by her fans for years! There is always so much more to discover the first and original “Sukeban Deka” Yo-Yo wielding Girl Detective!!!

    SO Smitten by Yuki Saito, I HAD to purchase her Complete Singles Collection (which featured both Yuki's A and B side singles) from CD Japan, but when I went to order it, the only thing available was the single “My Kore Lite” CD, (which featured only the A sides). I was intrigued to discover, however, that although her Complete Double Disc collection was “Out Of Stock”, unlike other titles which are no longer available once gone, THIS one said it was on “back-order”. I was dubious about THAT, but for 25 bucks, I decided to take a chance, and just today, my double disc Yuki Saito collection is HERE!!!! Right now playing her songs over and OVER!

Above and Below: Yuki Saito Singles Complete Double CD

    And BTW….I’ve always thought Yuki Saito was one helluva sexy woman-I remember thinking she was so pretty as the concerned scientist in “Designer Baby” as well as Haru’s unbalanced mom in “Okaasan, Musume wo Yamete Ii Desuka"...

Yuki with Haru in "Okaasan , Musume wo Yamete Ii Desuka"

but DAMN, I wasn’t prepared for how freakin’ precious she was as an idol in 1985….the entire time I was watching her clips I kept saying to myself, she…is…so…darn...adorable!”

Okay, off to listen to more Yuki Saito!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com