Finally the full PVs for Arashi’s double A-side single, Calling / Breathless, have been released. But obvious I can only review one PV at once, and I decided to do my favorite of the two first. Which is Calling.
Now it maybe have taken me a few weeks to really appreciate how awesome the song is, but from the first PV preview I was instantly in love with this PV. And after seeing the full PV I am even more in love with this PV. There are a few more scenes that we didn’t see in the preview and I honestly wasn’t expecting because with PV previews, especially Arashi PV previews, what you see is what you get. But all of the scenes blend together perfectly to makes this kinda dark, kinda weird, and abstract looking PV. With just a dash of the randomness vibe from the Mada Minu Sekai E PV and the different color filters from the Face Down PV.
There are pretty much just 2 main sets for the PV. The best way to describe the first one is either distressed ad ripped up bed sheets, or old cut up pirate looking sails, attached to some random metal structure. And I really love this set because in my opinion because it’s artsy, abstract, and just plain weird looking. I also think really like that it’s being blown the entire time. The constantly flowing fabric adds another really small cool element to this PV
The other main set of this PV is what looks like a circular tunnel of lights. The different colored lights against the black background makes it look like Arashi is inside a giant neon sign. Which is awesome. It’s also an ingenious way to blatantly show all the lights that are needed to add such a high contrast to Arashi. This is also the background they use for the close-up shots. I think even the close-ups are done in such a smart way. It’s just Arashi standing right in front of the background being shot with almost a tube effect. Which makes it looks really interesting and unique. But it’s actually yet another way of making a cheap effect look more expensive and interesting. Arashi really is the master of making cheap PVs look good.
Another inexpensive way they make this PV look higher budget than it really is, is by using different camera filters. There’s literally 6 different filters used. The amber one, the blueish hued one, the high contrast light one, the clearer close-up shot one, the grungy sheet set one, and the black and white one. That’s all relatively inexpensive. But just by using different colors it makes the PV about 50% more interesting to watch. Because the PV is constantly changing it’s never boring. And when the music slows down towards the end of the song and it switches to the blueish looking camera filter it just firs perfectly for that part of the song. Even though Arashi is using basically the same exact filters they used for their Face Down PV, I don’t really mind.
These PV also has these random scenes where each member of Arashi is sitting in a chair and a bunch of men dressed in all black are trying to touch each member. Besides the homoerotic undertones of these scenes, which I approve of, I don’t really get what purpose they serve. They’re actually a little bit out of place.
Ok, wow, I’ve ranted way too much about this PV already, so I’m gonna end it by talking about one last thing, and that is, Oh my god everyone looks gorgeous! Like almost impossibly great. Like almost the best they’ve ever looked in PVs. So, “how is it possible these guys look this good at 30?” incredible. Even members I don’t really find attractive look absolutely amazing in this video. But of course, much like always, Nino and Sho win for looking the hottest in this PV.
Such an intense opening scene.
I wish they would stop panning so quickly, I can barely make the stuff out.
Nino. *O*
Aiba looks so unexpectedly good in this PV.
Gorgeous Nino. I apologize in advance for how biased these caps are most likely going to be.
Sho this hair and outfit are working for you.
This set is really cool.
Wow MatsuJun looks good.
The best Aiba has ever looked. *O*
Nino this hair is cute, why couldn’t you have kept it for a little while?
Even Ohno doesn’t look that bad.
Nice jacket.
Actually nice outfits overall.
Jun….
What an odd pose. Lol.
Cutie.
Flawless jacket swing.
Adorable Nino.
Lookin’ good Sho.
Why are you so perfect?
Wow Aiba.
I don’t even know what’s going on here.
MatsuJun looks like he’s sitting on a throne.
He looks so good.
Nino is so gorgeous.
Can’t get over the undertones of this.
Such a cutie.
Nice amber effect.
A little reminiscent of Face Down though.
Gorgeous baby.
Another nice filter.
But it was nice in Face Down too.
Sho-kun. *O*
No words.
