Ashita Genki Ni Naare - Miyavi Music Video

I find this music video by the Japanese artist Miyavi, interesting as I believe it successfully overcomes boundaries of language to communicate through a series of semiotics and visual codes.

The song, we can interpret is about the coming of spring, from the english lyric "With Spring wind, breathin' in a breeze" and despite the video being filmed in Japan for a Japanese audience we see predominantly western ideas of spring.

The video begins with an image of a large field and lying in it a box with an umberella and pinwheel. The umberella signifies showers which in western culture have been dubbed "April Showers" however the weather in Japan at this time is pleasently mild and relatively dry.
The pin wheel relates to the lyric stated above as traditionally in Britain and Japan spring is breezy, once the pinwheel begins to turn Miyavi jumps out of the box, relating to a perhaps global perception that spring signifies new life and energy.

The very natural setting of the video with a very green, earthy palette is also widely recognisable and associative with spring as new plantlife begins to grow. What is quite surprising is the absence of cherry blossom trees which are synonymous with spring in Japan, it is therefore clear that a worldwide appeal to the video has tried to be captured.

Within the video is also the very spring-like image of blowing on the dandelion parachute balls which people in Europe and Asia will likely remeber from childhood.

The peace sign, carried on a flag by Miyavi, is again internationally recognisable and in this context can be considered to represent a fresh, care-free, playful atmosphere which spring brings. This fun, energetic theme is emphasised by the child-like movements of Miyavi and the clothes he wears, a long skirt , a straw hat and bear feet which are very simple yet colourful are codes which we relate to the hippie movement wich had an emphasis on enjoying nature and a care-free outlook on life. Again this is interpretation is worldwide and enables people from many different countries to understand and enjoy the video.

Link to the Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lz5N5euM2ic