Black Cherry (Koda Kumi album)

Black Cherry is

Black Cherry is Japanese singer-songwriter Koda Kumi's fifth studio album and eighth album overall. While it was only a year since her last studio album, secret, two compilation albums and a remix album were released between secret and Black Cherry: Best: First Things (2005), Best: Second Session (2006) and the limited digital album Koda Kumi Remix Album (2006). The album became her third consecutive album to chart at No. 1 on the Oricon Albums Charts, where it remained for one full month, charted for sixty-seven consecutive weeks.^[3]

It was released in CD, CD+DVD and a limited CD+2DVD. Each version contained different album artwork with Kumi donning different

The limited CD+2DVD editions held the short film Cherry Girl, which was Koda Kumi's debut acting role. The film was produced by the same team who created the drama Busu no Hitomi ni Koishiteru, which Koda Kumi had performed the theme "Koi no Tsubomi" (2006). The track "Milk Tea" was the first time Kumi wrote and composed a song that was featured on an album. The album's introduction was later given a full version on her 2008 studio album, Kingdom.

Packaging

Black Cherry was released in three editions, with each edition containing different cover art: CD, CD+DVD and a limited CD+2DVD edition. The standard editions all contained fifteen tracks on the CD portion, including the

The second DVD, which was only available as a limited edition, housed the film Cherry Girl, which was Kumi's debut acting role. The film was heavily inspired by Charlie's Angels. Limited editions of all versions contained three bonus tracks on the CD: an English version of "Twinkle", the song "Go Way!!" (stylized as GO WAY!!) from the Crayon Shin-chan film, and an alternate version of "Won't Be Long". The limited DVD editions carried the making videos for all of the music videos, along with the music video for the English version of "Twinkle", which Kumi performed with Taiwanese singer SHOW.

Endorsements

To help promote the album, several songs were utilized as promotional tracks. "Get Up & Move!!" was used for a Suzuki Chevrolet commercial.^[6] A music video to this song was later released on her third compilation album, Best ~Bounce & Lovers~. "Tsuki to Taiyou" was used to advertise the jewellery store GemCerey.^[7] While Koda Kumi was their spokesperson for a few years, she lost the position after her 2008 controversy. The song "Puppy" was used for KOSE's Rush Escalation under their Viseé line,^[8] while "Candle Light" was used to advertise Morinaga's Weider protein bar.^[9] "Go Way!!" was used as the ending theme song for the 2006 Crayon Shin-chan film.^[10]

Music videos

Though new material was placed on the album, there was only one new music video: the English version of "Twinkle," which featured Taiwanese singer/actor Show Lo. The CD, however, carried Kumi's solo version of the song, also performed in English. The music video was originally on Show Lo's album Speshow, in which he featured Kumi (November 17, 2006). The Japanese version was released on the Amazing Nuts! album three weeks prior to Black Cherry on December 6, 2006.^[11] Two years later, Koda Kumi would release a solo version of the music video on her two DVD set for her Live Tour 2007 ~Black Cherry~ Special Final in Tokyo Dome.

The music video for "Koi no Tsubomi" was inspired by Koda Kumi's younger sister's, misono, video "Kojin Jugyō" (個人授業 / Private Lessons), which was also a different take on the classic fairy tale Cinderella. The videos' similarities start with both sisters having their own little fairy, who is able to transform their appearance. However, where "Kojin Jugyo" ends with the spell wearing off and returning misono to her original state, "Koi no Tsubomi" ends with the transformations staying and each girl affected to thank the fairy.

The music videos from

"Yume no Uta" was a story of a woman, played by Kumi, walking downtown to meet up with her lover. While walking, she thinks about their happy moments. When she sees her lover across the street, she runs towards him, but is hit by an oncoming vehicle. While her lover holds her, another woman, also played by Kumi, sees the scene before walking off. The music video for "Cherry Girl" was composed of scenes from Kumi's film of the same name, along with her singing while wearing her initial outfit worn in the film's opening scene. "Unmei" carried a theme of love, telling the story of two people separated by fate. "Twinkle" was an upbeat video with a green screen backdrop.

Film

Cherry Girl is a Japanese action/