Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba

"Real Emotion/1000の言葉 Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba"
Single by Koda Kumi
Released	March 5, 2003
Length	20:02
Label	Rhythm Zone
Koda Kumi singles chronology
"Maze" (2002) "Real Emotion/1000の言葉 Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba" (2003) "Come with Me" (2003)
"Maze" (2002) "Real Emotion/1000の言葉" (2003) "Come with Me" (2003)

"Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba" [stylized as real Emotion/1000の言葉 and pronounced as Sen no Kotoba (romanized as real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba and translated as real Emotion/1000 Words)] is a double A-side by Koda Kumi, consisting of the songs "real Emotion" and "1000 no Kotoba" (lit. "1000 Words"). They were used in two cut-scenes of Square Enix's game Final Fantasy X-2.

"1000 no Kotoba" was arranged by Takahito Eguchi and Noriko Matsueda. It was published by Rhythm Zone on March 5, 2003 with the catalog number "RZCD-45080".^[1]

This was Kumi's first single to chart in the top 10 on Oricon Weekly, coming in at #3. Since its release, it has sold over 283,000 copies.^[2]

Information

real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba is Japanese R&B singer-songwriter Kumi Koda's seventh single and first double a-side. The single became the artist's first the chart in the top ten on the weekly Oricon Singles Charts, charting at #3, and remained on the charts for twenty-eight weeks. Since its release, it has sold over 283,000 copies. She would not have another single surpass the physical sales of real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba until her 2006 single 4 hot wave.^[3]

Despite being a double a-side, only "real Emotion" was given a music video. "1000 no Kotoba" did not receive an official music video, but was given an in-game video in Final Fantasy X-2 when Yuna sings in the Thunder Plains. Both songs were used in the game, however, with "real Emotion" being used in the opening.^[4]

"1000 no Kotoba" was arranged by Takahito Eguchi and Noriko Matsueda, who arranged much of the music for Final Fantasy X-2.

Months after the single's a release, an unofficial bootleg was released under the title Kuon ~Memories of Light and Waves~. On the unofficial release, there were three songs placed on the single from the game: "Eternity ~Memories of Light & Waves~," which played during the opening, "Besaid," played while in the village of Besaid, and "Ballad of Yuna," which is the character Yuna's theme song.

An orchestra version of "1000 no Kotoba" would be placed on limited editions of the corresponding album, grow into one, as a bonus track. This was the version of the song used during the ending credits, which could also be found on disc two of the Final Fantasy X-2 Original Soundtrack. She would release an alternate orchestra version on her third compilation album, Best ~Bounce & Lovers~, which was released in 2007.

Unofficial Release by Alion International Records

After the release of real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba in March 2003 a Final Fantasy X-2 single was released under Avex with the title Kuon ~Memories of Light and Waves~ in November of the same year. The single only carried three tracks: "Eternity ~Memories of Light and Waves~," "Besaid" and "Ballad of Yuna."^[5]

Shortly after the release of Kuon ~Memories of Light and Waves~, a Taiwanese bootlegging company known as Alion International Records Co.,LTD unofficially released a single with an identical title.^[6]

Along with the three tracks from the official single, it also included "real Emotion" and "1000 no Kotoba" with their respective instrumentals. The bootleg was distributed on several sites in the early 2000s.^[7]

Music videos

"real Emotion" was the only song of the two to garner a full music video, which was placed on the DVD 7 Spirits. The DVD would be released alongside her corresponding album grow into one.

This would be the first time an artist took part in creating the dance for a video game, with Kumi's dance being digitized into the game for the opening number.^[8] The music video showed aspects of creating the in-game video, with Kumi on the platform that would be used to track her movements, so as to layer them over the Yuna character.

While "1000 no Kotoba" was considered an a-side, the song did not receive an official music video. Instead, it received a music video in the game Final Fantasy X-2. The music video for the song was of the Yuna character singing the song in the Thunder Plains in the world of Spira. In the segment, Yuna sings the love song, written by the character Lenne, to her lover, Shuyin - both who had died 1000 years ago in Zanarkand. During the scene, it shows the couples' back story of how the two were killed by guards of Bevelle in front of the weapon Vegnagun. Lenne's song was written to reflect the "1000 words over 1000 years" she was never able to tell Shuyin.

Reception

Upon the single's release in 2003, it garnered positive reviews from both Japanese and North American fans.

Many North American fans said how they had discovered the single due to Final Fantasy X-2 and how they found "real Emotion" to be "upbeat" and "empowering," while "1000 no Kotoba" was "very beautiful" and "touching." Reviewer Jae went into more detail, saying how "real Emotion"'s lyrics were about "not relying on someone else," while "1000 no Kotoba" was a "beautiful power ballad about how she couldn't get out the words to describe her love before it was too late."^[9]

In Japan, Renji said how the lyrics and music to "real Emotion" were "very energetic" and how they "want[ed] to dance whenever the song [came] on." They also praised "1000 no Kotoba," saying how the song was "beautifully painful." Nagisa went on to praise "real Emotion," commenting the that music video was very "nice and refreshing." With "1000 no Kotoba," they say how they get "chill bumps whenever {they] hear it." Reviewer gvg said how during "real Emotion," Kumi's voice reminded them of Namie Amuro, but appeared to be "stronger." They commented on "1000 no Kotoba," saying how "listening to the song [brought them] to tears."^[10]

Background narration

"If this song doesn’t sell, it means that I don’t have what it takes to be an artist. If that happens then I’ll give up with good grace." - Koda Kumi.^[11]

After the chart failures of her past singles, Koda Kumi decided that the next song would decide her fate as an artist. When the single had a high success rate on the charts, Koda Kumi felt that it was the starting point of her career, but grew discouraged when the following singles didn't chart well.

"Once people will listen to my songs, I will certainly be able to keep their interest . . . Because my hopes had been so high, the fall was really too hard." - Koda Kumi.^[11]

Track listing

Official Single

Unofficial Single

Alternate versions

real Emotion

1. real Emotion: Found on the single and its corresponding album Grow Into One (2003)
2. real Emotion [Instrumental]: Found on the single (2003)
3. real Emotion [FFX-2 Mix]: Found on soundtrack Final Fantasy X-2: Original Soundtrack (2003)
4. real Emotion [English Version]: Found on single COME WITH ME (2003)
5. real Emotion [DJ MSK remix]: Found on single COME WITH ME (2003)
6. real Emotion [House Nation Sunset in Ibiza Remix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's (2009)
7. real Emotion [KOZM® Remix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 5 (2013)

1000 no Kotoba

1. 1000 no Kotoba: Found on the single and corresponding album Grow Into One (2003)
2. 1000 no Kotoba [Instrumental]: Found on the single (2003)
3. 1000 no Kotoba [FFX-2 Mix]: Found on soundtrack Final Fantasy X-2: Original Soundtrack (2003)
4. 1000 no Kotoba [Piano Version]: Found on soundtrack Final Fantasy X-2: Original Soundtrack (2003)
5. 1000 no Kotoba [Orchestra Version]: Found on soundtrack Final Fantasy X-2: Original Soundtrack (2003)
6. 1000 no Kotoba [English Version]: Found on single COME WITH ME (2003)
7. 1000 no Kotoba [DJ 19 remix]: Found on single COME WITH ME (2003)
8. 1000 no Kotoba ~Alternate Orchestra Version~: Found on album Grow Into One (2003)
9. 1000 no Kotoba [Shohei Matsumoto & Junichi Matsuda Remix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 2 (2010)

References