The Fanatics “Buddy”

2004-the-fanatics-buddyTokyo is an amazing city and it can look brilliant in music videos. For example – “Intergalactic” by the Beastie Boys, and “Just Can’t Get Enough” by the Black Eyed Peas both take the city and do their own thing with it.

But there’s also the genre of the low-budget Tokyo video shot by a New Zealand band who wants to make the most of their Japanese visit by shooting a music video shoot at the same time. This is one of those videos. It’s like a wide-eyed New Zealander bewildered by the big busy train stations and the streets that are full of Japanese people. (When people shoot videos at Britomart station in Auckland, it’s never about the trains or the masses of commuters.)

The Fanatics do make an appearance in the video, busking their cover of the Snapper song around Shinjuku. It’s a stark contrast to their mysterious, shadowy appearances in the Fanatics previous videos for “Models” and “TV”. Suddenly here are two quite ordinary New Zealand musicians busking in Tokyo.

But the one big saving grace of this video is the ghostly animation. Some ghoulish white shapes fly around, smooshing the faces of unsuspecting commuters. It’s taking the run-of-the-mill Tokyo music video footage and doing something a bit interesting with it. Nice.

Best bit: The Fanatics “Buddy” karaoke screen, for singalong fun!

Director: Simon Ward
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision

Next… lurking in the shadows.

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