MV Monday, part one of two!
The song this week is an odd one, even among their typical releases. It comes with two separate music videos, an announcement, and a rhythm game tie-in.
[Please note that everything below is fictional, folks, I know Nothing of programming and wouldn’t be able to bring this to life. At all.]
The announcement shows the six seated in some rather dark princely duds, skulls and spikes on so many surfaces that it makes one wonder how they managed to sit comfortably. Stranger yet, Ichimatsu seems to be leading the charge.
“Looks like our fans are getting a twist this week.” He leans forward, smiling with pointed teeth as he rests his elbows on his knees. “We know how many of you play,” he pauses, as if to remember some unimportant detail, “Pop That Beat, DX Edition? You all know that there’s a competition for it next month.”
Jyuushimatsu thumps his staff against the floor. “We decree that we’re doing a collaboration with Pop That Beat just for the occasion! And it’s gonna be super tough, too!”
Totty grins, a spark of mischief in his eyes. “The song we’re contributing has an easy, medium, and hard version like the other songs in the game, just so everyone can try it out.”
“The music video will play in the backdrop, and you just might be able to play them all the way through!” Osomatsu says. “You’ll take down the six princes, and then you’ll qualify for the Master level.”
“Once you’ve entered that level, oh, dear viewers,” Karamatsu’s even managing to look wicked, “you’ll witness Hell firsthand. The flames will leap ever higher, and the sheer difficulty may swallow you whole.”
“We won’t just be princes of an earthly realm anymore. You’ll see six of the seven princes of Hell themselves, and you’ll need to defeat us all before you can compete.” Choromatsu grins.
“During the competition, there will be one final remix of our stage, in case the competition needs a tiebreaker. No mods, no autoplay, just you and whatever meager power is on your side.” Ichimatsu shouts, “If you think you have what it takes, we’d like to see you try to defeat us!”
There’s a puff of smoke, and six demons take their place, metal and leather and whirled horns. “Best of luck, mortals!”
((The sound sample for this is Momoiro Clover Z’s Kyoukai no Pendulum. The outfits used in the official MV are the new Dark Princes from Tabimatsu, and the demons from the game’s MV are from the Akuma Rider set in Hesokuri Wars. The Prince version MV is under the cut!))
The song takes a significantly darker, more dramatic turn than their usual pop sound; heavy guitars, organs, a distant choir, and a speedy, aggressive drumbeat take the place of their typical synths and brass.
The music video posted to their channel is already rather striking; the six princes all inhabit a separate place in the sprawling grounds of a pale gray stone castle. Every surface is being slowly overtaken by inky black vines, thorns jutting out like claws, roses in their colors blooming as they pass. While the boys ran the castle, people fleeing from the creeping vines, they seem almost happy with the development.
As the lyrics go on, they reveal that the princes were overtaken by a curse. Their formerly happy kingdom was so deeply despised for its prosperity, an evil force cast them into darkness, and their beacons of happiness and hope were turned cold and uncaring. They seem cognizant of this for a moment, mourning what their kingdom has become, but… with a jolt, their expressions return to grim satisfaction, the evildoer’s cruel spell overtaking them once more.
Osomatsu watches over the vines from the roof, slowly creeping toward the city outside. His hands grip the stone just a bit too hard, shaking from the force.
Karamatsu dances in the ballroom, watching the vines curl up toward the ceiling, swallowing the chandelier. He grows ragged, exhausted, but he doesn’t stop.
Choromatsu walks the rows in the castle library, fingers tracing the shelves, watching the thorns follow suit. He tries leading them away from some shelves, but simply stares as they’re consumed.
Jyuushimatsu sits in a garden maze, basking in the sunlight. He looks towards the sky as clouds overtake the sun, eyes glassy with unconscious fear.
Todomatsu sits at the head of a long table, watching a meal set for dozens slowly become a hellish flower arrangement. His glass is empty, and his plate is spotless.
Ichimatsu sits alone, head high as he remains in his throne. The vines crawl closer, eventually twining around him, keeping him firm in his seat. He does not move. He does not panic. This crawling evil doesn’t deserve to see him ask for mercy.
At the last minute, they break free, tearing the vines from their home, sleeves and gloves and crowns and capes going to tatters in the process. They fight back, alone and abandoned, and take their hope back for themselves.
The boys are bruised and battered, the castle in disarray, but they fall to their knees in exhaustion outside the massive dark oak doors, their deed done.
The sun shines once more.
((This is part one! The demon version will be coming out soon; someone in universe needs to beat the Master level and record it before we’ll get the chance to see. These things take time.))
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