Brave Shine

3/20/20231 min read

As the opening song for the second season of Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works], this song has captured the imagination of many (and has been nicknamed "Brave Shiny" because of its role in the show). Aimer's own story is also very inspirational in relation to the show. Most people who listen to her songs for the first time will never forget her raspy voice, which was honed by Aimer's hardships as a child. At the age of 15, she suffered pain in her vocal cords due to over-singing and chose to use the silent treatment in order to heal. This resulted in her not being able to speak for over six months, but it didn't stop her from singing. After the therapy was over she created her own unique way of vocalizing and singing, and sings to this day with the injuries on her vocal cords.

I think Aimer is the perfect person to sing this pop-pop song. The hopeful theme of the song, paired with Aimer's vocals, fully captures the feeling of struggling in the darkness, indomitable and great. The cascading rise may not be the most unique, but the climax, when Aimer opens his mouth, with this wonderful melody, will definitely get you hooked on this song, and even more so on this singer. Despite all the difficulties, there's also a shaky shout of Brave Shine, which with this slightly burning but at the same time lyrical backdrop, makes you think about it a lot. It also perfectly compliments the Fate anime, taking it to another level in general. While marveling at the song's success, we shouldn't forget that it's the singer, the plot, the lyrics, and the will to fight that spreads through everything.