A Beautiful ‘Garden’: Why Fujii Kaze’s First Manila Concert Was Him At His Absolute Best (And More) – Review

The word “prodigy” is not something I would easily throw around to describe any so-called “exceptional” artist or performer. But if there had to be one in recent memory, I can confidently say that it would be Fujii Kaze.

There are those who know how to write phenomenal songs. There are those who can showcase out-of-this-world live performances. There are those who can easily bring us into their world with their one-of-a-kind creative vision. After witnessing Fujii Kaze’s first concert in Manila, undoubtedly, I can say he is all of these, and so much more. 

The ‘Best of Fujii Kaze 2020-2024’ Asia tour is meant to be a prime showcase of the chart-topping Japanese singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s musical journey in the past four years or so, from the release of his Billboard Japan chart-topping debut album HELP EVER HURT NEVER in 2020 up until the present in 2024. 

Prior to the Manila stop of the tour, I had known, to some extent, just how much of an astonishing and highly regarded artist and performer Fujii could be. I mean, for him to pull a diverse — and clearly dedicated — crowd of all ages composed of both Filipino and Japanese fans that night, I could tell that his influence was something else. 

However, as I entered the confined spaces of the SM Mall of Asia Arena, I was about to find out that no amount of listening to his songs or watching videos of his live shows could have prepared me to actually witness in person the power he holds. 

Despite the venue not being fully packed to the brim, there was a palpable air of anticipation all around me as frenzied screams and audible shouts of Fujii’s name could be heard from all corners of the venue as the lights finally dimmed inside the arena. The excitement was undeniable and we were about to experience exactly why.

The show began with a rather serene opening. As videos of Fujii on the large LED screens heralded his arrival, I could observe how completely captivated those in attendance were as his figure finally manifested on stage. Lit up by a single spotlight and cloaked in a massive hood, he immediately went into an acapella intro of “YASASHISA.” 

It was a hair-raising moment to witness how quickly everyone in attendance went from screaming their lungs out for the famed singer’s mere presence to immediately being rendered silent in awe as he sang the laid-back track’s first few lines. It was as if those present knew this was definitely an important moment to fully take in, helping everyone begin a slow dive into Fujii’s very own musical universe for the night. 

Once the whole Mall of Asia Arena was properly entranced, Fujii immediately took his place behind his main instrument, the piano, continuing the song with the help of his phenomenal backing band.

It was noteworthy how symbolic it felt for Fujii to begin his set that night with one of his more piano-driven tracks. Having had his start with releasing piano covers on YouTube at a young age, it felt absolutely perfect for him to kick things off with a song like “YASASHISA.” And for a tour that aims to show him at his best, it was only fitting to highlight first just how much of a piano virtuoso he has always been.

Knowing that this was the exact same person who went on a successful first overseas tour with just him and his piano, my expectations were through the roof — and they were absolutely exceeded. There was a certain sense of gracefulness in his playing, backed by an atmosphere of confidence in his abilities that captivated the audience as his fingers skillfully glided across each key.

In continuation of showcasing his mastery of the instrument, Fujii would follow up with his debut single “Nan-Nan” as well as “Mo-Eh-Wa,” getting many of those present to stand up and dance. It was during these first few songs where I first thought to myself, “No doubt, this is someone who absolutely loves what he does.” Indeed, his perpetually wide smile while playing each piano note was evidence of this, as it bathed the entire venue in an atmosphere of indescribable joy you couldn’t help but be moved by.

From here, Fujii would not only prove himself to the Manila crowd as an artist completely in love with his craft, but also at the same time, a seasoned performer as well. 

Taking the energy higher and the pace faster, he then immediately went into more upbeat tracks like “Kiri Ga Naikara” and “Hedemo Ne-Yo.” Showcasing the expressive movements and flamboyant dancing he’s famously known for, he received wild cheers from the crowd, especially as he shouted, “Kamusta kayo Manila (How are you Manila)?”

I’ll take this time to point out just how outstanding Fujii’s backing band was that night. Composed of keyboardist and band master Yaffle, bassist Naoki Kobayashi, guitarist TAIKING, and drummer Saji Norihide, these four musicians were nothing short of mesmerizing to watch, seeing just how locked in each of them were with their respective instruments and each other. 

Throughout each part of the 18-song set, the band members did justice to each song, with their individual creative flair consistently maintaining a satisfying synergy with Fujii’s own skills as a bona fide performer, most evident during songs such as “Grace,” “Seishun Sick,” “Garden,” and “Damn.”

Notably, “Grace” served not only as a major showcase of Fujii and his band’s musical prowess, but also of his fans’ unquestionable level of dedication. 

As Fujii belted out each line of the anthemic track, the chorus saw him do its iconic, fast-paced hand choreography. To my honest surprise, even without him saying a word, I saw hundreds — dare I say thousands — of people in the audience perfectly mirroring every single movement he made. Every. Single. One. 

It’s not uncommon for Japanese concerts to have moments of mutual interaction like these where the artists and the fans are somewhat perfectly in sync, such as dancing to a specific song’s choreography together. However, personally witnessing it (and admittedly trying to follow along and failing miserably) was a whole other phenomenon to experience altogether.

Undeniably, it was a highlight of the night that proved two things: the impactful connection Fujii and his music have with his fans; and the unquestionable, almost effortless command he had over an audience graced (pun intended) by his presence. Within the first few songs of the show alone, these became easily evident. And as the night went on, this observation would only further ring true.

As Fujii headed into the aforementioned “Seishun Sick,” one other consistent thing I had significantly noticed at this point was how seamlessly each song on the set list blended and transitioned into the next one. It offered an uninterrupted experience of the magical world Fujii was specifically building for the Manila crowd that night. This was even right down to each extended spiel from the singer wittily transitioning into whatever song was coming up next on the set.

Sure, one could say this was heavily and properly rehearsed to perfection as part of the show, but it’s the way Fujii executed these fun little segments that made them feel so natural and satisfying. It was most especially evident in the way he extensively showcased the Filipino phrases he knew – “Maganda kayo! Kamusta Philippines? Salamat po! Really, salamat po! (You’re beautiful! How are you, Philippines? Thank you! Really, thank you!),” earning him even more cheers of approval from the Filipinos in attendance.

Aside from during the performances, those were the moments where his free-spirited and fun-loving personality really shone through, effectively helping him connect with those present with an unmistakable, affable charm. 

From here, Fujii decided to slow things down a bit, going into his latest single “Feelin Go(o)d” as well as the aforementioned “Hana.” It was through these tracks where we got to not only bask in Fujii’s vocal prowess but also the extent of just how talented he also is as a dancer. 

Joined by his backup dancers — SHINGO OKAMOTO, KOU, Raphael, and Vinih Malukin — for the very first time during the show, it’s through these songs where Fujii truly began showing just how much of a seasoned performer he already is. The 27-year old singer was not only perfectly in sync with his dancers, but also not once did he catch his breath, as he sang the songs line for line while performing intricate choreographies back-to-back. 

With one dance sequence after another, Fujii then went into what is easily one of the most memorable moments of the night. After asking everyone in attendance to make a flower-like pose with their hands (“Don’t be afraid to be cute!”), he then stated with glee, “Wow, we look like a garden!” before seamlessly transitioning into, well, “Garden.”

This song served as one of the most heartwarming interactions between Fujii and his fans that night, with him getting everyone to loudly vocalize to the song’s intro, earning them another wide smile and a “Thank you po!” from the hitmaker. 

However, as Fujii headed into the rest of the track, the Manila crowd was far from done leaving a lasting impression on the singer. With the help of a special project organized by Fujii’s Filipino fanclub — the Kazetarians — the entirety of the Mall of Asia Arena suddenly became aglow in a sea of bright green lights, courtesy of everyone’s phone flashlights and special small green stickers. 

As this beautiful moment signaled the following phase of the show, the next few songs served as a continued highlighting of Fujii’s multi-faceted nature as an artist and as a performer — specifically, his versatility as a multi-instrumentalist. 

Whether it was him doing a full-blown saxophone solo going into “Workin’ Hard” or him shredding on a keytar during the energetic “Mo-Eh-Yo,” one couldn’t help but be completely captivated by the display of sheer skill Fujii possessed. “Is there anything he can’t do?” I remember thinking to myself as he went from belting high notes, doing an energetic dance break, and picking up another instrument all within less than a minute. 

Speaking of being seamless, it’s interesting to note the fact the whole entire concert felt so well-choreographed to a T. Aside from the aforementioned flawless song transitions and fun, inspirational spiels, everything else about the concert felt so precisely thought out and planned. From the gorgeous lighting that evoked the mood of each track to the various live feed cameras closely interacting with Fujii and everyone else onstage, not once did the show miss a beat.

This flawless display of consistency was a feast for the senses. Whether you were a longtime listener of Fujii or just beginning to get to know him that night, these minor details that stitched the concert together served as evidence to just how unique and intimate yet so high energy each show that Fujii puts on can be.

Indeed, as the singer-songwriter headed further into the latter half of the night with songs like “Kirari,” “Damn,” and “Tabiji,” the concert was evidently reaching a fever pitch, with everyone now standing up, jumping around, shouting, singing along, and waving their hands around without any care in the world. It was yet another display of Fujii’s effortless charm and command over the Manila crowd, with the singer clearly having nothing but fun at this point as he humorously twerked and made funny faces, earning him unified howls of laughter from the entire venue.

At this point, it was clear that it wasn’t just the Manila crowd who had been moved by Fujii’s performances. In turn, the stellar hitmaker himself was undeniably impacted by his fans present that night as he went into a heartwarming performance of “Michi Teyu Ku.”

Going into the emotional, piano-led ballad, Fujii couldn’t help but express his love and gratitude to those in attendance, specifically his Filipino fans who had clearly been awaiting his arrival to our shores for a long time, as he declared “Manila, mahal ko kayo. Talaga. (Manila, I love you. Really.)” As if on cue, the entirety of the venue lit every part of the Mall of Asia Arena once more with their phone lights, leaving the singer visibly delighted, especially when the crowd sang along to the track.

Speaking of singing along, of course, Fujii couldn’t close off his first time in Manila without performing his most popular song ever. Sending everyone into hysterics as he transitioned into his breakout viral single “Shinunoga E-Wa,” Fujii once again offered a showcase of his vocal proficiency, launching into flawless adlibs as everyone in attendance sang along in unison. “You’re such a good singer, Manila! Sing for me!”

From here, Fujii then sent out his last act of love for the Filipino crowd as he used a personal rendition of “Manila” by iconic pop band Hotdog to go into what was supposedly his final song of the show. 

With Fujii getting everyone to dance and sing along one last time, the festive “Matsuri” was the perfect closer to an evening that was nothing short of an ethereal musical experience that, clearly, everyone didn’t want to end — so much so that the Filipino fans launched into unified shouts of “Isa pa! Isa pa! (One more! One more!)” to ask for another song.

With a humorous side remark and mischievous grin, Fujii obliged after realizing what they were asking for. Running back to his piano, he gifted everyone with a vocally-charged rendition of “Sayonara BABY,” wittily making use of the song’s lyrics to take his final bow and say goodbye until next time.

Living up to the tour’s name, the performance that Fujii Kaze had delivered to the Manila crowd that night was nothing short of his absolute best. Overall, it was more than just a celebration of both the momentous and milestone-laden career he has had in the last four years and his first time ever performing in the Philippines. Ultimately, it was a rare opportunity to witness the very best of music personified by none other than someone like Fujii — a natural-born performer, a once-in-a-lifetime artist.

Check out the full setlist from the Manila stop of the ‘Best of Fujii Kaze 2020-2024’ Asia tour below:

1. “YASASHISA”
2. “Nan-Nan”
3. “Mo-Eh-Wa”
4. “Kiri Ga Naikara”
5. “Hedemo Ne-Yo”
6. “Grace”
7. “Seishun Sick”
8. “Feelin’ Go(o)d”
9. “Hana”
10. “Garden”
11. “Workin’ Hard”
12. “Mo-Eh-Yo”
13. “Kirari”
14. “damn”
15. “Tabiji”
16. “Michi Teyu Ku”
17. “Shinunoga E-Wa”
18. “Matsuri”
19. Encore: “Sayonara Baby”

Relive Fujii Kaze’s first Manila concert by listening to his compilation album Best of Fujii Kaze 2020-2024 below: