Analysis 'This Is Tokyo' Video

Official music video

The video is the official music video for “This Is Tokyo” by German power metal band Helloween. It’s an energetic ode to Tokyo, both visually and musically, with fast riffs and impressive vocals by Andi Deris. The video is part of their upcoming album and is released via Reigning Phoenix Music. It also seems to fit in with their tour, which will visit several cities in Europe, including Tilburg, London and Paris.

Daring to be yourself

The video for “This Is Tokyo” is about more than just an ode to a vibrant city. There are several themes woven into it that you might not immediately notice: You see the city as a place where hypermodern technology (think neon lights, robots, speed) exists alongside traditional symbolism. Tokyo is presented as a metaphor for the balance between past and future. Both the music and the images radiate a sense of constant movement and intensity. This reflects how a metropolitan world like Tokyo can engross, fascinate, or even overstimulate you. There is a subtle theme of daring to be yourself in a place full of contrasts. The city offers anonymity but also a stage to shine, which fits beautifully with the vibe of metal. The lyrics and visual style present Tokyo from an almost mythical point of view, as many Western metal bands do when they sing about Asian cities, with a mix of respect and fascination.

Reigning Phoenix Music

Sense of escape

The way Tokyo is portrayed, with flashy images, fast editing and dramatic angles is strongly reminiscent of a futuristic arena. Like in superhero movies, the city seems like a character in itself. This reinforces the theme of fighting spirit and limitless possibilities, something that fits well with the power metal genre. There are brief moments where traditional Japanese elements shine through. This contrasts with all the neon and industrial steel. The message seems to be that old values hold on in a world full of progress. It symbolizes a cultural pride in the midst of modernization. The rousing energy of the song evokes a sense of escape. As if Tokyo, is a refuge where you can lose yourself (or find yourself). This fits in perfectly with how music often functions: as a means to escape from everyday reality for a while.

Visual rollercoaster

Fast-edited cuts and strobe effects create a sense of urgency and amplify the speed of the music. You get the feeling that the city never sleeps, always in motion. Bright pink, blue, and purple dominate the palette, typical of a cyberpunk-esque aesthetic. It is reminiscent of a dystopian yet attractive version of Tokyo, as in anime or films like Blade Runner. The camera movements follow the music, creating a swirling perspective. It feels like you are zooming through the city yourself, carried along by the power of the band. Double exposure and glitch effects distort reality and create a dream or nightmare atmosphere, which enhances the experience of being ‘lost’ in a city like Tokyo. In short: the video is a visual rollercoaster, perfectly matched to the sonic intensity of Helloween.

Cinematic metal video

The visual techniques in “This Is Tokyo” fit seamlessly into trends seen in modern metal videos, but also add their own flair. Bands like Iron Maiden or Judas Priest from the 80s and 90s relied heavily on live performance footage, dark colors, and symbolism (think: skulls, fire, motorcycles). In comparison, “This Is Tokyo” is much more visually dynamic and technologically advanced. What Helloween does here is very similar to the work of bands like Fear Factory or Babymetal, who also use technology and hypermodern cities as a backdrop. The glitch effects and neon colors are reminiscent of cyberpunk films and games, a style that is becoming increasingly popular in the metal world. Like with Gojira or Jinjer, you see that individual expression is central here. This ties in with the modern drive to make metal not only loud, but also visually powerful and diverse. Bands like DragonForce and Sabaton use similar techniques: lightning-fast cuts, powerful flashes of light, and motion graphics that merge with the music tempo. Helloween consciously chooses to do this to convey the adrenaline of the song even more strongly. Just like in clips from Nightwish or Avatar, for example, Tokyo almost becomes a fantasy world here, a place where you can lose yourself. The use of visual illusions, digital layers and distortion makes the clip an audiovisual dream flight. With “This Is Tokyo” Helloween certainly follows the modern line of cinematic metal video clips, but they also inject their own humor, energy and theme into it. Nowadays, metal is so much more than black-and-white headbanging in a basement.

(Thanx to Tiebe for his help)

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