Chokaguya-hime's '3 Smartphones' MV Challenge: An Innovative Promotion Ignites Social Media

The term "3 Smartphones" suddenly trended on social media, originating from an innovative music video (MV) viewing experience launched by the idol group "Chokaguya-hime" to promote their new song "Reply." The project involves playing three different vertical MVs, released on their official social media, simultaneously on three smartphones to recreate a single, continuous video.

This unique endeavor sparked a flurry of reactions on X (formerly Twitter). The first hurdle many users faced was the practical reality: "I don't even have three smartphones..." Comments like "Don't ordinary people not have three smartphones?" were rampant, and a mood of resignation briefly prevailed.

However, as people browsed replies and other users' reactions, solutions began to emerge, such as "Just do it with friends" or "Borrowing family members' phones makes three." This led to an increase in users positively considering participation, with comments like "My family member has the same iPhone, so maybe I'll ask them" or "Perfect, I have three phones now, including my old ones!" Expressions of joy like "Glad I have three smartphones" were also seen.

Meanwhile, another "hurdle" for this project also exists: "no way to film" the three smartphones playing side-by-side. Many humorous posts were observed, such as "Don't you need four phones in total—three for playback and one for filming?" or "A camera for filming... wait, I have my DSLR in my backpack." Concerns about device and screen size uniformity also arose, with comments like "Three smartphones of the same size..." or "Mine all ended up with different screen sizes."

Nevertheless, numerous voices praised Chokaguya-hime's innovative promotional method, with comments like "Who would've thought the official release would require three phones?" and "It's interesting that the official team came up with something like this." Fans seem deeply attracted to the collaborative experience of completing the MV, expressing sentiments like "It feels like I'm part of the story" and "Let's connect to a happy ending together!"

Despite some difficulties, such as concerns about battery drain and screen size issues, the "3 Smartphones" MV experience has successfully fostered new interactions within the fan community and significantly boosted attention for the new song "Reply."

The context

Chokaguya-hime (超かぐや姫): This is an idol group. The name "Kaguya-hime" refers to Princess Kaguya, a central figure in "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter," one of Japan's oldest and most beloved folktales. The prefix "Cho" (超) means "super" or "ultra," suggesting a modern, perhaps enhanced or cutting-edge version of the classic princess.

Reply: This is the title of the idol group's new song, which is being promoted through this unique music video experience.

Vertical MV: Unlike traditional landscape music videos, a vertical MV is specifically filmed and edited for viewing in portrait mode on smartphones. This format is popular on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, optimizing the viewing experience for mobile users.