Synopsis

Cornelius moves through a surreal, star-filled dreamscape built from computer graphics, stop-motion puppetry, and manipulated live-action footage. Keigo Oyamada appears in dark sunglasses, singing as cigarette smoke flows unnaturally back into his mouth. Digital, Tron-like imagery collides with handmade miniature figures and playful visual interruptions, turning the song's simple images of dizziness, cats, the ocean, and stars into an eccentric psychedelic collage. The video treats the performer himself as another piece of endlessly rearranged visual data.

Factoids & Trivia

• The live-action footage of Oyamada uses reverse playback. His gestures and the cigarette smoke move backward, creating a deliberate disconnect between the recorded voice and the onscreen body.

• The video combines computer-generated imagery with stop-motion puppetry, an approach that mirrors the collision of vintage pop references and digital experimentation heard throughout "Fantasma."

• An English-language version of the video was prepared for the North American release campaign in 1998 and was scheduled for servicing to MTV and other U.S. video outlets.

• "Star Fruits Surf Rider" was one of the three singles released from "Fantasma," which originally appeared in Japan on August 6, 1997. The single reached No. 17 on Japan's Oricon chart.

• The song had an unusual physical-release concept: Cornelius explained that the 12-inch version required two copies of the record to be played simultaneously to form the complete track.

• The track later appeared in the 2005 skate video "Super Champion Funzone," extending its life beyond the original promotional campaign and connecting its hyperactive visual style with skate-video culture.