Category Archives: Momoiro Clover

First Impressions: Neo Stargate

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Momoiro Clover Z and I have a long, interesting relationship. I’ve been a fan of the group since their major debut (Ikuze Kaitou Shoujo in 2010), and I’ve enjoyed seeing a group I liked rise to popularity. However, lately I’ve hit a bit of a rough patch in my MomoClo fandom; while their popularity flourishes, I’ve found myself dissatisfied in their music (see my post about how disappointed I was in Otome Sensou). However, Battle and Romance, Momoiro Clover Z’s first album, is quite possibly my all-time favorite idol album, up there with longer term favorites like Matsuura Aya’s T.W.O. So while I’ve had my issues in the past, I’m honestly really excited for Momoiro Clover Z’s 5th Dimension, because their albums are very good.

PV

Seeing a PV for this made me excited; if MomoClo is known for anything, it’s their interesting visual style, and PVs go along with that. This is, in my opinion, a definite step up for their PVs. The production values are really all-around strong, and you can tell that a lot went into the production of the PV. The set is excellent, and I really like the sterile, sci-fi feel. The other actors do a good job (afro scientist is up there as one of my favorite PV extras, along with “Socrates” in Twinklestars’ Dear Mr. Socrates) in portraying the story.

While the set is sometimes a bit bare (though it doesn’t look too bare; it’s just minimalistic, which is fine), the real interesting bit is the costume selection. The fact that a good deal of the PV takes place with MomoClo wearing masks that are downright scary looking is a very bold and interesting choice. I don’t know if they were inspired by anything in particular, but they seem to be horror inspired. None of the costumes are particularly idol-like, which says a lot about the direction MomoClo is going. While their last costumes have their member colors as small accents on their costume, the color palate of this PV is VERY bland and beige, which is unlike the Momoiro Clover of the past. It works here, but I really hope it doesn’t become a trend; one of my earliest/favorite memories of Momoiro Clover was when they performed on the 2010 Music Japan female idol special. Almost every other group was wearing some variation on white, but MomoClo were in their bright, rainbow Ikuze! Kaitou Shoujo costumes.

Unfortunately, while I love the PV as a whole, it gets progressively less interesting and feels at points like more of a well-filmed dance shot. There’s a bit of intrigue at the end where they open the gate (ha!) and move into what looks like the very bare bridge of the starship. But then it just ends. There’s a good section where the girls are just dancing/moving around in their costumes, which works (the choreography for Neo Stargate, while not as interesting as some of their earlier works, is pretty good), but it just feels a bit disappointing. The start of this was SO strong and perfect, that to see the PV go downhill feels like a bit of a let down. Which really, feels like the trajectory of Momoiro Clover Z’s career for me. Because, let’s be honest, this is really good, and Momoiro Clover Z produces VERY high quality stuff; it’s just when they make mistakes, it feels a lot more disappointing.

So, in conclusion, while I like this PV, I think there is definitely room for growth and improvement.

Song

First off, am I the only Stargate fan in the JPop/idol fandom? If so, I kind of wonder how well known it is in Japan. The music at the beginning of the PV (which, at this point, I’m not really sure if it’s a part of the actual, album song?) is actually vaguely reminiscent of some of the music from Stargate. I kind of hoped Richard Dean Anderson would make a cameo or something (though my Stargate of choice was Stargate: Atlantis. Don’t judge me.)

Right away, I liked this song. It has a dark feeling, and reprises the use of choral vocals found in Mugen no Ai, which was a single I really loved. Its heavy drum beat was also really nice; this song already didn’t feel like any other idol group. It feels uniquely Momoiro Clover Z, which is very good. It also feels very fitting of an album opening, and I imagine will fit well as the first track of 5th Dimension.

Then there was the pseudo-dubstep influenced section. While I can tolerate dubstep influenced sound in many idol songs, and it certainly fits here, I was a bit stumped at first listen. It’s a curious addition, but Momoiro Clover has had stranger things mixed together before (i.e. Pinky Jones using both a sitar and bagpipes, or at least digital sounds that sound like a sitar and bagpipes). However, when the song moved even faster, that’s when I hit a bit of a hurdle.

The rest of the song is so unique and pushing the envelope, that the chorus hits really flat with me. It’s a strangely generic sound in the midst of such greatness, that it really feels out of place; the chorus sounds like a very typical idol song, in melody and arrangement, that only the quiet choral voices in the background are there to remind you what song this is.

It’s a bit like Otome Sensou to me, but I’m more positive towards Neo Stargate than I was towards Otome Sensou. There are a lot of great ideas in this song, and it has potential to be better than it is, but is weighed down by its length and everything it puts in. I really like the start (and all parts like it) and the section where they sing “Open the gate, open your soul.” They could have condensed the song to be shorter and made it ultimately a better song, but this song tries to do too much and be too much without excelling at it. I love a good generic idol song, but that’s not what this should be and not what it needs to be. MomoClo has had good songs that do a lot of different things (i.e. Mirai Bowl) but they feel in general like a cohesive song; this doesn’t, which is a bit disappointing.

Ultimately, while I do tentatively like this, there are definitely ways where both the song and PV could be improved. Battle and Romance was SUCH a fantastic, perfect album, that this makes me a little bit worried, but I’ll have to wait and hear the rest of the album to decide more.

Proud to be MD: Why I Go Oshimen

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Last week I read the very well done article on Pure Idol Heart about being an idol fan and picking a favorites. If you have yet to read what Paul wrote, look here. It’s well worth a read if you’re at all interested in thinking about the nature of being an idol fan.

Personally, I agree with what Paul writes, in theory at least. I think you should like who you like, despite the predominant idea in idol culture that you should pick an oshimen. Being a DD, someone who likes everyone, is all fine and good, I think. However, I consider myself to be an MD (Minna Daisuki) which means that while I like pretty much every idol in groups I like, that I support one as my oshimen.

However, one reason I pick an oshimen, and this is a bit of a confession to make: I have a hard time following/supporting idol groups without a firm favorite member.

I’m not quite sure why this is the case, but there are some idol groups where I can get behind them as groups, but since there isn’t an idol that stands out to me that much as an individual I just can’t have that group be one of my favorites. This was a problem for me with SKE48, for a while; I had an oshimen in the group I was a fan of, Yagami Kumi (who, for the record, I think is super fantastic), but since she wasn’t at the level of my other 48 oshimen SKE48 became the 48 group I followed least, even though I think they’ve put out really great stuff. However, now that Kuumin is leaving SKE48, I expanded my horizons, and after a couple of missteps (mainly becoming a fan of Ogiso Shiori… who then announced her graduation), I’ve become quite a fan of SKE’s Hata Sawako. So we’ll see if Shawako is enough to make me follow more of SKE48.

This also came into play with Morning Musume. While I have a blog post planned about my on and off again relationship with Hello!Project and Morning Musume in particular, in short I’ve thought about completely quitting Hello!Project for some time now. However, recently my interest in Ishida Ayumi has grown to the point where she’s one of my top current idols. I’m now actively supporting Morning Musume (through merch purchases, mostly; I bought Ayumi’s birthday shirt), and this is entirely because of one girl and the fact I think she’s amazing.

I also think that having an oshimen is helpful in larger groups that have a lot of merch. While Momoiro Clover Z, for example, is really great about having merchandise for Hako Oshi (MomoClo fans who support the whole group), not every group may have that, and it might be easier (and financially more viable) to support one member. For example, for a while I supported the second generation of S/Mileage as a unified whole, and while those are still four of my top five current Hello!Project members (2-5, Ishida Ayumi being #1). However, this made me resistant to getting merchandise because four girls is kind of a lot on my college student budget. However, once I decided on being a Meimi fan, I felt more able to get merch.

The idol industry also supports the whole “you have to pick an oshimen” idea through songs like Team B Oshi, which not only tells you to pick an oshimen, but to support Team B. (Interestingly enough, it also says that changing oshimen, also known as oshihenning, is OK, but only if it’s to that individual girl. Most idol fans look down on someone who oshihens a lot.)

That being said, while having a specific oshimen is important to me liking an idol group, I think the “Minna” part of my Minna Daisuki thing is important, as well. Occasionally I see people who only like one girl and one girl only, disliking almost everyone else. While that’s your choice, it still feels like that would make liking that idol group frustrating and flat out not fun, especially if you’re not a fan of the group.

One thing of note, however, is I think that the oshimen dynamic changes depending on what group you’re supporting. If you’re an AKB48 fan or a fan of those groups, so much rides on the senbatsu election and the Request Hour Setlist Best 100 election, so that not choosing an oshimen would pretty much disqualify you from this part of the AKB48 fandom. Larger groups or popular groups, where there are elections or rivalries within the groups, it’s hard to not have an oshimen because they encourage you to support your particular member of choice. On the other hand, I feel it’s a lot less vital for smaller, indie groups (like the ones mentioned in the Pure Idol Heart article), and that it’s honestly less important to focus on one girl in particular. The biggest factor, though, is the word of “support,” whether that means one particular girl or your favorite group.

Ultimately, though, it is your choice, and regardless of what other people feel you should enjoy idols however you want to. Because really, idols are meant for fun.

There’s no Ban on Love Songs!

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Happy Valentine’s Day, Happy Disco readers! Whether you’re single or in a relationship, I hope you’re having a nice day. Even though love is a common theme in many idol songs, here are some ones that I find outstanding, and fitting of the day.

Valentine Kiss – Kokusho Sayuri

If you don’t listen to this every Valentine’s Day (either original version or Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 version), I don’t know where your priorities are. Seriously, this is THE quintessential Valentine’s song of idol music. It’s hard to say much more, because it’s pretty clear. I’m personally fond of the Warota version (understandably so, given the fact that I’m very fond of Oota Aika and Iwasa Misaki), but this song is just a classic song about Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate Damashii – Matsuura Aya

Another song that’s completely about Valentine’s; in Japan, chocolate is really the only gift given on Valentine’s, and it’s given only from girls to boys (who reciprocate on March 14th, White Day). I am super fond of Ayaya, and while this isn’t my favorite song by hers, it was a late single released right before the Elder Club graduation as a gift to her fans. Ayaya’s voice is beautiful as always, and it’s a beautiful song for Valentine’s.

Choco no Dorei – SKE48

I debated on whether to include this in my list, because the lyrics are a bit suspect. However, it’s one idol song that’s very directly about Valentine’s Day. The title literally means “A slave to chocolate” and it directly deals with the custom of giving chocolate as a way of confessing your love. It’s direct, but “A slave to chocolate” sounds kind of suspect, like SKE48 are forced to work in the chocolate factory (Gasp, so is Watarirouka Hashiritai 7!). However, I do get the meaning, and there’s no doubt as to the meaning.

Hashire – Momoiro Clover

One of the things that really sets Momoiro Clover apart as an idol group is that they don’t really focus on romance quite as much as other idol groups do. It honestly makes a lot of their music refreshing to hear; even songs that have love in the title aren’t really about confessing love to a boyfriend or anything, but feel more like large, grand declarations. However, MomoClo does have a few romantic songs, and my personal favorite is Hashire. The first lyric “I can’t stop smiling, my dancing heart isn’t stopping, I’m moving to you, Run! Run! Run!” is honestly one of my favorite idol lyrics. Even despite the lyrics, however, the whole song has a feel of a genuine expression of feelings. It’s a very sweet song, which makes it one of my favorites.

Hyadain – Hyadain no Kakakata Kataomoi – C

Speaking of sweet, genuine feelings! Hyadain’s first two singles he did are duets, and they’re both fantastic; however, the first one is the romantic one. Even though it’s a duet with himself (yes, the female voice here is actually Hyadain, but with pitch changes), this is a really cute song about first love ,suddenly falling for someone, and realizing your feelings. In my opinion, the duet aspect really adds to the song, in a way I don’t normally hear as an idol fan. It’s one of Hyadain’s best, and given the fact I consider him to be the next big idol composer, that’s saying a lot.

Ki ga Tsukeba Anata – Matsuura Aya

OK, I love Ayaya. But there were honestly too many songs I wanted to put on this list that weren’t hers. Do I go cute, happy earlier route and go with Momoiro Kataomoi? Or do I go with the later, serious route with stuff like Only One (from her most recent album, Click You Link Me). I honestly love both super idol Ayaya and more serious singer Matsuura Aya, so it was tough to pick. So, I went in between with something from what was kind of the transitional phase. The one thing that kind of amuses me about this is that this song was primarily used for iced tea ads, but yet it’s one of the most sweet, genuine love songs from Hello!Project. The lyrics are about realizing that the perfect person for you has been by your side all along (a trope I’m absolutely a sucker for), and the song itself (both Ayaya’s great vocals and the instrumental) fits the theme perfectly.

Akai Sweet Pea – Matsuda Seiko

Another classic! Not much to say about this, other than it’s one of Japan’s classic love songs. Matsuda Seiko is one of the most famous idols of all time in Japan, and this is one of her most famous songs, and for good reason.

Top Twelve PVs of 2012

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One of the things that I’ve found completely interesting with my idol fandom is how interested in music videos as a form I’ve become. As a fan of indie/alternative rock, I’ve honestly not paid much attention to it. If you asked me what my favorite non-idol/JPop PV was before I became an idol fan, I’m not sure I could tell you; probably Myriad Harbour by The New Pornographers (If you think idol PVs are weird, this might beat them out). Still, that’s really because music videos aren’t really used that much in the US. Sure they’re viewed on YouTube and people rush to see the newest Lady Gaga music vid, but it’s not as heavily monetized and people just don’t care quite as much, as a whole. However, at least for idols PVs are part of the package that gets sold (on singles/albums), and are considerably more important, especially since idols focus a lot more on image than bands do. 2012 had some excellent PVs, which I’m ranking here (I’ll talk about some of the stinkers later).

Honorable mentions:

Manatsu no Sounds Good – AKB48:  I wanted to love this PV; the effects are great, it looks fantastic, and I like the tone. However, there was just too big of a disconnect between the dance shot and the main story. I don’t mind a tonal shift, or even that it didn’t make much sense, but I wish that it felt more cohesive; even editing some of the story among the dancing would have helped. The elements were there, but in my opinion it’s not as effective as it could have been.

UZA – AKB48: It looks incredible, but there wasn’t really enough to interest me in multiple viewings. It’s essentially a prettied up dance shot + close ups. And this isn’t a dig at it; it’s one of the best looking PVs of the year. But it’s not quite as ambitious as I would have liked. While I don’t need a story with my PVs, I do need something to keep my interest, and UZA didn’t have it.

Cha Cha Sing (flashmob version) – Berryz Koubou: It’s kind of sad when the best lit H!P PV of the year was done in a public area. This was a fun, interesting idea that I liked a lot, but can’t really justify to put on my top list.

Kimi wa Jitensha Watashi wa Densha de Kitaku (Maimi version) – C-ute: Similarly, I don’t feel I can really put a solo version of a PV on a list, and the normal one didn’t quite grab me. But I really liked the longer Maimi PV, where she’s basically dancing by herself after a breakup. It’s really sweet, and made me want more drama PVs from H!P.

12. Parade – Aso Natsuko

I know the “running on the street and people start following” PV was done by Mano Erina, and done very well there, but Parade did it earlier and IMO is a lot more fun. Nacchan is at her best here with a fun, well-made PV that spoofs karaoke videos and bad monster movies. There’s some visual effects, but they don’t get in the way of a really fun time. All the extras in the PV do great, and it really is Natsuko’s best PV of the year.

11. Guru Guru Curtain – Nogizaka46

Nogizaka46 Guru Guru Curtain PV from Japanverse on Vimeo.

OK yes I’m going there. This is my controversial choice of the list, and I’m sticking by it. Lots of people thought this was a boring PV, and it might not be the most interesting PV by any means (which is why it’s so low on here). However, it is a very well-made PV that is just beautifully shot. I really love the juxtaposition of the black and white classroom and the colorful dance shot. The contrast in the black and white scenes is really lovely and the close up shots look fantastic. It might not be the most interesting PV of the year, but it’s one of the most well made and is just beautiful, which is why I personally thought it was fantastic.

10. 20112012 – Hyadain

Hyadain’s one of the most charismatic figures in modern JPop; while he’s made a name for himself in writing a lot of fantastic JPop music, often I find myself liking his solo stuff more. 20112012 was one of my favorite songs of the year, and the PV is very well served by Hyadain’s natural charisma. Hyadain’s a lot of fun here, and his energy is contagious. Aided by the dancer TAKAHIRO, Hyadain goes through a busy schedule, what I assume is very loosely based off of its own. It primarily takes place in a fictionalized apartment, and it’s just a lot of fun, mostly because of Hyadain’s charisma and energy. He’s just fun to watch (and Hyadain waking up is way more adorable than it should be). I especially like the various places he dances with TAKAHIRO, and the changes in rooms to the house. It’s creative and fun.

9. Synchro Tokimeki – Watanabe Mayu

[vietsub+kara] Synchro tokimeki – Watanabe Mayu from jackybin01b on Vimeo.

Mayuyu kicked off her solo career with a bang this year. While I didn’t rank any of her songs on my top songs list (they just didn’t impress me that much, and Mayuyu’s voice isn’t my favorite), her PVs have been excellent. The thing that I loved about Synchro Tokimeki is that it combines something of Mayuyu’s (her manga drawing) to be personal to her. Adding some great costumes and the whole standard “warrior saving a beautiful woman” storyline is pretty cute. It’s a very beautiful PV, as well, and I especially like the color balance in the storylines, with somewhat muted colors and gold in contrast to Mayuyu as an artist with bright colors everywhere. This is a really well-made PV and is a lot fun to watch, even though I don’t follow Mayuyu very muuch.

8. Hanikami Lollipop – SKE48

I love this PV so much; I think that using “France” as a backdrop is a great idea, the set’s beautiful, and I love the cute concept of Jurina having to help the people turn from black and white to color (very similar to the plot of the underrated film Pleasantville). I really also like the choice of making the colors kind of muted instead of bright; it has a very unique aesthetic. It’s not perfect (I have an issue with some of the editing in the PV), but purely on the aesthetic choices of the costumes, the colors and the sets, it was one of my most memorable PVs of 2012.

7. The Stardust Bowling – Team Syachihoko

OK, I have to admit that there’s a bit of a bias in putting Team Syachihoko on any list, since they’re currently my favorite idol group. However, that favoritism’s for a reason, and this is what kicked it off. This is Team Syachihoko’s debut PV, and while it’s clearly made for not a lot of money and is kind of a cheaper PV, it’s just fun. The most notable and memorable parts are the grown men in sunglasses in bowling pins. It’s weird, but really what did you expect from Stardust (Momoiro Clover Z’s company) idols? Some found this a bit creepy, and it kind of is, but I liked the “story” of the girls fighting off the bowling pins; any other idol group would have had the girls go bowling for the PV, but this is a step up. In addition it’s edited well (Kind of interesting that they only add in dancing near the end), and the girls themselves are energetic and incredibly fun to watch (my bias is towards Yuzuki, the one in purple, but seriously all these girls are great). It just made me want to follow Team Syachihoko and anticipate their releases, which is a great thing for a debut PV.

6. Show Fight! -AKB48 Future Girls

This is just a great looking PV. I really like the dark look they have going on and the muted colors. However, where this PV shines is just how the girls look. Whoever made this PV wasn’t afraid to make the girls look dirty, bloody and absolutely ruthless in beating each other up. This PV wins because it’s probably the grittiest idol PV I’ve seen. The triangle set is pretty interesting (allowing for good fights between three members at a time as well as an interesting dance shot set up). This simultaneously has some of the best lighting in a PV I’ve seen (which is an issue for a lot of groups) as well as being really daring as a PV. It’s a very interesting PV and one of my most watched ones of the year.

5. Headbanger!!! – BABYMETAL

2012 was the year Babymetal really came into their own. While Doki Doki Morning was all fine and good, Ii ne and Headbanger really set Babymetal apart with their sound, and it’s looking like 2013 is off to a great start with Ijime Dame Zettai. Headbanger was a really excellent PV, though. The black, white and red aesthetic, while perhaps stereotypical, looks really great in the dance/close ups. Seeing the transformation of Suzuka from school girl to metal singer due to the magical neck brace (yes, a thing that happens in this PV) is very entertaining, and the rapid pace editing (especially at the point when Suzuka first starts her headbanging) is excellent. I especially like the lighting choices in the dance shot bits. It’s not the most elaborate PV in the world, but all the elements really came together to make an excellent PV for Babymetal, and Babymetal’s best PV yet (though Ijime, Dame, Zettai has since been a better PV).

4. Hikaru Monotachi – Watanabe Mayu

I admit, the first time I saw this PV I didn’t really see what all the fuss was about. I think the song’s alright, but it’s not my type of song. And I really wasn’t into the opening bits with seeing Mayuyu on Youtube/NicoNico and just performing. However, once you’re past the first chorus, you get a really well done PV with Mayu as a cyborg. This is when the YouTube/NicoNico comes into play well, as you see the fan backlash at Mayu being “fake.” This is kind of brilliant in how it plays off Mayu’s existing cyborg persona (I can’t see another idol pulling this off like Mayu did). There’s cool parts when Mayu is animated, and other parts where you see real Mayuyu with pieces of her missing (an error with Mayu’s CG). It also pretty brilliantly uses pieces from Mayu’s past two solo PVs, and the combination of animation, CG and Mayu mix together extremely well and feel cohesive despite having these various elements.

3.Moretsu Uchu Kokyokyoku Dai 7 Gakusho “Mugen no Ai” – Momoiro Clover Z

Momoiro Clover Z really had a great release this year with their first one, and while I ranked DNA Kyoushikyoku over Mugen no Ai in my song rankings, one of the initial things that really blew me away was the Mugen no Ai PV. While I usually am not a fan of PVs that rely too heavily on green screened graphics, Momoiro Clover Z did it perfectly here. The space setting works perfectly, and I love the very stylized graphics when Momoiro Clover Z are on their bikes. The lighting feels a bit too strong, but they really make it work here. The costumes are also some of the best of the year, with clear thought made to the quality of the garments. Momoiro Clover Z is also one of the most energetic and exciting idol groups out there right now, so the girls themselves do a lot to make the PV really click. Like I mentioned, I’m not usually the biggest fan of too much computer graphics in my PVs, but this really did a great job of proving that you can have a green screen heavy PV while maintaining great quality.

2. Kataomoi Finally – SKE48

It hurts to put this so low, and I wish I could put this at number one. The top two PVs of the year were completely obvious to me in their excellence, and Kataomoi Finally really was on another level. All the elements really came together to create a fantastic PV. The story components are really fantastic, and are one of the few times that a lesbian relationship in a PV was really done in a tasteful and classy way, not trying to appeal to the male gaze. I honestly really admired SKE48’s willingness to do this PV, as it’s possibly more daring than any other 48 group PV (with the exception of Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou and Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru). The choreography, which I named my top choreography of 2012, really plays well into the the song, and really works well with the editing. Honestly, every single element, from the lighting to the editing to the cinematography really works and is done perfectly. SKE48 has been putting out a lot of quality stuff, but man it’ll be hard to beat Kataomoi Finally.

1. Gingham Check – AKB48

Like I said, there was definitely a struggle between Kataomoi Finally and Gingham Check. However, Gingham Check won just because of the fact I like it so much. I love the clever look at film genres and their trailers, looking at cop movies, horror movies and giant monster movies and exploring romance within those boundaries. It also helps that Joseph Kahn had a really good visual style within the whole thing, almost exaggerated within their respective genres (lens flares and shining lights in the cop movie, a muted color tone that feels straight from the 50s-60s in the monster movie, and a dark feel with the horror movie). Various shots are vary reminiscent of certain movies (Godzilla and the Ring come to mind), but in addition to all this it’s just a lot of fun, it’s edited well, filmed well, and is done incredibly well, which made it my favorite PV of 2012.

Top Ten Idols – 2013

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Well, whenever I go back and look at my top ten idols list, it always seems like things change a lot. I know things have since I started Happy Disco (my original list was all Hello!Project, wow). This list is always pretty difficult to make, because as an idol enthusiast I have a lot of favorites. Even if someone slipped down my list at all or is omitted, that only really means that I have another idol I like better, not that I like them less.

10. Tamura Meimi (S/Mileage)

S/Mileage’s second generation are four of my top five members in current Hello!Project. While I like Kanyon and Ayacho, if S/Mileage’s second generation formed an idol group on their own I think it would be one of my favorite idol groups ever. I think they all have a lot of strengths, are a lot of fun, and are super adorable. Picking one as my favorite is hard; however, it ends up as being Meimei. She’s just so energetic and excited, that Meimi was actually the one to open me up to Hello!Project after being a bit cynical regarding them for a while; Meimi felt and still feels fresh. I love her energy, her enthusiasm, and just how mischievous and fun she is. One of my favorite things was when she basically trolled everyone by setting up a blog entry sounding like she was graduating… only revealing she was graduating from using “-chan” to refer to her friends. Meimi not only loves her fans, she trolls them. She’s cute, energetic, fun to watch, and just a weirdo.

9. Ishida Ayumi – Morning Musume

For most of 2012 Meimei was my favorite in Hello!Project, so putting Ishida Ayumi over Meimi is a pretty big change. Ever since Morning Musume’s 10th generation has debuted, I’ve been fond of Ishida Ayumi, and she’s been my favorite Morning Musume member for a while. However, since I don’t really follow much of Morning Musume, it didn’t really click with Ayumi as a favorite member until recently, and even then it was a slow build. I first became really impressed with her when the dance shot to One Two Three came out, since Ayumi’s performing strength is in her dancing. Slowly I began to find out more about her personality, and found out that while she’s a sweet person she’s almost a closet wota/creeper  of her fellow members. In one blog post in particular she took pictures of all of her fellow 10th generation members sleeping and posted them on her blog, saying how cute they all are. She’s a hard worker, a strong performer, and has a really sweet personality. She’s making me follow Morning Musume, which is what qualifies her as one of my top idols. Honestly, if I followed Morning Musume more closely than some of the other groups, Ayumi could move up my list because I like her that much.

8. Watanabe Miyuki (NMB48/AKB48)

Putting Milky this low is ridiculous for me. Honestly, this is a tough spot. Once you get past the two Hello!Project girls (who I really love, but aren’t my favorites), my top 8 is really where I have strong feelings. My top 3 48 girls shift around places a lot, so one day Milky might be my #1 girl in AKB and one day she might be my #3, like today. Normally, within AKB48, I tend to go for the lesser popular girls (though the one girl who just barely missed this list is Kashiwagi Yuki, AKA #3 in AKB48), but I’ve been a Milky fan since the early days of NMB48. I can wax poetic about how perfect I find Milky (and have, on my tumblr HERE) but basically she’s a natural idol who loves idols. She has tons of charisma, has been able to endure a scandal and come out on top, and ultimately really loves what she does and being an idol. She’s also really funny and strange (I adore the whole “chapu chapu’ movement), and is a fan of Ishikawa Rika, which does help. She’s one idol who’s a natural, and it’s definitely appealing Plus her photobook, Mirugami, was my favorite of 2012 and possibly one of my favorites ever

7. Oota Aika (HKT48)

Lovetan is a very adaptable member, which is probably her biggest strength. She went from being one of the cute younger members of Team B to being one of the middle-range Team A girls (as well as center of the Undergirls for a while). She started off young and as one of the cuter members of AKB48, but she’s been able to adapt to more mature things as she’s gotten older (look how cool she looks in that outfit from Show Fight!). And finally, she’s moved to HKT48, where she’s now the most experienced member. The thing I’ve always liked about Lovetan is just how natural she is, and how honest she really seems. Perhaps that’s her “tsundere” personality, but she doesn’t shy away from showing her emotions or expressing them. She’s a real sweetheart who I always love watching. I was really disappointed to see her huge drop in the AKB48 election (though not in her; she’s been doing great), so I’m hoping that she can shine in HKT48 through the future. I honestly think this is a good move, and I can’t wait to hear more from Lovetan! Seeing her growth as an idol from Team B to today has been a privilege, and I’m proud to be a Lovetan fan.

6. Natori Wakana (AKB48) 

Wakanyan’s not an easy idol to have as my AKB48 oshimen. She only recently was promoted to Team B, and before that was a kenkyuusei that missed the whole Team 4 thing. Despite that, Wakanyan is really fantastic. I initially became a fan of hers because of her performance skills; she was Kashiwagi Yuki’s under and performed as Yukirin in kenkyuusei shows, which shows that AKB trusted her to do a lot. She was also the first person of her generation to perform the solo kenkyuusei song “Romance Kakurenbo,” and has proven herself both an excellent singer and an excellent performer. However, aside from this I just love her personality. She’s worked so hard since her debut as a kenkyuusei, and on the 11th generation special of Ariyoshi AKB Kyowakoku she won my heart by being brave enough to not only pick up one snake (in a test where they had to put snakes back in their containers, to “test bravery) that bit her, but going back again. She also seems to have a good personality whenever I see LODs or look at G+.

5. Mizuno Yui (BABYMETAL/Sakura Gakuin)

Look at that face and tell me she isn’t the cutest thing you’ve ever seen. In all seriousness, I love watching Yui’s enthusiasm when performing and in PVs, both in standard idol group Sakura Gakuin and heavy metal unit Babymetal. While I adore every member of Babymetal and I enjoy both Suzuka and Moa a lot as idols, something about Yui sticks out to me. Probably how happy she looks singing metal music. If anyone can have a huge grin on her face while performing metal, it’s Yui. But she has a level of happiness and enthusiasm that I just love in an idol, and has the cutest smile ever.

4. Aso Natsuko (soloist)

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you missed it, yes that is me and Nacchan at the Hyper Japan event this February in London. 🙂 (read my post about that HERE) Putting Nacchan this low really sucks, and I think is a real testament to how strongly I feel about other idols. However, seeing Aso Natsuko live was amazing; she has such crazy charisma and energy. It was an incredible experience I hope to experience again. She’s a real sweetheart and a great performer, and an all-around great idol. It takes a lot of charisma to be a successful solo artist, and Nacchan definitely qualifies.

3. Sasaki Ayaka (Momoiro Clover Z)

A~rin is in the “natural idol” category. Seriously, if there are any girls who are born idols, A~rin is one of them. Every time I see her performing, I can tell that she’s obviously loving what she does and that she’s having a great time with what she’s doing. I personally also love her performance; while she may not have the best voice or dancing, what she is good at hamming it up during her solos and giving a good performance. I also have a strong affection for cute idols and idols that have an “idol-like” personality (and she is referred to as MomoClo’s idol in her introduction). While all the MomoClo members are good in their own way and I’m fond of all of them (especially Reni, who’s really weird), I’d argue that A~rin’s the most fun and playful member. Not to say that she doesn’t take her job seriously, but she has just a fun personality that shines, on and off stage.

2. Ishikawa Rika (ex-Morning Musume/v-u-den)


She’s topped every single list I’ve ever had until now. This might be a surprise to you if you know me, and it surprised me when I realized it. However, I think this is mostly a result of not being very active any more (I’d tentatively still call Rika my all-time favorite, as this list is primarily current). Simply put, Rika is one of the most driven idols ever, a hard worker, a role model for younger members, and is one of the strongest performers (not vocally, but on pure strength of dance/performance skills). Rika, is in my opinion, the gold standard for idols everywhere; there’s a reason that two of the top idols in the 48 empire, Watanabe Miyuki and Kashiwagi Yuki are huge Rika fans. She has a great personality, great performances, and I’m proud to be a Rika fan, which has not wavered at all since I became a Rika fan. That being said, when deciding this I couldn’t ignore the sheer power of my #1…

1. Ooguro Yuzuki (Team Syachihoko)

Yuzuki is the first idol to surpass Rika since Rika became my favorite near the end of 2008/beginning of 2009. Which, as a big idol fan, says a good deal. I initially pegged Yuzuki as being my least favorite of Team Syachihoko, because she didn’t initially stand out to me in my initial viewing of The Stardust Bowling’s PV. However, despite this, when I first watched a live performance, I saw how strong Yuzuki really is. The thing about Yuzuki is that, even though she’s probably in the middle of the group in terms of skill, you can tell she’s clearly giving a huge effort every time she performs. She has a ton of enthusiasm, and every performance you can see how hard she works and how much she enjoys herself. She is a sweetheart, clearly loves being in Team Syachihoko, and is the most fun idol to watch right now.

Honorable mentions: Kashiwagi Yuki (AKB48), Iwasa Misaki (AKB48), Matsui Sakiko (AKB48), Miyawaki Sakura (HKT48), Yajima Maimi (C-ute), S/Mileage’s 2nd generation, all the other members of Team Syachihoko and Momoiro Clover Z, Kyao (MMJ),

Momoiro Clover Z Becomes Bigger and Bigger

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For a group that started out doing performances on the street and for small audiences, Momoiro Clover Z has become really big. As a long time fan of the group it’s exciting and interesting to see where this group has gone over the years. While I haven’t liked every turn they’ve made (i.e. my very poor review of their single Otome Sensou) this group has worked really hard to get to the heights they are at right now.

Momoiro Clover Z performs at Kouhaku Uta Gassen

Performing at the major annual New Year’s event has been Momoclo’s goal for quite some time, and this year they finally achieved it. This is an achievement only major artists make, so it really establishes Momoiro Clover Z as being a major force within the Japanese music industry. While of course AKB48 is there and SKE48 is there, no other major idol groups are there (though other young female artists like Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu were there). This establishes Momoiro Clover Z as being a force to be reckoned with, potentially second only to AKB48 and the other 48 groups.

The best part of their performance, however, was with their second song, Ikuze! Kaitou Shoujo. In the song they famously chant their names, and since they became Momoiro Clover Z sing “Reni Kanakooo (elongating Kanako) Shiori Ayaka Momoka.” However, at Kouhaku they sang the original “Reni Kanako Akari Shiori Ayaka Momoka”, in honor of Hayami Akari. If you watch the performance they point to the camera during her name, as if they brought Akari with them to Kouhaku. This is a very sweet gesture as MomoClo remembers their roots and their most prominent graduated member.

Momoiro Clover Z has a popular wikipedia page

This is a bit silly, really, but recently on aramatheydidnt a list of the most viewed Wikipedia articles in Japan was posted () which shows that Momoiro Clover Z is the most viewed page after AKB48 and then a list of AV actresses. Still, being 3rd isn’t bad, and shows that a good deal of people have interest in them.

The future?
Today, Momoiro Clover Z declared their goal is to perform in the Kokuritsu Stadium, which will be undergoing renovation in a year so it’s a major race against time. This is a huge venue in Japan, where only four artists have ever performed. This is kind of a long shot and a really big goal, but Momoiro Clover Z is aiming to become more and more popular.

Can I see it happening? Yes. Momoiro Clover’s rise from small group has been astronomical, and in less than two years they’ve gone from their major debut single to performing at Kouhaku Uta Gassen and being one of the biggest acts in Japan. While I miss the days when they were a smaller, more personal group, I think if any current group can be the biggest idol group it’s MomoClo. It’ll be interesting to see what happens, sale-wise with their second album (which was confirmed today). While their single sales are good, their first album (Battle & Romance) sold very well. It’ll be interesting to see if that’s a trend, especially considering how much more popular they’ve become since Battle & Romance was released.

Still, despite a few small issues, I’m really excited to see where Momoiro Clover Z goes into the future!

My Top 25 Songs of the Year (Part 1)

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Initially when working on this top list I intended for a top ten songs I loved from 2012. However, when writing down candidates I realized that that was far too small. The fact is, the past couple of years have been really really great for idol fans. Idols have been popular in Japan, which leads to more acts, more work being put on idol acts, and more money being put into idol acts. So instead of doing a top ten (which would end up shutting out groups and songs that quite frankly deserve notice) I’m doing a top 25 list with some honorable mentions. And even then I feel like I’m leaving off excellent candidates (my tentative list was originally around 50+ songs!), so if you see a favorite song not mentioned here I might have wanted to put it on here. It’s a good time to be an idol fan.

25. Avocado Janee~shi – Watanabe Mayu and Sashihara Rino

As a whole I found the 1830m album to be pretty underwhelming, and I am one of the few that actually really enjoyed Koko ni Ita Koto. However, I really enjoyed Avocado Janee~shi. One of the things that I really like as an idol fan (that will become very obvious further into this list) is that I like classic idol songs. While I like idol songs of today, if something is in any way retro or a callback to previous idols, I will eat it up. Avocado Janee~shi really reminds me in a weird way of Matsuura Aya songs in the peak of her Ayaya idolly days. Things like Momoiro Kataomoi, Ne~e and Yeah! Meccha Holiday. The song’s cute, but has a good upbeat pace to it, and some really fun guitar solos in there. While Watanabe and Sashihara aren’t known for being good vocalists, their voices sound really good here and play well off each other.

The lyrics are also really cute, with the person in the song comparing themselves to an avocado being among more appealing fruits. The whole song is pretty standard idol, but is really fun for if you want an idolly song, and as a big Ayaya fan this really appeals to me, and I know for a long while to come I’ll be singing “Avocado janee~shi, avocado dashi~” to myself.

24. A~rin wa Hankouki – Sasaki Ayaka

Has anyone ever had to justify “no, I’m not into this song because I’m biased, I really like it!” to others? This is how things work as a Momoiro Clover Z fan. Sasaki Ayaka is my oshimen of the group and one of my favorite idols, but out of all the Momoiro Clover Z solo songs Ayaka’s are always my favorite. Perhaps it’s because both of them are written by the wonderful Maeyamada Kenichi, who, spoiler alert, has a decent presence on this top list.

The reason that A~rin wa Hankouki works so much is because it feels very tailored to A~rin as an idol. Lots of idol solos can be generic and sung by everyone, but both A~rin wa Hankouki and the fantastic Datte A~rin Nanda Mon are songs that only really fit her. However, A~rin wa Hankouki is both high energy and mature sounding (a bit funny considering the lyrics are about A~rin wanting to rebel from her mother who tells her what she can and can’t do), and is a lot of fun. Some people might be put off by the long spoken/shouted monologues, but I really like them, as well as the rap done by none other than the songwriter himself, Maeyamada Kenichi. This is the type of song you’ll either love or hate, and I just happen to love it.

Ultimately, yeah I am biased towards A~rin and this song. However it’s a whole lot of fun and really is unique in how well it fits the singer.

23. Giri Giri Safe – Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

OK, this is kind of cheating because I don’t REALLY consider Kyary Pamyu Pamyu to be an idol. However, Pamyu Pamyu Revolution was a really strong album and I really wish that I could put more of it on this list. One song I particularly liked was Giri Giri Safe. It’s one of the most mellow songs on the album that’s sugary sweet and energetic, but it’s really sweet and mellow sounding. In my opinion this song really shows the variety that Kyary is able to do in her songs. The instrumentation is fantastic in the whole album, but shines in Giri Giri Safe especially with the sweet flute/whistle sounding part behind Kyary at some parts in the verses.

While I enjoyed her other singles of the year, especially Tsukema Tsukeru and Candy Candy, this album song is really nice to listen to. It’s not as out there as Kyary has been done (which I do love) but it shows that Kyary isn’t just weirdness and flash, but that there’s a lot to enjoy in her musical releases. This is why Pamyu Pamyu Revolution is one of my most played albums of the year and why I love Giri Giri Safe.

22. Hatsukoi Butterfly – HKT48

Even though it’s a b-side of an AKB48 single, I’d wager that Hatsukoi Butterfly was more highly anticipated than the A-Side, Eien Pressure. This is because it’s the first original song recorded by HKT48 and it includes ex-AKB48 members Sashihara Rino and (one of my favorites ever) Oota Aika. The song and PV was really the first time we get to see what to make of HKT48, at least to get a sense of what their debut single might be like.

While Hatsukoi Butterfly is admittedly a very idol-y song and isn’t quite as out there as, say, NMB48’s song on the single “HA!,” it’s the type of song I really wanted from HKT48. HKT has had its host of difficulties since it was formed with the big scandal it faced and the group had to fit two older veteran members into the group. However, despite everything, this song is energetic, cute, and fun to listen to, which is very fitting for a younger group. Maybe I’m just overthinking this, but the song sounds downright triumphant at times (starting at 2nd generation member Tashima Meru’s solo), which fits.

Even if this might not be earthshattering groundbreaking music, this is idol pop as a genre at its best, and I love it!

21. Renai Higaitodoke – NMB48

Despite everything, I’d say NMB48 had a pretty good year. Yes, there were graduations galore, especially among lesser known members. However, NMB48 successfully navigated past the big scandals of 2011 and really shined as their own group, slowly having more girls enter the senbatsu election line-up (five instead of one!). They have also had their own image, continuing to impress with their strong dancing skills and slightly sexier image than AKB48. I honestly liked every A-side this year and a lot of the B-Sides, and I wish I could put more of these on there.

However, Renai Higaitodoke really stands out. One of the B-sides from NMB’s Kitagawa Kenji single, it’s sung by the group’s Akagumi, with the chorus primarily alternating between very short solos sung by the members. The result is slightly haunting and unlike most idol songs, reminding me of a faster paced Dokusenyoku (Morning Musume), which is a good thing. This is especially unusual in a 48 large group song, which tend to focus on large group parts with very few solos. This causes Renai Higaitodoke to really stand out among the other songs released by the 48 groups this year. The song also does a really good job in playing to the strengths of the girls in the song, with Yamada Nana’s lines standing out to me a lot. This was one of the most memorable songs of the year, and one I liked a lot.

Disappointment: Gathering my thoughts on Otome Sensou

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If you’ve followed my blog even slightly you’ll know that Momoiro Clover has been my favorite idol group for some time now. I discovered them just as they were making their major debut and have been following them since. I’ve loved every single thing they’ve done since their release.

However, I am not crazy about Otome Sensou, their newest single song, and that’s kind of disappointing for me.

I just have to say that I don’t hate it. The song itself isn’t bad, though I don’t think it was written particularly well. There are elements of greatness, to be sure, but it’s not a very well written and arranged song in my opinion. The 7 minute song is too drawn out, has an empty arrangement in parts (the beginning of the first verse comes to mind, when it’s just fake-y sounding electronic piano and drums), and is kind of all over the parts. The build up of the song at the end is nice, but ultimately it leads back to the chorus which feels incredibly anti-climatic. You may disagree on how you think it was written; I know multiple people who would argue that it’s an incredibly well-written song and an excellent piece of music aside from it being idol music. However, there’s one problem that both I and other MomoClo fans have with it:

It doesn’t feel like Momoiro Clover Z.

MomoClo has changed over the years, from being an indie street idol group to being a group that had traditionally inspired idol costumes to being major debut Momoiro Clover to being Momoiro Clover Z. They always try new things, but they always feel like MomoClo. This doesn’t have the same energy that MomoClo is.

Others have mentioned that it’s experimental and good on MomoClo for trying it, which I agree. However, it’s probably not the best song for the A-Side, and while I appreciate people experimenting with groups this isn’t successful for me. I’m just really disappointed in how I feel about this single and what they tried to do with Otome Sensou, especially since I think the PV is one of their strongest yet.

So I’m pretty conflicted. On the one hand, I appreciate risk taking, but I think this song isn’t doing it very well. All in all, I’m disappointed, and sad to feel that way.

Momoiro Clover Z – Mouretsu Uchuu Koukyoukyoku Dainana Gakushou “Mugen no Ai” PV

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With a title like that, it’s easy to need to shorten the name. I usually have shortened the title of the song to “Mugen no Ai” which translates to “Eternal Love” and it seems to be the shortened title that lots of MomoClo fans accept, at least on YouTube when I’ve searched for the name before.

However, this might only be referred to as “that really really really amazing PV of amazing” or something around those lines.

Momoiro Clover Z

Oh. My. God.

Outfits: The thing I love about these outfits is that they look really well made; when you think of the words “space pirates” it’s easy to think of something REALLY cheesy or childish. Something like, say, the Morning Musume no Hyokkori Hyoutanjima PV. Now mind that was meant to look like that, but that’s just an easy comparison that can be made when you think of JPop meeting pirates. Or the outfits could look really cheap like this, which is just as bad in this case.

OK, maybe I just want a picture of Tobias Funke on my blog. Because of reasons.

However, the outfits here are really well crafted in that they look cool but you don’t feel second-hand embarrassment for MomoClo for wearing them. Another thing I appreciate is that the outfits are clearly crafted to suit each girl individually, as opposed to just being one cookie cutter outfit that was made five times. For example, Sasaki Ayaka’s outfit has a skirt trimmed with lace while others wear shorts. It’s details like this that make you think that MomoClo’s staff works really hard.

Dance: I’ve seen live performances of this song before, and while this dance is definitely not one of Momoiro Clover’s strongest in terms of choreography, IMO, the things they showed in the PV are really good. Moreover, even if it’s not their most difficult dance, all the girls completely ace the dance. It shows that even though I’d say dance is one of Momoiro Clover’s strongest points, that it’s definitely not the only thing that sets them apart as an idol group.

Song: Again, I’ve heard the song before this. But really, this might just be up there now as my favorite Momoiro Clover song. Which is actually saying a LOT, considering that I love this group more than most idol groups. This song is legitimately epic and catchy.

PV in general: Overall, the effects are great, it looks beautiful (it’s the first PV I really feel like I need to see on a big screen in HD), and it’s just incredibly well made. The thing I love most about this PV and really about Momoiro Clover in general is that they really go all out to do their best. They don’t just phone it in, make a so-so PV and call it a day because they have a fairly sizable fanbase at this point. Everything I see from Momoiro Clover is really high quality, which is why I’m proud to be their fan and support them. And I hope that you guys do, too!

A "Quick" Review of Battle and Romance

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Very recently, my personal favorite idol group, Momoiro Clover Z released their first ever album entitled “Battle and Romance.” One thing that I immediately found interesting was that instead of promoting the singles that came right before this (Z Densetsu ~Owarinaki Kakumei and D’ no Junjou) they chose to promote the album instead (and by ‘they’ I mean the staff, people at the label, etc; MomoClo had nothing to do with it). In Japan, most artists focus on single sales, especially idols. The music industry really seems to do better with singles rather than with albums, and singles tend to sell much much better.

However, Momoiro Clover sold just under 10,000 copies for their first day, and by the second day (where they sold over 5000 copies) they outsold the overall sales of the previous two Morning Musume albums. So even though MomoClo might not be selling as well on the singles, I’m thinking that this album may be a sign that MomoClo is getting to be a bigger and bigger group to reckon with.

Methinks they are spoofing this Beatles album cover? Maybe? idk. 
Anyways, this is a review of the full album. I’ve heard the single songs and I’ve heard all the solo songs, but this is actually my first time with the album-original songs.
1. Z Densetsu ~Owarinaki Kakumei~
Number one thing I’ve learned from this song: that in Japan they say “Zed” instead of “Zee.” Like in Canada. So, I guess Momoiro Clover agrees with Canadians?
I love this song a lot. I’ve heard it described by a fellow MomoClo loving fan as the Ikuze! Kaitou Shoujo of newer Momoiro Clover Z fans, and I think this is a fair assessment. Both introduce all the girls in a fun, light-hearted song. I’d personally say that I prefer Ikuze, but maybe that’s just me. But I could definitely see myself watching the PV and falling for this group, like what happened for me when Ikuze Kaitou Shoujo first came out. 
The “BLUE” when they go over the colors makes me happy, because the group’s obviously recognizing that Akarin was there, but it also makes the absence even more noticeable. 
The only thing that I could potentially say about this is that occasionally the guy’s voice gets a bit old, and I don’t necessarily need it. I get what they’re trying to do, that it’s all a spoof of the sentai genre, but it’s a bit annoying. It’s not enough man voice to ruin the song for me (like how Tsunku ruined Uchouten Love, which I would have adored, with his wahHOO every two seconds), but I’d have liked less of it. 4.5/5

2. CONTRADICTION
The song starts off kind of electronic sounding, but then transitions to being kind of an epic song with that electronic/dance music type feel. I find that I like the chorus a lot better than I like the verses; sometimes it feels like the drone of the music in the background in the verses doesn’t really fit that well with the melody that the girls are singing. I like the lead up to the chorus and the chorus much better. Like I’ve said, this is the first time I’ve heard this song, and so I haven’t seen any performances (if they’re out there yet; I have been saving this album up). However, I can definitely see this as being something with a pretty epic performance, given MomoClo’s energy.
I like the song; however, sometimes I’m a bit put off with the instrumental. Maybe it’s one of those songs where those parts will grow on me (I didn’t like Pinky Jones all that much after the first listen), but this seems like the type of song that I’ll have on my iPod but won’t be as heavily listened to as the others. 3/5

3. Mirai Bowl
I love love love this song and love the PV. Before I listened to this album I had no idea that they were going to rerecord  the old single songs. I’m honestly really torn about this. On the one hand, I miss Akari and it kind of feels like they’re sort of trying to erase her existence. On the other hand, though, they are really trying to reinvent themselves with the advent of Momoiro Clover Z, which feels like they’re really respecting Akari; saying that they’re not the same group without her, and acknowledging her in Z Densetsu. 
I love this song wholeheartedly, so this rerecorded version is kind of interesting to me. The biggest change is giving Akari’s rap part to Ayaka, which does change the tone of the rap somewhat. It’s giving the serious sounding rap to the youngest/girliest member who ended up doing it well, though changing the tone of the rap. That being said, the rest of the song is silly enough that it doesn’t really matter if the rap sounds a bit silly. I’m honestly thrilled that Ayaka got the part, because since I got into Momoiro Clover I’ve been convinced that Ayaka is Ishikawa Rika part two, so she really does excel in some of those speaking parts.
The song overall isn’t any better or worse without Akari; it’s just different. I can see myself choosing to listen to both versions pretty freely. And since I love this song, it definitely deserves: 5/5.

4. Wani to Shampoo 
Apparently this is the opening to some anime, as well as being entitled “Crocodile and Shampoo.” I love this title so much, so I’m very very hopeful before I even listen.
Listening to it right now, I can definitely hear how this would be a great anime opening. I love whenever they shout things. YABAI!! QUESTION!!
For some reason I’m having trouble pinning down what type of song this is; it’s a bit weird mixed with being a bit serious sounding. Yet I know that they’re singing about “owaranai Shukudai” so they’re singing about unfinished homework. That’s definitely ‘yabai.’ 
Also, there’s the part before the chorus where they’re all asked questions. The funniest is one of the English ones: Q: Where do you live now? Ayaka: Yes I do!
I think that even though it sounds like kind of a serious song it has a lot of silliness to it, which makes it a perfect MomoClo song. After one listen I have it stuck in my head, which shows the power of this type of song. Though for some reason I keep thinking it sounds like some song but I can’t pinpoint what song it sounds like! Still, it’s 5/5. Instant classic for MomoClo.
5. Pinky Jones
Chappa Chappa! People need to go around saying “Chappa Chappa” more and more. 
I love the pseudo-Indian feel of the song, with what sounds like a sitar? I think it’s supposed to be a sitar, if it really isn’t. And then there are what sound like bagpipes later in the instrumental. This is honestly what I love about Momoiro Clover’s music writing team; only MomoClo would have a JPop song with sitars and bagpipes. 
I actually notice Akari’s absence more in this song than I did in Mirai Bowl, which is a bit odd considering she had a much bigger presence in the PV of Mirai Bowl. It’s mixed just fine, but it just sounds a little weird. However, I have to say that they’ve been making great choices in allotting Akari’s lines among the rest of the group. The fact that Akari’s mystical sounding solo was given to Reni was a particularly great choice, since her character in the PV was supposed to be some sort of fortune teller, which was reprised in both Mirai Bowl and Z Densetsu (“Give me chappa chappa!!”). I personally liked that Ayaka got Akari’s line when they all sing with their names; she sounded particularly nice. 
Again, I like both versions a ton. This song is perfectly weird and eccentric for Momoiro Clover. 5/5

6. Kimi no Ato
Here’s the thing with me and ballads. I love a ballad with a really amazing voice, which is why some of the later albums of Matsuura Aya are some of my favorites. However, a lot of the times idol ballads can get really boring really fast, and if the vocals are subpar then I’ll probably not listen to the song very much. They can be done really well; I love the choir-style of AKB48’s Sakura no Shiori. However, as a whole, if the songs are equally well-written, I’ll normally choose an energetic idol song over a ballad.
That being said, the instrumental is very pretty and since Kanako’s voice at the beginning was really pretty, I had really high hopes going into it. And they were met; the girls all sound very pretty, and the instrumental is really good. It’s actually a bit more of a power ballad, with the instrumental and sound building up from the initial, beautiful piano. It’s definitely not MomoClo’s usual music, which makes it really special to listen to. It’s not really my thing, and I doubt I’ll be listening to this as much as I listen to the upbeat songs of the album, such as Wani to Shampoo. However, I really really enjoy it. It’s enjoyable, and exceeded my expectations, when I heard there was a Momoiro Clover Z ballad. 4/5

7. D’ no Junjou

This song is flawless. The way they build up tension throughout, the verses and go all out in the choruses, and the parts with “DASH DASH DASH DASH DASH” always give me shivers. It’s energetic, intense and amazing. The way they perform it in the PV is just 100% amazing.
I honestly have nothing more to say. A perfect song. 5/5

8. Ame no Tachikara wo

Another song with Indian influence; I think this one s a lot more direct than Pinky Jones, but I don’t listen to Indian music so I could be wrong on that count. The singing reminds me a tiny bit of traditional Japanese music, so that could be a bit more of what they’re trying to go for. Still, this song also has a lot of rock and pop influences, like the rest of Momoiro Clover Z’s music, and the song changes a lot between verses and the chorus. The chorus transitions to being more of a regular popular song. It’s fine, but nothing really extraordinary, especially since fans of MomoClo will be used to the concept of the girls switching styles a lot.
I like the song more during the verses than during the chorus. There’s nothing wrong with the song, but it doesn’t grab me the way that the other songs do. After a couple of listens none of the song really stuck with me, unlike some of the other songs on this album (Wani to Shampoo won’t let my brain alone). 3/5

9. Orange Note
We finally have the flawless Orange Note on recording! For people who don’t really follow MomoClo, Orange Note is one of the songs that has been with Momoiro Clover from the beginning, and so fans are super excited to have this on recording. The one thing that has changed is that now it’s Shiori doing the rap and not Akari, and while I love Akari’s original I have to say that Shiori did a really great job.
This is a great, high energy, fun song. When I first heard it last year I knew that it was a great song, and it still is. It’s stood the test of time, and I’m forever glad that it’s on the album. 5/5
10.  Ikuze! Kaitou Shoujo
OK, Pinky Jones was weird without Akari, but this is weirder. In the shout at the beginning, it goes from “RENI KANAKO AKARI SHIORI AYAKA MOMOKA” (which is btw how I learned all the members’ names originally) to “RENI KANAKOOOO SHIORI AYAKA MOMOKA” which is kind of awkward, but I don’t know how they’d be able to get past. Also, the part where they all count is a tiny bit awkward. 
Despite some awkwardness in how they did this song, they did a pretty solid job of covering Akari in this song. This is THE classic Momoiro Clover song in my opinion, so I’m glad they did it. However, the awkwardness, and Momoka’s unnecessary vocalizations at the end (seriously, WHY did they add that?) make the original the one I’m going to listen to. It’s a fantastic song, but it really is incomplete without Akari. 4.5/5

11. Stardust Serenade
References to their agency, FTW. 
This is kind of a lighter easy listening song; for some reason I keep getting a retro feel from it? Parts of it, for some reason (I have no idea why) remind me of The Partridge Family, which not something I’d ever really peg on JPop. Or Neil Diamond. Basically stuff that my mom plays in the car and listens to a lot. 
It’s a pretty easy song to like, and I really do appreciate some of the orchestral stuff that goes on in the instrumental. Orchestra instruments in rock music is my #1 weakness, as two of my favorite bands are the Electric Light Orchestra (or ELO as they’re better known) and The Last Shadow Puppets. 
All the girls sound really good in this song and they really fit it. I like it! 4/5

12. Kono Uta
I’ve heard this song before, actually, looking up stuff on Momoiro Clover. It never really stuck with me, but I think at that point I was too excited for Z Densetsu that I listened to that much more than I listened to this. I don’t know why, but this is a sweet-hearted, up beat song. It has kind of an epic feel, and it kind of sounds like it should be on the soundtrack to something? 
I really like this song, though, and can’t think of much else to say. It kind of reminds me of the feel of Hashire, and I think is that type of song for the group. A reprieve from the weirdness to make something very pretty. 5/5

13. MomoClo no Nippon Manzai!
This song is weird and wonderful; this is kind of like a modern Mini Moni, because they’re singing about various points in Japan, and prefectures. When they’re singing about prefectures I THINK (with my limited Japanese knowledge) they all sing extended things about their home prefecture? I know Ayaka sings about Kanagawa, which is her home prefecture. The style of the song changes to everything throughout the song, giving all of members opportunities to show their personality. Weird parts, slow parts, it’s all just fantastic. I happen to love really strange songs, which is part of why Momoiro Clover maintains its position as my favorite idol group.  
But yeah, this is like what would happen if Mini Moni and Momoiro Clover had a collaboration, which is what makes it amazing. 5/5

BONUS CD

1. Taiyou to Ekubo- Kanako
This really has kind of a classic idol feel to it; it’s upbeat and happy and just sunny. I’ve loved it a lot since I first heard it and that hasn’t changed. Kanako sounds great and it’s just a fun song that’s easy to listen to. 
2. Fall Into Me – Akari
It’s kind of interesting that Akari got recorded over in the single songs on the album, but she got her solo song on the album. I’m not complaining, because this song really fits her, with the rock style and with all the rapping. This is really her forte, not so much the cutesy idol pop that MomoClo does. I miss her, and if she got to do stuff like this in the future I’d be really happy. 
3. …Ai Desu Ka? -Shiori
For some reason this title keeps reminding me of Kago Ai’s fanclub solo song, “Renai tte Nani”. Shiori, don’t turn out like Kago did, please.
This is another classic idol type song. I find the song kind of boring, and the fact that while I ADORE Shiori she’s not my favorite member doesn’t really help. The song’s cute, Shiori’s cute, and there’s nothing offensively bad about the song, but of the entire album this is probably the song that stands out least. 
4. Datte A~rin Da Mon!- Ayaka
I find it amusing that all the other members got fairly normal songs, and my favorite gets the weird song. It’s actually perfect for Ayaka, though; she’s the youngest member and is really cutesy, especially since she’s been in show business since she was 10 (on Oha Star). However, the sexy sounding interludes fit her really well, because even though she often does the cutesy image she also can be sexy.
Anyways, if you don’t like cutesy songs, strange songs or Ayaka, you’ll hate this song. If you love all those things, you’ll adore this song. 
5. Arigatou no Present- Momoka
Of all the members who could get a ballad as their solo song, Momoka is definitely the right choice. She has arguably the best singing voice, so it really fits her. The solo song doesn’t stand out to me that much, but ballads aren’t really my thing, like I’ve explained. It’s a nice, pretty song, that Momoka sings with a lot of heart. Good job, Momoka!
6. Koi wa Abare Ondekoza- Reni
Reni singing enka? I guess weirder things have happened.
While I’ve never really thought about it before, Reni’s voice sounds really good in this song. The opening drums/music reminds me of Phoenix Wright. If you’ve played the games with the sound on, you should know why. Anyways, Reni doing enka is a bit of a surprise, but she pulls it off really well!
Overall, this was a great album, with a lot of strengths. This definitely could go up to being one of my favorite idol albums ever, which is saying something. Momoiro Clover Z has been doing a great job of things so far, and in my opinion they totally deserve the fame they’ve been getting.