Review Monday: AKB48 – Kimi no Hohoemi wo Yume ni Miru + Mosh & Dive

Posted on December 9, 2013 by serenyty

” Suzukake no ki no michi de “Kimi no hohoemi wo yume ni miru” to itte shimattara bokutachi no kankei wa dou kawatte shimau no ka, boku nari ni nan nichi ka kangaeta ue de no yaya kihazukashii ketsuron no you na mono” is the title of the new AKB48 single. Yeah. So with that out of the way, let’s review the new PVs that have come out! I’ll be reviewing the main single PV as well as Mosh & Dive. Next week I’ll look at the group exclusive PVs.

Suzukake no ki no michi de…..

Song: You know, for being a giant gimmick, I enjoy the long title. I think the sentiment in the title is nice, and while it’s not necessary it’s a pretty title. I’ve been actively trying to memorize it, so I can rattle it off at people in the future for fun.

The title is pretty much the most memorable thing about the song, though. The winter/Janken singles have always been AKB’s least interesting, song-wise, so this isn’t too much of a surprise. However, in a year that started with So Long and Sayonara Crawl, Suzukake stands as one of the more fun songs of the year, if a bit unimpressive.

Of all the songs in AKB’s main single output, this actually reminds me of some of the more rock-inspired stuff. Probably the closest comparisons come to Give Me Five, with a bit of 10nen Zakura. The “suki!” shouts are also straight from Oogoe Diamond. I like this type of song, though; the energetic guitar-based slightly rock-inspired AKB song. Give Me Five isn’t my all-time favorite AKB song, but it’s fun to listen to. I imagine that’s how this song will go down, as well. People will remember the long-title, but when they listen to it they’ll remember that it’s not a bad song at all.

So yeah, in a year where the AKB48 singles haven’t impressed me that much (except for Koisuru Fortune Cookie), this is a good song. It’s not AKB’s finest, but who expects that from the winter/Janken single? 7/10

PV Oh here we go, another long drama version. Honestly, I don’t think this adds a lot to most PVs. It’s an easy thing to advertise; “this comes with a 22-minute PV” but it doesn’t necessarily add much meaning to the PV.

Basically the plot is that in 2003, the members buried a time capsule as students, and this is their reunion 10 years later (which is honestly the plot of the song 10nen Zakura) after they’ve gone separate ways and started new lives.

Going on a bit of a rant here, but long drama versions of PVs for AKB have stopped being interesting or something that’s exciting. No one’s surprised anymore that a single song has a 22 minute PV. Instead, it’s become a crutch for some pretty lazy PV making. You might be wondering how a 22 minute PV, which surely took a lot of time to make, could be considered lazy. Well, what I ask you, is what about this drama PV in particular couldn’t be told within the context of the song, or, at most, with a minute or two of prologue/epilogue? The story isn’t particularly complicated, and it doesn’t even focus on all the members. Instead, they drag out the whole thing across the PV, which lends itself to a not particularly interesting PV in general.

The short version of the PV shows the issues this has. The short version has essentially three types of shots that comprise the majority of the PV.

The main dance shot…

The bad dance shot which they, according to the story, did at school…

Aaaaand close-ups.

There are a few past flashbacks and clips of them just standing around, but other than that not much happens. Which isn’t a terrible thing; the first Janken senbatsu PV, Chance no Junban, was a fairly straightforward PV and I think it’s just fine. But when there’s been so much filmed, the fact that none of it gets into this short PV is irritating. They also threw in some hints to the overall story, but nothing that gives it a context.

None of the elements that went into this PV are bad. The dance shot looks fine (I quite like when the members are in silhouette and whenever the background is multicolored), the close-ups look fine. The story is even moving, focusing on Oya Shizuka a lot more than I thought it would. But it just doesn’t have to be in this 22 minute long PV.

Also, you’d think that for a long PV it would focus more on more members. The majority of the screentime is on Jurina, which is understandable. Kitahara Rie, Oya Shizuka, and Oba Mina get some screentime. Kameida Emika gets a speaking part, and Hirata Rina gets a speaking part in English (which is the most delightful part of the PV).

But other than that, the members who aren’t immediately popular and recognizable don’t get that much time. I mean, Emika and Hillary don’t get THAT much screentime, and they ranked 2nd and 3rd in the tournament! Usually I don’t rant about the popularity structure in AKB48; for the most part, it generally works. However, the Janken tournament is about giving any member a chance at making it into the AKB48 senbatsu (despite accusations of it being rigged), and this is a bit frustrating. Not entirely unexpected, but frustrating nonetheless.

Ultimately, the pieces of this PV are fine. It’s well put together, like AKB’s PVs generally are. However, putting it into a long form PV when it really should have been shorter ended up hurting it. 6/10

Mosh & Dive (leftover senbatsu)

Song: Initially I’m a bit disappointed; I like AKB’s Christmas songs quite a bit (Yoyaku Shita Christmas is still the best, though) so I was hoping to hear another one!

Disappointments aside, I definitely like Mosh & Dive! It’s a dance track with some good guitar in there, but it feels like a lighter song than something heavy like UZA. A lot of AKB’s “cool” songs (read: the rock-inspired, often dance focused tracks with a lot of guitar) tend to be heavier and darker. Stuff like UZA, Beginner and River are loud and intense. That’s not a terrible thing, but it’s not what I’m always in the mood for. Mosh & Dive goes for a lot lighter singing, an often poppier sound in the chorus, and it generally feels like a lighter cool song. The verses are not quite as good as the chorus, but they’re still pleasant enough.

This is a type of song that I don’t know if I hear a lot of from idol music, but it’s one I’m glad to hear now. I’m not blown away, and I still kind of wish there was a Christmas song on this single, but I’m not disappointed in Mosh & Dive, itself. 8/10.

PV Uh, guys…

What are you even wearing? The short outfits are fine, but those plastic coats? I usually avoid the mosh pit when I go to concerts, but I don’t think that’s what you wear there. Is it to avoid getting beer spilled on you? OK that’s actually a pretty legit excuse.

Questionable outfit choices aside, this is a decent, serviceable PV. All the girls are made up well, especially Minegishi Minami. Something about Miichan’s short hair, that hat, and her makeup make her look fantastic.

While the PV is just a collection of dance shots and close-ups, it’s shot well and lit well. I like how the lighting embraces color in this one, as well as in Kimi no Hohoemi wo Yume wo Miru.

I also like that the PV is shot with a camera that’s moving. It would be easy to do the majority of this with a still camera, but this gives it a really excellent sense of movement.

The only thing I was unsure of with this was the large words thrown on the screen, but I think it fits pretty well. Stylistically it matches the rest of the tone of the PV, and I like that it adds a little bit of flavor to an otherwise standard PV.

Mosh & Dive doesn’t do anything revolutionary, but it’s relatively well-crafted and is a nice, easily enjoyable PV. 6/10

Join me next week as I take a look at the AKB48, SKE48, NMB48 and HKT48 songs/PVs on this single!

List Friday: Comfort Idol Songs

Posted on December 6, 2013 by serenyty

My little look at BiS this week was an interesting thing, but after I watched through some BiS videos and other idols I consider to be kind of out there, I decided to watch a movie. But not a strange, avant-garde, independent movie, but the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice. This is a movie that I’ve watched countless times, and that I continue to keep on watching. It’s a movie I continually find comforting and pleasant. So while I compared BiS to avant-garde films, here are the idol songs that are closer to my favorite, comfort films. The chicken soup of idol songs, if you will. Like the books, except not terrible. These are the songs I continually come back to, not because they’re the best songs or the most interesting, but because they are things I know I will always enjoy.

Morning Musume – The Peace

I could honestly put most of golden era Morning Musume on here and a fair bit of pre-golden era MM as well. Even as I’ve expanded my horizons past Hello!Project, there’s something wonderful about that 1997-2002 era of Hello!Project that I think I’ll always be a fan of. There’s been great things past those years, of course, but there’s something special about golden era Hello!Project to me, and I think to a lot of idol fans.

It came down to a choice of The Peace and Renai Revolution 21, but I had to go with my biased pick. The Peace is Ishikawa Rika’s first big starring moment, but beyond that it utilizes all the members incredibly well. There’s also something wonderful about the combination of the warm feeling of the song and the nonsensical lyrics. It makes singing about convenience stores, English classes and ordering pizza on the level of falling in love. To quote Rika’s monologue (translated lyrics from Project Hello) “I wonder how important is a moment of my youth compared with the history of the earth?” It’s about nonsense not just to have nonsensical lyrics, but because that’s what youth is like.

I can wax poetic about the lyrics all day, but I just know that The Peace is one of Morning Musume’s best, and my favorite Morning Musume single. It’s upbeat and happy, but it’s also beautiful in a way that I don’t know if I got the first time I heard it. It’s lovely.

Tanpopo – Koi wo Shichaimashita

One of the earliest physical pieces of idol music I ever got was from a secondhand music place at my local convention. They sold CDs that had been rented, I think, and had a small collection of early-mid Hello!Project. The album was Together, an excellent collection of H!P subgroups; Mini Moni, Pucchimoni, Nakazawa Yuko and Tanpopo. At the time I was mainly excited about Pucchimoni, but slowly Tanpopo has become one of my favorite idol subunits, and Koi wo Shichaimashita is my favorite Tanpopo song. While Otome Pasta ni Kandou and Tanpopo are slower and sweeter, possibly making them more attuned to comfort, there’s something about Koi wo Shichaimashita that just draws me to it. I listen to a lot of Tanpopo songs regularly, but Koi wo Shichaimashita frequently pops up.

Pucchimoni – Baby! Koi ni Knockout

For a brief time, mostly during 2008, I was a Yoshizawa Hitomi fan. Now I still am a fan of hers, but in 2008 she was my favorite idol ever. So yes, I got the Together album partially for her, and the song I kept coming back to there is Baby! Koi ni Knockout. It’s certainly not a peaceful song by any means, but it’s still one of those idol songs that I keep coming to even though my Yoshizawa Hitomi fandom has faded. Everything just works in this song; the tempo’s never too slow or too fast, the instrumentation works very well, and it suits all the members in the song. There’s a reason this song is still beloved today, and that’s because it’s fantastic.

SweetS – Love Like Candy Floss

While I haven’t followed SweetS as much as others have, it always floors me when I think that Love Like Candy Floss wasn’t a mega hit. I honestly consider it to be one of THE greatest idol songs out there. It’s just perfect, the way it moves in from its slow beginning to the heavier beat at about 45 seconds in. It has the energy of a faster paced song and the sweetness (ha, see what I did there?) of a slower ballad. This song is also a regular thing I sing at karaoke, and it’s always fun then.

Matsuda Seiko – Natsu no Tobira

I might like Aoi Sangoshou better as a song and Akai Sweetpea is a sweeter ballad. However, again, there’s just that something about Natsu no Tobira. I think it’s best encapsulated in the chorus, with the swell of strings as Seiko sings “Fresh! Fresh! Fresh!” The arrangement in this song perfectly utilizes the strings throughout, and the verses lead up in anticipation to that one glorious line of “Fresh! Fresh! Fresh!” Seriously, that might be one of the best sections in idol pop music. Seiko herself sounds lovely (particularly in how she delivers the line ‘suki da yo to itteru no, masaka uso deshou!’) , and there’s a wonderful mixture of strings and electric guitar, a mixture that’s one of my favorite things. For all the classic idol songs that get covered now and again, I sometimes wish that Natsu no Tobira got covered more. However, I struggle to imagine anything better than the original.

AKB48 – Iiwake Maybe

For a good amount of time, Iiwake Maybe was my top played song on iTunes. I love it that much. It’s not as big of a deal as River was (being arguably AKB’s breakout song) nor is it one of the older songs that old-school AKB fans hold dear. And yet, it’s possibly my favorite AKB single. The back and forth in the verses, while successfully repeated in songs like Ponytail to Shushu, is at its best in Iiwake, and the song does an excellent job of balancing sweet and bittersweet. The song is upbeat but also a bit melancholy. Acchan’s “Suki da!” line, while short, is one of the more moving solo lines in idol music. This song, while on its surface a happy, cute idol song, ends up being full of more emotion than most. Which I think deserves some praise and credit.

Aso Natsuko – Perfect Area Complete

While most of Nacchan’s music is catchy and excellent (both of her albums are wonderful), I’m nearly always in the mood to listen to Perfect Area Complete. It’s an anime opening theme, so it has a bit of that sensibility to it that is very hard to describe. Also, since I saw Nacchan live, her music reminds me of some very fond memories.

Team Syachihoko – Koibito wa Sniper

The newest song on this list, while the others have stood the test of time, Koibito wa Sniper is mostly here as my favorite song from my favorite group. However, it was my favorite song of 2012, and still stands as such. While Syachi’s newest music continues to delight, there’s nothing quite like their first single, Koibito wa Sniper.

While this is only a small portion of the songs I consider comfort idol songs (perhaps I’ll continue this again next week,) these are some of the songs that I continue to listen to, over and over again.

Idol Thoughts: BiS – Avant Garde Idols?

Posted on December 4, 2013 by serenyty

The other day it was brought to my attention that BiS has put out a new PV, STUPiG.

Yeah, just take a second for that to sink in.

My feelings on BiS have been complicated. On the one hand, I want idol music to expand as a genre, and I don’t want my personal tastes to interfere with that, but on the other hand BiS really doesn’t appeal to my tastes. I don’t like their music and I don’t find their style appealing. I can’t see BiS appearing on any of my top lists, and I have little interest in them. Yet, I can’t help but admire them, in a way.

After a bit of thinking, I realized that the way I feel about BiS is the way I react to Avant Garde art, specifically experimental, Avant-Garde film. I got my degree in film/media studies, but my interests have always been with popular culture, mass media, narrative cinema. Other people get passionate about art films, and I do like a lot of good, independent arthouse films, but I never really got some of the avant garde stuff. I mean, I watched it in class, talked about meaning and symbolism, but it often seemed purposefully obtuse. Analyzing meaning within a narrative structure is relatively simple; avant garde film breaks down that structure entirely.

This film, Meshes of the Afternoon, was one I watched in class, and I was never really that wowed by it. However, one of the interesting things it does is break a lot of rules about how things are shot, for continuity editing, that most films NEVER break. The way the key falls down the stairs is a way you’d never see something shot in a mass produced film. In fact, while there are many ways to make a film, there are many things taken for granted or always done.

I’m not saying that BiS is on the level of Meshes of the Afternoon or some of the more famous avant-garde films. But I do think that’s what they’re accomplishing. In making a film, there are a number of rules that most people tend to abide by, and the whole point of avant-garde film is that they bend and/or break these rules. They try to test the boundaries of the medium itself.

Think of idols. Not any specific idol, but just what your image of idols are in your head. I imagine that most of you will be thinking of cute Japanese girls in some cute outfit singing something cute. While idol music doesn’t necessarily have to fall into any particular genre, it often falls into that type of cute pop music. There’s nothing wrong with this; I adore typical idol pop. But there is a very typical way that idols are generally presented.

BiS completely goes against this. They are often scary looking, often choosing to eschew being cute for being scary. Their music doesn’t sound like much else in the idol world. Their outfits are strange and they have chosen in the past to essentially go nude (in the infamous My IXXX PV). They are often gruesome. Yet, they are still idols.

That’s why I’d consider them to be one of the few avant-garde idol groups out there. They are specifically going out and breaking through the boundaries of being an idol. They’re releasing noise albums (as the collaborative group BiS Kaidan) when their normal music is hardly normal music. There’s a reason they were the scary villains of the Dempagumi.inc W.W.D II PV; they are the least idol-y idols out there.

Even though I don’t know if I’ll ever be a full fan of BiS, I respect them because they are avant-garde. While many groups that perform other genres as idols have been around before BiS (Babymetal was formed in 2010 when BiS was formed in 2011), there have been a lot of metal, non-conventional idols popping up. Pure Idol Heart has been doing a lot of write-ups on some of these non-conventional idols. And while Babymetal should take a lot of the credit for the metal idol renaissance of sorts going on right now, BiS is still being strange and breaking the boundaries open for groups that want to take it. Alice Juban, for example, has a lot of very conventional music, but they pose with hockey masks, chainsaws, and headbang a lot. And I imagine that, as BiS gains more recognition, more idol groups are going to step up and take risks.

I’m not trying to say that BiS is going to completely change the course of idols. That’s not happening any time soon. Yet, I do see their trajectory a lot like Avant-Garde film; there’s room for both BiS and the AKBs of the world, and groups like BiS do a lot to open up the world of idols for more and more opportunities, which I whole-heartedly approve of.

So while just about nothing about BiS appeals to me as an idol fan, as someone interested in idols in general and as someone who wants for the idol world to keep growing, I can’t help but be more than a bit grateful for the avant-garde idol groups like BiS.

Your Thoughts: Kohaku Uta Gassen 2013

Posted on December 4, 2013 by serenyty

One comment in the mail bag this week, and that’s from Derek!

Honestly, I couldn’t be happier with this year’s lineup. I would love it if Namie Amuro could’ve been included and Kumi Koda, but it’s okay that they weren’t. I love AKB48 and it’s nice to see them achieve yet another goal of being on Kohaku once again. I’m proud of the girls for coming so far.
I was also disappointed that Musume didn’t make it on. I feel the idol world owes so much to them that to see Kohaku stacked with as many idols groups this year as they have and NOT see Musume on there, it’s kind of like having a party at somebody’s house and that somebody isn’t there to celebrate with you. Just doesn’t feel right in a way to me.
BUT still, I love Kohaku and watch it every year. Always a pleasure. And those enka singers kick so much butt! Maybe we’ll see Wasamin from AKB do a solo enka or something special to start off the AKB performance? That would be amazing!

The one thing about MM that weirds me out is just how many years they were on Kohaku with MUCH worse sales and much less media presence. I mean, I know there are a lot of idols starting to go (AKB, SKE, NMB, MomoClo, E-Girls) so MAYBE the people behind Kohaku were like “need less idols, need more enka,” when Morning Musume provided the idol presence despite their low sales? It’s just puzzling, though, since they’ve come a long way and have improved so much, but they’re still not being invited. Ah well.

I’m happy for the AKB girls too; honestly, I know not everyone likes AKB48, but even if you don’t you at least have to respect what they’ve done in bringing back idols. The fact that MomoClo and E-Girls are on there at all could probably be attributed to the idol boom, and thus indirectly to AKB. This is a topic for another time, but as someone who got into idols when Morning Musume was slowly losing sales and AKB was just starting to get recognition, I am overjoyed at any idol success, because it means I can enjoy idols more.

Also I WISH Wasamin would do enka on Kohaku. That would be lovely, as a Wasamin fan. 🙂

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Review Monday: NMB48 Team N – Koko ni datte Tenshi wa Iru

Posted on December 2, 2013 by serenyty

9

Ah, the 48 Stage system. It’s one of my favorite aspects of the 48 empire; the fact that this super popular group performs in a tiny theater. Yet (understandably, given the pace of the 48 Empire lately) the stages have been neglected. The last new stage was over two years ago, and the last new AKB stages were quite a while ago. So when it was announced that a large number of new stages were coming, I was VERY excited.

NMB48’s first original stage for Team N has been a long time coming. It’s been plagued with delays and so many start dates, that I was frankly skeptical that it would ever start. Yet, Team N’s first original stage, Koko ni datte Tenshi wa Iru has been released. So does it live up to the long history and hype?

1. Aoi Tsuki ga Miteru Kara

NMB48 131119 N3 M01 Aoi Tsuki ga Miteru Kara by Cubozoa48

Right away, the song is reminiscent of Dreamin’ Girls, the opener to Boku no Taiyou, the popular stage that was originally a Himawarigumi stage but got recently performed by Team 4 and now Team E. I mean, it’s mostly only reminiscent in that it’s acapella and pretty sounding acapella, but since both are stage openers it came to mind. It’s a good way to open a stage, though, because the vocals sound really nice.

The song then opens up into what only sounds like a victorious, upbeat song. Maybe it’s just me, but it does sound victorious, like “yes, we FINALLY got the original Team N stage out there!” Not sure how intentional this is, but it’s nice. The whole song is well done, and is like a good stage song. It’s not the most memorable song in the world, IMO, but I really enjoy it. It’s pretty, happy, and sounds like a fitting opening. The only thing is that it doesn’t feel like a specifically NMB48 song, but it’s hard to pin down what would be specifically NMB. I like it, though, in the way I love idol-y songs.

The lyrics feel a bit oddly positioned, being the first new stage song in a long time. “Darling darling wait a minute,” no I don’t want to wait a minute, I’m so excited for a brand new stage! “It’s the happiest in the world,” yes, I’m ecstatic to get a new 48 stage and the long awaited Team N stage. It’s probably just a coincidence, but it makes me wonder how much things changed during the course of making the Team N stage, and if this song was positioned at the front specifically because it fits so well.

I also really like these outfits. They’re cute dresses that remind me a bit of the uniforms from NMB Geinin. the only thing I don’t really like on them are the tiny aprons in front; I don’t think they look particularly good.

Ultimately, this is a really great way to open a stage. The acapella sounds great, and the whole song is pretty and happy. Off to a good start! 8/10

2. Radio Name

NMB48 131119 N3 M02 Radio Name by Cubozoa48

This song is a mix of beach boys esque pop and ska and I love it. This is a really great, brass-heavy arrangement. I wish there were some more idol songs that sound like this, because I’d love more ska-inspired idol music!

This is unfortunately not QUITE as memorable as Aoi Tsuki ga Miteru Kara, but still very pleasant to listen to. The arrangement is by far the best part about the song, but the rest is fine, too. The lyrics (involving radio as a symbol for romance) remind me a little bit of Heavy Rotation, which makes me want to hear the two of these songs put together.

The one thing that kind of throws me off is that there are shouted parts, which are fine, but they seem to be mixed a bit too loudly in the audio mix of this stage. I wonder if this is something they’ll fix in later shows, because some of those loud “YEAH”s are a bit distracting.

But ultimately, while not quite as memorable, this is a fine song. 7/10

3. Koko ni Datte Tenshi wa Iru

NMB48 131119 N3 M03 Koko ni Datte Tenshi wa Iru by Cubozoa48

For being the title song, this is really not a memorable song, and by far not the song I’ll remember when thinking about this stage. I mean, I suppose there is precedence for this; no one thinks of Renai Kinshi Jourei, but they think of Heart Gata Virus. Theater no Megami is secondary to stuff like Team B Oshi, and Pajama Drive is secondary to stuff like Shonichi. However, you’d think that for your first Team N stage the song would be memorable. Not really.

Koko ni Datte Tenshi wa Iru isn’t a bad song, it’s just a tad on the generic side. The instrumentation reminds me a bit of one of my favorite AKB songs, Yobisute Fantasy, which is also an admittedly fairly idol-y song, but it’s a lot more catchy. Listening to Koko ni Datte isn’t bad, and I find myself enjoying it, but there’s nothing about it that makes me think I’ll ever seek out this song. The song is at that weird mid-tempo point where it’s not quite a ballad but not an upbeat song, and it just feels like it’s dragging even though the song’s only 3 minutes long.

The costumes are very cute, though. I like the fake wings on their back; they could have gone a really gaudy route, but chose to have cute costumes.

I really want to say more, but this just feels bland and kind of boring. I have a feeling that NMB fans will want to vote for this at stuff like Request Hour because it’s the titular track on NMB’s first stage, but I really hope they don’t. There are plenty of better songs out there to vote for, and this is just forgettable. And this is coming from someone who loves generic idol pop. 5/10

4. Cattelya no Hana wo Miru Tabi ni Omoidasu

NMB48 131119 N3 M04 Cattleya no Hana wo Miru… by Cubozoa48

This is also a fairly generic idol song, but I like it a lot more than I like Koko ni Datte. I think it’s the little things that make it a step above.

First off, the piano at the beginning is just beautiful. I really wish the song had kept on with this instrumentation for the whole song, because I instantly loved this piano. The rest of the song sounds fine, but that piano had the most impact.

I also think the tempo’s a bit better; it is still a mid-tempo song, but it’s fast enough that it still drives the song forward instead of dragging. There are certain sections, particularly in the chorus, and particularly the back and forth bits, that really drive the whole song forward. They sound nice.

The vocals also sound sweet. This is a very sweet sounding song, which is something I like. It’s delicate and pretty. While this isn’t the image I’d necessarily give NMB48, I really enjoy this song’s presence in this stage. 7/10

5. Yume no Dead Body

NMB48 131119 N3 M05 Yume no dead body by Cubozoa48

OK, let’s get it out of the way, this is the one song title I was like “…well hang on just a sec” about. Definitely one of the odder stage song titles.

In this song Sayanee both plays electric guitar and sings live. Sayanee might not be one of my top 48 idols, and I generally don’t pay much attention to her, but I do have to admit that she’s a definite talent in the group. So I’m glad that they went with a song that fits her well.

This song does fit her well; it’s a cool song that feels like it would be comfortable in the ranks of Bird and Blue Rose as the cool, rock-inspired song of a 48 stage. In fact, since Sayanee has been in the units for Bird AND Blue Rose for the previous two Team N stages, I imagine that’s exactly what they were aiming for. And they totally succeeded.

Sayanee’s voice sounds wonderful with this song, and her guitar playing fits right in. The whole instrumental sounds really good, and the melody is quite catchy. I know I’ll find myself singing “Yume no Dead Bodyyyy” to myself in the days to come.

While I love my cutesy idol songs, there’s certainly a place for the cool, rock idol songs, and this fits right in with the best of them. This fits Sayanee PERFECTLY, and I’m glad they did a great job for NMB’s most popular member. 9/10

6. Nando mo Nerae!

NMB48 131119 N3 M06 Nando mo Nerae! (何度も狙え!) by Cubozoa48

In nearly every stage there’s one song that has the most members, and is generally regarded as the unit that everyone who doesn’t really fit into another unit gets thrown into. It would be easy to make this that song, and I first thought it would be a song like that. However, it’s saved by a performance that is one of the most fun things about this stage.

The song itself is goofy and silly sounding. It’s not fast, but it manages to have a fun, light-hearted feel despite being pretty mid-tempo. After Yume no Dead Body, this is a tone shift in a very major way.

However, the song really is secondary to the performance. The girls manage to instill this with so much personality and energy that I know I’ll want to watch more versions of this song. The girls themselves are what make this great.

This could easily be the least fun unit track of the stage. However, it’s transformed into something to watch. 7/10

7. ONEW no Uwabaki

NMB48 131119 N3 M07 ONEW no Uwabaki by Cubozoa48

I don’t care, Ichikawa Miori totally deserves this center unit. And she really fits this well.

I have a soft spot for the uber-adorable stage songs. I listen to stuff like Tenshi no Shippo and Tonari no Banana a LOT. And while I’m not sure ONEW no Uwabaki is quite on that level of a song for me, this song is certainly cute and enjoyable. The instrumental breaks in particular are adorable.

At first, I wasn’t sure how much I liked the shouts of “O N E W;” on their own they’re fine, but it feels like those don’t quite fit with the song in there. ONEW is a very cutesy, gentle song, and the shouts feel like they’d fit in better with a more energetic styled song. The shouts in the middle of the song feel like they fit better in there, at least.

This song wasn’t my favorite at first, I have to admit. However, after a few listens, it’s grown on me. It’s not the most immediately catchy song, but if you like cutesy songs (like I do) you should like a lot what you hear in ONEW no Uwabaki. 7/10

8. Kono Sekai ga Yuki no Naka ni Umoreru Mae ni

NMB48 131119 N3 M08 Kono Sekai ga Yuki no Naka… by Cubozoa48

Something about the instrumentation at the end makes this song feel like it belongs in the 80s/90s. Not like it’s a bad thing, but it sounds interesting.

This is another song that features live singing, and while there are some off notes for the most part it sounds really good. Kishino Rika’s voice, in particular, sounds excellent. It’s hard to fault some of the off pitch notes, though, because I imagine this will sound a lot better after a few more performances.

The whole thing sounds lovely, and mixing the really solid instrumentation with these nice, live vocals makes the whole song sound great. There’s some good harmonization in there, and it has a bit of an epic feel to it. Really, the pretty vocals are the best thing this song has going for it.

I doubt this is the song I’ll come back to time and again, but it’s really nice and well done. 8/10

9. Zipper

NMB48 131119 N3 M09 Zipper (ジッパー) by Cubozoa48

Fun fact, one of the biggest reasons I didn’t write this review until now is because I couldn’t stop listening to Zipper long enough to actually review the other songs. This is how much I love Zipper.

Full disclosure, I am a big Watanabe Miyuki fan, and this song really fully encapsulates her. For the most part it’s a very cute song that has a bit of a classic idol feel, but there’s a bit of coy sexiness that shows itself once in a while. This is pretty notable in how the instruments are used, particularly in the chorus; sometimes there are parts that sound lush and extravagant in comparison to the rest of the cute song. The whole thing is very catchy, as well, and I’ve found myself singing along to zipper quite a bit since it’s come out.

However, what everyone’s talking about is really the performance, which involves the three girls involved to strip off their outer dresses to some frilly shorts and a small top. The whole performance is very sexy in that kind of coy way, and I think this is done pretty well. It’s not so obviously sexually charged as SDN48’s stage could be at times, but I think it’s better, in a way. I really admire SDN48 for how willing they were to be sexy and out there, when this isn’t something idols are usually allowed to do. However, Zipper really toes that line between cute, typical idol and a sexy image in a way that is totally Milky.

This is the type of song I can see people really hating, and I can understand why. Milky is one of those idols who can be pretty polarizing in her approach. However, since I love Milky, I love this. This song is catchy, fun and addicting, and is definitely one of my favorites of this stage. 10/10

10. Hajimete no Hoshi‘

NMB48 131119 N3 M10 Hajimete no Hoshi by Cubozoa48

This song does an interesting thing with its lineup; it returns back to the old Skirt, Hirari and Senaka Kara Dakishimete model of making another unit song for all the popular members. I know some people are a bit stumped, but I like smaller group songs and it’s nice to see the stars of Team N star together. Seven members is a nice size for a lineup, and all of these girls feel like they’re well suited to the song and standing up in that top 7 of Team N.

I like this song. It sounds like a lot of other stage songs, but it has a good pace to it. The arrangement is quite good, too; the guitar in particular sounds quite nice. Vocally, Sayanee sounds REALLY great in here! This stage is really reminding me that I don’t pay enough attention to Sayanee as a singer, nor do I give her enough credit. Everyone sounds pretty good here, but Sayanee’s voice really stands out.

The lyrics are also quite nice, making this another song about working hard and aiming for dreams. This is the type of theme that, despite getting used in 48 song after 48 song, I haven’t managed to get tired of. The whole song feels like it fits these lyrics, too. It doesn’t have the power of Pioneer or emotion of Shonichi, but this is a worthy entry in the collection of ’48 songs about reaching for your dreams.’

The dancing also has a lot of energy to it; it feels like a forceful, strong dance, and all the members do well with it. I normally don’t review much choreography because I wouldn’t really know what to say, but this choreography is quite nice.

So while it’s not quite as much of a showstopper as Shonichi, it’s still a good song and a nice addition to this stage. 8/10

11. 100nen Saki Demo

NMB48 131119 N3 M11 100nen Saki Demo by Cubozoa48

Why hello there, electronic beat with a slightly disco feel. When I first started listening to this I knew that this was going to be something I will enjoy. And I do enjoy this. This is one of the closest songs in the stage to the current style that NMB has been doing in their singles, at least with Kamonegix.

This isn’t quite as disco-y as I wanted to be, but the cool, electronic feel feels more like NMB48 than a lot of the earlier songs. The change in key between the verses and chorus sounds a bit unusual, but I really like it; it’s a unique sound.

The song works well with the lyrics, which are basically about eternal, destined love. I hate using the term epic in my descriptions because the word is VERY overused, but it fits here. This is the story of an epic romance, and the song has that feel.

This is one of my favorite songs in the stage so far. Even though Hajimete no Hoshi seems to be trying for that showstopper type of song, 100nen Saki Demo is really appealing. 9/10

12. Ribbon Nante Niawanai

NMB48 131119 N3 M12 Ribbon Nante Niawanai by Cubozoa48

The first thing this title reminded me of was the Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 song “Bikini wa Niawanai,” and bits of the opening remind me of that song so I guess I’m not that far off? There’s a little bit of the Beach style pop that’s in Bikini wa Niawanai in here, though not to that degree.

That’s where the similarities end, though, because Ribbon Nante Niawanai is an upbeat classic idoly song. It feels like such a cutesy, classic idol song, much more cutesy and classic than NMB48 really has ever felt for me. Even though the song is about figuring out which style suits you, especially in that process of growing up, I don’t think this song suits NMB48 very much, even when they do their cuter songs.

The song itself is pretty fun and catchy, though, and is certainly not bad. The performance is cute, too, featuring pom poms. This just feels a bit too generic and like it doesn’t suit NMB48 much. I feel like that’s a solid criticism for a lot of the songs in this, really. Even though NMB48 often does cuter songs (Mattemashite Shingakki, Boku wa Mou Sukoshi Daitan Nara, Mousou Girlfriend, etc.) this just doesn’t feel like it suits NMB48. Which is a bit of a shame, given this is NMB’s first original stage.

I have a feeling this song will grow on me, and I wonder if subsequent performances and viewings will have me changing my tune a bit. I just can’t see this being one of NMB’s big representative songs, is all I’m saying. 6/10

13. Degas to Ballerina

NMB48 131119 N3 M13 Doga to Ballerina by Cubozoa48

Oh hey art reference I get! Degas was a very famous painter, who notably painted ballerinas. So that’s where Degas came from.

Normally slower songs bore me. It’s not necessarily the fact that they’re slow paced ballads, but I just don’t think a lot of them are done in a very interesting way. I really enjoy this song, though. Despite being slower it doesn’t drag and it has a nice pace. Arrangement wise, the organ and piano sounds are really lovely. Most of the vocals sound great, especially in the verses, but the pitch gets a little too high in the chorus for some, which makes the vocals sound like they’re straining a bit.

The performance is nice, as well, with a lot of ballet inspired moves. There’s even a bit of ballet dancing in there, though I think it looks a bit awkward in those shoes. Still, it is a nice touch.

Aside from some strained vocals, this is a really pretty song. Perhaps because of those vocals, I tend to like the vocals a lot more. Still, for not being a ballad person, I really enjoy this. 8/10

14. Jounetsu Highway

NMB48 131119 N3 M14 Jonetsu Highway by Cubozoa48

Holy neon costumes batman! These certainly are interesting. The design isn’t bad, but the color choices made me pause for a bit.

This is one of the most fun, happy songs of the stage. It’s full of energy and is a joy, especially after the slow (but pretty) Degas to Ballerina. The song is very much aiming to be a rock song, including shouts of “rock and roll!” and even “twist and shout!” in there. It works, though; this song got me in a good mood!

Perhaps in the grand scheme of things this isn’t THE most original sound ever, but it’s a breath of fresh air in this stage. I’ve enjoyed most of the stage so far, don’t get me wrong, but this is exactly the song that the stage needed at this time. It feels very well positioned, which is really nice.

This song is fun, peppy, and just what the stage needed at the time. 7/10

15. Sukoshi Nigai Jinsei Soudan

NMB48 131119 N3 M15 Sukoshi Nigai Jinsei Soudan by Cubozoa48

Since the title involves the words “slightly bitter” I was worried this song would get too angry or sad; however, this does a really good job of being both upbeat but emotional. It’s not the most emotional song out there, mind you, but it has a definite amount of feeling to it. I like how the first verse starts off sounding like a pretty typical ballad before exploding into electric guitar sound. Very cool.

I don’t know if I quite like this as much as I want to like it. It’s a fine song, I like the lyrics, and I like what it’s trying to do. It just doesn’t sound quite as interesting as it possibly SHOULD, given it’s placement as second song in the encore. Perhaps this is because this gives me expectations that are too high; the second song in the chorus is home to stuff like Pioneer and Team B Oshi.

This is a good song, though, and I especially like the moments when it treads the line between ballad and upbeat guitar-heavy song. These moments of transition are the most fun in the song. It’s a generally pleasant, easy to listen to song. 6/10.

16. Fumo no Tochi wo Mankai ni

NMB48 131119 N3 M16 Fumo no Tochi wo Mankai ni by Cubozoa48

While Hajimete no Hoshi was the “look at how hard we’ve worked” song, Fumo no Tochi wo Mankai ni is the “NMB48 song.” The lyrics literally go “NMB here we are.” This is a declaration. While I’d dispute some of the lyrics (seriously, WHO said ‘flowers can’t bloom here?’ I don’t think anyone said “you can’t have idols in Osaka).

Again, this really doesn’t give as much of a punch as it really should. For being supposed to be a strong declaration of “here we are” the only parts where they sound like they mean that are the “NMB here we are” sections and possibly the chorus. The verse really doesn’t have the impression of being NMB48 saying “here we are.” Using Pioneer as a template, this doesn’t quite declare NMB’s strengths as a group, nor does it quite deliver in the way it intends.

This isn’t a bad song, by any means, but it doesn’t live up to what it’s trying for. 6/10

17. NMB Medley

NMB48 131119 N3 M17 Medley (メドレー) by Cubozoa48

I’m not going to review this thoroughly, because none of these songs are new, but I generally enjoy all of them.

Highlights:
Aoi Tsuki ga Miteru Kara
Zipper
100nen Saki Demo

Overall: This is a solid stage that has some excellent moments. I don’t think it will end up being a particular favorite stage like B3 is to me, but it’s certainly not bad, and the good parts certainly justify the so-so parts.

Posted in nmb48, Review Monday | 9 Replies

List Friday: Team Syachihoko Song Ranking

Posted on November 30, 2013 by serenyty

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Today I was thinking about what to do for my List Friday, something to do with the Thanksgiving holiday. At first I thought about doing songs involving thanks, but I did a Thanksgiving themed list in 2011, and I don’t have much to new to add to that list. I thought about doing something Black Friday themed, but how many songs fit that? Then I thought about each holiday. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, as well as being indulgent with food. Black Friday is also about indulgence. So I’m indulging myself to do something JUST about my favorite group, Team Syachihoko, which is a group I’m thankful for. Yeah yeah, this is a BIG stretch, but I’ve been wanting to do this ranking for a while. So this is a rank of every original Team Syachihoko song.

19.Itadaki Nippon! Omisore Shimashita Nagoya Meshi:

For the longest time, when I first got into Syachi, I had NO idea what this song was. I’d hear it performed at concerts, and assumed that since it was about Nagoya it was a cover or something. But then I found out it was the Nagoya-exclusive B-Side on The Stardust Bowling.

The song isn’t bad, but it’s just not as interesting as the other songs. It’s the song I find myself thinking about skipping whenever I watch Team Syachihoko blu-rays. It’s cute, but it’s just not as fun as the rest of their songs are. And really, with the rest of the songs being as good as they are, it’s great that Syachi’s worst song in my opinion is just “boring.”

18.Piza Desu

Not Piza Desu! This is honestly one of the Syachi songs I want to see performed most. So why is it so low? Well, the main reason I want to see this performed is because of the modified MIX that’s shouted during performances. Just repeating the word “Pizza.” That makes it fun. However, beyond that it’s just not that memorable. It’s fun, catchy, and I listen to it pretty frequently, but when the biggest things that it has going for it are the MIX, you know it has to be low on the list.

17.Goburei Syachihoko Deluxe

Oh man here we go, hard decisions. Goburei Syachihoko Deluxe is a really good song. Just listening to it makes me want to put it higher. The biggest problem is that I don’t have much of an urge to listen to it. It’s not exciting and fast like some of their songs, and not moving, or interesting. I really love the arrangement and I want to put it higher, but I really can’t justify putting it at a higher spot, because of just how little I listen to it. Sorry.

16.777

Really, the biggest reason is that this is by far the least memorable single. That’s why this is lower than other fast-paced, guitar heavy songs like Soko Soko Premium. When it comes down to it, Syachi has SUCH good single songs and Triple Seven really just doesn’t do it for me as much as the other single songs. I certainly don’t dislike it, but I don’t think it’s quite as representative of Syachi as a lot of their music.

15.Owari no Hana

Holy Dubstep Batman! I actually quite like this B-Side from the Ai no Chikyuusai single; it’s just not quite AS memorable as the other songs, and I think it drags a bit too much near the end. Also some of the parts don’t fit together AS well; the dubstep sections REALLY caught me off guard the first time I listened! But this is an interesting song and very much worth your time.
That said, I love the opening instrumental bit and the first few lines. Those parts are wonderful and made me want to rank this higher.

14.Mochotto Hashire

Even though you guys know that I love high energy, fun songs, which is part of why Syachi is so hard for me to rank, I actually adore this sweeter, softer side of Team Syachihoko. This is a slightly mellower song, and while that might not be what I always (or often!) look for, I really do enjoy it.

13.Dera Disco

I love this song. I really do. But sometimes I don’t think the arrangement quite does it justice. It’s a nice, upbeat (but not frantic) song that is also relatively mellow (despite being upbeat and pretty fast-paced). However, the way it’s arranged is just a bit too electronic, just a bit too plain, and the melody during the instrumental bits isn’t quite what I would like. I think this is an excellent song, but there are just some personal gripes.

12.Katte ni Hybrid

This is one that took a bit of getting used to, personally, but it’s grown to being a favorite song. It’s a bit more intense and rock-focused than the usual Team Syachihoko song, which I really like. It’s eccentric and has a strange rap section in there, but you should know by now that I love that in my songs.

11.Summer Lover

I wonder how many other groups have songs where the bulk of the singing is done by someone who’s NOT in the group. The main vocalist is a male singer, and Syachi is basically the duet partner in this song. There are long sections where Syachi is on stage at the beginning where they just stand still. But this is just such a fun song. The whole thing is weird and I normally don’t listen to too many male singers, but I just have to love this song.

10.Onegai! Unborde!

The justification for giving this song a Spanish feel is because their label’s name is Spanish. OK, whatever you say, Syachi. I love when they shout words in Spanish, and I love the whole feel to this song. I wish they’d gone a little bit further and made it more of a Latin song, but I’m happy enough with what I’ve got!

9.Soko Soko Premium

Another song with shouted lyrics in another language, only this time it’s in French! This song is upbeat and fun, and while it’s not quite a top song I certainly think it’s a great song.

8.OEOEO

OK, I listened to this song A LOT when Syachi was trying to get the Lotte CM. So I have a really strong affection for it. It’s not particularly extraordinary or, again, a top level Syachihoko song, but it’s definitely an earworm and I rarely got sick of it. I don’t listen to it quite as much as I used to, given that the view contest is over, but it’s still a great song.

7.Ai no Chikyuusai

This song is just plain weird. I have to admit, the first time I saw it, I had no idea how to react. However, it’s just a really nice, unusual song. I can’t say I’ve heard many songs like this, which is a great thing. I especially love how the song changes tempo and intensity between the verses and the chorus. This song isn’t immediately catchy and it took me a while to get on board with it, but once I did I realized what a great song it is.

6.The Stardust Bowling

This song will always have a strong place in my heart for being the first Syachihoko song I really got into. While it’s not the top Syachi song, it’s certainly a great one, and one that I would consider a quintessential Stardust song. If you like Stardust groups, this should be a song you regularly listen to. I honestly have no complaints about this; while I like other songs better, this is still one of my favorites.

5.Shuto Iten Keikaku

I’m honestly still impressed that this song was written by a Nagoya hip hop artist, SEAMO. While other idol acts have often involved hip hop, this is definitely not your typical idol song. While there’s only one rap verse, the whole thing manages to sound intense and heavier than Syachi’s other songs. This is no cutesy idol pop.

4.Maji Kansha

This is probably THE most emotional song by Team Syachihoko, as they express their thanks. It’s sweet, beautiful, and I love the instrumentation (especially the strings). When everyone sings their last ‘arigatou’ I always feel really emotional towards Team Syachihoko. This song is just beautiful, and one of their best.

3.Matsu wa ~DD Daikangei~

I honestly have no idea why I love this song as much as I do. If I was voting on the BEST Syachihoko songs it probably wouldn’t be this high. However, in terms of favorites, this song just takes the cake. And I don’t know why.

2.Otome Juken Sensou

Story time: since this song came out, I finished college. While I was finishing college, I listened to this song before EVERY exam, test, or any other big academic thing. This song, while being the vague sequel of sorts to Momoiro Clover Z’s Otome Sensou, is everything I wanted Otome Sensou to me. It’s intense, upbeat, and a well-put together song. It’s also just a song that I want to listen to while doing something epic or something that needs my hard work. This song pumps me up like nothing else. This song just sounds epic in the best possible way.

1.Koibito wa Sniper

This song IS Team Syachihoko to me. This was my top song of 2012 and I stand by that. It’s just a perfect piece of idol music that really established Team Syachihoko as a group to listen to with their first single. The instrumentation with the brass sound is perfect, it’s one of the most fun songs in terms of chanting along, and I honestly have no complaints. This song is to Team Syachihoko what Ikuze Kaito Shoujo is to Momoiro Clover. This type of song is why I love idol pop, and helped me become a Team Syachihoko fan.

Posted in Lists!, Team Syachihoko | 1 Reply

Idol Thoughts: Kohaku Uta Gassen 2013

Posted on November 28, 2013 by serenyty

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Kohaku Uta Gassen lineups have been released this year! If you missed it, here is the listing of all the artists who have been invited to this year’s telethon. The female idol acts invited are AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, E-Girls and Momoiro Clover Z (and Matsuda Seiko) . Here are some assorted thoughts about the whole lineup.

First off, why does Kohaku matter? Well, part of it is the sheer exposure. Kohaku Uta Gassen is a very highly watched and anticipated event. Being on the show means that you won’t only be seen by people who are fans of idol music, but by a large portion of the Japanese public. Even though Kohaku TV ratings aren’t quite as good as they once were, it’s still an incredibly highly watched program.

However, if you’ve made it on Kohaku it means you’ve already made it. This is basically a collection of the most popular artists in Japan for various genres (which is why you have all those enka singers). Being invited to Kohaku is a very big honor, and shows that you are a major presence in the Japanese music world. Getting to Kohaku was Momoiro Clover Z’s goal. NMB48’s song 12/31 is disappointment at not getting to Kohaku last year, which they achieved this year. Kohaku is basically “this group made it.”

NMB48 made it to Kohaku: Honestly, I’m not surprised at all. The group has made a big effort to get to Kohaku this year, and I would be surprised if SKE was invited and NMB was snubbed. NMB48’s sales and profile keeps going up (Bokura no Eureka’s sales were quite good). HKT48 still seems like it would be too early to invite, but I’m not shocked that NMB made it this year.

Morning Musume got snubbed!: This surprised me a bit more. People were expecting that Morning Musume would be invited which they weren’t. Honestly, the thing that consistently surprises me with Morning Musume is how long Morning Musume appeared on Kohaku before. They were on the show 10 times, which is really incredible considering how low in popularity they were for some of those appearances.

Morning Musume has had an incredible comeback. I don’t think this can be argued. The fact that Wagamama Ki no Mama Ai no Joke/Ai no Gundan sold over 144,000 copies in the first week speaks to how far Morning Musume’s come. However, I do think they have a ways to go. Their singles are selling and they’re starting to get back in the media spotlight, but they aren’t that visible on television. I think what Morning Musume has to do, if they want to be given another turn on Kohaku, is get more on TV. Try to appear more as variety guests, get on all the big music shows. While Love Machine was MM’s biggest hit, they had some media prominence with being pretty regular guests on Utaban, which gained them some level of prominence.

I do think Morning Musume, in terms of record sales, could have gotten to Kohaku, but they aren’t quite there with national presence. If they continue to promote the current members, and figure out a way to get people talking about the members’ personalities in a major way, I do think they could make it next year (providing that record sales don’t fall).

E-Girls made it onto Kohaku!: I think the biggest thing that I’ve heard people say about Morning Musume is “how did Morning Musume not make it, but E-Girls did?” First off, I think people really underestimate how popular E-Girls are. They’re a group that not a lot of people in the English-speaking idol fandom really talk about, but they do have very solid sales. One of their singles sold over 93,000 copies. This is less than Morning Musume, sure, but it’s considerable. I would also argue that E-Girls has a very solid digital presence, which doesn’t get reported in Oricon numbers. Their singles have been released with a digital version considerably before the physical copy. Casual E-Girls fans would almost certainly then just opt for getting this digital copy, especially if you get it faster.

There’s also the EXILE connection. EXILE is a very widely popular group in Japan, and E-Girls are kind of a sister group to EXILE. This also increases their recognition. E-Girls have become a considerably popular group this year, and I don’t think they’re out of place on Kohaku this year. they just have to perform Gomen Nasai no Kissing You because it’s one of my favorite songs of the year.

Ultimately, though, while I was initially surprised at both Morning Musume and E-Girls, neither really surprises me now, more or less.

What do you think? What can Morning Musume do to get to Kohaku? Did E-Girls surprise you? Let me know in the comments, and you’ll be a part of next week’s Your Thoughts post!

Posted in Idol Thoughts | 1 Reply

Your Thoughts: On Perfume, Homophobia, and the Reactions

Posted on November 28, 2013 by serenyty

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Hey guys! I had one comment come from Derek, who found me through Idolminded. So welcome to Happy Disco!

Hello…I am a reader of idolminded, which brought me to this blog. I really can’t thank you enough for bringing such a well written and thoughtful article to light regarding this completely idiotic scandal. Here’s the deal, and maybe this will help people understand some things a little better:

First, Perfume is not anti-gay or anti-lesbian or anything of the sort. How can they be when they work with people in these communities on a regular basis? I believe to be a fact (of course whether it is true or not I wouldn’t know unless I actually KNEW Perfume personally, but please follow my logic for a moment here…). I’ve seen virtually every single interview and behind the scenes programs released by the Perfume camp and TV stations since 2006, when Perfume first came onto the Japanese national media map. I have followed them religiously and consider myself to be one of their biggest fans. I have seen them, REPEATEDLY, work with, smile with, joke with, and be friendly with MANY MANY openly gay Japanese celebrities in all the aforementioned interviews and behind the scenes docs! There isn’t a single shred of anti anything by them! And if there was, trust me, they wouldn’t show that to the general public no matter what!

That leads me to my next point…they are Showa style artists, meaning they conduct themselves in a manner that has bordered mostly on being stoic and unaffected by the world around them. They have been virtually perfect up until this point and though they don’t consider themselves as Jpop idols but rather J-artists, they still have even kept close their personal relationships with men out of the spotlight. The point I’m trying to say by sayiing all of this is that they wouldn’t DARE dream of committing career suicide by exposing anything hateful about their personalities. They’ve worked too hard for the past decade plus…do you really think A-chan would say something purposefully demeaning, even if it was to a gaijin who put her in an impossibly awkward spot to begin with?

That brings me to my final and most demanding point to consider about what A-chan said. She was talking about the whole PEOPLE WHO ARE NEITHER because she was simply emulating her idol AIKO. Now if you don’t know who AIKO is, go look her up. You’ll see that AIKO popularized this type of affectionate statement towards people who bend genders and what sexuality means…AIKO used to use this in her call and response at live shows. A-chan has said many times that AIKO is her idol…wouldn’t it make sense that she was borrowing this phrase from somebody she and the whole of JAPAN has accepted as a successful J-artist? Think about it. A-chan didn’t read anymore into that statement beyond the fact that she was echoing somebody she looks up to, and AIKO has talked about how she made this statement to be one of LOVE towards gays and lesbians and gender benders/transvestites, not one of hate. What I believe happened here, consequently, is just a misunderstanding of culture. I mean, for crying out loud, in Japan a bi-racial kid is referred to as a “halfie!” Does that mean that Japanese people think of bi-racial people as only half humans? But to the outside and stupid eye, people would construe this as offensive, which is what happens when you take it out of the cultural context of Japan and its usage of language.

I am married to Japanese woman. We have a HALFIE child. We don’t think she’s half-human. My wife reminds me everyday of the cultural differences between me and her (I’m a white Italian male). She says things that aren’t really acceptable in America but I know what she means completely from being around her and from living in Japan like I have done several times in my life. Yes, it’s true that Japan is a bit behind on the times with SOME issues regarding sexuality and LGBT themes, but on the other hand, I don’t see too many American shows with gays, transvestites, and cross-dressers on an everyday basis like I do in Japan’s variety shows. I think it’s really amazing that people had ANY reaction at all to this comment by A-chan…it shows a lack of education and open-mindedness by those who didn’t take five minutes to do some research and look at all the facts surrounding the three girls from Hiroshima and the country they come from. If people DID do research, they would’ve seen, very quickly, that the Perfume girls are the LAST people on Earth who probably want to destroy their hard-earned thirteen plus years of work in a single statement, intentionally or otherwise. And for the record, I have literally HUNDREDS of gay friends, and many of them who I showed this article to said they had absolutely ZERO problem with what A-chan said, both with the GIRLFRIEND comment and also with the whole NEITHER thing. They found it simply a misunderstanding and some were actually MAD that the couple put A-chan in a position where she had to comment on another couple’s relationship…something she couldn’t POSSIBLY know anything about. Meh.
One final note…I will be at the Tokyo Dome supporting Perfume on Christmas Eve AND Christmas night. I am flying 15 hours and spending over 6 thousand dollars just to see them. I’ve saved up so much money for this once in a lifetime experience. I love them with all my heart and have been a fan since 2006. I know I don’t know them personally, but I feel in my heart I can honestly say that this comment by A-chan was taken WAAAAY out of context and also completely misunderstood. And I bet if you asked A-chan today how she honestly felt about gays and lesbians, she would smile and say that she LOVES THEM JUST AS MUCH AS SHE LOVES EVERYONE IN THE WORLD. I would bet my life on it.

First off, while I definitely agree that I don’t think Perfume is in anyway being malicious or hateful, that it is possible to be homophobic while still spending time with gay people and the LGBT community. That’s why you hear a lot of people going “oh, I have a black/gay/etc friend;” it’s so easy to use this to assume you’re progressive (when you’re not). That said, the case is a little different in Japan, where things still have a long way to go on the LGBT front, so it is a bit of a victory if Perfume is in fact being openly supportive of those individuals.

I also don’t think they would intentionally commit career suicide, but I was a bit surprised at how blunt they were able to be. That said, since the article was originally published in English, I do wonder how much of the meaning was lost. It’s the type of thing where it makes me inclined to be willing to give Perfume the benefit of the doubt. I was surprised at their bluntness, but if I read the Japanese I wonder if I wouldn’t consider it blunt at all.

As for the saying coming from aiko, I agree that does give it a lot of perspective. That’s why I linked those Perfume City posts; it was something that made me think, beyond what the other English-articles had been saying. However, I don’t think that’s necessarily an excuse. For example, I love comedy. I follow some comedy podcasts, and I watch stand-up for comedians I like. But say I repeated some jokes that had homophobic undertones, especially if I didn’t immediately cite the source. It would be easy to go “Oh, so and so said it first,” but it doesn’t change that I said it, or that I implicitly agree with it. I mean, it’s a tenuous situation at best, and I do think that aiko and A-chan both mean well with using it. I just don’t see “aiko said it first” as an argument I agree with.

Another thing is the whole concept of intent. Yes, I agree that they both intended the best. Does that necessarily mean that they’re “off the hook?” I would argue no. I could go on for hours and hours about authorial intent in regards to fictional works (I identify pretty strongly with New Criticism, which almost entirely disregards what the intent of an author is), but I’ll keep things simple here. Intent speaks a lot about the author, or what aiko/a-chan meant, but not a whole lot about what was actually said. I could say something I thought was in support of the LGBT community, but if I used a homophobic slur in place of a more acceptable term, it would still be a pretty bad statement. That said, the thing that makes me accept this the most is the fact that gay Japanese fans have embraced it. I still think using “neither” is a bit suspect, but if it’s something they can embrace it makes it a bit better for me.

As for halfie, I think it’s a bit different. Racism is still very prominent in Japan, though I would argue that racial tensions are highest between Japan, South Korea and China. I’m a lot less familiar with the term “haafu” in context, but, according to wikipedia, ” The label emerged in the 1970s in Japan and is now the most commonly used label and preferred term of self-definition.” That last thing is the most important thing to me. Preferred, I’m assuming by other biracial people. It reminds me of the use of the word ‘queer’ in Western LGBT circles. While it originally had a negative connotation, it was reappropriated and is now a very common, acceptable umbrella term for people who identify somewhere in the LGBT world.

I agree that there are cultural differences, and that the US is hardly better. I’d LOVE for there to be more diversity on primetime TV, and I don’t think the US does have that great of a track record on the subject. One of my favorite shows, Once Upon a Time, recently introduced the first LGBT character on the show, and people freaked out. My heart broke a little when I heard that an actor I like, Sean Maher (from Firefly) was told he couldn’t be openly gay in Hollywood because it would hurt his chances of getting some leading man roles. I also think that Japan has surprisingly good laws for trans* people. There’s good legal precedent, but there is also a very big stigma. But that’s true with the US as well. In criticizing Perfume, I don’t think anyone is saying that the US is much better. I don’t think the Japanese entertainment world is that open to LGBT people, to be honest, but things are very slowly improving in both Japan and the US.

Ultimately, though, thank you for your comment. While I don’t think we necessarily saw eye to eye on everything, I do think we agree on the basics: that A-chan didn’t mean anything negative; she had good intentions.

Posted in Idol Thoughts, Uncategorized | 2 Replies

Review Monday: Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku – Mikakunin Chuugakusei X

Posted on November 25, 2013 by serenyty

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So my goal for today was to review the new Team N stage (which I will end up reviewing for next Monday). However, I had a fairly long day, so I decided to review the new PV by Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku. Which I’ve been meaning to review for some time because, spoiler, it’s pretty great.

Song: I’m a sucker for high energy songs. Which is why, even if I’m not necessarily as big on Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku as, say, Team Syachihoko, I generally appreciate Ebichu’s music. If you want something high energy, this is a strong bet. The melody is immediately catchy and a total earworm, which works well with the electronic instrumentation the song goes for. I’ve spent a bit of time singing “zukkyun zukkyun” to myself. I really like the sections where the song slows down. This is where the arrangement is at its best and it allows the girls to emote more than they could. Really, though, this entire song is catchy and fun and exactly what you’d want from a song that’s called “Unidentified middle school students X.” It’s wacky and fits well into Ebichu’s discography.

Perhaps this is me being too much of a Hyadain fangirl, but there were parts that made me wish he had a hand in writing this. The Hyadain influences are palpable, especially the occasional drastic tempo changes. Hyadain is a frequent Ebichu collaborator (including the B-Side to this track, ‘I’m your MANAGER!!’) and I wish he would have just arranged this. The arrangement isn’t bad; in fact, I like it most of the time. I enjoy the fairly heavy, almost techno beat in there. The only thing I really wish would change is that I wish there was a bit of a heavier beat and just more to the arrangement in the chorus section, which feels occasionally empty. But, thinking of Hyadain’s work arranging Dempagumi.inc’s Not Bocchi…Natsu, he turned what was already a great song into a fantastic song that’s one of the group’s best. That’s what I feel like he could have done here. Mikakunin is wonderful, and great, but I feel like it just needs one more push to being that group-defining song I feel it could be.

I don’t want to sound like I’m too critical of the song. This is a great song, and definitely worth your time (especially if you enjoy high energy idol pop). However, it’s that type of song that COULD be a group-defining song, and I kind of wish that they had figured it out. That said, while I do think it could improve, this is still a great song. 8/10.

PV: So, uh, I have a bit of an affinity for bad movies. I don’t go out of my way to enjoy them, but let’s just say I’ve seen Birdemic: Shock and Terror multiple times. Willingly. So when I first started to play the PV and there was (poorly done) written text against a “space” backdrop, I knew I was in for a treat.

I love all the “effects” in this PV. You can tell they made it poorly on purpose, from everything being clearly made out of cardboard, to the “alien” being a guy with a paper hat and cardboard claws. And the alien is basically just a mantis guy. OK Ebichu, whatever you say.

I have to say, on another sidenote about lighting, H!P this is how you do mood lighting. There is a lot of darkness in this early story section, but it’s used for “dramatic” effect. I know that this is meant to be a cheesy scene, but they actually did a good job of making it look interesting. So good job, Ebichu director!

The story itself is understandably silly, but they do a good job of selling it. The best thing they do is that they do what “good” bad movies do, which is take themselves seriously. The most enjoyable bad movies are the ones where the director or whoever else is the main driving force behind the movie takes the project seriously. That’s why movies like The Room and Birdemic are so entertaining. The whole thing is silly, but the actors appear to give it their all, which is nice.

Ebichu themselves don’t get to ham it up as much as the extras, but they have their fun, posing and being the heroes of the story, the Mikakunin Chuugakusei X. Unfortunately, this makes them not quite as memorable as the other actors in the PV (which is a bit of a shame, given that they’re, you know, the stars). They get to make funny faces and face off against the evil mantis people, but they have a lot of shots just hanging out in the library. Which would be fine in most other PVs, but I wish they’d had a bit more interesting things to do to make the group itself stand out in this memorable PV.

The biggest thing that I have to wonder is why half of the dance shot takes place outside. I mean, it doesn’t look BAD, but it doesn’t make too much sense. The other half takes place in the library, which is a solid choice. I just think it would have been interesting to see part of the dance shot take place on the stage where they face off against the mantis people. The lighting is cool, and it makes sense that Ebichu would perform there, since it’s a stage. The dance shot is at its best, though, at the end where they do the dance with all sorts of back dancers. I’m a sucker for that type of thing, and Ebichu does it well.

But really, aside from some creative choices that made me scratch my head, this is one of the most entertaining and fun PVs of the year. 9/10.

Overall: Even though I’m nitpicking this a bit, this is really a very strong song and PV, and is very much worth your time.

Posted in Review Monday, Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku | Leave a reply

List Friday: My Top 20 Idol Groups/Acts of All Time

Posted on November 23, 2013 by serenyty

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Welcome to my new feature!

So basically, when coming up with my current blog release schedule, I made fridays TIFriday. I plan to continue that with TIF 2014, but last week was my last TIF post of the year, sadly. So I needed to figure out something to keep me occupied on Fridays. So I decided that instead of TIFriday, in the meantime I would do List Fridays. Because the internet loves lists, and so do I. It’s a good way to get to know me and a good way to share a lot of opinions in a fairly condensed matter.

Recently I found a collection of lists, from the book Music Listography, which is a journal that you can write lists of music you like in. So I’m going to be doing most of these lists in relation to idol acts. The first one is my top 20 ~~bands~~ idol acts of all time. (We’ll see if I can make it to 20). This is roughly in order from favorite to least favorite.

1. Team Syachihoko

If you know me at all this should be no surprise. I’ve been enamored with Team Syachihoko for about a year now, and my fandom has only grown. They have a ton of energy, lots of personality, and their music is consistently excellent. They are the only group that I buy every single release for, and I never regret it. Their concerts are excellent, their PVs are excellent, everything is great.

Tonight I put off writing this post because I was watching a Ustream event. This event didn’t even feature Yuzuki, my Syachihoko oshimen. This shows how strongly I adore this group.

2. Rev.from DVL

This is a group that I wouldn’t know unless I was a twitter user. One day, all of a sudden, Miki from the Fukuoka idol group Rev.from DVL followed me. I still don’t know why she followed me, but I tend to follow a good number of indie idols and I occasionally tweet said idols in (poor) English. But I decided, since she followed me, that I’d watch one video for them. That was a performance of Love Arigatou, and I was instantly hooked. The song is great, which really helps, but all the girls are talented dancers and singers, and have a lot of fun. Honestly, I don’t know why I love them so much, but every single girl appeals to me (though Miki is still my favorite). There’s something really special about local indie groups, and rev. is my fave.

Recently, Rev got a lot of national notice because one of the members, Kanna, is super cute. While that’s true, I really hope this allows people to learn a bit more about Rev, because the rest of the members are fun and cute.

3. Dempagumi.inc

In most of my favorite groups, I end up having a very clear favorite. Nothing wrong with that, but I tend to care strongly more for one member than the rest. Dempagumi.inc is the one group where I legitimately adore every single member, to the point where even after months of being a fan I have a hard time choosing my favorite. (Right now it’s a tie between Mirin and Eimi). The six girls have a really great dynamic going on, every member is unique and special, and they’re all really fun. Aside from the members, lately they’ve had some of the best PVs in the idol business, and their music is superb. W.W.D II/Not Bocchi… Natsu is my top single of the year. They get a lot of music from my favorite, Maeyamada Kenichi, so that helps. Honestly, they’ve become one of the most interesting idol groups out there, and one I’m proud to be a fan of.

4. Matsuura Aya

OK, I said idol acts when I started. So Ayaya counts. Even though I haven’t mentioned her all that much lately, Matsuura Aya is one of my favorite idol singers of all time. In fact, I’d place her right after Ooguro Yuzuki (Team Syachihoko) and Ishikawa Rika in that regard. While she has a fantastic personality and did very well in some of her variety and acting bits (Sukeban Deka is legitimately underrated), Aya’s forte is performance. She has one of the best voices among Japanese idol singers. Period. She also has immense amounts of stage presence, emotes well with her performing, and always looks like she’s having a blast doing so. Aya’s albums are some of the best Hello!Project had to offer, and Aya the Witch is my favorite Hello!Project concert ever. Aya is a very talented woman, and will always be one of my favorites.

5. Aso Natsuko

Sometimes I wonder if Nacchan would be one of my top idols ever if I hadn’t had such a wonderful experience meeting her. Seeing two Nacchan lives and then getting an autograph and then getting a picture, all the while she’s being completely amazing is a memory I won’t soon forget. She is a lovely person, with a beautiful voice and personality. I was a fan of hers before the events, but seeing Nacchan live sealed the deal for me. She is very talented, and all of her music is very good (her two albums, Movement of Magic and Precious Tone are two of my favorites).

6. Rhymeberry

I do not like rap. I have zero interest in hip hop. I don’t mean any disrespect, just for the most part it doesn’t do much for me. Yet somehow I found a lot to like in Rhymeberry. Their music is inventive, fun, and makes me appreciate hip hop a lot more. The girls are all very talented, and are very fun to watch perform.

7. Ongaku Gatas

UFA: Hey, let’s make a group strongly featuring Ishikawa Rika and Yoshizawa Hitomi. We can add other Gatas Brilhantes H.P. members, some cool Eggs, and have a group. They can perform funky songs plus a lot of upbeat songs. While they’re not one of the main groups, let’s give them one of the best H!P albums ever.

Seriously, how could I not love Ongaku Gatas?

8. Def.Diva

UFA: Hey let’s take the three strong soloists, add a strong team player who is generally kind of the greatest, and have them bring all their amazingness into one group.

Again, how could I not love Def.Diva?

9. KAGAJO☆4S

This is a new group that could become one of my top favorite idol groups. The only reason they’re this low is because they’re so new, but they have a lot of promise. They’re a Stardust Promotions group, but are probably the most “normal” Stardust group out there. They’ve started out their career performing instruments live, which gets me excited for future lives. The members all have a lot of personality and energy, that get me excited. As a fan of Team Syachihoko first and foremost, I’m really interested in how Stardust is going to promote their latest indie idol group. This could become one of my all-time top favorite groups, at the rate they’re going!

10. Babymetal

Much like with Rhymeberry, metal is not a genre I particularly care much about. Yet Babymetal makes me care. Suzuka’s voice is so strong, and while Yui and Moa don’t sing much they provide a lot of energy and enthusiasm. They’re a very interesting and fun group, and have made me enjoy metal more than I ever thought I would. Their music is all very good, and they make me excited for every release.

11. Watarirouka Hashiritai (7)

Even though they haven’t put out anything in a while, I’m really sad that Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 is breaking up. While they weren’t the first unit of AKB nor the last, the group was really something special, getting a lot of the cuter/younger (at least when it was formed) girls of AKB into one unit. While the group went through many lineup changes, they always had cute and catchy songs. This song is pure cuteness, and I love it.

12. AKB48

I guess this envelops the entire 48 empire. I love all of the 48 groups a lot, but ultimately AKB was the one to start it all. Simply put, AKB brought back the idol boom, and a lot of the things that AKB popularized became main facets of the current idol boom. As a big idol fan, this makes me grateful to AKB more than anything. But beyond that, AKB is always interesting. Even when my interest in members waxes and wanes, and even when I don’t care for all their songs, they’re always interesting.

While I really enjoy SKE48, NMB48 and HKT48, I’m putting AKB on this list because they’ve set the standard for idols currently. (Plus I was in the KFC fan version so I kind of have to love AKB most 13. Morning Musume

And this is the standard for the previous generation of idols! My interest in Morning Musume has been all over the place, and I really love certain eras more than others. However, that said, despite Momusu having its lows, it has brought a lot of fantastic idol songs and has introduced the world to some really great idols. Their longevity is something to be admired, and I’m constantly impressed by Morning Musume’s current return to fame. MM is really doing well, and I’m happy to have been following them.

14. Matsuda Seiko

Aaaand the standard for 80s idols. There was a lot of great idol music in the 70s-80s, and in terms of fame, relevance and influence I could have easily put Yamaguchi Momoe, Pink Lady or Onyanko Club down here. However, Matsuda Seiko is absolutely my favorite. Part of it is her longevity; it’s so interesting to see the career of an idol lasting so long, when she’s SO famous. Anyone else see that episode of Bones she costarred in?

But seriously, watching her (mostly older) stuff, she has a real charisma and stage presence. Her music is consistently very good, and some of the best idol songs of all time have been her songs. While I don’t enjoy every thing she’s ever did (and, tbh, I haven’t heard every single/song she’s done, not by a long shot), she really deserves to be known as one of, if not THE top idol of all time.

15. MMJ

MMJ started out as MMJ48, an AKB cover group. They dropped the 48 and started releasing their own music, but this shows where they’re coming from. This is a very unknown idol group comprised of older (23 and older) girls who love idols. And that’s why I really love them, and why I love indie groups. The members have day jobs and being an idol is what they do for fun, on the side. And it really shows. All the members are enthusiastic, and are super fun to watch perform. Their original songs (especially Renai Agenda) are pretty good, and they have a lot of energy while performing. This group isn’t about money or fame, it’s about being an idol for fun, which is why I’m a fan.

16. S/Mileage

While most people tend to categorize themselves as a first-gen S/Mileage fan, 2nd gen is when I really gelled with S/Mileage. While a lot of their early music is fantastic, S/Mileage’s 2nd gen has proven that the group can handle graduations and auditions and still maintain quality. Sure, a lot of people will disagree with me, but while I liked Yuukarin and Sakicchy a lot, I’m grateful that the second generation has allowed Meimi, Kana, Rina and Akari to be in a group together. Their music has been great, for the most part, and I love what they’ve done lately. They’re energetic, fun, and have quickly become one of Hello!Project’s most interesting groups.

17. Dancing Dolls

I just found out about Dancing Dolls this summer, and I’m already a big fan. While their origin story is great and I love that there’s a pair of twins in the group, their talent is where Dancing Dolls really shines. The group is already a very strong dance group, and the vocalists are very talented. While I don’t mind following groups without as much talent, it’s nice to see a group that has a lot of skill. Add to that some catchy songs and Dancing Dolls has quickly become a group I look out for.

18. Momoiro Clover (Z)

Ahh, Momoiro Clover. Two years ago and they would have been at the top of this list. While I consider early Momoiro Clover to be one of the best groups of all time, and I do think they’ve done interesting things since then, a lot of the magic has been lost for me. While I’ve been pretty open about my frustrations with Momoiro Clover Z, this doesn’t change the fact that early Momoiro Clover is a group I really loved, and a group I will always care about, even passively. I still pay attention to them a lot; they do a lot of interesting things! But they have lost a lot of their appeal, which made them slide this low.

19. Taiyou to Ciscomoon/T&C Bomber

This is a group that a lot of people overlook in H!P’s history, but it’s one of the best groups. First off, the vocals are stunning. Inaba Atsuko is an unsung hero of Hello!Project history, and RuRU is possibly the strongest vocal in H!P (it’s somewhere between her and Ayaya). Their music is classic Hello!Project at its best, and songs like Gatamekira and Magic of Love have become legendary H!P songs. If you want great vocals and wonderful songs, T&C is a really great bet. If I want to listen to some older H!P, I usually don’t go back to early Morning Musume, I listen to Taiyou to Ciscomoon’s first album.

20. LinQ

LinQ is a new favorite, which is why it’s at the bottom. Frankly, I’m still very new to the world of LinQ. However, I like what I see. Their first album is wonderful, and the couple of live concerts I’ve watched have been energetic and great. It’s kind of uncertain how my LinQ fandom will turn out, but I do know that they are a spectacular group and worthy of being up here.

Thoughts? Want me to do a specific list next week? Leave a comment below or on the Happy Disco Facebook page and I’ll take your suggestions for a future week!

Posted in Lists! | Leave a reply

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