Idol Thoughts: Trainee Systems

Posted on October 16, 2013 by serenyty

I’m not making a Your Thoughts post this week because I didn’t get comments. 🙂 Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long to get to an Idol Thoughts without comments, so thank you to everyone who’s participated so far.

One thing I noticed while doing my TIF blog posts is that there are a lot of trainee systems out there. Even some smaller indie groups have trainees, even though they’re just performing at small, local venues. This, and recently becoming a fan of some Hello!Project trainees, has made me consider the whole system and its pros and cons.

The biggest pro to the industry is that it’s a barrier of entry to the main groups. It gives girls who win auditions a lot of training, a chance to build up a small fanbase of her own, and she gets to grow as an idol before she even makes her proper debut in the group. If girls aren’t up to the challenge of being idols, it gives them a chance to opt out, as well. This also allows for groups with lots of members like AKB to not have issues with their member counts; when one girl graduates, another fills the spot.

Really, the biggest problem on this from an industry standpoint is when there are too many good trainee candidates. The formation of the original Team 4 and the current Team 4 can be traced to the fact that there are just too many solid AKB kenkyuusei who work hard and want to be in the group. The trainee system doesn’t really work when trainees languish, waiting for debut, and not enough girls were leaving to justify the numbers of kenkyuusei. Yet you don’t want to stop having auditions to admit more girls in.

This also leads me to think about trainee groups like the Nice Girl Project trainees. Nice Girl Project is pretty much over. The Possible is making a comeback, true, but as a project there aren’t really any other acts. So what must it be like, to be a Nice Girl Trainee, knowing you probably won’t ever debut? Is being a trainee idol enough for some of these girls? It’s an interesting thought.

This makes things a bit harder on fans, too. I know I’m personally hesitant to follow any trainee, just because it’s harder to know if she’s going to go anywhere. Really, the first two trainees I’ve followed were Sekine Azusa (now of Up Up Girls) and Natori Wakana (now a full AKB member), but there was a lot of waiting and uncertainty with being a fan of them. Of course, idols can graduate whenever they want to, but being a trainee only adds to that.

Recently, I’ve become a fan of Sasaki Rikako and Funaki Musubu, both Hello!Project Kenshuusei (I still call them Eggs in my head). Rikako I have a bit more hope for, since she was the only member in her generation and is generally thought of as being a big possibility for being a future star, but there are a lot of H!P kenshuusei that never debut and just perform at concerts. Is it worth it to be a fan of girls this early? If you gamble right, it may pay off in small ways. I have photos of both Sekkii and Wakanyan from their early days, and I’m happy to be a long time fan of these girls. But for every trainee that debuts, there’s even more that have gone nowhere.

Also, I wonder how good of a system it all is. Yes, it provides some training. However, are the members that better prepared? And so many idol groups focus on the idea of “fresh” idols, that don’t have entertainment experience. This takes away that idea. Is it much different to provide girls with some fairly intensive training right before debut than to be training them occasionally over the course of some years?

What do you think about trainee systems? Do you like or dislike them? Comment and you too can be a part of Happy Disco with my “Your Thoughts” post that will be up next week!

Review Monday: LinQ – Love in Qushu ~LinQ Daiichi Gakushou~

Posted on October 14, 2013 by serenyty

When asking for Review Monday requests, one of my friends suggested her favorite idol group’s first album, which is LinQ’s Love in Qushu ~ LinQ Daiichi Gakushou~. LinQ is one of the many groups I really feel like I should be a bigger fan of. They are from Fukuoka, which is home to many groups I enjoy, including my second favorite idol group Rev.from DVL. So I’m excited to do this review of a group that I, to be honest, don’t know as much about as I should.

1. LinQ Theme – I’m a sucker for a good instrumental theme at the start of an album, so this is a pretty good start. It’s a nice guitar-heavy opening with some spoken announcements, like an overture. Is it an overture? I could honestly imagine this played at the beginning of a concert. This isn’t necessarily something that pumps you up quite as much as, say, the AKB48 overture or the Momoiro Clover Z overture, but I could imagine with some wota chants that this could be a really great overture for LinQ. Except this is something I’d be more inclined to listen to on its own, as opposed to the AKB48 overture. Again, not sure of how often this is used, but I enjoy this so far!

2. Hajimemashite – The theme leads right into this, which is something I enjoy a lot in an album. One of the things that I feel that idol albums do wrong on a fairly regular basis is not thinking about their albums. Rather, they don’t place importance in where songs go on the album, but it’s just a collection of singles and new songs. Having one thing lead into another goes a long way into making the album feel cohesive. That, and this first full song (and their first single) is called “hajimemashite” which is something you say to someone when you first meet them. So this goes a long way to making this a good album, as opposed to a good collection of songs, to me.

That said, this isn’t the only thing I enjoy about this song. This whole song is fantastic. It’s funky and fun. The funky instrumentation (especially the keyboard and electric guitar parts!) are excellent; the arrangement is all-around well done. For being a first indie single, the production values are very high. The vocals aren’t necessarily the most remarkable, but they’re better than a lot of idol voices.

I find it hard to find a word that fits this better than “funky.” This is a well-produced, well-written song with a lot of funk and fun. I really love this. 9/10

3. for you – from the title I expected a slow ballad. Nope, it’s a high energy song with a lot of guitar. Of course. Not that I mind.

This is immediately a lot less memorable than Hajimemashite. Which isn’t a terrible thing; Hajimemashite was so good that a little step down is expected. The melody does a couple of things that I personally wouldn’t choose, and the instrumentation isn’t quite as good as Hajimemashite’s was (though the high points is when there’s some guitar).

The one thing that really holds this song back, though, is the production and sound mixing. There’s a strange amount of reverb used in this song, especially on the vocals in the chorus. A little reverb isn’t a bad thing, but this makes the entire song sound busy (with so much stuff lasting so long) and makes the vocals sound strange. I looked this song up on Youtube earlier and the short version I found had much less reverb. So is this a remix/rearrangement for the album?

At its core, this isn’t a bad song. If I listen to the version on Youtube without the reverb and strange production, I enjoy it (though definitely less than Hajimemashite). However, this arrangement/production doesn’t do the song justice. Which is a shame, because it could be great. 6/10

4. Let’s Feel Together – Another funky song! At first this song’s intro reminded me of Team Syachihoko’s Mochotto Hashire, but further in it gives me more Tokyo Girls Style or Perfume vibes. This song is immediately fun and feels a lot like Hajimemashite, which is obviously a good thing on this album. There’s some reverb thrown in here, but not as bad as ‘for you,’ which is good

While I’m usually a sucker for strings, the instrumentation again shines when it focuses on the electric guitar. If it brought in more guitar and more strings I would be a happy camper. My big complaint for this song is the length. It clocks in at a fairly long 5:30, which I’m not immediately opposed to. However, some of the verses drag a bit. If they had just cut thirty seconds and trimmed up the early verses (because everything after 3 minutes is good and the chorus is all great) this would be a much improved song.

That said, I really enjoy the choruses and I think this will be a song I’ll end up listening to a lot. Despite my small pacing concerns, this song is quite enjoyable to listen to and you know I love some good funky music. The song has grown on me a lot, and I have a feeling this will end up being a favorite of mine. 8/10.

5. Natsu Magic – Another funky sounding song! LinQ, are you trying to kill me in a good way? This is a lot more laid back than the past few songs, with a much slower instrumentation. In general it sounds a lot cuter, as well, though that mostly comes from the arrangement.

At first, I was going to complain about Natsu Magic dragging, but after a few listens I no longer think that’s the case. It’s slow, sure, but it’s more of a mellow, slow jam that you listen to while doing other things.

Personally, I tend to favor faster paced songs. I like a good ballad now and then, but I find myself to be more forgiving of fast, hyper songs. I rarely listen to slower songs, and even rarer are these types of slow jams. However, I find myself liking this song more and more by every listen.

This isn’t going to be something I listen to as much as, say, Hajimemashite and Let’s Feel Together. However it’s certainly good, and it’s something new that I’m enjoying. 7/10

6. Fighting Girl – Oh hey rock-inspired song! Good to hear you! I really enjoy this song; it’s got some excellent vocals, and is an upbeat, fun rock song. The vocals and melody remind me a bit of Roam by the B-52s, in a good way. Too often when idol music brings in rock it’s to be heavy or serious; this shows the potential of that instrumentation and attitude to be upbeat and happy. This is the type of music I wish idol music would use.

This song also doesn’t drag at all, which is nice to hear. This is a compact, quick 3 minutes, and it uses every second to good use. It has good music, and while I doubt it’ll be as memorable as the other songs I’ve mentioned so far, it’s certainly one I’ll most likely want to listen to again. 8/10

7. Pretty Woman – No, not the Julia Roberts movie. Although, I’m sorry, this is the type of song title where I will never be able to separate it from the preconceived connotations in my head. I have no idea how well known Pretty Woman, the movie, is in Japan, but it’s well known to me, so. The synth sound at the beginning of this song sounds pretty 90s. In fact, this song sounds like it wouldn’t be out of place in the late 80s/early 90s.

This is a pretty solid synth-tastic mid-tempo song. It’s laid-back despite all the synth that gets in there. Some of the instrumentation is a bit too precious for the song, with what sounds like light chimes. It isn’t a very varied song; what you hear in the first five seconds is pretty much what you get.

That said, it’s nice. It’s not a bad song, but it’s not the most interesting song. It’s nice to listen to, and it definitely grows on you. 7/10.

8. Kimochi – Autotune! LinQ’s going for some Perfume in here. This song is slow and a slow jam in a way I might not like it. But something about this song is very compelling. Maybe it’s the rapping, maybe it’s the autotune, maybe it’s the saxophone solo. Just something about this, combining some Perfume with early Morning Musume, makes me love this.

The entire instrumentation is fantastic; this is very heavy on piano and percussion, but that saxophone solo surprised and interested me. I also really like how this instrumentation goes with the autotuned vocals; it’s something you might not think would go that well together, but it sounds really great.

I’m not sure why this song stands out to me so much, but I love it and I have to bet I’ll keep listening to it more and more. It’s not the typical song I’d love, but goodness this song is great. 8/10

9. Sakura Kajitsu – This is the only song I knew previously to reviewing this album. And what a song it is. It’s a big contrast to Kimochi; whereas Kimochi was using the autotuned vocals in a slower song, this is autotuned vocals over a largely electronic instrumental. And it’s done very well. While the noticeably absent Calorie Nante is LinQ’s big single, this is a single that swayed me to paying a bit more attention to LinQ and want to review an album.

Just everything about this song is done well. The vocals sound quite nice and they use the effects for some beautiful harmonies that make the vocals almost instrumental. The song doesn’t drag at all, and sounds like a well constructed and paced song. There are no production issues at all, and it in fact sounds beautiful. While this may not convince the most anti-vocal effects/autotune groups, this sounds quite frankly beautiful.

I love this song. It does what it tries to do very well, and I love what it’s aiming for. I can not hear anything I would personally change in the song. 10/10

10. Nau – Anything after Sakura Kajitsu is going to be a bit of a letdown. But what a fun letdown Nau is! It also prominently features autotuned vocals, but is now an upbeat, cutesy, almost hyperactive song. While, in my opinion, this doesn’t use those vocal effects quite as well as the previous two songs, it still works here.

While this isn’t going to be as memorable as Sakura Kajitsu, by any means, this is just a fast and fun song. If there weren’t such fast parts I imagine this would be a very fun song to sing along to or sing at karaoke. There is no real depth in the instrumentation or production; this is just pure fun. Which is great sometimes. And it’s great here. 8/10.

11. Shining Star – The last song on the album (unless you listen to the version with a bonus track which I don’t have). And what a way to end. While the past few songs have been heavily autotuned and fell on the side of being cutesy, this is feels like a happy medium between the cute and mature parts of this album. There are certainly cute parts of this song, but it’s also guitar heavy and features some mature vocals.

This feels like a really great end to a great album. It starts off slower and moves into a driven, guitar-heavy song that feels like an epic end to a great album. Shining Star could have perhaps been more epic or felt a bit more like a grand ending, but this isn’t a bad ending at all. It’s a very great one. So even though this song isn’t my favorite on the album, and I can think of ways that I’d improve it, I still ultimately like it and I’m glad it’s here. 8/10

Overall: As someone who didn’t follow much of LinQ at all before this, I’m surprised at just how much I ended up loving this album. Often funky, often very well produced, this is a very solid first effort that uses a lot of elements that I’m a sucker for. I think I have to be a LinQ fan now.

Tokyo Idol Festival 2013: The Acts part 17

Posted on October 11, 2013 by serenyty

It’s Friday! You know what that means? TIFriday!

bump.y

This name makes me laugh so much. Formed in 2009, bump.y is a five girl unit focusing on both acting and singing; so they’re trying to be both actresses and idol singers. They’ve done so with a net drama also called bump.y, and, from a quick search online, it appears that all the members have been fairly active as actresses. So good job! Oricon wise, bump.y doesn’t sell all that well ( their highest weekly oricon position was 23), but if their goal is to be active singers AND actresses, it appears they’re on a good start. Their 7th single, Savage Heaven, came out this July.

Personally, I don’t follow many J-dramas or movies, so I’m just going to evaluate what I think of bump.y from what I know and the idol portion. However, I do think that promoting them in both spheres is a really smart idea, and I hope it works out for them well. Dramas and TV appearances are great promotions for a group, and having a good group could lead to more opportunities. So it’s a smart move.

When I first saw the PV to Savage Heaven, I thought this would be a completely cool group. Then I saw some of their other stuff and realized that this was just the case for this song. Honestly, I know this gets thrown around a lot, but they give me some KPop vibes, even in their stuff that could be cuter/more fun. This isn’t a bad thing, by any means, but this is what I first thought of. Initially I was lukewarm to Savage Heaven and their next latest single, Cosmos no Hitomi, but they’ve grown on me. I immediately enjoyed Gotta Getcha, and now I think I’m becoming a fan of this group.

If you follow dramas, I’d say you have to follow them right away. However, if you aren’t a big drama fan, like me, I’d suggest checking out Savage Heaven, Cosmo no Hitomi and Gotta Getcha. They’re three different songs, but it shows the range of bump.y. Even though it took me until Gotta Getcha to really get into Bump.y, I really have started to enjoy this group.

BiS

How do I even attempt to write something about BiS? I think they’re really a love it or hate it group. BiS stands for Brand New Idol Society, and currently has five members. Created by the leader of the group, Pour Lui, when she stopped her solo activities, they’re currently signed to Avex. And really, I’d consider them to be anti-idols. Not in a bad way mind you; from what I understand, most of the members love idol acts and respect them a lot. But I mean that in the sense of their profile picture, where they’re making faces. The first thing that grabbed people’s attention about BiS was their first PV, My IXXX, where they run around the woods seemingly naked.

This feels like a really good setup to BiS; not that they’re nude all the time, but that they do what other idols don’t. They have set themselves up as almost the opposite of the standard idol, the antithesis to the big, popular groups. They revel in strangeness, nude PVs, violence and rock music. Not just pop-rock that most rock idols are, heavier metal/rock. Perhaps the most telling thing is their latest album (and first one under Avex): Idol is Dead. They are taking the elements that are standard idol and turning them on their head. They don’t care if you’re uncomfortable.

Even though I wrote all that, I really have trouble following BiS. The music doesn’t appeal to me very much, and it feels less like an organized statement at points as a collection of weird/dark things. Their image doesn’t appeal to me all that much. When I told my friend I had no idea how to start talking about BiS, her one response was “scary.” And they are; there’s a reason they were the ones to kidnap Pinky in Dempagumi.inc’s W.W.D II PV. Honestly, I do think that taking a critical look at the idol industry is a good thing, and it’s interesting to do. For that, I think BiS is doing interesting things. However, their image and sound just doesn’t appeal to me very much. So while BiS may be a group I am interested in, it’s not a group I like as an idol group.

Really, the only thing I can do is say that you should try them out. I can’t say how many of you will actually like BiS, but it’s certainly an experience.

Be Flourish

Be Flourish is a very new group; they made their live debut in April and their single debut in May. Described as a “fresh dance vocal unit,” this three-member unit was formed with the goal to make Japan energetic. Which is I swear the goal for half of the groups at TIF. But I digress.

So far Be Flourish has only released one single, but their second one is coming out at the end of October. So if you’ve ever wanted to start following a new group at the start, it looks like this might be a group to follow. They don’t have many followers on twitter or Youtube views, so they’re really at the start of their career. That said, there isn’t that much of them out there, so that might be a concern.

The biggest thing that interests me is the live clip of Be Brave, the first track off their self-titled first single. They’re performing in front of a live band. I’m not sure if this will be a continuing thing, but it’s a nice touch that sets these girls apart.

I like them. It’s hard to know how successful or how far an idol group will go, but this seems like a nice group. They have nice vocals, and while their dance isn’t the greatest yet they definitely have room to grow. One of the songs off their first single is a cover of the song Pre-Parade which was the opening to the anime Toradora, which I really enjoy, and they do it well. I’m going to keep an eye on these girls.

PPP! PiXiON!

Another funny name! PPP! PiXiON was formed in December 2012 with six members. Their theme is that they’re like a theme park; the members are performers, the staff are the cast, the fans are guests and the lives are called attractions. They aim to get the excitement of a theme park in their live shows. This is not the easiest gimmick, but it’s definitely a cute one.

So far the group’s released two singles, the latest being Geki Splash. Really, listening to their songs, it’s not quite energetic enough to sound like a theme park. Nor is it the kind of music you’d hear walking around at Disney World. Instead, it’s mid tempo, not very memorable idol pop. It’s not necessarily bad, but it’s not really the best written idol music out there. Geki Splash, for example, has a lot of pauses and lulls in the music. The only song I’ve heard that really sounds like it should fit in with their theme is Hatsukoi Merry go Round, which is probably their best song.

It’s a new group, so it’s hard to be sure how good they are. And honestly, the theme and music aren’t very compelling so far. That said, the girls are cute, and pretty fun, so if that’s all you’re looking for you might want to watch PPP! PiXiON. I’m not writing them off yet, but they’ve got a ways to go.

Hime Carat

Part band, part idol group, Hime Carat kind of walks the line between both. Formed in 2012 as a band, they added a member and became somewhat an idol unit. So they perform without instruments a lot, but they also play the instruments? Not sure. They had five members but lost one to scandal. So far they’ve put out one single, already as a major debut, which is ‘51%platonic.” They’re putting out their second single in November.

Honestly, the fact they focus on being idols is kind of disappointing. IF they had been idolly in every way except still performing instruments, I would really like that. Instead, they dance and sing for a lot of their performances. That said, I like the idea of a part-idol part-band group; I just wish they focused more on the band side. Disappointing.

That said, 51%Platonic is a pretty good song, and these girls seem to be doing alright, with the major debut. While I am a bit disappointed, I’m interested in what the future holds for Hime Carat.

Idol Thoughts: Idols and Standards of Beauty

Posted on October 9, 2013 by serenyty

Since the first time a TV appearance was put online, I’ve been really into AKB’s Koisuru Fortune Cookie. (And yes, part of that is because I’m in the fan version, which still doesn’t get old to think about).

But aside from the catchy song and the various versions of people dancing to it, one thing that people don’t necessarily focus on are the lyrics.

One of the most telling lines in the song is: (Thank you Stage48)

“”A girl with a good personality would be nice” is what all the boys say
But looks are an advantage
The ones that always get first place in popularity contests are cute girls
Please! Please! Please! Oh baby!
Look at me!”

The song is focusing on a girl who isn’t attractive, but wants to be noticed as well. The song doesn’t say “Oh actually, she’s beautiful” but is from the point of view of someone who isn’t attractive.

This is a fairly common theme in songs centered by Sashihara Rino (wow, sorry Sasshi). Her first single, Sore Demo Suki Da yo features lyrics like (Again, thanks Stage48)

“Within the group,
I’m a plain type
My chest is underwhelming,
and I’m completely without pheromones
There are girls much cuter than I am”

with the song basically being about a girl wanting to be confessed to, saying “even still, I still like you.” The lyrics don’t deny her looks at all.

Sasshi’s duet with Watanabe Mayu, Avocado Janeeshi, also is on this topic (Stage48)

“Even so (even so)
I’m pretty useless
I’m not cute (I’m not confident)
and I’m losing to the other girls around
It’s annoying, ah?”

The song’s main part compares the girl to an avocado, being an avocado among other, nicer smelling/tasting fruits (though avocados make guacamole, so there’s nothing wrong with a good avocado in my opinion).

While this is a common theme with songs featuring Sashihara Rino (which I think is kind of unfair, because IMO Sasshi’s definitely pretty), it comes up in other songs. Take the AKB48 B-side, Boku Dake no Value. (S48)

“If we had a popularity election in our class
You wouldn’t rank in the top positions
You’re average at both school and sports
You’re the type that doesn’t stand out

But somehow
I always think about you
Wherever I am…”

While this is a more common theme in AKB48 than, say, Hello!Project, it’s not absent there. From the line in v-u-den’s Ajisai Ai Ai Monogatari where they sing about the person preferring better looking girls (and Okada Yui sings about large breasts, which always makes me giggle), to Nakazawa Yuko singing in Tokyo Bijin about how she’ll ‘turn into a Tokyo hag’,’ it shows up there, though less apparent and less frequently.

Compare this to some Western pop tunes, like the One Direction hit (and only One Direction song I’ve ever heard) “What Makes You Beautiful.”

“You’re insecure,
Don’t know what for,
You’re turning heads when you walk through the door,
Don’t need make-up,
To cover up,
Being the way that you are is enough,”

Basically, the girl in question isn’t ugly or plain; she’s gorgeous and turning heads without make-up. But she’s even MORE attractive because she’s insecure and doesn’t know she’s pretty.

Now, this isn’t necessarily saying that beauty isn’t at play in the JPop world more so than Hollywood. Popular idols generally tend to be good looking. However, one thing that I still think about is the whole charm point phenomenon, where it’s seen as attractive or desirable to have a flaw. Then you have girls like Sashihara Rino, who is seen by many as being a fairly plain person (though, again, I think she’s really pretty) winning out in the senbatsu election over other, arguably better looking girls.

The idol world is made up of young, cute/pretty/beautiful girls. However, what I’ve found in my fandom is a space where it’s OK to be a bit strange looking or different looking, and it’s OK to be a bit weird. For all the talk about Suzuki Kanon of Morning Musume being “fat,” at least there’s a place for a larger girl to be in an idol group. You CAN have someone like Suzuki Kanon or AD Nagisa of Bakusute Sotokanda Icchome, or even SDN48’s Nachu.

I’m not saying it’s completely easy or even if you’re unattractive, but just that it can be done with the idol world, and certain songs embrace it. Which I think is a lovely thing.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and I’ll include it in next week’s Your Thoughts post!

Your Thoughts: Line Distribution

Posted on October 9, 2013 by serenyty

This week I only got one response, but boy was it one I was excited to get! Vince, a big Super Girls fan, gave his take on the group, the fandom, and promotion/line distribution in the group.

Vince wrote: As for SUPER☆GiRLS, while they have placed Ami, Ruka and Saori up in the front, it doesn’t really feel like you’re missing out if your oshi is another girl. As a Mirei oshi, I’m almost led to believe she’s the ace (or well, 2nd after Ami) when watching CMs or their most recent drama. Even during concerts I feel like they’re filming her literally all the time (and wow did she pick up lines when Kaede left).

There’s also the general consensus that if you’ve got a problem with Ami or Ruka, just close the door on the way out.
Now this is just my personal opinion, but I don’t think Spaga is a group where you just walk in, pick a favorite member and follow only her. While they do have individual activities now and then, I think management spends a lot of effort pushing them as a -group-. The fact that they don’t add new members kinda underline this too.

Fandom isn’t all that large though, especially not in the west.
Sorry for the long rant but, my group you know

Just a couple of things; I’m mostly just excited to see something from a Spaga fan’s perspective, because I don’t follow the group enough to consider myself an expert.

1. I think this brings up the good point of what the lead brings to a group. “There’s also the general consensus that if you’ve got a problem with Ami or Ruka, just close the door on the way out.” I think this is true for a lot of groups, though not necessarily every group. For example, Maeda Atsuko had a lot of antis and people who disliked her, but these people considered themselves fans. However, I know it was hard for me to follow Morning Musume when Aika was my favorite, just because I never cared for Ai or Reina, which lead me to holding off on the group until I became a 10th gen fan.

I do think there are groups, though, where if you dislike the lead it makes it very hard to like the rest of the group. If you want to like AeLL, you better like Shinozaki Ai.

2. The concept of a group being promoted as a whole; I think this is truer for a lot of lesser known groups. AKB is promoted as a whole, but really they encourage you to root for your favorite member. But I don’t think this is necessarily the case for a lot of smaller groups. I feel comfortable having multiple favorites and rooting for every member of Dempagumi.inc, because I feel like they are pushing the group as a big unit. When I follow the groups that are even more indie, like Rev.from DVL and Rhymeberry, while I have favorite members (Miki and Yuka, respectively), I want the group as a unit to succeed, and I genuinely like all of them.

So thank you Vince for your insight; I appreciate your comment. 🙂

Review Monday: Ai no Chikyuu Sai

Posted on October 7, 2013 by serenyty

This week, I was unsure of what to review. So I asked my Facebook feed what I should do. (By the way, if you want to see me review something, leave a comment). There were a few good recommendations I’ll get to in the coming weeks, but Chiima of Okay! Musume Time asked for Team Syachihoko’s Ai no Chikyuu Sai. I’m a complete sucker for Team Syachihoko, so Syachi review it is!

Just a small note that I do adore Team Syachihoko, they’re my favorite idol group, so there is some bias there.

Song: This is certainly different. After last single’s loud and bold ‘Shuto Iten Keikaku,’ written by Japanese hip-hop artist SEAMO, in which Team Syachihoko declares their intent to change the Japanese capitol to Nagoya, this is tame and laidback in comparison. I’d imagine for most people it takes a couple of listens to get into this song. At first I didn’t know if I liked it, but after multiple listens/views of the PV, I adore it.

The thing is, this is definitely not as impactful as The Stardust Bowling, Koibito wa Sniper or Otome Juken Sensou. This is slower and laidback, even when the song speeds up for the chorus. But, in a way, I’m really happy this is the type of song Team Syachihoko chose to put out so relatively early in their careers. It shows that they aren’t just typecast into high energy songs like the ones I mentioned, but can do these easy-going songs.

This doesn’t mean that the song goes along at a snail’s pace; there’s a good tempo for it, and I really like the instrumentation (electronic/dubstep-influenced and all). It’s just not quite as energetic as Syachi’s other efforts.

One thing I find interesting is that this song was written by some pretty big names in the music industry. The song was written and arranged by Komorita Minoru who, in addition to a solo career, has written for a lot of artists. Notably for me he wrote a few songs for Matsuura Aya later in her career, Happy to Go and Blue Bird (from Double Rainbow, my favorite Hello!Project album ever), and Charisma Kirei for Melon Kinenbi. So, knowing these songs that he’s written, this type of mellow but upbeat song makes sense. The lyrics were written by Miyashita Kouji, who, amazingly, wrote everything to Maru Maru Mori Mori. Since this was such a huge song, I’m impressed that Syachi got him to write their lyrics.

All in all, I can see that people might not get this song. I didn’t get it at first. However, it really grows on you and becomes a song that you like despite not expecting it.

PV: If the song’s different, the PV is definitely different. The whole theme of the PV is television (which is in and of itself pretty weird, given that the rest of the song is about the Earth). To illustrate this PV, I think I’m going to have to illustrate with some screencaps (Sorry Chiima if this is too much of your territory XD)

First off, we start with a girl who appears to be in some sort of drama, talking to a guy. I have no idea who she is, but we quickly switch to the main PV and never see her again. Uh, OK. I guess this is Syachi taking over the airwaves because soon we get…

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I’m guessing the justification is that this is now a Syachihoko centric world, where Syachi is at the base of everything. Which we’ll see later. But this image of a tree made of Syachi floating in space is just… strange.

Basically all of Team Syachihoko are appearing on shows basically just featuring them.

There’s an exercise program

A cooking show

And a show that’s basically them as frolicking monsters. A local concert venue I go to see bands at (mostly indie type bands) shows stuff on screens before the event, sometimes, and one time I went there was a Japanese show like this; basically people in monster suits running around a forest. So even if this seems strange, this does have precedent.

As for this so far, I really like it. It’s colorful, fun, but still seems simple. It’s not overbearing in its wackiness, it just seems to be perfectly content with being colorful and fun.

However, as soon as you think “oh this is pretty normal, Syachi starts throwing stuff at you.

Yep, Yuzuki’s hanging out in a space fridge. A side note, but I wonder why Stardust groups tend to put my oshimen in the fridge?

But this is just the start as things get progressively weirder and more and more copies of the Syachi members start appearing and they dance.

More copies come in near the end of the song when the song increases pace. And then none of it’s explained, but does it really need to be?

If you have an aversion to weird PVs, this is probably not your cup of tea. But personally, I really like their take on the various TV genres, and I think it’s another really solid addition to the other two PVs that Syachi has. It may not have the initial weirdness of The Stardust Bowling or the cool factor of Shuto Iten Keikaku, but this is a fine PV and song and I’m one I’m glad Stardust chose to do.

Tokyo Idol Festival 2013: The Acts part 16

Posted on October 5, 2013 by serenyty

Happy (slightly late) TIFriday!

Vanilla Beans

Pretty sure I said this last year, but Vanilla Beans is kind of the epitome of the act I feel I should be a fan of but I just don’t follow. They’re a two member idol unit that are self-described as a “next generation” idol unit; however, their style is stylized and retro-feeling. Formed in 2007, they’ve since released three albums, ten singles, plenty of download-exclusive songs, a mini album, a best of album, and even collaborated with Tokyo Girls’ Style. The first time I became aware of Vanilla Beans was watching Music Japan’s female idol special in 2010, and since they’ve kept up a pretty steady stream of stuff.

The best way I’d describe Vanilla Beans is as a niche idol unit. They aren’t necessarily the most popular idol unit, but I don’t think that’s what they’re going for. Instead, they have a unique style that I don’t think I’ve seen in other idol groups. I’d imagine if you’re a huge Vanilla Beans fan, you love Vanilla Beans and they fill something that no other idol group can really fill.

Personally, while I really like their visual style, I’ve yet to have one of their songs grab me. It’s the type of song where I recognize why others might enjoy it, but they’re not a group I feel very compelled to visit more than once a year for my TIF posts. Still, I feel like Vanilla Beans is a group you have to experience to decide on if you’re going to follow them or not. If I was to hazard a guess, I’d guess that the majority of you aren’t going to be diehard Vanilla Beans fans. However, one or two of you might find them very compelling.

Barbee

An act I’m not so familiar with! However, they did perform at last year’s TIF. From what I can see from the limited information about them, they’re a four member unit (though recent performances feature five members, so maybe they didn’t update their picture?) with an average age of 18 (so not a really young unit). The earliest I can see from them is 2012. They’ve so far been on a compilation album, an anime song album, and have released one single, Wonderland. So this is another group that might be a tough one to follow. I think they are from the same company as Usa Usa Shoujo Club or they have some relation, because Barbee shows up on the same channel as them a lot on YouTube. Or they just perform together a lot. I’m not entirely sure.

The point is, this is a really difficult act to find much on if you’re not in Japan and you’re not able to go to their live events. Your interaction is mainly going to be watching performances on YouTube. There’s nothing wrong with that; that’s how I follow rev.from DVL. However, this is the type of thing you’re going to have to live with, so you should probably be really into the group.

As for Barbee, I really like Wonderland and they seem like solid performers. There’s nothing with the group that immediately compels me to follow them, but I like them well enough.

palet

Remember last post in which I talked about Passpo? Guess who’s the little sister group?

Palet is a now-six member idol unit formed of girls who failed in the audition to join Passpo. The unit was formed in 2012 and originally had seven members, but one graduated this March. One of the things that I think is very interesting is that Palet is very album-based. They’ve put out two albums so far and have another one scheduled. This is all before their major debut single, which comes out in November. So even though each album only had seven songs, they have a decent amount of music for a group that hasn’t put out a single yet.

Another thing to note is that Palet, while a sister group to Passpo, is not a big rock-focused group. Instead, they really seem to be more of a standard idol group, with every member having an image color and all of them doing more pop-y songs. They also don’t have the airline gimmick going on. So if those are the reasons that you like Passpo, Palet might not be your cup of tea.

That said, they seem like a very solid group; the members are all cute and this seems like a good group to follow. If you are into this formula of a pretty standard idol group, you should definitely check them out. I don’t know if I’ll become a huge Palet fan, but I really like them so far.

Power Spot

Power Spot is another Spiral Music group, the company behind Negaigoto and Takokusekigun. It’s a six member unit with girls between 16 and 21 that has so far put out five singles, the latest being Sweet Darling. Their name references their goal, which is to give power to their fans. Pretty typical idol goal, but it’s cute nonetheless. While I wouldn’t classify them as a rock unit, they do have a bit of power to their songs, I’ve noticed, which has further justified their name. The group was formed in 2011 but put out their debut single in 2012.

Watching some of their PVs, they seem like a group that has a really nice energy. Nothing about them is really revolutionary or stands out, but the girls themselves really seem like they’re having fun. They’re a happy bunch, and their PVs are very pleasant. Not necessarily the most interesting, mind you, but they’re cute and fun. If you have room for another pretty standard idol group in your life, you could do much worse than Power Spot.

Band Ja Nai mon!

Band Ja Nai Mon! is an idol group that was formed in 2012. Initially it was two girls, Misako and Kacchan, whose thing was playing drums on stage. However, this year they added 3 girls to the group making it a three member group. So far they’ve put out two singles and one mini-album.

While having two girls play drums is kind of a gimmick, the thing that stands out is just how interesting their music is. They have a definite rock influence, but some of the music I’ve heard feels very indie/alternative. Some of it feels really idol-y, too. However, it’s generally unique music. These girls don’t just play the drums a little; the music feels influenced by this. Which is good.

I really like these girls. If music is something you care about with idols, you should check them out. Not saying you’ll like it, necessarily, but it’s just interesting music. The vocals aren’t the greatest ever, and not everything is perfect, but it’s just interesting. Which I find to be better than perfect, personally.

Idol Thoughts: Line Distribution

Posted on October 2, 2013 by serenyty

By reading that title, I’m sure some of you shuddered. Line distribution. The dreaded topic of many idol fans.

One thing I’ve noticed, in my days as an idol fan, is that it seems to be a primary concern mainly for Hello! Project fans. It seems like with every single, or even every performance, is concerned with who got the most lines, who deserved solo lines, who didn’t deserve solo lines. This is just something I don’t see with many other groups, like AKB48 or Momoiro Clover Z. Sure, people may complain that a girl gets pushed forward too much, but no one really complains about who sings what.

This seems to be for a pretty obvious reason; AKB48 doesn’t focus as much on solo lines. However, I don’t see many people complaining about it in the Momoiro Clover Z fan groups, even if Kanako gets a big solo in favor of the other members singing. I think with Momoiro Clover Z, though, there’s more of an expectation that Kanako will get a big solo line. The line distribution is relatively fair, anyways, so occasional unevenness is forgiven.

The biggest thing, though, that sets H!P apart is just how tied together solo lines and how visible an idol is. Take Resonant Blue. The song is dominated by Takahashi Ai and Tanaka Reina, with some singing by Kusumi Koharu. There are bits from Niigaki Risa and Kamei Eri, one “Help Me!” from Michishige Sayumi, and pretty much nothing from Mitsui Aika, JunJun and LinLin. If you’re a fan of anyone other than Ai, Reina and Koharu, you barely see your favorite in the PV.

Since Hello!Project doesn’t have much of a TV presence as they once did, PVs are a very significant way you see your idol. For many Hello!Project fans, solo lines are related to close up shots and ways you see your favorite.

Still, I have to wonder about other groups. I don’t follow Super Girls’ fans as much; is the amount of exposure, say, Maeshima Ami gets a spot of contention? Do Passpo fans argue about the line distribution? Or is this almost a completely Hello!Project phenomenon.

As for what I think about line distribution, I think it really depends on what the group is going for. If you’re emphasizing the vocal skills of some while everyone dances (i.e. Fairies, Dancing Dolls), then this shouldn’t be compromised (though I think those groups really do a good job of promoting all their idols and not just focusing on the singing ones). However, if every member theoretically could thing, I think they really should sing.

Back in the platinum era of Morning Musume, it was hard to be a fan of a back girl. I really liked Mitsui Aika, but focusing on a girl who rarely got any kind of solo part or close up was flat out frustrating. I would often buy the songs off itunes, but I never thought of buying the physical singles, just because the songs focused too much on Ai and Reina. Nothing against those girls and their fans, but Reina and Ai just aren’t idols I particularly care about.

While many people remember Platinum era Musume fondly, their sales were declining. The group really wasn’t doing all that well, and, to be honest, I thought they would be close to disbanding around now. However, the group is doing very well now, even though conventional wisdom was that when a girl left, sales dropped. Why is it doing so well? Well, the idol boom has something to do with it. Idols are doing well in general now. Also their overall production level is up. You might not like the current music or PVs, but they have been putting more into both of these. However, I think the variety of girls in the group makes it even easier. If you don’t like Sayashi Riho or Oda Sakura, you might like Fukumura Mizuki. Or Ishida Ayumi. Or Sato Masaki. As much as people complain about, say, Suzuki Kanon’s lines, it’s easier to be a fan of more girls now than it was in the platinum era. Even if a couple of girls might not get many solo lines, they do a good job of giving everyone a little something, or more close ups. It’s not perfectly even by any means, but it’s better, which I think has to make a difference.

Still, this relates to my topic last week. If an idol is in the background, it’s harder to be a fan of her. The more girls that someone could be an easy fan of, the more potential fans you have. A more even line distribution, while not something that will guarantee sales growth, certainly can’t hurt.

Your Thoughts: The Death of the Solo Idol?

Posted on October 2, 2013 by serenyty

This week I got one response to my thoughts about solo idols. However, what a response it was! Steve from Selective Hearing wrote an article about his thoughts on solo idols. Now, since I won’t quote everything he wrote; you should just go read what he said. However, here’s a few of my thoughts on his response.

“As far as competing in the idol market today, in sales and popularity, I think soloists don’t even stand a chance, and the sales numbers and happenstance of the last few years seem to support this.”

I think this is very true. Steve goes on to describe how large groups allow people the idea that they can choose, and encourages people to only have one favorite (oshimen). Even though AKB48 isn’t my top idol group, even when I wasn’t really a big fan of the songs I felt like I should still follow the group. Now recently I’ve become a fan of Kawaei Rina, and that’s because there’s a big group to encourage variety. I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing; I would say the majority of AKB48 girls would stand a chance as a soloist. That said, I like that I can be a fan of a girl who isn’t exceptionally talented or cut out to be a solo idol. I liked following Hata Sawako, the girl who was extremely shy. I like that there’s a girl like Shimazaki Haruka out there.

That said, I definitely agree that large groups like AKB48 make it difficult to justify a soloist idol. Steve also mentions that the popularity of soloist idols is almost certainly because of their group, which I would agree with. However, I think it could be a bit more complicated than that. A friend of mine became a fan of Watanabe Mayu’s primarily through her solo work, and I know I’ve gained an appreciation for Mayu because of that. I’ve personally gained a bit of interest in Yokoyama Rurika from Idoling because of her solo career. She may have gotten her start through Idoling, but I know it piqued my interest in her. That said, while it may promote the group, I’d say the majority of the popularity comes from the group, not from the soloist.

In his article, Steve brings up the decline in solo idol acts, which it’s impossible to refute. However, I have to wonder about the economics of the whole situation. I know that usually the rationale goes “larger idol group = more fans = more profit,” but there are a lot of girls in AKB who aren’t popular. The majority of the money is driven by the top senbatsu members, and there are a lot of other girls who have to be paid (though idol acts don’t necessarily pay well). Could a smaller idol act be more profitable than a larger one, simply because a larger one takes up more resources? I suppose if this was the case, there would be more smaller acts. However, I think a lot of companies are trying to emulate the 48 group success. When that dies down, could solo idols make a comeback at all?

Steve also brings up a good point when bringing up soloists who do songs for anime and dramas. One of my favorite idols is Aso Natsuko, a soloist. She’s not very popular, and her biggest selling single did well because it was the opening theme to the anime “Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu.” However, even though she doesn’t sell very well, this has allowed her to keep going and have a fairly steady solo career. That said, she didn’t start singing because she was a seiyuu or for this anime, but she does release singles primarily as themes for something or another.

Steve also mentioned Idoling!!!, and wonders if the group focusing on solo efforts is part of a larger management that’s less risk-averse than, say, Hello!Project counterparts. This may be true, but Idoling’s biggest asset is its TV show on Fuji TV. Since Idoling was formed for this show, it’s a huge part of their identity, I’d say more than any one single or music release. The fact they have this relatively guaranteed support from Fuji TV, this allows them to be a little more risky with their music releases. Just a theory, though.

I would like to see more soloist idols, though. Matsuura Aya is one of my favorite idols of all time, and I love that she was able to perform on her own. She was an extremely charismatic and compelling idol, and I think she did better as a soloist than in any of the side groups she was placed in. I also think it’s a better venue for the more talented girls out there; I had no idea that Yokoyama Rurika was such a talented vocalist from my very casual Idoling fandom. However, her solo career has given me a new appreciation of her. From my experience meeting Aso Natsuko, there’s something special about watching an idol command a stage by herself, and I hope that more soloists debut soon. There’s a place for large groups and soloists, and I hope both of them find a place to coexist.

Review Monday: The Best ~Updated Morning Musume~

Posted on September 30, 2013 by serenyty

Happy Review Monday!

Full disclosure: I am primarily a classic Morning Musume fan. My favorite songs are some of the ones they updated in this album. Ishikawa Rika’s one of my top two favorite idols. That said, I am a fan of the current Morning Musume. I’m a big fan of Ishida Ayumi, and I really like the rest of the 10th gen in particular. I really admire the group for the past couple of singles.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised and happy about the current Morning Musume comeback. While I tend to focus on other idol groups, Hello!Project has a very special place in my heart. I’ve been especially pleased with seeing how much MM has emphasized being a new Morning Musume, instead of dancing in the shadows of Love Machine. This is why I was a little nervous when I heard about an album of remixes. On the one hand they’re making these classics their own; on the other hand, remixing old stuff is hardly letting it go. Some of the songs on this album are nearly perfect pop songs, in my opinion, and remixing them is pretty risky. So this album is really interesting, and I knew I just had to review it for this Review Monday.

1. Love Machine: This album goes in chronological order and starts with the big one – Love Machine. Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed they didn’t even try some of the older stuff. Ai no Tane and Morning Coffee I think would have been particularly interesting, and would highlight more of Morning Musume’s history. Was H!P like “nah, they can’t handle Memory Seishun no Hikari, so let’s not even try.”? Well, that’s probably true, but still. Morning Musume didn’t start with Love Machine, by any means.

That said, Love Machine’s a hard act to top. It’s easily Morning Musume’s most recognizable song. And so, in this remix, they did the wise decision of not doing too much except updating the instrumental a little. It sounds like the Dance*Man original, except changing a couple of things around and adding some new effects on vocals here and there. It seems that even in this new album of remixes that Morning Musume was hesitant to change much about the song. Which, IMO, is a good thing; this new version won’t replace the original, by any means, but I find it pleasant to listen to.

However, while I like that MM decided to play it safe, I can’t help but compare this to the wonderful ‘DD Jump’ by Dancing Dolls. The song is a remix of sorts of Love Machine, but makes it into an original song in its own right. It keeps the feel of Love Machine, but makes it something all its own.

Dancing Dolls DD JUMP by HDnakkyun

I’m not sure that Morning Musume would be able to do this; it’s too different. However, IMO this shows the possibility of remixes to make something completely new, and I almost wish that Morning Musume would be able to take more risks.

So I guess my consensus is that while I wish MM could have taken more risks with its signature song, it’s still very listenable and pleasant. 7/10.

2. I Wish: I Wish is one of those songs that has a lot of emotional baggage that comes with it. It’s a big song for Morning Musume’s 4th generation, which I’m a particular fan of. It was a graduation song for years, and Ishikawa Rika graduated to it. So I have a lot of strong feelings that go along with I Wish. The song’s really lovely in how it’s both moving and happy at the same time; it carries both emotional strength and happiness, which makes it perfect for graduations.

Which is why I just don’t think this cuts it. For me, the defining moment of I Wish is when it breaks into the first chorus. The verse up to then is soft and fairly quiet, but the chorus is just big and joyous. I get shivers every time I listen to it. However, the chorus in this remix is just underwhelming. I’m not quite sure why they had all the girls sing so staccato, but it’s the type of odd choice I could get past if I Wish got the feeling of the original right. And it just didn’t. The other big moment of the song is Kago Ai’s “Demo egao wa taisetsu ni shitai” near the end, and, while I’m not the biggest fan of Oda Sakura, she did it nicely. So Kudos, Sakura, you made one part of the song good.

If I divorce I Wish from its original context, I feel like I might be able to enjoy this more. However, it’s just impossible to take I Wish away from the original, and this remix does the worst thing a remix can do, which is remove everything that made the original great. Not impressed. 3/10

3. Renai Revolution 21: RR21 is the other big song of Morning Musume, after Love Machine. If you see Morning Musume do a medley, you’d better bet that Love Machine and RR21 are the two songs that they put in there. It’s also tied with the next song in this album for being my favorite Morning Musume single, and one I never get sick of.

And ehhh. I can definitely see where they’re trying to go with this rearrangement, but none of the elements feel cohesive. Frankly, it feels like a jumbled mess of elements.

This is also something I have to compare to another rearrangement, which is the Renai Revolution 21 remix for Hangry & Angry’s first single, Reconquista. There they manage to make it a song that not only fits Hangry & Angry’s sound, but is cohesive and pleasant to listen to. It’s definitely heavier and electronic influenced, but this fits H&A.

Morning Musume’s updated rearrangement, on the other hand, just feels jumbled and like they threw in various dubstep and techno things over the original and decided to call it a day. I don’t necessarily hate the various pieces that make up this arrangement, and parts of it could make a good rearrangement if they stuck to it for the whole song. The whole thing feels like it’s just trying to gild the lily; the original still fits today, so it just feels like they’re throwing on jumbled elements to try and make the new version stand out.

That said, I don’t really hate every bit of the song, and I really like some of it. Ultimately, as a whole, it’s just not very good. 5/10

4. The Peace: Full disclosure: Ishikawa Rika’s one of my top two idols of all time. As such, I’ve listened to The Peace a lot.

This is another song where I like it in theory, but there are parts I just don’t like. The opening sounds lovely, like it will be a pretty good rearrangement. But then they suddenly throw in all these dubstep elements. It feels more cohesive than the Renai Revolution 21 arrangement, though, so while the parts I like don’t necessarily shine through as much it’s still not bad. The ending’s not very good, either, and I don’t particularly like that.

Personally, this doesn’t come anywhere close to The Peace. However, I see where they’re coming with it, and I don’t necessarily hate it. I really like the opening, and so the sudden dubstep was disappointing. However, there’s enough good with it so that I just can’t completely hate this remix. 5/10

5.Souda! We’re Alive!: Perhaps it’s lighter than these other rearrangements so far, but I really like this. All the girls sound really nice in this song. Perhaps it’s because the original song just fits the youthful energy of the current group, but this is possibly the first time I feel like this song really fits the group.

This, much like the Love Machine arrangement, does a good job of balancing the original song and the way it feels with the new arrangement. This feels like the utter energy and happiness of Souda! We’re Alive but with an updated instrumental and arrangement. This is the type of thing that seems to be what they should be doing with these. Again, I’m not sure if I’d choose this over he original, but I definitely enjoy it. 8/10

6. The Manpower: I really like The Manpower. However I can’t for the life of me figure out why they decided to do this song. Why not one of the earlier MM songs like I mentioned earlier? Why not Shabondama, which would make sense given the presence of Sayumi. Why not Roman ~My Dear Boy~? Why not Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari, with updated lyrics, instrumental and members. I just don’t get it.

That said, I like this update. Even though I like it, I’d hardly consider The Manpower one of the great Morning Musume songs. I really like how the girls all play off each other, and sing really shorter solo lines (almost like the great song Dokusenyoku. There are some really lovely harmonies put in here as well.

This is possibly the only update I might like more than the original. The original was a good song, but never really stood out to me. This feels like it’s improving a lot on the original, taking a song that was fine and making it a lot more interesting. This is definitely my favorite update so far, and one I can see myself listening to in the future. 9/10

7. Aruiteru: You know how a couple of paragraphs ago I was questioning why they chose The Manpower? Double that for Aruiteru. WHY Aruiteru? It’s just such a bad song. I have nothing good to say about Aruiteru; IMO it is one of the worst singles Morning Musume has ever done. I’m just baffled as to why they chose Aruiteru and not one of the earlier singles or one of the later singles. If they wanted a #1 oricon single, why not Shouganai Yume Oibito? Why not every other song that Morning Musume has ever done?

I prefer this to the original. But that’s because the original is just so boring that nothing can really make it worse. This is a Sayumi solo song, and she doesn’t sound too bad but she doesn’t sound that great. Her voice isn’t one I necessarily need to listen to for a long time. She actually does songs like It’s You pretty well, but her voice doesn’t really fit the original that well.

This is OK. It’s improving a song, but that doesn’t say much. Aruiteru is already a song I never listen to, and I’m going to listen to this even less. 3/10

8. Renai Hunter: And now we’re up to mostly current members. It feels just so weird that, for an album that’s about updating and remixing, the majority of the songs are new ones. I guess they didn’t want to put in much work? Or pay for more rearrangements? That’s probably it, honestly.

Renai Hunter’s only real difference is an additional dubstep intro/break, as well as the updated member roster. So it all really comes down to how much I like the original. Which I really did; it’s a really solid single that reaffirmed my faith in Morning Musume after the very weak Pyoko Pyoko Ultra. Normally dubstep isn’t my thing, but Morning Musume did a pretty good job of incorporating those sounds in with a nice pop song.

This also cleans up the instrumental a bit and updates the member vocals, and I think overall they do a nice job with this. Riho’s vocals in particular have improved a lot since the original recording, and everyone in general sounds better. Sometimes the dubstep breaks go on a little long for my tastes, but I like the direction they went with updating this. 7/10

9. One Two Three: While I didn’t initially like One Two Three, it grew on me as Ayumi impressed me with her dancing in the dance shot.

This seems to update even less than Renai Hunter, just updating the vocals. And I’m not sure if it’s just me, or do the vocals here just sound strange? Whatever effect they put on them this time just sounds strange. I thought I would be more inclined to listen to this one, mostly because I’m not the biggest fan of Reina’s voice, but something about the effect they put on the members’ vocals just make them sound not very good. Which is odd. There are also places where it sounds like they reused vocals, which is kind of not cool.

This seems like it would be a straightforward update for a solid song, but even then Morning Musume figured out a way to mess it up. Figures. 5/10

10. Wakuteka Take a Chance: Much like the past two, they didn’t update this much, just the vocals. Even then, they didn’t seem to update everything; there are definitely lines that are just taken from the old recordings, mixed in with new ones. It makes it kind of distracting, and a hodgepodge of an old recording and a new one.

I normally like this song, but I just can’t get past the way that vocals are being reused. It just makes it odd and distracting, which is not something you want from a song. 5/10

11. Help Me!! Same as the last; the instrumental is the same, they updated some of the vocals and reused some of the old ones. The result is a weird hodgepodge of old vocals and new vocals. Since it sounds like they just updated a little bit (the opening narration is the same and a lot of the lines that Riho and Sakura have stay the same), it is a lot less noticeable than some of the other songs. However, they update just enough that it’s distracting while listening to.

I don’t like this as much as I like Morning Musume’s subsequent releases (Brainstorming and Wagamama Ki no Mama Ai no Joke), and the PV for Help Me is absolutely horrendous. However, I enjoy a lot about the song. I just see zero reason to listen to this version over the original. The one reason I can think of is that Sakura sounds pretty good in here, for some of the lines she covers from Reina. I normally don’t care much for her voice, but she sounds nice here. 6/10

12. Brainstorming: Like the others, this is just updating vocals. Nothing sounds strange like One Two Three, and there are only a couple of lines that are redone, namely the ones that Reina did.

The lines that are redone stick out like a sore thumb, but other than that I still like Brainstorming a lot. However, the few Reina lines stick out so much that I don’t think I’ll listen to this all that much. 7/10

13. Kimi Sae Ireba Nani mo Iranai: In my initial review of this single I preferred the Brainstorming half of the single, while liking Kimi Sae. However, I think the redone solo lines in this are just a bit better than in Brainstorming. This is basically because most of the vocals are very heavily autotuned, but hey I’ll take whatever I can get with this album. This is still a really solid song that I really enjoy. Again I’m not quite sure how much I’ll listen to this, given the fact that it’s just the same as the old one, but hey. 7/10

14. Wagamama Ki no Mama Ai no Joke: Since this was just released, nothing has changed or been redone with Ai no Joke. I really enjoy this song a lot, perhaps even more than I initially liked Brainstorming. There’s a really good energy and pace to the song. It’s high energy, but doesn’t feel rushed. It features the shouted “Aisaretai” lines, which I really enjoy. The titular line “Wagamama Ki no Mama Ai no Joke” and its subsequent “Onna no ko ni dake wakaru talk” is, in my opinion, a really good case of lyrics writing. Not necessarily because of what it means, but because it gives the lyrics a really good rhythm.

The song’s just fun and emphasizes the type of group Morning Musume has become. If you don’t like the current Morning Musume’s style, I don’t expect you’d be a big fan of Ai no Joke. However, if you’re really into fun songs and the type of dubstep-influenced, high energy, electronic-sounding music that MM has gotten into lately, I’d expect you’d adore Wagamama Ki no Mama Ai no Joke. 9/10

15. Wolf Boy: Wolf Boy is the only completely new song on this album. Another Morning Musume song that was only on a best off album was Say Yeah! Motto Miracle Night, which happens to be one of the most fun Morning Musume songs ever, and is a song I’m convinced drove the sales for that Best Of Album.

Perhaps this is an unfair comparison, because how do you even begin to compare with Say Yeah Motto Miracle Night? But still, it is the first thing I thought of when I first saw they would have one new song, Wolf Boy.

As expected, it’s nowhere even close to Say Yeah. However, it’s still a really nice song; I like the instrumental, especially. It fits in with the cooler, electronic style that they’re going for. It doesn’t quite have the same energy of, say, Brainstorming and Kimi Sae Ireba, but this definitely sets it apart. The song itself isn’t catchy, and I’m not sure how much staying power it’ll have. But it’s certainly not bad. 7/10

Overall: This is an album of missed opportunities, baffling choices, and overall issues. There are a few tracks on here I enjoy, but for the most part these reimagining of Morning Musume classics (and new songs) do not do the originals justice.