NMB48 6th Single [Kitagawa Kenji] 1st Week Sales+ Review

NMB48's 6th single [Kitagawa Kenji], released November 7, finished its first week selling 317,051 copies. Despite lower 1st day sales, this single sold slightly more than the previous one [Virginity] (315,205) in first week.

[Kitagawa Kenji] also tops the Oricon Weekly Charts, marking the 5th weekly number-one for NMB48. Ironically, NMB48's only single that did not top the weekly charts, [Nagiichi], had the group's best weekly sales of 375,785, almost 60 k more than [Kitagawa Kenji].

Kitagawa Kenji
Personally I think this is one of NMB48's best songs. It's very energetic, fun, cute and catchy. It represents NMB48 perfectly. Same is to say about the PV, which is very colourful, cute and fun to watch. The unusual title gives it a special touch.

Hoshizora no Caravan
Shirogumi's song is a cute idol song. It's nothing special but it has an interesting intro, a nice Sayaka solo at the beginning and a heartwarming, encouraging PV. 

Renai Higai Todoke
Unlike Shirogumi, Akagumi's song is very unusual and a bit weird. The chorus sounds kind of hyperactive and it might sound annoying to some people. Personally I like the song, though it needs some time to get used to. It's great that they try unusual stuff.

In Goal
This single has several cute idol songs, and out of them this is my least favourite. It's ok but overall rather boring. I don't know why and I am probably the only one hearing it, but the intro slightly reminds me of christmas songs...

Fuyushougun no Regret
Just like the previous Namba Teppoudai song, this one is a generic cutesy idol song. I usually don't go for this type of songs, but this one is actually nice with a catchy chorus. But like last time, they combined a cool PV with such a cute song. It just doesn't fit and I wish they don't try that again.

Nemuku naru made hitsuji wa dete konai 
I am no fan of ballads, but it's nice to have one once in a while. It's not that much different from usual idol ballads but at least it's not boring. The chorus is nice and relaxing.


Overall I think this is a nice single, with a great A-side and some nice couplings. As for the sales, it seems like NMB48 has reached its peak. As long as they stay stable and don't drop much, that is perfectly fine, because those are great numbers compared to most other artists.
 

 

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AKB48 Album [1830m] 1st week Sales + Review

AKB48's second original album [1830m] sold 870,621 copies in its first week. Compared to the 601,985 copied sold of their last album [Koko ni Ita Koto], total sales rose by 45 percent.

This makes it the second album of a female group to cross the mark of 800 thousand copies sold 1st week next to SPEED's 1998 album "Rise".

First Rabbit

It was a wonderfully optimistic and bittersweet ending to the movie and it's a perfect start into the album. One of the best songs of the year.

Renai Sousenkyo

Smooth sailing. I really want to like this song more, but on a scale from zero to ten I can only give it a five. It would be a perfectly adequate b-side for any single. Not much to either dislike or rave about. It's fitting they'd use this song to promote the upcoming 1/153 video game.

Hate

A lukewarm start into Disc 2. The lyrics are interesting; something new and unusual for AKB, dealing as the title suggests, with very negative feelings like ignorance and jealousy. The arrangement doesn't do much for me. It has a touch of 80s to it - which isn't bad, but the vocals sound strangely like something more common to k-pop. It doesn't really do the best job in hyping you up for what's to come.

Plastic no Kuchibiru

This one does though. It's one remarkable track. I'm impressed and weirded out by it at the same time.
As a song it works much better than "Hate". The autotuning works in favor of it. This is autotune like it's used in synthpop, not to improve vocal performance; I'm sure Mariko can sing this well enough.
It's funky, with clever lyrics and extremely repeatable. But it sure isn't AKB or even idol pop in general. I'm almost listening to it like to something completely unrelated to the album. Guess I'm not the only one who's getting a Perfume/Utada Hikaru ("traveling" etc.) vibe. Another group should release this as a single. Or Mariko herself as her solo debut. Would be an interesting direction to go into.

Omoide no Hotondo

Really beautiful, personal and solidly written ballad for Atsumina with solid vocal performances by both of them. The lyrics are moving, dealing with Acchan's feelings about graduating and Minami/fellow group members.
I would love to see a video of them both recording this song together in the studio.

Iede no Yoru

Very powerful song. Lyrics and music fit just great. The soaring intro and chorus give a feeling of freedom and hope. I imagine it to be a very energetic choreography if they perform this at Tokyo Dome. I want to see them running to this.

Scandalous ni ikou

Seeing that title I expected something with a little more bite, but the song's solid enough. It does fit the two quite well genre-wise. Yuko sounds like she's having a great time.

No Count

It's totally in line with some other fun Team B songs. Natsuki, Amina, Tomomi, Kana seem pretty prominent. I don't like listening to it as much as some of the other songs, but seeing it as part of a stage with a similar kind of quirky choreography like K4th's [16-nin Shimai no Uta] should be entertaining.

Avogado janee shi

Really like it. Actually no, I love it. I'm usually not much into these uber-cutesy songs about fruits but this is one's simply so annoying it's good. Ridiculous in its catchiness. I can't wait to see them perform this at Tokyo Dome.
Is the "uwhoohoo" a little homage to [Idol nante yobanaide] or am I reading too much into it?

Chokkaku Sunshine

Aki-P sure knows which songs to give to which teams. This one probably couldn't sound any more Team 4-ish. Not an oustanding track but it does its job. Enjoyable enough.

Bokutachi wa ima hanashiaubeki nan da

Interesting choice of duet, although I'm not quite sure if I understand why it's these two, apart from the novelty of it. Tomochin gets a little nasal at times but she doesn't make as bad an impression compared to Yukirin as one might fear. Yukirin doesn't disappoint.

Sakuranbo to Kodoku

I'm not sure what they are trying to do with the intro here. Considering these are the kenkyuusei, I wanted something a little fresher and lively. Didn't have to be another [First Rabbit], but this one feels a tad too lackluster and reserved for the younglings.

Daiji na Jikan

Wonderful, wonderful ballad. [Sakura no Shiori] has always held a special place in my heart and I'm glad they're going back every once in a while to singing songs with a more subdued backing track. Everything is in harmony here.

Itsuka mita Umi no Soko

Good-old carefree and generic AKB. What else do you want?
I'm starting to get a little worried about Ozawa-san though. His previous efforts [Mittsu no Namida] and [Aishiteraburu] really do make it sound as if he's building all his songs from the same collection of bricks.

Guu guu Onaka

Like [Hone Hone Waltz] (which isn't exactly part of my more treasured memories of early AKB) it sounds like it was made to animate kindergarten kids. It's cute and not taking itself seriously at all. I feel it would work better as a "hidden track" at the end of the album.

Yasashisa no Chizu

This song is good until you get to the chorus, which sounds really uninspired to me with just too much of the same monotone percussion. Maybe one of the weaker songs of the bunch. Sorry. I really like the rest of it though. Someone write this song a new chorus.

Itterasshai

Really soothing song with a pretty chorus, but the verses let you wait for it. All you want to hear is that chorus that we already know in part from the WONDA commercials. I guess having seen those 15-second clips so many times, we've gotten too used to just hearing that part.

Aozora yo samishikunai ka?

It's the group's (or whole franchise's) farewell to Acchan. A good closing number with beautifully melancholic lyrics before Acchan's quasi-epilogue.

Sakura no Hanabira (Maeda Atsuko solo ver.)

I don't think much needs to be said here. Only thing I might change is to give it a just slightly cleverer piano accompaniment. It could be less heavy in the second half. But let's not search for something negative; it's an absolutely wonderful song.

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NMB48 5th Single [Virginity] 1st Week Sales + Review

EDIT: Added in the review

NMB48's 5th single [Virginity], released on August 8, has finished its first week with 315,205 copies sold. With this single, NMB48 reached the Number 1 spot in the Weekly Oricon charts, something they did not manage to do with the previous single [Nagiichi].

But even though the single ranked higher than [Nagiichi], sales went down. [Nagiichi] first week sales were 375,785 copies, which is about 60,000 copies more than [Virginity] sold.

We have seen some sales drop for recent subgroup releases but I did not think it would affect the big groups. I hope this is not a general trend. It's great that they are back to number one though.

Virginity
Personally, I like the singles main song a lot. It is pretty catchy and while it is still a usual idols song it gives me some retro vibes sounding a bit like old idol songs. The only problem I have with this song are the lyrics. NMB48 had the topic of virginity and purity already in Junjou U-19 and while Junjou U-19 still told some kind of believable story, Virginity doesn't. I hope they dont stick to this line.

Mousou Girlfriend
This song is amazing. I think it is the most catchy song out of the single and it just screams "cuteness". The PV with the girls in cat outfits is great fanservice.

Bokura no Regatta
I am pretty disappointed about this single's Shirogumi song. It's rather boring and generic. What saves the song for me is the PV though. The girls are dressed up in historical dresses visiting a ball. It is unusual and the girls look amazing.

Sonzai shitenai Mono
Just like shirogumi's song, Akagumi's is another boring idol song. Usually Shirogumi and Akagumi have different sounding songs but this time they are quite similar. I would even say they are interchangeable. But again the PV saves it. It has an unusual concept showing the story backwards.

Sunahama de Pistol
And here we have the next boring song. I also don't like the vocals, personally I'd say they are weak. Additionally, the song and the PV where the girls look so fierce and badass just does not fit. But generally I welcome the idea of a new kind of unit. Ripopo as center gives her some nice exposure.

Chotto Nekoze
This song is predictable but still sounds like fun. It has a catchy chorus. One of the better b-sides in my opinion.

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NO NAME 1st Single [Kibou ni Tsuite] 1st Week Sales + Review

AKB0048's Seiyuu unit NO NAME's debut single [Kibou ni Tsuite] sold 46,598 copies in it's 1st week ranking at #3. Considering that this single had no handshake events, very little promotions and being an anime tie-in single at that, 46K is actually pretty decent so congratulations to the unit!

Kibou ni Tsuite (希望について)

The song used for the anime's opening, it translates to "About Hope". The song of course has that anime feeling to it with it the verses transiting to a fast pace chorus. I love that  rock-ish bridge between this song after second chorus.

Yume wa Nandemo Umarekawaru (夢は何度も生まれ変わる)

The ending track of the anime, this one is more subtle compared to the a-side almost a ballad but not quiet. The beginning music really entranced me, a sort of chiming tune. The song is all about how dreams are reborn again and again with the girls singing the chorus ~Yume wa Reincarnation~ (dream are reincarnations).

Niji no Ressha (虹の列車)

This track was used for the last episode's ending and unlike the first two tracks, this song had the AKB Undergirls feeling to it. Generic and cute, and all that idol feeling this song had.

Overall: Best subunit for me with a fabulous single. I love all the tracks and I cannot wait for second season of AKB0048.

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French Kiss 5th Single [Romance Privacy] 1st Week Sales + Review

French Kiss' 5th single [Romance Privacy] sold 85,011 copies on the first week getting #2 spot on the Oricon charts.  This is a huge drop from their last single [Saisho no Mail] which sold 133,662 on it's first week.

Romance Privacy (ロマンス・プライバシー)

The new single is definitely atop Saisho no Mail and while this is of course your typical French Kiss song, I'm still not so a fan of it. The group's a-side are probably not to my taste but it's a generic idol like song and the verses sound really really generic to me. I love how the chorus goes though.

Rainy day

This has to be my favorite b-side. While their a-sides haven't impressed me, I do love the groups b-side. This is such a melodious ballad. I do think this should have been an a-side but at least we got a PV.

Bin no Futa (瓶の蓋)

I liked this track. It has that French Kiss style but still it's a very light song, a song that would make you drowsy and put you to a deep sleep. Though I hear Yukirin more than Mocchi and Akicha all over this song.

Biorhythm (バイオリズム)

 We get a fun song with really upbeat beats, Biorhythm isn't a fast paced disco song like I thought it would be when I first saw the name but it has got some nice beats which makes this a song unlike any other that French Kiss has done and I definitely love it.

Kazanbai (火山灰)

Yukirin's solo is flawless as usual. Her solos really hasn't disappointed me up till now and neither does this ballad. I hope we get to see different type of songs in her solo single and not just ballads though.

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Maeda Atsuko 2nd Single [Kimi wa Boku da] 1st Week Sales + Review

Maeda Atsuko's 2nd single [Kimi wa Boku da] sold 136,212 copies and ranked #2 on the charts. She sadly lost of to EXILE but at least she beat Sasshi's [Soredemo Suki da yo] which sold 124,483 on it's first week.

[Flower] her debut single on the other hand had a sale of 176,967 copies on it's first week.

Kimi wa Boku da (君は僕だ)

The a-side is fun to listen too. It's got this really nice guitar tune to it at the beginning. Acchan's vocals have improved so much compared to her first single. This song always makes me so happy whenever I listen to it

Migikata (右肩)

This deserved to be an A-side too. My favorites b-side from the single. Actually my favorite track from the whole single. I rarely like ballads but [Migikata], this song really has a huge impact on me. I love Acchan's vocal in this. This ballad is superb!

Toomawari (遠回り)

The beginning of Toomwari isn't something I prefer but beside that, this song makes good use of Acchan's vocals. The chorus is the best part of the song for me.

Aishi sugiro to...(愛しすぎろと。。。)

This song is too much like a Taylor Swift song, I'm not joking. With the guitar tune and how this song is sort of a light ballad, you'd mistake this as a Taylor Swift song in the beginning. I like this track but probably my least favorite track from the single.

Sunday Drive

I absolutely love this song, it's just a simple track that makes use of guitar and piano music. This is the sort of song you would want to hear, just lying back and relaxing.

Tatami (畳)

The theater exclusive b-side is such a sweet ballad. But this song, it reminds me of Christmas because it has a sort of Christmas tune to it in the chorus.

Overall: Acchan at her best! I think with her graduation announcement, a lot of pressure was lifted from her and her singing plus her acting potential (if you see the PV of Kimi wa Boku da) is finally reaching the heights it was meant to. Happy for you Acchan!

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SKE48 [Aishiteraburu!] 1st Week Sales + Review

SKE48's 9th single [Aishiteraburu!] sold 472,327 copies in it's first week, grabbing the #1 spot. SKE nearly gave us a scare on the first day when they only sold 98K but was obviously due the theater editions not being shipped because the next day there was an instant surge of 288K.

[Kataomoi Finally] though had a first week sale of 495,809 so they were 23K short from winning their previous single. None the less, 472K is great and this single should be able to cross 500K too.

Aishiteraburu!

I love [Aishiteraburu!] SKE's upbeat songs are always amazing. This is like [Oki Doki] but like with lots and lots of sugar. The type of sweetness that people would like though, not an overdose. The song just literally makes me want to scream "I RABU YOU" and "Aishiteru!". I expected the summer single to be a bit like [Pareo wa Emarald] but then it was something I liked more than last year's summer single.

Me ga Itai Kurai Hareta Sora / 5th Generation Kenkyuusei

The 5th gen Kenkyuusei's get a song for themselves which is available in all types. Promoting the new gens I guess? [Me ga Itai Kurai Hareta Sora] is actually a ballad, and a pretty decent ballad. It's not bad but it's not the best in this single either. I found this to be the weakest track in the single, but that's just me because ballads rarely impress me.

Halation / Selection 8

When I first heard [Halation], the first thing that went on my mind was "Where has this Selection 8 been all my life?". Halation is probably the highlight of this single for me. It's got the members whose vocals are amazing. It's also the song that has a cool vibes to it, that I usually prefer. Best song in the single for me!

Aun no Kiss / Shirogumi

Shirogumi as usual gets the cute song. Usually Shiro's song even if they are cute always isn't the most impressive, if you compare the songs with Aka's. Last single's [Hanikami Lollipop] was amazing and while even this is your typical Shiro song, I like Aun no Kiss.

Nante Ginga wa Akarui no Darou / Akagumi

Akagumi has another dark song in their belt with [Nante Ginga wa Akarui no Darou]. I happen to be a sucker for such songs by the way. The verses are nothing new but the chorus part is what really attracts me to this song. It's also a song that would fit a anime ending, very anime-esque in my opinion.

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Sashihara Rino Debut Single [Soredemo Suki da yo] 1st Week Sales + Review

This week was Sashihara Rino VS Nogizaka46 with Nogizaka46 gaining #1 and Sasshi #2 with sales of 124,483 copies sold. Nogizaka on the other hand had a sale of 155,567 copies. Sasshi's theater edition sales was not counted as it contained 5 tracks and Oricon only considers singles with 4 songs as a proper single.

The theater edition sold around 12K and could have achieved a 136K weekly sakes but she still beat Mayuyu's [Synchro Tokimeki] by 1K. Mayuyu's first week sales is 123,237.

Soredemo Suki da yo

Upon first listen, you recognize right away that this is a song sung by an idol, cheerful, peppy, and full of raw energy. In the lyrics, Sasshi describes herself as an pessimistic girl lacking any charms whatsoever; but for the very sake of catching the eyes of her crush, she will put on a smile and turn into a bright and cute girl. The hook is undeniably catchy, and the most memorable part of this song is when Rino shouts 'suki da yo' at the top of her lungs.

Hatsukoi Hills

The main b-side of this single is another standard fare idol song. Compared to the title track, Hatsukoi Hills has a calmer and less rockfish melody. Though this track may sound rather generic the first few listens, it grows on you when set on repeat. The refrain is lovely and sugary sweet as Sashihara uses a more youthful and natural voice to sing her feelings.

Renai Sousenkyo

This is originally a song performed by all of YM7 to celebrate their victory over YJ7. The autotune is very obvious in this song, and you can tell that Sasshi is straining to hit those high notes. Her voice falls rather flat, and I don't think this song works very well when sung solo. Tune-wise, the instrumentals are nicely strung together, and the guitar work is also a pleasant additional touch.

Itoshiki Natasha

A nice change of pace from the rest of the single, Itoshiki Natasha is a rock number with a more mature and cool feel. Easily one of best stage songs performed by Sasshi. She may not be a standout singer, but is nonetheless a great entertainer who does well in infusing passion into her performances.


Yeah! Meccha Holiday

A cover of one of Matsuura Aya's hit songs. As we all know, Sasshi is known to be a big wota herself; she is fans of many idols, and especially admires idols groups such as Morning Musume. and C-ute from Hello!Project. I love that she is able to add her own special touch to this song. Tsunku, H!P's producer, is known for writing very wacky songs from his idols, and I believe this track fits perfectly with Sasshi's eccentric personality. This rendition of a nostalgic idol hit is really top Sashihara quality!

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Itano Tomomi Single [10nen go no Kimi e] 1st Week Sales + Review

Itano Tomomi's 3rd solo single [10nen go no Kimi e] ended its first week in second place,  losing only to popular boy group SMAP.  The single sold nearly 73000 units, which is less than either her first or second singles, but still fairly decent.  Hopefully the declining trend in sales will pick back up for subsequent releases!














This single featured several different versions, and included a B-side song for which Itano wrote her own lyrics.

In any case, on to the review!


10nen go no Kimi e (10年後の君へ)

Nostalgic music box is what the opening sequence reminds me of.  This song is perfectly the genre of song that gets to me - sort of a melancholy fast ballad.  I love the verses, probably more so than the chorus itself (although I'll admit the chorus is catchy too), and the backing rhythm is just wonderful - some sort of chacha?  I adore how Tomochin sounds when she sings low, and this mood of song really fits perfectly with the slightly husky/raspy timbre that she tends to have.  I wish she didn't sound so forced when she sings higher/louder - that's the only that really detracts from my enjoyment of this song.  Take care of your vocal chords, Tomochin!!

Clone

Her transition into head voice is actually really good in this song!! If only her high range always sounded this nice.  I love the juxtaposition of her head voice with the purr that she gets in her voice when she drops to the lowest notes.  As for the song itself, I feel sort of neutral about it - the melody I don't find particularly compelling, but it does have a very bad-ass sort of feel about it that I think Tomochin does a good job of portraying.  It makes me think of dancing in a crowded nightclub, is what it does :-P

deal feat. NO-FACE

Angst seems to be the theme du jour.  I love the little opening flourish, but I wish she didn't sound like she was pushing her sound again.  Her little adlibs are just lovely though!  The song itself doesn't really catch my ears.  The melody isn't that catching, maybe even a little boring, nothing particularly memorable about it.  I'm... not at all a fan of Mr. Way-too-auto-tuned Backup-singer-rapper...  Overall, I can't say I'll really spend a lot of time re-listening to this song, given that Tomochin doesn't exactly sound her best here and the song just isn't to my taste.

Always I need you

Love love love this song!  Maybe just because I like the sort of Euro-trance feel of the beat and background instrumental.  It definitely got stuck in my head and had me sort of dancing around my room to it ^_^ The constant drumbeat and the synth-ey sound just sound like the right combination to go with the song.  Definitely a song I can groove to, plus Tomochin sounds really good here!  She for certain needs to stick to a lower range - it'll be healthier for her voice and she just sounds so good low!

lose-lose

This is the song she lyricized herself, so I was really eager to hear it.  I think she did a nice job!  Maybe more consecutive repetitions of specific phrases than I think sounds good, but hey, I can't do any better :-P  The composition itself is pretty nice - I'm not a big fan of some of the intervals used, but at least it makes the melody interesting and the backing beat is pretty catchy.  I especially love the bridge section - it's pretty and she carries the sound nicely there.

Seifuku Resistance (Itano Solo Ver.) (制服レジスタンス (板野ソロ Ver.)

One of those stage songs that I now think of as very much a Tomochin trademark style (and I mean this in the best of ways - she is darn good at pulling off this type of song).  I've always loved the way she sounds (and looks XD) in the stage videos I've seen of this song, and she does not disappoint here!  The song is extremely catchy, and her voice is smooth as melted butter.  I cannot express in words what this does to me... I love it!  Her voice purrs in all the right places and breaks at all the right moments ^_^

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DiVA [Lost the way] First Week Sales + Review

DiVA's [Lost the way] achieved #3 on the weekly chart selling 65,353 copies. DiVA's previous single [Cry] had sold 56,053 copies in its first week. The girls beat their 2nd single by approximately 9000 copies. Congrats girls!!

Since their style is different from the usual idol style, their sales are the weakest compared to other AKB48 subunits and knowing that their sales increased is definitely a good sign.

Lost the way
DiVA comes with under upbeat song, which doesn't disappoint me. As usual the vocals from the members are strong and powerful. The instrumentals used in the track are really superb as well.

Kanashimi no Mirage (悲しみのMirage)
While [Lost the way] was a bit more upbeat, this track has upbeat instrumental too but isn't as fast as the previous tracks. I found the members vocal to be much more pleasing here instead of the a-side.

Stargazer -2012 Here I am cuz of U- (Masuda Yuka from DiVA)
I found no difference between Yuka's original version and the DiVA version to be honest. The instruments were a bit more heavy and emphasizing in this remake. Yuka's vocal are of course amazing.

Kimi wa Pegasus -DiVA ver- (君はペガサス)
And we have another stage song that has been DiVA-tized. [Kimi wa Pegasus] is from Team K's 3rd stage [Nounai Paradise] and I will just say this just sounds like the original was remixed. Even then, I think I still prefer the original.

Kimi wa Pegasus -Original Ver- (君はペガサス)
I still don't get the point of this. Remaking is one thing but covering the same thing again too? But then again its a sort of a shuffle we've always wanted. Its the same thing as original, just with different vocals.


Overall: Their singles never seem to disappoint me while I still prefer Cry over this, even though DiVA who has a different music style compared to the usual idol music, is one of the best subunit in my opinion. Also very glad that the new members are just back dancers and not vocal participants otherwise the whole point of "Dance&Vocal Unit from AKB48" would be meaningless.

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Watanabe Mayu [Synchro Tokimeki] 1st Week Sales + Review

Watanabe Mayu's debut single [Synchro Tokimeki] claimed the #2 spot with first week sales of 123,437 units.

Comparatively, this single sold more in its first week than fellow AKB48 soloist Itano Tomomi's [Fui ni] at 90k units, but it was not enough to outsell Yamashita Tomohisa, despite narrowly beating him for the #1 spot in first day sales.

That said, this is a good start for Mayuyu's solo career, and given her popularity, we can hope that subsequent releases will do even better.

And onto a brief review!



Synchro Tokimeki (シンクロときめき)
The title track is an upbeat catchy song, and fits Mayuyu's cute voice and image to a T. It's definitely one of those songs that could get stuck in your head, and the instrumental backing track is very well done. Compositionally, the song is pretty simple (which makes it a good earworm). The little background vocal interjections are adorable and the harmonic progression keeps the song from being boring despite the simple melody.


Mitsuami no Kimi e (三つ編みの君へ)
This song sounds fairly standard for AKB48 fare, not that the A-side isn't, but for some reason this song just feels less than remarkable to me. It's certainly a lovely song and Mayuyu's voice fits the style well, but there's nothing that particularly catches my attention. It did for some reason conjure mental images of opening sequences of some sort of mahou shoujo anime, if that's worth anything though ^_^;;


Shinjuku Yuutousei (新宿優等生)
Oh, very interesting, this song proves that Mayuyu does in fact have a more mature voice than she usually lets on! And I really quite like it! This song seems to be the angsty power ballad of this single, and I find the melody very compelling - those upward leaps of her voice sound really nice, and I'm incredibly happy that she executes them with such good control and subtlety when switching to her headvoice.


Lavender no Juutan (ラベンダーのジュータン)
This song is back to happy idol-pop style, but with a more rocky flavor than the A and B-sides. To its credit, it did have me bobbing my head to the beat, but the melody is a bit too linear and repetitive for me to really find a liking for it. That said, I'm sure there will be many people who find it quite catchy, and I will say that the instrumental sets up a brilliant rhythm and pace for the song - good workout music?


Mayuyuroid (マユユロイド)
This is an excellently unique song, to be sure and I quite like the little intro bit! I'm not fond of autotune, which detracts a bit, but I know why they use it and I wholly approve of the concept, even if my ears disagree with the resultant timbre. This is a very sweet song and very different from the other songs in this single, which is nice!


Saba no Kanzume (サバの缶詰)
Even just the first bar tells you that in for a very different experience from the rest of the single. In fact, it sounds like she's trying out an enka thing too, and OH MY GAWSH she sounds fantastic here. I think I can conclude that a majority of the OOO48 girls would sound much better if they just bothered to sing with more of their mature voice and less of their squeaky voice... Mayuyu's voice sounds very nice and rounded out here. Her attempts at melisma annoy me a bit, because she doesn't quite pull it off right, but that's understandable, since that's a difficult thing to learn even for someone who normally sings in this style. And the weird attempt at dramatic gasping at the last chorus doesn't work... at all... But all in all, definitely a departure from her usual cutesy image, but she executes it quite well vocally!

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Nogizaka46 [Guruguru Curtain] 1st Week Sales + Review

Oricon released their weekly charts last week and the first week sales for Nogizaka46's debut single [Guruguru Curtain] is 136,309.

As expected, they lost to Johnny's group Hey!Say!JUMP. But nevertheless 2nd place with 136k is still good for their debut single. Congratulations girls!

I guess I was expecting too much from them. After all NMB48's debut single [Zetsumetsu Kurogami Shoujo] sold 131k on Day 1 and 218k on just Week 1.

Before my review, I just want to point out that I have seen a large number of people intentionally hating Nogizaka46 just because they are rivals. Personally I don't really see them so much as a rival group, but instead like the AKBIdoling!!! collaboration on 2009.

Guruguru Curtain (ぐるぐるカーテン)
When I first heard it I thought it was quite catchy and stuck on my head, but after some time I quickly got bored of it. That drum rhythm gets irritating quickly. Overall it's an okay song, cute and has a very simple choreography, kinda like AKB48's debut single Sakura no Hanabiratachi.

The PV especially feels really plain and low budget. It's like all the budget for the single went to Aitakatta Kamoshirenai and the 33 special videos in the single. I like the monochrome classroom scenes in the PV though.


Hidari mune no Yuuki (左胸の勇気)
it sounds just like your standard AKB undergirls song. If I hadn't known before I listened to it I would have even mistaken it for one. I like it better than most of the other undergirls songs actually.

Oh yeah how come this song doesn't have a PV like the other 3 tracks in Guruguru Curtain?


Nogizaka no Uta (乃木坂の詩)
Nogizaka46's theme song, and it's about not giving up and moving forward. At one point of the song the girls sing in the in accompaniment "Don't look back! Go my way!   Don't give up! Good luck now!"
The lyrics are nice, but I really dislike repetitive lyrics and totally can't stand the "WOW WOW WOW WOW" in the song. The cheorography is weird too.

Just like in Guruguru Curtain, the PV for Nogizaka no Uta is plain and featureless. Have they completely run out of budget? Well it's one way of bringing attention to the 33 Nogizaka46 members, who are dressed in contrasting purple tracksuits.

The girls seem to be at some sort of training camp where they are shown doing various exercises.  Then there are some crying scenes for people with that kind of fetish, and a strip scene because otherwise there isn't much else to watch in the PV.


Aitakatta Kamoshirenai (会いたかったかもしれない)
Perhaps the most anticipared song of this single, and it's not even an original song lol. Aitakatta Kamoshirenai is Nogizaka46's cover of AKB48's famous Aitakatta, but a much more darker version. And frankly I prefer this darker version. The whole "I can do it better than you" has worked for me.

There's actually 2 versions to the PV, the normal version and the "original cut". But there's not really much difference between the two and you really have to know where to look to see it. A complete waste of DVD space, they could have instead created a PV for Hidari mune no Yuuki. I guess they ran out of budget.

Will Nogizaka46 release a dark version of an AKB song in every single? I hope so because I really enjoyed Aitakatta Kamoshirenai


Ushinaitakunai kara (失いたくないから)
A ballad song, of course it wouldn't be an Akimoto Yasushi produced single without a ballad included. It's a nice ballad too actually, better than most of the recent ballads released by the 48s'. Good to listen to after a hard day's work.

On to the PV now. At last there is something in the background this time, which helps accentuates the girls, who are dressed in beautiful white tutus. In between the studio scenes, there are clips showing the early days of Nogizaka46. Vocal tranining, dance training, image training, rehearsals for Guruguru Curtain, and a bonus clip at the end showing poor Ikoma-chan doing something no idol should ever be shown doing ^^;;.

IMO Ushinaitakunai kara has the best PV in the entire single. This would definitely have been a better "Nogizaka46 theme song" than Nogizaka no Uta.


OVERALL
Overall I think the single is quite average, but definitely not living up to the hype that it created when Nogizaka46 was announced. When you hear that they are an "official rivals" you kinda expect them to be on the same level as AKB currently. I guess they wanted to start off safely, but I really feel that they could have done much more. Hopefully the 2nd Single will be much better.

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AKB48 [GIVE ME FIVE] first week sales + Review

The first week sales are out and naturally AKB48's [GIVE ME FIVE!] grabs the #1 spot with a huge sale of 1,287,217 copies in first week. This is AKB's 6th consecutive million sales and 12th consecutive #1! Congratulations AKB!

Also they have beaten [Ue kara Mariko]'s first week sales of 1,198,864. The group keeps breaking their own records again and again. The single started out with 900K not their usual million sales in one day but then compared to [Kaze wa Fuiteiru] this single sold more on the next few days beside the first day.

Now onto the review:

GIVE ME FIVE!
A new and fresh song from AKB or AKBand [Baby Blossom]. I'm glad that its not their usual Sakura ballads, the song still deals with graduation but is upbeat with members playing various instruments. For some reason, I find the trumpets use the best in this song.

Sweet & Bitter (スイート＆ビター)
[Sweet & Bitter] is a valentines day song! But I found it more sweet than bitter. At first when I listened to it, I didn't really found it so special but after some time, the song has grown on me. I love the chorus and its a cute valentines song. I wasn't happy when Selection 6 was announced but the song is pretty good.

NEW SHIP
The Special Girls A's song has already won my heart through the PV. It welcomes JKT48 to 48 family and I thought the PV was amazing. If you like the usual AKB generic song, then this song is for you.

Hitsujikai no Tabi (羊飼いの旅)
The Special Girls B song is a ballad and a really beautiful ballad at that. The PV is gorgeous and the whole song makes me a bit emotional for some reason specially the chorus. Absolutely my favorite from this single.


Jung ya Freud no Baai (ユングやフロイトの場合)
When I first heard the title of this song, I thought it'd be something upbeat but turns out it is yet another ballad. This is also Nacchan and Yonechan's last song with AKB. The song sounds like a lullaby to me, though the part when the snare drums came in brought an interesting twist to the otherwise boring song. The lyrics is about wanting to be with the one you love so much that you do not wish to wake up from the dream. Therefore Jung and Freud are mentioned in the title and lyrics of the song, rather interesting I guess.


Overall: I am practically in love with the SG-A and B songs, GIVE ME FIVE is a refreshing Sakura song from the group too. A very fitting beginning of 2012 by the group in my opinion.

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NMB48 3rd Single [Junjou U-19] 1st Week Sales + Review

NMB48's 3rd Single Junjou U-19 completed its first week on rank 1 in the Oricon Charts managing to sell 329,438 copies.

This number marks an increase of more than 60,000 copies compared their last single Oh My God which sold 265,435 copies in its first week.


Junjou U-19 sold over 100,000 copies more than Oh My God! on its first day alone due to a combined shipping of all Theater Version copies that day. The sales dropped a lot for the other days, so that the final increase amounts to "only" a bit more than 60,000 copies.

Nevertheless, this single managed to outsell Oh My God total sales (317,856) in its first week alone.
Also, NMB48 managed to rank Number 1 for all their three singles since debut which is a first for a female group in Japan. Congrats!

Now for my short review of the single and its couplings.


Senbatsu - Junjou U-19 (純情U-19)
In my opinion this song is epic and my favourite NMB48 single until now. The song is catchy, energetic and gets stuck in the head easily.

The song is actually about not having any kind of sexual relationship before you are 19, a quite unusual topic which makes the lyrics quite interesting. I still can't help myself but laughing about the "tetsu no pantsu" (iron pants) line.

The only complain I have about this single is the PV. It is just too flashy and messy for me, and doesn't make any sense. But well, at least it is something different.

Undergirls - Baatari GO! (場当たりGO！)
This song is fun and energetic but nothing special. It is the same type of idolish song AKB48 Undergirls would sing. It is nice but I would have preferred something unique like Nande ya nen, Idol, a coupling from NMB48's previous single Oh my God!.

Shirogumi - Doryoku no Shizuku (努力の雫)
I don't really know how to describe this song. The lyrics are actually encouraging but the song itself has a darker, desperate feeling to it. It is a bit unusual but I like it. Somehow, it draws me in

Akagumi - Migi e Magare! (右へ曲がれ！)
This song is a very strong and powerful. Both the PV and the feeling of the song itself remind me of Team K' s song Alive, which is a good thing because I like this kind of songs. One of my favourite songs of this single. Fans of typical idol songs might want to skip that song though.

Yamamoto Sayaka - Jungle Gym (ジャングルジム)
So here we have NMB48's first solo song. Actually, it is a disappointment to me. The song is just another boring ballad, without any special characteristics. Sayaka's vocals are ear candy though, making the song worth listening to.

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NMB48 3rd Single [Junjou U-19] Full PVs

NMB48's 3rd single [Junjou U-19]'s releases tomorrow! Here are all the released PVs on NMB48's official YouTube channel. In full size too!

Junjou U-19 (純情U-19)


The best song of the single in my opinion but PV wise ....hmm. The main song's PV is 10 minutes long and sort of makes no sense. The song is basically about not participating in any sexual acts before 20. The girls are pulled inside my this weird looking clown inside a closet and are transported into a circus sort of place. Reminded me very much of Narnia [The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe] for some reason.

The girls are seen wearing various outfits such a those of nurses and even wearing crayon costumes! The choreography is pretty neat, when Keicchi is thrown up and Sayaka walking under it was indeed very cool. The PV has whole lot of circus acts going around it, with rope walking, rolling around in a big circle and the Sayaka being fired from a cannon which we never actually get to see. I love the song, I love the choreography but the whole of PV doesn't make sense.


Doryoku no Shizuku (努力の雫)


The Shirogumi PV couldn't be weirder than Junjou. In [Doryuku no Shizuku] we see Sayaka having a cardiac arrest and suddenly in a jungle. The song is actually very rock-ish and in my opinion it should have been a ballad. The choreography is good but I think the outfits were nay. I partly blame the horrible hairstyle that don't suit some of the members. Some of the girls are seen floating in the air which balks me even more.


Migi he Magare (右へ曲がれ！)


The Akagumi PV must be the one which is the most normal of them all. It's very much reminds us of Team K's [ALIVE] though. Akagumi members are donning a military sort of outfit running away from masked people which in the end is the girl themselves! So I guess they were running away from themselves which I think was a pretty neat concept.

Overall, the choreography of all the PVs are amazing, the songs are amazing but some parts just make no sense.

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SKE48 8th Single [Kataomoi Finally] 1st Week Sales

SKE48's 8th single [Kataomoi Finally] completed it's first week on the charts, placing 1st in the weekly chart and selling just under 500,000 copies.

The exact sales number is 495,809 copies sold, just a little more than 4k more to reach 500k. But if you include today's (tuesday) sales of 5,918 copies, Kataomoi Finally has passed the 500k mark! It's unfortunate that it couldn't happen in the first week though.

For most of the week, Kataomoi Finally's sales closely mirrored that of their previous single Oki Doki. The big changer come on Friday, when they sold 90k copies all of a sudden. This was most likely caused by a late shipment. Compared to the 1st week sales of Oki Doki, Kataomoi Finally sold 113k more. And comparing the total sales, Kataomoi Finally has already sold 34k more! That's a great rise in sales! Keep up the good work!

Now on to my review

Senbatsu - Kataomoi Finally (片想いFinally)
It's amazing how SKE48 can communicate serious issues such as homosexuality and bullying in their music and promotional video in such a high-energy way. The 'sound' of the track is anything but morose and somber.

My initial reaction to the preview can be summed up in one word, 'messy'. Not only did the varying tempo of the song throw me off, I was shocked that Aki-P would allow for his idol groups to release yet another controversial video, this time featuring (even more) kisses exchanged between girls. Still, this song will have a listener hooked if he/she is willing to give it proper attention.

Highlights of the song are the intro with its powerful choreography, the hook (obviously), and hip hop-inspired middle eight and outro. Because this song does retain an idol sound, it can't be compared to the mothership's iconic a-sides, Beginner and Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou.


Shirogumi - Hanikami Lollipop ( はにかみロリーポップ )
Cute, as expected of Shirogumi. I'm happy that Jurina's unit is stepping up their game, both song- and PV-wise. The song can be described as a old-school idol tune with a modern twist; the retro and nostalgic look of the video is also an appropriate fit for the song itself. Though this isn't the best song on the CD, it's the most memorable, at least to me.


Akagumi - Koe ga Kasureru Kurai ( 声がかすれるくらい )
Again, a darker song for the fierce Akagumi. I love that this team is expressing their concept in a different style, and in rock, of all genres. This song shines where other stereotypical idol tracks lack, the bridge. The verses between the hooks are akin to those of a rock-ballad, rather than an actual j-rock tune. I was not a fan of Aka's previous song, but this proved to be a nice surprise. The promotional video, while not as visually stunning as that of Shiro, is inventive.


Kyou made no koto, Kore kara no koto ( 今日までのこと、これからのこと )
I had a feeling that the group song was to be a song with a slower tempo, and I was right. This honestly sounds like a forgettable theater stage filler song. At least the composer/arranger had the decency to add some guitar riffs in there to "spice" the song up; too bad it still lacks flavor. I hope the next group song will be more upbeat, so that the rest of SKE's girls would be done some justice. If it is any consolation to you fans, this track, while the worst of this single, is not that terrible a song as I described. I just do not prefer this type of pop-ballad.



(written by YING)

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No Sleeves [Pedicure Day] 1st Week Sales + Review

No Sleeves' 8th single [Pedicure Day] had a fairly successful first week, taking second place in the weekly rankings with 85660 units sold. 

They were up against some formidable competition from the JE empire, so I think they did quite well.  It seems there's been a new spurt of promotional activities and collaborations (including the mini-live for [Pedicure Day] and the newly released No Sleeves phone app), so hopefully their hard work will be reflected in even better sales for their next release!

The single was released in four formats - a regular CD version as well as three limited edition DVD versions, bringing the combined tracklist to a total of six songs (if you count the French Pop Mix as its own song).

Pedicure Day (ペディキュアday)
Taken from a broad perspective, this is rather standard peppy j-pop fare.  It's got a nice energetic backing track, and the vocal melody is quite sweet (and suits the girls well).  It's not exactly catchy enough to be getting stuck in my head, but it's definitely a cute song!  I do like how the arrangement brings out the fact that the three girls have very different voice types, and yet they blend fantastically in the choruses.

Pedicure Day (French Pop Mix)
TBH, I feel really bad for anybody who bought the regular version, because at first listen, I can't even hear any real difference between this version and the original arrangement... In fact, it just sounds like they're doing a mediocre fandub of themselves (painfully obtrusive reverb effects) to a bad home-made instrumental rip of the original (i.e., all of the bass disappeared).  And I'm not sure what makes this "French pop" - is there some perception that French pop music has no bass?

Jessica wa Door wo Knock Shinai (ジェシカはドアをノックしない)
This song is a delightfully angsty contrast to the poppy A-side.  I like when they have contrasting A and B-sides, because these girls do an excellent job of performing all types of songs, and this really allows them to show that off.  I tend to find this type of song particularly catchy, so perhaps that's why it makes more of a impact for me than the A-side.  Also, it creates a mental image of some fierce choreography.

Madoromi (微睡み) - Kojima Haruna Solo
This is such a lovely lilting ballad.  I'm particularly a big fan of the lower range they set the verses in, because that's really the best range for showcasing Haruna's voice.  I'm sad that they took her up a bit higher in the chorus again.  I find that she starts sounding a bit pinched when she has to sing high, so I think it would have been more to her advantage if they really kept this fully in the middle of the alto range since she sounds absolutely divine in that range (I mean, just listen to the last 5 syllables!!! amazing!!).

Still - Takahashi Minami Solo
This song is PERFECT for Takamina's voice... just PERFECT!!  The song has an angsty sound, and is something of a power ballad.  Takamina has the vocal power to pull off this type of song that not every singer has, so it's really excellent that they chose this genre for her.  In this case, having the low verses + high chorus format is great, because it shows off the husky expressionism of her low range, while also allowing her to really let go and show off that power and intensity.


Hanbunko (半分こ) - Minegishi Minami Solo
This is back to sweet and peppy, which I think makes for a nice spread of genres across the girls' solos.  Plus, Miichan's personality and voice are nicely suited for this type song, so I think overall they did a decent job of matching song genres to the girls' individual vocal strengths this time.  Unfortunately, this song itself I find a little bit repetitive and not particularly ear-catching (sorry Miichan... I  love you but I don't love this composer).

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French Kiss [Saisho no Mail] first week sales + Review

French Kiss sold 133,662 copies of their 4th single [Saisho no Mail] in its first week giving them their first #1. Also this is the groups highest first week sales till date as well the third AKB48 subunit to get a #1. Congratulations to them!

Now on to the review:
Saisho no Mail (最初のメール)

Saisho no Mail at first was meh to me. I thought this was their worst a-side (actually I still think that) but the song takes some time to grow on you. It's your usual Furekissu song but just feels like it lacks that something there which was in If and Kakkowarui.

Candle no Shin (キャンドルの芯)

Kashiwagi Yuki x Kuramochi Asuka

A ballad duet by Yukirin and Mocchi. I loved this ballad and the PV was wonderful. Yukirin's light cute voice and Mocchi's deep voice really go together. The chorus part is probably my favorite.

Last Train 

Kashiwagi Yuki x Takajo Aki

Another duet but with Akicha this time. Compared to Candle no Shin, this duet is a bit fast paced. I found the beginning to be a bit weird because it starts so suddenly. But beside the opening, its a decent song.

Dragon Fruit no Tobegoro (ドラゴンフルーツの食べ頃) 

My favorite track out of all the singles. If you loved No Sleeves' Sakkaku, then you will love this too. Just like Sakkaku, this track uses heavy auto tune and techno music. And I have a thing for techno music.

Mayonaka no Hamigaki (真夜中の歯磨き)

And lastly of course a Yukirin solo.  Can't leave out that now can we? A very sweet ballad with light music that goes with Yukrin's voice.

Overall Verdict:
The a-side isn't one of the best from Furekissu in my opinion but this has their best b-sides. Two Yukirin duet tracks, a techno track and a Yukirin solo, what more could her fans ask for? And again congrats to the group for getting their first #1!

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AKB48 23rd Single [Kaze wa Fuiteiru] 1st Week Sales + Review

And it's that time of the week again! How well did Kaze wa Fuiteiru do on it's debut week? Lets crank out the numbers shall we.

1300482!

Yay congratulations! 1,300,482 copies sold! Another million selling single in the bag. AKB gets the record for being the first and only artist to have 3 consecutive million-selling singles. Kaze wa Fuiteiru is also the 10th consecutive #1 Single for AKB48.

Also involving the number 10, the total sales of all AKB48 singles together has exceeded 10 million!!!

However not all is good. If we compare Kazefui's 1st week to the preceding single Flying Get's 1st week of 1,354,492, we see a drop of 54k. It's nothing much for AKB since they are selling millions now, but everything starts with a ripple right? Could this be the start of AKB48's decline? Only Mariko knows.


Well here goes my review. I already did Kaze wa Fuiteiru's review in here and here, so I'll skip that and go on to the remaining 3.

Kimi no Senaka
This is definitely meant as the upbeat counterpart to the angsty power ballad of Kaze wa Fuiteiru, which I think makes the two a nice juxtaposition.  However, the song itself leaves me wanting something more, especially given its high-power intro.  After the intro, I was super pumped and really expected something quite power rock, like RESET from the K6 stage.  This song is happy, and it does sound nice, but it didn't really grab or move me as much I would have liked.  I just want it to be a little more energetic, as the intro (and the backing music) seemed to indicate, or actually go the whole way in being gentle, rather than something in between which is what it feels like right now. I think the chorus starts to get at the rock feeling I was wanting, but the verses don't quite match and as such, break up the energy of the choruses.  As it is, the song feels a bit lazy and blends into the large body of songs that AKB48 has, so it doesn't really stand out.

Gondola Lift
Now this is a ballad *_*  And anyone who knows me at all knows I love a good ballad.  This song has a beautiful lilting melody, and I like how the voices in the first verse appear to build up to the chorus (as if there were more and more voices joining in).  The title is definitely appropriate for the feel of the song (feels like I'm riding on gentle river waves).  The unexpected harmony in the second half of the first phrase of the chorus I think also adds a nice flavor by creating a sense of tension that's relieved by the continuation *_*  (Music Theory Nerd Alert).  I promise it's not my ballad-bias that makes me feel like this song and Kaze wa Fuiteiru were the only songs on this single I really liked.  This song fulfills its role as the ballad, it has a pretty melody, and has a good balance of drama and relaxing (harmonically speaking), which I think makes it a good song.

Vamos
I believe the concept with this song is something like an energetic type of cheering song.  Vamos Vamos Vamos!!  Which is great!  Except I don't feel like that was quite delivered on...  I liked the little harmony bits, because harmony is always awesome and one of the reasons I love AKB48 so much (that they actually sing their own harmonies rather than relying totally on backup singers).  However, this song as a whole doesn't really do it for me either, which is sad because I would've loved a good cheering song.  I don't know if it was the melody that wasn't energetic enough, or if the backing was lacking in power.  In any case, instead of sounding like a cheer, the repeated "Vamos" just started to get... repetitive... and almost annoying by the end T_T  Also...VAMO? What happened to the 'S'? That honestly kind of distracted me throughout the song, and maybe made the repetition just that much worse...  Also, whoever composed for this single must've been in cahoots because they really liked the repetitive descending third interval pattern... (VAMO VAMO VAMO in this song and HELLO in Kimi no Senaka both fall in that pattern...).

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Team KII 3rd Stage [Ramune no Nomikata] Review

SKE48 Team KII 3rd Stage
Ramune no Nomikata
ラムネの飲み方

M00 - Overture (SKE48 ver.)
M01 - Kizashi
M02 - Koutei no Koinu
M03 - Disco Hokenshitsu
M04 - Omatase Set list
-----MC1-----
M05 - Cross (Takayanagi Akane [center], Matsumoto Rina, Wakabayashi Tomoka)
M06 - Finland Miracle (Mukaida Manatsu [center], Yakata Miki, Akaeda Rina)
M07 - Manazashi, Sayonara (Ogiso Shiori, Furukawa Airi)
M08 - Usotsuki na Dachou (Ishida Anna [center], Goto Risako, Yamada Reika)
M09 - Nice to meet you! (Hata Sawako [center], Kato Tomoko, Sato Mieko, Sato Seira, Abiru Riho)
-----MC2-----
M10 - Kodoku na Ballerina
M11 - Ima Kimi to Irareru Koto
M12 - Winning Ball
M13 - Akushu no Ai

-----ENCORE-----
M14 - Bowling Ganbou
M15 - 16 shoku no Yume Crayon
M16 - Ramune no Nomikata
-----ENCORE 2-----
M17 - Medley

---

Overture (SKE48 ver.)

You just can't have an 48 performance without the overture. You just can't. It's a crime. Well, ARE YOU READY?!?!

Kizashi (兆し)

Until now, I had not been very impressed with many stage openers; I just can't foresee B3/E1's Shonichi being topped in my lifetime. A great song to kick off this long-awaited stage and work the crowd's excitement. The girls' dance formation is also very organized and clean. The choreography also had them spell "KII" as their final pose.

Koutei no Koinu (校庭の仔犬)

Not the greatest song, but it is quite memorable as Annyan and company make puppy sounds throughout their performance. This track is a tad generic, but still, it is without a doubt the one of the cuter performance of KII3.

Disco Hokenshitsu (ディスコ保健室)

One of this set's catchier tunes. True to its title, this song sounds similar to a 80's disco tune you can groove to. I quite like the choreography but the props they had put on the stage are kind of unnecessary; were they attempting to re-create a club? Because I feel that they were detractors.

Omatase Set list (お待たせSet list)

High energy song with an awesome choreography to boot. From the amount of times the girls mentioned "KII", I'm guessing that this, along with Kizashi, is one their new signature songs. Minna no Yume~ Yes, KII, I have been dreaming of an amazing inspirational song like this! This will be the first song to pop into my mind when Team KII is mentioned to me in the future.

Cross (クロス)

The Bird/Maria of KII3; this track just oozes cool. It's nice to see Churi, Ri~na, and Tomochan turn badass for this song. Though I can't say the same about the costumes because the shocking pink blazers look plain tacky. Hands down my favorite song of this stage.

Finland Miracle (フィンランド・ミラクル)

Another generic cutesy song. At least the hook "Finlando Mirakuru" does its job in making this song memorable. I actually ended up liking this song after a few listens.

Manazashi, Sayonara (眼差しサヨナラ)

Yeah! My KII oshi Airin is in a duo with Gomatan; the girl is really talented. The performance showcases the two's sensuality and singing abilities well.

Usotsuki na Dachou (嘘つきなダチョウ)

Tenshi no Shippo, version pink. The costumes… they remind me of those the SDN girls wore in Onedari Champagne. This is very cute, too cute for my taste.

Nice to meet you!

I love this song. It first starts out ballad-like and eventually, escalates into a pop tune; it then alternates back and forth between the two layers. I feel that the girls could've organized themselves a bit better; I hope that as time passes, their choreography will snap in sync.

Kodoku na Ballerina (孤独なバレリーナ)

Beautiful song and stellar performance! It's nice to see the girls demonstrate some amateur ballet moves. Shawako looks graceful as the main dancer; those pirouettes were performed so deftly. I'm not the biggest fan of Hata Sawako, but this performance really earned her some brownie points with me. I just wish her voice could be as awesome as her dancing. I also feel that this song could be much… sadder. Then, it would be perfect.

Ima Kimi to Irareru Koto (今 君といられること)

Frankly, I don't know how to describe this song. It just sounds like an odd old school idol track leftover from some demo tape that Aki-P finally decided to put to use. It seems that there is also a bit of Scottish influence exhibited in the composition. That aside, the costumes do look very nice; I especially like the yellow-green-white color motif.

Winning Ball (ウィニングボール)

Very uplifting, and the girls' dancing was spot on. I like that an actual ball was hit into the audience; I can't imagine what would happen if Gomatan actually missed. I like this song, and it doesn't hurt that I'm a fan of baseball.

Akushu no Ai (握手の愛)

This is another cute performance. I love the choreography because the girls actually interact with one another and the audience. I really don't have much of an opinion about the song itself. Still, I have to say that Eri looks great in her dress; she has a great figure.

Bowling Ganbou (ボウリング願望)

I love how the girls wore bowling alley uniforms and incorporated elements of the game into the song's choreography. Yeah Churi~ you knocked down all the pins at the end!

16 Shoku no Yume Crayon (16色の夢クレヨン)

The third "KII" representative song in the set, tied with Cross as my favorite KII3 song. This is so Washoi B/E; I love performances that show off the girls' individuality. It really makes a fan want to get to know the girls a little better. I really hope that this song will rank high in this year's countdown event, and be as popular as Team B Oshi.

Ramune no Nomikata (ラムネの飲み方)

I did not expect the title song to be a ballad; real mellow and heartfelt. The girls also pass around a ramune bottle during the performance.

Medley

A medley of SKE singles; love some songs, hate some songs. The orange costumes are horrible. 'Nuff said.

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Verdict

I know that many fans have been hyped for this new stage ever since it was announced a few months back. This is Team KII's first original stage and I have to admit: my expectations were high. After watching the full performance, I can say for sure that it missed the mark. Usually, I would have more than 4 favorite songs to a stage, but KII3 only produced about 2-3 that I really like. Aki-P, I appreciate the fact that you actually headed Churi's request, but I think you should really spend more time selecting quality songs for stages, rather than going off and creating new sister groups left and right across Asia. The girls will probably be performing this set to next year, so as a fan, I'll just learn to love it.

images from natalie.mu

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