CONGRATULATIONS TO AKB48 ON THEIR FIRST PLATINUM SINGLE!!!! <3 <3 <3 There aren’t words to describe how proud I am of my girls! just… BAWWWW

Now, let’s review my favorite song of the single! And the one with the crappiest PV XD Here’s the amazing, the awesome, the hilariously yankii MAJISUKA ROCK ‘N ROLL!!! This single doesn’t feature all of AKB, well, they are all in the A-side, but not majorly, except for Acchan, and Kitahara Rie XD but Majisuka has Nakayan and Haachan! My favorite underdogs!!!

First, I’ll start by giving you a little background information. This song is the opening of AKB’s drama “Majisuka Gakuen” a campy full of LOL and WIN show about a girl who’s all autistic but goes berserker whenever someone says the word “Majisuka (seriously)” to her. This girl (played by Maeda Atsuko) was recently transfered to “Majisuka Academy” a school for yankis, in which a group of mighty girls called Rapappa call the shots. And Yuko is the leader! YAYNESS. It’s an amazing show, really. If only because it’s really funny to watch all the girls acting like yankiis and kicking the crap out of each other (in fights that look faker than anything Disney Channel has done in the last few years XD). 

Here, have a screencap of Rappappa

Left to right, Shibuya (Itano Tomomi “Tomochin”), Anime (Nakaya Sayaka “Nakayan”), Black (Kashiwagi Yuki “Yukirin”), Sado (Shinoda Mariko), half of the head of Jumbo (Tanabe Miku “Tanamin”) XD, Yuko (Oshima Yuko), Gekikara (Matsui Rena), Rice (Yonazawa Rumi “Yonechan”), Torigoya (Kojima Haruna “Kojiharu”), Showa (Katayama Haruka “Haachan”)

OK, so here comes the review!

So basically, this PV is all about the characters of the drama, as they involve in some sort of yankii party in one of the class rooms, confetti in the air and crazy dance steps included, of course XD

Acchan starts the party with her famous “If you can’t be serious, you can’t win!. Let’s go ROCK N ROLL” You know, Acchan’s character in the drama is a completely introvert girl who has no emotional range whatsoever XD The funny part is that most fans are sniggering because it’s pretty much like her. And then she goes into super saiyan mode and kicks everyone’s butts

This is a look at the Majisuka Academy sign thingy. The funny part is that they tried really hard to make this set look all run down and stuff, but some of the public schools back in my hometown looked totally like this XD

Here are three of the four Queens. The top 4 fighters of Rappappa, Kojima Haruna, Itano Tomomi, Matsui Rena. I absolutely ADORE how badass Tomochin looks with the heavy makeup and sassy attitude! I’ve found a new love!!! XD XD XD I’m so looking forward to her in K6!! Also, well, Haruna has been the same airhead she’s always been in the drama as well as in real life, and we haven’t seen Rena yet, but I really want to see how she’ll turn out because she’s a super polite and nice girl, so seeing her do a yankii will be interesting!

Sayaka looks particualrly gogeous in her yankii get up (more on this later) then tehre’s of course, Takamina, although I don’t really know where she stands in the story of Majisuka Academy, and Mayuyu, who is the creepiest character ever, but it’s absolutely amazing at it.

Team Hormone! Nito Moeno, Takajo Aki, Sashihara Rino, Kitahara Rie and Komori Mika. They are the best comedy relief ever!

And of course, the best character ever is Oshima Yuko, who plays the violence-happy, psycho leader of Rappappa <3 <3 <3 

The Rappappa headquarters!

Here’s Mariko, looking like she REALLY means business!

The kabuki sisters, Kuramochi Asuka and Kasai Tomomi. I must make a special mention to Tomomi who is one of the sweetest girls on Earth, but I still loved how she portrayed this character

Here’s a screencap of Acchan together with SAEMAN <3 <3 and Nachu LOL Nachu is so hilarious! Her character is kind of wimpy and annoying, but she does a good job at being funny nonetheless…

It’s the fearsomely MOE loli trio! Lovetan, Myao and Manamana!

IT’S PARTY TIME! You know, still, as you can probaly tell from this review turning into a review of Majisuka Academy instead XD I think that this pV was the worst because I’ve already seen the Majisuka opening a lot of times, and I’m familiar with it. But it’s still a nice concept, good for promotion, and fits the rock n roll music pretty well. This is my favorite song of the single, BTW. I love how upbeat it is! Gets me pumped up instantly!

Mayuyu’s character in the drama is a smart scheming creepy girl. It’s really scary at times LOL but she’s great at it!

Oh, Sayaka, you SEXY!!!

Scary Mariko is pretty scary O_O That’s the rest of the gang behind her, this is the climax part of the video, when all of Rappappa starts gathering along the corridor, starting from the weakest, until finally Yuko joins them and they face Acchan and Nachu

*RAWR* Yuko!

There’s a finale to the PV where Nachu and Acchan stare at their opponents, but they’re boring so they’re not included here XD

I recommend to all of you AKB fans to go and watch Majisuka Gakuen, it’s being subbed by Nihongogo, and it’s pretty funny and entertaining when you get past the predictable plot and lame acting by some of the girls XD

Also, buy Sakura ni Shiori! It’s an amazing single, and the cheeky Majisuka Rock n Roll is just another reason to pick it up!

Hi people! I really love the Sakura no Shiori single, you know. Not only do I find SakuShio to be one of the most beautiful songs Akimoto’s ever written, I also like to *gasp* sing along to it XD AND OMG SALES FIGURES JUST LOOK AT THAT!!! OVER 200000 ON THE FIRST DAY WOOOO!!!! That’s not something many artists can boast about right now, so I’m really happy fro my girls <3

But what I like the most about this is that AKB is covering all of its bases with this release. 

Want a pretty choir song? (well, most of you have already said DO NOT WANT but still…) have Sakura no Shiori

Want a cheeky pseudo rock number? There’s Majisuka Rock ‘n Roll for you

Want a remembrance of AKB back when its emo teen angst songs made it to the singles? Just take a look at Choose Me

Want bouncy ultra happy lolis? Go for Enkyori Poster

This efficient marketing strategy makes me a happy fan

So, to honor this amazing release (it is amazing in my mind XD) I’ll do a long assed screen cap chock full review for all of you guys!! Yay!!! Also, please remember to buy this single and support AKB48!

Sakura no Shiori “Bookmark of Cherry Blossoms”

So, the first 2 minutes or so, what we get are glimpses of the theater stuff hurrying to help the girls get ready for the shooting of the PV. My cousin actually thought that this PVs location was a store because of the tons of clothes and stuff XD

Those are the girl’s official AKB coats, as we got to see in the Junen Zakura Making Of. And that is the tiny AKB Theater in Don Quijote… Oh, the memories…

And the AKB48 Dressing Room gets a special appearance here too XD This isn’t the lamest thing I’ve written here, because I’m a super lame person, but I once had a dream that involved being in the AKB dressing room, and having to perform a group song next but I couldn’t fit in any of the girls costumes so I panicked XD LOL

And then we get a look at the dedicated staff members as they help the girls get into the really complicated hakamas. The girl in the screencap is Team K new member, Nonaka Misato <3

And then, finally, the actual PV starts, and we can see the girls in their hakamas and elaborate hairstyles basically hanging around, singing and looking pretty, while doing not much else XD

Sayaka love is a must <3 The PV alternates between takes of the girls hanging around looking cute in hakamas to being organized in some sort of circular formation and singing while doing the actual choreography in this dated school uniforms with wings

LOL Yuko looks like she’s about to sneeze or something XD But still, I took the screencap because it might be one of the few pics when we can see Haruna acting all flirty towards Yuko, since it’s usually Korisu harrassing her while she looks all “Geez, crazy, get off of me”

Everyone has already hyped about it, but this scene is very nice to look at. Acchan plucks a feather from Takamina’s wings and blows it in the air… While Jurina just stares XD Still, looks oddly relaxing or something

That’s Ueno 48, supposedly. The girls went to various landmarks of prominent Tokyo districts. I think Akimoto is trying to reinforce his “JAPAN48″ concept in a not so subliminal way with this kind of takes XD

Shinagawa 48! This time it’s just Mariko, Takamina, Tomochin, Haruna and Yuko fixing their bangs XD

Of course, you can sell 220000 copies in the first day if you learn how to pout like Tomochin XD She looks like an adorable duck in this pic right here XD

You know, I absolutely adore Yuko, but this is the most hideous hakama in the bunch. Like , seriously. It’s painfully plain, it looks washed out and it’s just… disgusting. Poor Yuko, she should’ve gotten a pretty colorful one with cute flowers like the other girls *shakes fist*

I like this screencap because Reina is like ULTRA HAPPY while the others are all like we live here in Tokyo so w/e. This is Asakusa48, BTW.

OMG Sae why are you so cute! <3 You know, I’ve come to the conclusion that Sae is the perfect girl you would want to have as your girlfriend (well, if you’re into girls that is XD) Maybe her PB title has been subliminally inducing me to think so?

Shibuya 48! Hmm… I can’t even write the word Shibuya anymore without thinking of Tomochin XD Anyhow, I really like the wings, even if people think that they’re tacky and stupid, I think that they are a cute touch!

I absolutely love Jurina’s hair feather thingies <3 Plus, you know that story on the tabloids about Shinoda Mariko being AKiP’s mistress? I think it’s gotta be Rie who has an affair with him or some important producer XD She’s ALL over the PV. Seriously. She’s in more shots than Acchan!! (BTW, that’s just meant as a joke, I love Rie and I’m glad that she’s getting a huge push)

 

That’s “Location Bus 48″ Or Loke Bus 48. It’s just a shot of Takamina and Tomochin sleeping and Rie (!!) playfully laying over them

Yoyogi 48 wandering around the famous Stadium. I think that the concept of this PV is so ridiculously simple that it’s endearing in its own way. It’s always cute to watch the girls interacting with each other, and the little hop hop hop dance they do before the bridges (I don’t know if you are getting what I’m saying at all XD Acchan and Yuko do it in their closeups…) is insanely adorable. I want a gif of that but I’m a computer retard so I’ll have to settle with what I have

And of course, mandatory Acchan take <3 She looks lovely all doubtful while she checks her cellphone. I love her red hakama, it makes her stand out a lot, and her simple but classy hairstyle really fit this kind of clothes and music

Ok, so expect to see Majisuka, choose me  and Enkyori Poster by friday, today got horribly late and I need to sleep I’ll just say one more thing about this song, it’s a really well made piece of music. If you still don’t believe it, listen to the off vocal track. It’s absolutely stunning! The strings are amazing, the piano is wonderful and I could go on. I’m happy that such a beautiful song came from my favorite idols <3

Also, yay for 200000 sales on first day! Next days will most likely exhibit a drop in sales XD However, I’m still incredibly proud of the girls who made it this far. It’s really been a long journey from the old AKB I grew to like, back when Team B didn’t even exist, to what they’ve become now. I’m happy to have been somehow part of the ride as a fan since the old days, back when people made fun of their poor sales and concert venues. What I like about following an idol group like this is to watch the girls grow, and finally adjust to really becoming idols. It’s very interesting, and it’s the first time it happens to me!

Hi people! First of all, I have to get something off my chest, so here goes:

If anything I’ve ever written in this blog or anywhere around the internet has ever offended any of you in any possible way, I apologize. I’m trying to become a more sensible and peaceful person, so please forgive me if I’ve said anything inappropriate. I mean it in the most honest way.

Ok, now, let’s move on to the things we love! AKB48 and SKE48! Wheeee! But first, OMG have you watched the Sakura no Shiori full PV? It’s so pretty *__* I’m loving the single so much already! If you want to check it out, it’s upped at H!O.

Today, I’ll do a brief track by track review of S2 (although I really should be reading about Kawasaki’s disease XD) Also, the translations are made by me, so they’re nowhere near accurate XD They’re just supposed to give you an idea of what the song’s about anyway

1. Bokura no Kaze “The birds are flying freely towards a new horizon”

The opening song of B2 is a standard cheery idol song. Pure pop, complete with cute lyrics about overcoming obstacles in your life and how you have friends who help you out with everything always and stuff like that. It does sound a tad bit generic, though, so it’s not really a favorite of mine, however, I do appreciate the fact that it’s an upbeat number, and has a nice jumpy choreography that really showcases the high energy level of Team S’s girls. Also, tambourines! OMG I love them!

2. Mango no. 2 “Fast, fast, I want to become an adult! I want to throw away my sneakers and wear big high heels”

This song begins with Jurina saying “Uuuuhhh Mango number twoooo—” and then the girls come out and GUESS WHAT YOU GUYS, it’s actually mambo! LOLOL I love it when AKB (or SKE) have latin sounding music! It makes for great danceable numbers, and I also really really enjoy them because, well, this is the music I grew up with. So yeah, I’m in love with this cute little mambo number! The tempo is kind of slowed down though, but it still makes for a super cute choreography! And I also love the lyrics about wanting to grow up fast :3 I don’t know why though… Maybe I can relate to that feeling, because all the people around me were always older than me XD

3. Chime wa Love Song “The school chime is a love song, a dear melody to me”

This song has been way overplayed already. Whenever SKE appears anywhere this is the song they sing, but of course, it’s because it’s actually a very idol-y song, about a girl who looks through her classroom window at her crush so whenever the school chime rings she is happy because she can see him if only for a bit. Yeah, those lyrics are lame unless you’re like 14, but whatever. IT has just the right measure of energy and cute dance steps to make it catchy. It’s not a favorite of mine, though. I don’t understand why didn’t they give this awesome (albeit a little too colorful outfits to the more tropical Mango No. 2 but w/e)

4. Te wo Tsunaginagara “Under the gate where cherry blossoms bloom, while I’m feeling nervous, pushed by the spring breeze, it’s the first day of school”

Yay! Rika-chan screencap FTW <3 Anyway, the title song, is a very energetic one, albeit a little generic. However, it has a nice melody and it has parts where the audience can scream “HEY HEY HEY” along with them, so fans always like that kind of stuff XD My only complain about this one is the fact that it sounds too similar to CHIME sometimes, so yeah. But even though it might not be musically awesome, it’s pretty nice to watch the girls perform this, they are super happy and interact with each other cutely

5. GLORY DAYS “every day, everytime, I’m living today as well”

This is Jurina’s unit from S2, where she sings along with Kuwabara Mizuki (left) and Nakanishi Yuuka (right). This is the dance unit in this stage hands down, and although I didn’t really like it at first because it’s all over the place, music wise, I like the reggae feel it has at some points Also, the dancing! OMG! These girls move around so much that I had to put my video player in slow motion in order to take screencaps of them, it was insane! I also don’t get why Kuwabara ended up so low in the general AKB/SKE ranking this year, she’s a really really good dancer, and that should count for something Not a fan of the hats or the feather boas, but they make it work surprisingly well!

6. Kono Mune no Barcode “I only want the security camera to shoot the proof of the fact that I came here”

The songs so far have been either kiddie stuff, or bright cheery songs about “be happy, you’ll never be alone”. This is the first grown up song, with a moody tune and lonely lyrics about… well… shopping in a convenience store? XD Akimoto is at least original in his lyrics, I give him that XD This song compares love with things like “being read by a register machine” hence, the barcode in the lyrics. I especially like the line about the security camera because WTF? Who thinks of that when you say “break up song” Also, I used to love the outfits way more than I do now, the non-Aki girls (That’s Deguchi Aki in the screencap, BTW, the other girls in the unit are Ono Haruka and Takada Shiori) used to wear a really cute and stylish stewardess like little hat, and I really can’t understand why it was replaced with these random yellow things. I love this song, the music sounds even a bit soulful XD If such adjective can be used to describe idol music… And the vocals by the 3 of them are flawless and not grating in the least! Definitely a favorite.

7. Wimbledon he tsureteitte “Your sunburnt skin is surely a gift from the sun, right?”

And here comes the loli unit of S2! featuring Yagami Kumi (blue), Takai Tsukina (pink) and Mori Sayuki (yellow). This unit is pure idol pop in all is glory, classically made, completed by puffy dresses and ribbons and lace everywhere! These dresses are absolutely adorable as far as I’m concerned, I love them! Of course, the lyrics are kind of lame, but whatever! We’re not into idols for their lyrics most of the time anyway (except if you’re a trascendental weirdo like me…) The reason why I like this song the most is because its lyrics remind me of “Suki yo Captain” another Jpop song I really like. It’s a cute unit, to sum it all up.

8. Ame no Pianist “The pianist rain softly plays a Chopin farewell song I know”

This was the first song that made the SKE non-fans pay attention to the group. It’s kind of cheesy, but so amazing! XD Kind of like a guilty pleasure of sorts XD The girls are decked in Moulin Rouge-esque outfits, and they sing this sad break up song. The most remarkable part is the choreography, which is very intense, and goes along with the piano background really well. The girls in this unit are Yamashita Moe (left) Matsui Rena (center) and Matsushita Yui (right). Most improved mention goes to Rena, who manages to own this song as a lead, even though her vocals in her previous unit, Classmate weren’t as smooth as here. Rena is so hardworking <3

9. Choco no Yukue “Hey, tell me about the whereabouts of that love, did it end up in your tummy?”

OMG! Rika-chan unit!!! Yay!! <3 This unit is a completely cute song, about a girl who made Valentine’s chocolates for her crush and then leaves them in his locker but forgets to put a card with her name on it XD I think the comparison of love = chocolate is really cute and idoly. And I really like that line about the girl wondering if her love ended up in the guy’s tummy XD It’s all so cute! The girls in this unit are Hirata Rikako, Oya Masana, Hiramatsu Kanako and Shinkai Rina

10. INNOCENCE “Before you take off my uniform, tell me that you love me once more”

Of course, me being the huge pervert I am, this is my favorite song of the stage, It’s a really sultry song about a girl who’s going to lose her virginity, and the part I like the most is that *48 decided to be politically correct for once and the only girls who get lines in this are the legal ones Yay! Because, no offense to the lolis, but I like older idols a bit more *shrugs* This song sounds amazing thanks to the fact that all the solo lines are given to girls who can really sing

11. ROMANCE ROCKET “In a romance rocket, just the 2 of us, we’ll travel to the farthest ends of the galaxy!”

The only words that come to mind whenever I think of this song are “Weird and Bouncy” this sounds borderline denpa even XD And the chorus has some really catchy rhythm that I’m sure I’ve heard elsewhere before. It works though, and I like aliens, I think they’re cute, so I like songs that feature them as a main subject This song is really really weird though, in a cute way but… yeah, insanity. The male “Oh yeahs” can be annoying after a while though. Another guilty pleasure here XD

12. Koi no Teikoku to Taisaku Oshiete “Nobody has noticed, but behind his glasses, he has round eyes, and if he cut his hair, he might even become cool”

This song makes me happy for no reason whatsoever XD It’s a cutesy song about a girl who falls in love with a geek It reminds me a lot of a mix between Ki ni Naru Tenkousei and Heart Gata Virus But music wise, it’s a bit like Doku Ringo wo Tabesasete, in that the girls sing a solo line and then another girl says something cute like “KAWAII!” or something like that. It’s hard to explain. I just love this song <3

13. Daisuki “No matter what hard things might happen, it’s going to be ok from now on”

Oh, how I love this song. There aren’t words to express it. This song really made me cry the first time I listened to it. And I hadn’t cried about an idol song for like years. Seriously. I can’t even remember the last time I did. This song is kind of a ballad, slow paced and very pretty. I love the lyrics, although they are really generic about loving someone and being there for them. Also, the white dresses are so pretty.

14. Rope no Yuujou “The friendship rope, while it’s tied, we can go together to paradise or anywhere we want”

This is the first rocking song of the stage, and it’s really nice. I’m a bit fed up with the lyrics about friends, it’s like “Yeah, I get it, friends are nice, now STOP IT!” Ugh. But, other than that, the outfits are incredibly fierce, and military inspired. And they also have props! Yay! They use a rope to symbolize friendship and have an interesting choreography to showcase it. Yeah, you kind of have to watch it to get it though, but I like the music a lot. I wish Team K gets similar songs in their latest stage ;_;

15.  Kayoubi no Yoru Suiyoubi no Asa “The me who cries too much, cries until the morning comes, because I can’t open the door”

This song is SO good. It’s not even funny. I was seriously converted into a fan when it started playing. The music is incredibly catchy and dramatic, and the macarena-like choreography works surprisingly well, although I was expecting headbanging here XD As always emo lyrics are popular within Akimoto’s works, this one is no exception but just… wow… it’s a really good song, by all standards.

16. Tooku ni Itemo 

I haven’t even bothered to listen to this song paying attention to what it says. It’s just a boring ballad, but almost every stage has one of its own, so it’s ok. 

 

S2 is a great stage, I highly recommend it even for people who don’t like Matsui Jurina, she’s not all over the place in this, and the girls from S2 are very charismatic and talented, it’s a stage that you will definitely enjoy, one of the best in AKB history IMO!

Hello people! Here’s my mini review of SKE48’s Team S second stage DVD! I think that some people might be shunning SKE thinking that they are a subpar spinoff of AKB48, but I wanted to show people, both old fans and new, how much I love this team, and how incredibly talented and hard working they are! This new generation of idols are all stars! Starting from the miracle child, Matsui Jurina, the face of SKE48

 

Well, I don’t know much about Masana, she’s quite pretty, and I get an “Invisible frontgirl” vibe from her. By that I mean that somehow I feel like she’s getting a small push by the management, because she’s in the front in quite a number of songs, and she’s the lead in Choco no Yukue, her unit. I don’t really know about it, though, it’s just… a kind of Kobayashi Kana-esque feel, in that they’re both given some extra lines and close ups even if they aren’t senbatsu

 

Haruka looks very different in pics than the image she projects on stage. I mean, she has this super cute set of fangs (like Nono’s XD), so whenever she grins, she gives out the vibe of being a cute and bouncy kid, but don’t be fooled! IRL she’s like that, but when she performs, this girl is fierce! She has one of the most powerful voices of Team S, and she’s also a great dancer. The best part is her whole attitude, she exudes such self confidence that she just makes you look at her! Definitely a favorite of mine!

 

Mizuki’s talent makes her outshine some of her more famous team mates sometimes XD She’s an incredibly good dancer, even in Team S, where many girls like Jurina, Kuumin, Yuka or Moe excel. She’s always super energetic, and she moves her body in ways that I can’t quite comprehend yet. I have to analyze the tsuyokimonoyo PV more, but in this stage performance of the first SKE single she’s in the center most of the time with the Matsui stars. That means that she’s an almost senbatsu! Wow!

Hi everyone! This is really random and all, but I felt that since H!P fans have been kind of swayed by RIVER and its popularity, maybe I can try to lure in a few of the weak hearts by showing them the fiercest team and their fiercest stage! This ladies and gentlemen, is the reason why you should give AKB a chance! So, let’s take a look at it! (BTW, this isn’t a serious attempt, if it were, I’d be pushing Team B because for some reason H!P fans always love them the most. Must be the overall youthfulness and cuteness overflowing everywhere. But I just want to gush about Team K, so shut up.)

Warning: There are lots and lots of Yuko screencaps about to get posted <3 And also, this review will have like a thousand pics so be prepared! Also, all of the H!P jokes here are meant to be in a good light hearted way. I’m still a H!P fan, so I don’t say any of this out of evilness or anything.

Disclaimer: All lyrics courtesy of Studio48! All translations and lyrics belong to their rightful owner.

Overture

It’s Captain Sayaka! Ok, so as part of my H!P fan capturing plan, I’ll try to compare Team K members with H!P members of similar characteristics. This is sort of a way to get all of you interested in a girl depending on what type of idol is your favorite. So, anyway, if you’re a Yossie fan, look no further than Sayaka. Sure, her boyish side isn’t as highlighted as Yossie’s was, but she’s also a strong and funny girl who cares very much about others deep down.

You know, Umechan actually auditioned for Momusu, she was rejected and Tsunku went and picked Koharu… Well, well, who’s her H!P counterpart? I’d go for Shimizu Saki of Berryz, because they are both amazing dancers, and they are sort of in the background at times. That’s where the similarities end though, because while Saki is a little more outspoken and fun-loving, Umechan is a quiet girl, very gentle and calm.

Oh! It’s my favorite member ever! Yuko <3 If I were to compare her to anyone, it would probably be Goto Maki, since they both have that kind of starpower to them, they definitely own the stage at any given time, and they can be quite goofy and funny whenever they want to as well. The difference is that while Gocchin always had an aura of “coolness” to her, Yuko is more of an outright nice girl character. They’re both tsundere too!

Meetan, the queen of all things pervy in the 48 family. The only girl who could match her devious personality a bit, is Melon Kinenbi’s Boss Saitou. They’re both overtly sexual in a way, but they also get to be the butt of jokes most of the time and are really good sports at it

Maachan the halfie loli of AKB… I don’t really know, because she’s extremely introverted so I really am a bit clueless as to how her real character might be, but uh… she can be a coconuts musume right? With her being a halfie and all *fails*

Meet little princess Erepyon! She’s kind of similar to Berryz Risako in that they’re both lolis, have a million photobooks and are quite popular with the fans! They’re also kind of spoiled, wouldn’t you agree?

Tomo~mi-chan! Who could be the Ishikawa Rika of Team K. They’re both super girly and always happy, they both have high pitched voices and are both kind of jokingly bullied by their friends for their overly girly behavior at times.

Asuka is the prototypical pretty girl with a soothing voice. So she could be like Kumai Yurina (favorite Berry <3), and I actually think that their relaxed feminine personalities are quite alike too!

Kana, being dumb as a rock, is the perfect mirror for Tsuji Nozomi! And they’re both kinda tone deaf at times too!

The unexpectedly smart girl who’s kind of a background character, going by that definition alone, Nacchi could very well be paired with gokkie Konno Asami. Only Konkon was painfully quiet, while Nacchi is outspoken and likes to do gags and MCs…

Naruru was the Linlin of Team K. You know, they’re both funny, and incredibly talented but terribly overlooked… Oh well, she’s graduated already, so…

Nontii! How I’ll miss her! Ok, I’ve always thought that she kind of looks like Ogawa Makoto. And they’re also both funny girls, whose whole act is based on being tsukkomis. Of course, maybe Mako would’ve have to be way more over the top to match Noro’s level, but in general, I’d say that AKB girls are way more over the top H!P girls anyway…

Kaorin is like Berryz Maiha because they were both cute lolis who were kind of in the background and then graduated to keep studying Aren’t I the smartest??

Yuka’s voice is a stereophonic orgasm. I think that that makes her a bit like Natsuyaki Miyabi, they’re both great singers and mellow girls with a few little quirks to them

Nattsumii physically looks like Miyabi but she’s already taken so I’ll pick someone else I think that she’s like Niigaki Risa in that they’re both super nice to others, and super happy whenever they are on stage too!

Hmm… this is really difficult! Sae is such an energetic girl that it’s really hard for me to compare her to anyone in H!P. She’s one of the most over the top personalities in the already over the top AKB. The only one who could match that level of genki-ness and the versatility to fit in any song despite of that is Yaguchi Mari!

OMG! Look it’s the title screen! This stage’s title is: Saishuu Bell ga Naru (The last bell rings)

 

1. M.A.M.M.O.T.H “Even if the environment changes, more than anyone, it ferociously survives”

This song is the best Stage starter ever IMO. It’s simply full of energy in the fiercest way possible!

OMG Yuko! She’s front and center in this too, and you see, this choreography is full of jumps and fist pumping action, and she’s the best at it, it’s really impressive. (No, I’m not biased at all)

Rock it Erepyon! Well, she isn’t exactly one to rock anything at all, but she really tries her best though…

It’s funny (and adorable) to see Kasai trying so hard, the funny part is that she ends up looking sexy, but not scary at all!

You know, the truth is that, as much as I love this song, I kind of… Don’t get its meaning at all. I’m still unsure about whether it’s a song about global warming or simply a scary one about random mammoth spirits that awoke in order to kill all of mankind. Either way, it could be the next big movie right?

You see, for some reason unbeknownst to me, Erena is the easiest member to cap, so you’ll be seeing a lot of her

Yuuuuukooooo! *dies* Anyway, I like how this song is kind of mysterious sounding even though it does have hints of hip hop or something like that thrown in, it gives off a more dramatic effect.

I really like the costumes too. It looks like a school uniform but with a wild twist to it, because of all the ripped cloths over the skirts. The one thing I don’t like all that much is that some girls are given pant thingies, and while it helps keep a diverse look, it just… well, it kind of looks off to me

Of course, this type of songs is where Sayaka shines the most

Avatar Yuko looks cute in blue! (Lamest joke ever, I know)

Mochi! I love her hairpiece too, it looks kind of tribal and all!

OMG! Look! It’s almost a Maachan smile! That’s like the rarest item in the pokeworld!

Kaorin! She’s so sweet and adorable, but you know, the best thing about her is that she really tried hard to get in the mood of the song, no matter how hard she might fail at it.

Nontii is a really good dancer, and I’m sure that she’ll do great in SDN. Actually, I want their first stage to be over already so that we can finally take a look at their first stage DVD!

I remember someone once said that whenever Perfume’s Kashiyuka danced, it was amazing because her hair just followed her moves and it looked pretty neat. Well, it’s the same with Tomo~mi, I just always wondered how come it doesn’t bother her? I mean, it’s kind of bothersome to have your hair get in the way, but I’ve never seen her trying to adjust it or put it back or anything…

Ok, this is just weird. WTF is going on there? Sae looks like she just became possessed by one of the killing mammoth ghosts…

Cool formation is cool

OMG! It’s possessed Sae again! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!

Oh Yuko, why are you so cool?

Look at the hair ornament! Isn’t it neat? I want one!

You don’t know how numb by finger got from trying to get the only split second of camera time for poor Naruru

LOL Mochi looks surprisingly not really into it in this cap XD

 

Ok, so here’s the thing. I’ll really try my best to finish this one. Just, right now, it’s already midnight and Im falling asleep, so before I write any more nonsense, let’s wrap it up here!

Hello people! Sorry about the loooooong absence, but I actualy had something close to a real life until last month, so I just had to sit back and enjoy while it lasted XD

The end of 2009 is coming really soon, and so, here comes the list making season for blogs all over the net! (have you noticed how we bloggers have OCD? Making lists is a compulsion according to many psychiatry studies…)

Here’s my member ranking for 2009, I’ll rank the members according to their old teams until their new stages premier, ok?

Team A

13. Miyazaki Miho; I’ve never been a huge fan of Myao, to be honest. I think that she’s the full package as an idol, she’s determined to reach the top, she’s very pretty, and she’s entertaining as hell with her “unexpectedly tough” gimmick. She just doesn’t do it for me. I think that it’s her slight diva attitude. Sometimes, she looks as if we don’t deserve her in all of her glory, and it isn’t even in a tongue in cheek way, so w/e. I don’t like her voice either, and that’s a big no no for me most of the times.

12. Sato Amina: Oh crap, if I don’t get flamed for not liking Miho, I’m surely going to get slapped for placing Amina so low! I don’t dislike Amina in the slightest, in fact, I quite admire her as a character. She’s worked really hard to get where she is now, and seeing a girl who loves AKB this much is heart warming. She also seems to be very caring about her fellow team mates and whatnot, but still, she’s just not my type of idol. Her ultra high pitched voice is her greatest asset because she knows how to work it, but even still, I don’t really like its timbre. 

11. Nakata Chisato: Chiichan, Chiichan. She used to be my favorite kenkyuusei for a really long time, and then she got promoted and kind of disappeared from the face of the Earth. I think that Chiichan’s biggest problem is that she doesn’t have enough “oomph” to make people instantly spot her and want to root for her, and that’s almost certain to be a downside for an idol. Actually, I want that with the new Team A that fits her gentle personality she is able to show herself more, because she’s really talented and it’s a shame that it doesn’t always show.

10. Maeda Atsuko: How can an AKB fan really hate Acchan? I personally don’t. Especially not ever since I found out that she’s really close to Yuko XD But all kidding aside, I can feel for Acchan, ever since that MC in A5 shounichi where she said that Akimoto had told her to smile all the time because when she didn’t she looked like she didn’t care about anything, I realized that she’s just mostly misunderstood. I think that whenever people accuse her of half assing something, it’s probably just that she’s not all THAT great, objectively speaking, and that is her charm. But of course, not everybody GETS IT. I theoretically do, but she lacks the punch that I like in my idols so she’ll never be a fave. I still enjoy her blog though, it’s the main reason why she ranked here anyway XD

9. Kojima Haruna: Kojiharu is gorgeous as hell and stuff, but she doesn’t do it for me most of the time either. I love how determined she is, and how down to earth and smart she really is under that cover of hers. Also, Yuko seems to have a huge crush on her, so I kind of have to like her too because I’m lame like that XD And for the most part, I do like her, but I think that she’s not a very versatile performer, and that can really lower her level on stage. I think that No3b was the best thing that could’ve happened to her, it suits her style and lets her be the charmer perfect idol she is.

8. Shinoda Mariko: I don’t know about Mariko at all tbh. She’s like one of those girls that I really WANT to love, and she seems to have everything I look for in an idol: She’s goofy, has a good voice and great stage presence, but then in reality, she somehow falls flat for me and I don’t quite know why. What I really like about Mariko (other than the things I just wrote) is the fact that even though she’s really famous on her own, she still really loves AKB and has a lot of fun at it.  I admire her because I thought that she was going to call it quits at the same time Oshima Mai did, but she stayed, and even said in the Budoukan concert that she won’t graduate until she’s 30. 

7. Fujie Reina: Reina’s whole friendship with Mai seemed like a really obvious gimmick to me, what with the re enactments and overly dramatic tone of the whole story, but despite of that, it made me notice her. I used to dislike Reina back when everybody loved her just for her cuteness after her disastrous rendition of HoneHone Waltz, and then, Kuroi Tenshi came around and I was in love. Reina is a solid performer, she has a great voice, and she’s very flexible, which gives her dance moves an elegant look. I just love her, I love how honest she is in her blog too, and I’m totally looking forward to have her in K!!

6. Takajo Aki: For Akicha and me, it was love at first sight. I adored her, she reminded me of the unpolished and huggable Momusu yougsters when they have just joined, she looked really lost, but still smiled and gave her best effort always, and I instantly wanted her to be a star. And Akimoto must’ve heard my prayers because she was promoted to A in record time, and she was given a huge push in following concerts and the such. But I think she wasn’t ready for it, and sometimes she seemed even a bit dumbfounded (her self advertising video was HORRIBLE) and I was disappointed. But right now, she’s become more comfortable with her position as the leader of undergirls and I’m loving her again! 

5. Itano Tomomi: I’ve never been a Tomochin huge huge fan either, but I love her carefree attitude and I love her dancing skills, it just flows when she does it! I’m kind of bummed about her depression issues, as I really worry about such things and I know that it can get pretty bad, and I think that the shuffling announcement didn’t help cheer her up at all, but I really hope that she can find a good side to it…

4. Minegishi Minami: What’s not to love about Miichan? She’s just lots of FUN. And she’s also very talented, I love her sweet little voice, she has decent control, and she’s a really good dancer. I also love how cheeky she allows herself to be! It’s kind of sad that she’s been steadily losing popularity over the years because of the new generation, but hey, I’m still a fan, Miichan! Keep rocking!

3. Takahashi Minami: I think Takamina ranks this high mostly out of respect. I really admire how hard working she is, and how she puts her heart into everything she does, despite of her limitations as a comedienne, she still does MCs, and gets out there to speak in front of everyone, and what’s not to love about that??? If you like AKB, you have got to have a place in your heart for the great Takamina.

2. Sato Yukari: Yukarin! OMG I love this girl so much, and nobody ever understands why XD I used to like her even more when Nozofisu was around, I love seeing the 2 airheads just being silly with each other… But right now, I have to say that I love Yukari because she’s sheer attitude. She’s not the prettiest girl around, she’s kind of flat chested and she doesn’t really have a booty, yet she works it like no other in photoshoots and ends up looking really hot, and it’s the same in performances, she’s not a great singer or dancer, but she’s just damn proud of herself for being there and enjoys it fully, I can’t help but love her more everytime I spot her! And I’m going to sorely miss her when she moves to SDN

1. Kitahara Rie: Unexpected choice much? Kitarie is simply my favorite A member as of today. She’s been steadily rising ever since I saw her from the first time, she’s the most gorgeous girl ever. I LOVED her funny bits in AKBINGO as “Unagi Inu” and I also love how hard she works, she always seems to be glowing! To sum it up, I don’t have a real reason why I adore Kitarie, but I just do. So any other statements I might make now are going to be only gush gush gush so let’s leave it like this XD

Team K

15. Oku Manami: I’ll start by saying that I love ALL of the girls in Team K so this ranking was hard as hell! Manami is so adorable, she’s very beautiful and I like her soft voice. I also like how Akimoto thinks that she should be an ace, as she looks like a very trendy person to me. 

14. Kobayashi Kana:Kana is like she goes into on and off mode. Whenever she’s “on” she jokes around, is super lively and entertaining, and the she switches to “off” and you won’t even notice her at all. I don’t like how inconsistent she is as a performer, and her voice tends to go off pitch a lot.

13. Umeda Ayaka: Umechan has stage presence like no others, is an amazing dancer and an adorable dork, but she doesn’t have a lot of oomph to her personality either. I was such a big fan, then I went to watch them live and she was kind of freaked out by me XD Now I can’t really find a reason why I should be in love with her, I do think she’s one of the best performers K has, and I’m glad that they kept her in the team!

12. Kuramochi Asuka: Mocchi is a dear. She’s soft spoken, gentle and very ladylike, which is why she’s getting moved to A XD I love how sultry her voice is, she does wonders with it. Also, am I the only one who thinks that she’s absolutely drop dead gorgeous? She’s right up there in my ranking next to Kitarie <3

11. Matsubara Natsumi: I’ve always had a soft spot for Nattsumii, and I’m super happy to see that she’s steadily becoming more popular. Also, she’s a very H!P-like idol, which I think was the first quality that drew me to her back when I was a n00b XD. However, like the verse about her in 16 shimai no uta says, she’s too plain, and that hurts her a bit at times.

10. Masuda Yuka: I adore Yuka’s voice, she’s a star all around. She’s a great dancer, and she’s versatile enough to perform cute songs believably and effortlessly as well as power numbers, which is why I love her so much. Also, it doesn’t hurt that she has a relatively quirky personality. But you know what? Screw all that, the only reason why everybody should love Yuka is because idols like her are born every 1000 years (yeah, I’m stealing Akimoto’s definition of Mayu, so what?). She’s breathtaking on stage, if you won’t take my word for it, go watch her version of Koike, she 0wned everyone’s faces with that (and the whole first shuffle concert, actually XD)

9. Sato Natsuki: Nacchi is smart, fun, has a great voice and looks very beautiful. Also, she has a great way with words, she’s unexpectedly entertaining no matter what, I love her MCs, she manages to tell the most random stories in an amusing way! Also, she can eat salad endlessly! Which is a great talent, I’d say XD

8. Ohori Megumi: Meetan, the sexy predator of Team K. Of course I rooted for her a lot during her “Kokansetsu” days. What I admire the most out of Megumi is her devotion. She just entirely throws her heart and soul into the things she loves and that’s touching. I also really admire her honesty, she isn’t afraid of looking silly, she’s just incredibly sincere and that is so refreshing! Especially with the “cover up” attitude the idol world usually has…

7. Chikano Rina: Awww… I’m so sore that she’s getting moved to B! No hate to B, of course, but it breaks my heart how she was a kenkyuusei for like a million years and always wanted to be in K, and when she finally gets her dream, it evades her like this… Anyhow, Chikarina is amazing for the same reasons Kitarie is, more or less. She’s ULTRA happy to be performing in anything and it definitely shows. Of course, she’s more of the “fierce” type instead of Rie’s “cuteness” but still, their determination and happiness are almost equal. I also love Chikarina’s constant gush posts about Team K, she’s such a wota!!! (or AN wota if you’re a grammar crazy person)

6. Ono Erena: I’ll always state this until proven otherwise: Erena is singlehandedly the prettiest girl in AKB. You may or may not realized it, I personally hadn’t noticed it until I saw her in person. It’s incredible. Ok, now I sound like an L pedobear, but I swear I’m not. I love Erena because I always have. She’s the epitome of cuteness, and she’s a spoiled brat and doesn’t care about it. I love how she’s still super excited about her job, but even with everything that comes with being an idol, she doesn’t put up with anyone’s crap, and with this philosophy she’s beaten up certain AKBINGO guests XD

5. Noro Kayo: Nontii is hilarious. She is definitely not afraid to make fun of herself or be goofy, but she’s also really beautiful and talented. I like her dancing style, it’s very powerful and lively! I really wished that she could stay in K, because she really made everyone laugh and stuff, but I’m sure that she has a bright future ahead of her in SDN48 anyway…

4. Miyazawa Sae:  GENKING!!! Sae is incredibly lively an entertaining as an idol, she’s impossible to ignore, and I also think that it’s nearly impossible to dislike a girl like her. She’s just UBER excited about everything, and at times, she looks like she might need a Ritalin XD But in spite of all this, it doesn’t take away from her performances, which are top notch, and I love how she can go from jumping around everywhere to being sexy or emo if the song requires it

3. Akimoto Sayaka: Sayaka is one of those girls that people either ADORE or dislike. I can’t possibly understand how anyone could dislike a person as kind and devoted as Sayaka, but I guess some pople don’t look that deep into idols XD I also think that if you haven’t seen Sayaka in person, you might get the wrong impression of her, but the way I see it, she’s one of the girls who truly cares the most about her fans. She’s just incredibly nice and humble when you meet her. Also, there are a LOT more good things about her: She’s incredibly passionate about everything she does, and it really shows in her performances, she’s very funny, she isn’t afraid of being geeky, she has a great voice, she is gorgeous, she speaks english! There’s so much to like about Sayaka, I’m super excited about her being picked as the captain of Team K, because not only does she deserve it, but she’ll do a fantastic job at that position.

2. Kasai Tomomi: Tomomi-chan has been winning me over through the years. At first I didn’t quite like her because I thought that she looked too emo, but then I realized that it’s just her droopy eyes XD She’s amazing. I mean, she’s just… the only way to describe what I feel about her is that I want to run up to her and just HUG her until she squeals cutely XD I also love her voice, it’s very distictive and it helps balance out the lower voices of K. Also, come on! Just read a bit of her blog, she’s so perplexed and amused by everything and anything, that how could you NOT adore her???

1. Oshima Yuko: I’ve written enough about Yuko in this blog and all over the internet, but still, she’s still my number one, and I don’t think that that will ever change. I’m glad to see her growing more and more as a person everyday, and I also like that she’s steadily coming closer to her dreams with her hard work.

Team B

14. Nakatsuka Tomomi: I still don’t understand why this girl was promoted, it perplexes me. I don’t hate her or dislike her or anything, but I can’t see what’s so great about her. This girl makes me worried because she’s on Team K now, I don’t understand why they shuffled her there anyway… She should’ve stayed in B, where her quirky dorkiness could’ve worked for the best

13. Nakagawa Haruka: I’ve always had plenty of issues with Harugon, mainly the fact that her voice sounds flat 90% of the time, but also the fact that lately, she’s barely noticeable on stage. When she first joined Team B at least she was lively and kind of quirky but right now, I just see nothing there…. She’s still gorgeous though XD

12. Kohara Haruka: Kohara just graduated didn’t she? I didn’t understand that at all. I think she was moved to K, then to SDN and she finally left for good or somthing, but I might be wrong. I loved Kohara at first, and I thought that she was perfect for Team A, as she’s cute, pretty and has a sweet voice, but then they placed her in B and nothing made sense anymore. She never seemed to be all that tight with her team mates, and she looked kind of awkward sometimes among the young girls of B…

11. Nito Moeno: Here’s another girl who’s been REALLY pushed beyond her popularity and I can’t really see why sometimes. She’s a good dancer, she’s a good singer, but… What else is there to Moeno? I don’t see it really, she’s kind of a mystery to me like that. I have no idea what her personality is like, or who she hangs out with or any of those background tips that mek you endeared. 

10. Hirajima Natsumi: Nacchan the great! I love how keen Akimoto was when he moved her to B, where her real crack personality started to show, and she became a very important part of the team, so much that she was one of the only 3 girls who were able to remain in the team. That said, I have a bit of an issue with her, and that is that she has very little control of her voice, and she can start shouting her lines when singing at times, which does bother me a bit because I’m absurd and expect idols to sing in a good way XD But still, even with that little problem, I still think that she’s one of AKB’s greatest members, she’s really entertaining and I love how she’s always having fun with everything!

9.  Tanabe Miku: I like Tanamin, she’s beautiful, powerful and she’s the best dancer ever. I liked her better with long hair though, it makes her look so elegant! I’m super excited to see her in Team K, because I know that she’s a hard worker, and I hope that she gets a chance to shine there. I also admire how determined she is because even though she was always a background character in Team B, with no solo lines or anything, she decided to stay there and do her best no matter what, and I really like that about her!

8. Yonezawa Rumi: Yonechan is a happy girl, right? She’s just infectiously happy, so to speak, and I love that about her, but the other thing I really like is that she’s very versatile as a performer, she’s incredibly cute whenever she needs to be, but she can also be super sexy, or look quite strong. I like her voice a lot too, and it’s really funny to hear the contrast between her high pitched speaking voice and her singing voice!

7. Watanabe Mayu: Mayuyu is a perfect idol. She’s incredibly cute, and she sings in an impossibly high pitched squee. Even though this is true, I like her because she gives her best effort all the time, so she manages to be unexpectedly good in various types of songs.

6. Urano Kazumi: Cindy is crack, and of the very good variety XD It was really amusing to see her interact with her fellow Team B members because the age gap gave room for a lot of funny situations. Also, I love how she managed to go from being one of the most obscure A members to become the leader of Team B. It’s kind of stupid to see that she’s getting transfered to SDN, because she was the perfect girl to continue leading Team B and even to assemble a brand new one and still make it fun. What a shame…

5. Ohta Aika: Aika is unexpectedly aggressive and mean, which I love. I also really liked her rivalry with Mayuyu, it was great for comedic purposes, and those 2 just look super adorable together. It’s sad that she’s getting moved to Team A, because she’ll probably get out shined there, but hopefully she’ll take it as an opportunity to grow up as a performer!

4. Sashihara Rino: Sasshi is hilarious, even the way she speaks. She’s also really beautiful, and a very hard working girl and polished performer. But I especially love her quirky personality, there’s so much about her that I really think will go to waste in a Team like A, where the girls are all striving to be perfect one way or another… Poor fun-loving random Sasshi…

3. Kashiwagi Yuki: Yukirin was a favorite the first time she opened her mouth and sang. I love her voice, it’s really clear and soothing. I’m wondering if she’s going to be a good captain, I mean, I love her and she’s a key member of her team, but… she doesn’t seem to have the super strong personality the other captains have XD. 

2. Nakaya Sayaka: I love Nakayan because I love the underdogs, and she’s the quintessential background girl. I want to root for her because I can’t understand why she has so little fans, she’s incredibly cute and has a homey feeling to her that reminds me a bit of Nakanishi Rina’s, and she’s also really talented, she’s a very good singer, and she’s also good at dancing, so why do people shun her like that U_U I think the main reason why people don’t care about her is because she’s a quiet girl, she’s not over the top at all, but people should try to notice her in all of her various units, also, whenever she subs for a member, she’s very good at that too! Please try to notice Nakayan a bit, ok? 

1. Katayama Haruka: Haachan, on the other hand, is the opposite. She’s all about attitude, she’s super confident too, which makes her a great performer and gives all of her performances a sexy edge to them. Also, THE VOICE. OMG, she’s just SUCH a good singer. If she ever sang a duet with Yuka I would literally die out of awesomeness

Oh Akimoto, you are a fucking genius. I’m REALLY impressed. 

The team shuffling thing has always made sense to me because idols are supposed to be interchangeable, and if they can become more profitable by grouping them in a certain way, then of course, that’s the way to go for a bussinessman like Akimoto.

But with the RIVER single, he really wants to make sure that he gets the coveted No. 1 position. AKB has the most aggresive PR campaign in their history yet, with the girls appearing in several billboards in important locations, spots for the frontgirls in almost every entertainment magazine in Japan, and of course, Shukan AKB, AKBINGO and SKE Gakuen (or whatever that one is called…) airing the RIVER PV all over the place.

I can’t embed videos for the life of me, but here’s a handy old fashioned link to the RIVER full PV in Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0el26spX7sk

I’ll screencap whenever I get my hands on the decent version, and I’ll probably do a bigger and better review then. But for now, I have to say that this song and PV are AMAZING. For one, they’re out of the sugar bubblegum pop streak that started with Oogoe, bringing on this girlish war anthem of sorts. It’s still a great idol song, and the girls manage to look like idols all through the PV in spite of their camo wear and war props.

I’ll just say one more thing, to all the people who whined about the girls not having firearms in there, this isn’t a PV about war, it’s a song about fighting bravely (like a soldier) to get your dreams and make sure that they come true no matter what and blah blah blah all that standard idol crap, so please FOCUS PEOPLE!

Anyway, I adore this song. I’ve always been a sucker for this kind of gimmicky songs about not giving up because I’m a quitter by nature XD Also, I love how catchy the war chants are! It’s an amazing song if only just because it’s REALLY memorable, and as a proof, I’ll give you the fact that most H!P bloggers are even commenting on this one! Score!

Finally, if there was justice in the world, this song would be the title track of K6. But of course, A’s cutie girls will perform their “rendition” in their 6th stage instead for sure… *sigh*

Now, moving onto Kimi no Koto ga Suki Dakara (Because I like you) by the Undergirls, we get a super sugary cavity inducing high energy number in a unit that features all of the AKB lolis (including the ultra neglected Maachan!). I have no idea as to why they changed the Undergirls line up so drastically, and it honestly seems a bit unfair to me. I mean, sure, we’re all aware that Amina won’t make it into senbatsu for a while because she doesn’t have the fanbase for it, but pulling Yonechan out of Undergirls? After she barely made it into senbatsu? OUCH. Not nice at all. My guess is that they just wanted lolis in here *shrugs*

Oh, here’s the PV, BTW http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ClAnMQjLPA&feature=player_embedded

Lots of people have mentioned how the sunny look of the PV and simple carefree attitude of the girls remind them of the old days of Berryz and C-ute, and I can definitely see where they’re going! While RIVER is great because it sets AKB apart, KimiKoto is amazing because it’s nothing more than idol pop, and it’s great at it! 

Plus, you can REALLY tell that wonky Moeno is getting really pushed, she has like a million close ups!

Last, but definitely not least, it’s the Theater Girls (aka. Real Underdogs) PV, a rehashed song (A5’s Hikoukigumo) and a crappy location (the AKB theater) really didn’t give uch hope to us fans of these girls. However, in an amazing turn of events, the PV turned out really amazing! It’s stupidly simple, but it’s warm and cozy and reminds all of us AKB wotas of the feeling of the theater itself and what the stages are about. Also, Natsumi is seriously the best looking person in a pair of pants EVER. OMG! I totally want her hips ;_; 

Ok, FOCUS CAT. Ehhhm. Here’s the PV for your viewing pleasure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-BCRe_HITM

Picking a song like “Hikoukigumo”, which is a concert staple of recent AKB history, was a great strategy, because it shows AKB just like what it’s supposed to be, not a posh group of funny schoolgirls, but a theater troupe of idols who create an atmosphere of “friendliness” towards their fans. In this song there’s audience interaction because of the cloths, and it’s just a great idea!

Ok, so now, to wrap this up, why do I think that this is the best AKB single to date? (Not my favorite, but the best, marketing wise) It’s because it has something for everyone. If you’re a casual fan, have the “edgy” and “trendy” vibe of RIVER, along with the familiar faces of the frontgirls playing Private Ryan. If you’re an occasional theater goer who’s smitten with, say, Sasshi, or if you’re just in love with the HAPPY aura of AKB, then have KimiKoto with its sparkly bubbliness (just like champagne, but sweeter XD), fun feel and girliness that it exudes. 

And if you’re just, well, the kind of wota who supports underdogs, and you would never leave the 8th floor of Don Quixote, or you have your name on a plate in the Theater Hall and have been a fan since 2005, then have Hikoukigumo, which features the “unpopular bunch” (this is, of course, completely arguable, since a lot of the girls who got voted for Tobenai ended up here, but work with me), and really gives a great taste of why the AKB Theater is such a magical place for wotas.

It also works in various ways, because by displaying the whole roster, they make sure that people at least find ONE girl they love, and become interested in the group.

It’s an amazing strategy! You know what? I know that my beloved Nakayan probably won’t ever make it into Senbatsu, but if she starts starring in any kind of PVs at all, I’m SUPER HAPPY! And a happy wota of course, means more money for Akimoto.

Damn him and his superior brain for idol producing. This strategy seems almost flawless to me, but let’s see where it gets us anyway…

Also, I really wish that this format is kept in future releases, I’d love if there were 3 different PVs, regardless how cheap they were, as long as all of the girls were given a chance in the spotlight… Wishful thinking…

Hi people! Today is Team B’s turn to shine in here XD I chose Team B because they have a small number of songs, but most of them are wonderful! But I’ll try and do all the teams! B3 obviously rules the list, being one of the most amazing stages ever, it was really difficult to leave some of my favorite songs of that stage out in favor of some B4 songs, but admittedly, B4 is pretty solid too, and has some great songs too.

Ok, so let’s get started!

10. B4 - Tengoku Yarou (Urano Kazumi, Nakagawa Haruka, Kohara Haruka, Nakaya Sayaka)

I swear that it has nothing to do with the fact that Nakayan (my second favorite B member) is part of this unit! This song is on crack, absolutely. It’s a song about alcohol! and enjoying your life with it or something XD Still, it’s tons of fun and its catchy melody sticks in my head forever. Also, cosplay! How fun is that???

9. B4 - Idol no Yoake

The title track of the highly anticipated successor stage to B3 blew everyone away in different ways. In a similar fashion to K3’s Tomo yo, this song makes use of real instruments played by the girls, only this time, it doesn’t look like a school rock band, but like a marching band XD The girls look funny as hell with those huge instruments, but it’s super cute to watch them play them and try to dance and sing at the same time, and it’s a really impressive achievement for a group of idols I’d say! Also, Lovetan is the most adorable person ever, and she proves it leading this song and being totally lovable at it.

8. B3 - Wasshoi B!

This is the song that defines Team B in my opinion. It’s super cheerful and energetic, without losing a bit of cuteness. I’ve already ranted about it many many times, but it’s amazing how a silly little song like this can brighten up your mood whenever you need it!

 

7. B3 - Kagami no Naka no Jeanne da Arc (Urano Kazumi, Sashihara Rino, Yonezawa Rumi, Tanabe Miku, Saotome Miki)

If we’re talking about Team B songs, this one definitely has to be part of the countdown. Regardless of the controversial decision  of adding Sasshi all out of the blue to replace prominent team B member Kikuchi Ayaka as the “B flag bearer” I love this song, I love how powerful it sounds whenever it is sung live! 

6. B3 - Junjou Shugi (Katayama Haruka, Matsuoka Yuki, Nito Moeno)

Junjou Shugi was the song that got me instantly hooked on Team B, and on Haachan, so of course, it just HAD to be here. This super sexy song includes naive lyrics and a sassy choreography, and I love that combination of elements, they make it a very special song.

5. B4 - Itoshiki Natassha (Katayama Haruka, Sashihara Rino, Tanabe Miku)

This one right here might be the best AKB unit this year, the song is amazing on its own, but when sung by these 3 girls, who are some of the best B singers, it’s even greater. Also, the performance is flawless with all the headbanging and all, they really became rockstars for this!

4.  B4 - Kuchiutsushi no Chocolate (Kashiwagi Yuki, Oota Aika, Hirajima Natsumi)

This is probably the naughtiest song in the whole AKB catalogue, which is saying a lot, considering how their songs have a bit of an “edge “to them. But this takes it to the next level, especially because all of this girl are underage. Still, it’s a very good song in its own right, and Yukirin is a great lead, even though this kind of music isn’t what she’s used to do. I was also really glad to see Lovetan doing something out of the “cute” image she’s always given. 

3. B3 - Inochi no Tsukaimichi

It’s hard to defend AKB from haters when they do sing about some nasty stuff sometimes XD This song is about a girl who feels her life is so meaningless that she gets involved with some random old guy just because he’s the only person who is kind to her. Ouch. Still, this kind of depth in an idol song is rarely seen outside of AKb, so I’m glad I’m their fan anyway Also, this performance is amazing, the girls dance like mannequins or robots and the lighting of the stage is really cool. My performance of choice would be the one on AX 2009, that one was just… WOW!

2. B3 - Temodemo no Namida (Kashiwagi Yuki & Saeki Mika)

 I’ve already raved about this song too soon to do it again right now, so go back to the past AKBest 10 to read my thoughts about it

1. B3 - Shonichi

There’s no denying that Shonichi is the ultimate proof that Team B went from being the “afterthought” team that nobody even wanted to look at to become an amazing group of girls with great songs and stage presence to spare. I’m always touched whenever I watch this performance, it’s always inspiring to see people who have worked so hard to achieve their dreams finally seeing them come true in front of their very own eyes.

And some runner ups:

- Tenshi no Shippo: I still think that out of all the cute units, this one beats them all effortlessly!

- Pajama Drive: Mayuyu being unexpectedly cute is always nice to see!

- Two Years Later: This song is so sassy and cool!

- Yokosuka Curve: I like how retro this sounds!

- Kobushi no Seigi: gang style AKB!!! Very cool!

Welcome to my new entry series, AKBest 10! Here I’ll rate the top 10 of AKB’s songs, girls or whatever comes to mind. Hopefully, I’ll be able to update regularly this way!

 

Today we have a very special theme to start it all! I’m going to rate the top 10 best AKB duets!! If you noticed that I left one out that you think should’ve been in the countdown, please feel free to comment and add your suggestion, I love discussing AKB!

 

Ok, so here we have them, let’s start with number 10

10. K3 - Honehone Waltz (Stage Version) - Oku Manami and Ono Erena

The original Honegumi from AKB48 included Team A members Itano Tomomi and Masuyama Kayano, however, the song was recycled and used as a stage song in K3, in a duet formed by Erepyon and Maachan only. The truth is that this cute song gets old relatively quickly, so it’s no surprise that it ends in the bottom of the ranking… It’s pretty amusing to watch though, but the lack of Kayano’s huge smile and Tomochin’s mischievousness make it feel a bit lacking at times

9. H2 - Tonari no Banana - Ono Erena & Kasai Tomomi

It looks like I have something against cute songs, but I swear I don’t XD Tonari no Banana is a really cute duet between the cutest K girls, Erepyon and Tomomi-chan. Apparently, there’s a hidden meaning to this song’s lyrics, and it’s something naughty, but I’m t thick to fully grasp it The thing with this song is that despite its cuteness and catchiness it kind of falls behind in comparison to the rest of the songs in the countdown…

8. A1 - Anata to Christmas Eve - Hoshino Michiru & Orii Ayumi

This type of songs are kind of missing in the recent AKB style, the older sisters Chiru and Ayu sang this beautiful ballad, with Michiru on the keyboard, it ended up sounding rather beautiful! However, it’s a really slow ballad, so unless you’re in the mood for it or are a ballad person you could get a bit bored with it. Musically wise, though, it’s very pretty and uses beautiful harmonies, making it special if only just because of that.

7. K5 - Wagamama na Nagareboshi - Ono Erena & Kobayashi Kana

Erepyon really does a lot of duets, she has a ton of stage presence so she can easily manage, Kana, on the other hand, doesn’t do as well herself, but she isn’t bad either! This one’s another cute song, but this time, it’s about a girl who is just wishing on a shooting star, refusing to grow up. I like the lyrics a lot, and the tune is catchy and easy on the ears, but Kana’s voice wavers a bit and even breaks at times which brings it down a notch.

6. A3 - Shinkirou - Nakanishi Rina & Kojima Haruna

In Shinkirou we have a combination of the angelic voice of Rinatin with the nasal tone of Haruna’s, still, it manages to sound really good because of the good use of harmonies, which keeps Haruna in the low range sounding great while Rina takes the higher melody which works best for her voice. This heartbreaking song about a lost love is really good!

5. K4 - Oshibe to Meshibe to Yoru no Chouchou - Kasai Tomomi & Ohori Megumi

This song is already a classic, isn’t it? With low key suspicious sultry background music and writhing and moaning all over the place, this is probably the most overtly sexual AKB song ever! It’s all about the theatrical antics of Tomomi and Meetan too, who really spice it up! 

4. A4 - Haru ga Kuru Made - Oshima Mai & Hoshino Michiru

This one right here is my favorite AKB duet, which is why it ranks so high. I stand alone in my love for this song though, because it always ends up in the bottom of the AX rankings, and I’ve never heard anyone else saying that they like it! However, it’s my little secret baby song and I adore every second of it. It’s a nostalgic song about unrequited love, however, it carries some hope in its tune and lyrics that manages to cheer me up all the time! Most people don’t like Mai’s voice because they say it isn’t strong enough, but I think that it works perfectly for lovely songs like this one, especially when combined with Michiru’s which is downright beautiful!

3. H1 - Higurashi no Koi - Takahashi Minami & Masuda Yuka

There’s always going to be a fight between AKB fans. Who is the best singer in AKB? Takahashi or Masuda? Akimoto decided to settle it by giving them this duet which is probably one of the best songs of AKB’s catalogue, vocals wise. In my opinion, Masuda pwns the world with her deep rich voice, but we’re all welcome to have our own opinions! The only truth about this song is that it’s absolutely breathtaking.

2. B3 - Temodemo no Namida - Kashiwagi Yuki & Saeki Mika

B3 really took everyone by storm and proved that Team B could very well stand on its own and kick ass! This beautiful song with electro hints is about a girl who loves someone who doesn’t like her quite as much (why are almost all of this duets so sad anyways?) The funny thing is that despite of the weird astronaut outfits and the lacking choreography, there’s no way that this song won’t grab your attention! I especially like the fact that Mikachii (who has graduated recently ) managed to stay at the same level as super talented Kashiwagi Yuki, because Mikachii was a kenkyuusei and stuff, but still, she managed to hold her own and sing beautifully!

1. K2 - Kinjirareta Futari - Oshima Yuko & Kasai Tomomi

If I were to choose a word to describe this song, it would be powerful. It’s a ballad, like most of the songs in this countdown, but this one is different because it tells a story in such a way that you can actually feel what this girls are singing about, and I mean it! I’m sure I’m biased, because Yuko is my favorite member, but nevertheless, it’s undeniable that this song is REALLY important in AKB. Not only because of its controversial subject, but also because of the performance itself, which is a bit more like real acting than most of the idol songs I’ve heard. This song always ranks high in popularity among fans and has intrigued many non fans enough to give the group a chance, so I think that it’s very deserving of the position I’ve given to it here, even if it isn’t even my personal favorite!

 

Interesting facts I noticed while making this: Ono Erena and Kasai Tomomi are tied for the girl with most duets at 3 songs each

Why does Tomomi-chan always end up the seme in this yuri songs?

Team K has more duet songs on average

Most of this duets are about unrequited love or another form of suffering

Disc 4:

Watch out. Top 25 songs! Woot! Some really great songs in here, and also, look forward to Team B’s absolute pwnage of this concert

Reinyan, Takamina and Yonechan are the first commenters. Odd combination, but still fun!

 

Sougen no Kiseki: Sayaka solo lines are gorgeous! (I’m running out of adjectives in this review XD) I’m so happy to see this song getting some love, though. I insist, K3 is all kinds of awesome, and underrated as hell too. Kana’s super bright KK hat was hilarious