In today’s H!P Releases post there will be only one release but despite that it’s an interesting release that many fans will like since it break’s away from the traditional design for Single V’s by not including the normal version of the PV.
Most fans already have an idea about what it is, but for those who don’t know today’s release is:
Check out the full post after the break!
As promised I will restart the H!P Releases posts in an effort to show fans what is being released each day along with a short review of each good released. I hope many fans find will find the posts useful since they are a good way to be aware of what is going on in terms of releases.
Starting off the H!P Releases post we have:
I will do the post similar to the Shuukan Yoro posts, meaning that I will put the full post after the break, that way anyone who is interested only has to check out the post and those who aren’t won’t have to worry about many Youtube videos slowing down the page.
I will make a few changes during the next few posts so that this section looks better and I hope to detail any changes in the next Shuukan Yoro post, but for now please enjoy this post.
Five releases today: Mano Erina’s Seishun no Serenade Single V, Bijo Gaku Vol. 3 & 4 DVDs, and Buono’s 11th single Zassou no Uta.
Since there aren’t that many previews for the Bijo Gaku DVDs I won’t be able to review them (I couldn’t find that many links to buy the DVD either), but I still encourage fans who are interested to buy the DVDs since the series is very entertaining.
Mano Erina “Seishun no Serenade” Single V
Mano Erina’s Single V for her 9th single.
Unfortunately there aren’t that many details about the Single V for some reason (Mano isn’t as popular as Momusu, Berryz and other groups so usually her Single V releases go largely unnoticed) so I don’t really have a good idea of what is included in the DVD apart from the main PV and the Making Of, so I will review the PV briefly so that fans who haven’t seen it yet get a good idea about what to expect from the DVD.
Seishun no Serenade
Video uploaded by: ManoErinaCHANNEL
Like I mentioned before on my brief review when it was released the PV is somewhat calm but it features many different scenes that give the PV enough variety to keep the viewer entertained.
There are about 4 scenes in the PV: dance shot in the classroom with Mano and 4 Eggs dancing in front of a stationary camera that moves back and forth and a camera that swings side to side, a shot of Mano walking around the school and into the various classrooms, a shot of Mano singing while sitting in a desk, and a closeup shot of Mano singing to the camera in front of a bright background.
The song is simply amazing since it features a catchy beat that mixes a ballad sound with an upbeat happy feeling, and even though the bridge of the song seems to stand out a bit too much since it changes the sound abruptly I loved every second of the song since Mano’s vocals are amazing, the songs instrumental is catchy and cute, and they both combine to form an amazing song.
The dance shot in the classroom is where most of the PV takes place, and in it we can see Mano dancing along with 4 Eggs as backdancers, and even though there are only two different cameras: the camera in front of Mano going back and forth, and the one on the side going side to side I really liked the way the dance went along with the song since it was simple, cute, and matched the beat of the song.
The shot of Mano walking around the school seems to have been done to give the PV a bit more of a story, and apart from the weak storyline where she walks around the school and finds a piano I found that the shots turned out pretty good since we get to see Mano walking around and playing a piano at the end of the PV.
The shots of Mano singing from the desk and the closeup are the best in the PV since Mano looks amazingly beautiful in both of the shots, and even though the shot of Mano singing in a desk is somewhat calm and the closeup doesn’t feature that many dance moves I loved how great Mano looked in each one of them.
The PV overall matches the theme of the song since the cute upbeat lyrics and the calm ballad sound of the song went along perfectly with the dance shot in the classroom, the walk around the school, the singing from the desk, and the closeup of Mano singing, and while the bridge of the song sticks out I consider this to be among my favorite Mano releases.
Even though I couldn’t review the entire Single V I could at least review one of the three videos in it, so hopefully fans who enjoyed the PV consider buying the Single V since it contains this PV, an alternate version, and the Making Of.
Buono! “Zassou no Uta”
Left: Regular, Right: Limited
Buono’s 11th single (and the first since they left Pony Canyon) which debuted on the Oricon charts at #8.
Like most of us already know the single wasn’t promoted well at all, but I’m glad to see that despite it not having that great of a promotion run it did manage to debut in the top ten on it’s first day and in it’s second day it managed to stay in the top 10 at #10, which is pretty impressive for a group that didn’t release a single for a year although slightly disappointing since it’s not doing that great when compared to their last release.
Despite that this single was one of the most impressive releases by the group since it features a grand total of six tracks: three songs and their instrumentals, and while this should have made the release more tempting for fans it is a great comeback for the group since it gives everyone a chance to enjoy an extra song along with two extra instrumentals.
Surprisingly there were two PVs for this release, one for the main song Zassou no Uta and another for JUICY HE@RT which is something rare for H!P, and since I haven’t had a chance to see the PVs or hear any songs from the single I will be writing down my first impression of the songs which will most likely be a bit more positive than usual since I love Buono and all of their releases.
Zassou no Uta
Video uploaded by: buonochannel
The song is somewhat more calm than what I imagined Buono’s comeback would be like, but despite the somewhat calmer beat the song had the Buono sound with the guitars, drums, and bass along with the great vocals from each Buono member although the lyrics seemed to repeat a bit (it might have been the cheering not the lyrics though).
The PV is very interesting since it features a very elaborate setting with Buono performing in a garage full of cars along with a different band in the background, which was really impressing since most H!P PVs only feature a stage or something similar and shows that they actually did a great job with planning the PV since they didn’t seem to have any budget issues.
The other half of the PV features a shot of Buono fixing a car up which matches the car theme well and it is really fun to see Buono laughing while they work on a car together, and while Miya’s hairstyle might be a bit distracting I did like the way everyone looked in both of the shots since they look as great as always.
Overall the PV is interesting since it features a unique car theme with a great story shot of Buono working on a car, and while the song might be a bit calm by Buono standards I did love the PV and the song since they both sounded amazing.
Runaway Train
Video uploaded by: xEriJunLinx
The song features more of an edgier instrumental since the beginning has a great guitar intro along with great vocals which seem to have a similar calm feeling to the a-side although the song has a bit more guitar when compared to the a-side which makes it very interesting to hear since it’s the closest to the Buono sound we are used to.
The song isn’t as catchy as I would have though it would be but it might be because I’m listening to the song for the first time but I did love the guitars and the instrumental along with the vocals since they both sound incredible and they go along with the sound of the main song perfectly.
JUICY HE@RT
Video uploaded by: buonochannel
The song stands out from the rest since it seems to have some more synthesizers in the instrumental along with the guitars, but I’m glad to see that they didn’t overuse them since it resulted in a pretty impressive and balanced instrumental where none of the instruments overpowered the others.
The vocals like always are amazing and catchy and while most of them are group lines I loved the way that everyone sang since it seemed a bit more unified than usual since there wasn’t any member that overpowered the others while singing (I couldn’t tell apart Momo, Airi or Miya’s voices that easily).
The PV is simply amazing and I say that mainly because of the amount of variety in the PV, starting from the yacht where they eat a pizza (most likely from pizza-la), to the scene where they get out of luxury cars like movie stars and sing in front of them as well as the part where they sing in an amazing and fancy room the PV impresses with each new scene since it shows a completely different approach to PVs.
The outfits each member had were all a bit darker than the usual outfits we are used to seeing but it seems that they have a darker more mature sound than usual and the PV does an amazing job of showing it of since we get to see a yacht, luxury cars and a fancy room along with the dark punk outfits each member has, which makes them stand out a bit more than usual.
Overall the song is amazing since it has a synthesizer instrumental along with the guitars and the impressive vocals, but the PV is simply one of the best I have seen since it combines variety, luxury and Buono’s image to show off a unique H!P PV, and even though I usually have a small complaint I can’t really find one for this PV since I really loved it.
The single didn’t feature any song composition by Tsunku (from what I remember) so it’s interesting to see that Buono’s image has gotten a bit more mature during the past year. It almost seems like Buono grew up a bit and so did their music since all of the songs have a similar calm but mature sound with amazing vocals, and while the songs might be a bit too similar sometimes I loved each one of them since they all have something that sets them apart.
Hopefully all Buono fans can get a copy of the single since this is a great single with amazing songs.
A last word before ending the post: I highly encourage everyone to buy the singles from the links below since they count on the Oricon charts, but if you don’t want to or can’t buy the singles due to the cost of shipping I recommend that you buy them instead from iTunes since it’s the second best way to support Buono and other H!P artists without having to spend a lot of money.
If you like the single please consider buying the songs instead of just downloading them since it shows UFA how much we care about great groups like Buono while supporting them.
Here are some links to buy the products from sites that count on the Oricon, please support your favorite H!P artist!
Mano Erina
Seishun no Serenade (Single V)
Hello! Project
Bijo Gaku Vol.3 (DVD)
Hello! Project
Bijo Gaku Vol.4 (DVD)
Buono!
Zassou no Uta (Single)
Buono!
Zassou no Uta (Single+DVD) Limited Edition
This is the first edition of H!P releases I have done in quite some time, so I decided to change the layout a bit and try out a few things. The post will be done on the day the good is released (sometimes a day after, like today), which means that it might be a day after it’s release in some countries, and I do this mainly to get the Oricon ranking as well as some previews which might be uploaded after it’s released.
If possible please comment below with any comments about how to improve this section or any other things you would like to see.
There are four releases today: 3 editions of Mano Erina’s 9th single Seishun no Serenade and Mitsui Aika’s 1st PB.
Mano Erina “Seishun no Serenade”
From left to right: Regular, Limited A, Limited B
Mano Erina’s 9th single titled Seishun no Serenade (Eng: Youth’s Serenade) which debuted on the Oricon at #11.
First of all I wanted to mention the ranking, from what I understand this is the first time a Mano release has been ranked out of the top #10 at it’s debut (only singles, not albums) which is really disappointing since this single had a lot of potential with two great songs and great PV, but as we all know Oricon rankings aren’t everything and a single should be liked by it’s content not by its ranking on a chart.
That being said this single turned out to be an amazing release with a great variety of songs and themes for each one, the main song Seishun no Serenade featured a more cool sound that had an upbeat ballad sound while the b-side 21 Seikiteki Renai Jijou had a happier sound although it had a very simple and basic theme.
The regular cover features a picture of Mano smiling in a white dress, the Limited A cover feature an angelic picture of Mano looking at the camera while the sunlight beams behind her, and the Limited B cover features Mano biting her tongue while wearing a black dress.
From the covers I would say that Limited A and B are my favorites simply because Mano looks gorgeous in the Limited A shot and because the Limited B cover shows us Mano’s fun side while she bites her tongue in a cute way, and even though they all have similar outfits I really liked how each cover had a different look that set them apart from the others.
Seishun no Serenade
The a-side has a ballad sound with upbeat lyrics and a catchy beat, in a way I would describe it as a teenage ballad with happy lyrics and an uplifting sound since most of the song has that feeling, and for the most part the song follows the same pattern with the great instrumental and lyrics, except for one part.
The bridge seems to be out of place with the rest of the song, which is somewhat distracting since the song is calm and happy when it suddenly changes for a few seconds, and despite being somewhat distracting I have to admit that it did lead into the second part of the song well since the “Se-i-shu-n!” seemed to pump everyone up.
As for the PV it has a school theme featuring Mano dancing along with 4 Eggs in a classroom, her walking around the school looking for a piano, a shot of her singing while sitting down in a desk, and a close-up of her singing to the camera, and while most of the PV didn’t have that much variety I did love the way Mano looked in each shot.
21 Seikiteki Renai Jijou
Video uploaded by: digij
The first impression when I first listened to the song was that it was very happy compared to the a-side, but apart from the happy intro and the chorus the song seemed to have a very basic theme with few changes throughout the song, but since it wasn’t the full song I don’t really know if the entire song goes on like this.
Despite the basic theme the b-side has a happy sound that contrasts well with the a-side, and while it might be a bit basic to called an amazing addition to the single it is still a great addition since it balances out the sound of the single with an upbeat song.
Overall the single is an amazing release since it has an impressive a-side along with a cute b-side and while both songs have a few small faults (a-side has a different sound for the bridge, the b-side is simple) I loved everything about this single since the covers had unique and cute images, the songs were great, and the PV had an interesting theme.
Unfortunately UFA doesn’t seem to think that Mano needs promotion for her singles (like Berryz Koubou or other H!P groups), and even though they seem to finally be trying out new strategies with Kikka and her debut single (which has a different song on each edition) they somehow only practice new promotion strategies with newer groups while leaving the others behind (basically a new promotion strategy with each new artist/group).
Hopefully UFA promotes her next release well since the ranking spots for this single has been nothing short of shocking compared to her previous releases (it debuted at #11, and today it’s at #16) and realistically Mano could be doing a lot better if she had better promotion since she has the looks and the talent to be an amazing idol if given the chance.
Mitsui Aika “Aika” PB
Mitsui Aika’s 1st PB release.
As many of you might have noticed there weren’t that many previews for Mitsui’s PB during the past few days and even after the PB was released there was only one scan of the PB released, so I will add a few images from the Making Of DVD along with the scan and cover so that everyone has a clearer idea of what is included.
First the cover, it features Aika in a red bikini while looking at the camera along with “Aika” in red Kanji, and despite it being a bit simple it looks amazing since we get to see Aika in a completely different way than her usual self in Momusu.
The brown hair really stands out in the picture but I really like the way Aika looks in the picture since the bikini looks amazing on her and also because the dark background makes her stand out even more, which is always a great advantage since it makes her stand out from among the rest of the PBs.
Here are the few previews that were released: a picture from a magazine (I think it’s UTB) as well as a scan from the PB of Mitsui running on the beach, and for the most part they give us a different look at the PB since we get to see Mitsui in another pose while wearing the red bikini as well as a picture of Mitsui laughing while running on the beach in a blue bikini.
As I mentioned above there aren’t that many previews of the actual PB available so I decided to add a few screen caps of the DVD (source: Aewen) so that fans get a clearer idea of what outfits are in the PB and what locations to expect if they buy their copy.
The screen caps feature many different casual and bikini shots of Mitsui smiling or simply looking at the camera and while they are not the actual PB shots I was pretty impressed with the amount of poses and outfits that we get to see since it seems that we will get to see Mitsui in a more mature way, and since she recently turned 18 it fits perfectly with her trying out a new more grown up look.
Overall from what I saw in the few PB shots and the screen caps I was very impressed since Aika looks amazing in all of them, there was a clear abundance of bikini previews but I really liked the way Aika posed in each picture since we get to see a more mature side, and since she will be the senpai for four new members and she just turned 18 it’s the perfect way to introduce the grown-up Aika to everyone.
Here are some links to buy the products from sites that count on the Oricon, please support your favorite H!P artist!
Mano Erina
Seishun no Serenade (Single)
Mano Erina
Seishun no Serenade (Single+DVD) Limited A
Mano Erina
Seishun no Serenade (Single+DVD) Limited B
Mitsui Aika
Aika (PB)
3 releases today, Morning Musume’s 10th album and a DVD with all of the PVs for Shugo Chara related groups:
Morning Musume – 10 My Me: Morning Musume’s 10th album which debuted on the Oricon at #7. Here is the tracklist:
1. Moonlight night ～Tsukiyo no Ban da yo～
2. Kimagure Princess
3. Genki Pikappika!
4. Namidacchi
5. Onna ga Medatte Naze Ikenai
6. Ookii Hitomi
7. Ano Hi ni Modoritai
8. Nanchatte Renai
9. Osaka Oshiinen
10. Loving you forever
11. Shouganai Yume Oibito
12. Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai Darou? (Chinese Ver.)
As you can tell there are 12 tracks which consist of 4 single tracks that were already released and 8 new songs. Since the CD is made up of a lot of new tracks, and because I’m going to review the album later I will only choose my favorite 3 tracks and review them, so first:
Morning Musume – Namidacchi (Preview)
My absolute favorite from the album would have to be Namidacchi simply because of the great ballad and upbeat sound mixed together which make for a very unique song. The chorus and the bridge of the song are upbeat while the rest of the song seems to be made up of ballad lines divided among the members.
The bridge is basically rapping mixed in with a spoken part done by Niigaki, and I have to admit that it adds to the feeling of the song well. Overall this song is definitely among the many I listen to in the morning since it just brightens up my day.
Morning Musume – Ooki Hitomi (Preview)
The solo song for the 6th generation consisting of Kamei Eri, Michishige Sayumi and Tanaka Reina, which is somewhat of an electronic ballad since the intro, and most of the instrumental, is made up of heavy beats. The song is a powerful ballad with a catchy beat and great vocals.
Sayu is the only one who gets her voice “digitized” (hard to explain the effect but if you listen to Perfume then it won’t seem that different), and for the most part it adds a unique sound to the song and even though it seems that she doesn’t get any solo lines withotu that effect she does get a few lines here and there and during the chorus that are 100% Sayu.
Kamei and Reina do an incredibly good job singing their lines, and I especially love Kamei’s last solo line. This song is also among my favorites because of its power and unique beats mixed with the great vocals.
Morning Musume – Moonlight night ~Tsukiyo no Ban da yo~ (Preview)
Videos uploaded by: SprinklebunsKoharu
I have no idea what the “Electroconvulsive Therapy Part 1” intro was about but it added a unique twist to the already upbeat and random song. Everybody does an incredibly good job singing and the instrumental adds a bit of mystery to the upbeat song, especially during the start of the bridge of the song.
It’s one of the few songs which you find yourself humming to during the entire day since the beat is simply among the most catchy I have heard from this album.
Overall the entire album is easily one of their best in years since all of the tracks have something unique and catchy about them. The combination of more techno driven instrumentals with more unique sounds and vocals make for a well made album.
Hopefully fans get a chance to buy this album in some way to support the group (either online in CD form or through download at Japanfiles) since it is a great album that is worth a listen.
Shugo Chara! Clips ♪ Best: a PV compilation which features all of the PVs for Shugo Chara Egg! and Guardians 4, along with the PV for Buono’s Kokoro no Tamago. As a bonus the Guardians 4 release event is included on the DVD as well with special guests Buono! and Shugo Chara Egg!
For the most part the DVD is a great way to have all of the Shugo Chara related PVs, and while the only new video on the DVD is the release event it does make for a great addition to any fans collection.
The only video that is new from the DVD is the new version of Arigatou ~Ookiku Kansha!~:
Guardians 4, Shugo Chara Egg!, Buono – Arigatou ~Ookiku Kansha!~ (Live)
Video uploaded by: noridora11
This is the first performance I have seen with Tanabe Nanami, so I was interested to see how well she performed, and I’m glad to say that she did great although you could tell that all of the members of Shugo Chara Egg were a bit nervous, especially when next to Buono since Momo, Miyabi and Airi are among the most comfortable on stage, and even though I would have liked for them to speak up more I’m glad that Momo gave Nanami-chan a chance to talk (Momo’s reaction to her reply was really cute).
The song doesn’t have any choreography so most of the video is just all of the members standing in a line (from left to right: Shugo Chara Egg!, Guardians 4, and Buono!). The performance was fun to watch since we got a chance to see the members improvising moves.
The lines are split up evenly and they follow a regular pattern: Mitsui->Fukumura->Sugaya->Tanabe->Kumai->Saho->Nakajima->Maeda->Buono! member (Momoko, Miyabi then Airi)->All. It seems that Buono! members got better lines since they all sang about 2-3 lines after everyone had gone, which actually turned out pretty well since they all know how to sing well.
The performance overall was a great one since everyone got a chance to stand out and while there was no choreography the music and the cute improvised moves of the girls managed to liven up the performance.
Overall I definitely recommend this DVD to all Guardians 4, Shugo Chara Egg!, and Buono fans since it is basically a collection of all of their PVs (Buono only gets one PV but they already released a DVD collection of their own).
The next release date is set for 3/24 with the Hello! Project BEST SHOT PB featuring Tsugunaga Momoko, Sugaya Risako, Yajima Maimi, Suzuki Airi and Mano Erina.
6 releases today including Kamei Eri’s 3rd solo DVD, Mano Erina’s 1st Single V Clips DVD and Berryz Koubou’s 22nd single:
Kamei Eri – too sweet Eri: Kamei Eri’s 3rd solo DVD which debuted on the Oricon DVD charts at #15.
Since it is a DVD I haven’t had a chance to see it due to time constraints but I will review the preview which is basically a small look at what is included:
Kamei Eri too sweet Eri Preview
Video uploaded by: circusls06dd
The preview starts of with an introduction of Eri in English while a montage of her walking down a street near a countryside plays, but it doesn’t last long since soon after she starts talking in Japanese but I do appreciate the effort Kame made to sound unique.
After the country scene we get a chance to preview many of the other scenes in the PB including the beach, near a giant yellow wall, in front of a store, near some odd-looking trees, a blue-themed summer house, near a river, a pool, etc. and for the most part it is a great preview since we get an idea of the many locations for the PB.
Overall I liked how Kamei looked during the photo shoot since she really tries to look more mature by doing sexier poses and by using more diverse outfits. I definitely recommend it to Kame fans and all H!P fans who are interested since it seems to be a very interesting DVD.
Mano Erina Single V Clips 1: Mano Erina’s 1st PV collection featuring all of her PVs from Otome no Inori to Haru no Arashi. The DVD debuted on the Oricon DVD charts at #19.
The Single V Clips features many additions with the first one being all of the PVs from Otome no Inori to Haru no Arashi, the DVD also features alternate versions for each one of these PVs:
Apart from that it features TV Spots for all of her singles and her album FRIENDS along with the Making Of for Haru no Arashi.
I have to admit that it is a great release due to the many videos included, and I especially like how they added alternate versions for all of her PVs instead of just choosing a few at random. The TV Spots are almost always guaranteed to come with Single V’s and it is a great idea since not many fans overseas get to see them.
Since it is a PV compilation I won’t be reviewing all of the PVs, just one, the close-up ver of Mano Erina’s Haru no Arashi:
Mano Erina – Haru no Arashi (Close-Up Ver)
Video uploaded by: HoshinoKanao
If you love all of Mano’s close-up covers then you will probably love this version of the PV since it is basically a staring contest between you and Mano for 4:00 min with a solid colored background, which isn’t that bad since Mano is really cute.
Overall this release is a well packed DVD full of PVs and more videos for Mano fans, and if you haven’t gotten a chance to buy any Single V’s then I strongly encourage you to get this DVD since it has 2 versions of every PV she has done along with a Making Of her last single and many TV Spots.
Berryz Koubou – Otakebi Boy WAO!/Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda!: Berryz Koubou’s 22nd single which is their 3rd consecutive double-a side single. The single debuted on the Oricon at #4.
This single has to be my favorite from Berryz since both of the songs were instant favorites for me from the moment I listened to them both.
First of all the covers, most of them feature Berryz in the costume for their Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! PV and I’m glad to see that is the case since those outfits are very diverse and incredible.
The only cover to feature a change in outfit is the regular version which is mostly directed at fans of the anime since it features Berryz wearing their pink camo outfits while posing with the cast of the anime in a soccer group photo, and while I would have liked to see only Berryz I am glad that they are so closely tied to the anime since fans of Inazuma Eleven could go and easily find the single.
Both of the PVs for this single haven’t been released on Dohhh-UP which is somewhat strange since the single has already been released, but it might be a new strategy from UFA (or they are going to upload only to Youtube in the future).
The full uninterrupted PV from Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! was aired on TV and the full PV for Otakebi Boy WAO! also aired although it had a message from Berryz during the middle, but the PV was aired in its entirety (the close-up for the PV was actually released before the PV which doesn’t happen that often).
The PV for Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! features a loose storyline with all of Berryz Koubou having fun taking pictures and decorating them, and after that Chii and Kuma get a call and have to leave, after which Saki, Maasa, Risako and Miyabi also leave leaving Momo all alone. She spends some time feeling lonely but soon she meets up with the rest of the group and they finish a collage of pictures on a wall that spells out “friends”.
I have to admit that I liked this PV a lot since it featured many shots, a loose storyline, and even a beach shot where the girls posed for the camera while holding hands and playing on the beach. I would have loved everything about this PV but I can’t help but notice that Chii is having trouble during the dance shot since she has to avoid hitting the bookcase next to her, and while it isn’t that bad it is somewhat distracting (I wish they could have at least moved them a bit to the right so that she could fit).
The PV for Otakebi Boy WAO! is entirely in green screen, but as far as green screen PVs go this one is incredible since it features many effects ranging from lightning punches, lightning, fire, darkness, sunrays and even a great effect where Risako throws a ball of energy at the sun to clear the darkness.
The PV was incredible since it does a good job of matching the fierceness and energy of the PV with the song and while I would have liked to see a more complex choreography although everything about the song I liked, especially the effects and the more equal lines for all of the group.
Overall this is an incredible released with two great songs, two amazing PVs, more equal lines, and great covers and I strongly recommend it to anyone who can buy it and likes it since this has the potential to be one of Berryz Koubou’s greatest singles yet.
The next release date is set for next week with Berryz Koubou’s Single V for Otakebi Boy WAO!, Buono’s 1st Single Clips DVD, and th Shugo Chara album.
Kamei Eri – too sweet Eri (DVD)
– CDJapan HMV YesAsia
Mano Erina Single V Clips 1 (DVD)
– CDJapan HMV YesAsia
Berryz Koubou – Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! / Otakebi Boy WAO! (Single)
– CDJapan HMV YesAsia
Berryz Koubou – Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! / Otakebi Boy WAO! (Single+DVD) Limited A
– CDJapan HMV YesAsia
Berryz Koubou – Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! / Otakebi Boy WAO! (Single+DVD) Limited B
– CDJapan HMV YesAsia
Berryz Koubou – Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! / Otakebi Boy WAO! (Single) Limited C
– CDJapan HMV YesAsia
One release today, Kamei Eri’s 8th solo PB:
Kamei Eri sweet (PB): Kamei Eri’s 8th solo PB which was shoot in Hawaii, includes a Making Of DVD.
When the PB was announced I was really excited, mostly because Kamei is gorgeous and also because I am somewhat of a Kamei fan as well (after Sayu and Gaki, and on the same level as Ai-chan), and after seeing some of the previews I can’t help but think how great of a job the photographer did since the result is amazing.
First of all the cover features Kamei in a white bikini tilting her head to the side and looking at the camera in front of a forest setting, and for the most part the cover looks incredible although the pose could have been a bit better (I was strangely reminded of an owl when I saw it). The white bikini looks incredibly good on Kamei and the dark setting only makes her stand out even more because of the light tones on her body and bikini.
Like all PBs we get a mix of casual and bikini shots, and you can tell the difference with the two pictures above since we get a nice view of Kamei’s white bikini from the back (and a strange looking tree) on the left and a more casual and beautiful picture of Kame on the right.
The picture on the right is one of the few pictures which leaves me speechless since it looks almost angelic to say the least. The light behind her only magnifies her beauty and the almost blurry setting makes sure she is the focus of the shot, and even though I am a big Sayu and Gaki fan I have to say that she looks incredibly pretty here.
From what I have seen the PB goes from one extreme to another, in other words they go from shots of Kamei in what appears to be nothing (most likely only a strapless top but the picture stands out just enough to make you look at it twice) to pictures of Kamei calmly looking at a reflection of herself on a mirror.
All PBs have the obligatory 2 page pictures which give us a nice expanded view of a certain setting, and the setting here is of Kamei posing over a fence while the photographer takes a picture of her from the side where (not that surprisingly) the entire side of the outfit is missing which allows a great unobstructed view of her bikini top.
Apart from the cute and sexy pictures we do get a chance to see many artistic pictures, and whether or not they were meant to be that way the sun reflecting off the surface of the water as Kamei leans to the side for the camera is definitely one of the best shots from the PB (that or she is stuck in quicksand).
Overall the PB does an incredibly good job of showing us a more mature and beautiful Kamei since the many pictures included emphasize her beauty instead of just her cuteness.
It seems that Momusu’s little turtle has come out of it’s shell (almost literally since most of the pictures have bikinis) and she does so while looking absolutely stunning.
I definitely recommend this PB for any Kame fan, H!P fan or casual fan simply because this PB looks like it is one of her best yet.
The next release date is set for 3/3 with Kamei Eri’s 3rd solo DVD, Mano Erina’s Single V Clips, and Berryz Koubou’s 22nd single.
7 releases today including Mano Erina’s 6th single, Morning Musume’s latest concert tour DVD and their Single V for their 42nd single and C-ute’s 5th album:
> Mano Erina – Haru no Arashi: Mano Erina’s 6th single titled Haru no Arashi (Spring Wind) which debuted on the Oricon at #5.
The covers are somewhat simple like most of her other single covers, but they came out great this time since they are unique when compared side by side. The Regular edition features Mano facing the camera from the side against a lighter background than the other covers, the Limited A cover on the other hand has Mano facing directly at the camera against a more solid darker pink background.
The Limited B cover has a different hairstyle with a pink t-shirt mixed in with a lighter pink background and for the most part it is the most eventful of the covers because of the wind going through Mano’s hair. All of the covers are really pink which is somewhat of a downside since her last single was also heavily pink, despite that the covers all look great and have a unique look.
Haru no Arashi is an upbeat ballad with an incredible and unique sound that is made up of a really catchy instrumental with great lyrics. The beginning of the song is one of the main points since it starts with a slow piano piece which is quickly replaced with an upbeat but calm instrumental with synthesizers. For the most part I loved everything about the song from Mano’s voice to the catchy rhythm and I strongly believe that it is one of her best songs to date.
Mano Erina – Hello! Esper! Hello!
Video uploaded by: ManoRoom
The c/w is titled Hello! Esper! Hello! and it’s the opening theme for her drama Hanbun Esper, and as a result it is a really upbeat song with uplifting lyrics and catchy beats. I have to admit that the song makes a perfect complement to the single since the calm but upbeat Haru no Arashi is paired up with the happy Hello! Esper! Hello! and as a result the single’s overall feeling is happy.
Overall I definitely recommend this single to all H!P fans since it is a welcome change to the recent mature sounding songs released by C-ute and Momusu, and while the single is off to somewhat of a rocky start on the charts it will hopefully increase in the following days as Mano continues to promote the single through her many TV, radio and magazine appearances.
> Morning Musume – Concert Tour 2009 ~Nine Smile~: Morning Musume’s DVD for their 2009 Fall concert tour which is also the last tour for Kusumi Koharu. The DVD debuted on the Oricon at #7.
Since the concert is somewhat long I will only review one performance and that is the last performance from the concert LOVE Machine.
Morning Musume – LOVE MACHINE
Video uploaded by: marioshingai
This performance of LOVE Machine is one of the most important since it is the last song that 9-nin Momusu performed together for fans. The highlight of the performance would have to be the reaction from Koha to the white glow sticks everyone took out during the performance since she was obviously not expecting it from her surprised reaction.
In the performance you can tell that everyone gives their best especially Niigaki who is extremely energetic (her hip thrusts during the dance were very powerful to say the least) and even though the mood was somewhat sad during the evening (as you can tell from Sayu who is somewhat calm during the song) this song did bring in enough energy to end the concert with a bang.
The video above also includes the end of the concert and you can see that even throughout the credits the fans keep calling for Koharu and finally she comes back on stage without a mic and thanks everyone repeatedly. I have to admit that as Koha teared up I did as well since she obviously showed her care to fans through her last seconds as a Momusu member.
Overall I highly recommend this DVD to all H!P fans, especially Momusu fans since it is a great way to relive Koha’s last performance as part of Momusu. The DVD might be emotional for most fans since it is the first graduation in a long time for Momusu but it is also a valuable addition to any H!P fan’s collection.
> Morning Musume – Onna ga Medatte Naze Ikenai Single V: The Single V for Morning Musume’s 42nd single which features the original ver of the PV, the Stage Ver and the Making Of. The DVD debuted on the Oricon at #18.
The original PV is incredible to say the least since it features an interesting variety of shots, which include a shot of them walking down a hallway, performing on stage, walking down a catwalk, getting ready to perform by getting make up and many more.
The many stylish shots mixed in with the lights shows off every member individually and as a result many members who don’t normally appear as much get a chance to appear much more than usual.
Morning Musume – Onna ga Medatte Naze Ikenai Stage Ver
Video uploaded by: llhappydayXDll
The stage ver is basically made up of shots from the catwalk mixed in with the performance from the stage, and while it seemed a bit random at times it was overall a very interesting version since the most unique part of the PV was the catwalk where all of the members got a chance to stand out.
As usual I haven’t seen the Making Of but I recommend you see it if you have a chance since it will most likely features some interesting parts as to how the PV was made and also what the girls did during the shooting of the PV. There is also a surprise for Kamei near the end of the video (from what I have heard) so it is also a must see for Kamei fans.
Overall I recommend the DVD to Momusu fans since it is a great reminder of this incredible PV, and while the song wasn’t a smash hit among all fans it is still a great song with a PV that features many stylish shots mixed in with more equal screen time.
> C-ute – SHOCKING 5: C-ute’s 5th album featuring all of their singles from Bye! Bye! Bye! to their most recent single SHOCK! plus 6 new songs, not including a remix for Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu!. The album debuted on Oricon at #11.
The PV for one of the tracks Shigatsu Sengen is available on the limited edition of the album and for the most part it is great since it fits the mood of the song well. The setting and theme of the PV aren’t the most creative but at least it gives us a chance to see all of the girls well without any preferential treatment.
Since I have already reviewed most of the songs as they were released I will review only the last song, the remix for Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu (H22 Remix). There is no preview available on Youtube yet but I will update with one as soon as I find it, but meanwhile there is a version of the song available on H!O.
The song for the most part makes up for the ballads and balances out the album by being the most upbeat song from the album. It could best be described as a techno remix mixed in with 8-bit and Perfume rhythms, and I say that since the remix is full of many different beats, rhythms and sounds.
When I first heard the song I thought they just added all of the effects they could find into the song and to a certain extent that is true since the beat changes almost each line with different voice effects for all of the girls. Despite the randomness the song sounds incredible and it gives a whole new look at the song since they do a good job of mixing the song and making use of the vocals they have.
Overall the album is somewhat more mature sounding since almost all of the new songs are ballads in some sense, and even though that is the case the album still deserves a listen since their vocal abilities are easier to tell without the synthesizers covering them up. I highly recommend this album to any C-ute fan since it is a nice way to listen to many new songs along with a chance to see a PV.
The next release date is set for 2/25 with Kamei Eri’s 7th solo PB.
One release today, Buono’s Live PB for their latest tour:
Buono! – Buono! First Live Tour 2009 ~Winter Fiesta!~: Buono’s PB featuring shots from their recent live tour.
Since it is a PB I will review a few of the images that are included in it, most of them are just live shots and shots of the girls preparing for the concert so the review will probably not be as full as expected.
The PB, as mentioned before has a mix of live concert images with many other types of images including studio shots and casual shots of the girls when they are not performing.
In the above pictures Buono is in the middle of a concert performing in somewhat sexy costumes and even though I have no idea what song these costumes are for I am impressed with how incredible they all look, especially Momo.
There are also some pictures of them on their way to another performance, for example the pictures above show Momo drinking an energy drink with her pinky up and falling asleep on Airi’s shoulder while she listens to music (I have no idea if she took the energy drink before or after).
I’m glad that they included these pictures since it gives us a sense of the unity and friendship the girls have for each other (and their reaction to energy drinks, which in Momo’s case seems to have made her sleep).
In another shot we get to see Momo and Airi listening to Momo’s pink iPod and on the picture on the right they take a bit of their time to greet the camera.
Miya gives a great peace sign, Momo seems anxious to start eating and turns to the camera just so that she can start and Airi seems to ignore the camera and just starts eating.
Apart from the picture of Momo sleeping we do see Miya sleep and I would have never guessed she falls asleep with a pink Care Bear towel, but it is one of the cutest pictures I have seen from her.
These shots are probably some of the most interesting ones in the PB since we get a rare look at what they usually do on their way to concerts, and whether it be drinking energy drinks, listening to music or falling asleep on another member it is a great way for fans to get to know them better.
There are also some studio shots of the girls posing with their costumes for the tour and even though I am not sure if they are for the tour or for a particular song I have to admit that they look great in them.
The colorful costumes on the left picture are probably the most interesting from the two since they are bright and stand out, although the big dresses on the right are also interesting since they are somewhat unique in pattern, color and size (must have been difficult to jump in them).
The shots above give us a chance to see the brightly colored costumes even closer.
Momo’s pink outfit looks great on her although her hair could have been better, Airi’s hair on the other hand looks incredible and goes well with her yellow outfit, and Miya’s dress looks cute as well as her hairstyle although the bow seems to be a bit Tsuji-sized.
Another picture of the girls enjoying their lunch on their way to another concert, and this time all of Buono is looking at the camera while posing instead of having only one or two putting attention.
Overall the pictures I got a chance to look at were a great way to see how Buono spends their time during a concert tour. There are many more pictures included in the PB so if you liked the pictures I recommend you buy the PB to enjoy all of them.
I definitely recommend the PB to any Buono fan since it is a great reminder of the ~Winter Fiesta!~ concert tour and also because it shows us a few shots of the girls as they prepare for each concert and what happens in between.
The next release date is set for 2/24 with Mano Erina’s 6th single, Morning Musume’s DVD for Koharu’s graduation concert and Single V for Onna ga Medatte Naze Ikenai, and C-ute’s 5th album.
Three releases today, C-ute’s latest concert DVD, Mano Erina’s DVD for her Koisuru Hello Kitty play and Melon Kinenbi’s 1st album since graduating from H!P:
C-ute – Cutie Circuit ~Five~: C-ute’s latest concert DVD which is featured outdoors, similar to Morning Musume’s Yomiuri LAND DVD.
I haven’t had a chance to see the concert completely but I did see some performances and I really like what I have seen so far. Since the concert is long I will only review one performance:
C-ute – Wakkyanai (Z) (Cutie Circuit Live)
Video uploaded by: marioshingai
Before today I had never seen this song performed so I was glad to find out that this was among my favorites because of the energy C-ute showed as they performed.
Maimi smiles throughout the performance which is a great thing to see since she seems to be enjoying performing in front of all of the fans. The costumes for the song are obviously just the t-shirts for each of the members, but they are a great addition since they mix in well with the upbeat sound.
Overall the DVD is a must have for C-ute fans since it is one of the few live performances they have done outside, and even though the concert is somewhat short it’s still an incredible concert.
Mano Erina – Koisuru Hello Kitty: DVD release for the play Mano Erina was with S/mileage members about a girl who helps others as Hello Kitty.
Not many previews have been released but here is a video which is included in the DVD which should give you a good idea of what happened during the play since it basically shows the staff for the play rehearsing, performing and having fun:
Koisuru Hello Kitty Backstage
Video uploaded by: youkahren02
In the backstage video we can see most of the staff practicing their lines and dances and it also has some previews of the cast on stage before the play starts where we get to see Mano crying and the cast of the play posing for pictures.
The video also shows us the end of play where they all perform a musical number and after Mano thanks everyone for coming.
Upon seeing the video I was surprised since I was expecting them to at least perform on a wider stage since they perform in a circle which is in the center of the room.
Despite that I liked what I see and it seems that the cast had a great time performing for everyone. I would recommend this DVD for all Mano fans since it is a great opportunity to see her act, and also to all S/mileage fans since they do an incredible job as well.
Melon Kinenbi – MELON’S NOT DEAD: Melon Kinenbi’s first album since graduating from H!P which features all of their collaboration singles plus some new songs.
Since the album features many songs, both new and already released I will only review a couple, so first:
Melon Kinenbi – Ai da! Ima Sugu ROCK ON!
The song is incredibly upbeat and it features all of the members singing along to a rock instrumental with happy lyrics. I have to admit that I was impressed with how well it came out since the melody and rhythm of the song are both catchy.
This song is definitely among my favorites for the album since it is a nice reminder of their new rock image which is both hard but still upbeat.
Melon Kinenbi – Romantic wo Tsukinukero～Break it now～
Videos uploaded by: stumbling
Compared to the previous song this one is somewhat more calm but it still has their great rock sound. This one is also among my favorites since it has somewhat of a Jpop sound to the lyrics combined with drums, guitar and basically a great sound.
Overall the album is a great addition to any Melon Kinenbi fan since it features many great songs with their new rock sound, I definitely recommend it to all H!P fans as well who like rock since the songs are very impressive.
The next release date is 2/20 with Buono’s Winter Fiesta concert tour PB.
Hello!SayuNii 