Best version of "Kimi wa Jitensha Watashi wa Densha de Kitaku" yet . . .?

Well, I think so anyway!

  Today the official C-ute channel uploaded a version titled, "Yajima Maimi Short Movie Totsusen Dance Ver." The video starts off with a film like segment involving Maimi and her friend out eating something on a stick before progressing into what seems to be Maimi on the walk home. At one point she starts quietly singing the song to herself acapella and somehow manages to sound better than she ever does which is odd. Oh well, maybe whisper singing is the way to go. At sometime around 5.48, the music kicks in and the video changes into a sort of dance around the street like you're in a musical kind of affair. Sadly, Maimi's little dance outburst comes to an end when she almost walks backwards into a cyclist. These things happen.

I don't know who this girl is but what's going with her hair?

Have H!P got some sort of promo deal with the Coca-Cola company?

God knows why Maimi thought it was a good idea to leave her bag here.

Don't mess with Maimi. She dances wherever she likes.

PV Round-up: Be Genki, Kimi wa Jitensha and Tasogare Kousaten

Today has been a busy week as far as Hello! Project music video's are concerned. 3 have been dropped and two of them feature guys! As most of you will probably know, this is pretty much unheard of.

So, first off is Berryz Koubou's 'Be Genki! Naseba Naru'.

When I first saw these outfits I wasn't really 100% in favour of them. Now, however, Miyabi and Risako have completely sold them to me. This single is basically a huge Miyabi/Risako fest and so it helps if you like the two of them (like me!). While I didn't really like Miya's hair in the Buono! single, she is totally working it here and has a lot more "spark" than usual. In other observations, Yurina and Risako both look very like younger versions of themselves. In Risako's case it is the forehead. Yurina, I'm not so sure. One thing that annoys me is that everything is going great and then all of a sudden the girls are running around in a circle holding on to each other's capes. What the heck people? Seeing the PV I now love the dance. There is something incredibly 'Berryz' about it. The shot of the girls walking like some sort of superhero gang is also pretty cool. Overall, a great start to the year for Berryz Koubou.

Second in line is C-ute's 'Kimi wa Jitensha, Watashi wa Densha de Kitaku'.

Due to what is probably either the video being to new for Blogger to locate, or possibly just my own stupidity, you will have to follow this link in the meantime.

For some reason I feel the need to clarify that I have never had any issue with these costumes. In my puny mind the are just perfect. I shall just start off by saying that I love this song to death. By the time the single actually comes out I will have massively overplayed it. It almost makes me want more ballad singles (almost, not quite). Personally, the realization that C-ute (as a group) now have the best vocals in H!P was a strange one. This is a very Airi centered single and as talented as she is I found myself waiting impatiently for Maimi (this may just be crazed fandom getting the better of me). Although some may argue that the lighting makes the girls a bit washed out, I love it. The softness is perfect for the song and is also very flattering. As usual, Nakky ponytail is an epic win. C-ute's best single since 'Kiss me Aishiteru'.

To finish today's PV extravaganza, here is Manoeri's Tasogare Kousaten.

Another great single from Mano Erina, Yay! With 'My Days for You' and 'Doki Doki Baby/Tasogare Kousaten' it seems like Mano has finally found her niche. Also, she is back behind the piano in this video! It feels like it's been a while since we last saw her tinkle the ivories.  While Mano's vocals may not be technically brilliant I myself rather like her voice. It's very sweet. Her hair is somehow Nacchi-esque. That's got to be a good thing. (Though slightly odd for someone who looks like the child of Goto and Sayumin). Being a PV with a story it helps that Manoeri is not a half bad actress. A great start of 2012 for Hello! Project's one and only soloist.

Chisato + Airi = New duo please!

These two have always been the best vocals in C-ute. However, I never would of thought they'd end up at the top of Hello! Project too!

Look here for 'ONLY YOU', here for 'Daite yo! PLEASE GO ON', here for 'Shabondama', here for 'Melodies', here for 'Kioku no Meiro' and here for an acapella version of 'Urahara'.

  

 And just when you think, "those are familiar looking matching pigtails" . . . . 

Here is 'Koi no Vacance'!!! 

Unfortunately it seems Chisato is never happy!

"I recently received the DVD
of the ChisaAi event and watched it,
and my singing style
is too careless~
so I was frustrated
that I wasn’t able to sing as I would have liked"

(Quote from Chisato's blog entry on the 16th of February. Translation by the kind folks at blog!project.)

Hagiwara Mai Solo "Yuke! Genki-kun" and other randomness.

The other day a video was posted on youtube for Mai's solo song from the upcoming C-ute album "Dai nana sho - Utsukushikutte Gomen ne". Fair enough, the video is kind of random and not terribly exciting. But I am liking the song a lot and I find that Mai sounds, by her standards, impressively unannoying! In fact, I might even go as far as to say that, "I think her vocals sound great and really fit the song".

I can't find the video on the actual youtube uploader thingy, so here's a link.

In other Hello! Project news: 

Hair extensions are really quite fail-ish.
 

The harsh realities of the senpai/kouhai system are exposed.

Ishikawa Rika is still the photobook queen

My brain explodes from the awesomeness of RisakoxKyary.

Hello! Project : A (Semi-) Outsider's View

 This might sound a bit weird but every time I see a comment on a Hello! Project related YouTube video written by someone who has simply stumbled across the video and has no prior knowledge of H!P I feel slightly excited. "That person might be a new fan" is what I think to myself. (Only when it is a positive comment obviously.) Because of this I decided to find out what an outsider's view on Hello! Project would be. Naturally I went to someone I can trust (kind of), my younger sister. I should say that my sister is not a complete outsider to idol music. She has some knowledge of H!P and could name quite a few songs by Morning Musume and maybe a couple by other groups. However, she is still vague enough on the subject to give a realistic, honest viewpoint. So, wrote down on a sheet of paper the names of the main current H!P acts and asked her to write down a few words about each. Here are the results of this experiment!

Morning Musume

"Morning Musume’s music is usually quite up-beat and cheerful, and sometimes a wee bit strange."

This gives me the impression that it is the upbeat tunes like The Peace, Sexy Boy and Maji Desu ka Ska that people think of when they think of Momusu. I know for a face that my sister could hum along to most of the singles 2007 onwards but I suppose without knowing the lyrics even Naichau Kamo sounds fairly upbeat.



Berryz Koubou

"Berryz Koubou are usually more romantic. Their songs are more similar than Morning Musume’s."

When she says "romantic" I reckon my sister in refrencing more recent material but who knows maybe it's just the Risako pout that leads her to this conclusion.






C-ute
"C-ute is very up-beat, fast-pacing and dance-like."

I can agree here C-ute are famous for their dancing and that wouldn't be if it wasn't for upbeat songs like Kiss me Aishiteru. About a two years ago when my H!P fandom was still in it's early stages I had Tokkaiko Junjou on repeat quite a lot. My sister and I were (and still are!) very impressed with C-ute's dancing.





Buono!

"Buono’s songs are usually romantic and soft, or up-beat and cheerful."

I definately see where she is coming from here. Unfortunately I can't think of much to say on the matter.







S/mileage

"S/mileage are quite new to the world but so far their songs have been fast, happy and catchy."

I had "Ganbaranakutemo Eenende!!" stuck in my head the other day. She is right, most of S/mileage's songs are amazingly catchy. Sadly Tachiagaru has not really struck a note with me yet let alone a chord!





Mano Erina

Mano Erina sings very smiley, cheerful music usually. It is not always fast-paced but it is usually cheerful.

This makes me think. I like Manoeri's releases but I wish they'd give her a single with a bit more depth. I'm sure she could handle it.
Also, I like the use of the adjective smiley as a way to describe music. Nice.




I think this just goes to show, if you open your mind you can find something in everything.