Aaaah Hisashiburi minna-san!!! I just got really busy with school and then working like a dog and using my off days to relax watching anime and reading manga as opposed to typing/being social…but now I’m bored and want to type about PVs!! I will do this on a more regular basis from now on…really I will!! So…let’s go!
Ayuse Kozue – Sundae Love
I looooove Ayuse Kozue. At first I was really negative towards her without even listening to her, because she was being produced by all these famous producers without doing anything, but when taku from m-flo produced her third single, I was on board!! And then she won me over even further when she appeared on the “Girl’s Park” concert and they only showed and Towa Tei her for about 30 seconds (performing the remix of her third single!! Brave to perform a remix in public!), and her after comment was something like “I am so happy I was invited”, but then Towa Tei pointed the poster promoting Girl’s Park behind them and was like “And WHERE are you on this poster??”. Ayuse just started laughing and I was like “awww…I totally support her 100%!!” That said, “Sundae Love” is probably her one of her weakest single. Her other single after her initial three produced by the famous guys was pretty forgettable too (I literally just listened to it, and I couldn’t tell you what it sounded like – I’m listening to the c/w of it right now, and it’s more memorable). I don’t mean “bad” by any stretch, but it’s kind of like I think I’ve heard her sing this song before. She knows what she can sing, and while that’s not a bad thing, she can’t sing a heck of a lot of diverse stuff. I can (pretty much) guarantee we will NEVER hear Ayuse belt something powerful out like Misia or AI can. Nope, this girl sings cutely, and I love her for it. If you people think Ayumi Hamasaki has a grating/squeaky voice, you will want to stay faaaar away from Ayuse. Conversely, if you like Ayumi Hamasaki’s musical style, Ayuse Kozue’s style is waaay different. So in short, I don’t know who the audience is for poor Ayuse, and she’s obviously not doing too well in Japan either, so her marketing team doesn’t as well.
Anyway this video is very 80’s flashback, and the song would probably fit in with the 80s/90s too…it’s cute, she’s cute, her workout buddies are cute…maybe people who liked Sowelu before she went total pop would like Ayuse Kozue? I’ve realized that since Sowelu’s pop transformation, Ayuse has taken her place…so…if anyone else was upset with Sowelu’s “24” album, come check out Ayuse Kozue!! You might find your new girl!!
PV – 8/10 Song – 7/10
Daichi Miura – Flag
FINALLY!!! It took a year and seven months, but it’s here!! New Daichi music!! Goddamn it Daichi, you were making me think your career was over, but I knew Japan’s smallest soulman could NEVER go down!! Now, his videos are…how to say…boring if you dislike videos where all they do is dance (like me), but his songs are just fabulous. They’re really R&B style and while they’re all similar, they’re all unique. Honestly, I think Flag is his weakest single yet (ouch), but the c/w on the single “Super Star” is sooooooo good!! I’ve seen other fans of his complain on message boards that his c/w’s are pretty much ALWAYS better than the actual single, and I agree. But Flag is still awesome and I love it, and Daichi will become Akiko Wada in 50 years, I hope (I mean longevity wise, not literally…)
PV – 5/10 Song – 8/10 (and I say it’s his weakest!!!)
DOUBLE – Summertime feat. VERBAL
I adore this song soooo much, and the “Private aTA remix” on the single is pretty much the same, but it’s more toned down (don’t ask) and it’s easier to listen to. The video is a bight colorful affair, and (surprise!) Verbal actually makes an appearance!! Good on you Verbal! I hate it when rappers don’t appear in the video they rapped in. Double is looking waaaaay too skinny, and I think they should’ve had a BBQ and an eating contest on the beach. Double VS. Verbal. That would’ve made the video, and Double would be healthy again. I like how Double actually was the DJ during Verbal’s part, and how she seemed to know what she was doing scratching the record. She looks SO much healthier on her DJ Lilly CD cover (Air brushing on fat maybe?? That would be a first). But really, promotion for a different CD during a Promotion Video for a single?? Kinda tacky.
BTW, just because I have been watching BB8 USA religiously, Double looks a lot like Danielle in the PV, mainly because they both look severly underweight. But Daniele has a reason – she was on slop and wouldn’t eat! Double! Eat while you can (like she’ll ever be trapped in the BB8 house, but still)!
Video – 7.5/10 Song – 8.7/10 (oddly specific ain’t it?)
lecca – Start Line
Okay, lecca is like, my lover except that we’ve never met, and if we did, we wouldn’t be lovers because I don’t think we’re lesbian. But her music is one of the major loves in my music life. That said, I was reluctant to watch this new PV because frankly, I was afraid that it would suck, because there are a few songs of hers’ that aren’t so great (every artist has them, even m-flo…but their suckage is super minor). I was afraid that she would have hit her peak with “Urban Pirates”, especially since the “Dear” PV was soooooooo good (one of my fav PVs EVER).
But, I watched it aaaaand…it’s awesome! What was I worried about? Okay, so it is extremely easy to make fun of this PV. She’s telling a story to four or five kindergarten kids, and…it’s just sooo cheap. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if she drew all the pictures for her story by herself, and the kids were all her friends’ kids, and the camera she used was an old one from her dad etc. This video is so cheap; it is amazing it was accepted by an avex sub-company. But then halfway through, you forget that you could have made this exact video and start to be like “what’s going to happen??” It’s a great, imaginative and weird video. And the song is typical lecca (reggae) but still fresh. Damn, lecca is my hero. If I met her, I would be so dorky. From this video, I decided I want green nail polish, Capri jeans, and shoes like her’s. And I’ll wear a skirt over the jeans. Oh yeah. Just like how I wanted the same coat from Amuro’s “White Light” CD cover (and I got that too…or something similar >_>)
Song – 9.5/10 Video – 9.5/10
Ayumi Hamasaki – Glitter
Ahh Ayu. Love her or hate her, she is the only one. Her super fans are all like “THIS IS THE SAME SONG AS BLUE BIRD”, but I didn’t like Blue Bird and I love this song…? This video is not even in the same league as Blue Bird either. As in, this is 1000x better. Blue Bird was like “OMG guys, let’s show everyone how rich I am by having a party on a boat!!”, but this is the first Ayu PV I’ve seen with a followable story. Sure, it’s not terribly difficult to follow – she falls in love with her bodyguard – but it looks to me like someone’s been taking PV making lessons from Ku-chan (think yume no uta/futari de…). I love it. Especially I’m under the impression it continues in the “fated” PV. Must download for me now. BTW, what is up with her putting “Secret” on the single for this?? Wasn’t that on the Secret album? Ayuuuu…a remix would’ve been better…
PV – 9/10 Song – 7/10
Gyaruru – Boom Boom Meccha Macho!
…I think I might have got a Para Para version of the video because they just dance the whole time. BTW, isn’t Para Para sooooo 90s/soley Hinoi team territory now? Has our favorite gay Tsunku been in a coma the past 10 years? Not to mention I totally dislike Ami Tokito (liked her when she contributed to Sukuran – disliked her when she became totally coquettish). I just downloaded this to see the food eating contest champion girl in a PV. Had no idea who she is, just thought it would be funny. She must be the pale girl in the middle because she was a look of “WTF” on her face the whole time – and is unnaturally pale, so she must spend her entire time inside training. Or something. See below…
That move made me lol, really. The song? Um, it’s okay. The video is okay too. I started Para Para-ing along because it was getting kind of dull. Listen, I love Tsunku (if her just released his solo albums forever, I would be so happy), and I really have a soft spot for Para Para, but this is so hilariously dated. And there’s Ami Tokito. I also watched a Music Fighter performance of them, and Ami Tokito is just so…gross. Don’t like her. Be cute again, not Lolita gravure cute (she probably always was gravure cute, and I just never picked up on it).
PV – 4/10 Song – 6/10
Katteni-Shiyagare + Nakashima Mika – You’d be so nice to Come Home to
I like Mika’s musical direction. I don’t much like this collaboration. It’s kind of bombastic and over the top, and doesn’t add anything fresh or unique to the song. And Mika, my darling, has a very strong Japanese accent, which is distracting. The video is much more interesting, but once you’ve seen Mika twirl once, you’ve seen it 100 times. Truly, this is one for the boomer crowd and the die-hard Mika fans.
PV – 7/10 Song – 4/10
Joy Trip 