What a Pleasant Surprise! °C-ute’s “Kanashiki Amefuri”

Earlier today, °C-ute released the music video (anyone else notice they stopped calling them promotional videos?) for one of the double a-side’s to their new single, “Kanashiki Amefuri.”  Based on their fixation with ballads as a-sides in this group within the last year or two, I was fully expecting another one with this song because a) the title, and b) the other a-side, “Adam to Eve no Dilemma”, is a face-pasted dance song, so I expected them to counter that with a ballad.  Alas!  It’s not!  It’s another dance track!  I’d say the chorus is a bit more docile than its’ title buddy, but a little variety is good.

Another reason I expected to not like this video was that the opening setting was the set of a photoshoot with a plain white background and blah.  And generally, these mean extremely boring videos in Hello! Project.  But again, what a pleasant surprise!  I have very few complaints about the song and music video!

I want it, want it!

Berryz Koubou has also just released a new PV that I didn’t even know was supposed to come out.  Huh.  This feeling has an overwhelming theme of “mature” in every aspect.  They want us to start thinking of them as women and not the girls we’ve seen grow up for the past seven years, and are showing this side of themselves to the world with “WANT!”.  

2012 Shin Seinaru – Out with the old, In with the new!

°C-ute released their second best-of album yesterday.  Since their line-up has changed significantly since the last one, they redid many of their older songs with the new lineup.  I wasn’t originally intending on reviewing it, but I wasn’t aware that they were completely remastering the songs.  I thought we’d just hear the songs with the concert arrangements they’ve done since the lineup chance, but they actually remastered the old songs.  And I have to admit, for the most part, I’m really liking them.  

That Awkward Moment When…

Tanaka Reina’s entire band is more attractive than her.  Oops.

But in other news, remember when I thought this band would mean her graduation?  WELL IT DOES.

And I am BEYOND ecstatic!  More Ayumi please!   I am thrilled that I will never live to see the day where she leads Morning Musume.  With a couple new hopefuls in these two new generations of oddballs, with more to come soon I’m sure, Morning Musume really has its first chance to become something different since the big graduations of 2010.

I disagree that Tsunku has placed her in the top 3 MoMusu vocalists, presumably next to Goto Maki and Takahashi Ai, because I would put several Musumes before her, such as Nakazawa Yuko, Abe Natsumi, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Fujimoto Miki, Niigaki Risa, Linlin, and Kamei Eri.  Seriously.  But alas, for some reason Tsunku just adores Reina.  Which makes me all the more happy she’s leaving.

Countdown to her graduation, anyone?

°C-ute’s Done it Again

With their last single, °C-ute proved that a (not so) little bit of good marketing can go a long way with sales figures.  Now with their latest single, Aitai Aitai Aitai na, they’ve proven that that and an above average song can go even further.  In their first week of sales, they’ve broken their own personal record again by selling 46,827 copies, placing 4th on the Oricon charts just below AKB48!! These first-week sales are more than Kimi wa Jitensha, Watashi wa Densha de Kitaku sold all together, making this single their all-time best-seller in one week.  Now I’m even more excited to see what °C-ute has coming for us.

And hey, I think Tsunku might finally be getting the hang of this producing thing for the first time since 2004 this year!  And maybe for the first time ever, UFA is learning how to manage and market! Whaaaaaaaat?!