AKB48!

[strawberryjam]

^

I actually quite like the chanting~





Undergirls PV for RIVER: Kimi no koto ga suki dakara

Theatre girls PV for RIVER: Hikoukigumo (Not a new song)



Moeno gets reasonable screen time in undergirls PV and Sasshi gets to lead with Akicha & Rena. SO I AM HAPPY. I actually like this song a lot. I don't like happy songs much more, but this one doesn't feel that obnoxious. The PV is cheap, but I still think they did a good job somehow.

[Joel]

[quote name='strawberryjam' post='70370' date='Oct 18 2009, 10:40 PM']^

I actually quite like the chanting~





Undergirls PV for RIVER: Kimi no koto ga suki dakara

Theatre girls PV for RIVER: Hikoukigumo (Not a new song)



Moeno gets reasonable screen time in undergirls PV and Sasshi gets to lead with Akicha & Rena. SO I AM HAPPY. I actually like this song a lot. I don't like happy songs much more, but this one doesn't feel that obnoxious. The PV is cheap, but I still think they did a good job somehow.[/quote]



It's funny how the lead AKB girls get an undergirls style and vise versa. Kimi no koto ga suki dakara sounds like a watered down version of Iiwake Maybe whereas RIVER sounds like an awesome upgrade of the undergirls' last song. I like it though. It's kinda of weird though that I only recognize like 3 girls and only know one of their names, Moeno (thanks sj). =) Totally worth buy for 2 new songs 1 song with different people, two inst., 3 pv's, and some special video footage thing which I'm sure is ognna be stupid.

[EmEl]

The chanting and stomping is ridiculous, I'm amazed I even managed to listen long enough to actually get to the good part of the song. It's really the reason I initially disliked the song.



Ah well, at least the PV is an exciting action movie, and that's really what I'm looking for.

[Madara]

I like how the AKB48 singles come with a second disc with the music videos for the songs featured. (H!P doesn't seem to know how to do this right.)



Anyway, the "River" PV (the one with Team A): what's the song about? Why the military motif in the video? If it were American girls doing this, I'd swear it was a military recruitment commercial. I'm of the generation that still gets nervous when I see Japanese suiting up in combat wear and boarding military aircraft. So I'm wondering what's the subtext here.

[Joel]

[quote name='Madara' post='70580' date='Oct 24 2009, 09:44 AM']I like how the AKB48 singles come with a second disc with the music videos for the songs featured. (H!P doesn't seem to know how to do this right.)



Anyway, the "River" PV (the one with Team A): what's the song about? Why the military motif in the video? If it were American girls doing this, I'd swear it was a military recruitment commercial. I'm of the generation that still gets nervous when I see Japanese suiting up in combat wear and boarding military aircraft. So I'm wondering what's the subtext here.[/quote]



http://wiki.jpopstop.com/wiki/RIVER If you click on different member's names it says that there are some girls from different teams participating in this single, and not just Team A. From what I can tell from the english parts of lyrics alone, the word "river"is just a metaphorical obstacle like a wall or something. Ex. "Believe yourself," "Get over it," "You can do it." The reason for the military get up, imo, is pretty much showing how to approach that obstacle in a mega-hardcore-balls-out-killkillkill military attitude.

[aine]

[quote name='Madara' post='70580' date='Oct 24 2009, 03:44 PM']Anyway, the "River" PV (the one with Team A): what's the song about? Why the military motif in the video? If it were American girls doing this, I'd swear it was a military recruitment commercial. I'm of the generation that still gets nervous when I see Japanese suiting up in combat wear and boarding military aircraft. So I'm wondering what's the subtext here.[/quote]

Someone else explain what the message behind the AKB's song is (I wonder that too), but SPOILER: Morning Musume did "recruit" for the Japanese SDF, back in 2003:



Article here

Bigger poster here

A very tl;dr article on the SDF recruitment methods that also does mention MM. Seems pretty well-researched and documented.

[Joel]

Yes, I suppose it could be that, but I like my explanation better. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/hmph.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Hana]

Joel pretty much has it right. No matter how deep, swift, dark and scary that river is, they're telling you to suck it up and keep moving so you can get to the other side. As for why the PV has a military (well, SDF) theme... cause it's bad ass?



[tinytext]Oh, and because I think this is neat and I'm happy for them: They've taken the daily #1 since they debuted, and as of today (day 4) have sold a total of 160,810 copies.[/tinytext]

[Joel]

[quote name='Hana' post='70592' date='Oct 24 2009, 01:04 PM']Oh, and because I think this is neat and I'm happy for them: They've taken the daily #1 since they debuted, and as of today (day 4) have sold a total of 160,810 copies.[/quote]



That statement deserves big text.

[Ap2000]

Military outfits ?

Because SNSD made war fun again !





160k ?

That's quite huge, especially compared to H!P.



What's the timespan (when did it get released ?)

H!P didn't have such a "hit" since about 3 years ago I guess. lol

[EmEl]

[quote name='Ap2000' post='70603' date='Oct 24 2009, 04:22 PM']That's quite huge, especially compared to H!P.[/quote]

Compared to H!P? Compared to anyone (except Johnny's) these days really. Last month, Koda Kumi managed to get number one with just over 30,000. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[neshcom]

[quote name='EmEl' post='70608' date='Oct 24 2009, 07:47 PM'][quote name='Ap2000' post='70603' date='Oct 24 2009, 04:22 PM']That's quite huge, especially compared to H!P.[/quote]

Compared to H!P? Compared to anyone (except Johnny's) these days really. Last month, Koda Kumi managed to get number one with just over 30,000. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[/quote]

Granted, that single suuuucked. The crazy thing about that week was that A/PT even got number one.

[Madara]

Anyway, the "River" PV (the one with Team A): what's the song about? Why the military motif in the video? If it were American girls doing this, I'd swear it was a military recruitment commercial. I'm of the generation that still gets nervous when I see Japanese suiting up in combat wear and boarding military aircraft. So I'm wondering what's the subtext here.

Someone else explain what the message behind the AKB's song is (I wonder that too), but SPOILER: Morning Musume did "recruit" for the Japanese SDF, back in 2003:



Article here

Bigger poster here

A very tl;dr article on the SDF recruitment methods that also does mention MM. Seems pretty well-researched and documented.

I love the first line in that Japan Times article:

The Self-Defense Forces, chronically shorthanded due to the nation's shrinking population and a general dislike of physical hardship among the young,

I hope the next would-be military dictator in Japan takes that into consideration before attempting a takeover of the civilian government. (I've been watching a lot of anime set during WWII lately.)

[strawberryjam]

A huge concert box came out for AKB48 recently and because it's actually on youtube for more than an hour, it's my job to whore this out and show everyone. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... lesson.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':dammit:' />



Kataomoi no Taikakusen: MOENO'S SONG, she sings first and is wearing orange. To bad the camera job on this sucks badly and because of that, I feel like you can't see the emotion Moeno puts into that song. :< And you can hardly see the dance which I actually like a lot too.

MOENO MOENO MOENO~!



SDN48 - Black Boy: For those that were curious for ever seeing SDN48 in action. This song grew on me, but *even* I don't know the girls yet! So it's just as hard for me care much about them yet.



Tonari no Banana: Moeno & Sasshi do a song together that is more or less W like. It's too cutesy for me, but if you're in AKB48 and you actually get shuffled into a song with such few people... it's an achievement, haha. During the instrumental break, they do a wota dance together, sooooo cute. Sasshi can be seen doing it in this video more clearly to Skirt, Hirari. Oh yeah, they're usually good at singing, but I think cute was too forced for them and now they sound bad. :<





NOW WATCH THEM!

[thamychan]

They always seem to be releasing huge boxes. It frustrates me how every time I forget AKB48 for more than two months the group is entirely changed! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hawhaw.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':excited:' /> You just have to keep your eye on them incessantly.



As for the above recommended videos, I loved the first one. Their mature songs are so good, I wish they'd release more singles like those. But they obviously don't sell as much as the Aitakatta's. By the way, the beginning of Kataomoi reminds me of Do It Now. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/huh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' /> (I'm someone who is always comparing things, just ignore me, please.)



The second one seems fun but the song is not as good as the first's and the performance is not as good as the third's. (Weird association time: the clothes and the gestures reminds me of Summer Night Town.)



I didn't like the third one as a song but the performance is surely entertaining! I caught myself laughing. (Reminds me of³: Tonari no Totoro!)

[strawberryjam]

They always seem to be releasing huge boxes. It frustrates me how every time I forget AKB48 for more than two months the group is entirely changed! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hawhaw.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':bounce:' /> You just have to keep your eye on them incessantly.

Yeah, there's always graduations at every concert. I can hardly keep track myself anymore. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hahaha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hahaha:' />

Their mature songs are so good, I wish they'd release more singles like those.

They still have mature songs in their stages. SO HERE'S MORE VIDEOS.



YAYYY!!!!!! YOU ARE SO MY FAVORITE NOOB FOR COMMENTING!!! OMG!!! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hawhaw:' />

You actually listen. I hope it's OK to watch more. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... pyeyes.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />



I'm not sure how many AKB songs you actually know so I'll be linking a few ones that ALL fans should know and you might know already.



Itoshiki Natasha - Badass song led by Sasshi. It's got animal fur outfits with lots of guitar! The other girls are Haachan (long hair) and Tamamin (short hair). All the girls have good voices and are pretty much underdogs. Sasshi isn't the best performer, I think, but in person, she was really fun and charismatic.



Temodemo Namida - Really catchy song performed by 2 girls that are really good at singing! Yukirin is in pink while Saeki Mika in white.



So far all the songs I've linked are pratically Team B so I'll link 2 Team A & Team K songs...



Kinjirareta Futari - The lesbian song. But I like the melody! XD If you're disturbed, try not to think into it so much...



Bird - Song led by Takamina. With Maimai in black and Mariko in white. Sorry for the atrocious quality.



Please tell me what you think. Be my AKB friend! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... iggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

[Farrah]

You should check out the Team K versions of Itoshiki Natasha and MARIA as well <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' /> I prefer them, myself.

[strawberryjam]

Sasshi can't be replaced by Sayaka <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' /> OK, I think she can, but I think Rina and Nacchi's voices were too weak to replace Haachan and Tamamin.

Here's the Itoshiki Natasha video Ang is talking about.



My calendar is coming in a few days. I'll show you guys my collection of pictures then. I have a signed Myao picture. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... pyeyes.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' />

[Ap2000]

I'm not sure if this is especially cheap (it does seem so to me), but you can get some kind of (Photo ?)Book of AKB48 on amazon.co.jp for only 1000 Yen.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/4...og-22/ref=nosim

[EmEl]

I saw that the NYC concert was broadcast on Japanese television. I don't think it's on youtube yet, but it's hard to wade through all of the fan recordings of the same event to see if that's actually true. There's a lot backstage shots and stuff that I suppose could only be called "offshot".

[Ap2000]

http://www.japanprobe.com/2009/11/18/craze...to-his-address/



Which one of you was this ? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/clap.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' />

[EmEl]

That last line sounds like something Berry would say, I'm guessing it's her. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' />

"I just wanted some of their stuff, I didn’t care what," he said.

[thamychan]

[quote name='strawberryjam' post='71749' date='Nov 15 2009, 10:23 AM']Please tell me what you think. Be my AKB friend! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... iggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />[/quote]

I'm sorry for taking this long to answer! Thank you for the links; I really know nothing about AKB even though I've been following them since the first Sakura no Hanabiratachi single (and I have even watched some concerts). But here is what I think of each video:



Itoshiki Natasha is not catchy but not bad at all. They seem a little clumsy with those clothes so I laughed a little while watching the performance, sorry. Now I'm watching Team K's, as recommended by Ang but Team B's is better, they seem more charismatic. At least in that video, the girls from team K (I know those faces <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... prised.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':omg:' /> ) are kind of stiff. I couldn't find MARIA...



Temodemo begins a little GAM-ish but it ends up being a really cute song. I liked the voice of the one with long hair, is that Yuki? I thought it was Itano Tomomi but then I read your comment about who was singing. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/sigh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':sideways:' />



Kinjirareta Futari is good! One is Yuki, right? But I think I liked the other one better here. Both had good chemistry and wow, i did like this song and I even have a friend who will probably like it two. By the way, lesbian love makes the idol world move!



I already knew Bird from a lot of concerts I have watched. For some reason, it always catches my eyes. So I decided to watch it once more. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/cool.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' /> I love how it sounds like some anime theme from the beginning of the 90's and the performances are always even better than the song itself.



About those news... hilarious. Japanese people really do trust others...

[Milly]

Wow! This actually made me kinda like River: AKB48 RIVER PV Official USA Version

The intro is still crap though.



While imo they're not very good performers (they always lipsynch and a lot of them can't dance). They do manage to be a lot more interesting than H!P most of the time.

[Special Needs Tricycle]

Man, I don't really like the original PV, but that is way worse. It looks like a middle school art project in the 90s.

[neshcom]

Hmm... I've liked RIVER, but that PV doesn't fit at all. I thought I was watching some making-of for Love Lockdown. And what's with that intro? I don't follow AKB, so I'm out of the loop.

[EmEl]

[quote name='neshcom' post='72084' date='Nov 24 2009, 01:40 PM']And what's with that intro? I don't follow AKB, so I'm out of the loop.[/quote]

The intro is just RIVER's too-long, trash intro that ruins the song. It's in every version. Unless you meant the counting? I guess that was the director since it sounded like he was about to count in English and then stopped himself. Or he just says "What?"



I guess some of the girls look okay with the painted faces, but wow is Minegishi's (I think) ugly and not flattering at all. Her makeup makes her look like she has some horrible disease.



On the bright side, the director's website says that this is coming soon: "Currently co-producing Orphans of Orwell, a zombie horror in which all the adults in a vacation cabin mysteriously take ill, lose their minds, and then try to eat their children alive. It's pretty scary."

[Special Needs Tricycle]

Minegishi was wearing makeup? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... stling.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':noway:' />

[Melon]

I must be the only one that likes the intro to River. Then again, the only time I listen to the song is when I exercise. It's like my personal cheering squad~



I dearly so hope that the "Orphens of Orwell" is not referring to my beloved author. Please oh please! Lie to me. Unless it stars cute idol zombies. Then it might be worth watching. Maybe.

[strawberryjam]

I'm sorry for taking this long to answer!

No worries... I totally don't even expect replies. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ryalot.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wheely:' />

Itoshiki Natasha is not catchy but not bad at all. They seem a little clumsy with those clothes so I laughed a little while watching the performance, sorry. Now I'm watching Team K's, as recommended by Ang but Team B's is better, they seem more charismatic. At least in that video, the girls from team K (I know those faces <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... prised.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':omg:' /> ) are kind of stiff. I couldn't find MARIA...

I guess I find Sasshi's clumsyness endearing, but I totally know what you mean.. she's still a noob maybe? Well, she's been in the group 1.5 years now. Here's MARIA.

Temodemo begins a little GAM-ish but it ends up being a really cute song. I liked the voice of the one with long hair, is that Yuki?

Yup, Yukirin.

Kinjirareta Futari is good! One is Yuki, right? But I think I liked the other one better here. Both had good chemistry and wow, i did like this song and I even have a friend who will probably like it two. By the way, lesbian love makes the idol world move!

Oshima Yuko <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... iggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />



I'll come equipped with more videos to you later possibly, JSp. Come hang out in IRC PUH-LEASE. Or something. I totally wanna get to know you more!

That last line sounds like something Berry would say, I'm guessing it's her. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':noway:' />

"I just wanted some of their stuff, I didn’t care what," he said.

STOP STARTING RUMORS ABOUT ME! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... omgwtf.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':omgwtf:' />





Also, I come with my collection of pictures! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... iggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' /> It's not much... at all <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ryalot.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':dammit:' />





My collection of Rinatin pictures whom used to be my favorite. It's hard to follow her since she's graduated... So my collection probably stops here. I also have her pb which is signed! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />





My seriously pitiful collection of Moeno pictures





Pictures I want to get rid of. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hahaha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D/' /> Hey if anyone actually wants them here, let me know.

It's.. Noro, Tamamin, Umechan, Sara Fujimoto, Nacchi, and Erepyon (hold).



....



AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST... MY SIGNED MYAO PICTURE!!!! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /weeeh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /weeeh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /weeeh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' />







Yeah, you better enjoy people. It's not cheap collecting AKB pictures. They usually only come with other stuff you buy and you can't just buy the pictures themselves. It's like collecting baseball cards. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nfused.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />