Namida no Iro
First I want to announce that I absolutely loved Resonant Blue. Why didn't I review it? Because at the time the PV was released I was busy and later I didn't do it because I agreed with everyone else (why don't others get any screen time etc. etc.) so I felt it kind of unnecessary to repeat everything that had already been said. But now I must do a PV review. Because I'm amazed.
Just like I started my Renai♥Rider review with Airi now I have to start with Maimi. I really enjoyed her in LA LA LA Shiawase no Uta. She really was the only thing to save that song for me. While the costumes were hideous, and the whole song was a bit of crap, Maimi did her best, sang a thousand times better than Airi (I NEVER thought I would say this!) and danced like mad. She really impressed me. I never liked her that much before. I always thought she was overdoing it a bit. But how she impressed me then is nothing comapred to this PV, Namida no Iro.
Just WOW. She impressed me in every single aspect there can be regarding a song and the accompanying PV. Because I have to start with something, I'll start with the singing. Really, it's the only "weak point" she has and it's not even WEAK. If someone asks me, I think Maimi's the one with the most potential of become the next soloist superstar of H!P (yesterday I would have answered that Airi's the one! How quickly opinions can change... However, I'm not counting Aichan or Reina now). Less like a Kohachan or Ayaya kind of soloist, but more a Gocchin kind of. I could hear her singing songs just like this Namida no Iro. Sad, beautiful but powerful songs. Just look at her FACE. She's really putting her heart and soul into it!
That look... It gives me cold shivers and almost makes me cry... And you can hear it in her voice also. It feels like she could really relate to the lyrics although I have no idea wht they are about (probably something sad considering the name of the song. :P) Maimi handles her parts in a great manner and I no longer wonder why she's the other of this group's lead singers.
As for her dancing. When everybody was praising her I always thought that sure, she's great and all, but in my opinion she overdoes all the movements and is given too much credit for her dancing. She had a great talent but she wasn't really controlling it yet (even in Tokaikko Junjou). In a few years, I thought, she could learn to be more subtle and expressive. When she was claimed to be the best dancer in H!P I always thought of Aichan and disagreed. (Captain is great also, really!)
Well, it either didn't take her that long to learn or I was wrong all the way. I mean, just look at her posture.
Dancing is of course hard to capture but I'm quite sure you'll all agree with me that she stands out a lot. All the girls are great dancers but they're just on a completely different level from Maimi. I still wouldn't pick her over Aichan though, and there are others who are really good as well (Inaba Atsuko and Kame for example. I'm also starting to appreciate Sayu greatly. And I couldn't call Reina a bad dancer either...) Anyway, back to Maimi. I just have to say that she's incredible in this video.
And the intensive look in these shots...I think this slightly curly hair suits her face shape a lot better than straight hair. I really liked her looks in the covers already. But she has never been more beautiful than in this PV. She has great shots like this in her photobooks also, but I never really realised it... How pretty she is... I could just have a whole PV of her face!
But in the name of being fair I shall move onto the other girls now. First up, Erika.
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this. Erika's been given her moment too! Although I must admit I'm a bit disappointed. She looked so kickass in the covers that I thought she would here too... Well, this was her worst shot. Maybe she should have let her head go even lower or something... But anyway, I was incredibly happy for this. Overall, though, she was given too little of screentime. And no sololines, of course. (Sigh...)
I can't say I didin't enjoy Airi in this one and she was certainly a lot better than in LA LA LA Shiawase no Uta. I guess I used to be so fond of her that I'm always expecting a bit too much, more than from the other girls. But I think she really got to show her dancing in this one.
Great Airi & Maimi working it out... Maimi's great but Airi's too. She's just incredibly talented and I was quite satisfied with her vocals performance in this one.
Airi deserves all the attention she gets. I think she was perfect in Tokaikko Junjou and even if I would want everyone to have a chance I wouldn't want to change her position. And in this one she really isn't stealing all the spotlight (she didn't steal it in LASnU either) so it's okay. Right!?
She isn't just as much as into the lyrics as Maimi is but she great too. And I love her anyway. She's my favourite. And I love her cap. :)
Where as Maimai really looks like she about to cry... Poor little girl. :(
But I definitely see why eveyone keeps saying that she's becoming a preteen diva. :) Airi uses that kind of looks sometimes also, I think.
Nakki keeps impressing me with her dancing, She also very pretty. :) I remember someone said that she like the Sayu of °C-ute. That might be right. :)
And then Chisa... I don't know what she needs to do to become something else than cute...
She certainly trying hard though... And no solo lines. Never.
That's for the members. As for the PV... In the end it has a great atmosphere and mood to it. This is one of those PVs that made me change my mind on the song. When I heard the radio trip I thought it was a bit boring. But I'd never use that word to describe this song now... I love the instrumentals in the beginning before the verse starts. Actually the whole song is quite catchy.
Comparing to Tokaikko Junjou, I like the dance of this better. Tokaikko Junjou was great but this is even better. The clapping reminds me of course of Iroppoi Jirettai but I guess it's part of the style so that wouldn't be copying. The PV has got a praiseworthy amount of shots of the other girls besides Maimi and Airi and that's always good. What I like more about Tokaikko Junjou, though, is that it's shot outdoors.
I'm tired and going to end now. I was going to write more but maybe tomorrow. So now let's end with a few more screencaps.
Maimi shines again! That pose...
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I was talking to Morningberryz about doing fansubs. That would be huge for me and a lot of others too, I suspect. You guys certainly have the source materials! Someone already said what the best software there is to do subbing. I would be happy to help in whatever tiny way I can. I think there is a huge potential market for their music outside mainly Japanese speaking fans, and English subs would help *a lot*! :)
I have found a lot of other videos (like Ayu's) fansubbed at www.crunchyroll.com and they are so great.
The melody isn't the catchiest one but I love all the instrumental parts. But any fault the song might have the PV makes up for it! :) And Maimi does really shine... As for Airi, she pleases me more everytime I listen to this again. So I really like her vocals in the end, but I still think she should try a bit more not to sound so squeaky.
And well, I'm not the biggest Chisa fan but she's not ugly! :P I really started to love her when I watched "Koinu Dan no Monogatari". She a great little actress in that one.
Yeah, fansubbing is my angel! I definitely wouldn't be as big a fan that I'm now if there wasn't so many subbed H!P things. There are a lot of groups fansubbing H!P videos, actually. PVs and such. I really recommend you'd visit Hello!Online's tracker, if you like you use torrents. They've got a lot of subbed files there. And also DJ Waffles (there's no music videos though). He's got a great deal of hilarious TV programs (featuring H!P members of course) and things subtitled!
I could never have the patience to always wait until the releases come out and not watch them beforehand! I really appreciate that...
Airi is one od my favourite H!P members... And she's incredibly talented! Like I sometime said... if Aa! was still around it would go far. I actually compare Aa! to a bit Buono! - they're quite alike.
Don't if you are interested, but www.flock.com is a Firefox web browser that makes it so easy to share all your web connections like flickr, facebook, twitter, VOX, etc. I really like it and it's saving me a lot of time! :)
I have Aa!'s single too and it's too bad that they were a one single group especially with that great lineup!