Let's Talk about Two You

I haven't given much love to Kikkawa Yuu lately...

But I can't help it if I've found her musical output to be dull and uninteresting lately! I said in my year-end recap for 2012 that one of the idols I'd lot interest in was Kikkawa Yuu. Why? Because Universal Music Japan turned her into a Vocaloid! I kid, I kid, but Kikka's music is a big part of why I haven't really been following her as much as I used to. What I like about Kikkawa Yuu that made me want to follow her solo music in the first place was her voice. I love Kikka's voice and I was happy that her talent was finally being put to good use via solo career. But after Koko Kara Hajimarunda! came out I just kind of... stopped caring about her releases. I'd actually thought about reviewing the PV for Koko Kara Hajimarunda! but other idol groups with more interesting releases came along and soon enough, it was the end of 2012 and I realized I hadn't reviewed any post-One for You! material from Kikka. I think the decision for Kikka to handle more electropop-type songs was what lead me to caring less about her music. I won't say I hate her electropop singles but they don't jazz me. So here we are in 2013 and I've decided that it's about time I took a look at what Kikkawa Yuu has been up to lately. And what a better way to do that than to review her second album, appropriately titled Two You. Ugh, even I cringe at how pun-tastic that title is. What I'm hoping is that maybe by giving her second album a listen, I'll be able to rekindle the enthusiasm I formerly possessed for Kikkawa Yuu as an idol. Maybe I'll finally revive some interest in her. Or I could just keep on forgetting about her. Either way, let's take a look at Two You and find out!

1. Dramatic

So opening the album is a Vocaloid-type song in the vein of Kikka's past singles like Koko Kara Hajimarunda! And I guess that makes sense; the guy who composed those songs also composed Dramatic! Yeah, I hope you like electropop because there are a lot of little bleeps and other electro effects in the introduction of the song. It is kind of cool, even though I've heard it before. I was a little worried that Kikka's voice was going to be edited like it was in Koko Kara Hajimarunda! but for the most part, her actual vocals remained untouched. And she sounds nice in Dramatic; her voice is strong and she doesn't revert to that nasally singing that's plagued a couple of her other songs. I wouldn't say Dramatic is really my idea of a dramatic song though... I guess when I think of a dramatic song, I just think of sweeping instrumentals and over the top melodies. But overall, I think Dramatic makes for a decent album opener.

My Rating:


2. Darling to Madonna

So the first A-side on the album is Darling to Madonna, the second A-side of the Two You era. And honestly, when this song came out, I wasn't that impressed. It just sounds like a rehash of Koko Kara Hajimarunda! to my ears. Well, that was last year and this is 2013! I didn't pay much mind to Darling to Madonna back in 2012 so I think going over it will be good for me! So... I don't think this is a terrible song but like I said, it sounds so similar to Koko Kara Hajimarunda! I do like though that Darling to Madonna has much less vocal editing than the piles and piles of Autotune Koko Kara Hajimarunda! had. And I guess the instrumental does sound pretty neat with all the electronic effects going on (even though they sound similar to that other song...). Darling to Madonna is a fun and upbeat song though and I can't deny that it does have energy so... I guess my verdict is it's a fairly nice-sounding song. Yeah.

My Rating:

3. Zutto Zutto Zutto Kimi ga Suki da

The next new album track is this song with a very long title! Try saying it five times in a row! So my first impressions of this very lengthily-titled song was that it sounded a lot like an ending to some generic anime! Then again, that isn't necessarily bad since I do like Zutto Zutto Zutto Kimi ga Suki da! It has a very bouncy sound to it and I like the use of staccato notes in both the instrumental and the vocals. I think that gives the song a very fun and lighthearted tone to it! I feel like this is one of the more idol-y songs on Two You; I could actually see someone like Mano Erina or even Matsuura Aya performing this song. I feel like if I was in a bad mood, this wouldn't be a good song to listen to but when I'm feeling more energetic and hopeful about the future, I think I'd like listening to Zutto Zutto Kimi ga Suki da! Overall, I think it's a very fun song and while it may not be the most creative song ever, it still has a very earnestly happy feeling to it!

My Rating:


4. Renai Ebo

Helloooooo, best new track on the album! Yeah, I knew about halfway through my first listen of Renai Ebo that it was my favorite song on Two You. And why not? It's flipping awesome! Renai Ebo is a more pop-rock song that sounds like something you'd hear from Buono! or even Passpo. Actually, this song really sounds like it would fit in Passpo's discography; Renai Ebo sounds a lot like Natsuzora Hanabi but it's not so similar-sounding it's a straight-up rip-off! This is just a rocking song! There's a lot of guitar, Kikka's vocals have a lot of spirit to them, I just really love this song, okay? I feel like I had the same reaction towards Hako no Naka no Blue from her first album. My only gripe with Renai Ebo is that it's way too short; the song is barely three minutes long and I think this is a song that could have used a kickass rock bridge... Still, that's only a minimal complaint and doesn't lower my opinion of Renai Ebo!

My Rating:


5. Sekaijuu ni Kimi wa Hitori Dake

So the most recent A-side to be included on Two You is from Kikka's triple A-side released back in January. I guess the other two A-sides didn't make the cut because the producers really felt like they had to work in those acoustic covers. But I digress. So how does Sekaijuu ni Kimi wa Hitori Dake hold up? Well... I'm just gonna come out and say it: the opening of this song frightens me. Why? Because the song starts out with all these soft instrumentals and then suddenly Kikka's voice whispers "I LOVE YOU" in this really creepy voice that's just... it startles me, okay!? Beyond that, there's not really much I can talk about with Sekaijuu ni Kimi wa Hitori Dake. It's not a bad song but I don't think it's truly a standout song either. I mean, Kikka sings well in this song and the arrangement isn't bad but there's nothing about this song that puts it as a favorite of mine on the album. But I suppose it's an all right song!

My Rating:


6. Koko Kara Hajimarunda!

And so the oldest A-side on Two You is... Koko Kara Hajimarunda. Yay. Yep... as you can tell, I'm not a very huge fan of this song. Those of you who were able to get through my entire year-end post of 2012 might know that I had Koko Kara Hajimarunda! under my Worst Use of Autotune category for songs. And believe me, the Autotune isn't the only problem I have with this song, though it is one of the main problems. Koko Kara Hajimarunda! started the phase of singles and songs which were more electropop-oriented for Kikka, inadvertently started my decline in interest toward Kikka's music. While you all probably know I am a fan of electropop, I never liked Kikka taking an electropop direction with her music because she just doesn't have a voice for it. What I'm trying to say is I think her voice would work better in more vocally expressive genres. Koko Kara Hajimarunda! isn't a bad song, but I can't bring myself to love it.

My Rating:


7. To Be...

...or not to be. That is the question! This is the ballad of the album and you all know how particular I am about what I like in a ballad. So how does To Be... hold up? Well, I gotta say, I'm not really feeling it. The first misstep with To Be... is that it has a weak opening. Kikka pretty much singing acapella in the opening notes and her voice sounds awful. Well, by her standards, it sounds pretty bad. Kikka's voice can be very hit-or-miss and usually, I like the sound of her voice but every so often she'll switch to this really weak, almost nasally head voice. And for a ballad, that really doesn't help. I always think what carries a strong ballad is the vocals and how a singer expresses his or her feelings through those vocals. Kikka just sounds really soft and weak in this ballad and doesn't stand out. I wouldn't say To Be... is a terrible ballad by any means since it does have some nice parts but it doesn't stand out that much.

My Rating:


8. Kaze no Youna Melody

And after the ballad is thankfully, a much more upbeat and energetic song! It's not a terribly energetic song but after To Be... Kaze no Youna is refreshingly faster-paced. Still, this song didn't really grab me but it wasn't that bad either. It has a lot of the familiar electropop bleeps and effects you'd hear on Koko Kara Hajimarunda! Weird... it's almost as if all these songs were composed by the same person. I wonder if... can it be? It can! I did some digging around and found out that Dramatic, Darling to Madonna, Sekaijuu Hitori Kimi wa Hitori Dake, Koko Kara Haijmarunda! and Kaze no Youna Melody are all composed by the same person. What a twist! Honestly, that really shows with all these songs because frankly, they all sound very similar. Sure, the arrangements and keys are tweaked with each song but they all sound the same to me. So Kaze no Youna Melody just feels like a repeat of Koko Kara Hajimarunda! or Darling to Madonna.

My Rating:


9. Unmei

No, this Unmei is not the newest Tokyo Girls' Style song; we'll talk about that song later. This Unmei is a ballad! Yep, this album has another ballad. Because if there's anything this album needs, it's another ballad! I mean, that first was one just so invigorating. And Unmei makes To Be... sound like Secret Base ~Kimi ga Kureta ga Mono~. Unmei is probably my least favorite song on the album because it's really slow, even for a ballad the energy is at a low. The main problem with Unmei is that there's never a moment where the song really picks up, not even in the chorus. Never did I hear a build-up; the song pretty much stays at the same tempo and energy level and it's boring. I will say, Kikka's vocals sound a bit better but the arrangement of this ballad puts me to sleep. It doesn't help that the song is nearly six minutes long. Unmei is sort of what I have in mind when I picture a poorly-done ballad. This was such a snore on the album.

My Rating:


10. Twinkle Days

So the only B-side included on Two You is from Darling to Madonna! Twinkle Days sort of has that same electronic pop Vocaloid vibe that Darling to Madonna does and I thought it was a decent B-side. Then again, that makes sense; the guy who composed this song makes a lot of Vocaloid music. Anyways, I didn't like the heavily Autotuned opening notes to Twinkle Days but luckily, the Autotune used in this song doesn't reach Morning Musume's One Two Three levels. But again, I do feel like the Autotune is very gratuitous, especially when it's used in the verses and the third verse. Kikka's voice sounds fine in this song so why does it have to be Autotuned? Twinkle Days is a pretty cheerful and upbeat song and I admit, after the dreadful borefest that is Unmei, Twinkle Days is a refreshing change of pace. It's not my favorite Kikka song but of the B-sides from her latest singles, I don't mind Twinkle Days making it onto the album.

My Rating:


11. Sayonara Namida (Acoustic Version)

The final two tracks on Two You are just acoustic versions of already recorded. Personally, I'm not so sure I really wanted two songs I've already heard before over two new songs, but I do think it's nice Sayonara Namida (or some form of it) made it into one of Kikka's albums. Sayonara Namida is one of my favorite Kikka songs and I actually think it made a better A-side than the actual A-side Kikkake wa You! It's a very pretty song and Kikka's vocals are well-done. The acoustic version is naturally, much more raw on the instrumentals and is much softer and toned-down than the original. It's not a bad redo but I still prefer the original version and the energy it had. But Kikka's voice sounds nice and she does a good job carrying the song. The piano sounds nice, the vocals sound nice, Sayonara Namida is just a nice song! As far as acoustic versions go, Sayonara Namida is overall pretty decent!

My Rating:


12. Kikkake wa You! (Acoustic Version)

Speaking of already recorded songs, the next acoustic version on Two You is Kikkake wa You! I guess that's fitting since this was Kikka's song she debuted with. Then again, this isn't really a song I enjoy a lot but I don't think it's terrible either. But honestly, I don't think I would have picked Kikkake wa You! to get an acoustic version. It works better as a more energetic and upbeat song to me. The acoustic version just kind of sucks all the energy out and while it's not as deadbeat as Unmei (then again, nothing else on this album is) I actually think I like the original song a little bit better. I will say though, the acoustic version of Kikkake wa You! does offer a different take on the original song. It's much more raw and slow and I think Kikka's voice does sound better in the acoustic version. Still, if I had to pick between getting an acoustic version of Kikkake wa You! or a new album song, I'd pick the latter. Even if it was a song like Unmei.

My Rating:


The Verdict

Wow. That was... not a good album. Okay, let me elaborate: in comparison to One for You!, Two You is not a very good or interesting album. Even if I wasn't comparing it to Kikka's debut album, Two You still wouldn't hold up very well. Is it a terrible album? No. But there's not a lot of material in this album that really stands out, save for one or two new songs. Actually, one problem I had with this album was the lack of new songs. Okay, only half the album consisted of pre-recorded songs but of the other six new tracks, I only liked half of those. My favorite new track on the album was Renai Ebo and that was because it was the most differently-styled song. I also liked Zutto Zutto Zutto Kimi ga Suki da and Dramatic but I doubt either one of those songs will every become my uber-favorite Kikkawa Yuu songs. The other three songs ranged from forgettable to hatefully forgettable. The worst song on Two You was most definitely Unmei; it's long and low-energy and monotonous and displays all the qualities I find in a poorly-done ballad. To Be... and Kaze no Youna Melody just didn't stand out for me. At least the new songs on One for You! had variety. Two You doesn't. Not much anyways. About half the songs on the album have that Vocaloid-styled electropop music that Kikka used in Koko Kara Hajimarunda! and Darling to Madonna. As someone who wasn't a huge fan of that style for her, obviously that doesn't settle very well with me. If you are a fan of that style though, you might like this album a bit more than I did though. Still, Two You isn't bogged down with bad songs but it doesn't have a lot of really good songs either. A majority of the songs on this album just don't stand out. So while there aren't a lot of songs that make my blood boil on Two You, it's still a very vanilla album. It's a shame that Two You is such a lackluster follow-up to One for You! since in comparison, I realize just how much more interesting that album was.

Well, of five apples, Kikkawa Yuu's second album only gets two and half. I'm sorry, but this just wasn't a very stand-out album to me. Half the tracks felt like filler and there were only a few songs that I really enjoyed listening to. So I guess my streak of not giving a shit about Kikkawa Yuu will continue. I'll keep waiting for the day she releases something that grabs me again, but I'm not expecting it to be for awhile now...

Kicking Off Summer with Love and Sunshine

Well, May has come and with it summer! Despite the fact that it's 64 degrees and pouring down rain while I'm writing this! Yep, I can just feel summer in the air. Well, I figured that nothing would be better to brighten up my day than to kick back and review a summer PV! And since this is my first summer PV review, I figured why not kick off the summer seasons and review a PV by a group that revolves around the weather itself?

That's right! The first summer PV I'm reviewing is Koi no Love Sunshine by Weather Girls! Hrm, Koi no Tenki Youhou, Koi no Tokimeki Chuuihou, Koi no Love Sunshine, is anyone else sensing a pattern here? What I find funny about Koi no Love Sunshine is that in English it translates to "Love Sunshine of Love." A little redundant, huh? Anyways, you all know that I'm a fan of Weather Girls for their insufferably energetic and catchy music. Is their music that creative? Not really but the overwhelming amount of energy put into each song is pretty irresistible and the group has an image that's slightly more... mature than your typical J-pop idol group. I actually feel like Weather Girls leans towards a more K-pop style of music and image, kind of like what Kara has. But I think Weather Girls has just a little more charm and personality in comparison to Kara! Anyways, although this Taiwanese group has only been around for a few months, I've enjoyed what they've released so far. Koi no Tenki Yohou was one of my favorite singles of 2012 and Koi no Tokimeki Chuuihou was pretty good too, especially the PV. So their third single, Koi no Love Sunshine, is their first summer single and the release date is set for June 5th. Why do I bring that up? Because that's my birthday!! Actually, there are a lot of singles I'm looking forward to that are coming out on my birthday, like Tokyo Girls' Style, MEG... Yeah, that's what happens when your birthday happens to fall on a Wednesday but every time I see an idol group's single release date as June 5th, I just get a little excited inside! But enough about my personal life; now that the full PV for Koi no Love Sunshine is out, I can finally review the entire song and see how it holds up as a summer single! And I can see if it measures up to the levels of insane and hyper energy Koi no Tenki Yohou and Koi no Tokimeki Chuuihou has!

A preview of Koi no Love Sunshine can be heard in the making-of video posted on the Weather Girls official Youtube channel and that was out for some time before I heard the full song. It's not a terribly long snippet; on that little video, all you can hear is the chorus. But what I'd heard so far I liked so I was expecting Koi no Love Sunshine to be another super-upbeat, hyper-pop song in the vein of the group's past two singles. And after hearing the full song... I guess you could say Koi no Love Sunshine is like Koi no Tenki Yohou or Koi no Tokimeki Chuuihou. I mean, they're both pop songs. That counts as similar, right? To my surprise, I am not that jazzed by Koi no Love Sunshine. Is it a bad song? No... but honestly, it's kind of bland. Not as bland as, say, Sayonara Crawl (but I'll rant about that later) but beyond the chorus, not much of Koi no Love Sunshine stands out. It's like that's the only part of the song that tries to be really energetic and full of life. The verses and the instrumentals are much more toned down in energy, almost to the point where it gets predictable. You know that little game I sometimes play, Guess the Note? Where I try to imagine in my head what note/phrase is coming next in a song? Well, Koi no Love Sunshine is one of those songs where you can pretty easily tell what note is coming next! I'm not saying the group's past two songs were innovative but Koi no Love Sunshine just feels more half-assed. Like I said earlier, the only part I really like about the song is the chorus but I feel like that's brought down by the uninteresting verses and energy of the rest of the song. It's really disappointing that Koi no Love Sunshine is such a boring song, especially since I had high hopes for it from my listen to the chorus. Oh well, I guess Weather Girls had to have a flop song eventually; it's just a shame that flop song has to be their summer song too...

I think the biggest criticism I have of Koi no Love Sunshine is not only is it a bland song, it's not a very good summer song either. Well... not to me anyways. I guess it would help if I explained what I look for in a summer song, especially since I'm going to be reviewing so many summer PVs in the coming months. Really, there's only one major aspect that I think makes a "good" summer song: it has to get me excited about summer. As a toiling student, I always look towards summer with hope and excitement because I know it's a time in which I can have fun and just let loose from my regular school environment. The perfect summer song for me is the kind of song that conveys that level of excitement and enthusiasm for summer. It's energetic, just like my outlook towards summer vacation is. One of my favorite summer songs is Go Go Summer! by Kara for that exact reason: because it connects with me on an emotional level. Ponytail to Shushu by AKB48 is another summer song that I like a lot for those same reasons. Even Everyday, Kachuusha which is basically Ponytail to Shushu 2011 Edition is a great summer song in my opinion. Songs like these are also why I have such a negative opinion of Sayonara Crawl like seriously I hate that song so- I'm sorry, am I branching off and ranting about AKB48 in other posts again? How rude of me! I've just got to learn to keep my ranting constrained to the appropriate posts, don't I? When I listen to Koi no Love Sunshine, I don't get excited for summer. I don't get that feeling as though a bunch of energy is going to burst out of my chest. I just listen to the song and it plays. There's not emotional connection I can make with Koi no Love Sunshine because it doesn't have the energy or appeal to be a good summer song. It's not the worst song I've ever heard but not the best either; very likely, Koi no Love Sunshine will just fade away with a myriad of other summer songs I don't give a shit about...

It is a shame that Koi no Love Sunshine isn't a very standout song to me but hey, maybe the PV can redeem it? After all, Weather Girls has gotten some decent PVs in the past! Then again, this is a summer PV so you know what I expect? Fanservice. Lots and lots of fanservice. Let's dive in! Get it? Dive? Eh heh 'cause it's summer and... I think the rain is getting to my head.

Well, the PV starts with a Weather Girl narrating in Japanese accompanied by text that I'll probably never attempt to translate.

And then the video cuts to Nuenue working hard to pay the bills at a snack bar!

Everything changes when a girl whose totally not a member of Weather Girls leaves a mysterious flyer on the front counter.

Dammit, not only did she cut in front of everyone else, she didn't even BUY anything!

We need you... to do what? Defeat giant robots? Are there gonna be giant robots in this PV!?

The city's in peril so there's only one group its citizens can turn to!

SAILOR WEATHER SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE!

Oh hai, doggy!

I like these summer outfits!

But they remind me of the ones Kara wore in Go Go Summer! for some reason...

Ugh, those stupid logos are blocking Hijon's adorable face!

Is the camerman just crouched on the ground kneeling upward to get these shots?

Oh, biking. Definitely never seen that in a summer PV before!

Nope.

Not at all.

Nuenue, stop making the loser sign and put your hand back on the handlebar before you crash that bike!

All right! The Mystery Machine- I mean the Weathermobile is here!

And I guess they abducted Nuenue?

A squad of scantily dressed sailor girls led by a very short man? Seems legit.

Da hell is this?

Ah, think of all the short jokes I could make with this screencap...

I will say, the visuals are nice in Koi no Love Sunshine. Very typical, pretty summer-type visuals.

Now it's time for fanservice! I mean... training for... uh... something. What are they even doing this for anyways?

-insert Baywatch theme here-

Yikes. Esse must not be cut out for Baywatch running, huh?

Well hey, my motto is there's nothing that brings people together like humiliation!

I guess Esse doesn't agree with me.

Uh... I am screencapping the same PV aren't I? Why the hell is this shot even there? It adds nothing to the PV and only provides for visual whiplash.

HA! Esse's gettin' a verbal smackdown! That's what she gets for denying my awesome assistance!

You know, it might be easier to create dramatic tension if your character wasn't wearing a fetishized sailor outfit.

Hey, Hijon, you think we'll ever get our own subplot in a Weather Girls PV?

So much for attempts at drama. It's party time!

You know what summer PVs need more of? Sweating! How come idols never sweat in summer PVs!?

Oh, that robot monster plot is still relevant? Okay then...

Well, that was wrapped up quickly! The power of teamwork solves everything!

See? Teamwork rules!

I know the L sign is referring to love but I always see it that loser sign I flashed all the time in middle school...

You know what this PV needs? Pirates. Lots and lots of pirates.

And then the PV ends with your typical summer pose. -yawn-

Oh yeah, and the coach guy pops up one more time. But no one really cares about him.

And there you have it, guys! The first summer PV screencap of 2013! YEAH! I'll throw a beach party to celebrate! Anyways, in hindsight, maybe I should have reviewed something I personally liked a little bit more as my first summer PV review of 2013. Ah well, I've planned out my review schedule already and I'm almost done writing this review anyways! So Koi no Love Sunshine is definitely a summer PV; it's got bright colors, beach settings, summer activities and motifs, all that stuff you'd find in your typical summer PV. But does the PV still manage to stand out on its own? Eh... not really. Well, there are definitely parts that do make me scratch my head and wonder why they were included in the video but for the most part, Koi no Love Sunshine is a pretty run-of-the-mill summer PV. It's got fanservice, the ocean, bikes, sunny dance shots, if you're just looking for a PV filled with seven hot girls, then this is your utopia. But for someone like me who has more -adjusts monocle- critical tastes, Koi no Love Sunshine is most definitely not the best summer PV I've ever seen. It's not even close. Before I get into my criticisms though, what did I like about the PV? Koi no Love Sunshine wasn't a terrible PV and I do admit the camera work was actually very well done. I liked that there were a bunch of different shots and scenes and outfits, all of them shot well too. While I don't think some of the scenes necessarily worked as scenes in the PV, I can't deny that there was a lot to look at. The location/scenery shots in particular were very nice to look at. I also liked the color aesthetic used in Koi no Love Sunshine, very summery and happy. It's definitely one of those PVs that you can tell it was filmed to be a summer PV just based on the lighting. Unfortunately, beyond those little bits, I can't point out much else that I really liked about Koi no Love Sunshine's PV.

Now let's dig into the stuff that I didn't like in this PV. Or one thing in particular: the story. The first time I watched Koi no Love Sunshine, I wasn't even sure if there was a story to follow but after screencapping the PV, I think I have an idea of what the director was trying to convey. Bear with me, because I couldn't tell just exactly what the plot of Koi no Love Sunshine was. Okay, the story begins with Nuenue working at a snack bar when a mysterious girl leaves a flyer at her stand talking about love robots or something like that. Nuenue leaves her job and starts biking home when she's picked up by the other members of Weather Girls in their signature retro yellow van. And no, it's not kidnapping. Apparently, Nuenue has been recruited by the very short coach/general/manager of the group to join them and fight against some unspecified evil. Look, it just involves giant robots taking over cities or some comic book plotline of that nature. Anyways, Nuenue dons a skimpy sailor uniform and joins the other Weather Girls in training to fight this evil. As the girls are training through a kinda-sorta montage, they jog through a shallow part of the ocean and Esse trips and falls into the water. Nuenue helps her up but for some reason, Esse shuns her assistance and that somehow makes them enemies now. The coach/general/manager later berates Esse for some reason that I can't read because I don't have time to learn Japanese and she later ponders her decision. Later on, the girls are mapping out some kind of plan to defeat the evil monsters we will never actually see when I think Nuenue offers an idea. Her idea gets good reception from the other girls and she and Esse finally make up. They then crush the model robot on their battle map, frolic around some beach locations, and then the PV just ends.

All right, to be fair, I think one of the reasons that I had such a hard time following this PV was because there was overlaying dialogue that was transcribed into Japanese. As you all know, I have little to no knowledge in the Japanese language, especially regarding the kanji/hiragana writing. But since I'm certain that majority of my readers also have little to no grasp of the language, then we can all just be clueless together, huh? Even if I could understand the captions in the PV, I should have to need them anyways to tell what's going on in the video. I firmly stand by the belief that a good PV can convey a story in a way that transcends language barriers. I had little to no idea what was going on in this PV. I think there was a storyline somewhere in the PV but it got lost amongst the numerous fanservice shots and lush imagery. It's a shame because what I saw of a storyline looked promising. The idea of Weather Girls being this crime-fighting group that has to save the world from hateful robots through love and friendship could make for a captivating story. But in this PV, we don't even get to see that; we just see the girls training for it (and I used the word "training" lightly because apart from a small montage, there's barely any of it in this PV). Most of the PV is just devoted to flattering angles and making the girls look as sexually appealing as possible. And yeah, I know that's pretty much the point of a summer PV but if you're gonna throw in these random story elements, why half-ass them. I feel like if the concepts in this PV were more thoroughly explored this might have been a better and more interesting PV. But instead these ideas are briefly thrown around and not elaborated on that much, making for a very muddle and confusing story. I almost wish that they hadn't been included in the PV and the director had opted for a more straight-up summer PV with no plot.

I think another big problem I found with Koi no Love Sunshine was the lack of expression from the girls themselves. What drew me in to Weather Girls was how expressive the members were and how over-the-top they acted on camera. It was amusing to watch, especially in Koi no Tokimeki Chuuihou. Their acting was partially made that PV so interesting, along with the compelling storyline. Koi no Love Sunshine lacks that earnest charm that the girls displayed in their first two PVs and opts for more... well, fanservice! I know, I know, it's a summer PV. What else did you expect, Nia? Well, I expected Weather Girls to be acting just as crazy and silly as they did in their last two PVs. Don't get me wrong there are a few moments where you get to see some of that (like any scenes with Hijon) and Nuenue is rather amusing a few parts. But mostly, the emphasis on the PV is less on the girls and more on the scenery and the fanservice. There are a lot of pandering shots and those sailor outfits only add to the fanservice aspect of this PV. If you're a fan because you're gung ho about the fanservice, then you'll enjoy this PV. Me, I don't. There's too much going on in this PV and too little of it is actually interesting. Although visually, it does look good, Koi no Love Sunshine doesn't have much else to offer other than the fanservice that you can find in any other summer PV that probably has a better concept and/or storyline. Still, I guess as a summer PV, Koi no Love Sunshine does its job. It has a lot of summer elements coupled with fanservice that has been done in many a summer idol PV. But it lacks charm and personality and also lacks in a strong storyline to drive the PV either. Koi no Love Sunshine is one of the messier summer PVs I've seen; maybe not as messy as S/mileage's Dot Bikini but still pretty cluttered.

Wow. Koi no Love Sunshine was kind of an underwhelming song and PV overall. Underwhelming enough that I only feel like giving it two and half out of five apples. Yeah, this definitely isn't going to be on of the standout summer PVs of 2012 for me. The song isn't energetic enough to stand out for me and the PV only consists of jumbled plotlines and gratuitous fanservice. So yeah, I guess I'm kicking off summer with a negative PV review... great. Well hey, I can get the boring stuff out of the way and save more interesting summer PVs for later, right? Right! There's a whole summer ahead of me and I can't wait to enjoy it!

How Far Will Perfume's World Tour Spread?

I refrained from writing about this news when it came out not only because I was bogged down with final projects/papers/exams for school but also because I knew if I did, the post would just consist of me bitching and moaning about how Perfume had yet to tour in the United States. What? My envy is very capable of overcoming my rationality, especially when it ties into the techno group that I devote time to praising and blogging about at any chance possible. As you have all heard, Perfume, the most amazing J-pop group ever (in my eyes at least), is embarking on a second world tour. Unlike their first which was based entirely in Asia, the second one is based entirely in Europe; or three parts of Europe at least. England, France and Germany are all the lucky countries that Perfume will be gracing their presence with and fans around the world have been dancing for joy and throwing hurly burly parties. Now when I, an American fan who lives in The South, heard about the news that Perfume was going on another world tour after their first in Asia only to find out that they were touring in Europe, I was angry. Well, I think, "angry" is a bit too strong of a word to describe how I was feeling at that time; I think I was more... anguished. I'm a huge fan of Perfume in case you couldn't tell by the banner I always have of them and the sidebar with a picture of them and the monthly post in which I review one of their old PVs. Although I long ago came to terms with the fact that I was very likely never going to see Perfume in concert, the chance that I just might be able to, especially since their talks of internationally touring, has been tantalizing. And I've always been secretly crossing my fingers and hoping that by some convoluted miracle, I would be able to see the group that changed my life so much in concert. So predictably, when the announcement that Perfume would be touring in Europe came out, I was both ticked and saddened. It felt like Perfume was so close but so far away.

But, being the rational person I am, I got over it. For the most part. I'm very happy for whoever is able to get tickets to see Perfume live and I hope all you Europeans have the best time of your life watching the glorious techno trio perform. As much as I wish I could be there cheering with you all, I'll just stare out the window and continue scheming up ways for me to see Perfume live. Anyways, I'm not writing to talk about my own personal feelings about Perfume's 2nd World Tour but I do want to add in my own speculations and theories about it. After all, I'd never entertained the idea that Perfume would embark on another world tour; in hindsight, it seems inevitable but hey, hindsight's always 20/20. I guess I was just too busy shaking my head and laughing over the fact the their 1st World Tour only took place in Asia. Never did it occur to me that there would also be a 2nd World Tour. But now that it's been announced, I've began to wonder... how many more are to come? Is this going to be a series of world tours? And how many will there be? One for each continent? I actually think it would be kind of awesome if Perfume had a separate tour for each continent like one for Australia, one for North America, one for Antarctica- well, maybe not Antarctica. I doubt there are many penguins that are die-hard fans of Perfume. But one each continent, the group could go to some of the major cities on each one and perform; kind of what they're doing right now. Do I think it'll happen? I'm not sure. I'm really trying to figure out just how far Perfume plans to go with this "world tour" idea; do they literally mean that they're going everywhere around the world? All power to them, but I don't know how they would going to pull off a tour of that size and span. Still, Perfume is known for their love of conquering challenges (i.e. getting to Tokyo Dome).

But I will say I think a concert in the United States is very likely.

And no, I'm not just saying that as an American fan who would backflip out a window to see Perfume perform live. I'm saying that because even though the country I live in has a boatload of problems, it is still a very well-known country especially in terms of the music industry. Hell, the United States has the largest and most profitable music industry. With Perfume's talks of international expansion, I think performing in the US would open themselves up to new fans part of such a large music industry. A concert in the US, especially in an urban area like New York City or Los Angeles, could bring old fans together to cheer Perfume on, letting them know that there is a niche that the group can appeal to internationally even if Perfume doesn't ever reach mainstream international success. I think it would be a smart move to perform in the United States, especially since I know there are a lot of US-based Perfume fans, along with fans from other countries too! Of course, I also think performing in Europe is another smart marketing move especially since from what I've heard, Perfume's techno style would be more easily accepted in a European market. Perfume has even expressed a bit of interest and enthusiasm for performing in the US along with other international areas.  Honestly, I'd be very surprised if Perfume didn't do at least one concert in the United States. I mean hell, Kyarypamyupamyu's done an international tour and she's only been on the market for two years! I actually really like the locations Kyary went to for her tour and I think if Perfume had done what Kyary did and had just one international tour in a variety of countries, that would have worked just as well as spreading out this series of world tours. There wouldn't be such ambiguity about where Perfume was going to tour and how far they're planning to take this whole "world tour" idea.

I think I'm very 50/50 on the possibilities for the idea of multiple world tours with each tour focusing on a separate region of the world. But then again, we don't even know if that's a possibility; for all I know, Perfume could stop at the 2nd World Tour and just go back to performing in Japan, never to return to any other country. I hope they keep going but part of me is scratching my head at just what Perfume is aiming for with all these world tours. Like how many are they going to do? Where are they going to be? When are they going to be done? Keep in mind, the more world tours the girls embark, the longer it's gonna take. Not only do these world tours have to be fit around Perfume's already hectic performing schedule in their home country but it also has to be worked around their promotions for singles/albums/DVDs/tie-ins/etc. If Perfume does even announce a third-world tour, I doubt it'll happen this year. Their 2nd World Tour finishes up in July and I don't think that brief time between then and November (when end-of-year stuff starts happening) is going to be enough for Perfume to begin another world tour. Especially if they decide to release an album, which I am crossing my fingers and hoping that will happen. So say by early to mid-2014, Perfume goes on a 3rd World Tour; would Tour #3 be the one in which they finally go to the US? Or is that saved for Tour #5? And for that matter, just what regions of the US would Perfume even go to? The United States is effing huge and traveling to some parts of it is the equivalent of traveling to another country without all that passport fuss. I think what would be best for Perfume if they did decide to tour in parts of the US would be to perform in Los Angeles and New York City; they're both two big cities on two separate coasts. That way the east-coasters and west-coasters can have a shot at seeing Perfume without having to drive miles and miles and burn a ton of gas.

Personally, my ideal Perfume World Tour would be on in which they hit the four points of the United States: the West, the Midwest, the North and the South. Like I said, the US is huge and believe me, sometimes I really hate how huge it is. I pretty much know that there's a 99.999% chance that Perfume isn't going to get anywhere near the South; no cool artist ever does! Besides, I think they'd find the most success in urban areas such as New York City. It would actually be somewhat convenient for me if Perfume performed in New York City since I have relatives that live in an area in New Jersey that's close enough to NYC that I could take a train from Jersey to get there. That way I wouldn't have to worry about lodging, just transportation and finding a plane ticket! See, when you live in The Sticks, you have to find ways to improvise seeing your favorite artists, which is one of the reasons why the only concert I've ever been to is Hillary Duff. What? I was seven years old! There's also the matter of when would be a good time for Perfume to tour in the US; personally, the best time for me would be in the summer of 2014. Why the summer? Because 2014 is the year I finally graduate from high school and by summer, I'll have nothing to worry about. No final projects, no tests, no college applications, summer will be blissful. And I think seeing Perfume live would be a great graduation present, if I could convince my parents to let me see them. But then again, that's even if Perfume decides to perform in an area that I can actually get to. This is all really just speculation right now. And honestly, I don't really want to get my hopes up too much in case Perfume never does reach the United States. I hate to be a downer, but the only thing worse not being able to ever see Perfume live is believing that I will see them live when that never comes to fruition.

For now, I'd like to think that Europe isn't the final stop on Perfume's series of world tours. Hopefully, they'll go to other countries and other continents, particularly the USA. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed at the moment!