Give Me a Better PV

A few days, ago AKB48 released a PV preview for Give Me Five! along with the full PV shortly after. I've said my opinions about this song before but I'll say them again. I really do enjoy the genki slightly rock-ish feel to the song and it's pretty catchy. To me it sounds like a combination of a bunch of their older singles! I'm also really happy that Aki-P's broken away from the usual sakura/graduation single he's so fond of releasing around this time. Does the song blow my mind and rest in the pantheon of godlike music right next to Perfume? No, but it's a pretty fun song and generic without being too generic... if that even makes sense. I suppose I'll take anything after the snoozefest known as Ue Kara Mariko but even so I still like this single! So there I was on my merry way, content that maybe Aki-P would break the singles formula this year like I had so hoped! Then we got some more news about Give Me Five! The music to the song would be performed by members of the AKB themselves! It's really cool concept for and idol group and the idea held a lot of potential. Naturally I got excited about this too!

Then the PV came out.

And the "band" for the single is... well... let's just look at the PV. I think that sums up how the band turned out.

Wow. Did they use too much PV money for Flying Get and Kaze wa?

Yukirin? Drums? I thought she played the trombone!

Yuko looks ecstatic and probably maintains the most energy throughout this PV...

Rena! Miichan! Brass instruments? Oh well, I'll go with it!

And here's Tomochin with the easiest instrument in the world and Mariko with the second easiest instrument in the world (unless you count the triangle).

Takamina! With her kickass ponytail and kickass red guitar!

Oh Harunyan, even when you play the keyboard you still look dreamy-dazed!

I wonder if Yuko's side-eying Acchan for stealing her center spot again...

Mayuyu the Fantastic Creeper is surprisingly subdued in this PV (I blame the instruments).

That set. I swear it's my high school gym.

I feel bad for the chorus girls, they don't even get to perform (and Sayaka can actually play an instrument!).

Poor Mayuyu. She tried to flash her Creeper Smile but is burdened with the instruments. A sad day for creepers around the world.

Even Acchan looks more bored than usual...

In fact, I think the brass section is having more fun!

Takamina looks like she's having a blast whilst Acchan struggles with the guitar.

We then get to the (very poorly pieced together) storyline involving Acchan being... Acchan.

Why does Yukirin always remind me of her character from Majisuka Gakuen every time she's acting?

It appears Yuko's also a prostitute/call girl/slut in this PV but for noble reasons.

Is this what the Senbatsu did while the others were promoting Ue Kara Mariko?

Not sure why this happened. Tragic, emotional storyline in the long PV, perhaps?

BWAH! Yukirin, you're reaching Mayuyu levels of creepy!

This is a pretty shot... really, that's all I have to say.

Thank god Yukirin looks normal in these shots.

...

Okay? I'll go with it!

This is what I love about Yuko; she can switch from goofy and lovable to tense and delicate in just a moment!

Gee, I wonder who this is. Definitely not Acchan, the only member who ever gets a backstory!

I will say the guitar solo Takamina pulls here is pretty decent.

I wish I could be as enthusiastic as that crowd...

Okay, did they just use stock footage from Majisuka Gakuen?

I haven't mentioned Jurina yet but she looks awesome in this PV and so does Mariko!

And the PV ends with high fives all around because... why not?

They had to find some way to have the title make sense.

I have to admit... I'm really disappointed with the PV. I think they had a great concept but when it came to execution I don't think the girls were prepared enough for it. As I was watching the PV, I just kept thinking how awkward and out of place everyone looked. The gym scenes looked very cheap but to be fair, their is a whole backstory to the cheap set. From what I can gather via the Internet, the story is about a bunch of high school dropouts who decide to form a band as a route to some way of happiness. Not that we get to see any of that; those bits and snippets from the drama will later be shown in a 34 minute PV. Although the idea and plot sound promsing I'll probably have to skip on it because of the language barrier. So I'm stuck with this with its cheap set, choppy scene changes, and awkward storyline. The biggest problem with this PV is the fact that they're playing their own instruments; I know I gushed about how awesome it could be but it decided to go the other direction. What I think is... well... I think I can explain this better through examples. Meet Scandal.

And the outfits AKB hijacked from them

They also happen to be an all-girl group/band who plays their own instruments as seen here and here. Now I'm no music expert but from what I can tell they happen to be girls who know how to play instruments and play them well. In their music videos, they seem to really be connected to their instruments and use that skill to their advantage. Love or hate their actual music, they definitely know their craft. And that's where AKB falls short. I think one of the keys to playing your own music, singing, or just about... anything you have to know what you're doing. The members only had time to learn a freaking instrument for what? Four months? Three? You can't exactly turn into the next Zone in such a short amount of time unless you have an insane amount of talent. But they don't; a majority of the main players hardly touched the instruments they were handed. Hence they're desperately groping around trying to remember not the only the music but how to play the instruments, handle them, sing at the same time. So they don't have the time or extra energy to add in the fun charisma usually found in their PVs and that really drags the PV down. All in all, this concept was really a let down for me because of how unprepared the girls were.

Please let me explain that in no way am I saying that AKB should never play their own music. I would love that. I think it would be a cool spin on such a large idol group. But if they're going to do that, they have to be prepared for it. And for Give Me Five! they're still trying to figure out the right notes. So the song is good but the execution is poor. If you can understand Japanese, tell me how the long PV is. Maybe I'll like that better.

Wait a Minute! This Came Out Already?

Please pardon the horrid pun I made (but there are a lot more to come), I'm surprised the PV for S/mileage's new single came out so soon! I liked what I heard in the concert preview (and the outfits were okay-ish for me but too familiar to MM's) but I was a little let down when the PV came out. The song is decent, but it's not as catchy as Please Miniskirt Postwoman. However, I do like the retro 50s sound it has and the instrumental reminds me of Shortcut's (a song I love). The title drop in the lyrics "Chotto Matte Kudasaaaiiii" will also get stuck in your head even if you can't remember the rest of the song! That's always nice!

I will say the vocals are not the best. Actually, the only two members bearable to listen to are Take and Kanon... even then, Kanon's pretty much the only one who sounds great. I think that's partially because you're letting Meimi and Ayaka take on high notes when they both have the vocal range of a spoon. Especially Meimi; apparently UFA made her drop the helium diet she'd been on so we lost that cute but cacophonic squeaky voice she had. And I kinda miss that. But even so, I still really enjoy Meimi in the PV; she's like the Riho I always wanted. Sure, she can't sing but she can dance very well and has a really fun, standout personality that really shows up on screen. Whilst Riwhore is... Riwhore. Along with Meimi being pushed is also Take aka Maimi's cousin and I think her voice actually sounds pretty decent. Those high notes are little hard on her but that Egg training definitely shows. And then we have Kanon. Flawless Kanon who hath now replaced Yuuka as my favorite member. It's a good thing too because there is a boatload of Kanon in the song and PV. She gets the most solo lines, has a bunch of face time, and completely deserves it in my opinion but one thing does kind of bother me. I feel like they couldn't given an extra line to Rina or maybe Kana. And I'm saying that as someone who doesn't really care about those two members; on the plus side Kana makes her mark on the PV with her bumbling, spazz dancer personality. Rina... when will I care?

The more I think about it, I would probably enjoy this song more if the vocals didn't drag it down so much. The high notes are very out of place and done poorly and only two of six members sound good and two others barely get to sing!

But enough of that! We have a PV to screencap!

I how Dawa looks ridiculously derpy in this intro shot.

Wait a minute... I've seen those outfits before!

Hi Momosu!! I would take this over chick oufits! But seriously, did UFA get a shrink ray and toss those costumes to S/mileage?

I don't think UFA was going for a "bugs on a windshield" effect when they did this...

MEIMI!! Even though she's obviously creeping into to Yuuka's spot she's still ADORABLE!

BWAH! MY EYES!

Awww, even though her attempts at sounding like Yuuka are horrendous, she's still adorable!!

As usual Dawa flip-flops between charming and looking like a space cadet throughout this whole PV.

Kanon!! All the members look so uncomfortable when they do this :\

Take sounds nice and happens to be the only member who looks good in that costume.

Poor Meimi. She's trying so very hard not to sound squeaky and in doing so sounds like a squawking bird.

Get down S/mileage! Whilest Kanon hits a lovely note ^.^

Chicken wings. Bring me back to Ookina Ai de Motenashite. It was silly then, and it's silly now.

This would look cuter if her eyes weren't closed...

Wait a minute!

This set is Anataboshi if they ereased all the bright annoying singers colors.

I think UFA's going to further use Kana's "dancing spazz" schtick in future PVs. Personally, I don't mind. I liked it in this PV.

Kanon~

Meimi's personal clone army means BUSINESS!

Chotto matte kusasaaaiiiii

I want to like Rina. But I just know if I do, I'm never going to see her get lines or screen time.

Do the robot walk! Everyone!!!

Yay!! Perfume supports the robot walk!!

This was a nice pose to multiply!

Meimi: I know, right? I miss my helium diet too!!

I find myself liking Kana more and more...

They're probably just mourning the loss of Yuuka.

Poor Kanon. Take won't play tic tac toe with her.

Meimi!!

Okay, at this point Kana has redeemed her horrible voice.

Yeah, you might as well pony hop. You almost forgot that stupid dance move!

Thank god Take can sing.

And thank god Kanon remains AWESOME!

New crack theory: Meimi is on ecstasy.

Poor Rina and Kana. They're like Linlin and Junjun. Hell, they even have the same colors they did!

The PV is decent; it matches the song well even though it shamefully rips off both Momosu and Koharu and her two backup minions. Some of the shots are nice, Kanon is a joy on screen, Dawa's still a space cadet, and the new members seem to be getting used to the group. The mulit-shots and the "bugs on the winshield" effect are both really cheap but fairly enjoyable. But to warn you, the dance is really, really stupid. It combines nearly every cliche idol move in the book along with a couple moves that are just plain silly. In fact, that's what this whole PV is. Silly. It's also kind of whimsical, but mostly silly. Don't be fooled by the dark background because it still has that familiar S/mileage sound just minues two amazing members. I think if I were to label this in the New S/mileage Era, I'd call this the Ganbaranakutemo Eenende of their discography. Not great, but nothing terrible either. Hell, I'll take it over Tachiagaaru any day!

And I'll take this over PyokoPyoko Quack Quack Quack.