A Magical Perfume Single

You know what's great? When a group you really like and follow releases something! Well duh, that's kind of why you follow a group in the first place, isn't it? Anyways, what I love the most is when Perfume releases another single and the period of time in-between this single and the last one isn't six effing months! Such is the case with Magic of Love. After the... divisive single that is Mirai no Museum, I really wanted to know just what in the hell Perfume was going to do to bounce back from that odd single. So did Magic of Love deliver? Was it another disappointment? Well, if you already read my PV review for Magic of Love, you know just how I felt about that song... But as per usual tradition on the Wonderland of reviewing anything and everything Perfume-related because I can, I still feel compelled to look at the Magic of Love single as a whole. After all, I haven't even talked about the B-side yet! So I've got my trusty Apple Rating System with me, a can of Coke, and some eager fingers for typing. Let's see just how magical Magic of Love is! 

Covers/Outfits

So something I think anyone can immediately notice about the two covers for Magic of Love is just how different they look! In sets, in outfits, the only aspect the Limited and Regular editions of Magic of Love have in common is the font used for the single's title! Personally though, I think it's kind of nice that the two editions for Magic of Love are so different; it gives me more to talk about! So the regular edition for Magic of Love (which can be viewed either on my PV review of MoL or via Google) is pretty typical for a Perfume cover. It has them posing in a set looking all Perfume-y and whatnot. Actually, the regular edition cover reminded me of the regular edition cover for One Room Disco, stylistically speaking. I don't know something about the rooms you see in each cover look similar through my eyes. As for the outfits used in the regular edition, some of you might be familiar with them! If you take a closer look, you'll notice those outfits are basically the same ones in the CM for Kanro that featured the first aired snippet of Magic of Love! They just have brighter, tackier coloring in Magic of Love's cover! Yeah, I'm not really feeling these outfits, especially since some stupidhead pointed out that the pink chest pieces in the outfits resemble uteruses. Ugh, I still can't un-see that. Even then, the outfits follow that style pattern Perfume's seemed to have been getting just a little too much of these days, where all the outfits look very similar with slight alternations made to each individual outfit. Overall, the regular edition for Magic of Love is okay for me, but by no means is it spectacular. Honestly, the limited edition cover was a lot more interesting in my opinion simply because it was a different look for Perfume! For starters, I love the outfits on the limited cover. They look like something that was grabbed from the 60s; they have this great retro vibe! Actually, the limited cover as a whole just gives off this retro look that I really like! I'm a sucker for retro... stuff in general so it's nice to see Perfume take a stylistic direction with that concept! Overall, I like both covers for Magic of Love! I like that they're different and I like that they look very cheerful and summer-y!

Magic of Love

Now onto the meat of the review: the A-side. Well, for a meatier review of Magic of Love alone along with its PV, you all know the drill. My PV review provides a much more detailed look at the song, along with the PV! But my condensed opinion of Magic of Love is... I like it! That was my first thought when I heard the brief, 15-second snippet of it back in April, and that's the same opinion I've stuck to until the day I'm posting this review! I like Magic of Love a lot! I think it's a fun and energetic song with a lot going on in it, particularly in the instrumental. It's kind of like a mix between Fushizen na Girl, Voice and Natural ni Koishite; in fact, the more I think about it, Magic of Love would have been a great Natural Beauty Basic CM song. But I digress. So okay, I stated that I like Magic of Love but do I love it? Well... I don't know. I mean, I don't think I'll ever appreciate Magic of Love the same way I appreciate 575 or edge or Polyrhythm or love the world. Because to be honest, it doesn't bring that much new material to the table for Perfume. It's a song that would fit right in with the JPN with raw vocals and a much more pop-oriented and upbeat style of electropop. It's just not that innovative of a song. Does that mean it's bad? Absolutely not! But if you're looking for something mind-blowing that presents a new musical style for Perfume, Magic of Love is not it. This is a safe song, one that doesn't take many musical chances but still isn't bland enough to be forgettable. Honestly though, I think Perfume needed a safe-sounding A-side. Look, this era has been a divisive one. And yeah, all eras are but I feel like the A-sides of this particular era have just really split the Perfume fandom down the middle, more than usual anyways. Both Spending all my time and Mirai no Museum were different sounds for Perfume, but they weren't necessarily good. Magic of Love is an A-side that's enjoyable but encompasses pretty familiar territory, especially if you've been a longtime Perfume fan. Personally, I like the song even if it doesn't really stand out amongst Perfume's overall discography.

The PV on the other hand is an eyegasm.

What? Tell me you wouldn't use that word to describe the PV for Magic of Love! First of all, the PV is directed by Kazuaki Seki. If that doesn't get you jumping up and down in excitement, clearly you haven't seen the PVs for Fushizen na Girl and Voice. For you see, this glorious director is responsible for two of Perfume's artsiest PVs in all their videography. Personally, I freaking love the PVs for Fushizen na Girl and Voice; if I made a list of my favorite Perfume PVs, they would definitely be near the top. Naturally, when I caught word that the same guy who directed those two PVs would be directing the one for Magic of Love, I was ecstatic. And luckily, Kazuaki Seki did not disappoint! I think Magic of Love got an awesome PV that has all the artsy imagery and visual trickery I loved seeing in Fushizen na Girl and Voice! What I love about Magic of Love is how bright the colors in the PV are; it's very refreshing to look at, especially since Perfume's past few PVs have had such dull color schemes. The PV for Magic of Love is delightfully retro, with that same 60s vibe I was describing in the covers for the single. I love that there are a bunch of different patterns to look at in this PV, especially the room the dance is shot in. I like that each of the four corners in the room gets its own style! It's very neat to look at, especially when the camera's rotating around the room. And that's just how the PV looks in terms of styling; the best part of Magic of Love is all the visual trickery in the PV! There was never a moment in this PV where I was bored, because one element on top of another kept getting tossed around. Magic of Love has so many entertaining moments, from the part where Nocchi rips off a Kashiyuka wig, to the multiple Perfume duplicates wandering around the same room, to all the amazing transitions. I think the best way to describe Magic of Love is this bizarro blend between the PVs for love the world and Voice, and it works so well. This is one of those PVs that is so well done, that it actually makes me like the song I'm listening to even more! The PV for Magic of Love is what makes the song sound... well... magical!

Magic of Love as a song gets four out of five apples from me. As I said, the PV is amazing and what really brings the song to life but standing alone, Magic of Love is your pretty average Perfume song. It's upbeat, happy, you know the schpeal. If you're a fan of the more pop-y sound of Perfume, then I think you'll like Magic of Love! It'll never be my favorite A-side but nonetheless, I still enjoyed it!

Handy Man

Ah, don't you just love it when you know absolutely nothing about a B-side prior to the release of a single? I've got to admit, it's both a nerve-wracking and exhilarating feeling for me. On one hand, the wait gets me all excited but on the other hand, I'm worried the payoff is going to suck. And believe me, that has happened with many a single before. Like with Daijobanai. But we're not going to talk about that single anymore on the Wonderland, 'kay? I will admit, when I first heard the title for Handy Man, I thought it was going to be kind of a silly song. You know, a Communication-type song with a really cutesy instrumental, staccato vocals, and an arrangement so catchy that I'll never be able to get it out of my head. That kind of song. I mean come on, Handy Man? The sheer title of this B-side screamed of ridiculousness! What in the hell was I supposed to expect for this song? Well, I had no idea until only a week or so before Magic of Love was released and a snippet of this B-side was finally aired. And... Handy Man was a pleasant surprise. Like a really pleasant surprise. Because oh my god, finally a different sound for Perfume! Someone alert the presses, grab the alcohol, we've got to celebrate! What I love the most about Handy Man is that Mideastern style the song has... it's like what would happen if you combined Japanese technopop and Bollywood. Or at least I think it is. And it works. Oh my god, does this song work so well. I love the Mideastern style in the instrumental, and I like Nakata's spin on it. I even like the vocal arrangement! It's catchy but not annoyingly catchy! I really can't emphasize how much Handy Man is such a breath of fresh air from what Perfume has been releasing lately. It's not that same lighter and happy technopop Perfume has been on a roll with, and that's what makes Handy Man stand out so much. I honestly think that this song is strong enough to be an A-side, I really do. All I'm hoping for now is that it makes it onto Perfume's next album! It's interesting in the best way possible and a nice compliment to the A-side of this single.

Handy Man super completely and totally gets five apples! It's one of those B-sides that outshines the A-side. Sure, Magic of Love is good but Handy Man is flipping awesome. I don't think I can emphasize just how much I enjoy this song! I love the Mideastern sound it has, the arrangement, just... EVERYTHING! Just go and listen to this song to hear what I'm talking about if you haven't already!

The Verdict

There comes a special time when Perfume releases an all-around strong single. This is one of those times. For me, Magic of Love is a single that plays to all of Perfume's strong points. Both songs on the single are catchy and while there isn't too much experimentation going on in the single, I think that was what Perfume needed right now. Both Mirai no Museum and Spending all my time were divisive A-sides, Mirai no Museum in particular. Magic of Love is a good but safe A-side for Perfume to release, going back to a more conventional sound for them. Needless to say, I still enjoy it a lot! I think it's a very bright-sounding song that fits well for the summer, and it's not like the song is particularly bland like that last A-side. All I'm saying is Magic of Love isn't a groundbreaking A-side but nonetheless it is still an enjoyable one! Handy Man brings much more interesting sounds to the table for this single, so much that I actually think I like the B-side on Magic of Love more than the A-side. Crazy, right? It's not like that's ever happened before except with Voice, Nee, love the world, Spending all my time, and Spice. What I'm hoping for now is the announcement of an album. I actually wouldn't have minded if an album was announced after the release of Mirai no Museum, but now that I've heard the awesomeness that is Magic of Love, now I'm half-expecting an album. Maybe Perfume will announce one after they wrap up their 2nd World Tour, right? I just don't want another single-overload like with JPN. Not that all the A-sides on that album were bad by any means, but I prefer hearing more new material on albums. I think Magic of Love would be a nice way to end this era for Perfume's music; it's a well-done single that has an A-side and B-side that compliment each other nicely! I'm actually considering buying this single for my birthday it's so good...

But enough about me, let's give this single some apples! Much like the PV for Magic of Love, I give the single itself four and half out of five apples! Both Magic of Love and Handy Man are great songs, especially Handy Man. I'd highly recommend checking this single out if you haven't already!

Ue Kara Sashiko!

Well. This is an odd turnout.

Most of you are aware that a few days ago, AKB48's summer single, Sayonara Crawl, hit stores all over Japan and with it the chance to elect girls for the upcoming Senbatsu election. As per traditional summer singles, already Sayonara Crawl has sold millions of copies despite being a very shitty song, and the single has established itself as yet another million-seller for AKB48. Whoop dee freaking doo. Yeah, you all know I'm not exactly on good terms with AKB48 right now, especially regarding their musical output. But I'm going to refrain from talking about that again; I've been regurgitating that complaint for all my past AKB48-related posts lately! Besides, we're here to talk about the most nerve-wracking, nail-biting, rage-inducing annual event that always rocks the AKS fandom: the Senbatsu Elections. You all know the shtick by now: by buying an AKB48 single (in this case, Sayonara Crawl), fans have the opportunity to vote for a member of any of the 48 groups so she has a chance be in the Senbatsu for the group's next single. The girls who get the most votes make it to Senbatsu, leaving all the other girls to linger on the benches crying and questioning their self-worth! Ah, sometimes I forget just how much it would suck to participate in an election like this! Kind of like running for student government only it's mandatory and your votes are ranked and broadcasted for all of the student body to see! Well, as morally questionable and traumatizing and potentially stressful as the annual Senbatsu Election most likely is to our lovely AKB girls, it has always been a spectacle for fans. Why not? Even I can acknowledge that it's one of the most clever marketing strategies Aki-P came up with. What a better way to appeal to a fanbase than by giving them a little say in what goes on in the group's singles? Especially in a group so big, the Senbatsu elections were a genius idea. So back to the news: the preliminary results were announced a few days ago, a tally of the first-day votes for the girls who decided to participate in the election this year. Now there's a little saying I've learned to repeat whenever discussions about the prelims pops up and that saying is this:

IT'S ONLY THE FIRST DAY RESULTS.

I mean god damn do I see some people that flip their shit over the effing preliminary results. Said people are partially why I avoid forums and the comment sections of review sites around this time. It's like suddenly everyone begins theorizing and worrying and making sacrifices to imaginary idol gods as if to ensure their oshi will indeed get more votes. I mean seriously. Guys. Don't we have more dignity than this? Well, I will admit even I have gotten a little nervous in the past upon reading the preliminaries. While really that one day of results is only a small fraction of the time allotted to submit votes, it does give you an initial idea of where each girl stands. And it lets you know if your favorite even has a remote chance of making it into the single at all as well. But beyond that I've never really seen the preliminaries as nothing more than another pandering move to stir the fanbase up and convince fans that they need to buy more singles so they can gain more votes for their oshi. I have to admit, this year in particular I've been rather apathetic towards the Senbatsu election. Why the hell not? Akimoto Sayaka isn't participating, Minegishi Minami is screwed, and Masuda Yuka has long flown the coop. I know Mayuyu is going to rank high in Senbatsu so there's not really much left for me to get worked up about. This being my third Senbatsu election to follow, I thought I was pretty prepared for whatever shit went down once the prelims were out. Little did I know about the surprise that would be waiting for me when I woke up the next morning and saw the preliminary results had been posted. Who had ranked #1 on the first day? Not Yuko, not Mayuyu, not even Jurina but Sashihara Rino. I just... come again? Have I finally been transported to some parallel universe? Even now, I'm still scratching my head over the idea that Sasshi, the idol who had such an overblown scandal that she was booted to another group, managed to get the top spot on the first day. Even then, I wouldn't be so surprised if the other girls weren't too far behind, but no, Sasshi's votes are nearly double the amount Mayuyu has. As of the first day, Sasshi has roughly 28,000 votes and Mayuyu has 14,000.

Because accurate GIFs need to be shared.

So in order for say, Yuko or Mayuyu's wotas to even catch up to Sasshi's votes, they'd really have to haul ass to get those numbers, wouldn't they? Which knowing how devoted the fanbases of some idols can get, I'm more than certain is pretty possible. But for now, I've been mildly entertaining the thought of a Sasshi-centered single. I've never been a huge Sasshi fan but I feel like if I had paid more attention to her when she was actually getting a push I would have really liked her. Even though I think her solo song Soredemo Suki da yo is a horrendously bland and corny idol song, I can't help but admire her enthusiasm for idols. How enthusiastic is Sasshi towards idols? Well, she attended Tanaka Reina's graduation concert for one thing! I can always appreciate an idol when you can tell that visibly she enjoys what she does and Sasshi is the epitome of that, even after her scandal. Speaking of which, the fact that she managed to rank #1 in the prelims shows just how much she's bounced back from that alleged dating scandal of last year. Not only has Sasshi been spreading herself in HKT48 (being promoted to General Manager of the group) but she's even branched out to producing some SKE48 member for her solo debut. You can't deny that Sasshi's managed to handle the crap that's been thrown at her pretty well. What makes her prelim results even more astounding is the fact that after her scandal, she really wasn't that promoted Senbatsu-wise in AKB48. Sure, she was still there but compared to say, Shimazaki Haruka or Watanabe Mayu, Sasshi kind of got the shaft in some of AKB48's previous singles. Yet despite that, by either a fluke or a miracle, Sasshi's votes didn't go down for this election; they went up. As in 20,000 votes up. Personally, I wouldn't be more interested in Sasshi went on to win the election; not that I'm saying she will but if she did, it would be a pleasant surprise. I'm tired of the constant onslaught of Mayuyu and Paruru in the center; frankly, a new center would be refreshing. And maybe a song with a different center would get a song that doesn't suck so much...

Beyond Sasshi's surprising number of votes, there are a few other curveballs in the preliminary results this year. Mainly the fact that some of the most popular girls in AKB48 have fantastically low prelim numbers. Maybe their fanbases just have lazy voters who wait until the last minute to submit their votes? And I'm not talking about mildly popular members like Kitahara Rie and Miyazawa Sae, I'm talking Takahashi Minami and Shinoda Mariko. Members who have been staples of the group since its formation had astonishingly low first-day rankings this year. Again, did I wake up in a parallel universe where Mariko jumps from #6 to #15 and Takamina plummets from #5 to #18? And don't even get me started on Miichan, Kitarie and Akicha's votes. I know it's only the first-day results but I still can't believe how fantastically low the first-day results were for such popular members of AKB48. Something's up. Maybe the wotas just got too comfortable with when to vote but still... something about these results are a little unsettling. I mean, compare the prelims and final results of the 3rd and 4th elections. Notice how yes, some of the positions of certain girls did change, but for the most part, there weren't any drastic climbs or downfalls, especially in the actual Senbatsu. So the big question is if the results for the 5th elections are going to mirror the prelims. Because if so... this is going to be one strange Senbatsu. A Sashihara Rino-center flanked by Mayuyu and Yuko along with a handful of girls from groups outside of AKB48? It definitely sounds interesting. Of course, not all the popular girls took such a hard downfall; Yuko and Mayuyu and still going strong and as I predicted, Paruru and Jurina's votes went up as well. I'm not particularly surprised since they were all getting a painfully obvious push; I do wonder what their final results will be though and how much they'll have changed though.

Then there are the other surprising girls who did rank higher in Senbatsu; notice how half the girls who ranked in the top 16 for prelims aren't even from AKB48. I'm still not sure how I feel about this; I still kind of wish the Senbatsu was reserved only for AKB48 since it does feel really overcrowded now. Why not just give the sister groups their own separate Senbatsu elections? Oh right, because the cash cow gets more milk from one giant-ass Senbatsu featuring a bajillion girls from other groups that I don't know or care about. One of the most head-scratching ranks for me was Shibata Aya from SKE48, who managed to rank at #8 in the prelims. The weird thing is... when I looked up this chick, I saw that she'd never been in the Senbatsu for SKE48. So what on earth did she do to garner so many votes on the first day? I can understand Kizaki Yuria and Suda Akari; those two girls are at least part of the regular Senbatsu for SKE48. But how in the hell did Shibata Aya, this chick who hasn't been featured in Senbatsu period, rank higher than the both of them? How? Am I just missing something? Granted, I don't follow the girls of SKE48 that well so is this Shibata Aya chick just insanely popular among the fandom? Is she like the Sato Amina of SKE48? I don't want to dwell on it too long, but I do wonder if this chick's going to fall too far from her prelim results. Oh well, in the end all this prelim-related media is based mostly around speculation. There are still plenty more days of voting to come and plenty of more time for the ranks to change. Who knows? Maybe Yuko will climb back up to number 1 and order shall be (mostly) restored in the AKB48 fandom. I don't know; all I want is an AKB48 single that doesn't sound like some regurgitated crap I'd hear on a Janken song. And if Sasshi is the center that can give me a non-bland song well... let's just say I wouldn't be complaining. For now, here are my predictions for the final results of the 5th Senbatsu election:

1. Oshima Yuko
2. Sashihara Rino
3. Watanabe Mayu
4. Matsui Jurina
5. Shinoda Mariko
6. Kashiwagi Yuki
7. Takahashi Minami
8. Shimazaki Haruka
9. Itano Tomomi
10. Yokoyama Yui
11. Matsui Reina
12. Kojima Haruna
13. Watanabe Miyuki
14. Miyazawa Sae
15. Yamamoto Sayaka
16. Shibata Aya

More or less, you guys all know how I suck at making intentional predictions so I'd take mine with a grain of salt. I know I am! Now in a parallel universe where everything Nia wants in the idol industry happens (and Perfume is a critically acclaimed worldwide phenomenon) this is what I would want the Senbatsu to look like. Not that I'm saying it would in real life, but if I could elect the entire Senbatsu for the next single, these are the girls what I would want in it:

1. Minegishi Minami
2. Umeda Ayaka
3. Watanabe Mayu
4. Iwasa Misaki
5. Sashihara Rino
6. Kawei Rina
7. Takahashi Minami
8. Fujie Reina
9. Matsui Jurina
10. Yokoyama Yui
11. Oota Aika
12. Oshima Yuko
13. Sato Sumire
14. Ichikawa Miori
15. Yamamoto Sayaka
16. Matsui Sakiko

That's just me but hey, are there any particular girls you guys would want in Senbatsu despite their actual chances of getting in being incredibly slim? Any girls you don't want in Senbatsu that will probably get in? I feel like this could be a poll, but it'd be way too big and complicated so I'll just leave this as an open-ended question!

Playing with Fire and Fate

You like Tokyo Girls' Style?

Their early work was a little too generic for my tastes but when Kodou no Himitsu came out in 2011, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole single has a clear, crisp sound and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. They've been compared to SweetS but I think TGS has a far more polished, sophisticated image. In 2013, they released this, Yakusoku, their most accomplished album. I think their undisputed masterpiece is Discord a song so entrancing, most people probably don't listen to the lyrics. But they should because it's not just about the grasp on calamity and the effects of impulse, it's also a personal statement about the group itself! Hey guys! How many of you are completely in the dark about this very long reference I've been making?

I think it's about time Tokyo Girls' Style graced us with another hot, funky single, don't you agree?

I mean come on, Yakusoku was released in flipping January! As much as I enjoyed that album, the time between that and the group's new single has been far too long in my opinion! But that might just be because TGS is one of those groups that has music that I really appreciate. What I've always liked about Tokyo Girls' Style is that they're very consistent when it comes to their music. Well, at least since Kodou no Himitsu I've found it to be very consistent. Fans will remember that about halfway through the group's tenure, their musical style and image took a 180 and went from typical and idol-y to mature and sophisticated. And since then, they haven't gone back. Personally, I've enjoyed Tokyo Girls' Style but I will say, I know that Tokyo Girls' Style is an idol group that isn't for everyone especially if you like your idols lighter and fluffier. They have a very distinct image and if that image doesn't appeal to you (which again, if you like your idols more idol-y, it probably won't), then you're probably not gonna be a huge fan of TGS. That being said, since 2011, TGS has been one of the first idol groups outside of H!P and AKB48 that I've actively followed and appreciated. Of course, I've started considering if Tokyo Girls' Style is really an idol group or if they're just a performance group like Speed. I mean, there's a lot more emphasis on the song and dance aspects of Tokyo Girls' Style and their aren't a lot of idol elements in the way the group is presented in their PVs. So the question remains: is Tokyo Girls' Style a performance group or a very nontraditional idol group? I think the answer can be open to many interpretation but hey, as long as they're still around and still performing, I don't care what kind of label you want to slap on them! I've been a fan of TGS mainly for their music and while they have a few duds every now and then, musically they're one of my favorite idol groups on my review list!

So what's the latest release for this lovely SweetS-eque group? A double A-side! The main A-side (aka the one that's promoted) is Unmei and the other is a duet between Arai Hitomi and television character Matsushima Wanko called Wonderful Smile. Personally, I'm not too hyped about the duet since I listened to it already and the song is pretty meh and Hitomi isn't my favorite singer in TGS either. However, nonetheless I'm always excited to hear a new TGS single! Besides, this single is being released on my birthday! How cool is that!? Anyways, I've been much more interested about what Unmei was going to sound like; I thought the song might have been a ballad since... I don't know, it just seemed like it would be a ballad-y song. Luckily for me, Unmei is far from a ballad! It's a hot, funky jam from a hot, funky group! Honestly, Unmei is your pretty typical TGS song with strong vocals, groovy instrumentals, a that signature 90s Avex sound. It doesn't bring much new to the table but it's nonetheless, I like it a lot! But look, if you're not a fan of Tokyo Girls' Style's... well... style then Unmei isn't going to be the song that reels you in. Unmei is a continuation of that more mature style of music that TGS excels in partially because the girls pull off the songs so well. A big part of Unmei's appeal for me are the vocals which are top-notch as usual. What did surprise about this song though was that Hitomi didn't get any solos; she usually tends to lead the songs alongside Ayano. Instead Ayano and Yuri were leads (which I have no problem with). I guess it's because Hitomi gets a duet on the other A-side. I have to say, Unmei actually sounds a lot like Limited Addiction to me, only... funkier. Both songs have that long, entrancing riff in the opening instrumentals and they're even structured the same in terms of vocals. Coincidence? Or something more? I don't know, but I enjoyed Unmei, especially since it stands out from all the other bright and perky songs about summer that are thriving right now in the idolsphere!

Now judging by the cover art of this single, I'll bet the PV for Unmei is most definitely very light and cheery and summer-y! After all, this single is a summer release so wouldn't it be completely natural for this completely conventional idol group to release a normal summer PV? Absolutely; we'll leave the edgy PVs for Super Girls! They're such a different and innovative idol group after all!

Ooh! A shiny chandelier!

Wow, I can just feel the summer vibes projecting from the opening shot of this PV.

Man alive, those outfits look awesome.

Hot damn, I don't know how they did it but somehow they made pumpkin orange look hot.

Annnnd who are you, Mr. Sketchy Stranger whose face is conveniently blacked out?

Wow. I can't get over how beautiful these shots and scenery are.

And wow, the dance is really sensual. I think it even might top the Limited addiction dance...

Konishi Ayano making chess look hotter than you ever could.

Whoa, I didn't know this PV was going in the foot fetish direction of fanservice!

Then again, if I was wearing heels that ridiculously high, I'd probably leave them off too.

Where on earth did they shoot this PV? This scenery is breathtaking!

And Miyu looks gorgeous! Too bad she's getting stalked by some guy in the background...

In fact, is this whole house just filled with stalkers?

Yuri looks beautiful in this PV... hell, everyone does.

But then in this shot she looks kind of haggard... I guess it's the lighting?

Hey-o! If this is going to get violent, I'm gonna beat that mysterious guy with a high heel!

Unless... oh my. I guess Yuri's... eh... how old is that guy?

Yay! Back to the dance where there are no suggestive images! All right!

Okay, do Tokyo Girls' Style's PV directors just ship Mei and Miyu?

'Cause this is the second time. Seriously.

This dance is really good but a little awkward when you consider the ages of the girls...

Watchu lookin' at? Age is just a number, Nia.

You know what would be better than some perfume, Hitomi? Listening to Perfume!

Yes, Miyu, you have a very nice back.

I thought these outfits wouldn't look that good but they actually look really nice. Very classy!

So if I want to attract guys, do I just have to show them my upper back? All right!

I swear these scenes are a strange combination of sensual, creepy, and awkward.

Remind me to show this video to any idol fan who thinks that idols under the age of 18 aren't capable of being sexy.

I guess Ayano's following the "What you see won't hurt you," style of love.

Seriously, what is up with these mysterious guys? What are their motivations? Hello? Can I get an answer?

So not only does the power of friendship destroy boulders, it creates fiery infernos from hell!

I swear this dance keeps getting sexier and sexier...

Mei now holds the power of HELL! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Uh, someone wanna clue me in one why petals are now falling around Yuri?

I guess I'll never know now that the fire's been snuffed and the PV is done...

Can I just say that the single covers for Unmei have got to be the most misleading single covers I've seen this year? If you picture the PV based solely on those covers, you'd probably think of some girls roaming on the beach doing some friendship-related summer activities under a natural light filter with lots of bright and sunny outdoors imagery. And then cruel reality would come strutting around the corner! Luckily for me, I saw the PV for Unmei long before the covers were released so my mood whiplash was in the opposite direction. Well, whilst all the other idol groups are probably prancing around in bikinis and frolicking on beaches for their summer singles, TGS has continued to do their own thing and have a PV that looks about as summery as a snowstorm. Then again, I didn't exactly expect a group like Tokyo Girls' Style to do a summer PV... Besides, what's always worked with TGS is that their PVs are darker and more mature, just like the group's music. So in the vein of their old PVs such as Liar, Kodou no Himitsu and Limited Addiction, Unmei is a dark PV with shadowy scenes and a very dark color palette used in the costumes and the imagery. If you're a fan of TGS, then you kind of know what to expect when it comes to the PV for Unmei. Whilst there's no story or plot to be found in this PV (save for a very, very vague and ambiguous one), Unmei is a collection of sensual visuals and striking images and shots that don't really look like something you'd see from an idol group. I really mean that; the visuals used in Unmei look like something you'd see more in a PV from a solo artist instead of a girl group. In the past, TGS has always gone for more artistic visuals in their PVs but Unmei is probably the most artistic and mature-looking PV I've seen from them. The visuals of this PV are very striking and the house (I'm assuming it's a house) looks so expansive, like I could just wander around in it all day.

Unmei is a beautifully shot PV with a ton of different close-ups and shots of the girls in a bunch of different areas. Some of the girls are outside, other are walking through hallways, and then some of the girls are lounging on couches. Something I praised about Perfume's Magic of Love PV was that there was always something new being shown throughout the PV and there was never a moment where I got bored watching the video. That's kind of the same reaction I got from watching Unmei. It's just one of those PVs that looks so pretty and has so many different scenes and shots that all look equally pretty that I loved watching this PV. I always love a PV that's elaborate (maybe because that's a rarity in the idol industry) and Unmei is extremely elaborate in terms of visuals. I will say though, there isn't much in terms of a storyline. I don't think the director of the PV was even going to for a storyline but some of the visuals shown in the PV indicated of some kind of theme that slipped over my head. Particularly the random guys that kept popping up in the PV. Surely there was a reason they were included, right? It can't just be because the director wanted to induce some shock when the girls started embracing these shadowed guys, right? Yeah, I'll further elaborate my opinions on that little aspect of the PV in the next paragraph. Anyways, not only is the scenery in Unmei extremely elegant and pretty, the girls themselves look amazing. I think it helps that they're really starting to grow up now and mature from the preteens they used to be when they debuted. I love the outfits the girls got to wear in this PV, both the black outfits and the more colorful ones. I'm actually surprised the colorful outfits worked so well since they looked a bit awkward in the promo shots. Anyways, the camerawork used to film the girls just showed them in the most appealing and beautiful light. I was actually astonished at just how pretty the girls looked in this PV.

Unfortunately, the way the girls are presented now leaves me to address the elephant in the room: the sensuality of this PV.

Yes, as you might have gathered from the screencap, Unmei is a rather... sensual PV. And that's pretty much the only politically correct way I can put it. By no means does Unmei reach the levels of sexiness that say, Heavy Rotation or Sexy All Sisters do but there are definitely a lot of suggestive shots in the PV. I counted several shots of Mei's legs and shots showing the girls embracing and lying on top of each other. And don't even get me started on the shots that featured the mysterious guys. I can't imagine the girls embracing and caressing those guys would bode very well with some of the more hardcore wotas out there. But honestly... I don't really have a problem with the sensual nature of the PV. The shots aren't outright sexual and let's be honest, the girls aren't that young. They're around my age and believe me, teenagers my age have done much more inappropriate stuff. I think what prevents Unmei from getting into creepy or awkward levels of sensuality is the fact that the girls of TGS pull off these sensual shots disturbingly well. Watching the PV, I just see confidence radiating from them in their expressions, their movements, there was never a moment that they looked uncomfortable or awkward. As a result, I didn't feel that uncomfortable watching them either. If a PV like this was handled by say, S/mileage or Sakura Gakuin, I don't think either group could pull this concept off as well as TGS did. And I think that's what saves the PV from being completely awkward; the girls are working their angles and working their shots so well. None of the shots in the PV are outright sexual; it mostly just shows the girls looking really, really hot, especially during the dance shots. Yeah, this is a pretty sexual dance but again, the girls work it. Really overall, the concept of Unmei's PV may seem awkward but because TGS brought it to life so well, it's a very well-done and very visually appealing PV.

I was torn between giving Unmei's song and PV four apples or four and half apples but I'm in a good mood, so I'm giving it four and half apples! The song is nothing new from TGS but if you're a fan of their style, then I think you'll enjoy this song. It's basically the funk equivalent of Limited Addiction. The PV is extremely well done and the girls looks gorgeous in this PV alongside the dark scenery and strange imagery. Although it is a little awkward when you think about their ages, for the most part, Unmei's PV is definitely one of the better summer PVs I've reviewed this year.

Invader Kyary

Well, the month of May (Did you catch that reference?) is upon us and Kyarypamyupamyu, the Harajuku fashion queen and resident weirdo of the J-pop industry has released another single! You heard me right! It's only May and already Kyary as released three singles this year! You guys think she's gonna reach five? Or even six? I heard she had just announced that she was releasing an album to boot. With the rapidfire rate that Kyary's been releasing singles, I wonder when she's gonna burn out... Because maybe then Perfume will finally- oh, sorry, you guys aren't supposed to know about my hidden agenda! Anyways, the latest Kyary single is called Invader Invader. I always knew that Kyarypamyupamyu would take over the world someday! Now I have proof! Seriously, I'm hoping there are some hardcore alien-themes on this single! I'll take alien abduction, strange lights in the sky, or little green men. Or all three. Anyways, I'd actually thought about reviewing the PV for Invader Invader because hey, it's a Kyary PV and it's bound to have stuff I can talk about in it. And even though the PV was released in HD (seriously, Warner Music, it was about time you got to doing that), I decided that I was going to review the single as a whole instead! I already have a bunch of summer PVs to look at this month, along with other material too! So guys, grab your tin foil hats and join me in reviewing the mindfuckery that always seems to accompany a Kyarypamyupamyu single!

Covers/Outfits

Well, you all know by now that your typical Kyarypamyupamyu single cover is going to look a little weird, a little creepy and very likely a strange kind of cute. I've personally never been a huge fan of the album work used on Kyary's single and album covers; it's a little too strange for me. I like it when a cover looks pretty! Like Perfume's Limited Edition cover for Spring of Life! Now that was an awesometacular single cover! But like every other single cover Kyary has released, the one for Invader Invader is... wait for it... wait for it... WEIRD! Oh man, who would have thought? I would have thought for sure these covers would be normal this time around! I will say though, the covers for Invader Invader aren't the weirdest I've seen; believe me, there's much weirder out there. The regular cover (featured at the top of this post) features, as you can tell, Kyarypamyupamyu, surrounded by what I presume can only be watermelon-headed aliens from a very fruity planet. According to Wikipedia (please don't shoot me for using it as a source), the concept of the cover for the regular edition was for Kyary to be surrounded by "otherwordly creatures" holding spheres of magic whilst Kyary poses amongst them. I will say, I do like the color scheme used in the regular edition! The colors are very bright and summer-y and the hair on the aliens posed around Kyary is pretty awesome. I just don't really like the backdrop; it looks like the floor of a 1970s gym class. I guess the minimal background does draw more attention towards Kyary but I think something different would have worked better. The limited edition features Kyary looking relatively normal and holding a smaller "fairy Kyary" posed on her upheld index finger. Yeah... I guess mini!Kyary is invading giant Kyary? I don't know but it's a fairly interesting cover as well. Overall, I think the covers to Invader Invader are fine; they definitely stand out and they're pretty original. But you know what I say! Never judge a song by its cover! So let's get to how the actual songs on Invader Invader hold up!

Invader Invader

All right, starting off the wacky single is what else? The title track! And I have to admit, the opening of Invader Invader didn't really grab me. It didn't sound bad or anything but I think it could have used a little more energy. And I wasn't a huge fan of Kyary's "Wow~ Wow~ Yeah~ Yeah~" bits after the first chorus either. Luckily, after that the song started to sound better as it built up more energy and the instrumentals got crazier and crazier. I think a big part of Invader Invader that appealed to me was the instrumental itself because there was so much going on in it. What I also liked about Invader Invader is that the lyrics are very easy to single along to, which is a blessing when your Japanese pronunciation is horrible. And the song is catchy too, but most Kyarypamyupamyu songs are, for better or worse. So yeah Invader Invader sounds pretty typical for a Kyary track until you hit the instrumental break after the second chorus. And then the song goes to strange places... strange places... of Dubstep. You heard me right, a Kyarypamyupamyu song has Dubstep in it. That's like me saying a Batman movie has Harry Potter in it! I really don't think I ever would have put Kyarypamyupamyu and Dubstep together... Sure, maybe Perfume or even MEG but Kyary? Seriously? Well anyways, Invader Invader has a Dubstep break and while it's not very long, it is a little, well... odd. I guess it doesn't sound bad per say but it definitely does kind of disrupt the tone and style of the rest of the song. It sounds like it was just kind of thrown in there because hey, Nakata really wanted to try some Dubstep on Kyary! Then it just ends and the song plays on. I guess the Dubstep break isn't very long which is nice and it is one of the aspects of Invader Invader that stands out the most... Still, if it wasn't included in the song, I don't think I would necessarily miss it. But for the most part, I liked Invader Invader; it had a catchy chorus that I could bob my head to and easily memorable lyrics too!

Now as for the PV for Invader Invader... do I really need to say much about it? If you've watched a Kyarypamyupamyu PV for, you're gonna go in watching this PV and kind of having an idea of what's going to happen in it. Something I've found with Kyary's PVs is that you can always expect them to have strange themes, weird imagery that seems irrelevant but probably has to do with the theme of the song, and often features some kind of quirky mascot that parties with Kyary. Tell me I'm wrong. Does Invader Invader's PV have strange themes? Check. Weird imagery? Check. Quirky mascot? Check! If you find yourself getting very easily tired of this music video formula, I'd recommend you skip the PV for Invader Invader. And Kyary's PVs in general... Anyways, I thought the PV for Invader Invader was okay. Clearly I didn't think it warranted a screencap but I do think it was a better PV than Ninjari Bang Bang. Less green screens. Although I do think that Invader Invader and Ninjari Bang Bang had about the same amount of budget. Yeah, Invader Invader has a pretty cheap PV. However, I'm not sure if the PV for Invader Invader is intentionally cheap or not. In a video where Kyary was talking about the PV, she explained that the PV was about a secret organization of aliens trying to take over the world but unfortunately, the aliens didn't have a lot of money so their secret hideout is very shoddy. I admit, it makes sense and even if the PV is cheap just because the producer didn't have a lot of money to spare on it, it's still an entertaining explanation for it. What bothered me about the PV was that the lighting was very dark; it's not like I couldn't see but the main set had a lot of details that I wish I could have seen more of. Anyways, overall, I don't think the PV for Invader Invader is terrible but (and I can't believe I'm saying this) it doesn't exactly stand out. It's just Kyary being herself (which is always entertaining) accompanied by backup dancers and a quirky mascot. But hey, if the formula works, why bother changing it?



I'm gonna give Invader Invader four out of five apples. If you're not a fan of Kyarypamyupamyu by now, then this song probably isn't gonna be the one to draw you into her music. Beyond the Dubstep break the song doesn't bring much new material to her discography but Invader Invader is still a nice-sounding song and as someone who's a casual fan of her music, I like it!

Point of view

So the B-side on Invader Invader served as a tie-in for the same company Invader Invader endorsed. And... yeah, I'm not a huge fan of Point of view. This song is way too cutesy for my tastes. The thing with Kyary's music is that it's always balancing on a line between tolerably cute and insufferably cute. And unfortunately, Point of view falls over the line into insufferably, I-feel-like-I'm-getting-cavities-from-the-sweetness cute. The instrumentals are much blander and minimal in this song than say, Fashion Monster of even Ninjari Bang Bang and the vocals are adorable. Irritably adorable. This actually sounds like an opening I'd hear to a children's show... maybe even Doraemon. In fact... I think Point of view could have been in the Doraemon movie! Yeah! Instead of Perfume getting saddled with a bland song, why not have Kyary already use the bland song on her Invader Invader single? Sound good? No? Ugh, maybe I'm still just frustrated over the Perfume and Doraemon collaboration... Anyways, there are a few little instrumental bits I do kind of enjoy in Point of view but for the most part, I think it's a pretty forgettable song. It's just way too... eh... kawaii for me. Blegh, I swore I'd never use that word in a review. But it's just a word that fits how Point of view sounds. Point of view's main lack of appeal for me is... wait for it... wait for it... the lack of energy! Surprise! I'll bet you never hear that criticism from me! But I do feel like if the energy was upped on Point of view and the instrumentals just had more... vibrancy in them, the song might be a little more tolerable. After all, a huge part of Kyary's appeal for me is how the instrumentals in her songs sound. What? Did you guys really think I was a fan of Kyarypamyupamyu for her mind-blowing, goddess-like voice? No. Point of view is definitely one of my lesser-liked B-sides. The song doesn't even have a good ending, it just stops playing really fast before you can even process the cutesyness you listened to.

As you may have gathered, Point of view isn't exactly a five-apples kind of song for me. I'll give it two and half out of five apples. I think if you're a fan of Kyary's cuter songs, Point of view will appeal to you but for me, it's too cute and too forgettable to stand out that much.

Fashion Monster -extended mix-

Ah, what a better song to get a mix than Fashion Monster? I have to admit, Fashion Monster has grown on me since I reviewed it way back in September. And personally, I could see it getting an extended mix; it's got the instrumental for it! However, I've always found Nakata's extended mixes to be pretty good but not really necessary. Sure, some of his mixes have been friggin' awesome (such as edge (-mix) or the JPN album mix of Glitter) but typically, the songs are already so good they don't really need a remix. I like Fashion Monster a lot so I was curious to hear just what was changed (or extended) in the extended mix. And after hearing the song... I can't hear much that was altered or remixed in the song. The vocals for the most part remain untouched; a lot of the big changes are unsurprisingly in the instrumentals. There's even some gratuitous Dubstep added in one of the several extended breaks in Fashion Monster -extended mix-! Luckily, it's not quite as gratuitous as the one in Invader Invader and it's much shorter too! I swear, has Nakata just been chilling with Skrillex lately? There a couple instrumental extensions and variations thrown into the extended mix of Fashion Monster but overall, the song is still pretty much the same. It took me a few listens to make put the differences between the original and the extended mix. So if I were to pick between the original Fashion Monster and the extended mix, I think I'd just stick with the original. The extended mix isn't by any means bad but it doesn't bring anything new to the table either save for some Dubstep anda couple extended bits of the instrumentl. What I like for a remix to do is enhance the original song and Fashion Monster -extended mix- doesn't really accomplish that very well. I wouldn't say the extended mix ruins Fashion Monster either but if you're looking for an enhanced mix, this is not it.

I'll give Fashion Monster -extended mix- three and a half apples out of five! Luckily for the mix, the original song is pretty solid so it's hard to really go that wrong with an extended mix. Still, I've heard better mixes before and I doubt Fashion Monster -extended mix- will be on heavy rotation in my music library.

The Verdict

I think Invader Invader as a single is quite the mixed bag. While I think the A-side is a pretty good song, the two B-sides garnered mixed opinions. Point of view, in my opinion, is a forgettable B-side; it's far too cute and far too unoriginal for me to really get into it. While I like the extended mix of Fashion monster, I could have done without it. The original was fine the way it is and the extended mix didn't really add much to it. If you're a fan of Kyary's style of music, then I think you'll like the Invader Invader just fine. However, I think if I were trying to get someone into Kyarypamyupamyu, Invader Invader wouldn't be the single that I would show them. No, I'd probably show them the video to PonPonPon. One the subject of that forever-infamous PV, I really wish people would stop comparing Kyary's current work to PonPonPon. She's never going to release another song like it and I wish people would just get over that. I don't know, it's just been nearly two years now and still I keep hearing complaints of "Well, this single isn't as good as PonPonPon." I know: it was a really good song and it'd be hard for any artist to top it. I almost wish Kyary hadn't released just so people would stop talking about it. Well, I'll get off my soap box now and get back to the Invader Invader single. Overall, I think this is an okay single. My one complain is I wish there were more aliens! Or at least more ethereal themes; I feel like Kyary and Nakata really could have gone crazy with more ethereal-type music and what a better style to do it with than on a single about aliens? Oh well, the single's out and I can't change what it's like.

I'll give Invader Invader three and half apples out of five. The single isn't the best overall single I'd heard from Kyarypamyupamyu but the A-side is an enjoyable listen. The B-side is pretty weak in my opinion and the extended mix of Fashion Monster is just okay. If you're a Kyary fan, I think you'll enjoy this single though. I mean, if for nothing else but the fact that it involves aliens!

Magic of Perfume

Ah, the sweet smell of Perfume is wafting through the Wonderland as I blissfully play Magic of Love and revel in the fact that finally, a song has come from Perfume that doesn't split the fandom right down the middle.

You know what feels even better than liking a song? Knowing that a lot of other people in the same fandom you're in also like that song. Especially when said fandom is one that you interact with somewhat. Such is the case with Magic of Love. And okay, I know that not everyone is going to have the same consensus on each Perfume song and there's always both positive and negative opinions, but damn were Mirai no Museum and Spending all my time divisive songs. When those songs both came out, I felt like there were really strong opinions from both positive and negative angles from fans. Especially with Mirai no Museum; it seemed like a majority of fans didn't take very kindly to that song. Spending all my time slowly grew on some fans but it also generated a lot of backlash. Even I didn't like Spending all my time when it came out but it kind of grew on me and it's kind of an okay song... Shut up. Personally, I didn't mind Mirai no Museum and I think it's a pretty harmless song but even I acknowledged that it was one of the weaker A-sides from Perfume's discography. Honestly, I feel like even more people disliked Mirai no Museum than Spending all my time. Both songs will definitely never make it into my coveted top 20 Perfume songs to say the least. Anyways, what was most dismaying about SAMT and Mirai no Museum for me was that they were two consecutively divisive singles. Was it just a coincidence? Or was this the level of quality we were supposed to expect from Perfume now on? A series of singles that would continuously garner extremely mixed reactions? I hoped not but I was a little uneasy about how Perfume's next single would sound. Was it going to suck? That was my big question and I crossed my fingers and prayed that whatever Perfume released next just wouldn't be... well... a bad song. I wasn't even hoping for a good song, just a song that wouldn't be so incredibly divisive.

Well, I asked for a non-divisive song and so I received Magic of Love.

Magic of Love is a breath of fresh air in this era of Perfume singles and not for reasons that you'd think. Back in March when the single was first announced like with any Perfume single announcement, I was ecstatic. I was also pleasantly surprised that Perfume was releasing another single so quickly after Mirai no Museum. Then again, maybe that's just because I had to wait six months between the releases Spending all my time and Mirai no Museum and the payoff wasn't even that great. The shorter I have to wait for new Perfume material, the happier of a camper I am. At that time, it was also announced that Magic of Love was a tie-in for Japanese candy Kanro, a candy that I've been told is kind of like Sour Patch Kids but I've yet to actually taste it. Now the last tie-in Perfume did with this company was with Communication, the B-side to Spring of Life and a song that I am not a huge fan of. It's far too cutesy to be a Perfume song I can really get into but it's not terrible. I was a little worried that Magic of Love would be in the same style Communication was with simple lyrics that were blatantly about the product the song was advertising and a staccato, almost 8-bit melody. That and Magic of Love was a tie-in and considering Mirai no Museum, their last tie-in was so... well, divisive, I was a little nervous. Still, I kept my hopes up because it's Perfume and I always like to positive when it comes to my favorite J-pop group! Shortly after the announcement about Magic of Love, a CM for Kanro featuring a 15 second clip of the song was aired. From the 15 seconds I heard of the song way back in April, I was excited. For once, the latest Perfume single actually sounded really catchy and not-divisive. I actually thought Magic of Love kind of sounded like a MEG song when I first heard the snippet but that might have been because I was on a MEG binge at the time. I guess it could work as a MEG song...

Anyways, now the full song is out and thank god Magic of Love is a song that hasn't been garnering strong negative reactions. And personally, I couldn't be happier with how Magic of Love sounds. I think it's a great Perfume song and I think it's a great song for the summer too! Oddly enough, parts of Magic of Love sound like Voice, particularly the verses. And even though I'm not the hugest fan of Voice, I like the verses in Magic of Love! I like pretty much everything in Magic of Love! I think it's an energetic song that has some really great instrumentals and a chorus that just flows nicely. Something else I noticed about the verses is that the vocals are pretty raw; still edited but by Perfume standards, pretty raw. It's kind of funny because Nocchi's voice really stands out in the verses because her voice is so different from A-chan and Kashiyuka's.  What I really like about Magic of Love is that there's a lot going on in the instrumentals; it kind of reminds me of the instrumentals for Voice (again) but less subdued. I keep making a lot of Voice reference to Magic of Love but really the songs don't sound that much alike. After all, Magic of Love has a lot more energy! And if you guys know my blogger schtick by now, you know that I love when a song has energy! Magic of Love is the kind of song that's just so upbeat and pretty. It's a very JPN-era song with rawer vocals and a more natural melody but I think it works nicely! Now something to note about Magic of Love is that while I think it's a good Perfume song, it also brings nothing new to the table. It's not edge or 575 or Polyrhythm; what I'm trying to say is it's not a song that's not trying to be innovative. I almost want to say it's a generic Perfume song but that makes it sound like I think the song is bad. I like the song a lot but it does have that very safe Perfume sound that doesn't try much new material. The most distinct aspect of Magic of Love is the film reel sound effect at the end of the song but I actually don't think that worked very well. But overall, Magic of Love is an enjoyable song and personally, it's probably my favorite song of this era.

Well hey, it wouldn't be a Perfume song without a Perfume PV, right? And it wouldn't be an artsy Perfume PV without getting the guy who directed Fushizen na Girl and Voice, would it?

And the PV opens with an eerily similar image to the regular single cover... coincidence? I think not!

-sigh- How is it Perfume looks consistently awesome?

I hope you like artsy PVs because this PV is about to get really artsy!

So if I get a magical frame, will A-chan appear in it?

The Mona Lisa ain't got shit on Nocchi!

It's nice to know that if Kashiyuka leaves Perfume, she can always become a magician!

I have to say, I  really like Kashiyuka's hairstyle in this PV! It refreshing from her usual style!

Ehmagawd. Kashiyuka. Is. NOCCHI!? My whole life has been a lie.

I have to admit, I don't like the dance outfits quite as much as the other ones. They're not as creative.

But the dance is cool. During the first watch, it looks like a normal dance...

...but watch it again and you realize that Perfume then does the dance backwards.

Do I even have to emphasize the awesomeness of multiple Perfumes in one room!?

Seriously, this effect is just so cool to look at.

Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest Kashiyuka of all?

Yeah, I gotta go with beehive!Kashiyuka. Her outfit kicks ass.

I don't think there are enough emotional outbursts to compose two A-chans.

But I think two Nocchis would be effing awesome.

Goodbye, Nocchi #2! I must leave you to spread alpaca awareness around the world!

It's cool, Nocchi #1 'cause I found CONFETTI!!!

Yay! Back to the dance! Only this time it's with CONFETTI! YEAH!

Part of me wonders if Mikiko just told Perfume to improvise whatever the hell they wanted for this part of the dance.

By the way, have I mentioned how the sets in this PV are awesome and mod and retro and how I want them so much?

Nocchi just realized how boring those dance outfits look.

You might notice how this insanely cool effect is similar to another Perfume PV...

...it's like love the world in technicolor!

Man, I wish I had the ability to dance backwards...

As Porky Pig would say: That's all, folks!

Well, it looks like the title drop arrived four minutes late!

You know, I don't think I've enjoyed screencapping a Perfume PV on the Wonderland as much as I enjoyed screencapping Magic of Love! Well, okay, Spring of Life was pretty fun to screencap... and Spice was too... well, screencapping Perfume in general is just an extremely fun experience but anyways! I have to say right now that I absolutely loved the PV for Magic of Love. I even think I liked the PV better than the actual song. Then again, a good PV also does wonders on my opinion of a song. One of the many things I love about Magic of Love is that it has something that's been rather lacking in Perfume's current PVs: COLOR! Bright, happy colors! Magic of Love has so many bright and eye-catching colors that match perfectly with the tone the song is conveying. Watching Magic of Love is like watching a rainbow come to life and in a good way too! While I liked the PVs for Spending all my time, Spring of Life, and Spice none of those PVs were very colorful. They had other visual appeals going for them but color was not one of them. The styling for Magic of Love is really what makes the PV (and to a further extent the song itself) stand out so much. I love how a lot of the set pieces and scenery for this PV give off very retro feel, as if the sets were plucked from the sixties! It's a very mod atmosphere and it's really cool! And I freaking love the outfits Perfume is wearing in this PV; well, I like the outfits they wear when they're not dancing. While the dance outfits are okay, they're pretty generic and have that same style template Perfume's been going with for several concert costumes and performance outfits. Of course, it is kind of cool that Perfume got to wear more than one outfit in this PV! Anyways, the other outfits used in the PV give off the same mod and retro vibe that the sets do and the outfits are styled like something you'd see from the sixties. It was a different look for Perfume and personally, I think it was a look that worked really well.

But what makes Magic of Love an even more awesome PV is that not only is it a bright and colorful PV, it's an artsy PV. If there's one thing that Perfume handles better than symbolic PVs, it's their more artistic PVs that place more emphasis on visuals. You know PVs like love the world, Fushizen na Girl and Voice? Those are some of Perfume's artsy PVs and they also happen to be some of their best PVs. In fact, I think Magic of Love is what happens when you combine the PVs for love the world and Voice together! The end result? One flipping awesome and interesting PV. What I always love about Perfume's artsy PVs is that they always manage to keep me intrigued through the special effects. They range from simple to awesome and it's just really neat to see it on screen. So for awhile, I'd been hoping that Perfume would do another artsy PV, especially since their last PV that you could really consider "artsy" was Nee way back in 2010. When it was announced that Kazuaki Seki, the guy who directed the PVs for Fushizen na Girl and Voice, was returning to direct the PV for Magic of Love, I got psyched. I just knew that for whatever look this guy went with, Magic of Love was going to be an artsy, eye-catching PV. And... I was right! Look, I don't think my screencaps do justice as to just how awesome the visual effects are in this PV. Seriously, even if you don't like Perfume go and watch the PV to get a better idea of what I'm talking about! What's so great about these visual effects is that they're consistently coming in and there was never a moment where I got bored watching this PV. I think my favorite visual effect was when Perfume was doubled or even multiplied; it was cool to see it unfold on screen and surreal seeing the girls "interact" with doubles of themselves! The transitions were also pretty cool, very similar to the clever transitions used in Fushizen na Girl.

Finally, there is the dance for Magic of Love. I remember when I was first watching the dance for Magic of Love in a brief snippet of the PV that was aired, I wasn't too impressed by it. I've just sort of reached this level of expectations with Perfume dances and know that they're going to look really sleek and really cool with a bunch of complicated hand motions. The girls are great dancers and Mikiko's a great choreographer so I always kind of glaze over the dances. Don't get me wrong, they look cool but as someone who knows squat about dancing, normally, I can't say much beyond, "This dance looks complicated," or "This dance looks sensual." You get what I mean. So anyways, I saw the dance, thought it looked good, and promptly forgot about it. Until a day later when someone on Tumblr pointed out that Perfume did the dance in the chorus backwards. I watched the entire PV several times when it was finally released and noticed that oh my god, Perfume was dancing backwards! I think that just about blew my mind. Backwards!? Perfume was able to learn the dance backwards!? And no, the dance isn't just rewound, Perfume took the time to learn the dance backwards and then do it backwards in the PV! I just... I never realized how skilled Perfume was at dancing until now. I knew they were good but damn, I didn't know they were this good! The fact that there is a portion of the Magic of Love dance that is backwards is extremely cool to me and is one of the many elements that stands out in the PV. Oh hell, everything in this PV stood out to me. I might as well just go ahead and say that! Really, Magic of Love has got to be one of the best Perfume PVs that I have seen because of its use of visuals, the choreography and the sheer enjoyment of seeing the girls perform on screen. The PVs color aesthetic is perfect, the outfits are perfect, the dance is perfect... what else can I say other than that Magic of Love is a near-perfect PV that you should all go and watch?

Magic of Love completely and absolutely gets 4.5 out of 5 apples from me. The song itself is nice-sounding and very energetic, but a pretty typical Perfume song. Personally, I don't mind; I like the song a lot! The PV itself is perfect though; the dance is great, the styling is great, the special effects are great. I know that technically Magic of Love isn't a "summer PV" in the traditional sense, but honestly, it's the best PV so far that I've reviewed this summer! Well, the bar's been set! Let's see if any other idol groups can possibly achieve the same level of excellence that the PV for Magic of Love has!