Perfume... 3.0?

Um...

Um...

UM...

Well. This is Cupitron.

You know what I need to write an editorial about? Rip-offs. Because I have very mixed opinions regarding rip-offs. Back in my younger days, I dismissed anything that remotely copied something else as complete and utter garbage. Now though... I think rip-offs can be sanctioned into 2 categories: bad rip-offs and good rip-offs. This is particularly so in the idol industry. Let's face it, idol groups copy music and concepts from other idol groups as if they're trading cards. Blame management! Idol groups eventually reach the point where something's so overused it reaches saturation. Luckily for our little technopop trio that is not Perfume, idol technopop isn't quite as overused as it was say, four or five years ago. When Perfume first made it big, a plethora of other artists such as Sweet Vacation, 80_pan, immi, and Altima popped up in the wake of Perfume's success. But now, the only other technopop idol trio is Kus Kus, and visually, they focus more on the idol aspect than the techno. On the other hand Cupitron here, produced by Tobeta Bajune, seem to be a heavier mix of technopop and idol pop, if there's anything to go by in the teaser trailer they posted. They also seem to be very influenced by Perfume. So is Cupitron a blatant, worthless rip-off or worth listening to? I'll be the judge of that.

Covers/Outfits

Well, Summer Kaijuu translates to "Summer Monster" hence the cute little dragon on all the covers. Seriously, is that thing from Dragon Tales? Because nearly everything about Cupitron is in Japanese, it's a little hard for me to tell how many covers there are. I'm pretty sure there are two. Possibly three. There's the one at the top of this review, and also this one. I actually like the other cover better than the one I used, but the latter actually shows the girls in it. Still, it's a pretty cheap-looking cover. Even the font looks like something from Microsoft Power Point. Weird how the promo pics looked so futuristic, but the covers look very idol-y. The outfits are very... Spring of Life-y as I've already pointed out. Well, these outfits don't light-up! The outfits are all right, but they'd look better with a less cheap-looking single cover. I do wonder... are those outfits stiff to move in? Because they look stiff. My final verdict on the covers: not a Perfume rip-off, but low-budget nonetheless.

Summer Kaijuu

As Summer Kaijuu is only a digital single, the titular song is the only one on it! Unfortunately, that makes gaging Cupitron's sound a little trickier. I mean, I can tell from Summer Kaijuu Cupitron is very much a technopop group. But it would be nice to have a B-side to see just how consistent Cupitron is. Oddly enough, Summer Kaijuu starts out sounding more like your typical idol song. There's even a little bit of a fantasy vibe to it like something out of Kyarypamyupamyu's Pikapika Fantajin. Then Summer Kaijuu gets to sounding like the idol technopop song I was expecting! My first impression of Summer Kaijuu was that this did not sound like something Perfume would do. It sounds more like something I'd hear from Aira Mitsuki if she hadn't disappeared in a flying train. Hell, I might even see Kus Kus working well with a song like Summer Kaijuu. Summer Kaijuu is a bubbly little technopop song, with a nice instrumental. I'm no producer, but to my ears, Summer Kaijuu is a nice blend of idol pop and technopop. I like hearing more of that on the idol market. These days, I don't hear of many new techno idols emerging, and Summer Kaijuu isn't half bad!

The weakest aspect of Summer Kaijuu for me are the vocals. Say what you want about Autotune and vocoders, but Nakata Yasutaka has a way with editing vocals. Well... except for Kyarypamyupamyu's, but I think that's more to do with Kyary's vocal talent. When I listen to Perfume and Nakata's other projects like capsule and Suzuki Ami and MEG, there's this smoothness to the vocals. So they sound like they blend in seamlessly with their respective electronic-heavy instrumentals. Yes, that does give the vocals this almost inhuman quality, which can be off-putting. But still, there's finesse. Cupitron's vocals sound very, very robotic. They remind me of some of the Autotune Morning Musume's suffered from in their more recent A-sides, particularly Password is 0. The delivery of Summer Kaijuu is flat, even for a technopop song. I'm not sure if that's the producer's style for Cupitron, but I am not warming up to it. The girls sound like they all have nice voices! But underneath all that Autotune, it's a little hard to tell. Still, Summer Kaijuu is a very listenable song, and I don't mind more idol technopop on the market! Doesn't give Perfume a run for its money though.



In the end, Summer Kaijuu isn't a Perfume rip-off, which is good news! Bad news is that the song's a little lackluster and doesn't leave a very clear impression. Combined with some less-than-stellar vocal editing, that leaves Summer Kaijuu with 3.5 apples from me.

The Verdict

So Cupitron: rip off or fun technopop group in their own right? That's probably more of something you have to decide for yourself, but if you like idol technopop, I'd at least give Summer Kaijuu one listen. Everyone who so much as looks at this blog knows I have a soft spot for Japanese technopop trios, so another one on the market is something I can't really complain much about. In spite of their Perfume-esque image, I don't think Cupitron is anywhere near as much of a rip-off as I thought it would be. Musically, Summer Kaijuu doesn't sound much like something Perfume would release now. In their indie/early major label days maybe, and that 's a big maybe. The closest technopop unit I can compare Cupitron to would be amU, but even then, there are still differences. Summer Kaijuu is a technopop song, but it doesn't sound like something Nakata would produce. Personally, I didn't take as strongly to Cupitron's debut single as I did Kus Kus, and I think that may have to do with the vocal quality of Summer Kaijuu. This is a decent song, but there's just nothing about Summer Kaijuu that grabs me. It's a cute little technopop song. And... yeah, that pretty much sums Summer Kaijuu up. If you like cute little technopop songs, then I think you'll at least mildly enjoy Summer Kaijuu.

Do I consider Cupitron a rip-off of Perfume? A little bit. Image-wise, they're leaning pretty hard on Perfume's look. I wish that Summer Kaijuu had a music video; that would give me a better idea of what kind of image Cupitron is going for. There is a little preview video on their record label's Youtube channel, and again, that gives off a Perfume-y vibe as well. To my relief though, Cupitron doesn't sound as much like Perfume as I thought they would. And their debut single, while not the best, is a fun listen. And let's face it: Perfume's not going to be around forever. So I invite as many mini-Perfumes into the idolsphere to take their place. I think Cupitron has the potential to be a decent group, if their management can just try and give them a less Perfume-influenced image. Their first physical single, Unicorn Parade, will be released in September so I may also review that, if it leaks in a timely manner. Maybe Unicorn Parade will come with a music video! Until then, I will tentatively wait for whatever comes next for Cupitron. I think they can be a really good technopop group, but only time will affirm my speculations.

In the present, I'll give Summer Kaijuu 3.5 apples. That's pretty much a giveaway considering this single only consisted of one song. Curumi Chronicle still reigns as next-best technopop idol on the Wonderland, but Cupitron put forth a good effort! Despite several glaring similarities to Perfume, their debut song was all right. Besides, I always enjoy some Japanese technopop!

Let's Talk about Pikapika Fantajin

I can't think of a more patriotic way for an American like myself to spend the 4th of July than reviewing a technopop album by a Japanese singer. God bless America!

As I sit in my room listening to the sounds of either fireworks or gunshots, I can't help but marvel at how far Kyarypamyupamyu's come since her Moshi Moshi Harajuku days. She's only been around since 2010 and already, she's on her third album. I know I complain about her constantly releasing stuff too quickly for me to catch up, but that's still an impressive feat. Pikapika Fantajin won't be released for a few more days, but thanks to a listening stream on Nico Nico Douga, the entire album has leaked. Which is good! I'd like to get this album review out of the way so I can focus on BiS and Perfume! While Kyarypamyupamyu isn't my favorite artist/idol to review, I do enjoy her music videos most of the time, and her music's always catchy (for better or worse). My biggest drawback with Kyarypamyupamyu always seems to be her voice. I either like it or it completely grates on me, especially on her previous album. Well, I'm hoping that with Pikapika Fantajin, her third album, her new songs work better than the ones on Nanda Collection. Apparently, the album's supposed to have a "fantasy" theme which could mean a range of different sounds, but I will be the judge of how fantasy-like this album sounds. Now let us commence into Pikapika Fantajin!

1. Pikapika Fantajin

So as per Nakata's usual modus operandi, he opens a Kyary album with an introduction number a la the first tracks on Nanda Collection and Pamyu Pamyu Revolution. I never really know what to say about these album intros. In fact, does anybody actually like these? I've yet to meet someone who's said, "Oh yeah, The Opening is my favorite album track on JPN!" Pikapika Fantajin is way too short for me to have any real opinion about it. Well, the one thing I can say about it is that the intro sets up what kind of sound to expect from the rest of the album. Pikapika Fantajin sounds very fantasy-like and sweet. There's a little bit that serves as an introductory title drop. Other than that... look, the song is a minute and twelve seconds. I doubt I'll be replaying it ever again, but as an album opener, it's okay. Like with every intro song I've ever reviewed ever, I would have much rather preferred a full song in lieu of Pikapika Fantajin.

My Rating:


2. Kira Kira Killer

Wow, and to think I just reviewed the Kira Kira Killer! Talk about deja vu... I feel compelled to redirect everyone to my full review of Kira Kira Killer, but that's lazy. Besides, I spent half that review ranting about how one-note Kyary's A-sides have been. And yeah, Kira Kira Killer isn't covering any new territory for Kyary. It's another cute, catchy song that was also a commercial jingle. That doesn't mean it isn't a good commercial jingle, but it's a little frustrating reviewing the same thing several times in a row. Kira Kira Killer does have some strong parts, like the chorus! The chorus carries itself very well; maybe that's why the song works so well as a commercial jingle. I'm not a huge fan of how the song starts out with the chanting, but the rest of the vocal arrangement makes up for that. Although I could also do with less high notes. They're not really Kyary's specialty. Overall, Kira Kira Killer is a cute song, but pretty much what I expect from Kyarypamyupamyu.

My Rating:


3. Yume no Hajima Ring Ring -album mix-

I was a little surprised that Yume no Hajima Ring Ring got an album mix and not Kira Kira Killer. The latter seemed more album mixable. Well, there's not too much added to Yume no Hajima Ring Ring beyond a few added instrumentals and vocals. Other than that, you're gonna get pretty much the same thing you got out of the original Yume no Hajima Ring Ring. Now I liked Yume no Hajima Ring Ring, and I liked the music video even more. As a song alone, Yume no Hajima Ring Ring isn't quite as memorable without the music video. But I think it's a very sweet song, and I like that it's more toned down. Kyary's always getting these really cute, hyper songs, but Yume no Hajima Ring Ring is blissfully chill for her. I like Yume no Hajima Ring Ring -album mix- pretty much the same as the original song. I do like the extra vocals at the end, but again, I can do with either one. Yume no Hajima Ring Ring's probably my favorite A-side of this era.

My Rating:


4. Mottai Night Land

...Then again, Yume no Hajima Ring Ring didn't have much competition. Ugh. Mottai Night Land, we meet again. The third A-side in a row, and this one's not my favorite. Not at all. I will say I love the music video for it! My problem with Mottai Night Land is that it's so annoying. The chorus is especially annoying. I don't what it is but the notes Kyary hits in that chorus rattle my bones. And Mottai Night Land is a super fast song; the song runs for four minutes but it feels more like two. There was this cool piano cover of Mottai Night Land that I like better than the original. Once again, what makes me dislike Mottai Night Land are Kyary's vocals. Funny how that happens with a lot of Kyary songs I listen to... But yeah, I think she's too high-pitched in this song. You know, the more I mention Kyary's vocals in her songs, the more I think that maybe she's not the best artist for me to review... Oh well, I'll muse about that later. I've still got eight tracks to go.

My Rating:


5. Serious Hitomi

After that train wreck is something of a more serious nature... I'm just kidding, Serious Hitomi is the least serious-sounding song with the word "serious" in it that I've ever heard. The song starts out with a really fun little instrumental that's a little bit harder than what I expect from Kyary. But of course, the cuteness pops in when Kyary starts singing. And good god, her vocals in Serious Hitomi are catchy. The backing vocals especially, when they repeat se-se-serious... It will get in your head, and you will have a hard time getting it out. You've been warned. Other than that, Serious Hitomi is a really upbeat song, like some odd blend of technopop and a song I'd hear out of Grease. There are parts where Serious Hitomi drags out, especially the verses. But that lengthiness is picked up by a strong instrumental; the instrumental break is the best part of Serious Hitomi. So if you want some hopping electric guitar, definitely listen to Serious Hitomi!

My Rating:


6. do do pi do

Another staple on a Kyary album is a cover of a Capsule song! Why Kyary's covered like ten Capsule songs by now and Perfume's covered zero, I will never understand. But I like Capsule, and I love Toshiko's voice. Her voice being switched out for Kyary's is often hit or miss, with Kyary's cover paling in comparison to the original. But I think Do do pi do is one of the more fitting Capsule songs for Kyary to cover. Do do pi do is a perky song, and Kyary works well with perky. God forbid she ever cover something like Spider or Jumper. I do like that Kyary's cover of Do do pi do isn't just Nakata swapping out Toshiko's voice for Kyary's and changing nothing else. The instrumental in the Do do pi do cover sounds much cuter and fits better with Kyary's sound. If I have to pick, I'm sticking with the original; Toshiko's voice is too many notches above Kyary's. Still, Kyary's cover of Do do pi do is very listenable and keeps all the fun of the original!

My Rating:


7. Family Party -album mix-

Well, these album mixes are changing jack shit about the originals. Maybe if I produced electronic music, I could unveil all the differences between Family Party -album mix- and the original. Sadly, I'm not. But I can pretty safely say Nakata probably just changed bits and pieces of the instrumental. Point is I still don't like Family Party. This song was used for Crayon-shin chan and hoo boy, it sounds like it. Family Party is a family-friendly, childish song, because that's why it was created. I will say, I do like the instrumental of Family Party better. As it is on Pikapika Fantajin though, this album mix of Family Party does not redeem the song. Kyary's voice just sounds way too cute in Family Party. It doesn't help that Family Party has an irritatingly frequent tendency of getting stuck in my head. I've listened to this song once, and I'm tired of it. Family Party -album mix- may appeal to fans who like really cute Kyary music, but it's my least favorite A-side on Pikapika Fantajin.

My Rating:


8. Ring a Bell

I was wondering when an overly-repetitive album track would come. Ring a Bell is a special little Kyary song. Why? It's completely in English! Yes, because that worked so well for Perfume. Actually, Spending all my time is so much better than Ring a Bell. I mean yes, SAMT was super repetitive but... ugh. First of all, Ring a Bell is also very repetitive and gets very monotonous after awhile. You know, a common brainwashing technique is playing repetitive music. Just a fun little fact to share with your friends. Second of all, the English lyrics to Ring a Bell have more variety than Spending all my time. Unfortunately, the lyrics to Ring a Bell are painfully juvenile. Some deep and thoughtful lyrics from Ring a Bell include "Let's go to the studio!" and "I'm happy today," and the profound gem, "Where is my microphone?" But at least the poor lyrics aren't as bad as Avril Lavigne's Hello Kitty! The grammar's correct in Ring a Bell!

My Rating:


9. Tokyo Highway

So after that iffy album track is Tokyo Highway! And I think this is my favorite of all the new tracks on Pikapika Fantajin. Hell, I think it's my favorite track overall. All of the tracks on Pikapika Fantajin reach some degree of fun, but I find Tokyo Highway to be the song most fun to listen to. I might even try listening to it in my car one day while I'm driving! Because Tokyo Highway sounds like it should be a driving song, and the car should be a sleek, cute little sports car zooming down a futuristic highway. The chorus of Tokyo Highway reminds me of a higher-pitched Computer Driving, and the high notes in Tokyo Highway are some of the better-sounding ones Kyary's hit. There are still a few kinks in Tokyo Highway, the main one being the length. The song is five minutes, and towards the end, it starts feel longer than that. Overall though, I think this is a really good track and definitely one of songs I'd recommend!

My Rating:


10. Koi Koi Koi

This was the one album track I'd heard beforehand! Koi Koi Koi was used in a commercial endorsement (but of course) that featured Kyary posing in front of a giant fruit. It was a very fruity commercial. In that commercial, I heard the first snippet of Koi Koi Koi! And I like Koi Koi Koi; I'm not completely sure why. I guess I'm just relieved Koi Koi Koi isn't annoying. The title made it sound like it would be the Pikapika Fantajin equivalent of Mi off of Nanda Collection. No, Koi Koi Koi actually reminds me most of Meg's Kumiwari (but Kumiwari is much better... and Christmas-y). Koi Koi Koi has this very whimsical, enchanting sound to it. The instrumental's using triangles, and other cutesy little sounds. Kyary's voice fits pretty well with Koi Koi Koi. All the notes are in her range. My only complaints about Koi Koi Koi are that it gets a little monotonous, and Kyary's delivery is a little flat. Other than that, this is a decent song. Catchy too!

My Rating:


11. Sungoi Aura -album mix-

Well shit, I completely forgot that Sungoi Aura was the B-side on Mottai Night Land. In fact... I don't even think I listened to this song... I'm a bad reviewer. Very bad. While I may not have taken the time to listen to the original, I like this album mix of Sungoi Aura. It's a cute little number with a cute little flute in it. I would have definitely preferred this song over Mottai Night Land! I think what I like about Sungoi Aura -album mix- is that it's fun without being overly cute. The energy levels in Sungoi Aura -album mix- are just right. The song is very cheerful and peppy! Other than that... I got nothing. If you liked Furisodation, then you'll like Sungoi Aura -album mix-. Of course, Furisodation seemed to rely on more synths than this song. Sungoi Aura -album mix- has a variety of percussions and woodwinds and even some strings! Just imagine how neat this song would have sounded if all those instruments weren't made with a computer!

My Rating:


12. Explorer

And closing out Pikapika Fantajin is a marching band! Obviously not a real marching band, but Explorer starts out like a marching band! Then it mellows out when Kyary starts singing. Still, there's a very steady beat throughout Explorer. Again, it conjures up images of a pink, sparkly marching band with Kyarypamyupamyu at the helm. Personally though, I'm not a huge fan of marching-band styles songs, and Explorer doesn't do much for me. The energetic percussion is a little fun at times, but vocally, I think Explorer is a little dull. And those high notes still aren't doing much for Kyary. I guess the song kind of works as an album closer? I can picture Kyary marching away with her Harajuku marching band of cuteness into the sunset. Overall, Explorer ends Pikapika Fantajin on a lower note than I would have liked. Explorer is a cute little song, like everything on this album, but for me, it's a weak track compared to the others on this album.

My Rating:


The Verdict

So you know how with Nanda Collection, Kyarypamyupamyu's A-sides were really strong and the album tracks were really weak? Well... with Pikapika Fantajin, that's kind of the opposite. Of the four A-sides of this era, none of them were great. Kira Kira Killer and Yume no Hajima Ring Ring were the better of the four, but neither one grabbed me like Fashion Monster or Ninjari Bang Bang. And I couldn't stand Family Party or Mottai Night Land. The A-sides on Pikapika Fantajin didn't set up a strong foundation for the rest of the album. However, the album tracks fared a little bit better. What worked with Pikapika Fantajin as a whole was the amount of new material. Not counting the instrumental opening, half the tracks on Pikapika Fantajin were new. The only two new tracks that I didn't care for were Ring a Bell and Explorer. Explorer just a meh kind of a song, and the Ring a Bell sounded too juvenile, even for Kyary. But the other new tracks were pretty good! My favorite song on the whole album was Tokyo Highway, and Koi Koi Koi and Serious Hitomi weren't half bad either. Even Kyary's cover of Capsule's Do do pi do was a fun listen!

But... I feel like there was something missing from Pikapika Fantajin.

I have no idea what that is yet. I think what was missing might be... something great. All the tracks on Pikapika Fantajin range from mediocre to good, but none of the tracks are absolute standouts. Every song sounds safe. It's kind of the same reaction that I had with Perfume's JPN. Don't get me wrong, I like Pikapika Fantajin better than Nanda Collection. The album has the same cute vibe Kyarypamyupamyu has with all her music, but there is an air of whimsical fantasy. I can see why Kyary said Pikapika Fantajin had a fantasy theme to it. And all the songs fit together very cohesively. The problem is none of these songs jump out. I mean, yes Tokyo Highway is still a great song, but even then, it doesn't compare to Ponponpon or Fashion Monster or anything off of Pamyu Pamyu Revolution. What I do like about Pikapika Fantajin is that none of the tracks are annoying, save for Mottai Night Land, Family Party, and kind of Ring a Bell. Yet the lack of irritating music also comes with the lack of anything going out of Nakata's comfort zone he's set for Kyary. So overall, Pikapika Fantajin is a decent album, but it lacks anything that really stands out. Or maybe that's just my taste in music. Either way, if you like Kyary's smoother, less hyper music, you'll like this album.

I've been going back and forth between three and half and four apples for Pikapika Fantajin, but I've decided to go with four apples. Because this is a better album than Nanda Collection, in my opinion. But there's still something missing in Pikapika Fantajin, despite the album having a nice variety of songs. All the songs on Pikapika Fantajin are nice enough, and I enjoyed listening to Pikapika Fantajin more than I thought I would! Now I think I'm gonna go dump some tea into the Boston Harbor.

A Free&Easy Summer PV

Blogging since putting AKB48 on the Idol Blacklist has been such bliss.

Summer also helps. Still, it is so nice not having to worry about writing about the Senbatsu election or typing up a review for whatever dreck Aki-P regurgitates for them next. I can take the time to write about all the groups I actually like! And one of those groups includes Nogizaka46, AKB48's rival group whom after a year of mediocrity proved to be formidable rivals!

I'd like to think that the cover for their latest single, Natsu no Free&Easy, is a representation of Nogizaka46 and AKB48. Nogizaka46 being Nanase, crowdsurfing and basking in glory, and AKB48 being the people beneath her. It reminds me of the way C-ute and Berryz Koubou were last year. Through some strange twist of fate, Nogizaka46 has been getting better as AKB48's been getting worse. Even their sales have been improving! And why not? Their last single, Kizuitara Kataomoi, was their best single yet. The music video was even better! Even before that, Barrette was another solid effort from Nogizaka46! And Girls' Rule was good enough to pique my interest in Nogizaka46 again, along with the music video! Last year, I held on to the (very likely) possibility that Nogizaka46's string of decent-sounding songs was a fluke. I had perfectly good reason to keep lowered expectations; disappointment is such an unpleasant thing to feel. But Kizuitara Kataomoi was a wonderful single, and it's made me realize that I'm ready to open up my heart to Nogizaka46. So what's their latest single bring to the table? Something better than Labrador Retriever, right? Well, whatever this new single sounds like, I'm certain this A-side is good!

...I may have spoken too soon.

Okay, so remember how I said that I liked Girl's Rule? Yeah, thing about that is I didn't love Girl's Rule. Certainly not enough to hear a summer song that sounds exactly like Girl's Rule. Okay, Natsu no Free&Easy isn't a total carbon copy of Girl's Rule. After all, Girl's Rule actually had a hook! I suppose Natsu no Free&Easy has a hook, but it's the equivalent of baiting a fish hook with cheese. It doesn't work at all! And I just don't get any sort of impression with this song. Well, I shouldn't be surprised. AKS summer songs all tend to sound... weak? Bland? Rehashed? I'm gonna go with all three of those adjectives. Yes, occasionally, they work like with Bingo! and Utsukushii Inazuma and Ponytail to Shushu, but as of late, all these summer songs sound like background music against a fanservice-filled bikini PV. Because let's face it, that's pretty much all they're for. Oh yeah, and to sell Senbatsu election tickets. But I'd have thought for sure Nogizaka46's summer song wouldn't fall into the pit of blandness! Hell, they don't even use bikinis in their sumer PVs! I'm not even sure if I can consider Natsu no Free&Easy an idol summer PV.

Back onto the song, Natsu no Free&Easy isn't terrible. I'd rather the song copy Girl's Rule over Sayonara Crawl or Labrador Retriever. Like the instrumental is okay. Very Girl's Rule sounding. But the chorus of Natsu no Free&Easy doesn't have any of the spirit the chorus of Girl's Rule did. It just kind of drags; the girls sound like they're being forced to sing it. Still, the chorus does manage to get in my head, in a whiny sort of way. The problem with Natsu no Free&Easy is a lack of anything memorable. The song is pleasant, and that's it. If you want my opinion on Natsu no Free&Easy, just read one of my other AKS summer PV reviews. Well, maybe not Labrador Retriever or Sayonara Crawl, but one of them! Because everything I can say about Natsu no Free&Easy can be found in my reviews of every other AKS summer song. I've come to expect that with AKB/NMB/SKE but not with Nogizaka46. It's a little disappointing actually. I really would have thought Nogizaka46 would have gotten a decent summer song. But no, it pretty much just sounds like your average AKS summer song. Well... if AKB48 released Natsu no Free&Easy, then that would be different. But I was rooting for Nogizaka46, placing trust that they would release another good song after so many good songs!

Perhaps that's what I get for raising my expectations. The same thing happened with AKB48, and look where we are now. What if now I've jinxed myself, and Nogizaka46 is doomed to nothing but remakes of Guruguru Curtain and Oide Shampoo!? Okay, that can't happen. Right!? Despite my pessimism, I'm not completely giving up on Nogizaka46 just because Natsu no Free&Easy is an average song. Like I said before, all the AKS groups are known for typically getting weak summer songs. Maybe that's just what happened with Nogizaka46, and their next single will have the level of quality all their previous singles possess! For now though, I'm left with an underwhelming summer song from Nogizaka46. Natsu no Free&Easy is a fun, perky little song, but there's nothing about it that grabs me. If you're looking for something to listen to while on the beach or at the pool, Natsu no Free&Easy is mindlessly happy background music. As for me, I think I'm just gonna go back to my lowered expectations for Nogizaka46. Maybe all those songs since Seifuku no Mannequin really were a fluke...

Well, Natsu no Free&Easy isn't enough to put a damper on my free and easy summer! Besides, there's still the PV! Idol summer PVs are always fun! Except... I'm not sure if Natsu no Free&Easy's PV counts as a summer PV. Why? You'll see what I mean.

Like every AKS summer single, Natsu no Free&Easy takes place on- wait! That's not the beach!

Oh look, cute dresses! I think these are my favorite Nogizaka46 single costumes.

So Rena spends all her time as a Nogizaka46 member managing the Apple Store...

Wow, that intricate choreography gives E-girls a run for its money!

I love the location of this shot! It gives off a very sleek, metropolitan vibe.

I like this location too! Even though it's not summery in the slightest!

Why exactly are they all wearing headphones?

Is it because they're jamming to Perfume's latest single?

Ah yes, the most optimal listening experience is lying on a floor in a barren room. I can't imagine why people don't do that more often.

Hey, where are your headphones? Get with the program!

A pool! See? I knew I was screencapping a summer PV.

Seriously, for a song called Natsu no Free&Easy, it's surprisingly lacking in summer stuff.

But listening to music is about as free&easy as you can get!

That and shopping! Actually, music and shopping pretty much sums up my summer...

Oh yeah, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. Not so much balancing books on my head.

I still don't know who half these people are. I'm just recently getting the front girls' faces down pat!

So nice to see Miona's no longer being kidnapped by evil prostitution lords!

And Nanase is very much alive and not a dandelion!

Maybe they're all having a silent disco. At a pool.

It's a little creepy how easily Rena blends in with Nogizaka46.

Now for the world's simplest dance break!

See? This dance break involves walking several feet. Very tricky.

What is up with all these upshots?

Here we have Nanase experiencing the power... of music.

Now all the Nogizaka46 girls are gathering the power of music into a circle!

Wait, why are they doing that again?

Can you imagine someone walking in on a bunch of girls in headphones standing in a circle for no apparent reason?

Maybe it's a ritual to suck out the quality of AKB48's singles!

I knew there was something behind those innocent little smiles...

Boom! Title drop! The end!

This is a summer song I'm reviewing, right? Now I can't speak Japanese, but last time I checked, "natsu" meant, "summer." Yet the PV for Natsu no Free&Easy doesn't really feel like a summer PV. If I were a new fan that knew nothing about J-pop and watched this PV, I wouldn't even connect it to summer. I guess I'm so used to seeing certain tropes in all the AKS summer PVs, like a beach/pool, bathing suits, fun summer activities, etc. Even Nogizaka46's previous summer PV, Girl's Rule, had a distinct, nostalgic summer vibe to it. They weren't even wearing bathing suits but still managed to work that in! What's summery about Natsu no Free&Easy's PV? Um... some shots feature a swimming pool? Other than that, Natsu no Free&Easy is pretty different from all the other AKS summer PVs I've reviewed. Actually, compared to Girl's Rule, Barrette, and Kizuitara Kataomoi, Natsu no Free&Easy is different. The most obvious difference being that there is not plot to Natsu no Free&Easy. There's a central theme that listening to music with a snazzy pair of headphones is awesome. But no story. Their last three PVs all had elaborate storylines, especially Barrette and Kizuitara Kataomoi. It's kind of a bummer because I liked all the stories in those three PVs...

Okay, so Natsu no Free&Easy has no story. But a good PV doesn't always need a story! And admittedly, the PV for Natsu no Free&Easy still has enough in it to be a pretty good PV. Like I said before, there are headphones in this PV. Lots and lots of headphones. That seems to be the connection between all these random locations. Because there are many different places in this PV from stores to cityscapes to bookstores to dance studios to other miscellaneous areas I'm not going to mention. But I love how different these places look, yet all still have this fresh, modern look to them. Even if this PV doesn't have all the tropical flair a beach PV would have, the city locations works great. Since I live in The Sticks, I love seeing city locations, especially the variety Natsu no Free&Easy shows. And did I mention the colors? I love the different color contrasts in this PV. Like the neon-green in the dance shot and the more toned down colors in the bookstore. All around, the PV for Natsu no Free&Easy is working a really good color palette. Everything looks bright and cheerful, which fits with the song. Times like these, I remember how nice it must be for idol companies to have money to make nice-looking music videos. I can tell that was put into good use for Natsu no Free&Easy!

I'm left with conflicting opinions. As a PV alone, Natsu no Free&Easy is pretty to look at (and that's about it). But as a summer PV, it's... not... summery. At the same time though, I'm not sure if Natsu no Free&Easy needs all the obvious summer stuff in it like beaches and swimming to be a summer PV. Because let's face it, not everyone spends their summers at the beach all year. But I do know that for many young people, summer is free and easy. There's no school, the burden of adulthood hasn't made its presence known yet, and those three months of freedom seem like forever. Watching all the girls of Nogizaka46 in this PV, I noticed that they all looked happy and carefree. Listening to music can ease just about anyone nerve's if you play the right song, and as someone who loves music, I identified with the whole headphones thing. Even putting the headphones aside, all the girls are still doing fun activities like shopping, reading books, hanging out with friends, etc. And isn't that something many young people do in the summer? I know those activities are much more fun when I don't have to worry about midterms. I'd like to think of Natsu no Free&Easy as an urban summer PV for those people who can't get near the beach.

So that's my take on Natsu no Free&Easy. Overall, I think it's a good PV, but I didn't like it as much as Kizuitara Kataomoi or Barrette. I even liked Girl's Rule a bit better. I do think that watching the PV for Natsu no Free&Easy makes the song more enjoyable. Alone, I still think the song is a lackluster effort for Nogizaka46. Even the PV is a little lackluster compared to their previous stuff, but still pretty good. If you're looking for something easy on the eyes, then you'll like Natsu no Free&Easy. The locations and cinematography really are the best part of this PV. Also, I have no explanation for the giant circle the girls made at the end. I'm sticking with my quality-sucking from AKB48 theory. At least the colors in that shot were pretty too! When I think of Nogizaka46's disastrous early PVs, it does broaden my opinion a little bit. Natsu no Free&Easy is such a step forward compared to Oide Shampoo. It's like I'm not even looking at the same group! Still, I'm remaining wary toward Nogizaka46. They have the potential to sour at any minute, and I do not have time to deal with that disappointment. But I'd prefer if they came out with something awesome over the former...

After much contemplation, I am gonna end up giving Natsu no Free&Easy three apples. The song is one of those songs that just exists. It doesn't really contribute anything to the world, but it's out there. The PV for Natsu no Free&Easy is much better, but a little less than what I was expecting from Nogizaka46. This entire release is a little less than what I was expecting from Nogizaka46. Oh well, I'll cross my fingers and hope for a better single next time.