08 August 2012

Kanjani8 - ER PV review

I figured I should do something for August 8th for Kanjani8 as this is one of the major dates that they are doing things for this year as a part of their 8th anniversary.


This review is for the super mix version of the PV which combines the other two versions, the catalog and the lip-sync versions.

The catalog version is basically just these kinds of information shots with the song in the background. So on its own it is not the most interesting of PVs but mixed in with the other scenes that come from the lip-synch version they work rather well.

While the lip-synch scenes are sorta what you would expect with focus on the members singing it also covers all the action shots as well so it makes the main bulk of the PV.

I love these data screens of the guys. It reminds me a lot of video games with the stats. I also love how Murakami Shingo is not the Purple Ranger but the Nasu (eggplant) Ranger even though everyone is simply their outfit color (ie Red Ranger, Yellow Ranger, Black Ranger, etc...).

Overall the PV is good at making sure every member gets a good amount of screen time but even then Shibutani Subaru and Nishikido Ryo seem to get a bit more, mainly because they seem to be the main vocals of the song. Which is absolutely nothing new when it comes to Subaru as one of his main features as a member of the group is being the voice as the guy can certainly sing.

Between the singing shots and the catalog scenes we get these action shots of the guys running through what looks like some kind of virtual simulator.

Of course keeping it to those scenes alone would not be enough for this PV, which quickly jumps from screen to screen, so we have the rangers standing with water getting thrown on them mixed in as well.

The catalog footage also features various special moves with some of them looking quite special indeed.

They also bust out some moves in the simulation scenes with varying effectiveness in helping them out.

I love these shots of the guys in uniform in front of a screen with their "civilian" identities. They actually manage to look cool.

I do not know what is up with this dance move but it looks like so much fun. In fact the whole dance routine that we get to see is like that and is worth hunting down their lives of it.

And of course we get follow up of the water shots as each member gets to be soaked.

The special moves that we see with the catalog footage are a lot of fun and really play into the characters that the guys created with the Eight Rangers.

And of course we get clips of the guys from behind as one of the features of the outfits is the infinity symbol being placed where it is.

No real reason for this screen cap other than Ohkura Tadayoshi looking cute as he is want to do.

And then we have Subaru upside down because really, why not? It is hardly the oddest thing about this PV anyway.

As we hit the end of the PV we get the water splash scenes in reverse and all seven members are highlighted.

And how can you finish anything sentai related without busting out the sentai group pose? You cannot, which is exactly why the PV makes sure to end it with it.


I rather love this PV as it really captures the maniac energy of the song itself. And with so much going on it makes you want to watch it again to try to catch everything you missed from earlier views. There is a lot of flashing lights going on during parts so be warned about that if you do not do well with that kind of thing.

I think it is great that Kanjani8 were able to take what began as a concert skit and bring it so far that it is not only featured for a single but became a movie. The Eight Rangers is something that the guys can be certainly proud of as they have made it into a staple of their image.

It is something that draws me to the group more and more as I love super heroes of both the Western and Eastern variety. I cannot wait to see the movie, though as an overseas fan it means having to wait for the home video release of it.

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