Kis-My-Ft2 re-releases SHE! HER! HER! for chaku uta

It has been announced that Kis-My-Ft2 will be releasing a new version of their SHE! HER! HER! song for chaku uta download. This version will have the fan calls (which are what the fans shout out during the song at certain points) included. This way fans can learn the chants for when they see the group perform the song live. 

As this is a chaku uta download only release only those in Japan will be able to buy the song for their cell phones. 

Musicman-net article (Japanese)

I think it is rather nice that they will release this version of the song. One of the big things about going to a concert in Japan is doing all the cheers and hand movements with the rest of the audience. And Johnny's seems to like trying to get the audience to participate like with them having put up videos on Johnny's net to teach dances before so this kind of release seems to be another extension of that. 

It is just a pity that it is a Japan only release.

Hey! Say! JUMP - Mayonaka no Shadow Boy PV review

Well another day another PV review. Since it will be hard to get them all done before the end of the month I think I will just do one a day from now on until May and then have what I have left be something I can fall back on when I have nothing else to post for a day.

Today's PV is Hey! Say! JUMP's Mayonaka no Shadow Boy PV. This song was the theme song of the drama series Scrap Teacher that starred Yamada Ryosuke, Nakajima Yuto, Chinen Yuri and Arioka Daiki and was the origin of the Junior group B.I.Shadow as the three original members of the group, Nakajima Kento, Kikuchi Fuma and Takahata Misaki were all regular cast members in the drama as well.

This PV is the start of HSJ's move towards a more mature sound but without straying too far from what they had already released on their previous singles.

I remember when the PV came out and how it was stressed that this was the first PV HSJ got to do that had some kind of story line in it. And while it is not much of one it was a nice change of pace. We pretty much start the PV with the boys on the run and taking a break in a hotel.

Escape from the pedos.

Yamada of course has moved to be the front man, or I guess Ace would be the idol term for it, of the group.  And it is understandable why, because TV exposure is so key to gaining popularity and Yamada had been getting plenty of that from his drama roles.

Because Arioka knows everyone loves a sharp dressed man.

Because Yamada, Yuto, Chinen and Arioka had roles in the drama this song had the tie-in for they got the main focus of the PV. In a way it pretty much set up who would get the main focus of the group over time though that has been shifting a bit as other members get work that helps boost their popularity or Johnny's decides to push them during it for promotion.

Still need to work on that in sync thing.

Even though we have a story for this PV we still get a dance portion, though we do not see much of it. The moves are more complex like Your Seed but much more with the hand gestures. And I think I have gained a greater appreciation of HSJ's current dance skill level as it has improved a lot since these early days.

Vain vanity. 

Rather love how when everyone is in the hotel rooms Takaki Yuya seeks out the mirrors and fixes his hair.

"Shadow."

Mayonaka no Shadow Boy was the song that started the trend of having a pause for a members, which was Yamada for the vast majority of the time, to say something. For this song we get "shadow" as the spoken word.

It's not nice to point Yabu.

And I forgot how tiny Chinen used to be. I think it is more apparent with this PV as this was about the time just about all the other members of Hey! Say! 7 had growth spurts but seemingly Chinen and Yamada.

Laying in bed, looking at Inoo...

I do like this panning shot that moves through some of the rooms. Though I do kinda wish they did something more with it with the boys instead of them be still.

Watching for the pedos.

Morimoto Ryutaro seems to be the only boy that decided to be useful and kept a look out for everyone. He of course spots the three black clad men coming to the hotel and signals to his roommate, Okamoto Keito, for them to leave.

The last we see of his adorable boy phase in a PV.

While I remember Yamada getting his "shadow" line I actually had forgotten that Yuto got one too later on. Which makes sense as he had one of the larger roles in the drama. This is last PV he gets featured more than Chinen until Super Delicate, which he can thank for his drama for as well.

Yabu found something suspiciously wet on his bed.

After that all the boys either are seen reacting to seeing/hearing the men approach or getting up and going.

Already making his fan girls swoon.

While the rest of the group runs Yamada keeps his cool and does not move from his chair. And when the men find his door just smirks.

"Hurry! He escaped through the closed window!"

And the PV ends with the shadowy figures entering Yamada's room to find it empty and the drapes of the closed window blowing a bit.


It is not a bad PV though I do not think it is one of their more memorable ones. Out of their singles from their first album this PV is the one I remember the least about, partly because Hitomi no Screen was very much in the same tone as this was and had more compelling cinematography with it than this which makes me remember it more.

Probably the most disheartening think about this PV is the reminder that is would take over a year before we got their next single and PV. I would really love to know what Johnny's was thinking when they did that.

Amuro Namie ft. Yamashita Tomohisa - Unusual PV review

I will not lie, a good part of why I am doing this PV for the reviews is because I am a Amuro Namie fan. I do not follow her closely but I love her music and make sure to buy her albums, or at least the newer ones as I love her hip-pop sound. But hey, the PV does have a good amount of Yamashita Tomohisa in it too so it is not like it is not related to Johnny's.

Like I said before I enjoy Namie's hip-pop sound and I think Yamapi is the perfect Johnny's artist to fit in the genre. Even though Akanishi Jin could have worked as his sound is not that far off of Yamapi's Super Good, Super Bad era material I think the two have distinctive enough styles I do not think it would work out quite as well if it was Jin and not Yamapi in this collaboration. But I will say that when it comes to them both I do tend to find myself liking their collaborations more than their usual solo material.

Guess who Yamapi is cosplaying.

It seems surprising to see that Yamapi is the first to be seen for the PV but with how the PV ends I think it works perfectly. He also gets to start the PV off by "writing" the title of the song on the screen.

The Queen of Hip-pop.

Of course it is not long before the true star of the song and PV shows up and looks amazing like usual. I do find it interesting that with the stigma Japan has with tattoos Namie has no issue showing off hers. But maybe minds are changing about them in Japan these days.

The power of the dark crystal.

I really love this effect when we go back to Yamapi and have him walking through the diamonds(?). One large one passes over him and he get him in black which leads to a scene change. I just love how organic that change is in the PV instead of a sudden scene change to something different like most PVs do.

Looking fab.

We then get scenes of them both walking down this purple corridor and looking stunning. I think I like these black outfits best for the both of them, but I rather love all that Namie wears in this PV.

"Remember this is the head guys should think with or you will end up like Jin."

While Yamapi is not a favorite of mine I have no trouble in admitting that I do think he is good looking. Of course he looks best when he is actually emoting which does not seem to be often these days but he seems to put some effort towards that in this PV.

Doing the doggy paddle.

And we get the first dance scene and it is the two of them together. Honestly it would not feel quite right without such a scene as Namie is known for her dancing and I just cannot see Jin doing scenes like these which is another reason I feel Yamapi is the more natural fit for this kind of collaboration. It is also interesting to see how Yamapi has to adjust his moves to try to keep in sync with Namie with their height difference.

Yamapi has blue balls... who knew?

We get another scene change with Yamapi moving to a part of the screen that falls away to reveal with room/stage.

Sitting in a chair like a boss. 

This because I just love how comfortable Namie looks even though it does not look like the most comfortable positions to be in.

If there's a window where's the door?

Love these scenes with the window. Not only is it with my favorite stage of the PV but it works well with the back and forth lines in the song between the two as it looks like the two could possibly be addressing each other. It also highlights the symmetry of the PV between the two as they are constantly trading off between each other.

Showing off the swagger.

To add some more variety we get a spinning camera with the two back to back. I really love how this works  like the window where it lets the two switch back and forth with their lines while keeping both of them on the screen. Though it is with these scenes I began to notice how Namie's voice tend to over power Yamapi's in parts. That most likely is intentional though since he is the featured artist of the song after all.

Ready to be schooled?

We get another dance scene with each taking turns being closer to the camera and showing off their dance skills while the other dances simpler steps in the back ground. And I cannot help but be amazed that Namie can dance in such high and thin heels. But I guess without them Yamapi would tower over her even more.

The queen's throne is a seat for one.

I do not know why but I really do love this set. Maybe because I like how blue and white go together. But Yamapi and Namie continue to look pretty.

Can't say Yamapi is not watching where he's putting his hand.

In a way this is like watching a Domoto Koichi PV in the fact that Yamapi gets to actually interact with a member of the opposite gender. I just really hope there are not obsessive fan girls that hated Namie for this though.

Yamapi looking good and knowing it.

Pretty much just have this here because I like how Yamapi looks. It is not so dead-fish-eye and does show the kind of attitude that is a good fit for the atmosphere of the PV and song.

Yamapi, the muscle and Namie, the flamingo. 

Love how this is not even really an idol PV yet there is a corny finish pose in it.

Unusual that Namie is not looking as fab as usual here.

The PV ends with Namie taking Yamapi's place from the start of the PV to finish off with the symmetry. And as Yamapi writes the song title Namie erases it to bring the PV to the final close.


Yamapi is far from my favorite Johnny's but every once in a while I find myself liking something that he is doing which is where Unusual falls. And I think with his movement to a musical style that falls probably best in the hip-pop category this is a perfect PV, song and collaboration to help cement that new image that he was making for himself at the time.

Plus he gets to be a Johnny's first with being the first Johnny's to be featured in an non-Johnny's PV. And we all know how much Johnny's loves their firsts in anything.

Hey! Say! JUMP to release 2nd album

Waking up to news like this is always great. CDJapan has listings up for Hey! Say! JUMP's second album that is set to be released on June 6th, 2012. The album is currently untitled but CDJapan does have the track listing up for both editions of the album.

Unlike their first album it looks like getting both versions of the album is something fans are going to really want to do as there are songs on either edition not on the other and the limited edition actually comes with a bonus DVD this time.

The limited edition's DVD will have footage for the recording of the album as well as the jacket shooting. The tracks that are not on the regular edition but on this one are all previous concert only songs, ウタウタウ(Uta utau) (Hey! Say! 7), スパイシー(Spicy) (Hey! Say! BEST) and Endless Dream. There is also an undetermined track that may not be the same as on the regular edition as well.


2nd Album: Title is to be announced [w/ DVD, Limited Edition] / Hey! Say! JUMP

The regular edition has a first press edition that will come with a 3-D booklet. It will have at least three new songs not on the limited edition of the album, 花 えがお(Hana egao) (Hey! Say! 7), スナップ(Snap) (Hey! Say! BEST) and シングルメドレー〜orchestra version〜(a single medley). It will also have messages from the members of the group.

2nd Album: Title is to be announced [Regular Edition] / Hey! Say! JUMP

The track listing for both albums are (though I have the feeling this will not be the order of the songs):

1. 「ありがとう」〜世界のどこにいても〜(Arigato ~Sekai no Doko ni Itemo~)
2. OVER
3. Magic Power
4. SUPER DELICATE
5. パーフェクト ライフ (Perfect Life)
6. Hurry up!
7. つなぐ手と手 (Tsunagu te to te)
8. サム&ピンキー (not sure about the English for this but I would guess Thumb & Pinky)
9. 僕はVampire (Boku wa Vampire)
10. Hero
11. Together forever


I am really happy that we are finally getting this second album from HSJ. I was worried that we would be waiting until the end of the year to get it so a mid-year release is still rather nice. I just have to hope I can get enough money soon to get the limited edition before it sells out and get the regular edition later on as there is no way I can just pick one version like I could with their first album. Especially with the limited edition having those previously unreleased songs on it.

NYC - Yumetamago PV review

As promised here is the second PV review of the day, this time for the trio NYC.

Yumetamago is the second single for the group after becoming NYC from NYC boys and sets the theme of the group up for the rest of their releases so far. A young group with songs that are aimed for the younger, like elementary and/or middle school crowd. So a lot of cute, which still kinda fit for the three boys when this single was released but nowadays it feels like they have outgrown it. Especially seeing the kind of songs and performances Yamada Ryosuke and Chinen Yuri are doing as members of Hey! Say! JUMP. But I will put that aside for this review now as they still worked fine with the cute look when this was released.

Honey, somebody shrunk the idols.

I love this set, even though it is easy to see that most of it was CGI-ed in later and the boys are in front of green screens. But it is fun and imaginative and very fitting for the feel of the song.

Yamada and Chinen are forever tiny.

The PV has no dance portion and instead it has plenty of scenes of the boys together singing. Thankfully they keep it interesting by changing the scenery for the boys to be in.

Kansai pride.

Even from then it is hard to think Nakayama Yuma is the youngest of the group. Though it is easier to see that he is the least experience as Yamada and Chinen work the camera better than he does.

Looks like Johnny's found some Pym particles. 

I do wonder where the kitchen came from as I do not think I see one in the doll house, and even then they would have to have to shrink even more to be able to fit on those cups.

The have the size and strength of ants.

 Then we get a hint of a plot for the PV as the boys roll an egg over and throw it in a steaming pot. Thus giving us the tamago (Japanese for egg) from the song title.

Yamada looks like he's ready to take Yuma down.

 As they wait for the egg to boil they busy themselves with things to do. Chinen goes fishing, probably to try to be like his idol Ohno Satoshi, while Yuma and Yamada swing plastic spoon things at each other.

I did not except the sandman to look like that.

But then we get the yume (Japanese for dream) in the PV to introduce the next batch of scenes for the PV.

Do airline pilots even salute?

We get to see the boys in cosplay of various occupations. Each get two different ones each. It it nice to see that the PV really does try to tie itself to the song and its theme like this, plus it is fun to see the boys play dress up as they pretend to take on various occupations.

That does not look like a comfortable bed.

Then for some reason the background of the doll house turns to night. I guess to show time has passed as the boys wait for the egg to be done.

It's kinda like a Kinder Egg.

Then the egg is done and it cracks open to reveal a bunch of random looking items. Though most actually can be tied to the different occupations the boys were dressed up as earlier in the PV.

Did they shrink even smaller?

After everything flies out of it the egg reveals that it was hiding the group's name in it. And the boys sing in front of it, though I guess if there was any time good for a dance scene this would be it. But I guess that was not meant to be.

Tiny!Yamada the fussball star.

We get to see the boys in their "dream" professions but this time living them out, but on the small scale. I guess these are still meant to be only dreams.

This is the house Johnny's built.

And we get a closing shot of the boys, finally full sized again with the dollhouse before the curtains close on them.


I like this PV, it is creative enough to be remembered easily and the use of the theme of the song to tie in the PV to the song really makes it work. With the boys still being in their mid-teens the cuteness of it all still works fine for them, especially with the group having Yamada and Chinen who seem to be currently stuck looking like they are about sixteen. It also does well to show what kind of fans this group is to appeal to and what kind of music to expect from this group.

Sexy Zone - Lady Diamond PV review

Meant to do this review much earlier but I kept getting distracted with other things. But I figured I put it off enough and I will need a break from Hey! Say! JUMP/NYC PVs for my PV reviews anyway. On that note I will try to post another PV review today so I can try to get them all done this month.

I am rather surprised with how much I have come to like this song. I blame the fact that it is just really catchy and I have been getting the chorus stuck in my head when I least expect it. Which is rather surprising as I do not have the single to listen to (I have to wait for my pre-order of NMB48's new single to be sent early next month to finally have it) so it is only there from the few listens of the song with the PV.

How exciting it must be for the Jrs to get an outfit that has not been worn before.

I honestly thought I was watching the wrong video at first with these scenes being at the start but with re-watches I rather like them. You can tell that they are trying to give the idea that this video is more the boys' idea than a director's but I am sure that is not really true. Still if you quiet your cynic side and play pretend with the boys it is all rather fun.

All the colors of the rainbow and then some.

I love the stage as it does fit the amusement park theme of the PV perfectly and is interesting to see throughout the PV as the camera only focuses on sections to make this area feel much bigger than it is.

The Juniors get to act as part of the scenery for the PV in their costumes.

Showing of the bling.

Thankfully SZ is without the roses this time but they are not without a gimmick, which this time are the huge gaudy rings they have on their gloved hands.

Also their outfits this time look to be homages to Michael Jackson's with the one gloved hand and the pants looking like MJ's iconic ones. I guess they decided to play up Johnny Kitagawa's quote of this group supposed to be sexy like Michael Jackson this time. Though I still refuse to buy into this group being sexy at this stage. Maybe Nakajima Kento and Kikuchi Fuma, but the rest have a lot of growing still to do.

A true diamond in this group.

Speaking of which, Nakaken of course looking good like always. I love that he and Fuma are featured rather prominently in the song, with the both of them getting most of the solo lines. But this song fits them a bit better with it being a love song and they have good enough voices to carry a solo line. In fact I was rather surprised with how much I liked their voices on their own as I never really noticed them much until this song. I think they have definitely improved and I hope they continue as a smaller voice like this will make weak voices more noticeable.

Showing off that ankle.

Another thing I noticed about the two older members of the group is that they seem to have some moves that the younger ones do not do and those are a bit more complicated. I think it shows the difference in experience seeing as the younger ones are also the ones newest to the agency. But it works with how the group splits itself right now.

Everyone! Stage right!

Overall I like the dance in general. It does not really stand out and has some odd looking moves but that is your typical Johnny's dance, especially for the younger boys. And it is not the dance that sells this song anyway.

SZ shares their stash of pixie dust.

For the second half of the PV the boys of SZ sprinkle magic dust on the frozen Juniors to bring them to "life".

If bugs were this cute who would ever want to squish them?

Which leads to many an adorable scene. So we get the true selling point of groups like SZ, cute boys doing cute things.

In Lady Diamond Land everything sparkles.

With the Juniors unfrozen they take up the usual role of back up dancers to the group.

"I am looking for a man with six fingers."

We get an instrumental break and while other groups would have it be a dance break SZ instead brings out more cute. Like Fuma doing a sword duel with two of the Juniors.

Singer, Dancer, Actor, Poet... an overused gimmick with his name meaning victory.

Also we get Sato Shori saying a haiku that he composed himself. After this and his "Sexy Rose" line in their debut single I am beginning to wonder if this is going to be a signature thing for SZ songs, for at least their start as I am sure once they begin moving towards more mature songs and looks it will have to be dropped as it is pretty corny for the most part.

So cute, but please do not be asking for touching and kissing yet.

Yo Marius has come a long way since SZ's debut and it is easy to pick up on with this PV. He seems much more comfortable performing and shows that he does know something about how to work the camera. It will be interesting to see how much more he can improve over time.

=o

The opening of the treasure chest, while random, is rather cute. Especially all the boys' expressions, though Marius and Shori look more shocked than amazed.

Are they in London then?

The PV comes to a close with more dancing but this time with smoke machines and glitter confetti falling down.

So how many cavities did you end up with?

I like how it ends with the big group picture of them all. Even though SZ seems to be sticking with the Juniors a lot I think it works as they are still a very fresh group and are probably still learning a lot so having the others there probably helps take some pressure off. It will be a bit sad when the Juniors are taken away from them, but hopefully by then they are all ready to be able to stand on their own and command the stage.


Love this PV for this group. This is a perfect PV for a young group like this and is much more fitting for SZ than their own name. It does make me look forward to their next release even though it looks like we will be going back to the usual volleyball support song, but I like those and I am curious about the lyrics with Shori having written them.