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Tokyo Girls’ Update Recommend: Our Favorite MVs for Songs Released April 2015
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April started off in a big way with Babyraids JAPAN, ℃-ute, Doll☆Elements, TsuriBit, Akamaru Dash☆, Rio Hiiragi, Yukari Tamura, and Tokyo Rockets among those releasing singles on the first of the month! There was no doubt that a lot of good songs went on sale but, as this is a list of MVs, there’s a big chance that some of your favorites will not be included simply because their video was not deemed that special compared to the competition. Here are 10 of the most interesting MVs for songs released in April listed in chronological order according to their release date.
Rio Hiiragi – “Akiba Romance ~Wotaku no Seiichi☆Akihabara~” (release date: April 1)
One of the coupling songs from “Kimagure I love you ~Watashi wo Mitsukete~” (Type-B, Type-D), “Akiba Romance ~Wotaku no Seiichi☆Akihabara~” is an encouraging song about Akihabara and otaku culture with subtitles in English, French, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese and Japanese! Watch as “Riorio” parties in the streets of Japan’s electric town with her fans, maids, and a panda while reaffirming that it’s okay to be seen as a little strange compared to the foolish commoners of the world!
TsuriBit – “Makenai Guts~ Itsuka Sekai wo Tsuri Agemasu~” (release date: April 1)
Fishing idols TsuriBit appear in an office with cheerleading outfits and pom poms to encourage a stressed-out office worker (played by former boxing champion Guts Ishimatsu) as he tries to please his boss. With masses of new graduates traditionally starting new jobs every April, “Makenai Guts~ Itsuka Sekai wo Tsuri Agemasu~” might be part of a new wave of seasonal songs in Japan?
℃-ute – “The Middle Management~Josei Chuukan Kanrishoku” (release date: April 1)
Continuing with the workplace theme, ℃-ute show a mature side in the MV for “The Middle Management~Josei Chuukan Kanrishoku”. As the eldest group in Hello! Project, parallels can be drawn between their situation and a young woman trying to juggle romance and a career. As always, the choreography and styling is amazing as well.
Moso Calibration – “Mahou no Juice” (release date: April 7)
The first MV in the world to take advantage of the HIKARU SKIRT technology to illuminate the “zettai ryoiki” (Originally a term from Evangelion, “Absolute territory” in English, has come to refer to the section of skin exposed between the hem of a miniskirt and the top of knee high socks) has Moso Calibration dancing around their home turf of Akihabara.
Akishibu project – “Eternal Blue ~Kimi to Boku to Sora to Umi~” (release date: April 14)
“Eternal Blue ~Kimi to Boku to Sora to Umi~” from Akishibu project’s debut mini album “Midaregami Fighting Girl” was first performed at their sold out “one-man live” (solo concert) “Akishibu Way~Bokura ga Susumu Sekai ni Matteiru Mirai~” at TSUTAYA O-WEST on January 25, 2015. Despite being relative veterans to the idol scene after years of hard work, it is a symbolic first step closer to their dreams.
Morning Musume. ’15 – “Seishun Kozo ga Naiteiru” (release date: April 15)
Directed by Shuhei Shibue, who was the winner of the Fuji TV year-end competition show “The Big Chance”, the “Another Version” of “Seishun Kozo ga Naiteiru” is full of CG and symbolism that many Hello! Project fans have analyzed very carefully, likening the train to Morning Musume and the jumping off of it to mistakes made during their journey in the group. After the vocal disappointment of fans at the absence of Kanon Suzuki and the amount of closeups her replacement Karin Miyamoto (Juice=Juice) received in the “Promotion Edit”, “Zukki” appears in this version. There are also many references to the personalities of the members and their personal relationships with each other. Did you notice them? Can Hello! Project get Shibue to direct more of their MVs in the future? Please?
Bandjanaimon! – “Chocolat Love (Umare Kawari Ver.)”
The revamped Bandjanaimon! remake their classic song “Chocolat Love” and imagine what it would be like if their lives had been different and take the viewer on a series of imaginary dates. Compared to the original version, it it not as close to the theme of the song but, still worth watching again and again!
Tochiotome 25 – “Yu” (release date: April 22)
Because “Golden Week” starts at the end of April, Tochigi local idol group Tochiotome 25 managed to show up with a timely MV for their single “Yu”. The video starts off in a very dark manner but it will be hard to stop smiling as the stressed out salaryman’s worries are washed away in a very enthusiastic fashion by the members who are dressed as staff at an onsen.
Momoiro Clover Z – “Z no Chikai” (release date: April 29)
Momoiro Clover Z in Dragon Ball cosplay performing the theme song for a movie in the series should be reason enough that “Z no Chikai” is on the list. The full version is even more amazing than the previously released short version! Just like their April Fool’s Day prank, the members all became Freeza! The only regret would have to be that no one seems to be making a Dragon Ball movie starring the members of Momoiro Clover Z in it! At the rate they are going, it will be hard for Momoclo to keep outdoing themselves!
Perfume – “Pick Me Up” (release date: April 29)
Last but definitely not least, Perfume is teleported to a fantasy world located within Isetan department store and rescue their alternate selves from certain doom all while looking spectacular! OK Go make a cameo appearance in the beginning also. But what more can be said about a Perfume MV? The dancing is amazing and their sense of fashion is amazing all the time! There was also the MV for “Relax in the City” but it was no match for “Pick Me Up”, especially when it wasn’t even a full-length version.
Unfortunately, we had to leave out the MV for the highly anticipated Shoko-tan♥Dempagumi collaboration song “PUNCH LINE!” because it is not currently available outside of Japan. This was unfortunate since it seemed like it was the formation of the strongest otaku idol unit in history. Maybe there will be better luck for the answer single by Dempagumi♥Shoko-tan?
Even worse, there were no MVs by any girls’ bands in April that we felt were worthy. Definitely let us know if we overlooked someone who should get more recognition though.
With so many people releasing so much music in April, even just narrowing this list down to 10 was incredibly difficult. There was some debate about making the list go up to 15 or 20 (or at least 11 because that’s 1 more than 10) but even then, there would still be MVs that we would have to leave out, and if we just listed all of them, there wouldn’t be much point to that either now would there? Definitely let us know which ones you think should have been included or think that we overlooked!
Bandjanaimon! Official site: https://banmon.jp/
℃-ute Official site: http://www.helloproject.com/c-ute/
Rio Hiiragi Official site: http://sunlighting.jp/rio/en/
Momoiro Clover Z Official site: http://www.momoclo.net/
Morning Musume. ’15 official site: http://www.helloproject.com/morningmusume/
Moso Calibration official site: http://mosoclbr.com/
Perfume official site: http://www.perfume-web.jp/
Akishibu project Official site: http://akishibup.net/
Tochiotome 25 Official site: http://tochiotome25.com/
TsuriBit Official site: http://tsuribit.com/
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Kai Okudara
Writer, researcher, photographer, foodie, KSDD
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