It’s really good to see AyumiKurikaMaki working again. At the end of last year, we learned some pretty terrible news that they were involved in a car accident severe enough to postpone their activities for a time. Thankfully, everyone is doing just fine and we’re back to business as usual. This group always has wonderful energy and they’re starting off this year pretty strong.
This PV wastes no time getting into the rock star hype. The first thing I noticed is the film grain effect thrown onto the video, and it stays on consistently. I actually like and accept it as an artistic choice since it’s very light and unobtrusive.
The colors also give off a nice sense of aged film without destroying the shots. The technical side of this PV is on point with just the right amount of effects, mixed in with some really awesomely shot scenes that don’t linger or feel too short. The mood is consistent and fantastically presented.
The girls themselves bring a lot of hype to the PV, too. All of the dancing scenes are super energetic as expected of AyumiKurikaMaki. The two primary outfits of this PV consist of black shirts and jackets paired with their usual kuma-inspired hoodies and skirts. In other shots, we’re treated to some kuma-cheerleaders.
As always, the girls look great. They know how to appeal to the camera and deliver some really badass expressions. We’re also exposed to the kuma theme a little more with a bunch of bear extras chasing the honey. Literally. It’s maybe just a little out of place compared to the badass-ness of the other shots, but it’s fun enough to let it slide.
The song is very similar to past AyumiKurikaMaki offerings, which is great. These girls deliver some really awesome rock songs, combining solid, soothing idol vocals while keeping the energy consistently high. The instrumentals are rich in content have some pretty legit guitar riffs. This is definitely a solid entry into the AyumiKurikaMaki catalog all-around.
“WAR CRY” is part of AyumiKurikaMaki’s first album, “AyumiKurikaMaki ga Yattekuru! Kuma! Kuma! Kuma!”, which dropped April 13th.
Watch: YouTube (Official, Short Ver., Region Locked)
(Unable to find another copy as of posting, sorry. Y’all know where to get it, I’m sure.)
Buy on Amazon JP: Regular Edition | Limited Edition
| Limited Pressing
Buy on CDJapan: Regular Edition | Limited Edition | Limited Pressing