Last week I checked out “Tokyo to Iu Katasumi” with a mostly lukewarm response. I felt like it was a step up, but I still didn’t feel plugged back into Morning Musume. Well, now we get to try again with the second PV in this single, and uh, I think I might be plugged back in, guys.
I’m going to lay my general opinion out on the table upfront so I don’t end up repeating myself too much: This PV is massively good quality in just about every aspect. Let’s get the more generic stuff out of the way. The dance shot set in a large, empty presentation hall painted in a very dull 70’s yellow. On the bright side, the lighting is great and the solo and smaller group shots are filmed in a really nice looking room full of chandeliers that are dangerously low to the ground, but make for a very pleasurable backdrop.
Everything is shot very, very well. Unlike a lot of Japanese-produced content which relies on rapid changes to induce a feeling of content, this PV has actual… well, content. Shots tend to linger just a bit, and considering the quality dancing and striking poses, it’s a wonderful thing. The dance borrows elements from typical idol dancing with a little ballet thrown in there, and it looks really nice. It compliments the song’s mild energy very well. It’s elegant and not over the top. The pose shots are plentiful and everyone looks pretty gorgeous. Everything about this PV fits the song so perfectly.
The outfits for this PV are pretty sweet, too. I really like the blue-on-white theme, and the gold details and bows on the back look really nice. Thanks to these outfits and some pretty wonderful editing, everyone looks really stunning in this PV. This video is pure eye candy all-around.
As for the song itself, I like it a lot. It’s upbeat, yet kinda mellow. Catchy, but uniform. These contradictions work together to create a very mild pop song. It doesn’t exactly break any new ground and follows Morning Musume’s recent sound, but much like the video the awesome execution pushed it into great status. The vocals are pretty much chorus-only and break into groups of two at the smallest. If there is any gripe to be had, I think that might be it. Even so, it’s still a very pleasant listen. I think it’s pretty rock solid.
Morning Musume ’16’s 61st single drops May 11th.
Watch: YouTube (Official)
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