A Look at Johnny's Entertainment Groups: The 3 Day Challenge - Day 2

Opinions, opinions, they fly around everywhere... but mine are here mostly, so stay for some opinionated tea!

Day/Night: 2

Last night I came to this conclusion: Even if the 3 Day challenge to watch a few JEnt groups fails to totally convert me into a fangirlish squeal over these guys, I have the feeling that I would have changed my mind enough to at least watch their PV's and review them when a new one pops up on the ever so wonderful Tokyohive. Already I like what I hear, but just having music that I like does not mean that I am fully converted (yet). I guess I'm still rooted straight to my Idol girls that I adore so darned much, but in a way... I know that I've let myself open my mind to boy groups enough to be able to really enjoy them, something which I quite obviously did not do as a child.

And so, continuing from yesterday, and ignoring the work that I need to hand in to my tutor tomorrow, I will return to the land of the boy bands. Yes, I had a half hour's worth of girlish pleasure thanks to Morning Musume (the sound of Kusumi is quite soothing after a long days, er... 'work') and Houkago Princess (not dead yet for me), so now I will actually kick back, relax, and try to convert myself a little more...

Solo Songs

So starting this post off, my dear friend Phob sent me two solo songs from ex-KAT-TUN member, Akanishi Jin, and fresh-off-the-Papers ex-NEWS member Yamapi. So, because I am actually trying to branch out to male Idols in general, I guess solo's are a part of the package too, considering they are/were (dunno) JEnt members. So, let's go~

Song 1: Tomohisa Yamashita: Hadakanbo

Straight into the song, and I notice the suit: Sparkly, wonderful and oh-so-camp... yet Yamapi rocks it! I didn't even giggle when I first saw it. I just stared at Yamapi's absolute hotness, because seriously, if he can pull off that spangly suit whilst still maintaining serious masculinity, I... well, I'm just speechless. Is it so wrong that I want to rip that suit off of him and devour his living being?

nashdjbsjhdbajhb!!! No wonder! He's hot! And the faces he pulls are pretty, well, sexy. Thank goodness for his gorgeous face, because without that, I would have really disliked the video. The song itself is a rather boring affair, but Yamapi creates such a gorgeous performance, despite being clad in a (rather camp) sparkly suit that glitters with every light that he comes across. I'm also not a fan of the setting - I forget what era the setting looks like, but it reminds me like one of those theatres that rich, snooty people went to back in the day... I don't know...

I'm reminded of Bugsy Malone for some reason...

Anyway, the song is not very tasteful, to me, but Yamapi's performance really won me over. He's gorgeous, and it kept me going along with the video. Yamapi is so hot!


Song 2: Akanishi Jin: Eternal

I was sent this video for the pure fact that Akanishi Jin is my friend Phob's second favourite Japanese singer, just behind Gackt a little (there's a road I might be forced to go down...) and just before Kame. And I can see 9and hear) why she likes him. Jin is a hunk full of gorgeousness and his voice is absolutely beautiful - probably one of the most beautiful voices I have heard. Probably better than... nah, I can't think of anyone. He's beaten them all with a stick already.

Regarding the video itself, I really do like it. As you all must know by now, I love simple videos (some more than others, mind), as long as the singer or band know how to portray themselves in these videos. They really do need to sell me on emotion and how they act, and lord does Jin know how to sell it. His expressions are enough to hook you, to make you want to hug him and take away that pain, to cry with him and to throw a flying kick at the bitch who did this to him, who made him feel pain.

I think that the song is so beautiful, though it doesn't strike me in a way like Utada Hikaru's First Love does, but it still makes me want to hug the guy and to kiss him... his lips look rather delicious in this video...

Damn you, Phob.

The Groups

Back to the groups now. I have actually taken to looking for the other songs by myself right now, however Phob has kindly directed me towards the path that is NEWS, so let's see how I deal with them.

Song 3: NEWS: Koi no Abo

Straight in and the song is not to my tastes. I am not a fan of this song already, and I want to close the window down so that I can look for some Hey! Say! Jump! and spout rainbows and sparkles as I giggle of them and squee a little. But, I won't. Because I have to challenge myself, and even though about half of the group aren't really that cute, I will put up with the rest of the song and the video.

Now, let's get to the video - I don't like it, however the dancing is really funny in this one, and I smirked at it. It's actually quite cute, the way they bob their heads, when you think about it, but the rest of it (other than the sunglasses guy looking downright fiiine EDIT found out he's Yamapi, no wonder) is pretty boring and nothing to my tastes. It's dark, and there isn't enough going on to keep me entertained. I was pretty bored whilst watching the video, and unlike Yamapi's gorgeous influence that won me over in Hadakanbo, there was nothing to grasp my heart and to tickle me pink in this video.

NEWS, you failed!

Song 4: Arashi: Dear Snow

I said that I would come back to Arashi, and I have. The song that Ray of International Wota sent me didn't really tickle my fancy in any way, other than the fact that the video was a cute and camp affair that made me giggle, the song did me no justice. But, I do have some faith in Arashi to make me like them a little more, considering I used to watch Hana Yori Dango, which features a song of theirs if I am not mistaken. So, back again, I see~ Let's see what Dear Snow has in store for me tonight.

... I'm playing it for a second time. That's how much I like this song. Heck, I might even find the MP3 on youtube and favourite it. This song is really beautiful, and when I listen to it I feel a twinge of something in my chest, and that only ever happens to me when I find a song that really strikes me as an emotionally beautiful, well thought out song that gets to me.

Arashi got to me. They really did.

I think that the PV plays a huge part in this too, though. The video is so simple, but so beautifully edited. Through their eyes and through the emotions they portray on their faces, you really feel something deep down and you can see that they mean it. The lyrics, oh I wish I could know what they meant. The deepness in their faces just mesmerises and captures me, and it makes me really like Arashi because of this. Anyone who can portray such emotion and ache in their features are truly talented artists.

This song is going to be a favourite of mine, it seriously is. I absolutely adore it! The vocals are beautiful and perfect, the guys won me over with their expressions, and they created a really great performance. They sound amazing together, and it doesn't sound like it's been auto-tuned or messed around with. It's so... airy, natural, beautiful.

I love this song. I looooove it!

Ima loop it again.

Song 5: Arashi: Love So Sweet

OH wait, of course... I'm still doing my challenge. That means that I'm going to have to pause the song for a while now, and listen to something else.

Something else by Arashi.

Though Love so Sweet isn't as appealing as Dear Snow tune wise, the video is visually appealing and quite cute. It has this adorable sillyness to it that really appeals to the inner child in me, and it makes me giggle quite a bit. I like the graphics used for some scenes, as well as the scenes where the guys are portrayed as puppets in a display window, coming to life only to react to certain things that happen outside of the window or inside. Their expressions are humorous as well as charming. It's definitely the PV that won me over, because of how fun and creative it is. It's not something that I would expect, honestly.

As for the song, I do enjoy it a little, but it isn't going to be my immediate favourite. It's calming, yes, and I find that the PV really livened it up in a way, but I do prefer other songs (Dear Snow) over Love so Sweet.

Just saying.

Song 6: Hey!Say! JUMP!: Dreams Come True

Returning to yesterdays favourite, I have decided to go for an older song by Hey!Say!JUMP! to see if, even back when they were babies, they could entertain me.

In a way they did, but then again they didn't.

I see the same amount of charm in the group as I did when I watched their latest single, Magic Power, but they're far younger here, and I am far more inclined to go all gaga over their cuteness rather than fawn over their maturity and the absolute hotness that Yamada Ryosuke right now. But, despite that I still enjoy the song, and the video in fact, though I don't enjoy it quite as much as I did when listening to the absolute wonder that is Magic Power. The kids are cute, but in all honesty, I prefer the eye candy that Hey!Say!JUMP! has become now.

But the kids still entertain me~

Song 7: Tegomass: Mahou no Melody

Once again, Phob is the one who directed me to this group: Meet Tegomass, a duo within the JEnt family, and quite a cute duo, might I add. When I first started the PV, the shallow, hidden fangirl-boy-lover inside of me went straight for the charming beauty that belongs to Yuya Tegoshi, or Tego, as Phob called him. But, after I really got into the video... well, his rather gay and girlish charms whipped me away towards the rather cute and chubby-cheeked Masuda. But actually, I like them both, so I will lock them both away in my non-existent basement.

Regarding the PV, I have to point out that I think they raided Willy Wonka's wardrobe for their outfits when they sing, because they are not attractive outfits. I want to burn them! But they make up for the horrendous costumes by forcing  Tego into overalls that really do suit him, so thank you evil people who love me and the rest of the Wotaverse!

Before I derail and try to write a review on the entire PV, I will stop myself by saying: Lord, Tego, you really do look like you are fucking the camera. Those looks you give as you sing, it's like 'Yeah, you like that... don't you? Uh huh, I know you do, want more? I will give you MORE'. Seriously, I think I just died because of that.

Tego may be camp with how he moves, but LORD, he knows how to work that camera!

Regarding the song... I do like it, I think that the song is pretty good. Not my favourite of all fangirling-times, but I wouldn't totally disregard it. The vocals are lovely, the guys are great singers, and I think that if I listened to the song more, then I would start to like it more. However, it is the PV that won me over for this group - the insane cuteness of it (to me) is what made me like the group... and the fact that Tego eye-fucked that camera blind!

Phob, Ima kill you for getting me into this one XD

So, I am going to officially end Day 2 here with these songs. These are actually the only 7 I listened to from boy bands today, and I'm surprised by the amount I liked - especially Arashi. I actually didn't think that Arashi would grasp me like they did with their song Dear Snow, but they did, and I am really glad that it has made me like them more. I have enjoyed listening to all of these songs (Okay, not all of them, but you get the idea) and seeing what makes me like the group. Sometimes it's the video, other times the song, or in the case of Dear Snow, both.

I'm still at my learning curve, but I want to continue to branch out with Jpop and have a broader horizon to search. Hello! Project can only go so far, as I have recently realised since I began to listen to different groups outside of the UFA fun house (or torture house, your pick).

Anyway, that is it for today's post, but it seems that tomorrow I will have a wide bunch of JEnt songs to pick from, because, after reading my e-mails, I found a comment after writing all this out, and it lists a great deal of songs from a fan of JEnt, so I will be sure to have a good look at them tomorrow when I come home and ignore the work I have to finish. I really do appreciate the comment, and it just gives me more to look at and to enjoy, and to see what interests me from these boy bands.

So, look forward to a (hopefully) longer post tomorrow with a few more songs from some of the boy bands I have already picked through, and if I get around to it, a few new ones.

Tomorrow is the last day, so I will try and be as thorough as I can with these overviews of their bodies songs and PVs.

Today's winner, quite obviously, is Arashi. Go BOW DOWN TO THEM NOW!

For the Arashi love, blame Ray from International Wota. You know it's his fault! XD

I had to... I'm sorry, I just had to!

Oh, and this is for you, Phob! <3

Have a nice day, lovelies! <3

Chiima~


Ping~~~~ International Wota Recommended Rreading: October 12th 2011