Simple isn't Always Good - AKB48's 'Give Me Five!' PV Review!

All thoughts and opinions on the group, song or PV are solely my own and no one else's. In no way do I mean to offend fans, however, I feel that I am allowed to express my opinion despite what others may think of it. Don't like my opinion? Then don't read beyond the picture. Simple as.

In general, casual readers of Okay! Musume Time will know my opinion on AKB48, and know that whilst I like them, I don't whole heartedly care for them as a group. In fact, I am simply a casual listener to their music. If I truly thought the group was great and wanted to support them, then I would actually buy their singles or even learn the names of all the members. And no, I still don't know their names. The only ones who's names I do know are actually the front girls.

And even then, I don't know most of their names. :/

Anyway, I originally was on the edge about creating the post for this song and video. Sometimes I will simply post about a video and song if I find it really bad, or extremely good - if I find it so-so, I generally won't review it because I don't have much to say. And in terms of the PV... I just don't care for it, and I know that if I go into a bitch-fest about the video, the extreme AKB fans will jump on my back and stab me for kicking the PV around simply because... it's AKB. (And yet, I will still be doing the pic spam XD)

But, I like the song. I won't lie about that; the song is what makes me want to review Give Me Five!, but that is it.

Also, I wanted to talk about how bored Maeda looks throughout the PV and how much more I dislike her now. She seriously put in no effort in this video, and it really shows.

So... on with the pic spam we go~

I like the name Baby Blossom (one of the few things that interests me in this video)

Instruments?

I feel that these girls got the short end of the stick here, but they look like they are having fun...

... waaaaait, Mariko and Tomomi got the short end of the sticks here. WTF a tambourine and maracas?

Looking slightly soulless...

Is it just me, or does that girl look like Maeda Yuuka, but an older, more mature, version?

Mayuyu isn't shown nearly enough in the video, and she looks so tired and out of it, her smile has no more sparkle...

I didn't like Oshima Yuko before this PV; I have changed my mind about her now.

Maeda Atsuko, looking as lifeless and out of it as always

The name escapes me, but she really look like she enjoyed rocking out on her guitar in this

Yuko: Having effing fun!

Maeda: Looking like she hates life

Oh look! Random story line~ I hear Yuko's a prostitute in this?

I like the clothing choices...

Maeda's permanent look

Me likes this shot

Yuko's acting in this shows me how she can totally switch - I was really impressed, and it's one of the reasons I started to like her more.

WAIT, a smile!? Oh wait, eyes are still dead...

Rock that guitar, girl who looks like an Idoling!!! Member!

Mayuyu~

This is probably my favourite scene - she looks like she wants to breakdown, and it just made the PV a little more interesting for me.

This ones name escapes me (Is it Kojima Haruna?) but her smile is pure beauty

Yay, Guitar strummin'!

...

Oshima Yuko looks older than her age, but she's pretty.

The only time we see High-Fives of any sort: The end of the PV

Okay, so...

Give Me Five! was nothing like I expected - when I saw a CM that featured the song, I thought that the girls of AKB would be wearing cute, colourful dresses and would be high-fiving each other to Oblivion. But, instead, we get this - a very simple, very plain and boring video. Now, I am all for simplicity, I mean - I love simplicity, but not this kind. It just looked like it was all thrown together, with no thought put into it, and I wasn't really entertained... unless Yuko was on-screen.

Now, I will admit, I wasn't overly thrilled with Yuko as a member before now. I just didn't like her, however, I always find that if a member can change my mind with the way they act, then they are worth watching. Sadly, this doesn't go the same way for Maeda Atsuko. Whilst Yuko blew me away in the video with her big, happy smile and her energetic approach whilst playing that guitar, as well as how good her acting seems (a CM that showed a preview of the 34 minute PV showed how good she is). I have really started to look at this girl in a different light. But, when it comes to Maeda, I just dislike her more. She seems bored, lifeless and like she isn't even trying here. And I am not the only one who says that; I have seen enough comments to make me think 'I am not the only one, then'.

I didn't really enjoy the PV as much as I would have liked - I find that how the girls act can make a big difference for a video, and with something as simple as this concept, you really need to have a big impact with how you look and how you act in a video. However, as one person said to me, mainstream artists don't have to rely on themselves anymore in the Idol world. Whilst smaller groups like Fudanjuku can make a PV fun with just themselves and an old garage, a big, popular group like AKB doesn't have to do that any more. Their fanbase is what makes their songs and video's sell, as well as great marketing strategies.

However, Yuko's personality won me over here - it definitely made the PV a little more bearable in terms of entertainment, and whilst I didn't really care for the Drama scenes added in, they were a nice touch, but proved to me how bland and boring Maeda always looks. It makes me like her a lot less, and I never cared for her a great deal before hand.

Now, before I start getting onto the songs, I wanted to talk a little about what I thought of the instruments - I really like the idea of instruments being used in a video, and it's something that I would expect of Buono! at some point, but paired with the fact that the band will be used in the drama short of AKB's Give Me Five! PV, I thought the idea was good. The only problem I do find is that, during the PV, it doesn't look like the girls are really playing their instruments, as well as the fact that some of the other front girls are giving... crappy instruments. In all honesty, I would have thought that Mariko and Tomomi would be given something a little less degrading. However, I did think that they looked like they were having genuine fun whilst doing it. Makes me wonder why the fuck Maeda's on the front, bored as hell, whilst they are in the back, having fun.

Oh well, beggers can't be choosers...

Anyway, Finally moving onto the song - I really really like this song, in the generic Idol-feel way. I've been listening to it a lot, actually, because the tune is so catchy and refreshing in it's own way. However, I will say this; it's pretty much all the other generic recent AKB songs stuck together once again. I will get hit for that, I know I will, but... whenever I listen to these songs, I just think 'That's generic' or 'It sounds like something else I have heard from them...'. I even asked my sister what she thought, and she's listened to far more AKB songs than I have, and said 'This is the reason I stopped listening to this group; Their songs all sound the same. The only songs I remember are Beginner and River, because the songs are amazing, and Heavy Rotation, but that's only because the PV is so damn pretty'. Hell, I was surprised when she said that; the fact that she felt the earlier songs sounded similar surprised me, because so many people rave about the earlier, better songs, and how I shouldn't judge AKB on their new stuff (I have listened to their older singles, Aitakatta! is freakin' EPIC).

Crap, I'm going off on a tangent - Well, as I said, I really like the song. It's catchy, up-beat and has a really nice, friendly feel to it. I probably like it more than AKB's previous Sakura based songs, if I was to be bluntly honest. It's nice and refreshing, as I stated before, and I think that the arrangement is beautiful. But, like most other AKB songs, it has that generic AKB feeling to it. Then again... all Idol songs are like that.

Whatever - The reason why I like Give Me Five! is because of the song and not the video. Somet imes, I will have to watch the video and the song will sound better then, but with Give Me Five!, the song can sell on its own. It will sell, anyway, because it is AKB48. However, the catchy tune, the fun and friendly feeling and the sweet vocals are what make this single so great. Sadly, the PV is shit.

Oh well, AKB can't always be winners, can they?

AKB48: Give Me Five! PV (Youku)

Sadly, DailyMotion and Youtube have no videos for Give Me Five!, but luckily, Youku does, so I hope that you all enjoy this song!

PING!!! International Wota Recommended Reading: February 1st, 2012