Wait a Minute! Is this MomoClo!? - S/mileage's 'Chotto Matte Kudasai' PV Review/Rant

All opinions and thoughts here are my own, just like your opinions and thoughts are your own. If you do not agree with my opinion, that is fine, however in order for others to respect your opinions, you must learn to respect theirs. Also, give things a chance~

S/mileage's 8th single release, titled Chotto Matte Kudasai!, is the first single that will feature the new 6-nin lineup now that Maeda Yuuka has graduated. It is also the second single featuring Derpy, Wonky Eyes, the Gorilla and that horrible little squealing Vampire.

Now, before I get into this review, I have literally no idea what I have myself in for. I did try to listen to the preview for this song, but in the end I blanked it and closed youtube. I guess I'm still sore that Yuuka is no longer in the group and now I am left with a bunch of noobs and a few girls I hardly care about. However, I also wanted to have a reaction to both the song and the PV when it came out - and yes, I have seen a little of the PV preview, however it was like 2 seconds long so it doesn't count.

So, when I first saw the covers for this single, I actually thought 'Wow, Momoiro Clover are releasing another single?' and then back tracked - MomoClo doesn't have 6 members. Oh crap, S/mileage look like MomoClo clones. They really do. Even when I watched a little of the PV preview, it looked like a MomoClo release. I don't like MomoClo.

So yeah... but other than that, those are my current reactions. So, I have no idea what is in store for me.

... Is it so bad that I reaaaally want this single to flop? Because really, I do.

Okay, now that that is out of the way, I will go and watch the PV then give you a picspam... because I still haven't watched it as I write this (I'm pretty much putting it off)

...

Okay, what the f**k did I just watch?

(Warning: My opinions change throughout the post as I listened to the song more. I appreciate the song and PV, but I also don't really care for them like I do other songs and PVs)

Now, this pic spam won't be lengthy, for the pure fact that I feel like going into one of my more lengthy reviews. So yeah... there might be a lot of writing here, be warned~

The first reaction I had once the PV ended was pretty much 'What the f**k did I just watch?'. It is something that I would expect from MomoClo, and I am not kidding - I know that S/mileage do cute and energetic, but not to the extent where they look like idiots (Oh wait, Koi ni Booing...). But... it works with the song, unsurprisingly. The video fits the beat, and it has an overly energetic and childish feeling to it.

... And I don't like it right now.

Now, I'm not saying that it is bad or anything - I just don't really like it right now, much like I never really liked Tachiaa Girl but in the end started to care for it a little more. I guess that I just need to give the video (yeah, video) some more time before I actually start to like it more. I don't mind the song - it's incredibly catchy and quirky, and something I would listen to to perk me up or to get me in a hyperactive mood, much like Pyoko Pyoko Ultra. However... I'm not overly ecstatic with this, and it's probably because I'm not used to it. I mean, Yuuka isn't there anymore, and she was my favourite after Saki left. But right now, I only have one person I really actually care about in this group. Yes, I like other girls, but there's only one or two who actually get me excited when she sings or comes on screen...

Now, when Akari pops up I immediately gain a lot more interest. She's a very interesting character for me. She has this absolutely adorable face that reminds me of a chipmunk, and her voice is absolutely amazing. I will even go as far to say that she's the best singer in Nuevo S/mileage now that Yuuka's bailed. She's also got this energetic aura about her that makes it more fun to watch her, and she's always smiling. She doesn't look like she hates this, and she genuingly looks happy - a little like Dracu-Meimi, actually. I guess my liking of Akari makes me like the PV a lot more, however, it's really only Akari and Kana who actually make this PV fun for me.

Oh... and maybe Meimi but I don't really want to like her...

Talking about Meimi, she really is like a ball of absolute crackers in this - you can see how hyperactive and loony she really is. The girl is a ball of crazy, and I do like that about her. I just hate her voice and I think she's a freaky looking kid. I won't be the first, either, but I have a feeling that people may really not like me for saying that...

Oh well, my opinion \(._.)/

Now, concerning the dance in the PV - it's something that was really really weird and a dance technique that I am not used to. The girls look like idiots, which is actually rather cute and fun to watch, but it's really weird and too much like MomoClo. Though I did really enjoy the parts where Kana was always late and looking over her shoulder at the other members to see if she was on time - it's kind of like H!P are trying to make a little fun of Kana and how she's the most inexperienced member, but it just makes the dance a little more cute and fun to watch. I enjoy her shocked face.

And if her lateness was actually due to her not realising it, then props to H!P for keeping it in, because it adds a nice touch and it actually puts a lot more focus on Kana, and I do like that, because Kana is my second favourite in S/mileage right now, even though I don't honestly care that much for her. But she's getting there, and I like her a whole lot.

Hey look, it's how H!P see S/mileage...

Now, with the song, I am going to gripe about something, and that is the high pitched lines that go to Kanon, Dawa and Akari. Now, none of these girls can do them. They all sound horrible, and it's the worst part of the song to me. I mean, the only one who sounds half-decent singing them is Kanon. Seriously.

Oh, and I also hate how only Rina and Kana get one line each - Maybe I'm just spoiled by how S/mileage used to be with a few fairer lines distribution wise, but seriously? I hate this new S/mileage and the direction they are going in. I mean, Rina is one epic singer, but here she gets the least screen time. With Kana, she got a great amount of camera time and also had her own little bit added to the choreography to get her noticed more, but Rina? She's shit out of luck, and I hate that. She sings 10x better than Dawa does, and she's just shoved to the back.

But seriously? She's not even my favourite, but it really pisses me off that Rina's getting so little. I may bitch and moan with MM, but they have 12 members right now - there are 6 in S/mileage, so just throw a couple more lines to Rina!

This is turning into a rant, I know, but there's a lot that is pissing me off about S/mileage right now. However, I really don't want that to derail from my opinion on the song itself. So, whilst the PV will take some getting used to, I actually like how they made it - it has no story line, but what they do have is really funny and cute. I mean, the part where the girls stick to the wall like flies is an interesting concept, and I really like that backdrop - I have heard/read people say that it reminds them of Mr. Moonlight (Ai no Big Bang) but I disagree. It actually looks a lot like the MomoClo backdrop from their song Mirai Bowl.

Even if you don't think it does - I do. And the colours are similar too, so I'm not kidding when I say that S/mileage remind me of MomoClo in a way.

But yeah, there are a lot of cute things in this PV - much like the scenes where the girls are all colouring or drawing on the screen - this scene, though, made me crack a smile (I had a poker face through this). Kana is definitely amusing, and she's really cute when she does it. I think this scene made me like her a lot more, but I'm really happy that she has quite a bit of focus in this video. Her random antics make it a lot more enjoyable than it already is for most viewers.

And again, I like this concept here; I wouldn't have thought of it, but if it was any group that could pull it off in the PV, it would definitely be S/mileage in terms of H!P groups. I enjoyed watching them stick and slide down. I don't know why it's amusing, it just is - I nearly laughed when it happened to Dawa and Meimi, but that's probably because I am a synical cow and I don't like them.

So yeah...

I've listened to the song about 50 times right now since I began writing this rant/review, and whilst I may need to give it some time before I fully start to like the PV and grasp that Yuuka isn't there any more, I have begun to really enjoy the song. It's a great (and crazy) composition, something that S/mileage is good at. The song and video fit the image of the group, even if it does remind me too much of MomoClo when it shouldn't, and I do hope that S/mileage continue to go in the energetic direction. But the direction I don't want them to go into is where they are like Morning Musume: Girls in the back and a few at the front. I'm used to the S/mileage where everyone got a good amount of lines, not where two girls were shunned. It pisses me off, and I hate it, considering Rina is a better singer than two of the front girls and Kana... well, she's just hilarious and adorable. But yeah, her voice sucks - even I can admit that.

What I'm going to say to conclude this is: If you like S/mileage, and you hated Pyoko Pyoko Ultra, then I have a feeling you might like this - purely because right now, everyone seems willing to give this changing group a chance rather than Morning Musume. However, looking on Arama, some people aren't too keen - but give it time. A few people are praising the song for being cute and energetic, whilst others are on the edge. Wow, a lot more people are fine with the energetic 'new' S/mileage than the Nuevo Morning Musume. Is it bad that I want to punch something for how people react to different groups?

Okay, rant over on that...

If you like MomoClo or S/mileage, you will most likely like this as I said. Right now, I really don't care, purely because I'm not crazy about this new S/mileage right now. I don't like Meimi or Dawa, and the only members I can really say I care about are Akari and maybe Kana. The others? Meh. I have no opinion of them, but I don't think that I'm ready to get into my life boat yet. S/mileage seem to get better and better, actually, which makes me hope that I will start to care for them more as the year goes on. Hopefully, they will bring out more material that's really good. WITH Kana and Rina lines and minus that Squealing Vampire with a fringe.

Whatever, I'm hoping for the best. But I'm going to admit this now: Yes, this song is better than Pyoko. But I still like Morning Musume better than S/mileage.

And my sisters response was that she liked this more than Pyoko, which she enjoyed a whole lot. Then again, this is the image of S/mileage we know - not many people are happy with the direction that Morning Musume are going right now.

SO what are your thoughts on this? Mixed, happy, sad?

Chiima~


PING!!! International Wota Recommended Reading: January 12th, 2012