THIS. IS. BLOGGING!!!!!! ... Okay, what the hell have I been drinking? *stares at IRN BRU*
*I would like to point out that, whilst a review, this is a post written with Tanaka Reina as the focus, so if I fail to talk about anything else other than Reina, just remember that my focus is, for now, Reina and Reina alone... however weird that may seem to you all o-O
*About this series: I have created this series with the intention of looking at groups or songs where Tanaka Reina is a focus, or where she has grown considerably, from way back then until now. Because of this, I may be looking at songs or PV's that I previously ignored or loved once upon a time. There will, hopefully, be a mix of things here. I hope you enjoy.
Okay, I think that this Week with Winky series is seriously helping out my Rewind Reviews tag, because right now, the PV's I have already reviewed are now under that lovely 'Rewin Reviews' label, so woohoo! I am killing two birds with one stone, so HUZZAH!!!!
I am also very hyper, but that's because damn, this next song that I am reviewing is AMAZING!!!!
Okay okay, firstly I need to admit something; One of the main reasons for me deciding to review this song is because, when looking at the units and shuffles that Reina has been in, I remembered that I really liked this song... so I based my decision to review it on that, however after watching the PV fully for the first time in what I suspect has been a year or two, I actually find that Reina has a certain growth here, and a lot more confidence than when she was in Aa! two years prior to this release, so I will also base this review on that, too, but yeah... I really like it, which is why I am reviewing it. Reina's growth as a performer is just that added bonus. Also, this Week with Winky series just gives me an excuse to Rewind Review it! MUAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!
... Ahem.
Back when Hello! Project had shuffle units, and before they dissolved into nothing but a mere memory, there was one last 'shuffle' single created back in 2005, featuring three groups that came together in a joint single. These groups were Sexy Otona jan, Elegies and Puripuri Pink, and the song that I will be looking at today from this single will be Elegies' Inshouha Renoir no You ni, a song which I actually enjoyed way before I started to learn the Morning Musume members' names, a time where the only person I liked in all of H!P was named Koharu. This was a simpler time, one where I did not care about Winky, but did not necessarily dismiss her... basically, this was a time where I didn't know whether or not I liked MoMusu, and was just casually looking at different pieces of music.
Ah, 2010... how far away you seem to me.
Anyway, back to the present, I will be taking a look at the PV for this song, which I am dubbing Inshouha Reina for the time being, and when I say take a look... well, I mean it.
Be warned, fair Chimian Minions, for I have gone a bit mad with the screen capping for this one, so just sit back and prepare yourselves, for this could be a long and bumpy pic spam...
Okay, so impressionism is a way of painting, I know that much (I should know that, I mean, I took art haha) so YAY, picture frames! At least there is some relevance to the title of the song in the PV, though how long that lasts is beyond me...
HO BUGGERY it's Frames galore in this room! YES FOR RELEVANCE!!!
Look at Ai-butt, bustin' a move right off the bat. That's dedication, bitch!
Inshouha Reina: "I am looking so damn fabulous, BITCH!" -flips hair magnificently-
Ai-butt: "Erm, Tsunku... boss... Why are we dressed like Tree Nymphs who don't know anything about matching our footwear to our clothes?"
Oh wow, it actually looks like they're in an art gallery that's being constrcuted. Props to the set designer for having fun with it and actually making it look decent!
Wait... what? Am I trippin' on drugs or is this 'impressionism' working its magic?
And now we shall do 'The Crowching Tiger' pose. GO!!!!
Holy heck, it's like looking at Now Reina and Pat Reina rolled into one! And is that... is that glitter on the inner corners of your eyes!? REINA!!!!
... Okay, dafuq? I won't even say what I want to about this one and what it makes me think of, you think it up yourselves!!!
Well hello, beautiful. What's your name?
Inshouha Reina:: "Ayyyyyye, why aren't cha talkin' ta ME?"
Ah shit, Winky's going all Wonk-eyed on me. Look, Winky, I know this series is dedicated to you, but I can at least admire other beauties! Geez!
Okay, this is extremely pretty. Reina looks like she is flowing with the wind... er, paintings.
Reina actually has one pretty mouth. Her chin is nice, too.
Holy buggery, Ai-butt! You're GORGEOUS, BABY!!!
When you paint with all the colours of the wind... I mean pallet!
Damnit, I got my singing words mixed up! -huffs-
Okay, hello bed, and wow... this is extremely sensual and sexy and wow and hnnng...
Hnng.... I wonder how many men wanted her to pull their silk bed sheets when this PV came out...?
Ai-butt: "I am a tree! A glorious, beautiful tree!"
I actually wonder why they chose those costumes, but whatever, they actually look decent...
I think that Inshouha Reina is getting too into that spread-leg pose...
Winky, you do you know can make a career out of that kind of dancing, right? Just a suggestion if your band thing fails.
Okay, it looks like the Elegie girls are tripping.
Oh Reina, you look so pretty and seem so confident. I do wish you were more like this now...
Inshouha Reina: "I'm Blue daboo dee daboo daa...~"
Time to shine, Reina! HIT IT, GIRL!!!
Holy moly, Ai-butt is so dang pretty, why do I notice this only when she has left!? URGH!!!!
Inshouha Reina: "We fail to see the beauty and talent until it has gone, because we are simply blinded by other things that seem more important to us. When it is there, we only want to notice other things, but once it has left us, we truly begin to appreciate what was there..."
... Shaddup, Reina. Stop making sense!!!
Holy buggery YES!!!!!! LAY ON THOSE SHEETS!!!! -lays on them as well-
Ai-butt is feeling a little faint it seems. I would, too, if those boots were paired with that dress...
Winky looking pretty darned serious. I wonder who she's plotting to ambush next?
Ai-butt: "I feel so... so good..."
Looks like the Elegies are touching themselves...
Inshouha Winky: "Give me a *hic* Huuuug..." -cackles-
This is one of the many reasons why screen capping this PV is so much fun, and also why I went a bit mad with it.
Okay, now they are touching themselves. Look at Ai, she's really going for it o-O
Ai-butt: "You want to touch this, too. Don't deny it...~"
And POSE! Fabulous, darlings, absolutely FABULOUS!!! You're stars, models, IDOLS!!!!
Inshouha Reina: "Pan it to the left a little... little more... a little more... now to the right... yes, yes... nah, just put it back where it was, it looks terrible like that."
Reina is envisioning how the PV's should look now that she is bailing from MoMusu for more Lavender coloured pastures, though this PV is actually a little too early for her planning, but oh well...
Elegies: "Look, I'm a tree!" "No, I'm a tree!" "I'm a tree, too!" "TREEEEEEE!!"
I have no idea which one that is (Ayumi or Mai, whicever one), but hey, she makes an awfully good tree pose...
Ah, an almost perfect picture... too bad two of their backs are bloody turned! URGH!!!
Whoa, hello Ai-butt... mind if I join you in bed? -waggles eyebrows in a very sexy way-
... Okay, what the Hell am I on? XD
Ai has the perfect model looks, doesn't she? Damn, she is so beautiful...
Oh look, there's enough space here next to Reina, maybe I should just, y'know... fill that space...
I like Satoda Mai's fierce gaze, it's as if she is piercing through my very soul.
... Is she Satoda Mai?
Okay, you must be Shibata Ayumi. You look like a cross between Yaguchi Mari and Ishikawa Rika, and damn, if those two had babies, they would be beautiful and glorious I think.
Actually, she also reminds me of Gotomo... either way, if Rika gets with Mari or Gotomo, I am sure that Shibata Ayumi would be the result. So gorgeous!
Gotta say it; damn this PV is gettin' sexy.
Ai-butt: "We're gonna break it down on the dance floor, put yo hands up in the air and HOLLA, GURL!"
Look at these girls, boogeying their way to the top in an art gallery.
Oh my lord, a Hand! So. Damn. Sensual!
Who's hand is it, though? I'm going to say Reina's.
My lord, she looks so cute and sweet and innocent and adorable... how did she change? WHY did she change???
No, this can't be... it's... it's...
Inshouha Reina: "POWER OF THE WINKU!!!"
-is blasted away by a glorious beam of light-
I have no idea how, or why, but Ai-butt seems to always manage to seduce me in this video, no matter what she does. Stahp it, Ai-butt. NOW!!!
Okay, I like this edit. Very swish.
I wonder how many wota were gripping their own bedsheets? Wait, no, IMAGE GET OUT OF MY HEAD DX!!!!!
Ai-butt: "Ah, buggery, they saw me..."
You know what, this scene makes me realise how much this PV would have suited the Cat's Eye 7 song, because they're meant to be thieves, right, and this dance move/screen cap makes me think the Elegies are trying to creep out.
Just a thought for your thoughts... yeah.
Hm, that hand is gripping the sheet hard... I wonder why...~
Mai: "Ah shit, the damn music stopped mid-step!!!"
It's like a game of musical statues with this music video, I swear XD You never know what you're gonna capture when you stop the video.
Also... are those the curtains from One Two Three!? MY GOD, THEY ARE O-O
Oh my lord Reina, when did you get so sensual!? You were so cute and natural only two years ago, where the Hell has that innocence gone since then!?
Okay, best shot out of this series of shots... Ai, you are freakin' gorgeous, girl.
Inshouha Reina: "BITCH, STEALIN' MAH SPOTLIGHT!!!" -slaps Ai-butt-
Ai-butt: "OW!!!"
Mai: "FOUL!!!!!!" -blows whistle-
Ayumi: "Oh for crying out loud, not again..."
Reina looks like she's just slapped Ai in the face and Mai is refereeing the fight, hahaha!
Okay, sexy shoulder ALERT!!!!!!
Oh dear, Reina isn't in shot! Hopefully she doesn't notice that her face has been shielded by a frame...
Inshouha Winky: "NOOOOOO, MY FAYSCHE!!!! ARRRGH, AI-BUTT IS STEALIN' MAH SPOTLIGHT!"
Oh look, Reina's giving us her best impression of the Expressionist painting The Scream!
Really, I can't tell the difference between the two, the likeness is uncanny!
Inshouha Reina: "... Seriously?"
Oh dear, Reina does not look impressed by my comparison.
Okay, these bed scenes... grrr and Hnng...!
Though why is Ai-butt just lying there like an awkward duck? Even Reina looks like she has more experience in how to lay on a bed sensually than Ai-butt does!!! And Ai is sexier!!!!
Inshouha Reina: "Oh honey, come to bed and I will let you paint my canvas..."
o-O I think this post is getting a bit too pervy for my own liking...
Then again, this PV is quite sexual (in a tame and appropriate way), so what do you expect?
She is either whistling or doing something entirely different for something that is really small. It's your call... pervs ;)
Ai-butt: "... nng!!!"
... And Sexy Ai-butt is BACK!!!
Oh hells yeah, Inshouha Reina, dead centre!!!
Reina looks like she's ready for some Eye of the Tiger, Ai-butt is going for some Monster Mash, Ayumi is jamming to Thriller and I think Mai is going for some Kung-Fu Fighting.
... Again, it's like I'm watching a game of Musical Statues with this video. You never know what a person will look like when the music pauses!
... Yeah, she's just a joy to watch. And sensual. Can't forget sensual...
Reina, stop feeling yourself up! We know you're gorgeous, but still! Have some dignity!!!
And... strike a pose for the artist! Now, stay like that for about 10 hours and we're good!
Inshouha Reina: "WHAT!?"
Holy buggery on a stick, that was a really long pic spam... I actually feel like I just did a marathon in a way, but for my brain or whatever, because that was a lot of pictures... But whatever, this PV is worth that many images, and plus it was really fun to screen cap because, let's be honest, you can screen cap so much random stuff from just the dance moves alone; the amount of times I tried not to laugh at what I had accidentally screen capped, it's just... the dance is hilarious, I thank whoever choreographed this dance because it has made my day.
Anyway, that all said and done, I think that it is safe to say that I just might like this PV a tad... because I went a bit crazy with it when it came to screencapping. I really could not stop myself, I just kept print screening away, thinking 'Man oh man, this PV is amazing, OH MA GAWD HAHAHAHAHAHA' until I had 70 of the things, not realising that it might just take well over an hour (probably way longer than that) to actually upload and comment on them... and then I also do the review portion at the end, so my work has yet to be done, haha! But whatever, it was fun screencapping the PV and finding things to look at or laugh at, especially the dance scenes. It was actually great fun, and I am glad I just did it and went overboard! WOOHOO!
So now that I have that out of my system, let's take a look at the PV for Inshouha Renoir no You ni, shall we?
Now to start off, I had not seen this PV for a while before I looked at it again today, so when I re-watched the video it was like seeing it in a whole new perspective again, and I noticed certain things I would have not picked up on a while back. First thing that I noticed, after finding out the English title for this release, was how the title of the song was relevant to the PV in a way; Impressionism, as I said somewhere in the very beginning of this post, is a form of art, and Inshouha means Impressionism, or Impressionist, so it was nice to see that the picture frames and the use of pain in the MV linked to the title of the song. It also seems that the members of Elegies are acting as muses or models from the different poses they do, such as standing still and holding out their arms in a certain way; the video looks like it has been structured to fit that 'image' of being an artist in a way, and how we view these girls is similar to that of an artist. We see them from a canvas perspective, and we want to paint them, because they are our beautiful muses. They are the ones who inspire use.
Now, thinking about the title itself, I don't actually think that this PV is based entirely on the artistic style that is 'impressionism', in fact I just think that the video itself is pretty stylish and a nice little shout-out to art in general, which I appreciate because art is extremely beautiful. As I said though, this video feels like it was taken from the perspective of the artist and how he or she views their muses; alive and colorful, vibrant and energetic, but also beautiful and inspirational, and thinking about the video from that perspective, I feel like Inshouha Renoir no You ni is a representation of Art coming to Life, or how an Artist see's his work of Art.
Now, other than being quite artistic in its own way and representing art greatly, I also find this video extremely sensual, something else that I would have never picked up on when I first watched it. I actually picked up on this when watching it a few times and seeing that one of the shots was of a hand rather than a whole body. I then kept seeing varying shots of their mouths, hands close to their mouths, roaming shots that weren't full bodied and captured their shoulders or torso's... and I thought to myself that this video was extremely sensual. This may be quite obvious to a lot of people, but remember that I have not seen this video in a while, so it was quite amazing to see that the certain shots were quite sexy in their own way, and created this sense of sexual tension in the video. Sure, the girls only do little things like touch their face and look at the camera or move their hands on the silk covers, but that is really all it takes... and damn, that is really sexy, but also incredibly easy to hide from the eyes of the innocent, which makes the video even more intense if you know that it's meant to be sexual.
And I like that about this video; the sexual meaning behind it, from what I can see, is not obvious or made to look like it was shot for the sexual thrill of it all, but to show that you can be sexy without taking your clothes off or wearing lingerie in a video. It more-so depicts the beauty behind a woman, and how they can be alluring by little things like their eyes, lips, hands or how they lay on a bed... and that's quite interesting as well, in my opinion. It is also really interesting to see a H!P video that is pretty sensual in how it is displayed, but also how innocent it can seem as well.
This PV hosts some incredible shots as well in my opinion, and these shots are the main contributors to how sensual this PV can be to a viewer. I love that there are so many varying shots here, such as the close-ups of the lips or hands, as well as the roaming camera's and the different panning shots that have been used. It all adds to the variety of the video, and gives it great pacing so that it fits the music really well. I felt that, when watching this video, everything just flowed together so beautifully; the timing was perfect, nothing seemed cluttered or too soon, and it felt like a really well-put together music video that looks amazing. It also never gets boring to watch, which just makes it even more fantastic in my eyes, and I really enjoyed looking at this video again and noticing new things about it that I was unaware of before.
Now let's get to the real reason I actually started to review this PV; Tanaka Reina. Back when I first started to get into Japanese music, I had no real interest in learning the names of the Hello! Project members except for Koharu, who was the only girl that I had an interest in at that time, so when I watched this I really did not care who was in this group; I just liked the song and the performance. I thought that all the girls were pretty and sounded good, and that was it. Looking at it now though, I can see that Tanaka Reina has changed; back in 2003 she was this picture of innocence, a girl with raw talent and beauty who was building up her camera presence and confidence in being a performer, but here, whilst she may not be as prominent as other members in this PV, it is clear to see that Tanaka Reina has changed and become this extremely confident and talented young woman. Actually, when I saw her in this before taking screen caps, I decided that this is the 'in-between' Reina in terms of how she used to be, and how she is now. The Tanaka Reina we see in Inshouha Renoir no You ni is in the middle of her change in terms of looks and performance ability - even her voice has changed slightly in this, sounding a lot more sweet and girly than it did in Shabondama or FIRST KISS. She seems to be growing up and becoming more womanly, tackling that girlier side of her Idol spirit and growing out of that Yankee persona she was so well known for, but despite this vast change, she is still in the middle - she is, at this point in time, still a girl, but she's growing up, and it is extremely noticeable how vastly she has changed in this PV compared to a PV from two years ago.
Everything about Reina in this PV exudes confidence and, to a certain degree, a demand for attention. Whilst not a prominent member in this song or PV, there is something about Reina that grabs your attention when you watch her, such as her energy and aura when performing. Just how she looks and acts in this video tells you that she is enjoying herself, and that she is putting her all into the song and performance; she wants you to notice her, even if she isn't the member that is supposed to be the main singer or dancer, but she still manages to grab your attention by how commanding she is as a performer. She shows incredibly strong dancing skills, and her energy is extremely unrivalled in this PV, and I am extremely amazed by how lost in the performance Reina is here; it's like I am seeing a different Reina to the one that I know now, and an improved version of herself compared to the young girl who debuted back in 2003. It's like she has really stepped up her game, and is trying to sell herself against these older and, undeniably, sexier Idols who she works with and looks up to; and she is doing incredibly well, if you ask me.
I have no idea where this passion of Reina's went, but seeing her get so lost in the performance for this video was amazing. It was like she was truly performing for enjoyment and not because she has to. I think that, at this point in time, Reina has really stepped up her game and is showing the Idol world that she isn't backing down and that she is working hard to get noticed by fans, whilst also trying to go against the older members and prove to them that she is just as good as they are despite being younger. Seeing Reina like this really impresses me, because she's grown as an Idol and a performer, and it seems like she really does not want to back down because she wants to stay in the competition and come out on top. It is this sort of Tanaka Reina that really impresses me and makes me think that she is an amazing Idol who loves her work and just tries her best to do what she can to get herself noticed.
Of course the other girls are amazing in this video, and whilst my main focus when watching Inshouha Renoir no You ni was on Reina, I could not help but notice how beautiful and talented Ai is here; I know that I never appreciated her in Morning Musume when she was there, but I really didn't get into the group until the late 2010, early 2011 mark, so I had little time to really care about her when I was still developing an interest in the group, however seeing her in this PV really made me wonder what I had missed out on with her. As I said in one of the screencaps, as a fan of something, we tend to be blinded by what interests us the most at the time, and only really notce what was great once it has gone, and in a way I do think that that stands true for Ai; the more I watch older video's with in, the more I come to appreciate her and miss her talent. In this video, I thought that she looked incredibly beautiful and I just felt like I was watching 'The Perfect Idol' perform. I may have said this before, but when I watch Takahashi Ai perform in this MV I just feel that she presents herself in a way that makes her look like the perfect Idol in every way; looks, dancing, singing, how she stares at the camera... everything about her is just so perfect, and I really do wish I had seen that earlier, before she graduated, because it is pretty hard admitting that, and thinking about it, right now that she's gone.
Which leads me to a random point; once Reina has graduated, all of the Elegie members will have left Hello! Project; there will be no more 'Elegies', unless the OG all come together and perform it once more. Who knows?
Okay, that all said, let's take a moment to look at the song itself; this is, for me, like a long lost love in a way - it's one of those songs that I was really into at one point and liked so much, but after so many other releases and my increasing interest in the current Morning Musume, it kind of got lost and I forgot about it. Listening to it again, I can't help but think 'Wow, this is pretty amazing!'. It's such a great song to listen to, and one that I get so hyped-up by. It makes me want to dance like an idiot and basically make a fool out of myself to, but I don't care because hey, it's an awesome song and if the girls performing this song can look like idiots flailing everywhere, then so can I. The beat is so incredibly catchy and well put together, and it's just so hyped up in its way. It's a bit like a hyper-sexy song, actually; it sounds quite sensual, but it's so crazy-catchy that you want to act like a fool when it plays, and you forget that this song is probably a lot more mature than it sounds or appears. I seriously enjoy this song, and I just love the up-beat nature it has about the sound. It's just so fun and infectious, and I can't help but wave my arms around like an idiot when it's on! I just have to pray that no one walks in on me...
Anyway, that all said and done, I think that it is now extremely safe to say that I really like this video, and that I like how it was constructed. I think that everything just fits together perfectly, and when I look at Inshouha Renoir no You ni from the point of view of someone who wants to focus on Reina, I can't help but feel that this is the perfect PV that shows off Tanaka Reina as a growing performer who is, undoubtedly, at the top of her game and still climbing her way to the top. She may not the most prominent in this PV, but when she gets the time to shine, she real does steal you away and pull you in, and there is no getting out once you have found her.
So, now that that's all done and dusted, let's make like a tree... AND LEAF!!!! -jumps on a jet and flies away- MROOOOOW!!!
Chiima~
PING!!! Idolminded Recommended Reading: May 16th, 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment