All thoughts and opinions that may reside within this blog happen to be mine, ALL MINE!! So yeah, take them as you will~
It's 2am as I write this paragraph, and I am supposed to be doing one of two things; A) a required reading for class tomorrow morning, or B) sleeping so that I am not knackered for said class tomorrow morning. Instead, what am I doing?
I am doing the invisible C) Procrastinating required reading and sleep in order to do a review, because hey, who doesn't love staying awake until God knows when, eh? Let's talk PV's, and procrastinate some more, aye?
*Update; I went to bed. Sleep is my kryptonite.
Okay, so if you know me (and I know you know me), then you may have heard that I am obsessed with HouPri and everything they do. You may have also heard that, with the release of their second major single, Junpaku Antoinette, I have been impatiently awaiting the full mp3's and its accompanying PV in all of its full, watermark-less glory.
I mean, you can ask why, but y'all know the answer to that already; it's god-damn HouPri, that's why!
-insert random cries of happiness right here-
In all seriousness though, I have been antsy to get my hands on this single and PV. I mean, I've never felt this desperate to see the raw copy of the music video, or to have both mp3's in my hands for the title song and its B-side. I swear, I stayed up one night for a long time trying to find Sakura saku, to no avail of course, and eventually went to bed thinking about what I should do next to try and find it.
And yeah, I tried itunes and Amazon Japan, but considering I don't own a Japanese credit card, and itunes no longer seems to update with major-debuted HouPri now, I couldn't even buy them online. I was livid.
Luckily, my dear friend Akeda, a wonderful person who also happens to be a HouPri fan, too, sent me the mp3's for both Junpaku Antoinette and its b-side, Sakura saku, after I asked (in complete desperation, with pleases and thank yous and tears to boot) if he could send me them. He did, and now I am in bliss.
... And also, the raw MV was uploaded online recently, too, so now I can review that, too! Really, though, I would have preferred my own copy. I mean... PV's! Practically in my hands! That's what I want!
.... I'm getting hyper and excited, which means I need to shut up and start this review, before I blather on some more and ruin your day. So, without any further babbling, let's get into this post and take a look at the PV I have anticipated since I heard this single was coming out, Junpaku Antoinette.
I wonder what story we will fall into today...?
I won't lie, if I see a doily, I get excited. I mean... PRETTY PAPER! Who doesn't love pretty paper doilies!?
I want that house, flower petals included. But please, swap that Nananyan for a Mihotan, kay? :3
This is a damn pretty PV, and I'm like, 5 seconds in... THE HOPES ARE HIGH!!!
Saorin's an absolute doll, I seriously hope they do a doll MV one time, with Saorin as center. It would work. and yes, it would be perfect!!!
... And Mayukyandi should be second-center! Seriously, she is a doll, and she is perfect to look at *^*
Maika: "Love... me..."
TBH there is only one true Queen here, and yes, it has to be Maika...
Unless Niigaki Risa turns up, that is, then there is no competition owo
Himarin: "... Can I eat da petaru nao?"
Camera-san: "No, Sirosaki-tan, we're filming, pls don't eat da petaru."
Himarin: "Da Himarin is hungering da petaru."
Camera-dan: "No, no hungering da petaru."
One does wonder how the filming process for Music Videos works, aye? owo
Hot. DAAAAAAAAAAAMN!
Seriously, I think this PV was made for Sahochi! O-O WOW! <3 Beauty beyond belief!
My baby isn't looking at the camera ;w; Are the petaru's prettier than me, bebe!? ;w;
Mihotan: "... Sakura saku..."
Miran is so gorgeous, especially when she doesn't give me one of her creeper smiles <3 Also, hey, are those strawberries in her hair!? Gimme one, I'm hungry, om nom nom~
OKAY WHAT, WHEN DID YOU GET HOT!?
No, seriously, when did she learn how to work the camera so well!? o-O WHERE IS MY AWKWARD NANANYAN!?
HEY LOOK, ugly wallpaper owo... and random empty picture frames?
This looks like... a tumblr bedroom! Dun dun duuuuuun~
And todays' Special Celebrity Cameo is... Marie Antoinette, everyone! Please give a round of applause!
Seriously though, wouldn't it be nice if they actually, oh, I don't know... delved into some actual history in this PV? It wold definitely turn out less cute and a lot more grizzly, I'm telling you! xD
Maika Antoinette, looking devastatingly beautiful, as per! Also, that demure little smile... yes, all the yes!
... I want a pop-up book, now >_> Gimme!
Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Mayukyandi! You make my heart go doki doki!
Honestly, this just makes me want a HouPri Thumbelina PV now. I mean, giant Nana looking at mini HouPri? How freakin' cute would that be!?
Kyaaaaaa, HouPri dollies!
Also, that location! *^* I smell... budget!!!
Look at Miran's face, so cute xD
Miran: "Waaah~ Is a macaron!"
Macaron rhymes with om nom nom!
Mihotan: "I want a macaron, too!"
You can have one, baby, you can have a macaron ;^; I will share them all with chuu, and no one else! ;^;
Perfection. Sahochi is perfection ;A; I weep at her beauty!
Nananyan: "What in Hell's Bells is this peasants dessert you serve before me!?"
Sahochi: "OWWWWWM!"
The grace of HouPri's Doll, everyone owo Oh, and Maika Antoinette's just sniffing hers casually, as you do!
Wait a second... What in our Fluffy Gawd's name is a BIRD doing in Mihotan's hair!?
Also, yesss, feed each other, please the HouPri fandom! OwO
... Miran, Miran. Honey. That... that's now how you eat a macaron. Miran... MIRAN!!!
Fine, fuck it, Kiss the Macaron, see if it turns into a human or something.
Sha la la la la la my oh my, looks like Miran's shy, she gonna Kiss the Macaron~ (whoa whoa!)
Nananyan is graceful as heck here, and honestly, I love her in this MV <3 She's got nothing on my baby, though!
My Princess locked in her diamond effect ;w; I'll miss you ;^; </3
OOOOH, PRESENTS! OWO Christmas has come early, I repeat, CHRISTMAS HAS COME EARLY!!!
... eh, Nana-Candy?
Oh, hey! Even more little, tiny human candies! Om nom nom, Hannibal will be pleased!
Maika Antoinette is excited at the prospect of human candy!!! Yummy!
Himarin: "Mwah, da human-candeh is the most perfect of candeh's! Now, time for da petaru!"
Himarin OK's this idea of nomming on HouPri candy! But wait, isn't this cannibalism!?
Hey look, it's Mayukyandi! <3
The one true candy of all the human candies!
Shhhh, the Saorin-candy is sleeping!
Saho-candy is my favourite candy o3o <3
And then perfection comes along! *^*
Just look at that grace, the way the skirt flows, those tacky little sakura petal effects... it's... it's...
Oh, and Maika appears owo
Seriously though, BACK TO WHAT'S IMPORTANT NOW!
Really though, Saorin is perfection here! I don't know whether or not she's done ballet before, but damn, she truly knows how to bring elegance to this fantastic bridge! I mean just look at her!
If this isn't perfection in a HouPri bottle, then I don't know what is ;w;
Awww, look, Nananyan is dreaming of Human Candies and ruling a palace in versailles u^u Sleep well, Princess, and dream a pretty dream...~
Honestly, I think Himarin was made for this PV; she sits up so perfectly here and looks extremely regal! Also, this hairstyle suits her so well <3
And yes, I just love this shot~
ALL OF THE HOUPRI!!! <3
Gotta catch 'em all, HouPri Girls!
Shoddy effects, but eh, it's Sakura season.
ALL THE FLOWER PETALS!!!! -throws da petaru everywhere!-
Honestly, I do love me some Maika Antoinette, but when she smiles... -shudders-
And then there is the demure beauty that is Sahochi ;^; WHY YOU NO SOLOS, SAHOPIE!?
This Doll! <3 I swear, Saorin breathes life into me with her gorgeous looks! So regal and cute and lovely!
Nananyan: "Ah... let's eat... all da petaru..."
Oh gosh, Himarin has an accomplice DX
Mihotan Revolution! <3
Really though, she was a true diamond in the rough if you ask me ;^;
And then all the Human Candies became Human Diamonds!!! Yassssss!
They evolved!
... Maika-candy! OwO But shush, don't talk, she's waking up from all your noise! D8<
Yes, Saorin is indeed a pretty doll, but when she looks at me like that, she is a Creepy Doll! D8
... Wait, wasn't there a song called Creepy Doll? o3o TIME TO GO FIND IT~ 8D
Himarin: "I eat da petaru~"
Not when they're flying away, you won't, so good luck with eating them all, kiddo xD
Miran's so HAPPY! Is it because the Macaron turned into a Prince(ss)?
Miran: "It turned into a soccer ball, actually~"
... What a twist o-O
... NUUUUUUUU ;W; Please, please no, don't wave ;____; PLEASE!
It's too soon!!!! ; A;
And as my baby waves goodbye, Nananyan awakens and realise that, yes, she is now a Human Candy, and that she must be devoured.
Bye bye, little Human Candies! Hope you enjoy being digested, muahahahaha!
... Oh wait, it was all a dream! Nananyan, what the heck!?
Nana: "Oh fuck, what was I smoking this time!?"
You must have been smoking something good, kid, cause honestly, what made you imagine Human Candies, a Happy Marie Antoinette story, and good grief, a pop-up book!? You cray, girl!
But wait! What is that we spy on the desk? A chocolate box, one similar to those that contained the Human Candies!? What in Sticky Beard's name is that doing here!?
Nananyan: "Huehuehue, finally, I can try a Human Candy!"
Calm down now, Nanabal Lecter! We don't want you ruining your dinner in a few minutes with a light HouPri snack!
And inside the tiny box is...
A black hole. Because it's the end.
... Wait a second, is this a cliff hanger!? HUH!?
.｡.:*☆*:.｡.☆.｡.:*☆*:.｡.
A New Story has Begun...~
Okay, so we all know how I am; with any up-coming HouPri release, I am the most impatient little nitwit to cross paths with. I am jittery as heck, I want all the previews, and then, when it does finally come out, I am the most excited little ball of idiocy you could ever come across. I'm a nutcase for them, I swear, and yes, I am a big fan, which is why I anticipate whatever they do with 130% enthusiasm and love.
And honestly, the wait this time was completely worth it, and I am in no way possible disappointed with this release. It is absolutely beautiful.
Junpaku Antoinette is the second major release from Houkago Princess under Universal Music Japan, their ninth overall, and is a song and video that is themed around three things; first, the historical figure of beauty and fashion, Marie Antoinette. Second, HouPri's long-term Leader and original member, Odagiri Nana, and finally, the Japanese holiday, White Day.
Slap them all together, and you get this; a pretty PV with wonderful editing, and probably their best production yet. Seriously, it is, for me, perfect!
I mean, what doesn't this PV have? Good editing (check!), decent effects (check!), flowers to fit them spring theme (check!), a solo shot for everyone and some good lighting (check and check! *glares at Kiete*), wonderful costumes (Hell to the check yes!), and a beautiful location (CHECK, MATE!). Also, there's some nice little moving camera scenes during the close-ups, which is honestly just a bonus, as well as that beautiful bridge filmed in the moonlight.
I mean, looking at it, Junpaku Antoinette is a pretty decent PV, one that looks classy and well done. It won't ever be considered the best out there, I know that already, bot for me as a fan of HouPri, it is beautiful, and it is the closest thing to perfect they have done yet.
I think this is, as of now, one of my favourite PV's from Houkago Princess, if not the favourite. It's flattering, its colour scheme is beautiful, the solo shots are all gorgeous to look at, and the costumes plus setting are truly gorgeous. There is no eye sore here at all, because even the effects, though noticeable, are used in moderation and work with the music video, not against it. It was a big issue I had with Kiete, Shirayukihime, so I'm glad that it's been rectified here in Junpaku Antoinette. I mean, if they stuck an ugly border of flowers here, I think I'd cry... it would ruin the music video, and I would not be a happy fan. So yeah, I'm happy that what they did use, they used it in a softer, less glaring way.
Also, the use of lighting; Thank you for the improvement! Kiete's lighting was disgusting during the solo shots, so I'm happy to see more improvement here.
What I like most about this PV though is the pacing and elegance of it all; I enjoy that it didn't use a lot of dance shots - in fact, only one was used, and that was the ballet sequence - and I felt that the flow fit perfectly with the rhythm of the video. Some shots were slow, others were a little faster, but the editing throughout was seamless and did not feel forced or jagged in any way possible. It was pretty gentle, and the video itself felt much like a story, even though there was no story line here to speak of.
I would say though that, with this song, my only beef is that Junpaku Antoinette is your typical romanticisation of a historical figure that did not exactly have a happy ending herself. I mean, I get it, HouPri is a very friendly pop Idol group, and they're going to do something sweet and cutesy for their singles, however fairy tales and history are two very different things.
That said, Fairy Tales can be pretty gruesome themselves, and have often been adapted into much nicer retelling for the sake of 'saving' a child's mind from violent ideas and gruesome endings. You could also argue that, with Junpaku Antoinette, HouPri are approaching the fashionable, exotic point of Marie Antoinette's life. So, yeah, there is that. I'm just picky with some History, is all.
All in all, I love what Junpaku Antoinette has to offer. It's a fun PV with a sweet, romantic vibe, as well as a beautiful look to its setting. It's enjoyable to watch, with much variety in its scenes, and really shows off that regal, elegant side to Houkago Princess with a small romantic twist that we have yet to see from them. Much like the setting, it's a refreshing view on HouPri, and allows us to delve more into their deiverse discography thanks to the addition of Junpaku Antoinette.
It's a beautiful piece, and yes, I do advise you to take a look and see if you enjoy what I clearly love.
You can find the full Music Video HERE.
You can find the full Music Video HERE.
A March Revolution is set to begin, whilst our February Revolution has passed. Are you ready to join and become a part of the HouPri Revolution today?
As you decide, please remember to take care, stay happy and healthy, enjoy life and, of course, love your Idols! Until then though, I will bid you farewell and aurevoir!
Much Love,
Chiima~
You can purchase Houkago Princesses second major single, Junpaku Antoinette, from CDJapan today if you liked what you heard! Enjoy, ducklings~
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