*[℃-utie Week] is a small, week-long series dedicated to the group that is ℃-ute, to commemorate one of Hello! Projects longest standing units before the members graduate and disband to find their own paths in life. Here, the aim is to cherish and appreciate the joy that ℃-ute has brought to us fans, all in the form of reviews and appreciation posts! So, to celebrate ℃-ute in all their glory before they go, let's look back at some of their releases, and enjoy all that made us love this wonderful group, and think back to why we became fans in the first place. Before the departure of ℃-ute falls upon us, let's enjoy the little time we have left with them, and fall in love all over again!
Day 4 of ℃-utie Week is about to begin! Continuing our journey to the past in music and video, we move toward the year 2013, a time when Hello! Project's editing team were making progress and showing us just what they could do with their music videos. With a catchy tune to accompany it, this release is by far one of the most interesting music video releases the group has ever put out.
It's time to experience some colour and energy! Why not give it a try?
I love the music video for Tokai no Hitorigurashi. It is one of my favourite PV's from ℃-ute, mostly for its colourful graphics, swish camera movements, and its energetic feel. It's an entertaining visual release, and one of the best that H!P has put out in recent years. At the time of its release, it was also one of the first Hello! Pro MV's to take on these kinds of bold, quick graphics, giving it a unique feel against the other singles. Since then, H!P have continued to use this method in future music videos, and while they have always had a knack for editing, I wholeheartedly believe that ℃-ute was the practice group for things like this.
And why not? They were the best group, performance wise, for something as savvy as this way back when. They also had the personalities and diverse music style to pull something as quirky as Tokai no Hitorigurashi off, whilst other groups at the time were stuck in the 'mature, cool' rut.
This was a refreshing change of pace at the time, and against all other releases from ℃-ute, it really does stand out as one of the more diverse and imaginative music videos out there. It's like a paint palette; it mixes and blends colours together, and creates something truly extraordinary. It's a worthwhile experience, one that I will happily keep on reliving, and it makes the video lover inside of me such a happy person.
I can only hope other people like it as much as me, of course XD
Now, before I gush even more, we're going to take a look at the music video in all its pic and gif spammy glory, and enjoy the burst of colourful delight that Tokai no Hitorigurashi brings us! For all that is fun and glorious (and because this is the video that I remember best, because it is the best), let's take a dive into this video of colour and smiles! Are you ready to have some fun?
Press play. You know you wanna! :p
WHY NOT?
No matter how much you fix that picture frame, it's never gonna stay put.
Airi's smile makes it worthwhile to watch over and over again, doesn't it?
This be JAZZEH! Why haven't H!P used this style of graphic more?
Still mesmirised. I can't get over it.
Okay, HOLD THE PHONE! Maimi's damn gorgeous.
These stills would be the perfect laptop backgrounds, wouldn't they?
NAKKY! Lemme nibble dat ear 8U
Is it just me, or does Airi look tired? Homegirl needs some nap time.
Okai is bae, but that hair is a NAE!
I love Mai's hair in this, and her expressions are sassy here. I approve!
Airi on the catwalk. She could totally be a model <3
This is honestly one of my favourite Maimi scenes in this. She really does own the camera.
CHISSA!!!! Oh, and Mai. But again... CHISSA!
Isn't this the MV where she made the backwards skirt a fashion statement? Lawl.
C for ℃-ute! YEAH! 8D
Maimi: "... Okay, Chiima, give it to me straight; why are you being so nice to me, now?"
Because Paris changed me, Maimi. It's ruined my viewpoint. URRRRGH!
Guuurl, that hair does nothing for you, but your ear is showing and I'm biased AF, so YAAAY, CHISSA <3
Also, I kinda love that outfit <3
Good grief, Nakky is so piccable. She's basically the perfect member to capture at any given moment.
I would totally make this picture my backdrop.
Airi's too good for this world, and she knows it.
Also, damn, I love the building they're filming in. It's too freakin' pretty!
What is it with this PV and showing ears? It's too much for me... >o>
Okay, this is perfection. Maybe this could be my screensaver...
The dance might not be that great, but hey! Let's cover up that fact with some nifty new graphics H!P installed!
Actually, I like the choreography... xD
Airi is too darned precious for this world.
WHY NOT? Well, I dunno. Because why not?
Also, dang, Chissa is gorgeous. I love this girl ; A; but no! No relationships! Grrrr!
Good grief, I am spoiling you all with the Maimi pictures today. Maybe I've finally seen the light.
That said, I've never denied her beauty; I just think she's a shit singer XD
Oh, hey! These two gals still exist. H!P must have forgotten about them, down the line :/
Nakky: "It's normal."
Mai: "I used to always have screen time. Now, not so much. Nyeh."
I like the flashy pace of this editing. Also, look at those arm movements!
I just love the look on Nakky's face, and their little leg thing at the beginning XD It's entertaining.
POWER TO THE ℃!!!
I just lvoe how this looks giffed XD Airi opens and closes, YAY! XD
I'm far too easily amused for my own good.
Chissa: "... Why does mai waifu have that thing on her head?"
Get you a partner who looks at you the way Chissa looks at Maimai.
The chicken and the egg, courtesy of ChissaMai.
MAI-CEPTION!
PICTURE-CEPTION!?
Well, whatever it may be, let's just all be pleased that Mai is back on our screens! She's dominating the scene, too.
But Chissa will forever dominate my heart, and this shot <3
If you're hungry, Mai, I can order you a McDonald's.
I completely understand the idea that studying makes you hungry, though. It was my worst enemy, too.
Why is Maimi grabbing her boobs and not her stomach? And why does she look like she knows what she's doing to you?
Okay, this is just the darned cutest thing ever. Gawd damnit, why is Maimi and a dooughnut so adorbs!?
The most precious thing in this world is eating a doughnut. Can I haz one, too?
Chissa: "No."
PRECIOUS!!!! <3
Never do something for anyone else, Nakky-pants <3 You do you, boo <3
Also... EAR!!!
Seriously, how is she so damn photogenic? Nakky is like picture-perfect, always.
Do as Mai says: DON'T HESITATE! Now, go eat that doughnut without hesitation!
... Ok, who did this? WHO PAUSED ON THE HAPPY MAI? XD
This is too damn cute, ahahaha <3 Me loves.
I just wanted to gif Nakky pointing. She has such enthusiasm :3
ESCAPE! ESCAPE!
Escape what? Idols? Real life? Work? My essays? Cause if it's the last option, I've already escaped. I just need to escape the work part, next.
Happy Mai!
When she isn't trying to be all serious, Maimai is adorable beyond belief. She's such a treasure in this MV.
Oooh, snazzy glasses! Can I haz a pair? 8U
I want the green ones! GIMME!
That's one intense stare, lady.
Mai-chan's gonna kill y'all with her laser beams.
Told ya.
Okay, not as funky as the girls who are glaring at me. But, still... PRETTY!
If only my sunglasses would do that.
I just like the little pouty face she does XD
Blub blub, pouty fish, blub!
The flawless Chissa flawlessly moves <3
Outta the way, Airi, I wanna see my Chissa!
Nakky looks so happy XD Also, CHISSA CENTRE! The two ℃'s!
Tired Airi is tired, but hey, she's still adorable!
And out of this gif, comes this face! Good grief, she is wonderful. How will we live without her in our Idol-fuelled lives? DX
HIT IT, GIRLS!
I need to learn this foot-stomp move for the club.
PERFECTION!
I love the serious ones, too~
Chissa: "Is the bowler hat still on?"
Still lookin' good, Chissa! Still beautiful, as per ;3;
Wait, Maimi! Why you looking away from me? I was nice, this time D8
Maimi: "Meh. The past is still the past."
Crud.
My knees bow like that, but only when I can't walk any more because I've worked too long.
It looks a lot prettier on ℃-ute XD
Picture perfect, though a little blue. Needs more brightness! Up the contrast and saturation, Joe!
And here comes the Airi! Y'know, because.
WHY NOT?
.｡.:*💜*:.｡.💜.｡.:*💜*:.｡.
I doubt that you guys need to look too deeply into why I like this PV; I've pretty much spelled it out, and long-time readers will know that my style usually lies in PV reviews and enjoying the craft that is editing, style and overall prettiness of a music video. I love things that make the editing side of me happy, and when it comes to any music video available in ℃-ute's long list of releases, Tokai no Hitorigurashi is the one that I always seem to think back to when I ask myself which of their PV's is the best.
Of course, that is all subject to personal opinion. But, yeah, I hold this one in high regard. It's too darn wonderful.
One of the biggest reasons why I like this video, is obviously because of the editing. The colour, graphic design, timing of the graphics to the music, and bright tone is very appealing to me. It's jazzy and effective, and has a great pace, to boot. It fits the song really well, creating a pure visual experience that matches the music perfectly. It's as if the music has come alive, and is showing its true form on-screen.
It's happy, energetic, and fun. A contrast to the almost bitter-sweet tone of the lyrics, but fitting for the sound.
I cannot deny, however, that if this PV were to lose the graphics and colour, it would be a video without substance. Aside from nifty camera swings and swift edits, this video is nothing without its bold, innovative look. The use of the board would keep some of the entertainment there, sure, but not a lot. Knowing me, though, I'd probably enjoy it greatly... I do like simple things, after all, and minus the graphics would create the quintessential H!P music video. Simple, clean, and cheap as fuck to make, but still nice to look at, cause, pretty members!
I think the timing of the video is beautifully done here, too. Opinion might differ on this, but I like how the editing keeps in-time with the beat of the song during the chorus and instrumental break. I like how the choreography fits the song perfectly, too. It might be simple, but it is also energetic to watch, and matches the bouncy, energised tone of the song. It's got a bit of a kick to it, so I am pleased that the dance shot matches it. Also, the choreography flows together really well, from what I have seen here. No member feels out of place, it moves naturally whenever the members shift, and I like how they switch around with such ease.
The fashion for this video is really on-point, too. I love how they make use of various bold tones on some members, and texture on others. When I first watched this video, all those years ago, I thought that Tokai no Hitorigurashi was a rather stylish, pretty video, and I stand by that thought, even now. It looks good, and I think that the outfits they paired with each member is very fitting. I especially love Airi and Nakky's, because they are so memorable and pop against the other members.
Plus, Nakky's outfit is just too gorgeous. She looks like a stylish office lady, who has a bold sense of dress and does not care for the conventional black / white attire you are usually restricted to wear. It's flashy, flattering, and gorgeous!
Quickly heading back to the editing side of the video, I want to also note that, not only are the clothes used here a point of texture in the MV, but also some of the techniques used in editing. The scene with Airi opening and closing her solo shot, for example, has a dotted filter, giving it a grainy, tougher look, whilst the grainy tone of the dance shot looks a lot more gritty than the scenes where members sit on the steps or by windows. Granted, the dance shot also looks dirty, compared to the rest of the MV... but, details! The texture is there, and it pleases me that H!P played around with more than colour, here. They did something a little bit different, and gave each different scene a unique look.
There really isn't a lot that I dislike about this PV, though you probably figured that out already. I would say the one thing I dislike, is the darker tone of the dance scenes. They look too gray against the bright setting of every other shot, but, it does give the MV a little bit more texture to it, so, yeah. I hate it, but, I've found a reason for why it looks that way. It's definitely not the prettiest aspect of this video, but hey! At least they covered up most of the dullness with some jazzy colour and shapes, right?
Tokai no Hitorigurashi is an entertaining music video, and I enjoy the use of colour and graphics throughout. At the time of its release, it was one of the first music videos from H!P to make use of such fun, unique designs in one of their releases. It was fresh and new, and the start of H!P truly showing off their skills in video editing. What could have been a simple, generic PV, became something a little more individual in its design, and highly applauded by fans... or at least, fans like me, who love almost anything put out for them.
I like it, and it's one of my favourite Music Video releases from ℃-ute, period! You really can't beat the magic of editing and hard work, now can you?
I doubt that you guys need to look too deeply into why I like this PV; I've pretty much spelled it out, and long-time readers will know that my style usually lies in PV reviews and enjoying the craft that is editing, style and overall prettiness of a music video. I love things that make the editing side of me happy, and when it comes to any music video available in ℃-ute's long list of releases, Tokai no Hitorigurashi is the one that I always seem to think back to when I ask myself which of their PV's is the best.
Of course, that is all subject to personal opinion. But, yeah, I hold this one in high regard. It's too darn wonderful.
One of the biggest reasons why I like this video, is obviously because of the editing. The colour, graphic design, timing of the graphics to the music, and bright tone is very appealing to me. It's jazzy and effective, and has a great pace, to boot. It fits the song really well, creating a pure visual experience that matches the music perfectly. It's as if the music has come alive, and is showing its true form on-screen.
It's happy, energetic, and fun. A contrast to the almost bitter-sweet tone of the lyrics, but fitting for the sound.
I cannot deny, however, that if this PV were to lose the graphics and colour, it would be a video without substance. Aside from nifty camera swings and swift edits, this video is nothing without its bold, innovative look. The use of the board would keep some of the entertainment there, sure, but not a lot. Knowing me, though, I'd probably enjoy it greatly... I do like simple things, after all, and minus the graphics would create the quintessential H!P music video. Simple, clean, and cheap as fuck to make, but still nice to look at, cause, pretty members!
I think the timing of the video is beautifully done here, too. Opinion might differ on this, but I like how the editing keeps in-time with the beat of the song during the chorus and instrumental break. I like how the choreography fits the song perfectly, too. It might be simple, but it is also energetic to watch, and matches the bouncy, energised tone of the song. It's got a bit of a kick to it, so I am pleased that the dance shot matches it. Also, the choreography flows together really well, from what I have seen here. No member feels out of place, it moves naturally whenever the members shift, and I like how they switch around with such ease.
The fashion for this video is really on-point, too. I love how they make use of various bold tones on some members, and texture on others. When I first watched this video, all those years ago, I thought that Tokai no Hitorigurashi was a rather stylish, pretty video, and I stand by that thought, even now. It looks good, and I think that the outfits they paired with each member is very fitting. I especially love Airi and Nakky's, because they are so memorable and pop against the other members.
Plus, Nakky's outfit is just too gorgeous. She looks like a stylish office lady, who has a bold sense of dress and does not care for the conventional black / white attire you are usually restricted to wear. It's flashy, flattering, and gorgeous!
Quickly heading back to the editing side of the video, I want to also note that, not only are the clothes used here a point of texture in the MV, but also some of the techniques used in editing. The scene with Airi opening and closing her solo shot, for example, has a dotted filter, giving it a grainy, tougher look, whilst the grainy tone of the dance shot looks a lot more gritty than the scenes where members sit on the steps or by windows. Granted, the dance shot also looks dirty, compared to the rest of the MV... but, details! The texture is there, and it pleases me that H!P played around with more than colour, here. They did something a little bit different, and gave each different scene a unique look.
There really isn't a lot that I dislike about this PV, though you probably figured that out already. I would say the one thing I dislike, is the darker tone of the dance scenes. They look too gray against the bright setting of every other shot, but, it does give the MV a little bit more texture to it, so, yeah. I hate it, but, I've found a reason for why it looks that way. It's definitely not the prettiest aspect of this video, but hey! At least they covered up most of the dullness with some jazzy colour and shapes, right?
Tokai no Hitorigurashi is an entertaining music video, and I enjoy the use of colour and graphics throughout. At the time of its release, it was one of the first music videos from H!P to make use of such fun, unique designs in one of their releases. It was fresh and new, and the start of H!P truly showing off their skills in video editing. What could have been a simple, generic PV, became something a little more individual in its design, and highly applauded by fans... or at least, fans like me, who love almost anything put out for them.
I like it, and it's one of my favourite Music Video releases from ℃-ute, period! You really can't beat the magic of editing and hard work, now can you?
Colour! Graphics! Editing and upbeat tunes! It's everything I could ever want... Plus, ears! The ears will always make me happy, gehehehe!
What are your favourite aspects of this PV? Or, is it a PV you dislike? Share your thoughts and let me know! And until my next post where we will celebrate the joys of ℃-ute, please cherish these girls until their final encore.
And of course, take care, stay happy and healthy, smile and make somebody's day, enjoy life, watch music videos, and of course, LOVE THY IDOL!
Much Love and colourful tunes,
Chiima~
Your comment on the editing made me realise they probably WERE using ℃-ute to practice editing the graphics in time with the beat and instrumental for MM's eventual "Egao no Kimi". *gasp*
ReplyDeleteLooking back on this PV, it really is a upbeat song with a flattering PV that brings the song to life in visual form. I think without the PV I wouldn't enjoy the song as much.
I really do think they were! We didn't get amazing designs until after this, pretty much... and now they've taken over, for the better XD they really know how to jazz up an MV!
DeleteYeah, I think the strong suit of this song is its MV, more than anything. Sometimes the song carries the MV, but right here, it's a case of the video selling what is a weaker song. Not a bad thing, by any means; we got a damn slice of heaven out of it XD