[℃-utie Week] A Shift in Style! Awkward Kisses and Terrible Dance Moves, Courtesy of 'Kiss Me Aishiteru' (MV Review!)

*[℃-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!

Continuing our week of celebration in the form of ℃-ute, we will take a look at 2011, a year that showed a new direction in ℃-ute's sound and look, shaking the fandom with this sudden change of pace. It was different, it was new, and it was something that a lot of us were not ready for.

But does it hold up? Let's take a look, and find out.

After questioning a few friends about which PV I should review - Kiss Me Aishiteru, or Adam to Eve no Dilemma - the one that won was, clearly, Kiss Me Aishiteru, though everyone had their reasons. Both songs and videos are clearly adored, however, this was the first music video to really shock people. It was one of the first truly 'sexy' concepts for ℃-ute, and the song itself was highly entertaining and memorable. It was a turning point for the group at the time of its release, showing them off as adults rather than kids, and it paved the way for future songs, such as Crazy Kanzen na Otona and Adam to Eve no Dilemma. It was a different tone to what everyone was used to, at least in image.

Of course, a different tone doesn't mean it's going to be good or bad, either, does it? This time around, I would say it's probably the latter, though you can feel free to disagree, as per usual.

I'm not saying that Kiss Me Aihisiteru is terrible. It isn't, but it's definitely not my favourite, and there are things going on here that just look plain boring, or feel questionable. But we will get to those details later on, after I've finished spamming you all with pictures and gifs of some choice moments from the music video itself.

It was a turning point in ℃-ute's image upon Kiss Me Aishiteru's release, and though it wasn't as signifcant to me as a follower way back when, it was a big part of ℃-ute's career,. So, looking back at one of the pivotal moments in ℃-ute's history, we're gonna put on our headphones, throw on some metallic purple hot pants, and pretend we can dance. Are you ready for a throwback?

Get yo Jelly legs on, we're doing the Kiss Me Aishiteru!

Nee nee nee nee~

Once upon a time, H!P had a thing for TV's...

Actually, why don't they use TV's in their MV's any more? TV-ception!

Quick, get the important members in first! The rest can go last!

... I don't like Nakky's forehead on display. I've just realised this.

Oh shit, Maimi caught me staring! My creeper skillz need work >o>

I have no clue which girl this is, but the back lighting is everythiiiiing. I love me some shadows and darkness.

Okay, H!P, why did you decide to dress them as cadbury's eclairs?

Gawd damnit, H!P, stop taking inspiration from British sweet wrappers!

If that is Mai doing the booty pop, wth? XD

Some of the boot pop's look awkward, here, as does the shimmying or whatever the hell they are doing. Chissa's rocking the Cadbury's look, though.

That position does not look comfortable.

Mai is literally being me in the club on a Saturday night.

What the fuck is going on back there, Nakky? Did that cocktail hit you harder than anticipated?

Also, Chissa, you rock. Mur bb <3

WTF is this, the jelly legs jinx?

Chissa: "Hey, babeh, wanna come back to mine tonight?"

I feel like Chissa's the only one who knows how to work the camera in this awkward song, aside from Maimi, of course.

Let's be real: Maimi's the only other one pulling off the mature vibe this video provides.

Nakky: "Mufufufu, and with this glass apple, I will feed it to the Maimi, and the leadership shall be mine, ALL MINE!!!"

I feel like Nakky needs a cat, a monocle, and some evil music, then we can let her audition for the next James Bond villain role. How about it?

If you're hugging yourselves because you are all cold, I suggest better shirts. The ones you are currently wearing don't provide so much warmth, ladies.

And I dub this move 'I gotta go, but ma tunes playing'.

I feel like Airi doesn't understand the concept of 'sexy'. She looks constipated.

Shoulda gone even when your song was playing, girl.

Again, Chissa rocks here. I feel like she had a whole lotta fun. Focusing less on the sexy, and more on the delight of being given lines. You go, Chissa!

Chissa: "Naw, boo, YOU GO!"

I love this girl.

Airi: *awkward alone dance in da club*

Me whenever my friends leave me during a night out.

-snips Nakky some bangs-

I feel like none of the girls know how to react to this song or MV, sometimes. They were so out of their element, here XD

Mai: "Nyehehe!"

Mai just looks plain ol' evil, here XD I think she's about to take over the world!

Why does that jack look about 5x bigger on Nakky than it should?

I find it cute that Airi is so self-conscious about this move, she has to look down. It feels awkward because of that, though. I mean, you need to be confident to pull off that kinda move.

Chissa: "... Yeeeeeah, it's not gonna work out, girl. I mean, those shorts, with that jacket? Nah..."

Chissa upon seeing these costumes.

Okay, this is just adorable. Doesn't fit the style of the MV, but who gives a crap at this point? ADORBS FOR ALL!

I feel like I'm watching a 90's MV, not gonna lie. Where's NYSYNC at?

Nothing about this solo shit is sexy. In fact, this plays more like a painful memory flashback shot. Airi's thinking back to all the sad times when she had to share her solo lines with the little people...

And Nakky's just plain angry :/

CAN NONE OF YOU DO SEKUSHII RIGHT!?

TBH though, Mai's smug face makes up for all the fail that is Nakky and Airi's 'sexy' face.

Every time Chissa's on screen, she is milking it. Can't blame her, either; she deserves this screen time!

Good lord, THOSE LEGS!

Nakky: "FFS, why can't I sexy like Maimi?"

Pls just find some bangs ;o;

Mai: "Okay, where's my paycheck?"

Mai looks just as pissed off as Nakky does, tbh.

YASSS, GET THE SMUG LOOK, GIRL!

Why does this entire MV feels so 90's? Have I accidentally run into an Avex release?

Gawd damn, Maimi is pretty. Thank goodness she knows how to work this MV.

I wanna bounce off those walls. They look springy!

And Chissa is rocking it, of course. She never disappoints <3

And here are the SPICE GIR-- I mean ℃-ute!

C'mon, admit it... she makes this MV.

She's the only one having so much damn fun!

... Okay, wtf was that awkward move, Maimi?

Maimi: "This is how you wotagei for our concerts!"

No. No it isn't.

More Chissa! Cause why the heck not?

Nakky: "I think Bae just DM'ed me."

ARRRGH, GIANT NAKKY FACE!!! WTF, H!P!? D8<

In all honesty, though... this will be my new reaction for anything good that happens. New HouPri release? A good selfie? The realisation that I can finally buy Tymbark cactus juice in England? This will be the picture you see.

Wow, this is choppy AF XD

God damnit, why is she so gorgeous and perfect and wonderful? Chissa, you glorious BAE! <3

Aaaaaand TOUCH THE BUTT!

Maimi looks like she wants to cry. WHO HURT YOU!?

Nakky: "Well, that was anticlimactic."

Chissa is so perfect, but she really does look awkward in this scene XD

Mai: "Mufufufufu, my apple."

Mai, why do you look so pleased with yourself? XD You kissed an apple, not a frog that turned into a prince.

Airi: "Be Delicious, by DKNY."

Wait, why didn't I make the DKNY perfume connection earlier!? MY REVIEW IS RUIIIINED!

ALL THE NEE'S! NE, NE, NE, FUCKIN' NEEEEE!

Okay, that got angry XD

All the single ladies, all the single ladies!

Look at those cadbury's eclairs dance! It's so... shiny! And very disco in its look, come to think of it.

I really don't know what they're trying to do, half the time. Putt the ball into the hole? Swing the bat so you can get a home run? Call the Water Gods so that rain will fall? Who freakin' knows.

Yeeeah, this ain't Charlie's Angels, girls. And with those outfits on, the stance looks even more ridiculous...

Okay, let's see what else is on. Anyone got the remote?

... And my cables gone. Gawd damnit, I knew I shoulda subscribed to Netflix!

.｡.:*💜*:.｡.💜.｡.:*💜*:.｡.

Okay, before I get into this review, let me just say that this is not the song you should listen to when slightly hungover. It's annoying, it's repetitive, and it's just all the nope in the world. The vocals are horrid (mostly Nakky's), the instrumental's not that appealing, and overall, the song is just very grating on my brain. So, with that duly noted... let's get into this review, shall we?

Now, if I was honestly going to let myself choose the song to review this time around, I wouldn't have chosen this one. I love Adam to Eve a lot more, I find the video so much more appealing, and the song is absolutely wonderful. I don't hate Kiss Me Aishiteru, per say, but I don't think it's good. However, when I queried my friends about which I should review, Adam to Eve only got one vote, and so, I went with the one I felt more people would like to see reviewed. That, and this one was more of a landmark release, because of what it started for the group and their career. So, I have no regrets in reviewing it for those reasons.

But ohhhhh, my Lord, I do regret listening to it on repeat so many times. This is not a good song, and I have zero shame in saying that. There was clearly a reason I never went back to this song after the initial hype fell.

Of course, I am not saying that this song is bad for everyone. I know a lot of people who love this song, and those who think highly of it. I also know some people who don't like it, either, but I understand why people enjoy it. Kiss Me Aishiteru is catchy and fun, it's memorable, and it gets stuck in your head. I would probably enjoy this song if it came on in a club, too, so long as I was off my head drunk. Otherwise, it's irritating, especially the vocals. Really, only Airi suits this song. The rest just suck vocally, even my darling Chissa.

Oh, and those Nee's get on my nerves. Good lord, who thought it was a good idea to do that to us poor souls?

Okay, moving away from the song (which I cannot wait to turn off, for the sake of my head), let's talk about this PV! Yaaaaay...

Where should I start?

Well, I don't think that this music video is bad, so there is that/ It's not the worst I have ever seen, nor is it the best. It's entertaining enough, and reminds me of a really bad 90's PV that would have millenials laughing their butts off when they return to the song and video, and re-watch it after years of ignoring it. It's cheesy, and a helluva good time for the first initial watch. After that, it gets boring, and I sincerely don't care to watch it again. It doesn't help that the members look awkward as fuck throughout the entirety of the music video, either.

Oh, and those outfits are awful. Not the worst ever (let's all remember LALALA Shiawase no Uya), but they definitely aren't cute, either. Oh, well... it fit the 'sexy' vibe, I guess? The hot pants did, at least.

In terms of the awkwardness of it all, I don't mean the age thing (Mai and Chissa's are questionable, however), but more how the members interacted with the camera and portrayed themselves. Half the time, they either looked like they wanted to cry, seemed angry, or in poor Airi's case, looked constipated. Other times, the choreography just seemed like it didn't flow. It looked stiff, weird, and very questionable, as if the choreographer had drunks in mind when crafting this masterpiece of nope. None of the members looked that comfortable doing it, either, which didn't help the flow of the dance. Sure, it kept in time with the beat of the song, but it just looked weird. Fun, I admit that much, but weird and so, very nope.

It does make me laugh, however, and right now, that's all that matters. Long live H!P and their shitty dance skillz. (Now please, someone combine the jelly legs with chicken wings. I need this in my life.)

In all honesty, I actually don't think much of this music video. I probably enjoyed more when it came out, than I do now. Compared to the videos we get now, ℃-ute's Kiss Me Aishiteru is boring, and far too awkward to enjoy visually. It makes use of some nice shadow work, and some of the camera angles used are delightful to watch, however everything else just lacks creativity and passion. It's your paint-by-numbers Hello! Pro MV, with the only redeeming quality being its initial 'shock factor' of it being the first 'real' sexy song in sound and image by ℃-ute, and even then, it's not that shocking when you look at it, now. The outfits are horrendous, the choreography is hilarious, and none of the members could do 'sexy' for shit way back when, not even Maimi. So, even the 'sexy' aspect backfired.

I do, however, think that Chisato saved this PV for me, because Lord Almighty, that girl knew how to a have a good time. This isn't even my bias showing (or so she said), because every time Chissa was on screen, she was milking it and mkaing the camera her bitch. She looooved filming this, in every little smirk and smile, wink and hair flip. The Holy Chissa was pure delight, and entertained me endlessly with her moments of joy. Sure, there were one or two moments where she started to go into the awkward realm with the rest of them, but you can bet she was back on her feet in no time, and it was absolutely wonderful to see that. Everyone else (aside from Maimi, let's be real) flopped and flailed, more often than not. It's what I saw, and it's what I repeat. We can't help the failings of the members as they were at the time. It was a new venture, they didn't know how to portray themselves, and I don't blame them for that, but yeah, it was hella awkward to watch because of it.

Still, it delights me to see that Chissa's the one who looks most comfortable, here. I mean, I kinda love her, after all.

So, yeah... it's not a great music video, and the song is a pile of nope for me. The video is not that aesthetically pleasing, now that I think about it, and the one redeeming quality if definitely Chisato and her little moments of delight. Sure, the dance is pretty funny to watch and reenact, but aside from that, the music video itself is pretty dull. Way back when Kiss Me Aishiteru was released, I understand that the main reason for its notoriety was in the 'shock' value it held thanks to the tacky outfits, mature nature, and sexy themes that ran through the sound, the dance and the costume choice. Stylistically, however, this PV is nothing new, nor is it anything revolutionary in the realm of Hello! Project. It's the same-old, same-old, and it certainly doesn't look or sound as good as it did, once upon a Time in 2011.

It has its good points, and it definitely has its bad points, but for now I'm going to turn this off and listen to something a lot more appealing. Kiss Me Aishiteru, it's been fun, but I will leave you in the past. It's where you belong.

The more I listen to you, the more I want to bash my head into my keyboard. Ah, such a good song choice, guys XD

Now, time to go buy me some Cadbury's Eclairs, and listen to some Flumpool or Beauty and the Beast OST. Anything to get this garbage outta my head.

Until next time, everyone! Take care, listen to some music, stay happy and healthy, and of course, LOVE YO IDOLS!!!

Much Love and Kisses,
Chiima~