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Thursday, 24 December 2020
Idols of Advent: Spending This Winter Holiday with You - Celebrating A 'Very Merry Happy Christmas' with Ogura Yui (Pic Spam Review)
Tuesday, 22 December 2020
Idols of Advent: The Tranquility of A Winter's Day - A Gentle 'Snow Flake Remind' by Jewel☆Neige (Pic Spam Review)
Monday, 21 December 2020
Idols of Advent: A Land of Winter and Heartbreak - The Loneliness of 'Tiamo' by T-ARA (Pic Spam Review)
Tuesday, 15 December 2020
Idols of Advent: Beneath A Starry Winter Sky with You - The Beauty of a 'secret star' by amatsuuni (Pic Spam Review)
Monday, 14 December 2020
Idols of Advent: Once Upon A Winter Story - An Enchanting 'Winter Story' by LABOUM (Pic Spam Review)
Friday, 11 December 2020
An Idols Fighting Spirit - An Interview with Satanic Punish
Thursday, 19 November 2020
The 10th Cake Day: Sushi And All
Wednesday, 18 November 2020
The Adventures of Sushi-Musume and the Sushi Plate Invasion - Returning to 'Appare Kaitenzushi!' 10 Years On (Picspam Playback)
Thursday, 12 November 2020
From Regular to Royal! Houkago Princess Transform into Idol Royalty in the 'Princess no Teigi' Music Video! (Rewind Pic Spam Review)
Tuesday, 10 November 2020
And These Are A Few Of My Favourite MV's: Confessions Of A Music Video Fanatic
Music videos have - and will always hold - a special place in my heart. It is no secret that I adore them, and without music videos as my vice, I would not have found my niche on this blog. Granted, I don't really talk about music videos on here these days - I need to get back on that wagon, actually - but I will always consider the music video a precious media form. Without the beauty that is the music video, I probably wouldn't continue blogging today.
So, in a bid to continue this Hellish Cake Month, I wanted to share a list with everyone that showed my appreciation for a few of my favourite music videos. These are the ones that have been stuck in my mind since I first watched them, the ones that have entertained, or perhaps the ones that had editing I could never forget. It's a list of the music videos that have basically left an impression on me, regardless of how deep or meaningful they may be, or how happy and mind-numbingly simple they look.
If it stood the test of time and is a music video I look back on, then it will be featured on this list.
Today we will appreciate the beauty of the music video, one aspect of the music world that has entertained and swayed us all. Without the music video we know today, we would not have a window into a groups single, nor would we have a visual representation of that song we love so much. So, to celebrate my love of music videos, it's time to check out my favourites in yet another list, and entertain ourselves with the editing, the joy, the sadness and the beauty that they provide.
It's time to take a look at just a ~few~ of my favourite music videos, Dear Readers. Are you comfy? If yes, then let's begin...
Wednesday, 4 November 2020
The Top 11 Female Idol Groups (According to Chiima)
Sunday, 1 November 2020
Welcome to Cake Month: The Top 11 J-pop & Idol Songs Of All Time (According to Chiima)
And so begins the journey of celebrating Okay! Musume Time's 10th Cake Day with a few posts to celebrate...
Welcome to the beginning of my new Hell, or, as it will otherwise be known: Cake month. Yes, you read it right; Cake month, a month in which I dedicate myself to writing a bunch of posts as a way of celebrating this blogs 10th Anniversary. A month that will be filled with agony and turmoil, a lack of imagination, and much stress on my part in regards to thinking up what the fuck to post.
Now if I have planned it accordingly and thought ahead, I will have successfully created a months worth of posts for you to read. If I haven't done my job as a writer and thought this out in a half-arsed nature, then you will at least have a handful of articles at your disposal. And if I really do fail? Well, you'll have this post, and the actual Birthday post to look forward to. Honestly speaking though, I hope that Chiima from the distant past of June 2020 has sorted her shit out, and that she's actually finished writing everything before November actually hits.
Well, whatever happens post-wise, I can assure you that I went mad during the lead up to this very month because - Jesus Christ - why have I put myself through this?
Love. That's why. The most basic-ass answer you can get because it's true. I love this blog and have a great amount of pride for it, and whilst I have certainly slacked off in the past, I want to celebrate Okay! Musume Time's 10th anniversary in style, because damn, how the fuck did I get this far?
Right, I have written enough already, so let's cut to the chase: My aim is to create a bunch of posts for my blogs 10th Anniversary, and today we are kick-starting this Hellish month of the Cake with the style of post I do best: Stupidly Long Lists.
For this first list (there will be more, I assure you), I will take a look at my Top 11 J-Pop & Idol Songs of all time (at least for now). These are the songs that I will consistently return to, the ones that I remember well, those that feel nostalgic, and the tracks that have a lot of meaning to me as a listener. For one reason or another, these 11 songs are incredible important to me, and today I will share why with all of you.
Let the Cake month festivities begin.
Saturday, 31 October 2020
Idol'ween: Welcome to the Halloween March - Let's Trick or Treat in Halloween Junky Orchestra's 'Halloween Party' (Pic Spam Review)
It's time to awaken the spirits and begin the Halloween festivities! Are you ready to walk alongside those who haunt the night this Halloween night?
Way back when in the year of 2012 when you could go to a party and enjoy your time there without having to worry about restrictions, HYDE created the incredible Halloween Junky Orchestra. Made up of various artists and musicians, this incredible group donned their costumes to sing the iconic Halloween Party, a song that I fell in love with upon its release and have continued to adore 8 years on.
As both a song and music video Halloween Party holds a special place in my heart because, whilst it was not my first spooky themed review on this blog, It was a part of my first ever Halloween series of PV reviews on this blog. I also adore this music video a great deal because it embodies the fun and spook-factor of Halloween beautifully, and is visually appealing as well. It's incredible, and I have actually wanted to come back and review it now that I am older and a little less juvenile in my writing, and also because I use gifs in my PV reviews these days, which was a big part of my reasoning for coming back to this review: I can now fully express why I love a scene and its motion, and I can also capture the true beauty of Halloween Party without restriction
That, and I simply wanted to revisit this music video. It's just too good to ignore this time of the year.
So with this music video I will end this years series of Idol'ween reviews with one of the most reliable Halloween PV's out there. It's definitely a favourite of mine and will be one of those videos that I continue to watch not only for the visuals, but because it makes me happy and fills me with Halloween spirit.
Bring out the candy and put on your costumes dearest readers, because it's time to revel in mischief and fun. Let the festivities begin!
Friday, 30 October 2020
Idol'ween: The Magic Of A Moonlit Night - Casting A Spell with STARMARIE in 'Kimi to Hitori Getsuya ni Utau' (Pic Spam Review)
On this night before All Hallow's Eve the idol group called STARMARIE cast a magic spell, one that would enchant its viewers the longer they viewed this spellbinding video...
Thursday, 29 October 2020
Idol'ween: Falling Victim to the Depths of Despair - Trapped in NECRONOMIDOL's Horrific 'santa sangre' (Pic Spam Review)
The Music Video and its images that have been reviewed on this post contains scenes of a violent and harrowing nature, and as such must be viewed with discretion. Images include depictions of physical violence, death, blood and su*c*de, so viewer discretion is once again advised.
Wednesday, 28 October 2020
Idol'ween: Origin of A Curse - Trapped in A Nightmare with Dreamcatcher's 'Fly High' (Pic Spam Review)
Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Idol'ween: Bleeding Into The Realm Of Reality 10 Years Later - Pulling the Plug in AKB48's 'Beginner' (Pic Spam Review)
Monday, 26 October 2020
Idol'ween: The Strange Case of halca the Scientist - Concocting Mischief in halca's 'Tokitoshite Violence' (Pic Spam Review)
It's time to skirt the fine line between the alternative and reality as we head into a world that would not look out of place during the Halloween season...
Sunday, 25 October 2020
Idol'ween: The Haunting of Maneki Manor - Entertained by Maneki Kecak's 'Aru wakenai no Sono oku ni' (Pic Spam Review)
Sunday, 11 October 2020
Music Digest: 3rd Quarter
Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Thank You, LONDON BLUE (The Hiatus Appreciation Post)
Monday, 27 July 2020
The Rain at the End of the Spring Creates A Brighter Sun in Kimura Yuka's 'rainy' (Mini-Album Review)
In her first physical release for the year of 2020, Kimura Yuka brings rainy, a mini-album packed with songs perfect for the end of Spring. From vibrant and energetic tracks to refreshing sounds that will soothe your soul, rainy is the perfect release for those who want something a little more simple in sound, but is still packed full of colour and delight.
Once again I have found someone new to write about on my blog, despite Kimura Yuka having been active as a singer since 2014. So, much like other posts that I have created this year, my review of rainy will serve as an introduction to her music and voice, and my overall thoughts on this mini-album and what it offers me as a listener. Of course, the impending question is - as always - this: is rainy worth the listen, and will it hold up until the end of the year?
Now is the time to talk about rainy and the kind of experience it delivers. Though we are now in the season of Summer, it's nice to think about the rain and look back at the beauty that Spring delivers. So, without further adieu, let's turn back time and return to a cooler time of the year. Oh, and don't forget your umbrella's, dear readers.
Listen with me on Spotify.
Saturday, 25 July 2020
The Mystery of Houkago Princesses 'Shakunetsu no Mystery Eye' and Its Underwhelming Music Video (Pic Spam Review)
Saturday, 18 July 2020
Music Digest: 2nd Quarter 2020
Sunday, 28 June 2020
Houkago Princess Reignite The Summer Heat in 'Shakunetsu no Mystery Eye / Zesse Cleopatra' (Single Review)
In these trying times of turmoil and uncertainty, Houkago Princess have prepared a brand new song to ignite hope, and bring back your spirit for the summer of 2020. With the strength of Cleopatra embedded in their lyrics, as well as the passion of the members singing these songs, Houkago Princess will bring back the summer heat, and instil hope and liveliness to all who will listen to their music.
Made up of two tracks, the most recent addition to Houkago Princesses discography is also the last for sub-leader Maika, who will be leaving the group after 6 years of activity, and continue to work as a solo artist. With her graduation on the horizon, Shakunetsu no Mystery Eye / Zesse Cleopatra sees Maika and the other members of Houkago Princess transform into the beautiful and strong Cleopatra, the Pharaoh whose legacy is still remembered 3,000 years on.
It's time to tell a story with Houkago Princess once again, but this time we are looking at the history of a desert Queen. Are you ready to step back in time and experience a brilliant summer like no other?
Sunday, 7 June 2020
Fighting Against The Sins of the World Through Music: An Introduction to Satanic Punish (Updated on December 7th, 2020)
Of course, these types of posts are made just as much for myself as they are for you. The research process, though tiring at times, is an enjoyable and often positive experience for me, and only helps to deepen my connection and interest with a group. The time it takes to finally finish off these kinds of posts is also pretty damn rewarding, and I simply get a thrill out of creating them. Maybe I'm weird, but it's small things like this that really make my time as an Idol fan even better.
With that said, let's take a look at today's group and learn a little more about them! Though information is a little hard to come by (aside from one incident, which was everywhere during research), I am happy to finally introduce my guide to a group that wants to punish the world and its wrongdoings.
Brutal, honest and passionate about music, let's sit down and learn about Satanic Punish!
*Regardless of excessive research and a lot of sifting through Google, there is a high chance that some information may be incorrect, and I am 100% certain that I do not have all necessary information on this group. I am not an expert on Satanic Punish, and still a new fan. At the end of the day, this article was created because I simply enjoy writing and learning about Idols, and sharing this sort of thing with fans. To end this disclaimer, I also acknowledge that there may be grammatical errors and typo's / spelling mistakes here, and some errors regarding group information. Please feel free to call me out on those if you see them. Thank you for your understanding.
The Origin Story
Born from the desire to create music that details the absurdities and inequality of the world, Satanic Punish came to life on June 16th, 2019 with a sound that matched their fighting spirit. With a heavy and powerful melody at the core of their songs, the groups band-sound and use of metal-core, kira-core, Death-core and trance-core has become a key feature of their identity.
With lyrics written by Fudou Gantetsu, Satanic Punish have made it their mission to sing about topics that other idols won't. With a brutal but honest sound, the group and their producer are able to express their frustrations with the world through the power of music, and continue to make use of various genres and topics to get their message across. Because of this, the group has not been held back by any given genre or topic like past groups have, and consider themselves 'genreless' Idols that are bringing something different to the current Idol scene.
Wednesday, 3 June 2020
The Night of Resurrection Begins in NECRONOMIDOL's 'TUPILAQ' (Song Review)
Just 10 days shy of a year since their last official music release, NECRONOMIDOL return with TUPILAQ, a song that solidifies the groups resurrection after a turbulent start to the year. With Tsukishiro Himari at the helm, this release brings the dormant group to life, and successfully debuts a shiny new lineup that will either ignite the flames of interest, or quash the remaining fragments of dedication a few fans once held?
As a fan of the group, I am understandably excited for any release they put out, but with the recent changes in the group, there has been a little bit of hesitation from the fans, myself included. Will the sound be consistent with their past releases, and how will the vocals hold up now that some of the core singers are out of the group? Can NECRONOMIDOL withstand such a drastic change, or will their music suffer in the process?
It may be too early to tell right now, but I have a lot of faith in the group and all that they produce. So, with that in mind, it's time to take a look at the latest release from NECRONOMIDOL, and to see if they meet expectation, or fall further from grace.
The time for judgement is now! What will the verdict be...?
Listen with me on Bandcamp.
Monday, 1 June 2020
Fighting For Better Days in 'King for a day' by Merry Bad End (Song Review)
Resisting the bad end with each passing day, Merry Bad End are back with a new fight song to inspire their fans, one that incites hope and spirit thanks to a powerful instrumental and beautiful vocals!
Acting as the third song release of 2020, King for a day follows a steady pattern of song releases from Merry Bad End, who have now been releasing a new song each month since the end of March this year. With each new track invoking an image of better times, King for a day comes at a perfect time in the year to inspire and uplift its listener, and to deliver a message of hope and resilience for those who need it most.
With its Dystopian sound and beautiful vocals, Merry Bad End are ready to help you resist these hard times, and to pull you forward in a bid to find light during even the darkest of times with their newest fight song. But it's up to you to determine how you feel about it, so here is the question: is it as inspirational as I make it out to be, or will it fall flat and leave you unfulfilled during these times?
It's time to answer that question and give King for a day a listen. Who will be wearing the crown once this is all over...?
Listen with me on Spotify.
Tuesday, 26 May 2020
There Is No Violence, Just Cheer in halca's 'Toki Toshite Violence' (Single Review)
After training for five years to become an anisong singer, halca made her major debut in 2018 with the single Kimi no Tonari, a single that contained the ending theme for the Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii anime. Now in 2020, halca has released her fifth single lead by the song Toki Toshite Violence, an upbeat, pop anime theme tune that currently acts as the opening for the second season of Dropkick on My Devil!.
Much like any artist or idol that has never been posted on this blog before, this single is my introduction to the world of halca's music, and ultimately sets the bar for what I expect from here on out. I've binged this release for a few days already, and after finally getting a good feel of the single, the impending question is this: how much do I enjoy halca's Toki Toshite Violence, and is it worth the listen?
Well, that's up to you to decide, but I will do my best to give you a few reasons for why you should (or shouldn't) listen to it. So, it's time to take a look at halca and her latest release, Toki Toshite Violence. Will it be violently chipper, or will it fall flat and disappoint? Let your judgement be cast and press that play button. It's time to listen to some music~
Listen with me on Spotify or Deezer.
Monday, 25 May 2020
Houkago Princess Transform into Desert Royalty for Maika's Graduation Single
The single is set for release on July 29th, 2020, and will be available in four editions. It has been described as a summer tune that will bring its listeners energy when they listen to it, and contains the message of remembering the fun you had during the summer in the past, and awaiting that feeling for the up-coming summer.
This will also serve as Maika's last single, as she will be graduating from Houkago Princess once all activities related to the release have ended. She will continue to work as a solo artist under the name Miyashita Maika.
Wednesday, 13 May 2020
Returning to The Fairies Who Melt Like Ice: Another Introduction to elfloat (Updated On September 3rd, 2020)
The Origin Story
Prior to the groups inception, the company blue clover Co., Ltd began in 2012 as a music video production company that created high quality content at a low cost. Based in Shibuya and headed by CEO Nishiyama Yūsaku, the company gained a good reputation for its services, and would eventually branch into other forms of video production, such as live and CM works, and even live house management down the line. Most importantly, however, the company would go on to create its own sub-branch that focused on idol production.
It was in n May of 2014 that elfloat (エルフロート) became the first group to debut under the blue forest label. With an initial focus on costumes, lyrics that expressed a different world and a diverse range of music, elfloat were quick to gain success after their live debut, and down the line would be noted for their energetic and intense dance style that takes over the stage. Unsurprisingly, elfloat were considered to be the Ace unit of blue forest, and were the longest running group to come out of the company.
Since their first performance, elfloat has gained and held the status of being a Super Live Idol group, and will perform over 300 lives a year. Including solo and one man shows, the group continues to make a name for themselves, continually proving to be a successful, recognisable group regardless of their indies status. Of their live success, elfloat were able to attract 1,200 attendees to their Zepp Tokyo live in May of 2017, and have also held one-man lives at places such as Akasaka BLITZ and Shibuya O-EAST.
And despite their cute appearance and graceful demeanour, elfloat's music style is extremely diverse when it comes to its genres, and include styles such as pop, new wave, heavy metal, visual and club music. Not including two of the groups songs, former producer Nishiyama has acted as the mastermind behind all of the groups songs in terms of composing and producing their material, and has also written the lyrics for about 90% of their works.