After 4pm, A Fairy Tale Will Begin: Seifuku Cinderella Mini-Album Review

Once Upon A Time, around 11 years ago, a fairy tale debut was about to begin...

Just 4 years after entering the Idol scene, Houkago Princess made their magical major debut with the release of their very first mini-album, Seifuku Cinderella. A sparkling, hopeful release that celebrated the members' hard work towards a bigger stage, it was this very mini-album that set the tone for the groups future releases through a brand new theme: 'School girls who transformed into Princesses after 4pm'. Trading their headbands for tiara's and their school uniform for beautiful gowns, this marked the beginning of HouPri's Princess era.

It is this very release that gave me a newfound love for the group. Though I had already loved them a great deal even before that, it was such an exciting moment in time to see the group incorporate one of my long-time passions into their theme: Fairy tales and Princesses. It was a rebrand that not only refreshed the group and their image, but one that was incredibly appealing and thrilling to me as a fan both in 2015 and even now.

Now it has been 11 years since the debut of both this mini-album and Houkago Princesses current concept, and for some reason, it has taken me eleven years to finally review this release on my blog. So, to celebrate the groups 15th anniversary and 11 years since their Princess concept came to be, let's step into this sparkling story of a school girl who, through all her hard work, was able to find herself in a fairy tale world filled with magic, castles, beautiful gowns and glass slippers.

Before the clock strikes midnight, let's fall into this beautiful world where you can become a princess, too...

Release Date: August 19th, 2015

Price: ¥2,037 (Regular) ¥2,547 (Type A, Type B)
Versions: 3 (Regular Edition | Type A | Type B)

Track List:

1. Seifuku Cinderella (制服シンデレラ)

2. Gachi Only You (ガチOnly You)

3. Kimipedia (キミペディア)
4. Nanairo Photograph (七色フォトグラフ) (Odagiri Nana solo)

5. Dream Door

6. Juliet ~Kimi wo Suki na 100 no Riyuu~ (2015 ver.) (ジュリエット ～君を好きな100の理由～ (2015version))

𓆩:*¨༺✧ Seifuku Cinderella ✧༻¨*:𓆪

Mini-Album Review

1. Seifuku Cinderella

Even though it has been over a decade since this songs release, Seifuku Cinderella still makes me feel as excited now as it did when I first heard it. With its sparkling, magical sound that delivers hope and joy, I feel nothing but happiness and pride as I re-live the experience of knowing this was their hard-earned debut song and that HouPri's very own Cinderella story was about to commence.

It's probably a bit over the top, but I still sometimes cry when I listen to this song. Actually, I'm crying right now as I sit here and think about how long it has been since this song debuted, and how precious and important is to both the past and current generations of Houkago Princess that have been able to perform it. It is an incredibly important song for the group, one that marks each members success in debuting as an idol and living out their dreams.

'Seifuku Cinderella, if you want to make your wish come true

Then take the first step up the stairs right in front of you.'

For me as a fan, this is more than just a pretty song. Seifuku Cinderella is an emotional piece that holds the feelings of every member that has ever performed it. Even now, this song has continued to hold great significance within the group over the years. It has marked coronations and acted as the first song for many new members, and even now it is still performed regularly with the same excitement and hope that the original line-up held when they performed it for the first time.

Seifuku Cinderella is bright and hopeful, magical and fun. Whenever I hear it, I feel like I am experiencing their major debut all over again, and at times it feels like it was only yesterday that the music video and this mini-album was released.

Like many of their songs, I hold so much love for Seifuku Cinderella. It was the beginning of a new story for Houkago Princess that the members were ready to unfold, and it is this very song that now represents the journey they walked up until this point.

Time has undoubtedly passed since Seifuku Cinderella was released, but even if many years have passed us by, there is no denying that this songs importance only continues to grow, as does my love for it.

2. Gachi Only You

Plucked right out of their iconic indies era sound and style, Gachi Only You is a song that delivers the feelings of a girl as she thinks about her loved one. Though the lyrics themselves might seem quite simple, the elegant sound of the instrumental and the members' vocals deliver a romantic, meaningful quality to the song.

Personally, I have always found Gachi Only You to be one of Houkago Princesses prettiest songs thanks to its gentle vocals and gorgeous instrumental. There is no denying that it feels reminiscent of the music we heard from the groups Indies era of course, both in terms of its lyrical style and sound, however I like to think that Gachi Only You serves as a nod to the groups past. After all, Seifuku Cinderella as a whole was released to celebrate the groups achievement and to acknowledge the hard work the members put into the group prior to making their major debut.

In that regard, the melancholy of the lyrics also feels quite reminiscent of some of HouPri's earlier works, because once again, this is a song that speaks of a girls feelings that she can't seem to voice to the person she actually likes. Surprisingly enough, even the sound seems to reflect that this time, and it feels so quintessentially early HouPri that it makes me feel a little giddy inside. Granted, I can understand why some listeners may find the song to feel quite simple, especially when you pair it against the likes of Seifuku Cinderella and Kimipedia, however Gachi Only You is an important song that is not only beautiful, but speaks to HouPri's indies era of music and the journey they made before getting to this point in their history.

Gachi Only You is a departure song, at least for me. It's a send-off, a 'goodbye' of sorts to the HouPri that came before the groups Princess era. It is an incredibly important song that tells us to 'love and never forget', even if that love is never reciprocated. For me, that speaks not only to the protagonist of the song and the person they love, but also to the fans of the group who loved HouPri's former self prior to their major debut.

'Truly, only you—even if this love never comes true

Seriously, only you—I could never forget you'

It may not be the most exciting song on the mini-album, but it is certainly important to the group and their history. For me, this is the song that sent them on their way toward a sparkling new future while celebrating the sound and lyrical style of their past.

3. Kimipedia

When it comes to Kimipedia, my first thought is always that this song is so fun. Upbeat, carefree and perhaps a little bit silly, this high-energy song showcases HouPri's youthful spirit in a delightfully positive way.

I think it goes without saying that as a song, Kimipedia is playful and sweet. It's filled with the exhilerating energy and joyful innocence of first love and wanting to know about the person you like. The lyrics themselves depict the protagonist wishing to compile a 'Kimipedia' ('you' encyclopaedia) of everything their crush likes, their age, zodiac sign and more. It's tooth-achingly sweet and even now, it makes me think of how innocent a crush can be when you first meet someone, especially during your youth.

As a track, Kimipedia really stands out thanks to its high energy sound and catchy lyrics. It's just so bright and bubbly, and you really can't help but want to join in with the members as they perform it, especially when the clapping sounds and 'fu~fu's~' come up during the instrumental break. It's also a lot of fun to watch live thanks to how cute and playful and cute the choreography is.

Kimipedia is a genuinely delightful song, one that I don't listen to often enough. It's what I would call the perfect live song thanks to how spirited, catchy and high-energy it is. It's undeniably adorable and I really do need to listen to it more, because I have not appreciated this song enough in the 11 years it has been released.

4. Nanairo Photograph

Acting as the only solo track on this entire release, Nanairo Photograph is a song that reflects on your past as you look back through the photographs from your youth.

A sentimental song, Nanairo Photograph brings on this feeling of watching Odagiri Nana as she reminisces over the memories she has made and the people she has met throughout her life. Be it a love she once had for someone or the memories of Houkago Princess during their first indies period, Nanairo Photograph invokes that feeling of looking back at your youth with fondness while also hoping to meet those same people again in the future.

I don't listen to Nanairo Photograph enough, so I often forget how good it sounds when I do finally sit down to listen to it. Sure, Nana's voice is not my favourite from HouPri, however I cannot deny that there is a great deal of love and care poured into this track. It's a sweet song, one that is perfectly fitting for Nana as a singer, and I can't help but love how the instrumental sounds. It's beautiful and feels so unique, and I honestly wish we could hear this song performed a little more, either solo or as a group.

There was a point in time where I would have wondered why this song was even included in the track list for Seifuku Cinderella. Now, however, I can see why it was chosen after reading the lyrics and understanding the songs meaning. In a way it feels like Nana's own personal reflection of her time with the group as its first leader, and how she might look back at all the tings they have achieved and the memories she made with the members she stood together on stage with.

Regardless of the fact this song was made at the beginning of HouPri's journey, Nanairo Photograph holds great significance in Seifuku Cinderella thanks to the story it tells. It's a remnant of the groups indies era while also acting as a point of view for Nana as she looks back at the group and the dream they have finally claimed. It's a 'thank you' to the past, from the memories made to the fans and members that came and went, and a look toward the future as Nana expresses her desire to see everyone again when the day comes that Houkago Princess can make their ultimate dream come true.

'The dream I want to realize draws closer little by little

Let’s be in the picture together when that day finally arrives'

It's a very sweet song, one that I can appreciate more now that I've looked into it a little more. I am just ashamed it has taken me this long to truly understand it in my own way.

5. Dream Door

Penned long before the groups major debut had even been decided, Dream Door is a song that was written with a milestone achievement in mind. With lyrics that encourage the listener to keep moving forward and never give up on finding the 'door to their dreams', Dream Door is a song that once again reflects the hard work and efforts of Houkago Princess as they finally open the door that would lead them to their major debut.

I firmly believe that this song is not talked about enough, because Dream Door is such a fun, happy track that consistently brings a smile to my face whenever I hear it. It's incredibly positive from beginning to end, and I think one specific reason as to why it makes me so happy is not in its sound, but in the fact that Dream Door allows each member to shine with a solo line. Hearing my favourite members' voices alone for even a small moment is incredibly thrilling, and it only adds to the emotional impact this song has on me as a listener.

I think that as a song, Dream Door feels like the perfect sequel to Seifuku Cinderella. Not only does it sound enchanting and magical, but it is also holds a similar message of finding your dreams through your own efforts. That, and much like Seifuku Cinderella, Dream Door includes familiar sound effects to create that fairy tale feeling—ringing bells and glittering sound effects—while also tying it together with the sound and style of Seifuku Cinderella.

Dream Door is a fun, magical song filled with the power and emotions of the members performing it, and it is a song that I really want to see performed one day. It's one that showcases the friendship and efforts of the members whenever it is sung, and it is the kind of song that brings nothing but joy whenever I hear it. It's a great song, one that perfectly closes the groups original Indies era chapter so that they can walk towards their new beginning.

6. Juliet ~Kimi wo Suki na 100 no Riyuu~ (2015 version)

When it comes to this specific version of Juliet ~Kimi wo Suki na 100 no Riyuu~, I feel like that I do not give it the love or recognition it is rightly due, because this is a certified bop that needs to be heard.

Of all the variants this specific song has to offer, Juliet ~Kimi wo Suki na 100 no Riyuu~ (2015 ver.) is probably the most unique and most changed in terms of how it sounds. With a punchier, more energetic instrumental that offers a sparkling take on the original sound source, this version of Houkago Princesses most iconic song acts as a perfect hybrid between their original indies sound and the magical, princess-like quality that came with their major debut.

I really like this version. Granted, it isn't my favourite version of this song, however I do appreciate what it is trying to do in terms of sound and how it brought the past and present version of Houkago Princess together. It's a really refreshing take on what is considered HouPri's most iconic song, and even now it continues to surprise me with how fresh and unique it sounds against all the other versions the group has released up until now.

Creating a high-energy, sparkling instrumental that fits the theme of this mini-album was a truly smart move, and it allowed fans to hear a new side to Juliet ~Kimi wo Suki na 100 no Riyuu~ that feels both fresh and thrilling, even if we have heard the lyrics long before now.

Juliet ~Kimi wo Suki na 100 no Riyuu~ (2015 ver.) is such a fun take on a classic song, and it is a version of it we do not hear performed enough. I just hope that every now and again, HouPri breaks this version out of the vault to let us experience the magic it holds, because it is incredible.

♕♕♕♕♕

After almost 11 years since its release, I still feel that familiar thrill of anticipation and excitement from the first time I listened to Seifuku Cinderella. It's a wonderful feeling, one that has continued to follow me over the years even after the group has changed, and it is this same excitement that makes me look forward to the groups future.

Seifuku Cinderella is a precious release, one that captured the joy and love of Houkago Princess as they moved toward a new future with their major debut. It is stunning and bright, and I love how much consideration was put into the songs and how each one represented the groups past, their present and their future. I love it in its entirety, and I am so thankful that Houkago Princess were able to take this opportunity and become a group that would not only dazzle you on stage, but also inspire and ignite hope within the fans that found them along the way.

It was a debut that felt like the beginning of a fairy tale. Now, almost 11 years on, I am thankful that we can continue to witness Houkago Princesses dazzling story unfold as they continue their Princess and Idol journey.

I can only wonder which story they will tell us next.

Until next time, everyone. Please take care, enjoy your Idol music and stay happy.

Much love and happiness,
Kelly~