Single AKB48 63rd single [Colorcon Wink] 2024/03/13

didnt expect this but the song is already in spotify. this song is already stuck in my head . thankfully i dont really care about the mix quality, so it doesnt bother me as much. now i cannot wait for the Yukirin solo b side and 18th gen kks song, hopefully they get a nice one. im sold for this single. ✨✨✨

 

AKB48 is at it's best when they do what they are.
The song is catchy, energic, it gives happiness, everything AKB48 has allways done.

The MV have the same feelings, and it's really beautifull.
I also Like that Yukirin ot a lot of lines, it's a great song as her ultimate on as an idol.
Thoughin regard to the above, A solo song may be too much, since nowadays AKB48 have so many troubles, but hey, such a career as hers desserves everything

 

wait, i thought she get a solo side?

CD

3.Saigo no Saigo Made (最後の最後まで) (Kashiwagi Yuki)

or is it an old song? lol.

 

Yep, I mean this one

 

Fourth round of the fifth sales of the 63rd single

Oguri Yui 66/66 二
Murayama Yuiri 66/66 二
Kuranoo Narumi 66/66 三
Yamauchi Mizuki 29/66 (3)
Taguchi Manaka 18/66 (1)
Iwatate Saho 13/66 (1)
Mizushima Miyuu 11/66 (1)
Mukaichi Mion 10/66 (1)
Akiyama Yuna 7/66 (4)
Nagatomo Ayami 7/66 (2)
Hashimoto Eriko 6/66
Sato Airi 5/66 (2)
Chiba Erii 3/66
Shitao Miu 1/66 (1)
Omori Maho 0/66 (1)
.......................................................
Hashimoto Haruna 6/54 (1)
Tokunaga Remi 4/54 (1)
Yamazaki Sora 4/54
Yamane Suzuha 4/54
Hotei Moka 2/54
Masai Mayuu 2/54

Spoiler

Nagano Serika 0/54
Hirata Yuki 0/54

.......................................................
Sakagawa Hiyuka 1/46
.......................................................
Yagi Azuki 10/42 (1)
Sato Minami 7/42 (2)
Suzuki Kurumi 7/42
Taniguchi Megu 3/42
Narita Kohina 3/42
Arai Sae 2/42
Kudo Kasumi 1/42
Takahashi Ayane 0/42 (1)

Spoiler

Gyoten Yurina 0/42
Muto Orin 0/42

.......................................................
Kashiwagi Yuki 40/40 二
.......................................................
Ota Yuki 2/36
Fukuoka Seina 1/36 (1)
.......................................................

Spoiler

Kubo Hinano 0/33

.......................................................
Kurosu Haruka 1/30 (1)
Yamaguchi Yui 1/30

Spoiler

Kohama Kokone 0/30
Sako Yumemi 0/30
Hatakeyama Nozomi 0/30

.......................................................

Spoiler

Komiyama Haruka 0/24

.......................................................
Sasaki Yukari 2/2 ①

 

Them dancing around ruins decorated with flowers is so apt given the current state of the franchise. Bling, not the music, etc.

The mixing is indeed painful at points. Hopefully they fix it by the time the whole single hits Spotify.

This I don't get. The whole point of the KKS is (was?) for them to train until they were ready to be team members and/or senbatsu. And now we have 5 KKS in senbatsu who are apparently ready to go on TV-shows but... that's it? I didn't get it when they did it with MeruMio and I don't get it now.

 

I thought that everyone was aware that nowadays being a kenkyuusei in AKB has no difference to being a regular member other than having a lower salary and way more chances to be in senbatsu

 

I have mixed feelings on this one!

On the one hand, sounding like old AKB is naturally a good thing. On the other hand, however, it sounds like old AKB because it feels like they've recycled songs. I keep hearing Sustainable, Jiwaru Days and Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby the whole way through, in a way I didn't with HisaLip. I think both Colorcon Wink and HisaLip fell into the trap of trying to recreate the AKB of old while still falling short, and both are my least favorite A-sides since this new "era" started after Shitsuten Arigatou. The chorus is somewhat catchy (after listening a few times), but at the same time it bugs me because it's so similar to a mix of the other songs I mentioned. It's kind of an uncanny valley type situation.
The mixing of the song is also very questionable. Their voices aren't as clear as they should be at pretty much any point in the song, especially in the section right before the first chorus, as others already have commented on (seriously, what were they thinking there?).

That being said, the song is cute, the costumes are too, and I'm glad they're both cheery. The costumes don't have a lot of color still, being white, but at least we didn't get dark colors like we've gotten so much of recently, and I love all of the ribbons and frills. I like the liveliness of the song because that's what I like about idol music to begin with, and it's also perfect for Yukirin.
The best part for me, though, is by far the choreography! It kinda seemed like the perfect mix between their recent choreos and their old ones, and all of the formations and moves are so pretty to look at! I especially like the move at 1:36, on the verse "heezeru kei no hitomi no sono oku de". It's just so cute and this might even be my favorite choreo out of all of the recent A-sides? Which is saying a lot, because I love all of them.

Anyway, I think the song will grow on me as I listen to it more and more. I also can't wait for the B-sides, the U-20 song especially!

 

Well the guy who produced/arranged the song has also produced/arranged these other A-Sides:

• Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru
• Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou
• Boku no Taiyou
• Oogoe Diamond
• 10nen Sakura
• Namida Surprise!
• RIVER
• Beginner
• Everyday, Kachuusha
• Manatsu no Sounds good!
• UZA
• Kibouteki Refrain
• Halloween Night
• Sustainable
• Colorcon Wink
• Kataomoi Finally
• Kamonegix
• Melon Juice
• Done

As well as a bunch of B-sides, Matsui Jurina's entire solo album and various stage songs (among the more famous ones are Virgin Love, Heart Gata Virus, Tsundere!, mainly A and K stages)

(Somewhat full list: http://stage48.net/wiki/index.php/Inoue_YOSHIMASA)

 

Then maybe they should recruit less girls and pay them more?

 

The idea is to have more workers with lower salaries. I wouldn't be surprised if they hold an AKB audition in India and Pakistan.

Oh! And bring back Shunryu-kun to compose. Oh wait...

 

I love the song, so so so so much. It's been a while since I fell in love with an AKB song! I like the choreography as well, very dynamic, they move a lot lol
This could be a 90s magical shoujo anime theme song!

 

and indeed Done suffers from the very same problems that many people seem to be alluding to here - very harsh, flat, unpleasant mixing - which caused many fans to dislike the song.

I'm a huge Inoue Yoshimasa simp and consider him by far my favourite 48g songwriter, but these last two songs are unfortunately almost literally painful to listen to, which is a shame because especially with Done I did love the song itself… He has always had a very, ehm, specific sound, and it's clearly a sound they have always been going for, but it never stepped into such harsh territory before, now it sounds like if they turned some knobs all the way up and it's all a big soup of overcompressed sounds. (From the reactions I've seen I appear to be almost the only one who happens to like the prechorus voice effects but well it once again sounds super harsh and not terribly enjoyable so.)

Well for Done at least the theatre version sounded much more acceptable, because the "live" vocals were put much louder than the instrumental background thus mitigating the "problem" that stands out the most in the studio version. Let's see how Colorcon works live!

 

That's what I'm hoping for

 

Agreed, I tried to listen to NMB13 a few times but I really didn't enjoy the A-Side, which made the whole album a bit unappealing. It's a shame cause it's got some great other songs but I think the A-Side can really make or break a single/album. Meanwhile, Outstanding was my favourite 48G in a while cause Totsuzen Do love me! was a great song (I actually much preferred it over HKT's recent singles since Nako took over as the center).

 

MV making video from Yukirin:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

more shorts

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

A 'making' video from the official OUC48 YouTube channel with comments from members:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

ColorCon Wink MV shoot location !

So apparently some JP fans figured out where the MV was shoot!
Mainly credits to : http://blog.livedoor.jp/fumichen2/archives/58158000.html
I added some research for clarity.

So it was all shot in Utsunomiya city in Tochigi prefecture.
(Right after Hiichan graduates they shot an MV in Tochigi, oh the irony)


The 1st group dance location seems to be
at the ruins of former Yamamoto Grand Center conference hall (山本園大谷グランドセンター)
From MV and making video:
(notice the mark at the wall and entrance door)


Compared to a JP youtuber's video from 2023:
(the spot on wall and the entrance door to the complex is the same)

Video :

if the video does not show watch the video here

More info:
The Yamamoto Grand Center went out of business in 1988, got left into ruins, and recently got acquired by a local company.
It is currently being renovated to be opened again this year (2024), so apparently they cleaned up and decorated this hall for AKB's MV shoot:
(photo from 2010)


(photo from 2019)


JP sources
https://kitakan-navi.jp/archives/190382
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrqwVFfDc88 (description)
https://cartune.me/notes/obxR2XuVHN

EN sources:
https://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/05/yamamoto-grand-center-hotel-haikyo-tochigi/
https://haikyo.org/yamamoto-grand-center/

Map coordinates: 36°35'48.2"N 139°49'06.7"E

---------------------------------
The 2nd group dance location seems to be
at former mining site near Oya History Museum (大谷資料館)
From MV:


From photos online:


Video of the spot from 2023:

if the video does not show watch the video here

JP sources:
https://cosnavi.biz/mtssb_article/大谷資料館　新エリア！！/
https://www.pakutaso.com/20170508144post-11660.html#google_vignette

Map coordinates: 36°35'55.0"N 139°49'16.2"E

Lots of interesting spots being chosen this time!
The Yamamoto Grand Center seems like a horror movie spot if I just look at old pictures, but since it's being renovated I guess AKB took the chance to make use of it somehow!
Also the quarry location is beautiful with all the natural lights going in
==========================
Sorry for those who are uninterested in these stuff and rather see the girls instead

Here's a NaruTao version of the behind-the-scenes stuffs to make it up for you:

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

'Making' video part 2 with member comments:


if the video does not show watch the video here