Single Sakurazaka 5th Single [Sakuratsuki] (2023/02/15)

Fair, i don't actually like fukyouwaon's choreo either LOL, except the ending fist pumps into the sakamichi slope, i love that part.
Futari Saison is definitely history, but defo something Nogi's and Hina's (or any idol group) can do with ease lol.
But tbh, I am a much bigger fan of the slower more elegant choreo's like Futari Saison, Samidare yo, or cooler but contemporary ones like Mou Mori and Naze Koi, so if Sakuratsuki follows those two patterns i'd be more than satisfied

 

if the video does not show watch the video here its here!

I really like cool, i thought the animated bits were very fun! Rei did an amazing job as the center. I like the choreo with the hair as well. I can't wait for the life perfomance!

 

And there she is!

I know, I know, I'm biased.
I know.
But she did a lot better than I expected so.. YAY!

Now about the song... the more I listen to it, the more I like, but the first time was kinda hm.. what is this? lol
I love the MV though.
The setting, the girls, cinematography, choreo, expressions, poses... I just love it all.
And I don't even know how to explain my fave part since it goes from 3:06 to 3:51 and it happens a LOT in those 50 seconds lol
All the members did great, Ten is absolutely the coolest, but Rei did very well as center.
And I'm not sure some of those animations haven't been drawn by Akiho.... I mean, the style is kinda similar, isn't it?

 

Cool was love at first hearing for me...

Unlike Sakurazuki which I found bland for my tastes (it has grown a bit by the first hearing but just a bit), this one was a wow, I like it. It's not the monumental song we're all expecting nor my top3 for Sakurazaka so far (Masatsukeishu, Samidare Yo, Naze koi), but it is ranked high.

My only objection is the MV visual/ambience/scenery which was unnecessarily psychedelic (a combination of beatnik style soaked in Dadaism) while at the same time it was pretty static. Only close to the end the variety of dresses shed some liveliness to go in par with the up-beat music of the song...

I am SO eager to see Rei centering it during a live performance, however... She must be astounding!

 

I agree, Cool is a very good song. Not surprised it was composed by the same person who did Denzetsu. If the other B-sides are like Samidareyo's I'll be very happy.

On the other hand it's pretty lame 3ki got a song before 2ki. Especially since Yumiko is graduating.

 

So, finally Sakurazaka46 comes out with a truly "cool" (literally) MV, one that is a little "out there"! I'll repeat the point, long misunderstood, that "cool" doesn't necessarily mean "edgy/emo".

I'm pleasantly surprised, this song/MV could have easily been the 5th single title song/MV (and cause a few waves in the process), but I guess management decided to play it safe. Regardless, kudos to the people that planned this MV who, paraphrasing the radio narrator, "broke that shell".

 

This song could perfectly be the main song of the single, the song, the sound, the keyaki-like eccentric lyrics and the whole video in general is a work of art, the direction, the execution, the color changes and each one of the girls, It borders on perfection, I know I sound like a total fanboy but it really is perfect.

 

I like the look and the way we actually see members in series fairly clearly. I also like the pace and melody of the song. And the lyrics, as much as I understand them (link to jp lyrics). "Stay cool and removed. Never tell anyone anything important. Any time you reveal yourself, things go wrong. Say anything and you can hurt/be hurt. I'll just stay stupid and not become an adult." Of course, I hope we react to the song by doing what it says not to.

@Trinu, @minaeshi -- I like both Futari Saison and Fukyouwaon. I thought everything in Fukyouwaon worked to promote the theme and the energy. Even if some of the moves might well seem silly, seen out of context. I find BAN and its ilk just too fast for my eyes, so they don't make sense to me aesthetically (probably my fault). Otona wa shinjite kurenai, Kataru nara, and Getsuyoubi are fast, dark songs that still have choreo I can relate to, as Fukyouwaon does.

But the calmer Futari Saison is definitely a top song and choreo for me. I especially loved the live performance in the gym at Ozeki's old school: tears in my eyes at the excitement of the students (KeyaKake ep59 on Keyavids). Mou Mori, Hiraishin, Naze Koi, and Guuzen no Kotae are also among my favorite songs.

I look forward to seeing the choreo of Cool. Maybe, like the song, it will fall into my more preferred category.

 

Ahh, Kataru nara, Mou Mori, Hiraishin, just some of Keyaki's classics, not as fast-paced as the newer BAN & Co., yet full of musicality, character and above all, grit. (I totally agree with your observations, and no, it's not your fault)

 

What is this "perfect" you babbling about? The dance skill disparity was so apparent and, that is not something to be resolve in a year or two.
Why must Nogizaka or Hinata must drop something similar to Fukyouwaon, Ban etc.?

Whether the dance is good depends on 2 factors, choreography and execution.

For execution, they are considerable criteria such as, cohesiveness, synchronization, precision, completeness, cleanness/sharpness, energy. Sakurazaka is superior in none.

For choreography, considerable criteria must be appropriateness to the song, cohesiveness, creativity, memorability, overall impression. Definitely, being edgy or emo does not mean better choreography. I'm not a fan of cuteness but, Hinata's Doremi choreography is lively throughout, appropriate to the mood of the song and, I could remember the wing move at first sight. It is undeniably memorable. It fits the qualification of good choreography. I have watch Ban multiple times yet, there is no specific thing I can remember but the overall mood. So, it is not memorable. I watched Masatsukeisu some times and most impressive moment was the awkward b-boy move. It is memorable but, definitely not in the way to make good choreography.

Another example is TT from Twice. It is simple yet, it is so fun and memorable, loved by everyone from primary school kids to grandmas. How can you say Ban or whatever dance piece from Sakurazaka is better than international sensation TT?

Have you ever watched Hinata or Nogizaka's choreos? Like, seriously.

What level has been raised? Please specify.

No. Takahiro's style is contemporary based and, to nail contemporary style, great flexibility is needed. The flexibility of the level of grabbing one's toes, doing back arch, splitting legs 180 degrees front and side. Takahiro's idea has to be much compromised working with any idol group.

Well. If you look into "Dada" article on Wikipedia, "the Dada movement consisted of artists who rejected the logic, reason, and aestheticism of modern capitalist society." Is not this about the theme of the lyric?

"it was pretty static", is not this the point of the MV? Girls were trapped in a static dull society and they decided to break free and enjoy being themselves at the end?

Overall, I found the song enjoyable, not somber watery, not Nogizaka or Hinatazaka-like. But, it lacked a strong kick. The hook/chorus was weak and not stood out.

The MV is pretty (I love the color grading), creative and not cheap-looking. Not liking the animation though. I guess the dark tone and plants are connection to the title song MV (Sakurazuki). There is also a moment someone throwing petals, cherry petals perhaps?

The hair grabbing looked familiar. After some time, I recalled why.

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

After 7 years I'm pretty sure if you don't know by now, you'll never know.
Also.. TT? Sunmi? Really? lol

You know, I love when people have different interests and I can learn from them, and I love Twice... but trying to push your kpop love down our throat every single day is not something enjoyable anymore.

@ric_cr agree with you. This could have been a good main song, but I think Renaa's is more in tune with the image of Sakura mngmnt is still trying to shape.
Still, it's not the first time we have coupling song as good as the main one, so, everything is normal and well in Sakuland

@ukifune I forgot about Ozeki's school performance! This is such a great memory to re-find! I think mngmnt is adding english subs to every MV now, since both Sakurazuki and Cool have it (for losers like me who still understand 1 word every 5)

Menawhile I found an old interview of Takahiro-Sensei (he was already working with Keyaki but there's no date) and some passages struck me because I saw them reflected in Keyaki choreos and now Sakura's:

"“Foreign dancers have great muscle strength and ability to jump high. Their bone structure is also big so they look great on stage. I can’t exchange the body I have. My bone structure is small, so I needed to create a place of my own.
If they are recruiting dancers who are taller than 180cm, I have to make them think ‘He is good’ even though I’m about 170cm. In order to make that happen, I thought it was important to analyze myself and design original training methods”

There are more and more dances which are alike. In this modern world where any information is easy to obtain, more and more people have the same images. TAKAHIRO considers thinking for himself important and tries not to watch dance images more than he needs to.
"If you saw something and copied it, that’d be imitation, but if you hadn’t seen it, you could polish it as your own technique with confidence even if it was the same move. Yet sometimes my move happens to look like other people’s moves, and then my assistants kindly say ‘It looks exactly like **’ and stop me."

If you're interested, you can read the full article here:
https://jpn.mizuno.com/reachbeyond_en/story_takahiro_200423

 

Fortunately, at least for me, I don't need Wikipedia to tell me what Dadaism was. I very well happen to know quite a lot of things about Surrealism and Dadaism as these happened to be the favourite art forms of my youth (and still are).

Also: I was NOT referring on the lyrics but the visual...

However, I'm glad that you searched for it in Wikipedia though and in this way expanded your knowledge.

 

Spoiler

Reading comprehension is a skill that not everyone has, and i'm aware English isn't everyone first language, so I will refrain on responding to certain messages directed to me because it will just turn into a back and forth that i can't be bothered to entertain. One thing I will say, is that it seems like Sakurazaka is back on everyone's radar, as more critique and potential grumpy haters (for lack of a better word), are returning to this part of the forum any time the group releases something new. Small wins I guess.

Cool was very very cool!! I loved it! Definitely an instant hit for me. Incorporates the elegant, the mysterious, and literally the cool themes that I associate with Sakurazaka. Not too heavy on each concept as well, which I'm sure is what felt polarizing to a lot of you with Sakurazuki, being so focused on the elegance despite the other two elements being present too. Each girl got parts throughout the MV that I remember well: pon glancing up at rei-stronaut, ten's crouching stance, karin dancing with rei, and the backs members were all visible for more than a millisecond! Rei has a very reserved personality which makes her the perfect fit for songs like this. It's something I know my oshi Run could do with ease, so it's so great to see management not running to their default cool established members and let other members get to center songs like this, and it's definitely Rei's (and Rena's) time to have their moment and further solidify them into Sakura 8 status. Lastly, the animation! I love it when the directors cut perfectly incorporates just enough animation but not soo much that takes away from the idols performance.

Applause across the board. I would love to see how the choreography will turn out. Like with Sakurazuki, the visuals are beautiful and creative, but it just slightly eats away at time to show the choreography. Like with most releases Takahiro will probably tweak the choreo while they perform live on music shows, but it would be great if they could show more of it in the MV.

Edit - 5th round HS/meguri is out!
https://twitter.com/sakuzakacentral/status/1623228529004654593

Notes - No sell outs for the rest of the girls this round but 4 3ki have sold out! I'm happy to see the other 3ki doing well too. Just need a little push for Itoha and I'm sure she'll be fine too as she missed out on the first few eps of the documentary.
Pleasantly surprised to see Uemu and Fuu selling out too. I would be so happy to see them sell out 10 slots this single!

 

Does this go here?

3ki song, Natsu no Chikamichi, dropped just now. S&F really like their centers short, with the exception of Ten and Tamura.


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Love the song and MV! 3ki is truly a breath of fresh air, can't wait to get to know them better.

 

WOW this song remind me early Nogizaka

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Enjoyable song. Good MV that got better as it went long. Outstanding group of new members.

They all looked great. They danced well. They conveyed a pure, energetic, thoughtful feeling. Everyone got time in the spotlight.

Airi was excellent at centre, both beautiful and a bit soulful, and an expressive dancer. She ended up flanked by Miu and Mio (Murayama Miu and Matono Mio -- a lot of mmms). Three good dancers up front, the short one between the tall. Miu gave us a couple of moments of extravagant dancing and an instant of haunting darkness.

Everyone had moments of excellent performance: Airi, Miu, Mio, Rika, Nagisa, Itoha (so light and flexible), Riko (so pretty!), Yuzuki, Reina...every single member.

I was bored by the song at first, and saw some slight awkwardness in the group. But as it went along it got better: later in the MV, the whole group rushing in waves down the school hallway toward you was a great sequence, excellent movement, memorable. Loved Airi squeezing forward through the group, and her expression.

@STS -- I felt something of Nogi in the MV and the group, too. I am intrigued by the idea that Keyaki + Nogi = Sakura: the clean, pleasant feeling and lyricism of Nogi, and the raw expressiveness and hard dancing of Keyaki. Listening on repeat I begin to get some of the pleasant feeling I get from songs like Kimi no Na wa Kibou and Inochi wa Utsukushii.

For those like me who can read Japanese better than they can hear it, here is a link to a transcription of the lyrics. According to a post, music is by Inoue Tomonori (Sakurazaka no Uta, Time Machine Yeah!; Nogi: Natsu no Free and Easy; Hinata: Natsuiro no Mule). Lyrics, of course, must be by Aki_P.

 

The song has been on repeat since I woke up. I really like it. The song is very nice to listen too, it gives me cozy vibes, something like a comforting song that u'd listen too when it rains or when its spring. The chorus is one that has been in my head ever since I listend too it, it has a nice catch.

Now onto the choreo, I thought it was really cute. The part were they are in a circle around Airi is my fav. Also the part around 4:44 with the clockhand movements is really nice.


Airi as the center is really nice, she is great! Riko was very cute in this mv, her solo scenes were really pretty. My eyes were drawn to her immediatly. Rika was also another member I thought really stood out to me.

In general all the girls did a great job! Also the two girls at the beginning, could they be the unrevealed girls?


Regardless I can't wait to see a life perfomance of the girl, the future of sakurazaka is looking bright.

 

All nice things happen when I sleep... Such a perfect morning call!

After only two times watching the MV, my initial impression is that this is what Sakurazaka46 would have been if it had started as Sakurazaka 7 years ago... No, I will not fall into the trap to see similarities with Nogizaka or anything that was happening a decade ago. What I witnessed is an archetype: the concept of BEGINNINGS. This song has the aroma of freshmen, the aura of your first day at high school, the happy departure on a journey, the beginning of something. It is extremely bright and optimistic, yet something sensitive and romantic is hidden in its core, something you want to keep forever fresh and young.

These ladies were so lucky... They received the best introduction in their idol lives as could be (unless Sakamichi production exceed themselves in the future). Nogi 5th gen and Hinata 4th gen showed the way: With Sakurazaka management played all these cards perfectly and added a few more very strong cards in their deck: the documentary that filled us with EMPATHY for the girls, a drama in 7 parts that (like ancient Greek drama) passed us from initiation through darkness and suffering to the glorious katharsis that came with struggle, effort and optimism...

Yes, optimism is what permeates this song from beginning to end, a feeling that everything will be OK, that this new blood has seamlessly joined Sakurazaka, a group that has undergone through passions and suffering like no other, a group that has experienced so big success spikes in the past like no other, a group that has changed like no other.

The optimism that from now on the revitalized Sakurazaka will definitely see much better days, doused in pink and white petals and pretty faces like munchkin cats, little fairies and elven sorceresses brightening our everyday lives!

And of course, finally, Airi was amazing, like every other girl in the group, and I particulalry liked the two "hidden" girls that danced in the shadows, like there is no tomorrow, blessing us with volatile silky hair and vividness...

 

Ups.. I just (so late) posted the mv in the general section. I'll take it down if it's a problem.

Now about the song....
I like it enough. It gets better everytime I listen to it and it's both a good coupling song and a good "debut" song.
Definitely gonna get on my daily playlist.
Rather than Nogi, for some reason, it makes me think of Namiuchigiwa wo Hashiranai ka... don't ask why.

Airi as center woke up a lot of protective feelings in me. I already wrote what I think of her and my worries and everything I hope and want for her so I'm definitely thrilled by the choice.
She would have probably been my own choice as well.
I just hope she know how to manage the ups and down of being part of a senbatsu based group. Being on top since the start perhaps is harder than having to reach that spotlight on the long run.

I like MVs that tell a story (or more MVs that tell one big story like Keyaki's) so this will not be my favorite mv because of that, but it has already a special place in my fan heart because it suits the novelty and freshness of 3kis perfectly and little by little all the girls shone in it.
I'm particularly pleased to see they put Mio and Miu at Airi sides. Especially Mio since it feels like fans are not that invested in her yet. Miu is a Sakuforum favorite and I expect her to shine brightly. The gap between her dance and her shy smile is dangerous to me too lol

Love the part where they dance alone, it gives each girl a shining moment and I think they all did well. Also, if I didn't know Riko couldn't dance at the beginning of her Saku-story I wouldn't never think so watching the mv. So proud
There're also parts in which you can't tell who is who but I like those too. It's like it doesn't matter, because in the end, all of them are Sakura.

I'm only a bit perplexed about Reika... who I can't "feel" yet, and Yuzuki who is a favorite of mine but in the MV seems a lot less expressive than on the documentary and I don't know if she was told to be like that or not but it leaves me a bit

Like @ukifune said the hallway part is great (he said it way better though) but I think performance wise the whole group was amazing in the gym choreo. There, they stopped being the sweet and awkward new members and become idols.
To me it's kinda perfect.

I loved the MV so much I went back to write the ass-longest post since Keyaki times (sorry), and in the end it just makes me wish to see 3kis more and more.