Hello, Arama! Japan readers and welcome to this week’s installment of #1 Song Review! Last week saw GLAY beat AI. This week, we have a returnee from last week and one from previous weeks, plus a newcomer facing off. Find out what various staff members thought of the songs that topped the physical and digital charts this week and share your thoughts on them too!

Oricon #1: BOYS AND MEN – Wanna be! (not in the Recocohoku top 50 / not in the iTunes top 50)

Ronald: I still don’t know who they are or how they got here. But once again, I’m not here for them. They’re so cheesy. They’re like a low level Johnny’s group on a bad day. This song is all over the place, way too hyper. It sounds like an anime theme, which isn’t really something I’m fond of. There’s an instrumental bridge in here which reminds me of SEKAI NO OWARI at their most carnivalesque, again something I’m not fond of. But I guess this whole thing is their shtick. 4/10

Amanda: This song was a little too over the top for me. I can tell what their target demographic is, and I am certainly not it. I have and still do listen to my fair share of cheesy boy band songs, but this really did nothing for me. It sounds like the theme song to a shoujo anime. There are some parts that are tolerable but otherwise it doesn’t seem worth listening to unless you’re a tween girl. 6/10

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Recochoku #1: Urashima Taro (Kiritani Kenta) – Umi no Koe (not released physically / iTunes #3)

Ronald: Same review as before – I’m not a fan. This just seems like a bad parody. His voice on this just seems like a shout a lot of the time. It’s like he’s trying to be emotive, but he’s missing the mark. It makes everything seem like a joke. 3.5/10

Amanda: Same review as before – This song wouldn’t be bad…if sung by someone else. I like Kiritani as an actor but not really as a singer. The song itself is decent. It’s just Kiritani’s singing that is a little grating. Listening to it, you can tell that he is singing to the best of his ability, but it’s just that the best of his ability, technically speaking, isn’t that great. All in all I don’t think this song is bad at all, and I guess Kiritani is what gives it character. However, I wouldn’t quite sit down and listen to this. 6/10

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iTunes #1: AI – Minna ga Minna Eiyuu (not released physically / Recochoku #2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-KmUrN86TA

Ronald: Same review as before – AI is one of Japan’s best singers, and this song really showcases her vocal power. That being said, this song doesn’t really feel like a song, but more like an extended jingle. I know it’s a CM song, but it doesn’t feel like a fully realized song. And something about the instrumental just gives me nursery rhyme. This song is getting her buzz, but she would be better off doing better work. 5/10

Amanda: Same review as before – The reverse of what was the issue of Kiritani’s song is the issue here. I didn’t like the song all that much, but obviously AI is a great singer. She delivers a great vocal performance here as expected. The song sounds like something you would hear in a CM, but probably wouldn’t care to actually listen to on your own. I don’t care much for the borrowed melody, either. I feel like the song is trying to be something great but falls short because of that annoying nursery rhyme melody. 5/10

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Ronald’s Rank:

1. iTunes #1: AI – Minna ga Minna Eiyuu

2. Oricon #1: BOYS AND MEN – Wanna be!

3. ecochoku #1: Urashima Taro (Kiritani Kenta) – Umi no Koe

Amanda’s Rank:

1. Oricon #1: BOYS AND MEN – Wanna be! / Recochoku #1: Urashima Taro (Kiritani Kenta) – Umi no Koe

3. iTunes #1: AI – Minna ga Minna Eiyuu

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