Hello, Arama! Japan readers and welcome to this week’s installment of #1 Song Review! Last week saw Sandaime J Soul Brothers defeat WANIMA. WANIMA is back again this week, facing off against a newcomer and returnee from a previous week. 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 / Billboard #1: AKB48 – Shoot Sign (Recochoku #25 / iTunes #30)

Ronald: I like the disco sound here, reminds me of ABBA. I’m glad it’s not one of their stereotypically cute songs. But that being said, it still feels as if something is missing here. Like the song doesn’t really build to anything. 5.5/10

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Recochoku #1: Anly+Sukima Switch= – Kono Yami wo Terasu Hikari no Mukou ni (Oricon #49 / iTunes #4 / Billboard #8)

Ronald: Same review as before: At first I thought, “This is ok…” It gets better towards the end though. At first, I thought that this song would be better with Anly only. But once the bridge comes in, I see why Sukima Switch is on the song. The interplay between the male and female vocals was a really nice feature. The vocals in the last minute of the song are some of the most exciting I’ve heard in Japanese music in quite a while. And the guitar closing the song out… Wow, I was actually quite surprised by this song in the end. It really built into something I didn’t expect. 7.5/10

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iTunes #1: WANIMA – Yatte Miyou (not released physically / Recochoku #4 / Billboard #11)

Ronald: Same review as before: This song combines punk and some traditional elements. It’s not a particularly interesting blend to be honest. I personally find the behind the scenes on this song to be much more interesting. This is the new au CM song, so this could be one of the big hits of the year, similar to Kiritani Kenta’s “Umi no Koe” last year. And there’s also the fact that WANIMA recently signed to Warner Music Japan’s unBORDE sublabel. Are they taking the spot of the recently defunct Gesu no Kiwami Otome. on the label? Perhaps. But I will say that that a punk song making it to this sort of public consciousness is interesting, especially one from a newer act. It ends up creating an interesting match up this week: an idol group v. a punk band. It’s not often we get this sort of opposites here. 3/10

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Ronald’s Rank:

1. Recochoku #1: Anly+Sukima Switch= – Kono Yami wo Terasu Hikari no Mukou ni

2. Oricon #1 / Billboard #1: AKB48 – Shoot Sign

3. iTunes #1: WANIMA – Yatte Miyou

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