Hello, AramaJapan readers and welcome to #1 Song Review! Last week saw EXILE TRIBE, Nishino Kana, and Eir Aoi going head to head to head. Kana came out on top for the second week in a row and she’s back again this week. Can she make it 3 weeks in a row? Or will newcomers AKB48 and Oishi Masayoshi foil her attempt? Check out what the staff though of these songs and give us your thoughts too!

Oricon: AKB48 – Kokoro no Placard (Recochoku #7 / was #9 for 3 days on iTunes)

Ronald: Ohh God, the first time AKB48 has popped up since this series started… I’m getting a 70s vibe. Like, the intro music for a 70s children’s tv show. And what the hell does “pai yai yai yai yai” mean? It sounds like something someone says to a baby when they’re playing with them. But then again, that’s one of AKB48’s main markets, no? Overall this song is just… unbearable. It’s so saccharine, so cutesy, so cheesy, so… basic and already done a million times before by them and countless other idol groups. And the “pai yai yai yai yai” part is so annoying and I had to listen to something listenable after listening to it so it wouldn’t get stuck in my head. 0/10

Zara: I have a somewhat bad relationship with AKB48 in that I don’t listen to them and don’t like their music. Only one song of theirs has ever appealed to me and it’s not this one. HOWEVER, there is something I can say about this song. It’s got the same AKB feel and the fact that they’re dancing around with people of different ages all over the place kind of reminds me of Fortune Cookie. Cutesy smiles – check. Easy dance moves – check. It’s not my style but if you like AKB, it might be yours. 3/10

Kanki: As a lover of AKB48, this song was disappointing as an election winner single. Granted, the more I listen to it it does start to grow on me. I think overall 48-fans are getting bored with the ‘new song’ in ‘same package’, as this has the same theme and concept of last year’s “Koisuru no Fortune Cookie”. I hope with the decline and sales of this song that Aki-P will give us something fresh this coming year. Basic song for a basic idol. Sorry Mayuyu. 4/10

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Recochoku: Nishino Kana – Darling (Oricon #41 / iTunes #3)

Ronald: I have no new thoughts on this song. 4/10

Zara: Educate me senpai, I have no idea who these people are. But I liked this, cute without being too cute *cough AKB* and just…gentle. Almost relaxing in a way. Both music video and song appealed really lightly and I like that. It’s not a song I’d go and download but for some reason her voice is like something fluffy rubbing against my ear in the most pleasant way. Also it made my niece smile, so it gets another point for that. 7/10

Kanki: This was my first time really listening to this song and I LOVE it! The story about the phone and the lip gloss hanging out together was a really cute concept for the PV as well. This song gives me a Taylor Swift vibe, which is fine because I love her too. I don’t listen to very many mid-tempo songs, so this one is definitely one of my new favorites. 9/10

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iTunes: Oishi Masayoshi – Kimi ja Nakya Dame Mitai (Oricon #23 / Recochoku #13)

Ronald: This is easily the best song this week. Saying that though, it’s not as if that is really a compliment. The song is ok enough I guess. It has a nice little funky vibe to it that makes it somewhat nice to listen to. There’s even a very short jazz break! I’m actually surprised that I like this song as much as I do since I’m normally not into anime music (Confession: I don’t like anime or manga in general.) This song does seem to be missing something though to make me genuinely like it. Not quite sure what it is… 6/10

Zara: My experience in anime songs is somewhat limited but I liked the feel of this song. It’s definitely got an anime aesthetic to it (I can see the credits rolling in front of me with school-kid anime characters running around hallways…) but it’s fun! The picking of the guitar pulls me in first and after that I stay around to listen to the rest. There’s a fun feel to this song and unapologetically so. I’m not going to download it, and I probably wouldn’t listen to it more than once…maybe twice. But that’s just down to taste. As a song, it’s good. 6/10

Kanki: Feels like it should be an anime opening, so I guess it does it’s part in that aspect. I’m just not feeling it. Thankfully anime openings aren’t always the full song and the characters running about gives you something to look at. This song just seemed boring and I wasn’t feeling the singer’s voice. I felt myself drifting off and doing other things in the 4 minutes I was supposed to be listening to this song. 2/10

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Ronald’s Rank:

1. iTunes #1: Oishi Masayoshi – Kimi ja Nakya Dame Mitai

2. Recochoku #1: Nishino Kana – Darling

3. Oricon #1: AKB48 – Kokoro no Placard

Zara’s Rank:

1. Recochoku #1: Nishino Kana – Darling

2. iTunes #1: Oishi Masayoshi – Kimi ja Nakya Dame Mitai

3. Oricon #1: AKB48 – Kokoro no Placard

Kanki’s Rank:

1. Recochoku #1: Nishino Kana – Darling

2. Oricon #1: AKB48 – Kokoro no Placard

3. iTunes #1: Oishi Masayoshi – Kimi ja Nakya Dame Mitai