Hello, Arama! Japan readers and welcome to this week’s installment of #1 Song Review! Last week saw NEWS beat Urashima Taro (Kiritani Kenta) and AI. This week, we have a returnee and 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: GLAY – G4 IV (not in the Oricon top 50 / not in the iTunes top 50)

Kanojo wa Zombie

Ronald: This is decent. It sounds like an anime theme, but then it does have a bit of an indie feel to it. I’m normally not into things that sound so “anime theme”, but this is an exception. 6/10

Amanda: This songs sounds like a typical pop/rock fusion anime opening or ending song. The video was more interesting than the song for me… 6/10

Scoop

Ronald: I’m not really a fan of this. As I’ve said before, I don’t really consider myself a rock fan, but more an indie fan. If there was no indie, I wouldn’t bother with rock. This song is just too rock for me. It’s too hard and just amounts to shouting. And I feel as if I’ve heard this somewhere else before. 4.5/10

Amanda: This is probably the best out of the four; not a song pandering to the top 40, but one where they can get to their roots as a true rock band. This song shows off their skills as instrumentalists while having an edgy rock spirit. This is obviously not a song that people who admire catchy fluff will admire, but a song made for their niche fans. 8/10

Supernova Express 2016

Ronald: A “supernova”, this is not. “Express” is something this isn’t either. It’s just an average pop rock song. It’s not’s explosive, it’s not even fast paced. It’s just kinda there in the end. 5/10

Amanda: With such a title, I would expect something more epic, but instead we have something that is still safe and within their signature sound, which is fine. There is some great guitar work on this song and the riff is what makes the song stand out a bit. Solid song, but like I said before, nothing really new. 6/10

Sora ga Aozora de Aru Tame ni

Ronald: Is this a different song or the same song? I can’t really tell. I just feel all GLAY’d out and I’m not really impressed in the end. 4.5/10

Amanda: I don’t have any anything negative to say about this song. It basically an upbeat pop rock song with the usual elements: verse, chorus, verse, bridge, obligatory guitar solo, etc. At the same time, it really isn’t anything we haven’t heard before. Bands like GLAY find the formula that works and stick to it. With this formula they can continue to release quality songs that people eat up, without having to really experiment or stray to far from their sound. 7/10

Single average: Ronald – 5/10 / Amanda – 6.75/10

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

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. Oricon #1: GLAY – G4 IV / Recochoku #1 / iTunes #1: AI – Minna ga Minna Eiyuu

Amanda’s Rank:

1. Oricon #1: GLAY – G4 IV

2. Recochoku #1 / iTunes #1: AI – Minna ga Minna Eiyuu

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