Hello AramaJapan readers and welcome to this week’s installment of #1 Song Review! Last week saw whiteeeen come out on top against KAT-TUN and Southern All Stars. whiteeeen will try to extend their reign this week against 2 new challengers. 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: Nogizaka46 – Inochi wa Utsukushii (Recochoku #7 / iTunes #8)

Ronald: I surprisingly don’t mind this. The instrumental reminds me a lot of light J-Urban songs from years past. But then it also reminds me a lot of DAISHI DANCE. Now that I’m thinking about it, this song reminds me a lot of After School’s “Shampoo”, which he produced. I’m not dissing Nogizaka46 by saying that “Inochi wa Utsukushii” sounds like a 4 year old KPop song, not at all. It actually is a really big compliment. After School is one of the few KPop acts I still check for, so to be compared to them is an honor. They’re noted for being a more mature group with a more mature sound so anything in this direction is a good step for Nogizaka46 in my book. It does a good job of separating them from the pack of other female idol groups. I would also like to point out that this sentiment is probably resounding with the public as well because they are one of the few female idol groups that actually does well digitally. 6.5/10

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Recochoku #1: Hazzie – Kimi to. (not yet released physically / iTunes #2)

Ronald: Ughh, I’m not feeling this at all! I really don’t like sappy pop-rock songs like this. I feel as if I’ve heard it a million times already before it even really gets started. And after listening to the song, I didn’t feel any differently. There are a million other songs like this and there really isn’t anything here to make this one special or memorable. 2.5/10

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iTunes #1: whiteeeen – Ai Uta ~since 2007~  (Oricon #32 / Recochoku #2)

Ronald: Same review as last week – This is another song that I don’t mind. It’s a GReeeeN cover. I’ve spoken before about my dislike of GReeeeN and all the shouting in their songs. Maybe I would like their songs more if someone else sang them? I can now say that this is true. I would take this over a GReeeN song any day. It has a nice, feel good quality that I surprisingly like. It’s like I can finally get what GReeeeN is trying to convey now that the annoying shouting is out of the picture. Or so I thought… GReeeeN, in all their shouting glory, does make a brief appearance in this cover. Very brief, thankfully. 6 /10

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Ronald’s Rank:

1. Oricon #1: Nogizaka46 – Inochi wa Utsukushii

2. iTunes #1: whiteeeen – Ai Uta ~since 2007~

3. Recochoku #1: Hazzie – Kimi to.