Hello AramaJapan readers and welcome to this week’s installment of #1 Song Review! Last week saw Arashi defeat GReeeeN. This week we have a returnee from last week plus 2 fresh entries. 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: AKB48 – Green Flash (Recochoku #13 / iTunes #22)

Ronald: Well this is interesting… It reminds me more of one of those light urban songs from like the end of last decade / beginning of this decade (from someone like Dohzi-T) than it does your typical AKB48 song. The fact that they are actually experimenting is a plus in my book. The incorporation of the rapping really surprised me. It didn’t sound that bad to be honest. I’m not mad at this song. I’m not all about it either. Like a lot of those light urban songs, this song is just kinda there. But this is definitely a big improvement over that sugary, cute stuff that they normally do. I wouldn’t mind seeing them release more songs like this. 5/10

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Recochoku #1: EXILE – Jounetsu no Hana (Oricon #2 / iTunes #4)

Ronald: This is a big improvement over the stuff EXILE has been doing as of late. This reminds me more of the old EXILE / ATSUSHI’s current solo work than the current EXILE. I’m not really feeling all the EDM stuff they’ve been doing as of late. It’s so generic. I prefer them more when they’re doing something a bit more urban. The thing I wonder about EXILE is if this song is a means of appeasing ATSUSHI. Listening to his solo work, you definitely hear more of EXILE’s old urban sound. Is his solo work the music he really wants to do or is EXILE’s EDM stuff it? That being said, I hope that EXILE stays in this lane more because it suits them a lot better. It’s a mature, sexy sound that matches them quite well. 6.5/10

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iTunes #1: GReeeeN – Believe (not release physically / Recochoku #6)

Ronald: Same review as last week – One thing that’s always annoyed me about GReeeeN is that it always seems like they’re more yelling their songs more than singing them. Like this song starts and then, as expected, the yelling comes in with the chorus. I know they’re trying to go for that big, singalong chorus vibe (witness those Yuzuru Hanyu CMs that use this song) but the yelling just kills it for me. It’s so forced. The non-chorus parts of the song are nothing too exciting. They’re what you’ll typically find in a song like this. The last half of this song just feels like one continual yell. It’s god awfully annoying. I just wanted the song to end. The main thing that sticks with me as far as this song goes is just GReeeeN’s typically yelling. 3.5/10

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Ronald’s Rank:

1. Recochoku #1: EXILE – Jounetsu no Hana

2. Oricon #1: AKB48 – Green Flash

3. iTunes #1: GReeeeN – Believe