Single AKB48 59th [Moto Kare Desu] (2022/05/18)

I get that its supposed to be a dance number like Rumor but while Rumor had its signature movements ( which is why so many groups covered it ) , this is lacking those kind of moves and segments. The song itself sounds like mass produced K-Pop singles where producers just mix two or three tracks to create a new oneand call it a day. Heck the second part of the song even sounds like a rehashed Hachinosu Dance remix. Also the Dakara part ( What ? What ? That's why, That's why, That's why ) sounds a bit off and forced to me. Overall the song is not bad but it sounds mass produced which is why as an AKB title track it sounds sub-par to me. If I closed my eyes listening to it I could very well picture any of those mass produced girl groups performing it on Mnet or TIF. Hope Kpop lovers in Japan see this as a W and find a reason in this to pick up AKB.

 

The thing I find baffling is that people think it's impossible to be in sync and ALSO enjoy the stage at the same time....

 

Not that its impossible but most of the time, idols too conscious with being in sync tend to have less opportunity or chance to improv and do fun stuff.

I enjoyed watching KFC perf videos since I always looked forward to what wacky stuff Yuko and Shinoda would do.

I felt the energy in High Tension performances cause they felt more like a party or festival and not a 'dance recital' that looked the same all the time.

 

I dig this so much. Can't believe we're able to say "Hii-chan center", so happy for her. Good song, close to kami-level. The bridge is pure kami-level, the chorus is really good but the lead from the verses is a little lacking. Catchy melody. The dance is intricate enough, but not so much the girls are struggling and flailing around. There's some coolness and quirk to it that I enjoy very much. I think the girls are really stepping their game up and getting comfy with working the camera for these performances. Certainly helps to have a song that you can connect to, and not feel embarrassed performing.

Is it unique? No. Do I care? Not really. It's fresh enough for me in the AKB-ring to have my interest. Now we wait for the PV. I'm crossing my fingers AKB ditches the "Wow, the AKB struggle. Let's see how us AKB girls do AKB things. *Insert High School setting here* " narratives for PVs. Management fumbled that narrative only after kicking that dead horse into oblivion.

 

I realize Japanese idol dances are not that intensive or as intense as their K-pop counterparts because they often sing live when performing, and it's hard to do both sing and dance at the same time, sometimes ending in disastrous results. So most often they use a pre-recorded backing track, but even with this, in the K-pop world, it's become a badge of honor for the artist (and the fandom themselves) to still be able to sing well while performing.

I also noticed in songs where they distribute the lines to members (instead of ensemble singing), they design the choreography such that when it's that member's turn to sing her line, the choreo would be minimal so that the idol can breath and sing properly live, while the other members do the flashy dance moves around her.

 

Welp.. I guess AKB members weren't having fun when they performed River or Beginner.. because in those kind of songs they actually trying to be synchronized

 

They tried but not that too conscious about it. Perfect precision has never been the goal, was it? For those songs, specially Beginner, I thought it was just having the cool aura while performing.

For another cool song like Uza, I remember there was a meme/gif taken from a performance video where Shinoda, Kojima, and Rena seemed to be doing the same step but didn't look like it.

 

To be perfectly honest, this is not the type of song that I would expect from AKB, hope this isn't AKB changing its style going forward, because that is 2 consecutive singles with similar styles. I am still hoping for cheerful, idollish, AKB-ish songs, something like Sustainable, Sentimental Train if we're talking about the last few years. Also the dance that gives the members more freedom to improvise and interact with the camera and the fans, and not the robotic must-be-perfect dance that K-pop groups do.

Back to the song, not neccessarily bad, but not as good as Rumor. "Dakara dakara dakara" part is catchy, yes, but I feel "rumor rumor rumor" is more memorable. Also, I still prefer Rumor dance. I don't see many groups will be covering this new song like they do with Rumor. I hope I'm wrong though, I just want the group to rise again and be successful.

 

Dance cover challenge STARTO!

if the video does not show watch the video here
From 02:45

 

They're trying to be in sync but still not synchronized enough.

 

also the main point for me why this is absolutly k-popish perfomance was their stand aside when the focus should be on certain members who were performing in front of the camera. They just stood aside and waited their turn. Typical K-Pop

anyway looks great. song is catchy, not very suit for our girls, but not bad!

 

I quite liked it. The song and the choreo, both are amazing and catchy! Everyone looked damn pretty too.

 

I understand this song isn't exactly typical in style when it comes to AKB, but I actually find it kinda weird how many people seem to find it so different from what's expected from them. To me Moto Kare Desu has more of an idol vibe than NemoHamo, being calmer. I also would say it's closer to something a Sakamichi group would release than it is to something a K-Pop group would. So while it's certainly not one of the upbeat, cute idol songs that are so typical of AKB, I do think it still fits the group and I'm pleased with it.

 

DH surely aimed for K-pop-ish dance with "Butter" choreographer. And, the very choice to center the K-pop dance was inevitably the former K-pop idol. Did you see her arms snapping and smooth finger fanning? No one else in AKB could do it like Hii. Her sharp arm locks helped much elevate the overall look.

Thank god that obnoxious silver costume was gone. This costume is 100x better and looked really cool. Nana's pants did not stick out badly too. It could have been more colorful but black & white is classic.

I did not foresee Tomu's highlighted hair coming but she rocked it. I wonder if it was her own idea or the suggestion from DH. I believe it was hair piece. I too doubt if Miu's white hair extension was her own idea.

The domino effect in the beginning where they started rising up from the back row must be extremely difficult to sync. It will be multiple times easier to start the move from the front as those in the back get cue from the movement of those in the front. Since those in the front could not see those in the back, they must be very precise on the beat of the song to move in the right timing. They could not see those on the side also as they hung their heads down. I can't imagine how many times they practiced just this segment.

The segment where they were in triangle formation with Yui as the center should have had Miu in the center instead. It seemed like they meant to do body roll and chest bounce and Yui could do neither. Miu had jazz dance background, she should be able to do these.

I love the song being earworm and up-tempo but, the key of the voice should have been higher and the music arrangement sounded extremely dated. Girls are supposed to have higher-pitched voices than aged women so, high-pitch voice makes the song sound more youthful and energetic.

Hopefully burnt into ashes. It should never see the light.

Yes, that basically the reason, to free up the stage a bit so, it is easier to focus on some girls.

I love how the "dakara" is repeated a dozen times. To repeat a short phrase over and over causes "earworm effect". This is the most effective method to create a catchy song.

Nemohamo must be more difficult due to all the jumps. The jumpy song burns their energy real fast and makes it difficult to keep the voice unshaken.

They had made double costumes for "No Way Man". I remembered loving the goldfish outfit in the mv but when I saw the stage costume ...

K-pop choreographers use this tactic a lot partly because they have the broadcasting in minds. If the camera zooms into the right direction, you will barely notice those members standing on the side.

Instead of "robotic", synchronicity is more of "professionalism". Make a normie watch an asynchronous performance and ask how he think. He likely will answer "They did not seem to practice well, did they?"

If it's not Hii, who? Who else could out-dance her? To dislike her just because IZ*One happened is utterly pathetic.

As if BTS ever released a song sounded remotely close to this.

Why cannot girls practice hard and enjoy the stage? I guess no Broadway actor ever enjoy performing on the stage, no la Liga footballer ever enjoy kicking the ball.

Actually, this dance piece has few point moves I believe, crossed arms, kicking one leg & the domino effect starting from the back row.

The key point move of Nemohamo is the group tutting part, to cover which, a more than 2 persons are needed. The 1 leg kicking move can be done alone thus, way more tiktok friendly.

I have never heard a single K-pop song with similar music, you spoke out of your fantasy.

This song even had free dance parts still, less opportunities to improvise?

Of course, since this song and Nemohamo clearly were performed with lip-sync.

I can understand the "AKB-ish" part but, how on earth "Sentimental Train" is more cheerful? The title is already sentimental.

This song has free dance parts so ...

Of course, it is typical K-pop since you can see similar tactic in ballet performances. Ballerinas freeze on the side with elegant poses yet, it is the same concept definitely.

What really set K-pop apart from typical western urban group dance pieces are rather
- more floor moves
- more complicated formations and,
- more arm/finger movements.

 

I've been ill so unable to get to this sooner. Luckily for me, the round hasn't even ended yet.

2nd Sales 2nd Round (28th to 30th March)

Spoiler: Team A

54/66 (+22) Honda Hitomi
14/66 (+07) Mukaichi Mion
48/48 (+00) Okada Nana (2nd Sales 1st Round sold out)
00/44 (+00) Chiba Erii
00/44 (+00) Nagano Serika
07/40 (+01) Iwatate Saho
00/36 (+00) Komiyama Haruka
01/36 (+01) Shimizu Maria
03/36 (+00) Fukuoka Seina
00/36 (+00) Yoshihashi Yuzuka
00/33 (+00) Otake Hitomi
00/33 (+00) Ma Chia-Ling
28/30 (+07) Okabe Rin
00/30 (+00) Takahashi Sayaka
02/30 (+01) Muto Orin
00/11 (+00) Nakanishi Chiyori
00/11 (+00) Michieda Saki
00/00 (+00) Mitomo Mashiro
00/00 (+00) Saito Haruna

Spoiler: Team K

14/66 (+07) Yamauchi Mizuki
02/60 (+01) Onishi Momoka
03/55 (+00) Taguchi Manaka
08/50 (+02) Oda Erina
02/48 (+02) Muto Tomu
09/45 (+02) Mogi Shinobu
00/44 (+00) Yamane Suzuha
00/30 (+00) Hama Sayuna
00/27 (+00) Takahashi Ayane
00/27 (+00) Hattori Yuna
00/22 (+00) Uemi Sorano
00/22 (+00) Okuhara Hinako
00/22 (+00) Kobayashi Ran
00/22 (+00) Shimoguchi Hinana
00/11 (+00) Ichikawa Manami
00/11 (+00) Yamabe Ayu
00/10 (+00) Yumoto Ami

Spoiler: Team B

48/66 (+20) Kashiwagi Yuki
04/55 (+01) Asai Nanami
54/54 (+07) Oguri Yui (2nd Sales 2nd Round sold out)
02/44 (+00) Inagaki Kaori
04/40 (+01) Omori Maho
04/40 (+02) Sakaguchi Nagisa
00/33 (+00) Suzuki Kurumi
00/33 (+00) Tokunaga Remi
00/33 (+00) Hidaritomo Ayaka
00/33 (+00) Fukutome Mitsuho
00/33 (+00) Fujizono Rei
00/33 (+00) Yamada Kyoka
00/30 (+00) Ishiwata Sena
00/30 (+00) Shinozaki Ayana
00/22 (+00) Sato Minami
00/20 (+00) Hashimoto Haruna
00/16 (+00) Hirano Hikaru
00/12 (+00) Kitazawa Saki
00/11 (+00) Nagano Megumi

Spoiler: Team 4

66/66 (+00) Murayama Yuiri (2nd Sales 1st Round sold out)
13/66 (+06) Kuranoo Narumi
04/44 (+01) Shitao Miu
01/44 (+00) Taniguchi Megu
00/44 (+00) Yoshikawa Nanase
00/40 (+00) Nagatomo Ayami
00/36 (+00) Sasaki Yukari
00/33 (+00) Tada Kyoka
00/30 (+00) Gyoten Yurina
00/30 (+00) Sakagawa Hiyuka
00/22 (+00) Omori Miyuu
00/22 (+00) Okada Rina
00/22 (+00) Yoshida Karen
00/21 (+00) Kawahara Misaki
00/18 (+00) Utada Hatsuka
00/14 (+00) Takaoka Kaoru
00/11 (+00) Kurosu Haruka
00/11 (+00) Sato Kiara

Total: 395/2,414 (+91 since 1st Sales 6th Round) [16.36% of all tickets sold out*]
Team A: 157/630 [24.92%]
Team K: 038/572 [06.64%]
Team B: 116/638 [18.18%]
Team 4: 084/574 [14.63%]

Comparison with 58th Single (1st Resales 1st Round)
Total: 643/2,743 [23.44%] -7.08%

* The percentage of tickets is based solely on sold-out slots. The actual number is probably higher but inaccessible to the public.

Note: I put Team 8 members in their concurrent teams because that's how they're listed on the online talk website.

 

Yeah, if you did, it would be plagiarism, Sherlock. The producers are not that dumb enough to leave clues to their inspiration. Thats exactly why they mix two or three segments from different tracks to mask the original material. You as a K-Pop warrior should know these basics man. The whole catchy English two liners, the dance moves, the bridge, the uuuuu parts, the low thumping beats, that yuiyui center move all are easy markers from kpop that anyone with a general idea about K-Pop can easily recognise.

Now don't tell me you haven't heard THIS song in K-Pop before. If you have heard a couple dozen famous K-Pop songs then you are not missing much from the mass produced ones.

 

I honestly disagree with the notion that 'typical AKB = cute and cheerful'. It's caging and limiting a group that can be so much more.
In my opinion, the real AKB is about variety, diversity, having it all. Team A, Team K and Team B embodying different styles. Being able to churn out five singles with distinct sounds in one year.
Sakura no Hanabiratachi is AKB's first single. Yuuhi wo Miteiru ka is sung at almost every AKB concert. River won them their first Oricon No.1. Beginner is their first million-selling single and won them their first Excellent Work Award from JRA. Flying Get won them their first Grand Prix of JRA. These are all important, notable songs in AKB's repertoire but none of them are those 'cute and cheerful' songs.
And are dance songs really that un-AKB? If so ... I don't know ... let's disqualify as many Team K songs from 'AKB-ness' as possible? I think we can even cross out Korogaru Ishi ni Nare. lol
I remember @Silenka saying that AKB's 'style' became narrower and narrower because some of the styles they used to do had to be given to the sister groups (even Sakamichi groups***). Maybe that's true. But now that AKB and its sister groups are becoming more and more separate, what's the point of doing that anymore? Why not reclaim that style?

As for dancing in sync, maybe it's true that it's never the most important thing to AKB, but I don't remember members ever saying it's something they actively avoid doing. If you can still find it, watch the Bokutachi wa Tatakawanai performance in the Takamina-produced dance senbatsu stage (it's the first song in that stage). You'll realise the actual senbatsu were less in sync not because they didn't want to; they just couldn't, for various reasons — no time to practise together, not even enough time to practise on one's own due to how tight the schedule is, etc. etc. 'Dancing in sync (/ Dancing well at all / Singing well too btw) is not the point of AKB' may be partly true, but it's also something fans grasp at when they have to defend the group against criticism.

Also, people who think AKB members can't express themselves while trying to dance well are really underestimating these girls or just need to rewatch the performance. Yukirin fishing you is different from Mion fishing you. Cute Mahopyon, cool Berin and sexy Seichan are in sync but ALSO different. Zukki is being herself. And here, isn't this a moment for individual improvisation that some people seem to want so much, immediately after (also immediately before) dancing in sync. And this is just one performance. And btw, I just rewatched AKB's NmHmR collab stage with Nontti last night and realised something for the first time — during those moments when only a small group of members are dancing, the other girls don't 'do nothing' but are actually still enjoying the performance! Since when do these girls become 'robots' and stop interacting with the camera when they do dance songs??? In a parallel universe??? But then why aren't we praising the girls in this universe MORE because they can obviously do BOTH (dancing and interacting)?

The only thing that cannot be denied is that the group has released two dance songs as A-sides in a row and if that's not a genre you enjoy, that can't really be helped. But this really is a matter of personal preference that doesn't have (or need, either) any justification. (And I already explained that I find these two songs very differtiable, that's my personal take.)

The only other question I can think of is whether this is a wise choice from a business perspective, but I can see why management has made this choice. As for whether they are correct, I think only time can tell.

Spoiler: *** Just personal rant

*** My dream is for AKB to release another dark song because that's the type of song I like most, but if that really happens, I fully expect people who don't know better to start saying things like 'AKB is channeling Keyakizaka from its grave sdg*%#)sjd' and I'll tell them that AKB released Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru and Keibeitsu Shiteita Aijou when Hirate Yurina was 6 years old.

(This is not a sass towards Keyaki either btw; I just said I love dark and edgy songs. It's actually a great thing that you do a style so well that people immediately think of you when they talk about that style. But it doesn't mean that style belongs to or originates from you. Same for 'K-pop style'.)

 

@welp No Way Man doesn't have gold costumes, there is one outfit in the MV it's also the performance outfit. Are you thinking of Flying Get maybe? I did love those outfits!

This is nitpicky of me and not important-- I've just felt management has been kind of cheap about MVs and outfits for singles for a while. For the outfits I mean that in the past they would have the MV dance outfit and then several different performance outfits for shows and stages. And even in the MV the members wore more than one outfit, too. I don't necessarily think they NEED to do that, but it does lead me to think they're attempting more effort again. Though whose to say that performance outfit isn't in the MV too haha.

 

I agree with everything you said above... but ouch, that Silenka mention hurts

 

May I just reiterate that I don't think its that AKB can't be synchronized but rather its not the main priority for their live performances.

As for claims that robot-like precision as the standard for professionalism or that normies would only appreciate groups for that, seems like imposing the standard fans of one genre or from a different background to another.

And I can't believe that some AKB fans can't seem to grasp the idea that not being a fan of a member doesn't mean you dislike or hate that member. What's so difficult to understand with that? May I also add that its insulting to the members to imply as if Honda's dance skills is miles ahead from anyone in AKB.

And I agree with the statement that AKB has no one style or genre.

That's the good thing with them. Even if you don't like the single this time, more likely than not, the next single or so would be different.

***

Upon rewatching yup dakara still holds. I now get the comment though that this one, unlike Nemoha, seems to lack a signature dance step.