It's kind of fitting that this single comes up next on my list of things to review so close to the 2015 Janken tournament. Personally I lean on the side that the winner of the tournament is chosen before hand, but that's just my thoughts. Unless they come out and tell us we'll never know exactly. Because of my opinions on the tournament, I think either Yuria Kizaki or Haruka Kodama is going to win this year. I do miss the idea that the top 16 got to be Senbatsu for a single, but I like the idea of a solo single too. It's something that could be really tailored to a specific girl's personality.
This single was the first of the Janken releases, with Mayumi Uchida centering.
Track #1: Chance no Junban, found on all versions of the single. This is my least favorite Janken single. I'm not a big fan of Ue Kara Mariko either, but this one is just so bland. It's your quintessential idol pop track. I also count it among my least favorite AKB singles overall. And yes, I do enjoy Kokoro no Placard over this (although I'm one of the oddballs that actually enjoys that track xD). At least Kokoro is catchy. The video I do enjoy though. It's nothing special, but I just love seeing how happy Mayumi looks to have a chance at not only being in Senbatsu, but being center. It's too bad nothing really came out of it for her though. 3/5.
Track #2: Yoyaku Shita Christmas, found on all versions of the single. I really don't like Christmas music. It doesn't help that I don't like Christmas music & this particular Christmas song is generic idol pop with generic Christmassy sounds. Not for me at all. Even the music video is generic Christmas. I swear I've seen those outfits before & I've never watched this video before today. I probably shouldn't be too harsh on the video. It's not like there's a whole lot you can do with the Christmas theme that hasn't been done to death. 2.5/5.
Track #3: Kurumi to Dialogue, found on the Type A version of the single and sung by Team A. I frequently see this song in lists of "cool" songs by 48G. Personally, I don't find it much of a "cool" song at all. I guess if your definition of a cool song by the 48Gs is a non traditional idol pop song, then sure it is; but when compared to songs like Uza or Beginner, it just sounds like a badly disjointed idol pop track. I really can't see what's good about this song. The way it is sung is so incredibly annoying. Does it have potential? Yes. Is it horribly executed like SKE's Galaxy of Dreams? Yes. The video is a poor man's Beginner. 2.5/5.
Track #4: Alive, found on the Type K version of the single and sung by Team K. Another song that I see on lists about "cool" songs. At least this one actually fits the category better. Even with this being a better representation of a "cool" track, it still feels really bland. It's just a recurring theme on this single: blandness. I think it's the "rock song" feel of the song. I just am not that into rock music (or even pop rock) much anymore. The video is a good highlight of this release though. The Team K girls could really pull off fierce. It also reminds me how much I miss Tomomi being in AKB. Besides Miichan, Tomomi was the only other girl to really catch my eye when I first was getting curious about AKB. 3.5/5.
Track #5: Love Jump, found on the Type B version of the single and sung by Team B. You can always count on Team B to bring the generic idol cutesy track! The sad thing about this song though is it's actually my favorite B-side. I know. I'm even shocking myself. It might be a generic idol pop track, but at least it's got some life to it & it's catchy. It will probably be stuck in my head all during classes tomorrow. The video is nothing special, although it's so weird seeing Yuki & Mayu looking so young lol. 4/5.
Track #6: Fruits Snow, found on the Theater Edition of the single and sung by the Kenkyuusei. This is the final song on the single. It's funny to me that Shimazaki is on it. I wasn't into Jpop when this single came out so it's weird to me that she was ever a Kenkyuusei. I'd say for this single, this song is my least favorite B-side besides the Christmas song I try to forget exists. It's like the opposite of Team B's generic idol track as in it's not catchy at all. I like my generic idol pop to at least make me want to tap my feet, not put me to sleep. 3/5.
The title track of the single really sets the tone for the release as a whole. It's just not very good. There's not one track that really pops. Usually there's one B-side that is pretty great, but in this single, the best is Team B's & I only rated it a 4 because it was the closest to a good song. What I do appreciate about this single is that there are some diverse styles on it. Even if they don't work for me, the release allows for other fans to find something that more fits their taste. 3/5.
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