While I did debate between my obvious favs Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu for Nakata month I ultimately chose the kawaii queen Kyary! The main reason I chose her sophomore release なんだこれくしょん over her debut with more recognized singles is that it was released around the same time I saw her live in LA a few years back. Hands down, it was the most fun I’ve ever had at a concert before or since. Everyone in attendance was unabashed in their love of kawaii culture even at the dismay of literally thousands of Lakers fans attending a game nearby at LA Live. Kyary definitely carries the Jpop culture crown internationally for the YouTube generation so I thought it would be a good idea for TTT to pay tribute to her.
The good - “にんじゃりばんばん” really reinvigorated my interest in Kyary since she hadn’t had a good dance track in a while. Apparently most fans felt that way since it was the most popular release from this album. The fusion of traditional Japanese elements with Kyary’s signature kawaii pop seems obvious but it’s oh so brilliant. The pv does nothing but tie the package together with ninja and meiko Kyary surrounded by sakura and koi. My favorite memory of her live show was the audience clapping along to the “bang bang” part, so much so that I still do it (as well as the choreography :D) every time I hear the song.
“ファッションモンスタ” is a Halloween themed pop rock track invoking Tommy heavenly6, particularly her Soul Eater theme song days. Of course “fashion monster” also recalls Kyary’s status as a kowa-kawaii icon. Its wacky, manic pacing is again offset well by the video imagery. Kyary, playing an odd, guitar shaped musical contraption is joined by a plethora of Tim Burton meets Sebastian Masuda characters come to life. Again, simple yet perfect concept.
As an classic pop junkie, “キミに100パーセント” is actually my favorite track on the album. I love how it’s a 60s pop track by way of 80s Jpop idol reinvented for the Instagram generation. How many decade pop references can you fit into one track? Never too many as far as I’m concerned. This is a cutesy sing a long track so I can understand why it didn’t fly as well with her overseas fans as other themed Kyary singles. But throw in a Shin-chan anime tie in and I’m sold!
The bad - I actually don't mind “のりことのりお” so much but ai suppose I have to dislike something. It's actually kinda funny and would pass as a typical album track for some of the pretentia queens we've already reviewed. The song is like a drunken karaoke singalong which gives it a certain charm particularly the out of tune chorus. The only problem I have with it really is that it drags on for a bit too long before losing my attention and I find myself itching to hit skip.
Similarly “くらくら” reminds me of the more forgettable tracks from her first album and mini album. The massive repetition quickly becomes more annoying than quirky and charming. I do think the two aforementioned tracks certainly have a place on a Kyary release but find it funny that the two shortest songs on the album seem to go on for an eternity.
The tragic - “インベーダーインベーダー” is just a mess on so many levels! I mean give me a UFO themed dance video any day but conceptually the song is all over the place even for Kyary. The trendy/already dated dubstep interpolation is just plain sad especially when I saw her perform it live and try to look cool during those parts. :D And then we have the blatant clothing store tie in in the lyrics that thankfully went right over the heads of foreign fans. Overall I enjoy this song but it’s definitely not among my favorites on the album. Could have been executed better in hindsight.
“み” is another ridiculous Kyary track but I actually find this one entertaining. Opening with tribal drum chants it quickly devolves into Kyary dance pop zaniness. It’s repetitive and slightly annoying but in a fun way that injects some energy into the album.
“さいごのアイスクリーム” is probably my favorite non-single musically however I feel in this case the silly lyrics mar the song. It’s a high energy pop track that hearkens the golden days of 80s and early 90s Jpop. This type of track would have been better suited to positive, uplifting lyrics but in true Kyary style we’re left with a song about… ice cream. I feel if this were a Tommy february6 track she would have at least found a clever way to portray how ice cream is inspiring. But instead we are left with this disjointed power pop gem that I pretend is not about tasty treats for once.
The thing that has always made the Kyary experience great for me is that it’s not a single element that makes her so enjoyable. From the beginning we all knew it was the bizarre taste of Kyary combined with the colorful presentation of Sebastian Masuda and the eccentricity of Yasutaka Nakata that made the package complete. It’s not just about the fun poppiness of the songs but also the youthful Japanese slang in the lyrics and the Harajuku street style present in Kyary’s videos and live performances. Now as any real Japan fanatic knows, NO ONE dresses like that on the streets of Japan except people who are looking to get attention from international photographers or are indeed actually that eccentric. And that’s what makes Kyary so adorable, she actually is that colorful weirdo that people envision when they think about Japanese youth culture. So for me seeing that kawaii queen live in concert is what will always give なんだこれくしょん a special place in my heart. It’s not just about the lyrics and musical arrangement but the experience of pure, unadulterated joy that comes along with it,
