AKB48 - Doushitemo Kimi ga Suki da (Type B regular) unboxing

Summer is almost over and time is going on way too fast.

It comes a little late, but today I am going to unbox AKB48's 61st single Doushitemo Kimi ga Suki da which was released on April 26, 2023. I purchased the regular Edition Type B.

This is the cover, this time none of them were thaaat great.

Obi

Both the CD and DVD are nothing special.

The back

I di like the outfits

The close ups of the members are nuch cuter and I love how everyone has something else going on.

Aaaah Hiichan is so cute!

This is such a great trio, YuiYui and Zukky are totally AKB'S aces.

I love to see Yukirin.

Also Mogi with a guitar haha

And the lyrics 

My photocard is of Onishi Momoka. I have started to like her quite a bit, so this is a great pull!!

CD:
1. Doushitemo Kimi ga Suki da / Senbatsu

2. Neta Furi / Cooking Senbatsu
3. Wonderland / AKB48 SURREAL
4. Doushitemo Kimi ga Sukida (off-vocal)
5. Neta Furi (off-vocal)
6. Wonderland (off-vocal)

DVD:

1. Doushitemo Kimi ga Suki da MV

2. Neta Furi MV

Doushitemo Kimi ga Suki da is definitely a very decent song, I would say it is my favourite since a while ago by AKB. I love the emotional instrumentals and lyrics. While the MV is not the best, it is still very pretty and the dance is absolutely amazing. If only they showed it a little in the music video..

Neta Furi is such a cute song, I love the lineup and they really deserved the music video. The outfits go so well with the vibe of the song and everything is so cuuuutw.

Wonderland is an okay song, I do wish it was a little more exciting because I do like the members a lot.

All in all this is a great single and I do hope this is the start of AKB48 getting a little more momentum again. All the graduations are really frustrating, and I hate that they are abolishing the Team system. I also wish they would be releasing more music videos, as that would really help with getting to know the newer members. And the older members also really deserve to be shown more!! 

Kpop Girl Group Wrap Up Jan - June 2023

Today I will be talking about several Kpop Girl Group releases from the first six months of 2023.

First I will share a list of songs that I was listening to more casually, but I still very much like. After that I will go more into detail about my favourite songs of the year so far.

 

Jisoo - Flower

Purple Kiss - Sweet Juice

NMIXX - Love me like this

Billlie - EUNOIA

blackswan - That Karma

STAYC - Teddy Bear

G-Idle - Queencard

Fromis_9 - menow

Fifty Fifty - Cupid

The breakout group of 2023. Cupid is everywhere, locals know it and use it on TikTok. IT IS A GOOD SONG! Fifty Fifty is on the Barbie soundtrack. Do I need to say more?

Ah yes, their company is trash and I hope the girls will get the support that they deserve. 

Cherry Bullet - POW

Cherry Bullet really only releases good songs, they deserve so much lore attention. I love the instrumental changes in POW!

Aespa - Spicy

I didn't really listen to Aespa that much before, but Spicy really caught my attention. It is a very catchy song and I am actually suprised that it got quite some hate. Like I am not following this group, but they do release some fire songs.

New Jeans - Ditto, OMG

New Jeans is the future.

All of their songs are good and they got this chill vibe, I really understand why they are so popular. Ditto is one if my favourites songs of theirs.

Still, their producer is very problematic. It's not the girls' fault but that's why I wouldn't call myself a fan.

Lee Chaeyeon - Knock

Girl is doing so well! I am really proud of Chaeyeon, Knock is such a great song and I love how everyone did her dance challenge!

TWICE

Sooo let's talk about TWICE. Moonlight Sunrise is one of my favourite songs of the year and I listened to it like crazy in January and February. Set me free is a decent song. Wallflower makes me feel many feelings, one of the best kpop songs ever.

But then the Chaeyeong thing happened and it kind of left a sour taste in my mouth. Even if unintentional, I do not condone ANY imagery of Antisemitism in general and she definitely fucked up. I do not hate her or the group, but it did make me take some distance from them for a while. 

I feel quite neutral towards the group right now, but I still wanted to mention their release. It probably would have been the top of my list, but I didn't really listen to them any more since then.

DREAMCATCHER - Bon Voyage

DREAMCATCHER is back! I really love the change in sound, Bon Voyage is such a breath of fresh air, not only in today's kpop industry but also in their own discography. Their 2022 releases were great but didn't hook me as much, so this was a great change in pace!

LE SSERAFIM

I have to admit, Unforgiven was not my favourite song. It is very decent, but I prefer the b-sides from the album. Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard's wife is very catchy and I am so happy they get to promote it as well!

LE SSERAFIM is such a great group and I love seeing them perform.

IVE

I AM is so good, IVE have yet to release a bad title track and they somehow even get better and better. The whole album is so well made, it really showed what the girls are actually capable of. To me it's somehow ironic how people were hating on them, but then this album shut them up. Some of my favourite songs are Hypnosis, Blue Blood and Cherish.

WAVE is also a great song, and I am glad that they are releasing original Japanese songs now. I think I even like it more than I AM already.. IVE definitely released the best songs of 2023 so far!!

As a former Iz*one fan, it makes me so happy to see all of the former members doing great in their respective groups/ solo. I am definitely a big fan of LE SSERAFIM as a group, and Sakura is still my favourite member. IVE releases bop after bop, it's actually incredible if you think about it. They have my recent favourite song releases and I enjoy their vibe a lot. But the soloists are doing great as well! I love them all but I am waiting for Eunbi's next comeback (Underwater was soooo good omg).

I mean obviously Hitomi has my most support though and I am still a fan of AKB (despite their questionable management), but that's for another time.

I do want to add that all the Loona members have won their cases against their company BBC, so they are finally freee! This makes me so incredibly happy, they finally got some kind of justice.

They will be active in several different companies, but hopefully we will see a reunion at some point.

Together with the Fifty Fifty lawsuit, this really shows how awful Kpop companies really are, but it makes me hopeful that conditions will be better in the future!

Sending lots of Love!

Juice=Juice - Terzo (Regular Edition) unboxing

Today I am doing an unboxing of Juice=Juice's 3rd album Terzo.

This is a very fashionable cover. The mix of green and pink is very pleasing to look at and all the members look georgous. 

Cuuuuute

I like these pairings of generations/ seniority

All the members on the last back.

They could also include some more pictures though..

And the Obi.

Tracklist:

Disc 1 - The Best Juice 2019-2022

1. Bitansan

2. Potsuri to

3. Good bye & Good luck!

4. "Hitori de Ikiraresou" tte Sore tte Nee, Homete Iru no?

5. 25sai Eien Setsu

6. "Hitori de Ikiraresou" tte Sore tte Nee, Homete Iru no? (New Vocal Ver.)

7. Pop Music

8. Suki tte Itte yo

9. Borderline

10. Va-Va-Voom

11. Tsudzuiteiku STORY (Symphonic Version feat. Karin)

12. DOWN TOWN

13. Ganbarenai yo

14. Plastic Love

15. Familia

16. Future Smile

Disc 2 - The Brand-New Juice 2022

1. GIRLS BE AMBITIOUS! 2022

2. POPPIN' LOVE

3. STAGE ~Agatte Mina~

4. Mon Amour (My Love) - Uemura Akari, Inaba Manaka, Dambara Ruru, Inoue Rei

5. Noctiluca

6. G.O.A.T.

7. Ame no Naka no Kuchibue - Kudo Yume, Matsunaga Riai, Arisawa Ichika, Irie Risa, Ebata Kisaki

8. Platonic Planet (Ultimate Juice Ver.) - Kanazawa Tomoko, Takagi Sayuki, Miyamoto Karin, Uemura Akari, Dambara Ruru, Inaba Manaka, Kudo Yume, Matsunaga Riai, Inoue Rei, Arisawa Ichika, Irie Risa, Ebata Kisaki

The first disc is basically all their singles that they released since their last album.
I especially enjoy "Hitori de Ikiraresou" tte Sore tte Nee, Homete Iru no?, Pop Music, Plastic Love and Future Smile.

The Second disc is made up of mainly new songs, or new recordnings. It is cool to have a 2022 version of GIRLS BE AMBITIOUS, and to finally have a Platonic Planet recording!!! 

Out of the new songs, I especially like Noctiluca and the two Unit songs. Especially Mon Amour amazes me because of the vocal power, but I also like the sweet Ame no Naka no Kuchibue. It was definitely a great introduction to the newer members.

I love Juics=Juice!!!