Mizuki Nana Impect Exciter review
Why not make my first post in my journal about Nana-chan? Yeah.
I didn't really look forward to the album much (the titel didn't help), Nana's past 3 singles were medicore for her standards. They weren't bad, they just didn't leave much impression. Even Yukarin released better stuff in the same time frame.
1.TIME TO IMPACT EXCITER
The good
-It's an extra free track. We're still getting the usual 15 songs.
The bad
-Sounded like one of those OST tracks from crappy mecha/sci-fi show.
2.NEXT ARCADIA
The good
-First 20 seconds is great <3 Sounded like Supercell. I'm a sucker for piano with rock instruments, one of the reason why I love Supercell.
The bad
-After the first 20 seconds, what's up with the terrible autotuning effect or random mixing effects with the vocals? It ruined the song.
-The arrangement felt very messy, it jumps around. Nana's vocals sounds great in only parts of the song (the 2 lines just after the horrible mixing), alot of it didn't flow very well. I can't remember this ever happening with any Mizuki Nana's song (character songs not included).
Verdict 3.5/10
-I felt they wasted a perfect idea, this could have been the next Super Generation. I don't even care if the song is a total rip-off of Supercell.
3.Mysterion
The good
-Nana sounds different! She can actually sing this live, her MusicJapan performance was virtually perfect (there one or two notes that sounded ever slightly off, but MJ is not autotuned).
-The PV was hawt.
The bad
-I know they're trying to make up some Nanaism...but looks more like a certain past German political party.
-Hit or miss whether you like the vocals. Personally I find perfectly fine. Least it makes it more interesting or else this would be another Bring it On.
Verdict 6/10
-At least Nana sounds different and this type of song seems to do well with me. Also this song would probably stick to my mind better with more time. Oh plus 1 for hawt PV.
4. Silent Bible
The good
-Best A-side out of Nana's past 3 singles
-A good song to play if you're lying on the bed yet don't really want to fall asleep. It's epic enough not to be boring but smooth enough to calm yourself down.
-Typical Element Garden song, sounds better when it sinks into your mind. Nothing wrong with the song.
The bad
-Nothing special. Heard this a million times.
Verdict 7/10
-It's actually very nice to listen to despite the lack of impression, still slightly fresher then a typical Element Garden song.
5.Young Alive!
The good
-The genki ecchi anime opening that isn't moe overload.
-Sounds like a fun towel song.
-Nana's engrish is always moe.
The bad
-Nothing special.
Verdict 6/10
-Average score for an average song that could be sung by any darn seiyuu.
6.SCOOP SCOPE
The good
-Sounds like a Perfume song. Every female artist does one Perfume song on their albums nowadays anyway.
-Reminds me of some vocaloid music when Nana said the word 'computer'. The whole sound sounds very Livetune.
-It's cute but not moe moe. Good thing they didn't autotune the vocals like Perfume.
The bad
-Seems to take a bit of time to sink in. Sounds too normal, doesn't leave much impression.
Verdict 6.5/10
-Very slightly better the average but nothing special really.
7.DRAGONIA
The good
-First Nana song that is chinese influenced! The guitar solo 3/4 way into the song is there!
-Typical Nana that never goes wrong with her usual fans. Her usual powerful voice is still there.
-Easy to otagei to...
The bad
-Element Gardens just replaced the strings with er-hu. Those lazy arses.
-Like I said, too typical from Nana. This would sound better with lives.
Verdict 5/10
-China (Hetalia) either character songs were more interesting with the use of er-hu.
8.Mugen
The good
-High budget PV. The PV was creepy in a good way, despite a little typical.
-Actually sounds like a unique Nana song. Nana's MJ live of this was perfect, absolutely perfect.
The bad
-Hit or miss. Seems more like a miss with Nanatards.
-How the heck do you otagei to this?
Verdict 4.5/10
-As a typical Nanatard, this isn't my cup of tea.
9.Natsu Koi Moyou
The good
-Sounds like an old skool love song. Alot of Nanatards seems to enjoy this type of song.
-Good song to sleep to and to wake up to.
The bad
-I kept skipping this song when I am awake trying to find a good background song to work to.
-The start is too boring
-Old skool style might not be everyone's cup of tea.
Verdict 5.5/10
-It's not a bad song, but it's hard to find time to listen to this.
10.Koi no Yokushiryoku -type EXCITER-
The good
-One of the best character song by Nana. I loved the original, so catchy <3 DOKI DOKI WITH FANSERVICE!
-It's getting a little dance PV by Nana. Who can resist Nana's terrible dancing?
-The trollish PV by the Metal Gear Solid team. Who can resist Snake standing at the beach with the sunset in the background?
The bad
-Remix sounds practically exactly the same.
-You milage may vary on which version sounds better.
Verdict 7.5/10
-The 0.5 is lost to a boring remix. The original gets 8/10.
11.PHANTOM MINDS
The good
-Nanoha tie-up. The song sounds better when you hear it in the trailer <3
-It got a weekly number 1.
-It has been at daily number 1 for 7 days.
-Nothing wrong with the song, typical Elements Garden despite it's not by Elements Garden.
The bad
-Nana's MJ live of this was iffy for her standards. There's no break in the song for Nana to breath while singing this song live.
-Apparently it's harder to otagei to...
Verdict 7/10
-Sounds fresher then a typical Elements Garden, 0.5 for being a Nanoha tie-up and 0.5 for getting a number 1.
12.Strobe Cinema
The good
-Reminds me of Honey and Clover first opening.
-I was actually listening to this song was drawing, I didn't pay much attention to this song with the first listen. About 50 seconds this song REALLY caught me attention, I could barely tell it was Nana singing this song. Nana actually not sounding like Nana is a first time for me.
-'Baby baby love me baby~' I will Nana-chan <3
The bad
-The song itself is just another Cosmic Love. If it wasn't for the 'unique' vocals, the song would be a total forgetable song.
-You opinion of the vocal may vary.
Verdict 7/10
-I liked the vocals, shoot me. I hummed to it within 1 day of listening.
13.Toraware no Babel
The good
-The old-skool anime type of opening. Right up my alley.
-Sounds like a Jam Project song <3 Sounds like a better opening for that Super Robot game.
-FINALLY an epic song without strings. There isn't a guitar solo 3/4 down the song.
The bad
-Less exciting then a Jam Project song.
-Cheapo arrangement.
Verdict 6/10
-I'm a sucker for old-skool-anison-jam-project stuff. I don't care if the arrangement is cheap.
14.Albireo
The good
-Nana wrote the song herself.
-Easy to otagei.
-The instrumental part is good, sounds slightly fresher
The bad
-Nana wrote the song herself, very very very boring and average.
-Yawn, heard this a trillion times.
Verdict 5/10
-Nothing terribly wrong, minus 1 for being waaay too typical.
15.Don't be long
The good
-Nanoha tie-in.
-Nana old skool fans seems to prefer stuff by Yabuki.
-The bass solo 3/4 is more interesting then guitar solo .
-Sounds easy to otagei.
The bad
-Newer Nana fans who liked her after Element Gardens picked her up wouldn't like this song much.
-Sounds like bad Yabuki. Sometimes he can write some great songs, sometimes it just sounds old skool for the sake of being old skool.
Verdict 4.5/10
-This is bad Yabuki. The old-skool-ness of it would not save it.
16.7-gastu 7-ka
The good
-Mika-chan composed the song and Nana wrote the lyrics.
-It's called 7th of July.
-Nana used her opera singing voice, it's absolutely heavenly.
-Arrangement and Nana's vocals matches well together.
The bad
-It's a song to put you asleep
-Mika-chan's composition isn't any better then Nana's composition skillz.
Verdict 6/10
-It's not love at first listening, but the opera style vocals is just too heavenly.
Overall
The good
-It's Nana-chan. I will never say no to Nana-chan.
-The DVD sounds delicious. Nana doing cooking? Nana doing bad dancing? Nana doing bad pitching? Yes please.
-Typical Nana, there will always be tracks that Nanatards would like.
-Nana used three new singing style, with the past albums she just tries one.
The bad
-No killer songs (yet).
-The songs doesn't flow together as an album, felt a little better then Ultimate Diamond though. UD just stuff all different type of songs Nana is capable and stuck together with prit stick. Being better then UD in this department doesn't say much though.
Verdict 5.8
-Actually I am surprised the average was lower then I expected when I calculated it. I would have given this album 6.5/10.
-It's not absolutely terrible, it's about the same level as Ultumate Diamond. This actually sounds better with first listen then UD, maybe it's due to more cute songs and typical Elements Garden.
-It's not like this album would sell better with better songs and it's not like this album would sell worse if it was crappy.
-Expectations for Nana is waaaaay higher compared to any other singer I listen to.
-This album felt incredibly rushed. I just can't see where Nana found the time to make a new album despite 3 singles (4 songs each), a concert tour and Kohaku promotions within 4 months before the album started. Let's not talk about she has to prepare for Live Game (which is 1.5 of a concert) while working on a new album within 3-4 months. AND she's still doing her normal workload in the seiyuu department. She's not strictly an idol who gets everything organised for her but we may never know how much say she gets for her work...
Anyway, this is not a good representation on what I would think of Impact Exciter 1 year later. I hated Discotheque when I first heard it until I heard the radio rip of Nana singing it live, Eternal Blaze was nothing special till I watched Nana singing it live after 3-4 times, I thought the MGS did a terrible job at mocking Elements Garden and look at me now. I loop Discotheque (live of course) for hours trying to learn that terrible dance, I otagei-ed with a prit stick in my hand to Eternal Blaze and Koi no Yokushiryoku is the best song from Nana for the past year.
Did I say I never liked a song by Nana till I heard a live version? Except character songs because Nana almost never sing them live. Practically everyone prefer the oldies by their favourite artists then their newer stuff, Nana is no different. To be fair, Nana is the only one I ever followed religiously while with the others I just listen to their best stuff and forget about their medicore stuff.
I'm expecting Nana's popularity to drop sooner or later. Actually, I'm expecting Nana to suddenly announce that she'll leave the music scene with a marriage (possibly still doing small seiyuu jobs here and there) once her popularity dies down a little. It's better just to drop it off when you're at your peak. Nana looks unbelievely old for being only 30, Japanese and celebrity standard of course. Her thick eye make up isn't going to help much soon.
I didn't really look forward to the album much (the titel didn't help), Nana's past 3 singles were medicore for her standards. They weren't bad, they just didn't leave much impression. Even Yukarin released better stuff in the same time frame.
1.TIME TO IMPACT EXCITER
The good
-It's an extra free track. We're still getting the usual 15 songs.
The bad
-Sounded like one of those OST tracks from crappy mecha/sci-fi show.
2.NEXT ARCADIA
The good
-First 20 seconds is great <3 Sounded like Supercell. I'm a sucker for piano with rock instruments, one of the reason why I love Supercell.
The bad
-After the first 20 seconds, what's up with the terrible autotuning effect or random mixing effects with the vocals? It ruined the song.
-The arrangement felt very messy, it jumps around. Nana's vocals sounds great in only parts of the song (the 2 lines just after the horrible mixing), alot of it didn't flow very well. I can't remember this ever happening with any Mizuki Nana's song (character songs not included).
Verdict 3.5/10
-I felt they wasted a perfect idea, this could have been the next Super Generation. I don't even care if the song is a total rip-off of Supercell.
3.Mysterion
The good
-Nana sounds different! She can actually sing this live, her MusicJapan performance was virtually perfect (there one or two notes that sounded ever slightly off, but MJ is not autotuned).
-The PV was hawt.
The bad
-I know they're trying to make up some Nanaism...but looks more like a certain past German political party.
-Hit or miss whether you like the vocals. Personally I find perfectly fine. Least it makes it more interesting or else this would be another Bring it On.
Verdict 6/10
-At least Nana sounds different and this type of song seems to do well with me. Also this song would probably stick to my mind better with more time. Oh plus 1 for hawt PV.
4. Silent Bible
The good
-Best A-side out of Nana's past 3 singles
-A good song to play if you're lying on the bed yet don't really want to fall asleep. It's epic enough not to be boring but smooth enough to calm yourself down.
-Typical Element Garden song, sounds better when it sinks into your mind. Nothing wrong with the song.
The bad
-Nothing special. Heard this a million times.
Verdict 7/10
-It's actually very nice to listen to despite the lack of impression, still slightly fresher then a typical Element Garden song.
5.Young Alive!
The good
-The genki ecchi anime opening that isn't moe overload.
-Sounds like a fun towel song.
-Nana's engrish is always moe.
The bad
-Nothing special.
Verdict 6/10
-Average score for an average song that could be sung by any darn seiyuu.
6.SCOOP SCOPE
The good
-Sounds like a Perfume song. Every female artist does one Perfume song on their albums nowadays anyway.
-Reminds me of some vocaloid music when Nana said the word 'computer'. The whole sound sounds very Livetune.
-It's cute but not moe moe. Good thing they didn't autotune the vocals like Perfume.
The bad
-Seems to take a bit of time to sink in. Sounds too normal, doesn't leave much impression.
Verdict 6.5/10
-Very slightly better the average but nothing special really.
7.DRAGONIA
The good
-First Nana song that is chinese influenced! The guitar solo 3/4 way into the song is there!
-Typical Nana that never goes wrong with her usual fans. Her usual powerful voice is still there.
-Easy to otagei to...
The bad
-Element Gardens just replaced the strings with er-hu. Those lazy arses.
-Like I said, too typical from Nana. This would sound better with lives.
Verdict 5/10
-China (Hetalia) either character songs were more interesting with the use of er-hu.
8.Mugen
The good
-High budget PV. The PV was creepy in a good way, despite a little typical.
-Actually sounds like a unique Nana song. Nana's MJ live of this was perfect, absolutely perfect.
The bad
-Hit or miss. Seems more like a miss with Nanatards.
-How the heck do you otagei to this?
Verdict 4.5/10
-As a typical Nanatard, this isn't my cup of tea.
9.Natsu Koi Moyou
The good
-Sounds like an old skool love song. Alot of Nanatards seems to enjoy this type of song.
-Good song to sleep to and to wake up to.
The bad
-I kept skipping this song when I am awake trying to find a good background song to work to.
-The start is too boring
-Old skool style might not be everyone's cup of tea.
Verdict 5.5/10
-It's not a bad song, but it's hard to find time to listen to this.
10.Koi no Yokushiryoku -type EXCITER-
The good
-One of the best character song by Nana. I loved the original, so catchy <3 DOKI DOKI WITH FANSERVICE!
-It's getting a little dance PV by Nana. Who can resist Nana's terrible dancing?
-The trollish PV by the Metal Gear Solid team. Who can resist Snake standing at the beach with the sunset in the background?
The bad
-Remix sounds practically exactly the same.
-You milage may vary on which version sounds better.
Verdict 7.5/10
-The 0.5 is lost to a boring remix. The original gets 8/10.
11.PHANTOM MINDS
The good
-Nanoha tie-up. The song sounds better when you hear it in the trailer <3
-It got a weekly number 1.
-It has been at daily number 1 for 7 days.
-Nothing wrong with the song, typical Elements Garden despite it's not by Elements Garden.
The bad
-Nana's MJ live of this was iffy for her standards. There's no break in the song for Nana to breath while singing this song live.
-Apparently it's harder to otagei to...
Verdict 7/10
-Sounds fresher then a typical Elements Garden, 0.5 for being a Nanoha tie-up and 0.5 for getting a number 1.
12.Strobe Cinema
The good
-Reminds me of Honey and Clover first opening.
-I was actually listening to this song was drawing, I didn't pay much attention to this song with the first listen. About 50 seconds this song REALLY caught me attention, I could barely tell it was Nana singing this song. Nana actually not sounding like Nana is a first time for me.
-'Baby baby love me baby~' I will Nana-chan <3
The bad
-The song itself is just another Cosmic Love. If it wasn't for the 'unique' vocals, the song would be a total forgetable song.
-You opinion of the vocal may vary.
Verdict 7/10
-I liked the vocals, shoot me. I hummed to it within 1 day of listening.
13.Toraware no Babel
The good
-The old-skool anime type of opening. Right up my alley.
-Sounds like a Jam Project song <3 Sounds like a better opening for that Super Robot game.
-FINALLY an epic song without strings. There isn't a guitar solo 3/4 down the song.
The bad
-Less exciting then a Jam Project song.
-Cheapo arrangement.
Verdict 6/10
-I'm a sucker for old-skool-anison-jam-project stuff. I don't care if the arrangement is cheap.
14.Albireo
The good
-Nana wrote the song herself.
-Easy to otagei.
-The instrumental part is good, sounds slightly fresher
The bad
-Nana wrote the song herself, very very very boring and average.
-Yawn, heard this a trillion times.
Verdict 5/10
-Nothing terribly wrong, minus 1 for being waaay too typical.
15.Don't be long
The good
-Nanoha tie-in.
-Nana old skool fans seems to prefer stuff by Yabuki.
-The bass solo 3/4 is more interesting then guitar solo .
-Sounds easy to otagei.
The bad
-Newer Nana fans who liked her after Element Gardens picked her up wouldn't like this song much.
-Sounds like bad Yabuki. Sometimes he can write some great songs, sometimes it just sounds old skool for the sake of being old skool.
Verdict 4.5/10
-This is bad Yabuki. The old-skool-ness of it would not save it.
16.7-gastu 7-ka
The good
-Mika-chan composed the song and Nana wrote the lyrics.
-It's called 7th of July.
-Nana used her opera singing voice, it's absolutely heavenly.
-Arrangement and Nana's vocals matches well together.
The bad
-It's a song to put you asleep
-Mika-chan's composition isn't any better then Nana's composition skillz.
Verdict 6/10
-It's not love at first listening, but the opera style vocals is just too heavenly.
Overall
The good
-It's Nana-chan. I will never say no to Nana-chan.
-The DVD sounds delicious. Nana doing cooking? Nana doing bad dancing? Nana doing bad pitching? Yes please.
-Typical Nana, there will always be tracks that Nanatards would like.
-Nana used three new singing style, with the past albums she just tries one.
The bad
-No killer songs (yet).
-The songs doesn't flow together as an album, felt a little better then Ultimate Diamond though. UD just stuff all different type of songs Nana is capable and stuck together with prit stick. Being better then UD in this department doesn't say much though.
Verdict 5.8
-Actually I am surprised the average was lower then I expected when I calculated it. I would have given this album 6.5/10.
-It's not absolutely terrible, it's about the same level as Ultumate Diamond. This actually sounds better with first listen then UD, maybe it's due to more cute songs and typical Elements Garden.
-It's not like this album would sell better with better songs and it's not like this album would sell worse if it was crappy.
-Expectations for Nana is waaaaay higher compared to any other singer I listen to.
-This album felt incredibly rushed. I just can't see where Nana found the time to make a new album despite 3 singles (4 songs each), a concert tour and Kohaku promotions within 4 months before the album started. Let's not talk about she has to prepare for Live Game (which is 1.5 of a concert) while working on a new album within 3-4 months. AND she's still doing her normal workload in the seiyuu department. She's not strictly an idol who gets everything organised for her but we may never know how much say she gets for her work...
Anyway, this is not a good representation on what I would think of Impact Exciter 1 year later. I hated Discotheque when I first heard it until I heard the radio rip of Nana singing it live, Eternal Blaze was nothing special till I watched Nana singing it live after 3-4 times, I thought the MGS did a terrible job at mocking Elements Garden and look at me now. I loop Discotheque (live of course) for hours trying to learn that terrible dance, I otagei-ed with a prit stick in my hand to Eternal Blaze and Koi no Yokushiryoku is the best song from Nana for the past year.
Did I say I never liked a song by Nana till I heard a live version? Except character songs because Nana almost never sing them live. Practically everyone prefer the oldies by their favourite artists then their newer stuff, Nana is no different. To be fair, Nana is the only one I ever followed religiously while with the others I just listen to their best stuff and forget about their medicore stuff.
I'm expecting Nana's popularity to drop sooner or later. Actually, I'm expecting Nana to suddenly announce that she'll leave the music scene with a marriage (possibly still doing small seiyuu jobs here and there) once her popularity dies down a little. It's better just to drop it off when you're at your peak. Nana looks unbelievely old for being only 30, Japanese and celebrity standard of course. Her thick eye make up isn't going to help much soon.