[Review] Afilia Saga East - Archism
I'm pretty much bored so... let's do a review! Since not many people know or reviewing Afilia Saga's songs, I'll do it (^ ^) Anyway please bear with my inability for reviewing album *bows* Recommended tracks were bold~!
Tracklist:
01. Koi no Wizard Hyakunen Sensou
02. Baisoku Renai Tokei
03. La*La*La Revolution
04. Venus ☆ Megamikkusu
05. Mirai ga Watashi wo Matte Iru
06. Ethical ~Arigatou wo Tsutaetai~
07. Everlasting Friends
08. TANTEI ☆ Rhapsody
09. SURVIVE!!
10. Kindan Muteki na Darling
11. Happy! Puppy!
12. Harukanaru Jikuu no Tabibito
13. Nighty Night ~Oyasuminasai~
14. Platinum (ANIMEny DJs remix)
15. Sorairo Days (PandaBoy remix)
16. Koi wo Game ni Shinaide! (Hige Driver remix)
01. Koi no Wizard Hyakunen Sensou
I pretty shocked when I heard this song. It's not so Afilia Saga-ish, but more reminds me with some AKB songs somehow. But it's pretty cool how it sounded very idolish, rocking and on fire. The title yet so Afilia Saga-ish and also the meaning of the song.
02. Baisoku Renai Tokei
Finally, a song that I recognized as something that very Afilia. Strangely I prefer this one than the first track. What make it different maybe the combination of Afilia's trademark melody combined with a rockin tune and more power. It sounded like Afilia Saga East feat. Koi no Wizard Hyakunen Sensou for me lol (it doesn't make any sense, I know it).
03. La*La*La Revolution
I pretty much love this song. It's so cute and dancy at the same time, reminds me with Tsunku's works -which make it cool for me-. The autotune also not too much and it's still sounded so J-Pop and idol-ish. A nice summer track. The PV kinda makes me feel like a hopeless otaku tho lol.
04. Venus ☆ Megamikkusu
It have a potential to be a good song. But when it reached the refrain, my expectation was broken as I really really really doesn't like how it sounded. I tried listening to this song for some more in hope that I'll change my opinion but it doesn't work at all. I still doesn't like this even pretty hate it :(.
05. Mirai ga Watashi wo Matte Iru
I have a complicated relationship with this song. A love and hate one. At some point I enjoyed the song but when it reached some certain part, I couldn't bear with how it sounded and just wanted to push the stop button. So, I don't know how I should appraise this one. But the PV is so adorable, maybe my favorite from Afilia Saga.
06. Ethical ~Arigatou wo Tsutaetai~
Usually this kind of song is not my cup of tea. This is the kind of forgettable and filling song, but weirdly I love this one. It give me a warm feeling and somehow could make me smile. The refrain is my favorite and how the girls sang the "Ethical~..." part is what make people easily recognize who's the one that sing the song.
07. Everlasting Friends
A medium song, nothing special. But I wonder which members included in this song since the vocal sounded much different.
08. TANTEI ☆ Rhapsody
Awwww... so cute~! This song is fun and immediately made me grinned widely at the first time I listen to this number. It's like attending a festival and everyone dancing happily.
09. SURVIVE!!
After we got a cheerful TANTEI ☆ Rhapsody, came a song that I think as Afilia's worst A-side at the era. I still doesn't like this song tho my ears could adapted with this better now. Especially with the fact that it got Venus ☆ Megamikkusu which I hate so much as it B-side. Honestly this song made me bored with Afilia Saga back then. I hope they will release a cool song like Knee High Egoist instead this one :(.
10. Kindan Muteki na Darling
At least here we got Kindan Muteki na Darling -my favorite Afilia's single of the era- and could ease my dislike of SURVIVE!! a bit. Seriously, this song is so much cute cute and cute. They sounded moe and kawaii, and the catchphrase of this song of course definitely the "Raburirurira kuritikaruna~..." part. I also love the "Dakedo suki~!" part, it just so cute (>///<). It also got Ethical as it B-side. Well... Kindan + Ethical vs SURVIVE!! + Venus... Just great.
11. Happy! Puppy!
OMG Cuteness overload XDD... I could die because of too much sugar~! It's so nice hearing this song after Kindan, because it's a good choice. Now I realized that SURVIVE!! destroyed the flow so bad. It is good without it: TANTEI - Kindan - Happy! Puppy! = perfect!
12. Harukanaru Jikuu no Tabibito
It's an average song but quite interesting. The title and the lyric is very Afilia Saga.
13. Nighty Night ~Oyasuminasai~
It give me an impression of usual closing song. Tho this one is pretty good and sounded better if compared with Everlasting Friends. Another average song.
14. Platinum (ANIMEny DJs remix)
The first remix, Platinum. Actually I got no idea what makes it different with the original Platinum. It just sounded same. Nothing different. Platinum is a good song and I guess most of people will like it. But for me there is something that make me didn't have any feeling for this track. I don't like it tho I know this song is not bad.
15. Sorairo Days (PandaBoy remix)
Also this one, I don't know what makes it different :(. It originally the B-side of Platinum, an attempt of techno single from the group. Because basically I don't really like techno, this song is kind of forgettable for me. I prefer this one than Platinum tho.
16. Koi wo Game ni Shinaide! (Hige Driver remix)
If I'm not wrong, it included in Afilia's worst single of the era, SURVIVE!! I wonder what makes the girls love this song so much. Yeah, it's pretty catchy but this remix is just like a mess for me. It makes me got a headache, seriously. The original is still the win!
Archism as Afilia Saga East's sophomore is absolutely a drastic change from whitism. I guess I prefer whitism than this one, especially considering there are SURVIVE!! and Venus ☆ Megamikkusu in this album. Songs like Baisoku Renai Tokei, Mirai ga Watashi wo Matte Iru and the cutesy tracks were the only one that reminds me with Afilia's signature song. A moderate album for me. Even kinda disappointing.
They should collaborate with Tsunku again in the future for making another great Knee High Egoist ( - _ -)