My second JE post, yay! I felt like writing something here, but I didn't know what, so I came up with this: a ranking. Like "top 5 blah blah blah" - that kind of thing. I really like making lists/rankings (not sure why, but I do - whenever I'm bored at school I start writing lists of characters or songs or something on my page - weird I know) so I thought this would be fun. Especially since I can keep doing it, with different themes and such, whenever I feel like it. It will probably all be about Arashi though, unless I do an H!P version. =]
Anyway, on to the list! Today's topics will be:
Now, I've actually only seen 3 of Arashi's concerts (AAA 2008, Time, and Iza Now), but even so I think there were some great moments in those I'd like to talk about. I made a separate category for group and solo performances, because otherwise most of these would be solos. So let's start!
10) Hitomi no Naka no Galaxy - Iza Now:
I never really liked (or listened to) this song much until this performance. Nino's solo in the beginning always impresses me. Also, I thought Iza deserved SOMETHING on this list, because all of the others are from AAA 08 and Time...those concerts were just too good.
9) Kitto Daijoubu - AAA 08
This had to go on here because it's one of my absolute favorite Arashi songs (I'm actually listening to it as I type this, coincidentally). The reason I chose the AAA 08 version? The outfits are better than the Time version. That's pretty much the only reason ^^;
8) Kotoba Yori Taisetsuna Mono - AAA 08
I love this song, and it's always fun to watch at concerts. But that's not the real reason I put it here. It's actually because it contains one of my favorite concert moments from Arashi ever - when Ohno's mic isn't working in the beginning of the song and he shares with Jun. It's just too cute. Ohmiya is my OTP, but when I first started listening to Arashi I had some sort of weird grudge against it, and Juntoshi was my pairing of choice for the first week or so. So I can't help but love this performance. (random but right when I finished typing this part, this song came on - I have my Itunes on shuffle)
7) Hero - Time
Though I do love this song and it was performed beautifully, like Kotoba Yori that's not the reason it's here. As an Ohmiya fan, of course I couldn't leave it out - the infamous Ohmiya "kiss" at the end of this performance. Now, I'm pretty sure that kiss was faked, it sure looked like it. But that doesn't make it any less adorable. <3
6) ROCK YOU - Time
I really like this song recently, and this performance was the first time I heard it. My favorite part about this performance is that Nino managed to sing his solo towards the end (my favorite part of the song) really well, even after running around with Ohno immediately prior to singing it.
5) La Tormenta 2004 - AAA 08
I am not sure why I love this song so much, but I seriously listen to it all the time. Maybe because it's fun trying to learn the rap parts? I don't know, but I do know that I love this performance. I've seen the AAA 06 version, and I personally think this one is way better. I love the dance and I think everyone does their parts really well, and I love the little things each one of them does after their part is said (like Oh-chan miming fishing).
4) Jidai - Time
This is a case of me liking the live version better than the original recorded version, which actually happens quite often with Arashi...probably because they switch things around a lot with who sings what, but I end up liking a lot of their songs better live. For this one in particular, it's because this version had a faster tempo than the original. It's what I think the song should have sounded like in the first place. Also, the part when Sho finally joins them and they start dancing together is pretty cool.
3) Be With You - Time
I LOVE this performance, for three reasons. One, I love Arashi's ballads, and this song is just really beautiful. Two, the fact that Aiba's still kind of crying by the time his solo comes around is kind of heartbreaking/adorable. Not to mention that his solo still ends up not sounding that different from the original - as in it kind of sounded like he was crying on the recording too lol...lots of emotion I guess? And three, I love Sho's solo. A lot of people consider his voice to be kind of mediocre, and I admit he's not the best singer in the group. However, I like his voice a lot, and there are a few times when he's really impressed me with it. This is one of them.
2) Love Situation - Time
This is one of my favorite songs, and this performance of it is really good. I loved how they divided into two groups and alternated singing/dancing. It was really cool, and again I kind of prefer it to the original version. I also just really like the dance to this song.
And 1) is...
Subarashiki Sekai - AAA 08
I love the original song, but I honestly find this live version 100% better, for several reasons. One, it just sounds REALLY good. Two, I like that they change it to give each person an additional solo (Jun sings the first part, Nino the second, then the chorus, then Aiba and Ohno). Three, I love the rap part. Sho kind of half raps/half sings, more so than in the original, and it's another case of me being really impressed by his voice.
And:
There have been some really amazing solos from these 5, so I thought I'd talk about my favorites among those too.
5) Hip Pop Boogie - Sakurai Sho - AAA 08
Number five was really hard to choose - it was between this and Yabai-Yabai-Yabai (because seriously, Jun in a green and purple glittery track suit with MJ on the front? too funny, and the insane amount of energy he performed with was adorable). I really like this song and performance though, because I feel like of all of Sho's solos, it's the one that shows his personality the best. Can't Let You Go was kind of weird for me, though it was good, and I don't really remember the one from Iza Now that well.
4) La Familia - Matsumoto Jun - Iza Now
I like this one for a few reasons. It's a nice song, and Jun performed it really well. I think it's really sweet that he wrote it about his relationship with the other members (or so I've heard), and it's made even more touching by the fact that they all come on stage at the end. Overall just a really nice performance.
3) Hello Goodbye - Aiba Masaki - AAA 08
It's kind of creeping me out how Itunes is managing to play half of the songs as I'm typing about them, lol. Anyway, I had to include something of Aiba's on here because his energy and emotion when he performs is just really amazing. I like this song a lot, and I can't help but smile watching him perform it. I also really like his outfit in this performance...I kind of want to steal his hoodie, and those shoes are awesome.
2) Niji - Ninomiya Kazunari - AAA 08
This song is easily my favorite of all of the solos. Why is it not number one? I have a good reason for that - which will be explained when I get to number one. Nino actually performed this song at Time and AAA 08, but I chose the AAA 08 version because it was the first one I saw and the first time I heard the song (also, if I'm not mistaken, he sings the full song in this version whereas he does not in Time). There are so many reasons why I love this one...the lyrics are beautiful and Nino's voice is perfect for these kind of songs. His piano playing is also great, and I love that we get to see him in glasses lol. It's just a really wonderful performance.
And number one, that even beat my beloved Niji...
Top Secret - Ohno Satoshi - Iza Now/AAA 06
Ohno's hips. I think that's all I have to say if you've seen this performance. It also may have a little to do with the fact that the line "message...in the handyphone" never fails to make me laugh. He performed this solo twice, but I didn't choose a version since they're both practically the same. I've never seen AAA 06, so I didn't even know he performed it there until the other day. Anyway, besides the dance being amazing, he sings it really well (of course) and it's a nice, catchy song.
Also, since it was tough to choose just these five, I thought I'd have an "Honorable Mention" section. This is mostly an excuse for me to be biased towards my ichiban Oh-chan and his lover fellow Ohmiya SK member. So, Honorable Mention goes to all of Nino and Ohno's other solos, because they're always amazing. They both have fantastic voices, and Ohno's dancing and Nino's lyrics just make their songs that much better. <3
Wow, that was long XD
If anyone bothered to read it, thank you! Keep in mind that these are only my personal opinions. There are also probably a lot I forgot about, since this was mostly off the top of my head. Still, if you're an Arashi fan and have not seen any of these performances/concerts, I definitely recommend that you do. ^_^
I think I will be doing this more, it was a lot of fun. =]