Ongaku Cafe (2010-2019): SKE48 – Kiss Datte Hidarikikki – TYPE – A (September 2012)

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1. キスだって左利き – SKE48
2. 体育館で朝食を- SKE48 (白組)
3. 神々の領域 (野菜シスターズ/Yasai Sisters)
4. キスだって左利き off vocal ver. – SKE48
5. 体育館で朝食を off vocal ver. – SKE48 (白組)
6. 神々の領域 off vocal ver. – SKE48

DVD INFO: 16:9 LB, Region 2, Duration: 61:11

1. キスだって左利き music clip
2. 体育館で朝食を- SKE48 (白組) music clip
3. ガチ!対談-I- (special movie) (特典映像)

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Reviewed back in September 2012

SKE48, the sister idol group of AKB48 that is based in Nagoya returns with their 10th CD single “Kiss Datte Hidarikiki” (which translates to “Even the Kiss is Left-Handed” or “Even a Left-Handed Kiss”), a track which becomes the group’s sixth CD single to reach #1 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and also becoming their highest selling single for its release day and for its first week.

And it’s another testament to the marketing machine created by AKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto.  SKE48 was created as a test for Akimoto to see if his idea of having an nationwide 48 project would work, considering he had received offers from other countries to develop his project for their country.

And to develop SKE48, it centered around young teenager Jurina Matsui who was featured as the primary member of SKE48 to be featured on an AKB48 single (“Ogoe Diamond”) and would eventually become the first collaboration for SKE48 and AKB48.  And while the group debuted back in 2009 with “Tsuyoki Mono yo”, the growing popularity of AKB48 helped lead SKE48 into the limelight and switching labels from Nippon Crown to Avex Trax in 2011 for their sixth single “Pareo wa Emerald”, it had led to their highest sales as a pop unit.

But it’s their 10th CD Single “Kiss Datte Hidarikiki” that has pushed the group over the 500,000 copies sold in its first week mark and is their most popular single yet!  And the fact they had these type of sales on the same day of the release of their album “Kono Hi no chime o Wasurenai” is fantastic!

And with this CD single, there were seven different versions released of “Kiss Datte Hidarikiki”, Type-A, Type-B and Type-C received a regular edition and limited edition release.  The difference is one comes with a handshake event ticket (limited) and the regular edition doesn’t.  Each single sports a different cover and each features a different second track performed by SKE48 members who are team Shirogumi, Akagumi or Kouen ganbatta kumi.  The seventh version is the theater edition with no DVD but comes with both Shirogumi and Akagumi songs plus a 10th single medley.

The version I will be reviewing is “Kiss Datte Hidarikiki” (Type-A).  The single comes with a tri-fold CD insert with a photo of the top 16 SKE48 members with Jurina Matsui taking the center position.   The other side of the insert features lyrics and production credits.  While the back side of the CD features the other 16 members of SKE48.

The single begins with the title track “Kiss Datte Hirarikiki” and is a catchy, idol pop track that I found quite addicting the more I listened to it.  Love the harmony of the members and the song is about a girl who has fallen in love with a guy who is left-handed.  She observes him and wants to imitate him, practicing with her left hand because to her it feels cool that her boyfriend is left-handed and waiting for the left-handed kiss.

The second track on the single is “Taiikukan de Choushoku wo” (which translates to “Breakfast in the Gymnasium”) performed by SKE48 Shirogumi members.  I am guessing the reference is to the upcoming AKB48 Kouhaku Utagassen  competition but the song is pretty cool!  Cute, idol upbeat pop track with electric guitar and rhythmic beats, the song is about a girl and the person that she likes having a secret “Love Love” Breakfast.  And she describes the experience of going to an empty schoolyard and wondering what the meal will be.  As she enters the gymnasium, she sees two mats on the basketball court and the two share coffee until the first bell rigs.

The third track on the single is the song “Kamigami no Ryouiki” (which translates to “Territory of the Gods”) and is a synth-based, fast-tempo track.  The song is about a person who wants to change a person’s life with love.  The person felt they were unable to love and that their heart was a territory that can not be entered.  But she manages to get into his heart and help the person discover love.  Now she is in unexpected territory, being guided by the gods and before, being hit by rain but now seeing a rainbow which has been changed due to love.

The remaining three tracks on the CD single are the instrumental versions of the first three music tracks.

As for the DVD, the DVD begins with the music video clip for “Kiss Datte Hidarikikki”.  The 16 members that are dressed up in white gowns, brown shoes and flowers on their hair and are in front of an estate while performing and dancing to their song.  Meanwhile, a story shows Jurina who is out jogging and sees a friend with another guy.  She then tells her friends of what she had seen.  We see a little drama as perhaps Rena and Jurina’s characters have fallen for the same guy and will these two good friends hurt each other by going for that same guy?  Meanwhile, another girl falls for a guy at a restaurant who is left-handed.

The second music video is for “Taiikukan de Choushoku wo” and features one of the members preparing a meal for breakfast but a bird takes her basket of food and she tries to chase after it and get it back.  Meanwhile, we see team Shirogumi dancing and performing to the song.

The third video on the DVD is a 46-minute clip featuring footage from the show “Gachi! Taidan” and features several members bringing into a room, not knowing what to expect and in the other room is a celebrity.  The DVD features Shiori “Shiorin” Ogiso of Team K II and learns from talent Aya Sugimoto how to be sexy, the next clip features Airi “Airin” Furukawa of Team K II is a big Gundam fan and meets Shuichi Ikeda (voice actor of Char Aznable).  The third segment features Jurina Matsui meeting Katsu Nomura in a conversation.  The fourth segment features Kaori Matsumura meeting talent/pro boxer Youkou Gushiken at a boxing ring and sparring and the final segment features Kumi Yagami meeting journalist Tooru Yamaji.

It’s important to note that this is a region 2 DVD and will not play on a region 1 player (unless you have a non-region DVD player) but can be played on a MAC or PC using free video playing software such as VLC or Daum PotPlayer.

Overall, “Kiss Datte Hidarikikki” is a pretty cool single with three solid tracks but Type-A delivers in content with the two music videos plus the 46-minute “Gachi! Taidan” segments.  Especially seeing Airi Furukawa being a Gundam fan, I know there are AKB48 members who are anime fans who can draw but to see a big Gundam fan, especially Char fan was fascinating and didn’t expect to see that.  But while this segment was awesome, it’s important to note that if you want to watch all of it, you’ll need to purchase Type-B and Type-C as well!  But Type-A was a solid CD+DVD release and I have been listening to the main track many times this week already.

Definitely their best single yet!  And a single that I can easily recommend!

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