Ongaku Cafe (2010-2019): AKB48 – Flying Get (Theater Edition) (August 2011)

1. フライングゲット – AKB48
2. 抱きしめちゃいけない – (AKB48 Undergirls)
3. 野菜占い – (AKB48)
4. フライングゲット off vocal ver. – AKB48
5. 抱きしめちゃいけない off vocal ver. – AKB48 (Undergirls)
6. 野菜占い off vocal ver. – (Undergirls Yuri-gumi)

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Reviewed back in August 2011

In this day and age, when it comes to CD single releases, you just don’t expect any records to be broken at all.  With CD sales dropping and CD’s rarely selling over 100,000 copies and the years of selling over a million copies are long gone, somehow one group has defied all expectations.

AKB48 have not only sold over a million copies of their recent CD single releases but with their 22nd single “Flying Get”, the single sold 1,025,952 copies becoming the first CD single in history to sell over a million copies on its first day release.

Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if AKB48 takes the Grand Prix at the Nihon Record Taishou awards show because this is a major accomplishment made by any Japanese music artist and the fact that the group has even accomplished such a feat. during these tough economic times, let alone when CD singles are rarely great, AKB48 has become a phenomenon.

And the popularity of this single has made it really hard for even to find either TYPE-A or TYPE-B CD+DVD versions of the single that I had to go for the theater edition (no DVD).

“Flying Get” is the title that is Japanese slang for people buy merchandise more than a day earlier of its release date.  The single also features the top 12 members of the 3rd Senbatsu AKB48 elections while the girls who ranked #22-40 would be part of the Under Girls line-up and sing the coupling song for the CD single.

“Flying Get” is also the theme song for the FUJI TV drama series “Hanazari no Kimitachi e ‘Ikemen Paradise’ 2011” starring AKB48’s #1 voted performer, Atsuko Maeda.  And also the theme for the Peach John “Heart Bra” CM.

The CD insert is a gatefold which features lyrics on one side and the other side features all top 12 Senbatsu members + the Media Senbatsu (which are the girls voted as #13-21) sporting gold outfits.  Definitely one the cooler gatefold photo spreads that I have seen on an AKB48 single.

“Flying Get” is the first track on the album and is an upbeat pop/dance single that revolves around one being at the beach and wanting to “Flying Get” to obtain ones feelings, capture their heart and sensing one’s feelings beforehand.  Pretty much a song about one wanting to make a move towards the person they like and the person debating with themselves if they can do it or if they will stay silent.  A fun song that compliments the group quite well!

The second track is “Dakishimecha Ikenai” (I can’t embrace you) is a song sung by the undergirls and it’s actually a pretty cool idol song.  The song revolves around best friends parting ways and how a person can be there for you during those good and bad times but with one graduating or moving away, it’s goodbye and one not wanting to embrace the person and say goodbye because it would be too difficult.

The third track is “Yasai Uranai” which is an odd-title that translates to fortune telling through vegetables.  Yes, the song starts out with the girls singing vegetable names and the lyrics are unusual of how one can resemble a vegetable and have a personality like a tomato, shape of a cabbage and a carrot.  And the person asking themselves of what vegetable they would look like but with each vegetable, it has its strong points.  An interesting song and enjoy the samba style music but definitely an interesting, upbeat and happy song.

It’s important to note that if you purchase TYPE-A of “Flying Get”, the third track will be “Seishun to Kizukanai Mama” and with TYPE-B, the third track would be “Ice no Kuchizuke”.  The third track “Yasai Uranai” is only on this theater version single.

The remaining three tracks are the off-vocal instrumental versions of the three previous songs.

Overall, “Flying Get” is a pretty fun, upbeat dance single from AKB48 and their most popular single yet.  While I prefer to review CD+DVD versions, fans not interested in the DVD content will surely enjoy this theater version of the “Flying Get” single for it’s fun, upbeat tracks.

Recommended!

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