Ongaku Cafe (2010-2019): Iwasa Misaki – Mujin Eki (Limited Edition) (2012)

1. 無人駅
2. ヘビーローテーション <演歌バージョン>
3. 翼をください
4. 瀬戸の花嫁
5. 無人駅 (Karaoke)
6. ヘビーローテーション <演歌バージョン> (Karaoke)
7. 翼をください (Karaoke)
8. 瀬戸の花嫁 (Karaoke)

DVD INFO: 16:9 LB, Region 2, Duration: 57:36

1. 「無人駅」MUSIC VIDEO
2. 岩佐美咲 HISTORY MOVIE
3. 「無人駅」MAKING VIDEO
4. 岩佐美咲 CDデビューお祝いコメント

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Reviewed back in February 2012:

AKB48 has had a dominating year in 2011 and there’s no doubt with their upcoming single “GIVE ME FIVE!” set for release later this February, that they will take the #1 spot again. And people know the artists that are on the forefront of AKB48 and those who have been voted by fans courtesy of the senbatsu elections.

But outside of the core group who are visible through the AKB48 music videos, there is one member who is known for her voice but yet, is literally an unranked AKB48 member and her name is Iwasa Misaki.

Known as “Wasamin” and a 7th Generation AKB48 member who passed the audition in 2008, Iwasa is also a member of the side group Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 and is also known for her love of enka music.

In 2011, she won first place in the AKB48 YuruYuru Karaoke competition by singing an Sayuri Ishikawa’s enka song “Tsugari Kaikyo – Fuyugeshiki”.

And I’m sure that participation in the competition sealed the deal for AKB48 creator and producer Yasushi Akimoto, who gave the unranked AKB48 member her start to shine with a CD single titled “Mujin Eki” (which translates to “Empty Train Station”).

While the concept of an idol singing enka is not new in Japan, I can recall over a decade ago of going through Yokohama and looking for Morning Musume, Yuko Nakazawa’s enka album. The whole concept of an idol singing enka was cool to me because it was a great bridge, I felt of bringing younger listeners to listening to enka.

But as much as I listened to Yuko Nakazawa’s album to my Japanese friends embarrassment, there is no doubt something special with Misaki Iwasa’s solo debut and it is the fact that she can sing. No, I’m not talking about idol sing but this teenager can sing!

The version of “Mujin Eki” that I will be reviewing is the limited edition which comes with a DVD. The regular version comes with no DVD and three vocal tracks, replacing “Heavy Rotation” with an enka version of “Kikyou”.

For the limited edition, the CD insert is a five-fold insert with four photos of Iwasa in a kimono out in the snow, while the reverse features the lyrics to the single. Included is a foldout featuring the lyrics and sheet music to “Mujin Eki” and a promotional campaign flyer.

The single begins with “Mujin Eki”, a beautifully sung enka track about a person who fell in love with someone but now she has broken up with the person and is now in tears. And she arrives in an empty train station on a stopover during the cold, snowy winter and how no one would notice that she is not there anymore. A sad, passionate song.

The second track is Iwasa’s enka cover of AKB48’s popular hit song “Heavy Rotation”. The song would fool a lot of people and some fans because the track is sung and is arranged differently from the original song. Until you hear the chorus, “I want you! I need you! I love you!”. The track is a slow, passionate, mid-tempo enka version about a person who loves someone so much and the emotions are non-stop on heavy rotation.

The third track “Tsubasa wo Kudasai” (which translates to “Please Give Me Your Wings”) is a cover of a popular Japanese children’s song and is about wanting wings to fly to the free sky. The song is less of an enka song but more like a mid-tempo pop version.

The fourth track is an enka cover of the immensely popular ’70s song “Seto no Hanayome” (which translates to “The Strait Bride”) and a song that was popularized back in 1972 by singer/actress Rumiko Koyanagi. While Rumiko’s voice was more higher, Misaki’s version is still very good in a different kind of way and in my opinion, a pretty good cover, but of course, the original by Koyanagi is still a fantastic track.

As for the song “Seto no Hanayome” is about a young bride who will travel from one island to another to begin her new life with her husband. And her family and friends are wishing her goodbye. The bridge takes one final look at the farming fields and her younger brother crying and her telling her brother to be a man and not to cry, but also to take care of their mother and father. It’s a sad but also a touching song.

The remaining four tracks on the CD single are the karaoke versions of those songs.

As for the DVD, similar to other AKB48 CD+DVD releases, this is a lengthy DVD nearly an hour long.

The first DVD track is Misaki Iwasa’s music video for “Mujin Eki” and is a beautiful music video shot during the cold winter. The song features Misaki in her kimono at an empty train station and boarding a train. But what I love about this video is the cinematography. It’s snowing, it’s cold and walking with her elegant kimono and orange umbrella in the white scenery is Misaki.

The second DVD track is “Iwasa Misaki History Movie” and is a 15-minute documentary of Misaki Iwasa recording her first debut single and footage of when she became an AKB48 member, when she was announced at a live concert of getting the opportunity to have a solo single, including her solo enka karaoke performance at the “AKB48 YuruYuru Karaoke Competition” and more!

The third DVD track is the a 12-minute making of “Mujin Eki” featurette. Also, the challenges that Misaki had of walking through the slippery snow.

The fourth and final DVD track is a 26-minute “Iwasa Misaki Celebration Debut CD Comment” featuring members of AKB48 giving a comment to their friend Misaki on the release of her first solo single.

Overall, the limited edition CD+DVD release of Iwasa Misaki’s “Mujin Eki” was fantastic! But I say this in a way not to belittle true legitimate enka singers but say fantastic in that a) she is an AKB48 member that can sing and is being recognized for her talent b) she is singing enka music that she enjoys c) all songs and DVD tracks in this release are fantastic!

As mentioned earlier, over a decade ago, this was tried by Morning Musume’s Yuko Nakagawa and I went crazy looking for that single and at the time, I know I enjoyed it but also admitting that she was not the greatest enka singer but she was able to bring younger audiences who would not listen to enka music, to listen it or her versions of the songs because she did it and it was performed live in concerts and featured on various TV programs.

The same can be said for Iwasa and for a new generation of music fans who would never listen to enka music but may be inspired to listen to her music and appreciate enka music through her.

It helps that Misaki is already passionate about enka music but it makes a big difference that she can sing!

While I know that trying to promote an enka single sung by an idol pop member of AKB48 member is not going to win a lot of people, especially those not familiar with enka music or familiar with Wasamin, but this is a wonderful CD single. And for AKB48 fans, the single features her cover of “Heavy Rotation” and the DVD features her documentary as an AKB48 member getting her solo opportunity but also AKB48 members commenting on their friend releasing her debut single.

So, with eight tracks on a CD single plus a DVD that is an hour long, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth with this single! I enjoyed this single a lot and I’m sure AKB48 fans will too!

Iwasa’s “Mujin Eki (Limited Edition)” is highly recommended!