MV Review: ºC-ute - Crazy Kanzen na Otona (with English Translations)

I have always wanted to review music videos, and ºC-ute's new single, "Crazy Kanzen na Otona" (Crazy, Complete Adult) inspired me to do so. 

The title screen gives the feel that this is going to be a mysterious MV (with all the purple and the clouds). 

(Read more for Romaji and English translations!)

Video Concept

The video starts out with a close-up of Airi, looking mature with her black jacket and gloves accented with gold studs, and wearing gold earrings. The background is simply black with light rods evenly spaced out. 

It then cuts to Airi putting on mascara in front of the mirror, and checking how she looks. 

Based on these few seconds and the rest of the MV, it seems like the concept of this video is that ºC-ute is all grown up with them putting on makeup, and wearing more feminine and mature clothing. However, what they are really thinking while putting on their makeup is that they are sexy, mature women that can rock the dance floor at a club. It is a nice contrast, and shows the two sides of becoming a woman: the feminine, proper side  with responsibilities and appearance to keep in check vs and the sexy, mature side with all the empowerment and liberation that comes with it. 

I think it is obvious just from watching the video that 95% of it is of ºC-ute in their sexy, mature and dark outfits in all angles (close-up, dance shot, pose shot) vs their feminine, proper side of only close-ups. 

Lyrics 

Japanese lyrics

Romaji and English translation by Prettycatchy (yes, me ^_^")

***If you use my translations, please credit me, and link back to my blog.***

この世には平等なんてありますか 答えられるの

Kono yo ni wa byoudou nante arimasuka kotaerareruno

Does this world have something like equality? Can you answer?

毎日を誰かのせいにしてませんか 答えられるの

Mainichi wo dare ka no sei ni shitemasenka kotaerareruno

Do you lay the blame on someone every day? Can you answer?

無邪気なフリして ご機嫌を伺ってる

Mujaki na furishite gokigen wo ukagatteru

Pretending to be innocent, you ask someone how they are doing.

肩こる日々から 解放されなきゃ そろそろ

Kata koru hibi kara kaihou sarenakya sorosoro

I have to be released from these stiff-shoulder days soon.

いつの ひか きみと幸せになれるはず

Itsu no hi ka kimi to shiawase ni nareru hazu

Someday, I should be able to be happy with you.

自由はこの手で掴み取る

Jiyuu wa kono te de tsukamitoru

I will grasp freedom with these hands.

SEXY 完全な大人になるにはもうちょっと でしょ

SEXY kanzen na otona ni naru ni wa mou chotto desho

I will become a sexy, complete adult in a bit, right?

過去に何度も救われた 愛を知ってるわ

Kako ni nando mo sukuwareta ai wo shitteru wa

I know the love that saved me countless times in the past

CRAZY 完璧な大人になんてなりたくは ない

CRAZY kanpenki na otona ni nante naritaku wa nai

I don't want to be like a crazy, flawless adult

明日を信じて今日を行く 人間らしく行こう

Asu wo shinjite kyou wo yuku ningen rashiku yukou

Going from today, let us go like human beings, believing in tomorrow.

言葉とはなんのためにあるんだろうか 知ってますか

Kotoba to wa nanno tame ni arundarou ka shittemasuka

Do you know for whose sake we have words?

どなたにもそれぞれ生き方があること 知ってますか

Donatani mo sorezore ikikata ga aru koto shittemasuka

Also, do you know that each person has their own way of living?

いつかは見てなさい 誰かみたくは生きない

Itsuka wa mitenasai dareka mitaku wa ikinai

Someday, look carefully. Someone will look as if they are not living

時間かかっても 負けないわよ 私は

Jikan kakatte mo makenai wa yo watashi wa

Even if it takes time, I will not lose.

くやし いお もいはそう 美人にしてくれる

Kuyashii omoi wa sou bijin ni shite kureru

Yes, even a beautiful woman can give you frustrating thoughts.

心の底から泣いてやる

Kokoro no soko kara naite yaru

I'll make you cry from the bottom of your heart.

SEXY 完全な大人になるにはもうちょっと でしょ

SEXY kanzen na otona ni naru ni wa mou chotto desho

I will become a sexy, complete adult in a bit, right?

どんな矛盾感じても 諦めない

Donna mujun kanjitemo akiramenai

No matter what contradiction I'm feeling, I won't give up.

CRAZY 完璧な大人になんてなりたくは ない

CRAZY kanpeki na otona ni nante naritaku wa nai

I don't want to be like a crazy, flawless adult

生まれながらにある 私らしさが好き

Umare nagara ni aru watashi rashisa ga suki

Naturally, I like being myself

SEXY 完全な大人になるにはもうちょっと でしょ

SEXY kanzen na otona ni naru ni wa mou chotto desho

I will become a sexy, complete adult in a bit, right?

どんな矛盾感じても 諦めない

Donna mujun kanjitemo akiramenai

No matter what contradiction I'm feeling, I won't give up.

CRAZY 完璧な大人になんてなりたくは ない

CRAZY kanpeki na otona ni nante naritaku wa nai

I don't want to be like a crazy, flawless adult

生まれながらにある 私らしさが好き

Umare nagara ni aru watashi rashisa ga suki

Naturally, I like being myself

Dance

Out of all of Hello!Project, it is safe to say that ºC-ute is one of the strongest groups in terms of dancing. They even had a concert featuring a special dance medley. In any case, the dance for this song does not seem extremely difficult, and there are very few memorable dance steps. It is definitely all about the attitude.

Dance Move #1: Unintentionally emphasizing *coughcrotchcough*

This is the opening move, and I am still not sure what they were trying to imply with this. Maybe the idea of trying to be risqué? There are other ways to do that without being so... awkward? At least their badass attitude covers up the strange dance move quite well. 

Dance Move #2: "Sexy"

Dance Move #3: "Crazy"

If you are going to remember the dance of this song, it would most likely be the chorus part, especially the "sexy" and "crazy" part, and the words just after that. The "sexy" and "crazy" part remind me of the "kiss me" part in ºC-ute's "Kiss Me Aishiteru" with an also memorable dance move. Go two-syllable dance moves!

What I really like about the dance in the rest of the song is their use of each set of members joining in on certain dance moves, which keeps the dance going without needing to add more moves to fill in the space. This "joining in the dance" was also used in Kiss Me Aishiteru when they sing "nee" and "please" one after the other. Even though the dance is not very recognizable without the music and the outfits there as clues, it is still a nice, mature dance that complements the song well.  

Similarities to other Hello!Project MVs (also known as the "Recycling Station")

Hello!Project has a tendency to reuse props, concepts, dance moves, and even music bits throughout their various groups or even within groups. 

Putting on Makeup

Even the idea of putting on makeup during a PV is not new, as it was done previously with Berryz Koubou's "Munasawagi Scarlet", and Morning Musume's "Onna ga Medatte Naze Ikenai". However, the meaning of putting on makeup in all of them is different. 

In Berryz Koubou's "Munasawagi Scarlet," the girls are trying on makeup as an experimentation as being curious young teenagers at the time. 

In Morning Musume's "Onna ga Medatte Naze Ikenai," makeup is put on the members professionally, which went along with the idea of their MV that women stand out if they dress and act like celebrities.

As I mentioned in the video concept section, the reason why ºC-ute is putting on makeup is because they are becoming adult women, and this is one way to show that. 

Light Bars

The light bars/rods were previously used in Morning Musume's "Wakuteka Take a Chance" MV. 

(This is not the first time ºC-ute has borrowed a prop from a Morning Musume MV such as the bubble corridor in "Kiss Me Aishiteru" that was previously used in "Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game")

At least in ºC-ute's MV, they are using the light rods to make them glow from the back, rather than being in the front in MM's MV, where they look like they are in some kind of prison.

Also, it is nice that ºC-ute interacts with one light bar individually, bringing up the idea that each member shines bright by themselves.

Laser Light Effects

In terms of the laser light effects scene, Berryz Koubou previously used it in "Dakishimete Dakishimete" for their disco feel. Morning Musume's "Wakuteka Take a Chance" and Berryz Koubou's "Asian Celebration" do not count as those were added effects. 

Berryz Koubou's Dakishimete Dakishmete

vs

Even though the idea of lasers is reused, at least it is done differently in colour and in lighting pattern. This gives the MV a more mature, dance club feel, and complements the music quite well.

Shadowed Front, Lighted Back

This idea was used in "Kiss Me Aishiteru," resulting in a perfect shadowed silhouette. 

In "Crazy Kanzen na Otona," the effect is similar, but you can see that the front of their bodies is still sightly illuminated from the light rods. I think the effect is nice, even if the idea is not new.

The dance move during this part looks a lot like the move in Morning Musume's "One Two Three" 

Singing One Syllable per Member

In this song, the members alternate each syllable in "itsu no hi ka kimi to" and "kuyashii omoi wa". This concept was used previously in Melon Kinenbi's "This is Unmei" (although a bit more exaggerated). 

Overall Impression

Airi: *notices the camera* "Oh, you just saw my daydream, didn't you..."

I really like the song overall. The music gives it a dance club feel, which is made more obvious with the laser lighting effect. As I tweeted earlier today, "Crazy Kanzen na Otona" is a more mature version of "Kiss Me Aishiteru" with the dark background, and the black & red outfits in CKO vs the light background and the gold & purple outfits in KMA. I thought KMA was amazing, but CKO falls a bit short because of the dance.

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If you liked this review, as well as the translations, and would like to see more, please share, tweet, and +1. If you have any requests for music videos I should review, please write them in the comments section below.