HKT48 – Suki! Suki! Skip! (Type-B) (a J!-ENT World Groove CD Single Review)

1. スキ! スキ! スキップ! – HKT48
   
2. お願いヴァレンティヌ – HKT48
3. 今がイチバン
4. スキ! スキ! スキップ! off vocal ver.
5. お願いヴァレンティヌ off vocal ver.
6. 今がイチバン off vocal ver.

DVD INFO: 16:9 LB, Region 2, Duration: 54:46

1. スキ! スキ! スキップ! Music Video
2. 今がイチバン Music Video
3. 博多観光案内 (特典映像)

In 2008, AKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto announced that he had plans to create other 48 groups, one that would be HKT48 based in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka.

In 2011, HKT48 was revealed and unlike AKB48, SKE48 and NMB48 groups, HKT48 would feature many young teenagers ranging from 11 to 17-year-olds.

The group would gain recognition thanks to the MC expertise of AKB48 member Rino Sashihara who transferred to the group in June 2012 and also added AKB48 member Aika Ota to help bring a veteran AKB48 element to the group.

With several television shows and members who have risen in popularity among fans, HKT48 has generated a lot of buzz and in March 2013, the group released their first CD single “Suki! Suki! Skip!” (“Love! Love! Skip!”) under the Universal Sigma label.

The single reached #1 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and in its first week, sold over 250,000 copies.

There are four versions of “Suki! Suki! Skip!”. Type A, Type-B and Type-C each come with a DVD and features an exclusive third track. While the fourth version is a theater edition with no DVD but also an exclusive third track.

The version that I will be reviewing is “Suki! Suki! Skip!” (Type-B) which features members walking downhill and Haruka “Harupi” Kodama in the front. Inside is a tri-fold with the lyrics to each of the three songs and photos of 16 members. Reverse features a listing of Team H members and the production credits. Inside is a little flyer promoting an HKT48 smart code in promotion of the new single.

The single kicks off with “Suki! Suki! Skip!”, an upbeat, happy idol pop track and contains the cuteness that HKT48 is known for.

The song is about how two young people meet on a crowded train and how people who fall in love, their hearts generate a light as if it’s like magic and act as they are walking on clouds. And how love makes her want to skip. Just being in love makes her feel like she can do anything and life is just wonderful that she’s going to “Love! Love! Skip!”.

The second track is “Onegai Valentine” (which translates to “Please Valentine”) and is another upbeat, cute idol song. But where “Suki! Suki! Skip!” is about a girl who is head over heels in love, “Onegai Valentine” is about a girl who wants to meet someone she likes and be in love. She’s too shy to tell the person how she feels and with Valentine’s Day, she just wants the courage to tell the person how she feels.

The third track is “Ima ga Ichiban” (which translates to “Right Now is Number One”) and is performed by Umakuchi-Hime (which consists of Team H and kenkyuusei members). The inspirational song is a fun mid-tempo ballad with a cute chorus. The song is about perseverance and never giving up.  How right now is the best time for one to do their best while pedaling their bike uphill.  No matter how difficult it may be, never give up!  Believe in yourself and keep looking forward by doing your best.

The remaining three tracks are the instrumental versions of the first three songs.

As for the DVD, the DVD kicks off with a music video for “Suki! Suki! Skip!” and is a bubbly music video as the crew are singing and dancing, performing the song and seeing balloons and bubbles around them. And both Rino Sashihara and Aika Ota are trying to each them lessons.

The second music video is for “Ima ga Ichiban” performed by Umakuchi-hime and features the group coming home for a party that Harupi, Madoka and others cooking together.  The video shows the three cooking and having friends over, while we see a dance performance with Harupi as the center.

The third and final video is a 45-minute special featuring HKT48 members taking Rino Sashihara and Aika Oota to various areas around a members hometown.  Featuring Matsumi Matsuoka and Chiyori Nakanishi taking Aika Oota to a temple. The next video features Chihiro Anai and Haruka Kodama taking Rino Sashihara to the zoo.  Another video features Haruka Wakatabe and Yuki Shimono taking Aika Oota to Marine World, Aoi Motomura and Mai Fuchigami taking Sashihara to a fire/safety dept.,  Anna Murashige and Nao Ueki take Aika Oota out for ramen, Sakura Miyawaki and Mio Tomonaga taking Sashihara to a bread shop and Madoka Moriyasu and Meru Tashima taking Aika Oota out to the HKT48 Theater.

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, for their debut single, HKT48’s “Suki! Suki! Skip!” is a fun and enjoyable CD+DVD single for those who enjoy upbeat, cute and sweet idol pop music. HKT48’s style and music emphasizes style, cuteness and for their fans, it’s a style that is working remarkably well for them. And for fans of HKT48, their debut single features three upbeat tracks about love and for Type-B, it will definitely appeal to Haruka “Harupi” Kodama fans.   And you also get two music videos plus a fun 45-minute video featuring a few HKT48 members taking Rino Sashihara and Aika Oota to various locations in the area.

If you are a fan of HKT48, you will surely want to give each of the three types a chance! But if you need to pick one, HKT48’s “Suki! Suki! Skip!” (Type-B) is a solid CD+DVD release worth checking out!