Nogizaka46 – Seifuku no Mannequin (Regular Edition) (a J!-ENT World Groove CD Single Review)

1. 制服のマネキン
2. 指望遠鏡
3. 渋谷ブルース
4. 制服のマネキン off vocal ver.
5. 指望遠鏡 off vocal ver.
6. 渋谷ブルース off vocal ver.

Nogizaka46, the idol pop group created by Onyanko Club and AKB48 creator Yasushi Akimoto. But where his other groups represent a region of Japan, Nogizaka46 was created as the official rival to Nogizaka46 and the “Nogizaka” named after the place where Sony Music Japan’s office (the SME Nogizaka Building) is located. And the number “46” was chosen as a number to become a direct challenge to AKB48.

With the success of the group’s first single “Guruguru Curtain” which debuted at #2 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and sold over 136,000 copies, Nogizaka46 has now released their second single “Oide Shampoo” (which translates to “Come on Shampoo”) and debuted at #1 on the Oricon CD Singles Charts and sold 155,677 copies in its first week. Their third CD single “Hashire! Bicycle” became their second chart topping #1 single and their best selling single released until now.

Their latest single “Seifuku no Mannequin” (which translates to “Mannequin with a School Uniform”) not only achieved another spot at #1 on the Oricon Charts ranking but is now there best selling CD single so far with 232,961 copies sold during their first week. The new single will also feature a lineup with their top 17 members voted on their senbatsu election (which took place on their TV Show “Nogizakatte Doko – October 7, 2012).
As for “Seifuku no Mannequin”, there are five versions of the single that were released. TYPE-A, TYPE-B and TYPE-C each come with the CD+DVD and would each feature the music video for “Seifuku no Mannequin” and each version would come with an exclusive third track and as previous other Nogizaka46 CD+DVD releases, members are featured heavily as part of the DVD content. The fourth version would be the theater/regular version which does not include a DVD but does come with the first two songs and an exclusive third track. And the fifth which is the anime version release which correlates with the song “Yubi Boenkyou” being used as an ending theme for the anime series “Magi”.

The version I will be reviewing is “Seifuku no Mannequin” (Regular Edition). The CD insert features an eight-page booklet which feature photos of the 17 senbatsu members of Nogizaka46 and a photo of another group of 17 Nogizaka46 members with English spelling of their names. Also, included are the lyrics for the three songs and production lyrics. The cover features Nanami Hashimoto and Sayuri Matsumura on the booklet, while the reverse cover and the interior reverse features Mai Fukugawa and Rena Ichiki.

The first track on the album is “Seifuku no Mannequin” and is the group’s first dance-pop style single. Featuring consistent beats with a synth arrangement, I have to say that the track is possibly their best single as a group so far. Catchy, addictive and definitely a song that shows the group can do an upbeat dance track. The song is about a girl who likes a guy, but he is good at hiding his emotions that she calls him a mannequin with a school uniform. She wishes that he can be more assertive and that he would say something about how he feels for her and wants to know why he’s like that. Is the trying to protect something? So, she dreams that he will eventually find love and go after her.

The second track is “Yubi Boenkyou” (which translates to “Finger Binoculars”) and is the ending theme to the anime “Magi”. For those who desire the more upbeat, idol type of song from Nogizaka46, will surely enjoy “‘Yubi Boenkyou”. Upbeat idol pop song with great vocals in unison, happy and positive. The track is about looking through one’s finger binoculars and looking at the world and for a shining future. And no matter what mistakes one makes, look at things at a different perspective. So, take a peek into your finger binoculars and look for the adventure in your mind.

The third track on this CD single is “Shibuya Blues” and is a slow acoustic guitar ballad sung by Mai Shiraishi and Kazumi Takayama.  The song is about being in Shibuya and singing a song about what one is seeing around the city but just wanting to be in the city of Shibuya and letting people know that you are there today and have people listen to their song and just being there to sing their “Shibuya Blues”.

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

Overall, “Seifuku no Mannequin” has been a solid single, especially for the three types with awesome DVD content.  But this regular edition single is for those who do not need the DVD and want a cheaper alternate than to spending for the CD+DVD versions.  But on its own, it’s a solid single as you get three solid tracks.  The exclusive track “Shibuya Blues” is an awesome acoustic guitar ballad by Mai Shiraishi and Kazumi Takayama.  I was very pleased with this single and I think anyone purchasing this regular edition will be pleased.

Featuring a pretty cool upbeat dance track, cool anime theme song and a wonderful acoustic ballad, “Seifuku no Mannequin” (Regular Edition) is highly recommended!

BUY THIS CD SINGLE from cdjapan.com: