You are correct, it is super cute...❤❤❤😂😂

So cute!

When you started name dropping the League of Legends Characters, that's when I knew everything you said about you not being to familiar with LoL was all a bunch of B.S. lmao, you even named dropped Mel.... like wtf.... hahahaha. Great Reaction anyway :)

Very different, but still love their early stuff too. We all need to start somewhere. Another fantastic NittPic Sunday down...next week...Zen? PO!🕊 🤘😆🤘

If you loved the cajoun do yourself a favour and listen to Gacharic spin Alive did after the Japanese tsunami its hauntingly beautiful

This was a live performance as a guest at a small event called "Engagget Fes" in Akihabara (a city of electronics and otaku culture). They performed in front of an audience of several dozen people, most of whom probably didn't know who Band-Maid was. Miku was saying to the audience several times, "We are Band-Maid, so please at least remember our name." Band-Maid has overcome these times and has been active for over 10 years. It's been a long journey.

Miku misunderstood her guitar as a cajon...shirankedoh🙄😏😁

Princess NittPicc, when you analyze "Zen", especially if can get you hands on the score, you're going to lose you mind.

The lyrics for this are very girly also. In Japanese, it’s a highly feminine thing to end your sentences with “wa” (わ), like to the point that it’s pretty uncommon in normal usage, and you see it largely in media used by characters that are kind of eccentric or old fashioned, whose femininity is a large part of their identity. I guess this is hard to pick out if you don’t understand any Japanese, because you don’t know which part of the sentence is which, but it’s the parts where they say “suru wa”.

I feel like if Ian lost a part of his flute he'd just keep playing and use the off-kilter sound to add to his zany antics. Or he would pick it up and pretend it was part of the act.

Miku now does guitar duals with Kanami.

So...I apologize for the technical difficulties in the beginning of this video. Give it 10 seconds and it starts! 😅

Girls are awesome! Love them❤

If you want a treat do a search on youtube for "Band Maid Honey" and "Band Maid Memories of Wind and Wine". Honey is a song they covered for a tribute album for a group called MUCC. Compare it to the original for a really interesting experience. Memories of Wind and Wine and Roses is a song from the game "Genshin Impact" which was performed for an event called "Genshin Concert 2022". The performance highlights Band Maid's versatility. They truly are accomplished musicians.

Tiny hat akane is different era of band maid plus saiki before surgery 🤘🏻🫶🏼🤘🏻

hatsune miku is the "face" of the music but yeah you are correct its producers behind the scenes that do all the work and they do get decent followings in their own rights, some popular vocaloid producers have gone into more main stream jpop music for example Ayase from YOASOBI started out as a vocaloid producer and still does release vocaloid songs from time to time. there are also producers who are successful and well known as vocaloid producers, like PinnochioP, Deco*27 and Wowaka. Deco*27 for example released a new song last november that has 20M views on their channel already.

She's Leaving Home is great too.

Akane makes this song so fun, her joy is infectious. I like to request this song for reactors, because it's so different but still a really neat song.

I'll listen to anything these ladies do....wherever they do it, however they do it, whenever and no matter how many times they do it. Their music is my life right now. I'm gonna go listen to "Zen" a few more times.

Check the version of Thrill from the same concert ;) hehe

This whole performance is a treasure. The version of Thrill they play is sooooo Different but great. Arrangement is very Latin like Matador.

I love this song. Many hate it. I f'ing love it. Pure nostalgia trip for a a guy who never grew up.

My favorite song from Maid in Japan, the studio version is so damn catchy and full of life!, everytime i listen to Knockin on your Heart it brings me the good vibes of the early 2000's pop-punk that i'd enjoyed back then when i was young and full of dreams and hopes... lol And ofc this acoustic version is an absolute treasure!, even back then when they still were insecure and kinda "noobies" you can tell that they really enjoyed playing music and being on stage Thanks for this reaction NittPicc!

Tiny Hatto...MISA wearing shoes...yeah, this is early

Miku helping out with percussion on this track! 😊

Quite a playful romp by BabyMaid! This song may describe how Kanami appears to others while Mincho is the Dark Avenger! A joyful analysis as always NP!

I realize that it is not super complicated to play but Akane plays the cajon at master level. Adding in the cymbal and chimes is icing on the cake. She borrowed a top of the line cajon from Zildjian for the Christmas Online Acoustic Okyuji and said how much she liked it in the commentary afterward. I was thinking they might just give one to her for the high praise but I heard later that she ended up buying one. Sad that they didn't value her endorsement enough to give one to her but that at least means we may hear her playing cajon again sometime. Akane playing cajon, cymbal, and chimes is not as wild as Akane playing Miku''s "backside". I have seen video of it. (LOL)

these songs make sense of the Beatles comparison. Early Band Maid strikes me like "8 days a week" or "Dance with me" in it's innocence. regardless of the author.

For the Christmas acoustic show, Akane in the commentary video, talked about how she was loaned a high end cajon and how much she liked it. She was debating to buy it.

Everyone needs a "Happy Song".

You cannot watch this without a big smile.

Kanami adding backing vocals too! MISA! Thinking I’ve got to get these shoes off! Fun to hear the beginnings and from hearing Zen today…who would have guessed…but the pigeon knew! World Domination takes time and hard work! 🤘🕊️🦍🥷👸🏻👀PO!

It might not be the Band-Maid we are used to today, but this sort of thing helped make them what they are today and for that reason alone should be treasured. But I also enjoy it because it is upbeat and even at this point it's clear (or so it seems to me) that they haven't just settled for performing a song that was given to them. There seem to be parts they have added to make it more interesting (for themselves and the audience), parts that display the early evolution of their group dynamic, and although muted the feeling that they are enjoying themselves (and being shy myself I put down MISA's aura of self-enclosure down to her own shyness rather than anything else).

Bernstein named Eleanor Rigby, She's Leaving Home and A Day In the Life as the best songs of the 20th century

The Wire Jazz Sticks are called Brushes. Akane uses the wooden version called Rods, or Bundles during the Christmas Acoustic Okyu-ji. There's also a stick in between called Broomsticks. MISA wanted to be in band that's more like the bands she likes. You may recall form the doco videos, she was in a band called Prototype for 5 1/2 years, and their main influence was Smashing Pumpkins. And, like BAND-MAID, they just made people smile. Her other influences were Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Who and Jimi Hendrix. Sure, BAND-MAID has Punk influences, but that's amongst so many others it can be a little watered down. However, MISA's been in BAND-MAID twice as long as she was in Prototype. She almost left BAND-MAID, but she's made a few sacrifices to gain a wider audience, but not many. They let her do what she wants. No Apron? Sure! All Black? Sure! Bass Solos? Sure! She's that good, and the most popular member by a wide margin. Her other nickname besides The Barefoot Assassin is Cool Beauty, but also Ass-Chin, for her cleft chin. She's very funny. Kanami once asked her, "MISA, do you like my songs?" MISA replied, "Mmm . . . I like you".

I think what makes this so memorable is you can see and hear the synergy between them. It was already growing between the 5 of them. They knew they had something special and wanted to grow together. As a side note, watching MISA play, she already had those travelling fingers that is so important to the Band-Maid sound. Thanks NittPicc.

This is a great show like 30+ mins , their 1st acoustic

Miku literally does everything in this song except playing her guitar 🤣

It's fun to see the evolution of Band-Maid, from a time when material given to them but adapted & executed so well, to the creative & self-assured band they are today.

Miku still wearing her guitar as an accessory.

Miku had actually moved a bit past the prop guitar stage if just barely. She played basic chords on several of the songs from this set, most notably on "Forward" and mainly only in the chorus. If memory serves this performance was soon after the MV for "Thrill" was released so the outfits are similar or even the same from the video.

I'd invite you to check out "sakura Rising" It's amy lee and Wakagi meeting on Wakagi's side of the spectrum

Miku's pre PO days.

I just landed here from Zen and it felt like a real trip to another time and place. Pre Po! times...

Ah yes, the era of Akane's tiny hat!

Miku playing "lap cajon"

It's so interesting to watch this phase of Band-Maid, I'd love to have more first hand insight into how the band actually felt about their direction at this point. To me it seems like Miku and Kanami 100% believe in the project, Akane doesn't care as long as she can slap things and Misa/Saiki are half checked in, thinking about the next band they're going to join when this project falls apart.

You are right, this is just so much fun! It seems to me at least, that with the acoustic play, it had almost a Mexican feel to it. But yes, I really like this, both this fun version and the album version. If you like cajon, you need to react to Forward on the Christmas Acoustic album. They also have the video of the whole Okyu-ji on Band Maid Prime. It was so fun so see NittPicc enjoying this so much!!!

Pop-punk or hard rock-they're just that good

Not the Band Maid I'm accustomed to, but somehow still the same feel. Talented musicians having fun and making me smile. 😊 Enjoyed your breakdown NP. One thing I always like is how you find the interesting and special touches in lyrics or composition. Thank you for sharing with us.