@@AndersonConnors It might have been the Silky GomBoy, which looks less like a toy and more like a weapon - and it's over $50 right now. (In Project Farm's tests, both the Corona and the Fujiwara outperformed the Silky.)

I ran into this issue too! Yes, as far as I can tell, Kenmore doesn't sell replacement filters for this model (I have no idea why; their website has filters for OTHER vacuums...) But I did find compatible off-brand filters that I ordered and I can confirm that they fit. I'll put the links in the description above!

Thanks! I'd like a "Thunder Twins Activate" or something, with MISA and Akane shown on their instruments. :-)

I definitely appreciate their 2024 costume changes. :-)

I guess I've been just too sheltered, so the costumes did give me pause. But it looks like their 2024 "battle gear" is quite a bit easier to explain to a friend. :-)

@@Chan_Fry I think their chosen costumes ‘battle gears’ are a form of cultural thing quite popular among Japanese bands such as Lovebites, Hagane, Lonesome Blues, and many more that have some form of theme based customer designed for their performances. It’s a kind of branding and band identity thing. The standard costumes have the added benefit of not to be concerned of what to wear so they can be more focused before their performances. Each iteration of their dresses also sort of forms a time stamp of the period of their performances. I know to some new audiences they may seem like a gimmicky thing but they serve a purpose that most fans don’t give it a second thought about them but their music.

@@raybl9295 : Very true, and of course it's been true for American and European rock/metal bands for decades (KISS and Gwar being stand-out examples, but even others have "costumes" that show up semi-regularly throughout their careers). To be clear, I didn't have an issue with the general idea of a costumed rock band -- I mean, I even listened to Stryper as a teen, LOL -- it was specifically the *maid* costume that gave me pause (because I was unaware of the maid cafe thing in Japan). :-)

@@Chan_Fry Your hesitance with the maid image is understandable as it certainly has some social and cultural implications for folks outside of Japan. I don't have the problem with the image myself but at the same time, I'm aware by just watching and reading some of the reactions on YT, the maid image is not a neutral one. Many viewers have expressed similar reaction toward their maid outfits. It's hard to tell if it helped or held back their potential listeners at this point. Either way, we are just glad that they put themselves out there and share their great music.

I assume you're referring to "Wonderland"? I can easily see this being in someone's top 5. It's a work of art. :-)

Thanks for stopping in. I think "Wonderland" might become my go-to for introducing the Maids to someone who isn't into pounding hard rock. It's truly a gem. :-)

Thanks! (I've done some light reading lately on Shinto but haven't come across the snake thing yet...) :-)

@@Chan_Fry I got the info from google .

Thanks! I know it's a "me-thing" not a "them-thing" when it comes to the costumes. I probably care way too much about what other people think of my choices, LOL. But once I got to know Band-Maid, I feel I can easily explain away the costumes with Miku's backstory. :-)

The Rudolph reference I believe came from Kanami when during a MC break in the concert they were talking about their outfits. It’s amazing that such a sweet lady can be such a shed monster!

@@G-man_810 I think you mean Obi Wan Kanami.

@@jjo154 so true…love that!

I do like the original guitar solo in Mirage. :-) "It’s too hard to rank their songs because they have too many incredible ones!" Completely agree. :-) Every time I listen to a song I haven't heard in a while, I move it up the list... Both Wonderland and The Dragon Cries moved up my list after making this video.

@@Chan_Fry After 4 years of listening to these rocking ladies, I've come to accept naming a favorite B-M song is just a fool's errant for me. Just like you, my favorite song by them often change after hearing some songs I haven't heard for a while. Each has its own flavor take draw my attention and interest of the moment. Judging from reading some of the listeners' comments on YT, I got the impression that is not an uncommon phenomenon among the B-M fans. If you ask 10 Maidiacs to name their 10 favorite B-M songs, I wouldn't be surprised that you wouldn't find anyone sharing their favorite songs, let alone the order of their choices. That's how awesome the diverse song catalog of B-M. One of the most amazing things I find about this band is that they don't seem to stop with refining or bringing new interest to even their older songs. There are often new acoustical version, new intros, new instrumental interludes, etc in their concerts that bring new life to some of their older favorites. This is what make them so special and endearing even beyond their already enormous talents, musicality, styles that they bring to their music. Thanks Chan for bringing your reactions to us. I take great enjoyment in seeing your genuine reactions toward discovering and rediscovering different qualities from the these older B-M songs. Everything seems fresh again just from seeing the joy you bring to these reactions.

"Wonderland" is certainly "better" in a musical sense (from what little I know of music). I don't have the vocabulary to describe why I think it's so amazing... Just that it doesn't fit into many of the times I'm usually listening to Band-Maid. :-/

I'd be very curious to see/hear MISA on an actual acoustic bass in a future acoustic show. :-) And thanks for the extra info!

I think it's one I'll keep up my sleeve if I want to introduce the band to someone who's less into the harder side of rock.

Interesting!

"...can happily listen to for hours because the band maid music genre is so varied." -- Well said! I'm glad that they bend/blend the genres and aren't afraid to experiment with sound, technique, rhythm, etc. It keeps us guessing and gives us more to enjoy, something for every mood. :-)

I would absolutely watch a campy crossover TV special in which Band-Maid gets transported to the Star Wars universe and joins the resistance. :-)

I'm sorry to hear it. I don't know what I'd do without my spouse and children -- all of us supporting each other -- but sometimes for me, it just isn't enough and Band-Maid fills in the gaps. :-)

Yes, I didn't have time to mention it (I suddenly realized one of my kids was waiting to be picked up from school), but Saiki is on another level now -- compared to her previous live performances.

Oshima certainly looks like an interesting place. :-) As for the family, I think we're finding our "new normal". It's an adjustment and an emotional roller coaster, but I suppose it could have been much worse. :-)

Akane is very sentimental and is probably the easiest "crier" in Band-Maid. At the recent event where Kanami was presented with her PRS Signature guitar, she posted on Twitter about how Akane had been crying. This is what she wrote... " Also, after the talk ended and I returned to the dressing room, Ah-chan's nose was bright red. Apparently she cried earlier than anyone else and the most than anyone else 😂 Ahhh, it's so funny! It's the best!! ❤ " There's just something so heartwarming about how much the maids care about and are so supportive of each other.

Yes, I just watched the Akane cam version of that tour finale (Chicago, I think). :-)

Thank you. It's incredible how much TIME is required to deal with medical stuff. Driving from one place to the next, multiple visits, checking and comparing stacks of bills... Not to mention actually caring for and assisting the person who needs it. I suppose I've been fortunate not to have to deal with something like this until now. I hope/plan to continue with my chronological journey. :-)

In my mind, they already dominate the world; I can only hope others will be convinced. :-)

Just after recording this, I watched the vlog about the PRS event in Japan, including the part about her being the first Japanese artist with a signature PRS. Very impressive and well deserved. :-)

Right at the end, I remembered one child was getting out of school, expecting a parent to show up (and the other parent was busy, hence the earlier text messages). Oops! I did go watch the 2022 U.S. version, at least the one that's zoomed in to Akane. Powerful indeed!

It's a perfect anthem song... The American in me wants that last refrain to repeat a few more times (we were raised on infinitely repeating song-endings, weren't we?) But Band-Maid is teaching me that less is more, with their brief guitar solos and snappy song endings. :-)

Great analogy, LOL. She certainly knows how to pace herself so she has plenty of gas left for the final song. :-)

I was born in Hawaii but have almost no memories of it because we left when I was so young. It might have been that same beach (I'm really not sure) that I visited. It was 1978 when we left Japan and stopped at half a dozen Pacific locations -- including Hawaii -- on the way back. Thank you for the well-wishes; we're going to do our best and when I need a boost, I have Band-Maid as my emotional support. :-)

I understand your jealousy -- I have it too! :-) I am praying to what I hope is the Band-Maid kami and asking for another U.S. tour that includes Texas so I can see them this time. :-) Thank you for the well-wishes.

That's amazing you were able to attend -- by all accounts it was one of the best (if not THE best) shows of their career. As for my family, thank you. We have decent health insurance for now, which makes a ton of difference.

When I did the 'Conqueror' review, it was my very first reaction video, and I did only audio throughout (and also edited to cut out quite a bit of some songs so the video would be shorter). It's not my best work, LOL.

Thanks for the confirmation on the drones. I kind of thought it had to be, but I've seen a few boom shots with wide-angle lenses that appear to be drones, so I wasn't sure. :-)

I might be misunderstanding, but you're referring to the live video I reacted to? (And I added a screenshot during editing to show that it was the 33rd and final song of the Yokohama show...) Yes, very emotional.

🦍😭

Yes, that was incredible. They could have just as easily ended the song and walked out (like a few bands I've seen live), but it's clear they enjoy these shows as much as everyone in the audience. :-)

@@Chan_Fry For Sure..... They live for LIVE.

@@_JimS It seems she had a really emotional few days at the end of the tour. If you watch the behind the scenes from the US tour in 2022, Akane seems to have been the one who was nursing Kanami through her illness during the NJ show, and this was just 2 days later. And she was probably ready to go home. They traversed the US from Seattle to CA to Texas, up the East Coast and over to Chicago in less than 3 weeks.

I'm so sorry to hear about your granddaughter. I have no words; just know I'm wishing strenuously that every moment you get to spend with her will be beautiful. As for the PRS, I heard just after recording this (in a Japanese man's vlog) that Kanami's signature edition was the first for any Japanese artist, so I'm very proud of her. :-)

Yes, at the end, it was much more clear how fatigue had set in. Early in the song, though, I just caught a bit of strain around the eyes on Kanami and MISA, and a bit of not-quite-full-power Miku. Saiki and Akane looked powered up until very near the end. :-)