Stunning! AJ Hartley's reaction to Atarashii Gakko's first First Take: OtonaBuru. AG chat #7

[@さマサ]

後ろの「高潔」がいいアクセントｗ

[@NipponCollect]

Even though this performance is "rehearsed" in the sense that there is choreography etc. it is still astonishing they can be this goofy, yet completely on point, and deliver such a strong performance with one take. This isn't an edited music video! It is such a bizarre and wonderfully talented group. So professional, yet relentlessly fun.

[@AndrewHartley]

I completely agree. It's like watching actors who have rehearsed meticulously for months and then find a way to make the actual performance feel completely fresh, almost improvised. Great stuff.

[@sakaihirotaka]

very nice and detailed analysis Your occasional smile shows that you truly understand them.

[@AndrewHartley]

Thank you!

[@hedoban_nord]

Up until now I wasn't the biggest fan of AG but their First Take Performance has me laughing so hard that I'm now convinced. 🙂 That was so fun and cool, oh boy. And they seem to have such a blast without any signs of nervousness.

[@AndrewHartley]

Right? They manage to be consummate professionals without losing any of their verve and elan.

[@MrDancingNemo]

I'm Japanese, but I got to know them through your channel. At that time, they were like a hidden gem not known to many people in Japan, but after their appearance in the First Take, many Japanese people, even men, started imitating their song and choreography on KZbin. It's really exciting and fun when a band or group you were secretly backing becomes suddenly big. I suppose you feel the same way, and I was smiling as I watched you laughing all through the video.

[@AndrewHartley]

I have to say, it is so cool when a Japanese person tells me they learned about something Japanese through my channel! I am so glad you found something you like here, and so glad that AG are finding an audience at home. I'm very excited for them and delighted that their talent is being recognized. Thank you so much for this comment. It made me very happy.

[@smguy7]

Here's CHAI: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGTOd5xvgciggdU&ab_channel=THEFIRSTTAKE Here's Utaha/Wednesday Campanella (singing about Thomas Edison!) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpOqdKWOlN-DnNU&ab_channel=THEFIRSTTAKE

[@smguy7]

@@AndrewHartley I think that you'd adore this piece of bright, fresh and musically beautiful music - "Horizon" by Clean Tears. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eX7NiaarlseYq9E&ab_channel=CleanTears

[@rickwagner-]

I think you hit the nail on the head. This serves as a great "business card" introduction to the group. Between the two Wednesday Campanella episodes of THE FIRST TAKE, the BABYMETAL appearance, and this Atarashii Gakko! performance, I feel a little spoiled with sheer awesomeness.

[@AndrewHartley]

Right? Me too :)

[@ys3243]

沢山の方のオトナブルーのリアクション動画見ましたが、こちらの動画が一番楽しかった❗😂知的な感じの方がついつい笑っちゃってるのが共感MAXでした！

[@AndrewHartley]

ありがとう！彼らは陽気だと思う！本物のアーティストなら、こんなことを深刻に考える必要はない。

[@DRPenha]

They are artistically deliberate.

[@aurosan750AU]

Now they have sceduled a big solo concert in an olympic sports arena in shibuya in October. Capacity 10 000 people. Their popularity is increasing rapidly😮😊

[@AndrewHartley]

Yes, I saw that. I'm sorry I won't be there :(

[@aurosan750AU]

@@AndrewHartley Same here, from Germany, perhaps there'll be a good Live Video 🙏🙏

[@Pitman33]

The First Take video has 50M views and growing. The original MV has 47M views at this point. It's amazing to see them really emerging as international artists. All their hard work since 2015 is now really paying off. I feel like they are about to conquer the world. I also see movie deals in the near future for them, as they are also all actors and have shown their talents in this regards in numerous videos. The music video for Mayoeba Toutosi, when Mizyu thinks the girls are waving at her, gets me every time. And this may seem like a stretch, but I do see some parallels between AG and The Beatles as they are about to take that great leap into fame and worldwide recognition. I was so glad and fortunate to get to see them in the small venue in Toronto. I'm pretty sure the next time they come, it will be a much larger stage. *Edit...forgot to add, I see this: John = Suzuka, Paul = Mizyu, George = Kanon, Ringo = Rin.

[@AndrewHartley]

I like your enthusiasm. I don't think we'll ever see another Beatles because of the way the music industry works today , and we'll need to see more from AG as composers before I can make those comparisons, but they are clearly marching upward :)

[@danbuter]

Otona Blue has gotten HUGE in Japan. Many people are covering it on TikTok. They actually made the official video for it after it blew up. I'm really happy for them. They did great on First Take!

[@AndrewHartley]

I'm so happy that they are breaking out there. I had started to think they were going to target the foreign markets to the exclusion of Japan, but I'm glad to see that's not the case (though I would love to see them tour more widely outside Japan).

[@jumbopaulo]

the song did not blow up because of the new music video, they did the new music video BECAUSE the song blew up on tiktok following their appearance on a TV show and their "neck dance" got viral.

[@AndrewHartley]

Thanks. I didn't know that but it makes sense

[@paulwilkinson6011]

Wonderful stuff ❤

[@aurosan750AU]

Suzukas dominant performance is part of the show, and part of entertaining themselves! The other members love her inpredictible action on stage also in private affairs, they stated in an interview. She is not the leader of the group but she is the main vocalist and frontwoman. When there is someone who has the last word, than Mizyu, the oldest.

[@AndrewHartley]

Yes, her personality really shines through, but I think it's good that Mizyu has the dominant hand on the tiller.

[@smguy7]

@@AndrewHartley Suzuka is the Groucho Marx of Atarashii Gakko. She's their Spike Milligan of the Atarashii Gakko Goon Show.

[@AndrewHartley]

@@smguy7 That's perfect.

[@jatoarkanen4435]

Looking at her, you could never say that Mizyu is the oldest one 🙂

[@funnytoss]

I knew you'd have a blast! They did such a great job, and I'm so happy to see the video blowing up in views. They're really so well-suited to this format I'd add that it was quite interesting to think about the comparison to BM's appearance. AG effectively were themselves during TFT (and their normal selves are wonderfully entertaining!), whereas BM was the complete opposite of their normal selves! I would guess that is one reason why the BM version didn't blow up in the same way, because although their rendition of "Monochrome" was ridiculously powerful, it hits hardest for existing fans rather than new ones that don't have any preconceived notions about them.

[@brandonmagee7262]

I'm not certain comparing Babymetal and AG should be done in any case... but certainly not in this case. OtonaBlue was already becoming a massive viral sensation so it was serendipitous that this performance on the First Take came out at that time. There is an amplifier affect here. That being said, the two groups were presenting different story lines within their performances. I do hope there is a second Babymetal First Take with Momometal that might be able to present a more fun side of Babymetal.

[@AndrewHartley]

Yeah, very different groups taking very different approaches to the FT format. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when they discussed their various approaches.

[@aurosan750AU]

Hearing the new EP from AG.....epic!!!😮

[@AndrewHartley]

I'm swamped at work, but that's on my list for this afternoon. Can't wait.

[@jinggaddi]

First, I was floored by Tokyo Calling. Then, Toryanse got me even more interested. But it was this First Take performance of Otonablue which really sealed the deal for me. I've always viewed Atarashii Gakko as a Japanese musical Monty Python. 😊

[@AndrewHartley]

There's some real talent there and I'm excited to see them get more credit.

[@kudzaingavi7338]

When they say "we stand out" boy do they stand out. 😂

[@AndrewHartley]

Right? :)

[@Yamamotokenjirou]

“急速発展を遂げた社会は古い習慣とか古い感性を捨てる割合が多くなる”これは私の持論。 この曲を聞いた時の私の感想は懐かしさを感じたんですよ。 土台がブルース、もしくはリズム＆ブルースで歌詞は70年代。山本リンダ、和田アキ子、山口百恵が昔歌っていたとしてもおかしくないんですよ。そこから80年代や90年代の音楽を被せてくるから面白い。 彼女達の設定が生徒会や風紀委員を連想させるから面白い。生徒の模範となる人物達がルールをはみ出している。 PVを見たら案の定はみ出してて笑いましたよ。正に70年代の象徴ですよ。 (´ω`) BABYMETALについては議論や評価はありますが、私は少なくとも韓国のオーディションで落選した事自体は良かったと思いますよ。隣の国の社会構造や社会環境を知ってますので。

[@AndrewHartley]

その考え方は好きですね、はい。AGは、歌詞も演奏も、昭和の音と現代の感性で勝負しているところが好きです。そんな素晴らしい姿勢と個性を、彼らは堂々と届けてくれる。

[@Yamamotokenjirou]

@@AndrewHartley 昭和歌謡曲も奥が深いですからね。面白いですよ。昔の曲やメロディをアレンジして使う手法はサブカルチャー的には常套手段ですから。アニメなんて典型的な例ですよ。平気で昔の時代設定の物語がありますから。

[@gmhguagetuqaqghr]

表現内容によってさまざまなスタイルを演劇的に取り入れミックスする手法、戸川純さんをすごく思い出すのです。スズカさんの声も含め。

[@Yamamotokenjirou]

@@gmhguagetuqaqghr こんにちは。コメント返信機能が反応しないので遅れました。 戸川純さん、懐かしいですね。玉姫様や隣の印度人等。 役者の印象しかない世代もいるでしょうね。 今後ともよろしくお願いします。

[@rolandkarlsson7072]

Love your reaction! You have so many fun and thoughtful comments. And you very obviously like it! No fake whatsoever. Refreshing!

[@AndrewHartley]

Thanks! After my disastrous reaction to AKB48 (for which I still get hate mail) I decided that if I wasn't genuinely enthusiastic about something, I wouldn't talk about it :)

[@rolandkarlsson7072]

@@AndrewHartley - now you got me intrigued. This one is the only reaction I have seen you do. But now I had to look up the AKB48 reaction. So, I looked at it. And ... you were perfectly right. That was not good. Not at all. But it was 50 pretty girls though, trying to dance in sync, many failing. And some singing in unison, without harmonies. If they have fanatic followers then maybe you should not have posted it. But how would you know that?

[@AndrewHartley]

@@rolandkarlsson7072 Ha. Indeed. Well, now I know :) But I will always be honest in my responses.

[@rolandkarlsson7072]

BTW - it is possible to not like what you see and hear, and say that, that is common, but you always have to say something positive about it I think. It is very hard to post without having positive remarks. And in the case of AKB48, I am not sure you should have posted it.

[@なわと]

真面目な解説とともに、とても楽しそうに聴いておられるので私も幸せな気持ちになりました(*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡ thank you for posting great videos!

[@AndrewHartley]

ありがとうございます！ありがたいことです。私の物事を分析する衝動は、誰もが好むものではないと思いますが、私は本当に音楽が好きなのです。

[@schlaus]

Just a small correction: Otona Blue went viral on Japanese Tiktok in the second half of January, possibly because of the Tiktok ad they made for Samsung at the end of December which featured OB. Since end of January all their social media accounts are growing almost exponentially. Only after that they decided to make an MV for OB. It's really amazing to see how they basically never got much traction in Japan for 7+ years and then all of a sudden within a matter of weeks after it went viral on Tiktok they became household names in Japan. They needed 7 years to get 250k subscribers on KZbin, and now since January they added another 600k. By end of May they will have 1m subscribers. The First Take performances is also doing phenomenally, on the way to 11M vies and 450 likes. Which makes it one of the top performances on that highly respected channel. I bet they will be on Kōhaku Uta Gassen this year!

[@AndrewHartley]

Thanks for that. It is amazing to see how they have transformed in popularity. Well, we can say we knew them before they were famous :)

[@TheRobsam]

I don’t know if you’ll remember me from past conversations, but I remember you talking about them a few years ago during a Babymetal dissertation and how you were going to show videos of theirs and talk about them. I foolishly ignored those and just came across this first take video when it came out, so I decided to give it a try. Wow. Just wow. It’s not my type of music at all, but I was just blown away by everything that you mentioned about them in this video of yours. Ever since I first saw the first take video I’ve been watching everything i can about these amazing ladies and have fallen in love with them all due to their personalities. I really wish I’d listened to you years ago about them lol. I’ve also become a huge Gacharic Spin as well and believe I remember you mentioning them.

[@AndrewHartley]

Hey. I'm so glad you've gotten into AG. I'm still a big fan and am delighted that they have started getting some wider attention. I'll be posting a new AG video in the next week or so. And yes, Gacharic Spin are good too. And if you haven't checked them out, try Glim Spanky and Polkadot Stingray.

[@TheRobsam]

@@AndrewHartley I have checked them out and they are really talented but it’s really not my style of music. My fave band is Nemophila and I’ve flown to LA for their first US show and then flew to Dallas for their latest tour. I am finally seeing BabyMetal in September but I’m not looking as forward to it as I wish I was. Yes I will see the ladies perform a great show, the new American band that backs them will be the only thing to bother me all night. They just aren’t good

[@cuttysark8017]

Lots of joy and lots of fun! It's interesting that they down played some of the "phallic" dance references they had in previous performances and included a bit where they mime a flower opening with surprised expressions. For me the highlight is Mizyu's "wow" exclamation half way through the song. This performance is at 6.6M views in 5 days so it's a big break out for them and they have immediately followed it up an EP and the JANAINDAYO MV so they are grabbing their chances.

[@AndrewHartley]

Yes! Great stuff. Thanks!

[@brandonmagee7262]

I'm happy that AG are getting the attention they deserve in Japan... although it is a little strange that it is this song that has blown up (being that it is 3 or 4 years old now). But, that being said, I love the jazzier version of AG and if this nudges them back in that direction, I'll probably be happy. This was AG being AG and it reminds me highly of the Wednesday Campanella First Takes. But, I probably won't revisit this particular performance much (as good as it is) because the Pandemic Live 2020 version is just (in my mind) that much better.

[@AndrewHartley]

Yes, I like the recent stuff, but I go back to that richer, jazzier sound form the first albums a lot and am really excited to hear more of it on the new EP. Even so I hope that the recent work with Money Mark has given them the confidence to pursue their own creative impulses lyrically etc.

[@kevincooper6797]

With regards to changing their profile they have gained a fan here.....i love them.

[@AndrewHartley]

Right? :)

[@kevincooper6797]

@@AndrewHartley I am a Huge Babymetal fan so no one will to them but the young lady from this band can really sing. I think her name is also Suzuka… what a coincidence. I love your channel by the way. I’m from England but I’m working in China. So between a good vpn and people like you I’m able to keep up with the latest news. Thanks again.

[@AndrewHartley]

@@kevincooper6797 My pleasure. I'm glad you've found the channel entertaining! Yes, it's funny that they have the same names. And I agree. The vocal quality here is excellent. For all their goofiness, there's a lot of talent in this group.

[@kevincooper6797]

@@AndrewHartley I like how they seem so free in what they are doing, guessing their age is not easy for me but i hope they never loose the youthful drive that they have. I think you said they have been together for about 10 years so i am guessing early 20s... Pretty amazing really. Babymetal too.... all pros by early 20s

[@AndrewHartley]

@@kevincooper6797 They've been together 8 years. All in their early 20s. Mizyu is the oldest at 24. Consummate professionals all.

[@tanamach]

Good Reaction! The "Asobi System" to which they belong is also Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. Kyary was invited by Warner in the U.S. when they were expanding overseas, but I turned them down because of the requirement to use songwriters in the U.S. and to sing in English. I don't think there are any labels that would do that now. I feel like times have changed. The girls have a certain flair for using elements of KAYOKYOKU. It has a comedic element in itself, which is typical of Asobi System.

[@AndrewHartley]

THat's interesting. I didn't know. Thanks!

[@keithsowerby8179]

Their first MV from their new EP goes out this afternoon (1pm BST) following a live TikTok. Obviously a great crazy intro to the song, outdoing ano’s recent great crazy First Take Intro. The other day I caught another reactor, who despite being British, totally missed the irony of the song, seeing it as promoting exploration of young girls, when the song is oppositional to that. Last note: Rin’s current hairstyle is off the charts cool.

[@keithsowerby8179]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6bXaGx7obSkeLc Feels more like their older style.

[@AndrewHartley]

Purchased :)

[@kevinhiggins7838]

I was hoping for a radically different take, but they’re so good… ok.

[@Wombatmetal]

I've been a fan of Atarashi Gakko for a while. I love their theatricality and personality. I like bands that bring their own vibe to music, regardless of the box. I think AG works because Kano, Rin, and Mizyu have a foot in the box while Suzuka goes off the reservation. You always need a straight man.. Suzuka has a good voice, but I love the 3 part harmony, root, fourth, and fifth. Sucker for that. Something you didn't mention is how talented they are as dancers. They're some of the best dancers in the business, but their technique is understated so I don't think they get enough credit. Only think I don't like about them is the instrumentation. Song is good, but give me real instruments. But their charms overshadow that by a lot.

[@AndrewHartley]

Yeah, I've discussed their dancing a little in other videos but I should emphasize it more often. They are head and shoulders above most dance outfits. It's not just that the choreography is complex and athletic, it's that they move like real dancers, which few bands do. As to the instrumentation, I agree, but the new EP goes back to their earlier sound which is much more organic. They have also occasionally performed live with a live band, though that has become very rare. I assume you know the first 2 albums, but if you don't, they are driven by real instruments and are superb.

[@Wombatmetal]

@@AndrewHartley "they move like real dancers" is the thought I was reaching for but worded poorly. thanks

[@cuttysark8017]

I wonder how many pairs of shoes AG go through? and whether their most transgressive action is to wear uwabaki outside?

[@TheLahaina0915]

高潔！

[@richardxpowell]

Unlisted, but I found it!

[@AndrewHartley]

Ha! Points for ingenuity :)

[@drockbada]

Morning AJ, have you had the pleasure of hearing the group Gordon? If not, I think from what you seem to enjoy, you will enjoy them. A little bit band-maid all little bit Polkadot stingray but still their own. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXm6Z4ikrNVqo7s Have a wonderful day :)

[@AndrewHartley]

Interesting. No, I didn't know them, but I like that enough to subscribe and explore further. Thanks!

[@drockbada]

@Andrew Hartley You are so welcome, my good sir. It's the least I could do after enjoying so many of your videos. Keep up the great work.

[@ntsuka4568]

From the meaning of the lyrics, "otona blue" means "otona (adult) blue" in Japanese, but since "blue" can be interpreted as "pretending", we can understand that it is a joke about "pretending to be an adult".

[@AndrewHartley]

Yep. Buru: ぶる　"acting like"

[@davidornberg]

It is nice to see the idol group thing is changing. Someone here maybe can answer a question I have. I listening at Alternative Idolgroups like Passcode, Broken By The Scream, Satanic Punish but how hard and heavy the song is they always have some pop-ish singing. Is this some sort of rule for beeing an Idolgroup?

[@AndrewHartley]

I think that's less about idol groups than it is about a different notion of hybridity in Japanese music generally: a much greater willingness to combine genres and sounds.

[@beniyas2026]

AJ Hertely, Cute!

[@notthanos8580]

I don't really keep up or listen to them too often (i should), but I can tell they're a very smart group. I can see them taking over the world if they keep playing their cards right.

[@AndrewHartley]

agreed!

[@glennisdelacruz8880]

Ellos no corrigen solo lo tiran como salio😂😂

[@よこりん-h1r]

「高潔」とか額に入れて飾っている人はこのパフォーマンスでそんなにニコニコ笑わないと思うんですけど😂 あんたも好きねぇって感じですね。