Minori Chihara – Arigatou, Daisuki

1. Arigatou, Daisuki (ありがとう、だいすき)
2. Abunai Kurai ni Atsukunare (危ないくらいに熱くなれ)
3. Arigatou, Daisuki -Off Vocal- (ありがとう、だいすき)
4. Abunai Kurai ni Atsukunare -Off Vocal- (危ないくらいに熱くなれ)

Arigatou, Daisuki (ありがとう、だいすき)

The song is a ballad, which is good as we didn’t had any ballad in a single recently. The song is calm, works well with her voice and I like how it flows. The chorus is really lovely even if the arrangement doesn’t go beyond, and I thank for that. I appreciate the efforts in the arrangement because I need to pay attention to notice those changes like the little sections of instruments in the verses or how the piano varies at the chorus. The song even includes a choir and was unexpected because it could’ve go through a solo with pure instrument and that would be good for me. This is a pleasant song, and combines well as a followup of previous single.

Minori Chihara – Aitakatta Sora

1. Aitakatta Sora (会いたかった空)
2. Rin no Hana (凛の花)
3. Aitakatta Sora -Instrumental- (会いたかった空)
4. Rin no Hana -Instrumental- (凛の花)

Aitakatta Sora (会いたかった空)

I’ve loved previous tie-in for Kyoukai no Kanata, but this one is really different at least in terms of general rhythm, because the instruments and some arranges seem similar (although I notice it mostly at the chorus). The song brings more positivity and seems more mid-tempo which can be a good thing for her if she doesn’t tries to use her squeaky voice, as it can ruin the song. Thankfully the song seems to avoid most of it, and her tone is at least enjoyable. The arrangement after several listens seems anison at its core, and even more sounding like Kyoukai no Kanata, but using more predominant instruments at the chorus makes you forget it. Adding the PV which to me was lovely brought more positivity to it (not considering the lyrics). So for me this was a pleasant song that can fit in the ‘casual Minori songs’ list, but at the long run it will be forgettable, if she continues to get more anison titles.

Minori Chihara – Mukaikaze ni Utarenagara

1. Mukaikaze ni Utarenagara (向かい風に打たれながら)
2. FLAGSHIP FANFARE
3. Mukaikaze ni Utarenagara (Off Vocal)
4. FLAGSHIP FANFARE (Off Vocal)

Mukaikaze ni Utarenagara (向かい風に打たれながら)

I really liked that she tried something more powerful in the form of rock sound. She is trying this since her last single, and I don’t mind, but the main problem can be found at how she uses her vocals in these types of songs. This one at least is enjoyable thanks to the energy of the guitars and Minorin sounds cool at the chorus, but the verses are also cool in its way. I like how it is so different from her other songs (although it shares a little of similarity with NO LINE) and shows that she can rock and works even better than FOOL THE WORLD. For me this was a really good song although I’m not liking that much that all her singles are tie-ins.

FLAGSHIP FANFARE

Then this happened, the sound made me understand this was going to be one of those songs with her high pitch vocals, it reminds me to some of those from NEO FANTASIA (the crappy ones) and obviously I’m not liking it as you should expect. The song carries a fantasy like style in the arrangement and I like that even if the instruments are common make this variation of sound (I remembered that it sounds like TOON-GO-ROUND). these are the types of songs I know she makes a lot, but I’m hoping she tries to do less of them and bring some amazing songs in the future.

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Is it worth listening? Only the A-side

The single surprised me with another rock song for the A-side which was really good but I want her to have a more synthy song again just like before. But then B-side ruined the single with that high pitch voice and I didn’t like it, but as always she releases this type of songs all the time so I’m used to it, but she should change that aspect or return to an era similar to her first ones.

 

Minori Chihara – FOOL THE WORLD

Tracklist:

1. FOOL THE WORLD
2. Harmonized Chaos
3. Hakanaku mo itoshiki sekai no naka de

FOOL THE WORLD

When the song started I felt a Nana vibe over it, similar to LINKAGE. Not sure how to feel about it, but gives me expectations which at least serves. The song starts to change by having Minorin singing in a semi-comfortable tone and the good things is the dramatic feeling portrayed at the verses and once the chorus appears I’m already trapped at the song, it really is catchy and cool thanks to the rocking sound used in some parts plus the normal anison sound. But the great thing is that this song doesn’t seem like anison and makes me focus more for the arrangement xD. I really like how Minorin sings the last line of the chorus. It’s just epic. For me this is a great followup from her album and this song is really good even using some formula of Nana.

Minori Chihara – NEO FANTASIA

Tracklist:

1. The immortal kingdom
2. TREASURE WORLD
3. SELF PRODUCER
4. TOON→GO→ROUND!
5. 1st STORY
6. endless voyage
7. Mashiroki Shiro no Monogatari
8. Celestial Diva
9. Lonely Doll
10. Kono Sekai Ha Bokura Wo Matte Ita
11. ZONE//ALONE
12. Kyoukai no Kanata
13. NEO FANTASIA
14. Neverending dream

The immortal kingdom

As the song starts, I can’t help but notice the similarities of this song trying something similar to Avalon no Oukan of Nana Mizuki, but this being more fantasy like, and once the instrumental intro, we can hear Minorin with a little squeaky tone, but not enough to damage the song. I really like the arrangement and how the choir joined the song, making this a grandoise song. I consider this more as an intro song than an actual song, but still an incredible way to start the album!

TREASURE WORLD

I wasn’t expecting something like this when I saw the PV the first time. This again sounds similar to Nana (Lovely fruit but not so similar as the previous one). The squeaky vocals return, but this was understood as the type of arrangement requires the cute and lively vocals. But what really capture my attention was again the arrangement, as it reminds to those old movies with the band playing this type of sound, this was just incredible. In the quiet part is where I think Minorin was singing better, and that’s a plus. I think the middle 8 was also something unexpected for me, but it brought a different rhythm in the song and still making the song awesome. This song was incredible in the arrangement part for the most part, but even better that the vocals were aren’t as bad as in her previous album this time.

SELF PRODUCER

And this is the type of song I was referring to those type of vocals (e.e). As her 2nd A-side of the era, it’s obvious that this was going to enter the album. The type of feeling that the song is giving is like lucky go round or something like that, but the main problem are the vocals, and this was seen in the single, but here, is more noticeable as the previous songs had less damaging vocals. Even so, I can still listen the song again and again, as the song is real catchy for me (don’t ask me why), but if I had to choose, I’ll prefer the two previous before this one. An ok song.

Minori Chihara – Kyoukai no Kanata

Tracklist:

1. Kyoukai no Kanata
2. NO LINE

Kyoukai No Kanata

The song sounds so different from the usual Minorin we are used to hear, I mean this song is really anison (more than ZONE//ALONE) and I don’t mind that because the song sounds really hopeful and has a comfortable tone which makes me happy. The song has more of piano and drums, a little guitar and some strings (like any anisong). The thing that really capture me in the song was the chorus, there is something in it, that just screams awesome all over. I mean the song could be bland for some, but for me is something new from her and that’s good. From that point of view I think this is a must listen, and I consider this song better than Kono Sekai wa… and that’s saying a lot, because I was biased by that song a long time when it was released. A great A-side from Minorin ^_^