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.

Nana Mizuki – SMASHING ANTHEMS

1. Glorious Break
2. Never Let Go
3. SUPER☆MAN
4. Angel Blossom
5. BRACELET
6. Lazy Syndrome (レイシーシンドローム)
7. Koi Uta (コイウタ)
8. Kindan no Resistance-Extended Mix- (禁断のレジスタンス)
9. The NEW STAR
10. Clutch!!!
11. Netsujou no Maria (熱情のマリア)
12. Ego Ideal (エゴアイディル)
13. Eden (エデン)
14. Ambivalence (アンビバレンス)
15. Exterminate

Glorious Break
Nana is always trying to give us this epic intro since the last albums (RN & SL), and Glorious Breaks fits in perfectly for this category. Tied in to Symphogear you will expect the epic sound, but what I didn’t know (basically because I haven’t seen the anime completely) is that brings similarities of Exterminate to the song. One feature that I like is the pseudo choir that sing some lines that bring the real epic factor to the song and makes it even better. If you compare it to the older intros this one falls behind but not necesarily is bad, but needs more to get into their level. Nana brings good vocals to the song, but I didn’t notice anything spectacular besides her usual stuff, one or two tricks could’ve been awesome. The song depends a lot of the arrangement to show us the whole journey, and I think as an instrumental piece was another good option.
Never Let Go
We bring the good stuff since the beginning with Never Let Go that sounds really dark than her usual stuff and is surprising to me to hear something like this from her. The chorus is supernal (ok, I wanted to use her title xD) because doesn’t go over the board, and the constant drumbeat and Nana’s voice worked phenomenal. The chorus OMG is just so catchy, you almost follow Nana by singing along of how catchy it is. There’s a lot of things I can say about this song, but is better if you listen to it. Definitely an early favorite.
SUPER☆MAN
Working as the PV for the album, I wasn’t really expecting something like this in any way xD. Nevertheless now after several listens I have to say I’m fond of it, the song has a lot of cute&catchy style, and just reminds me of the 70s with that rhythm. Obviously this is meant for dancing along with it, and she manages it easily. The song has style, and she gives her own touch to the song which is needed at these times. It’s not cute like Lovely Fruit or the similar ones, so this is a fresh song which I’m really liking a lot.

Kalafina – One Light

1. One Light
2. Mahiru (真昼)
3. Samidare ga Sugita Koro ni (五月雨が過ぎた頃に)
4. One Light -TV Size-

One Light

This is the type of song I was waiting from Kalafina. I was excited since the CM, because it sounded like that rockish Kalafina we haven’t hear often recently. The song sounded like badass, and here the intro works to enter the verses which sounded different (more rocking anison style) and having Hikaru and Keiko at the back. I think it is quite a while since we heard something this epic from the band, but I think a little more of KEIKO could have been even better. The mix in the chorus alternating between Hikaru and Wakana was surpising and refreshing, although the only downside would be the Kajiurago, as I don’t think it was needed. But this easily is the best A-side from the era.

Mahiru (真昼)

Another ballad? Wow, so unusual…Nevertheless, what I can rescue is KEIKO which sounded lovely and the harmonies were lovely, but the arrangement is so simple and forgettable, so I don’t remember much of the song, but at least the vocals were good.

Samidare ga Sugita Koro ni (五月雨が過ぎた頃に)

This is another song I can’t seem to remember, the song is really different for the band, as the pace is constant and relaxing, but seems so unusual from them that I can’t enjoy it much. The arrangement is ok, but nothing exciting as well the harmonies. It seems as a song that could work for another anison artists but here it sounds so weird. I don’t like it that much.

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Is it worth listening? Only the A-side

I was expecting a lot from the single thanks to the preview, but at the end the single is nothing exciting except the A-side, as the B-sides are bland and unmemorable. I think in a good day Samidare is a nice listen, but for now I’m not fan of it neither of Mahiru, thankfully their new album is coming up, so that’s good news at least…

Nana Mizuki – Angel Blossom

1. Angel Blossom
2. Lazy Syndrome(レイジーシンドローム)
3. Ashita Graffiti (あしたgraffiti)

Angel Blossom

The new A-side was really dissapointing for me coming from a great era where I just saw awesomeness. Then Angel Blossom is here with cute anison sound but then again, this is like the definition of generic anison. And sounds like a combination of Lovely Fruit to have the cute in the song and your typical anison genre to make it stand out. But the song is just normal, it doesn’t offers me something new from Nana or amazing from Nana. This was a letdown.