Okay let's finish this so I can go back to playing a video game in Japanese again- Oh I said that already. *laughs* Let me try that again.

Now that I've watched my dear imouto Natsukawa Shiina frolicking on a kid in a video game (lmao), let's not use that much vocabulary but also talk happily about a bunch of music releases! Well, not all are new, but I feel like the new one is going to be overshadowed by the 15th anniversary of miwa-san right here lol, so let's talk about why they both are here!

(I am not so much of a fan of halca-san but I'm still glad we have a Regular Edition cover of her I guess- Is that Anime her in the Limited Edition cover?)

Somehow I have heard and even knew of her songs when she major debut under MusicRay'n and thanks to Anime, I have heard of her theme songs notably on the "Kaguya-sama" series. But I don't think I have ever came across a time I would have given a proper review, even if I did take a fancy of the B-sides or even bothered to listen to her albums from time to time. Maybe her high pitched voice isn't my type, or maybe just the singer herself is not my type to be real honest with you, and this time, it didn't change much. Coming in from Anime "mono" touted as a catchy ending theme song, this chill feel is definitely something new even for the artist herself. As much as I want to be critical, I feel like we should dive a little deeper to see what makes her such a popular choice, even if the songs from her aren't up my alley. And just for this time, it did.

(1) Weekend Roll

From the first verse:

The first impression I had wasn't great as with most of her songs I would argue, but the ending theme song for Anime "mono" did make it memorable with scenes and the feel of doing things in the weekend, fitting to the theme. The off-beat intro put me off real quick, but I then realized just like many songs like this, it will take time to get used to, and after that, this song is indeed catchy as even the voice cast themselves mentioned, and maybe I was a little relived when I listened to this again a month later in full. It definitely had cheap yet short bridge which is okay with me, so overall this feels like a chill tune with intention, and I think I can like that. What do you like to do on your weekends? Well, let's hope this song helps you find that out. The music video is half a tribute to her music career over the past 5 years if I'm not wrong, so fans should be more excited and touched compared to me only knowing of her through Anime.

Rating: Casually Average

I think this is as much credit as I can give this woman. Jokes aside, I still think this is a nice song, and maybe this is my way of supporting her after knowing her through Anime all these years. Her flatter yet high pitched voice is definitely a like for many, and I'm not going to get used to it anytime soon, so why not enjoy the melodies that she brings in at the meantime? That won't justify much for the single track release, so maybe this feels like a tribute after all, just like the music video.

And let me take you back in time... FIFTEEN YEARS AGO??!!! JESUS CHRIST I AM OLD (lol)

(Wow, debut period miwa-san is cute huh. Uh, I mean, she is now too but back then the closer-up is on the Limited Edition)

I still cannot believe I have followed her as long as her major debut since 2010, almost 15 years into our lives with music from this singer-songwriter. Celebrating her anniversary with 2 best albums earlier this year, this now industry veteran has seen through much tough times from standing out in Anime theme songs to later finding her own identity and image, she has come a long way and as much as I have been as a listener and fan. And it was precisely through those albums did I realize I have liked a song that I could have those many years ago. I am glad I did, and I am even more glad that I will be able to talk about her and how much she has grown ever since this very first single. Back then, I was already listening to her songs while waiting for her then first Anime theme song debut in "BLEACH" which was after this release. This is not concise enough of a summary because I have a lot to talk about, and this will be made clear real soon as you feel for how great her music was.

(1) Little Girl

From first chorus:

Wow, my first impressions of this was fuelled by the first few years of me listening to J-Pop, so it's no surprise that given this timeless piece which felt so refreshing of a love song was in stark contrast to all the emotional and sad melodies I've heard so far. This one was such a joy, you wouldn't even mind being associated with the "unusual boy" she was referring to in her lyrics. The music video painted as nice of an image of this song with that boy being a rabbit figurehead, but still, talking about bad romance antics, being unusually awkward... it's all the small little things that make the little girl fall in love with, and is that quite a sell of a love song. It's unique in its perspective and not totally vocal about expressing it, which made it sound better mixed in with the English once in a while. Now you can imagine why anyone including me would fall in love with her instantly, this song aside.

Rating: Lovingly Perfect (2010)

(2) Anata ga Inai to Sekai wa Konnani Tsumaranai [Without You The World is This Much Boring]

From first chorus:

If the long song title wasn't what made you remember the song because I did back then, then there's more reason to like this song than you think. Of course I didn't know of her song producer Naoki-T who helped her bring to life all of her indie songs as what was shown in her debut year in 2010 followed by her 1st album in the following her, which only makes me think in retrospect how much I have already been absorbed into the song style that has been established long ago even after all these years, and that's what made me remember this song. And then afterwards will be the benefit of miwa-san's melody and lyrics that made me stay. Singing still about love but not really because it's about that special someone you did not realize how great they are until they are missing, really brings in a big enough hint of falling in love, and boy did it take so many years after learning enough Japanese to understand this today. I would say the heavy beats are not that great now that I listened to it, but otherwise I don't really have complaints, and I still remember this song on the regular to this day despite listening to hundreds of songs every year. Maybe remembering the song title helped out, but don't quote me on that.

Rating: Strikingly Average (2010)

(3) Soba ni Itai Kara [Because (I) Want You By (My) Side]

From first verse:

I think by now I knew how this song got away. Back then when I started being fascinated by J-Pop, I wasn't too much of a fan of emotional love songs, or maybe I was slowly healing from what greatness the Japanese music industry had to offer. But I wouldn't really say that since I did end up giving her 4th single later that year and that was a tearjerker, so maybe this didn't have much impact as I would have hoped. But this was typical of her indie day songs where she sings and plays the acoustic guitar by herself, and even for herself, which made this such a great trend even back then with other artists like YUI and newer ones like Sayuri... It's just a different feel altogether when you place it among the others with her new best albums, I would argue. The lyrics being in the yearning feel of company, singing of the love as much as the title song of this single but way more emotional, and that's what makes the difference despite bringing in the same feels, and I get that now. Maybe me back then didn't know how great this was after all. Maybe I wanted miwa-san to be my side after all these years, that might be it.

Rating: Emotionally Average

miwa's 2nd single is nothing else but a masterpiece. If you accepted all of her and her love songs, you would have been a fan just like me, even if I missed this one by that much, and am catching up right about now. Still, this is as easy to introduce and to recommend even after all these years, with well produced songs to well thought lyrics and of course, an infatuation for this lovely music artist, I'm sure she had made you touched somewhere in between just like I did 15 years ago. miwa-san, this is for you, and I wish some day you will find true love just like how you found it in your songs.

- Aozaki Shouhei, on the Klassic Note

(Wow, that was such cringe talk I almost stopped drinking water haha I will refine my statements as I read through this *cringe* again this weekend haha OMG WHAT HAVE I DONE) (lol)

THE PACKAGE

So, this won't be much so I'll keep this short. Get it, because halca-san and miwa-san are both short- ALRIGHT haha

For halca-san, I did have way more choices for free special gifts considering this just released like 2 week ago lol, but considering I don't want to give Anime her (I promise you that character on the limited edition cover is not in Anime "mono" afro-sensei didn't know she existed when they started drawing-) so I will have to look for artist-based options considering this is also to align with the photography theme of the Anime it was credited for. Also, this is bought through proxy shipping thanks to packaging this with others through Buyee for last month, so technically I can choose anything without worrying of the credit card region limitation or whatever. Problem is, she's not my type. *laughs* So yeah, and that's why I went for the postcard (which somehow got bent on shipping) instead of the another jacket cover or bromide photo as I normally would... so I am not heartbroken at the least when I tell you I should've gone for the Shinseido or Toranoana *gets PTSD* version. *giggles*

Yeah, it really didn't matter so I went for the Rakuten Books version. *laughs* MOVING ON~!!

For miwa-san in comparison, well... there weren't any free gift options. *laughs* And good eye if you have noticed I wrote it in past tense, because special gifts are typically for first press release which means it has been 15 years and unless she is less popular than I think which is impossible *wink* I am pretty sure I'm glad I got a fresh copy even though it costed me more. Hey, others I normally would have to buy used, okay? This is a grab considering I did this soooo much later.

Maybe I should've specifically searched for one LMAO I thought I said I like her though? *giggles*

I would have never imagined a day I would have to type that title of a B-side in a Klassic Note Review ever since I did this a decade ago. Don't worry, I copied it, I have it prepared. *dabs* Anyways haha this shall be it for now I pulled out (lol) the remaining energy for today to do this so I can actually spend more time playing video games (well just the one *giggles*) tomorrow in the weekend so if you would excuse me for now do come back tomorrow though for the fanfic? Why am I contradicting myself already, I thought we are playing more video games, me? Haha this is my life now. See you guys next time then, and until then... man, why make me like miwa-san again. Isn't she the same age as my sis who is 3 years above me? *sigh* (Haha yes but miwa-san though)

P.S. This is a gallery of reasons why halca-san isn't my type: