Synchronicity Impression

Hello and welcome to another post where i talk about newly released single/album by the 48/Sakamichi group. this time its going to be Nogizaka46 20th single 'Synchronicity'. i actually have an easier time to write this post thanks to Nogizaka's official Youtube channel releasing all of the MV's worldwide and Spotify releasing all of the song so i have an easier time to watch and listen to all of the song and MV. and what a single this is, Synchronicity is the best single i've listen in a very very long time, the songs are incredible, the MV's are amazing, this single is the reason why i love Nogizaka46 so much. they did a very good sendoff single for the group first center. without further ado, lets get into the songs and MV's of this single

Synchronicity (Senbatsu)

This song is just something else. this song pretty much makes me a fan again, it makes me have passion again to watch and enjoy idols. Synchronicity is a song that manages to makes me feel motivated when i'm down. there hasn't been a song that manages to motivate me like this ever since i heard Yuuhi wo Miteiruka for the first time, and that was back in mid 2013. the song has great uplifting melody, beautiful lyrics, the vocal is also very nice, something that i can listen to over and over again.
But really, this song is all about that MV, the MV for Synchronicity is by far the best dance performance MV i have ever seen from any 48/46 group. i have made an entire post talking about why this MV is so good which you can see here. the choreography for Sychronicity is just so much better and so much more meaningful than any other choreography i've ever seen. the story inside the choreography is very touching, the passion and emotion that the members have when performing it is very deep. the movement that they do is elegant yet intense, fill with passion. its just so much better and meaningful than flinging your shoes around and say "look how different and eccentric we are". no other group can copy what Nogizaka did in Synchronicity, because it is just so complex, and there are a lot of element that came from the theater world that makes it very hard for any other group to copy because they just doesn't have the same experience as Nogizaka at doing stuff like musical and theater. not to mention that the actual dance itself is not something easy to learn. Synchronicity is something unique to Nogizaka46 and only Nogizaka46 can do.

Against (Nogizaka46 1st Generation Members)

We're going old school Nogizaka for this one. yes, Ikoma Rina is the center for this song with Ikuta Erika and Hoshino Minami beside her. the last time we've seen this formation is in 'Kimi no Na wa Kibou' back in early 2013, and i have to say, its really good to see it again, we can see how much the 3 have grow since that time, also not forgetting the other members of course. the song itself is really good, very fitting to the current more mature 1st gen Nogizaka, it sounded really cool, and it has a very very good lyrics, very fitting for the graduation of Ikoma Rina, its not a sad graduation song, more like an encouragement to the group after Ikoma graduated, which i think that's what Ikoma would have wanted.
the MV, to be honest its not my favorite, the constant sliding motion is not my favorite, i think its a bit too fast. but the biggest minus for the MV is this moment

there is a rather awkward pause at the end of the 2nd chorus when they have this pan of all of the members. for the last 6-7 member they just freeze in place before switching to the shot with Ikuta and Maiyan, it looks really awkward and i don't think its intentional. but there are positive thing about this MV, it does looks really cool, that i like. this MV shows that Nogizaka member are very underrated in term of their dance skill. members like Nishino Nanase, Saito Asuka and Hoshino Minami are very underrated, they are actually very good dancer, not to mention Ikoma solo dance is probably the best i've seen in a while, and the rest of the member also did a very good job. this is the first time that all of the 1st gen is on the same song, and all i want to say is, i hope they do more of this.

Scoutman (Nogizaka46 2nd Generation Members)

Next we have this weird and wacky song from the 2nd generation. the song has a very similar sound to early Gorillaz record, the heavy electronic sound that doesn't really fit into any sort of genre. the center of the song is Hori Miona with the other two 2nd gen member that is part of the senbatsu (Terada Ranze and Shinuchi Mai) beside her. although looking at the formation it actually looks like its Suzuki Ayane and Yamazaki Rena is the one beside Miona. i really like the song, i think its different, very fitting to the 2nd gen with all of the weird and different character member there. i mean, the 2nd gen has an actual OL, a semi-pro Shogi player, a history junkie, a theater actress and who knows what's going on inside Kotoko's head. not to mention Miona who is just weird, Iori who is an airhead, and the rest is no different. but the lyrics of the song is actually rather sad though.
the MV is pretty much them doing the mannequin challenge, i think its cute, i like that its very colorful, i just like it in general. what i like the most is probably the cameo of Kiichan (Kitano Hinako), as we know, Kiichan have been missing for a while because of illness, she made a comeback at the 46 hours TV a couple while back and now she has a cameo in the 2nd gen song, i like that they started to slowly putting her back into the group, its only a matter of time before she participate again in the unders, and who knows maybe she can get back into the senbatsu.

Toki-toki Meki-meki (Nogizaka46 3rd Generation Members)

Next we have this very cute song by the 3rd gen, i mean, what else can you expect, it has the youngest and most energetic member in the group as the center (Iwamoto Renka). its a very catchy song, its very cute and it feels really fresh. no complain for the song.
the MV is also very cute and very fresh

i really like how they give everyone a decent amount screen time and they're all looks good. the story is weird but its cute. and i don't know why but i really like watching Nakamura Reno here, she looks really good and seems to really enjoy herself.

Atarashii Sekai (Under Members)

Next we have a first look at the new, bigger and better Unders. yes, the 3rd gen is now finally officially a part of Nogizaka46 with the inclusion of them into the Unders and also the Senbatsu, great for them. so now Nogizaka has 21 Under member, which is a lot. this time the Under is centered by Suzuki Ayane, who has steadily getting more popular and climbing up the ranks in the group. the song itself is really good, Unders have always had great songs, this one is no exception. it has a nice acoustic sound, a nice beat, and a nice chorus as well. its more on the dark and gloomy feel, which suits the center very well.

The MV is also on the dark and gloomy side with a post-apocalypse setting. very nice cinematography, the feel of the MV is really good, all the members have a decent amount of screen time, the story is nice, and i really like the way they include the 3rd gen in it, very nice symbolic. but what i can never understand is, why when anybody make something with a post-apocalyptic theme, the computer they use is some ancient computer from the 80s, i mean, no one uses those anymore, most of them are being turn into an aquarium. why can't they just use a normal modern computer, or a laptop, just use some old model, sprinkle it with dust to make it look older or i don't know, scratch the paint on it, add a few dents, make it looks like it has gone through a lot, it would make more sense than using some ancient technology. but that's just me, i still like the MV though.

Kumo ni Nareba ii (Ikuta Erika, Eto Misa, Sakurai Reika)

I once said somewhere that 'Zenmai Shikake no Yume' by the Yuichanzu is my song of the year unless Nogizaka do something about it, well, they did do something about it, and they're not messing about, they bringing out the big guns (3 of them) of this one. arguably the 3 best vocal in the current senbatsu line up, Ikuta Erika, Eto Misa and Sakurai Reika is Nogizaka's answer to the Yuichanzu, and they didn't disappoint. they took a more pop sounding song compare to the Yuichanzu's more folk sound. the song itself is simple but very very good, the acoustic sound really blends well with the vocal. and i really like each one of them has a distinct vocal, the powerful vocal of Ikuta Erika, the crystal clear voice of Eto Misa, and the more raspy voice of Sakurai. each has a different voice but when they sing together it sounded amazing. the lyrics of the song is also really good, the only minus i can think of is that it doesn't have an MV.

Kotodamaho (Ozono Momoko, Yoda Yuki, Kubo Shiori, Yamashita Mizuki)

Finally we have this very cute song by the 4 3rd gen member who is in the senbatsu. my impression when i hear the song is that this song is a very good shoujo anime song, it has a very anisong feel to it, which is not a bad thing. personally this song has the least impact to me, it just doesn't feel that special. its a good song and i have no problem listening to it over and over, but that's all i can say about it.

And that's ladies and gentlemen, is Nogizaka46 20th single Synchronicity, i really love this single, one of if not the best single that they have. this single shows the reason why i love Nogizaka46 so much, they just can do so many different stuff at a very high level, something beautiful and elegant, easy. something cool and dance heavy, bring it on. something weird and wacky, why not. something dark and gloomy, of course. cute and fun, no problem. this single also shows all the different character they have in the group, the cool and mature 1st gen, the weird yet wonderful 2nd gen and the young and fresh 3rd gen, they all blends together to create this incredible group.

This single has made me a fan again, it reminds me of the passion of watching and enjoying idols. it made me want to watch more performance, and just enjoy it. Synchronicity is the kind of performance art that i really enjoy watching, something complex with a lot of passion and emotion when performed, something beautiful and elegant, something that not a lot of people can do. and the best thing is, i haven't seen their best performance yet, they still can and will improve.

i guess that's it for this post, it has been going on for too long already, finally i will give my ranking for the song and MV of this single from my favorite to least favorite

Song

1. Kumo ni Nareba ii

2. Synchronicity

3. Scoutman

4. Atarashii Sekai

5. Against

6. Toki-toki Meki-meki

7. Kotodamaho

MV

1. Synchronicity (by a very long margin)

2. Scoutman

3. Atarashii Sekai

4. Toki-Toki Meki-Meki

5. Against

Finally i'm going to end it with this picture, its so funny that i have to include it, credit to whoever made this, and until next time

This is Delta

Over and Out

Credit :
screenshot taken from nogizaka46 official Youtube Channel.
photos taken from Nogizaka46 official website.