Top 10 Nogizaka46 Music Video




Hello and welcome to another post, this time i am going to rank my Top 10 Nogizaka46 Music Video. this is a list that i really want to do for a long time, and it really does take a long time to make because i have to watch and take note on literally every single music video Nogizaka has ever made, and there are a lot of it, 88 to be precise (as of 20th single) (not counting NogizakaAKB and SakamichiAKB). also, i study stuff like cinematography, directing, editing and other stuff related to video production in university, and i also have produce a couple of short film. so making this list is actually a very good learning experience for me and i hope i can share what i know with you guys through this post. anyway, enough of the chit-chat, no one interested in my back story so let's just get on with it, for this list i will only include the MV up to the 20th single (i know the 21st single MV's are out, but i haven't got time to really watch them all), collaboration MV like the SakamichiAKB and NogizakaAKB doesn't count since that is technically AKB's property. also this is my list and it is based on my opinion, so if you have a different one feel free to let me know. so let's start the list with

10. Romance no Start (Kidzuitara Kataomoi) (2014)
There's only one reason why this MV is in the list and that is how they make it. i recently watch the making of of this MV and after watching it i just have to include this in the list. this is what you call a POV (Point of View) video, basically mean that you are watching it as if you are looking from the point of view of the person in the video. so how they came about to making this MV is they have a guy wearing a full face helmet with a camera and a monitor stuck to the front of it, its so clever and make you appreciate that they actually trying to make the MV look good, because they could have made it using just a GoPro strap to a guys head, but no, they actually want it to have the best quality image as possible so they decided to stuck a DSLR camera (on a stabilizer) to a full face helmet, imagine how heavy it is. also the purpose of the monitor is to relay image from the camera to the wearer of the helmet, because the camera is tilted slightly down, which is how most POV video is made.

9. Dekopin (Kimi no Na wa Kibou) (2013)

Right, listen AKB, this is how you make a green screen effect, not that stupid mountain scene from Teacher teacher. when you try to create a green screen effect is to not try to make something too complicated or realistic. if you want to have a realistic background in your green screen, use a picture, not a computer generated image, and even if you decided to use a picture in the background, you still need to think about stuff like the aspect ratio of the object, the shadows and a lot more stuff beside to think about before you even start shooting, so unless you know what you're doing, which the Teacher teacher MV director clearly doesn't, don't use green screen, better off to take the time and actually shoot on location. the director for Dekopin meanwhile, did know what they're doing, they're using the green screen as its should, to create an environment that is impossible or really hard to re-create in the real world, basically they're creating a fictional world from scratch for the MV. and its not really a very complicated world either, they use very bright one tone colors, very basic shapes, no need for any shadow or shade, just a pure block of colors, like how you use the bucket to color object in MS Paint. you also want to remove the shades from the members as well, so they use a lot of lights to do that, they would point multiple lights from multiple angle to effectively remove all shadow, that's why Maiyan's face looks whiter that ever. and the way that they manages to create multiple Nanamin's in one shot is to shoot one scene and then shoot another one with the exact same setup but acted differently by the member, and just put it on the green screen, it is hard to timed though. the result is a very cute and very colorful music video that will make a smile on your face.

8. Sekai de Ichiban Kodoku na LOVER (Girl's Rule) (2013)

If people would watch this MV for the first time, they would probably say that its a badly made MV. they will say stuff like "oh, the image is shaky" or "there's a lot of the crew that leaked into the shots". i look at it in a different way, i think its a very good and creative way to make an MV. this is where context matters. the reason why this MV looks the way it is is because they want it to look like that, and that way of thinking of "wanting to make something the way i want it to make" is something that i really appreciate. look, no director is dumb enough to have half of the film crew to be in the shot, they would either cut it out of the video, or throw away the footage altogether. so when i see half of the film crew leaking into the shot in this MV, i thought there must be more to this MV. again, as i say before, context matters. the idea of the Sekai de Ichiban Kodoku na LOVER is create something raw and urban theme, clearly seen with the environment they were in, the BMX, and the wardrobe that the members wearing. the reason why there were members of the film crew leaking to the shot is to make it look more real, and it also helped with the continuity. this made for a very good and very creative music video, it looks really cool, fit for a very cool song.

7. Sekkachi na Katatsumuri (Hashire! Bicycle) (2012)

This song was released in 2012 but the MV for this was made for the Nogizaka46 music video collection released in 2015, along with a few other. i really like the concept of it, having that 50's or 60's feel to it, it matches the song really well, also the way they make it is also really cool, and i can imagine took a lot of time and preparation. basically how they do it is to make it to film all the necessary on one set, the room set, complete with the wall and window that we see. and the way that they put it all together is using the structure that we see at the end of the video as a template, they would slot all the different shot into the its designated place (this applies to shot of members both inside and outside of the room). also they use simple editing in some other shots, like Mai mai catching Kazumin's pancake or that UFO on a string prank that Matsumura did. overall, great concept, great execution of the concept, the members look really good, and a very good music video.
here's the set that i talked about

and here's the structure before and after editing

6. Buranko (Sayonara no Imi) (2016)

i always say that the difference between something being just average good and something being great is in the details. something that we often overlook but play a big part in making something just that little bit better, little touches here and there that made something that already looks good, even better. and that really shows in the music video for my favorite Nogizaka46 song, Buranko. at first glance, the Buranko MV is just a side scrolling style of video with a lot of slow motion and having more than one shot inside umm... one shot, if you get what i mean, also you got the members carrying some random weird stuff. the concept itself is already pretty good, but not really the most exiting or the most interesting. but the details that they have in this MV pretty much makes this one of my favorite MV. first let's take a look on how they play with the camera movement to make what on paper a very static and stiff style to something that looks dynamic and fluid. so, at the beginning (the first verse), they have the camera moving from left to right, nothing special there. now, they can make the entire MV to have the camera moving from left to right, but as i say, it won't look that interesting. what they decided to do is to make the second verse to have the camera move from right to left all the way to the end of the second chorus where they stop moving the camera, but if you simply reverse the camera movement from left to right to right to left (well this is complicated) that would make the whole thing look weird and awkward, and just generally not nice. so what they did is they use some very clever shot that is used as a transition between the 2 verses. the first one is right at the end of the first verse before the chorus, there is a shot of Higuchi Hina's hand pointing at an object that is moving from left to right (the tail of the dragon), this is important because that small shot is one of the key to this because that shot has the object moving from left to right and not the camera (it was stationary) which leads us to the next part which is the chorus itself. in the chorus, because its basically a dance scene, they can pretty much do whatever they want with it, but they decided to use it as a transition shot between the first and second verse, how? simple, at the beginning of the chorus they have the camera moving from left to right, continuing from the first verse, but at the end of the chorus they have the camera moving from right to left. but why it doesn't made it look awkward like i said before? well, this is where the choreography came in. the choreography of the song itself pretty much helped with the camera movement because it involved a lot of movement from the member themself. the second piece of detail that i like is much easier to understand, its pretty much what you can see on screen, like how the member line up from the second chorus is the same as the first chorus, and how they frame each shot, stuff like that, small detail that makes it looks just a little bit better. the MV alse beautifully shot, the members look great, especially the center Terada Ranze. its just a really really well thought out MV.

5.Hadashi de Summer (Hadashi de Summer) (2016)

Right, we are in the top 5, from this point on its just going to be some really high quality, high budget music video with some absolutely gorgeous scenery, beautiful shots, and incredible and deep story. and first we have the MV for Nogi's 15th single, Hadashi de Summer. Saito Asuka's first center and well the MV is nothing short of incredible. it was beautifully shot on a beautiful place (Okinawa). using the drone to capture be beauty of the environment really helped. the members all look great with the bohemian style outfit, which suits the summer vacation story that they were telling. its a beautiful and fun music video for the summer.

4.Harujion ga Sakukoro (Harujion ga Sakukoro) (2016)

From a fun MV to a sad MV, the Harujion ga Sakukoro is at #4. what makes this MV great is the story and the meaning behind it. of course its beautifully shot, no doubt about it. but the story is the main thing about this MV, the graduation of Fukagawa Mai, the way that they give Mai Mai a graduation sendoff is a great sight. the costume is beautiful, the members look beautiful, the set is beautiful, everything in this MV is just a joy to watch, and who can forget that ending scene. also i think this is the point where Hori Miona start have a front row position again after being out of the senbatsu for a couple of singles, that final part in the choreography where Miona take the position in front of the center shows is a great symbol for both Miona and Mai mai.

3. Synchronicity (Synchronicity) (2018)

I may be biased putting Synchronicity above Harujion and Hadashi de Summer, but i just still can't get enough of this MV. this MV shows how great camera movement can really make something really simple to something amazing, and it also helped with the storytelling. the main appeal of Synchronicity is the choreography, the meaning and story that the choreography has that is really something beautiful, which you can see the full breakdown here. part of that beautiful storytelling element is the dynamic and fluid camera movement that the music video has. how the camera move, where it positioned, really helped with the storytelling of the choreography. also the editing is really good, and the members look amazing with those white dresses.

2. Sayonara no Imi (Sayonara no Imi) (2016)

Right, i want to make this clear, in term of pure quality, the Sayonara no Imi music video is by far the best music video out of any music video from the 48/46 group. everything from the pre-production, to the production and the post-production of  the MV is just done so well, its basically perfect, it is, its just perfect, nothing more to say. it has a great concept, great story, great cinematography, great acting, great editing, it was shot at a beautiful place, the little detail in it is amazing, all the member looks amazing especially Hashimoto Nanami. honestly, what else can i say, Hashimoto Nanami's graduation single MV is just perfect. but there's a reason why its not my favorite, which we will get into in a bit.

before that let's look at some honorable mentions
- Hoka no Hoshi Kara, this was supposed to be in the #10 spot before i decided to change it to Romance no Start.
- Boku no Shoudou, it has Megatron taking the 3rd gen to space, that tells it all.
- Barette, Majisuka Gakuen 5 before it was even a thing.
- Scoutman, Kawaii.
- Gomen ne, Zutto, really creative style, copied by many *ehm* NGT *ehm*
- Maa ii Ka..., Maiyan and Manatsu never disappoint.

1. Kidzuitara Kataomoi (Kidzuitara Kataomoi) (2014)

There are only 2 music video ever that manages to make me cry. the first was So Far Away by Avenged Sevenfold, the music video that they did as a tribute for their drummer who passed away. the second music video that made me cry was this, Kidzuitara Kataomoi. this MV has the most powerful scene out of any MV i ever seen that i just couldn't hold back my tears. the scene where Shiraishi Mai desperately trying to keep that flower away from the rain and keep Nanase alive is nothing short of Amazing. the trembling on her body, the expression on her face, Hashimoto Nanami's reaction, Nishino Nanase's reaction, it all blends together to create this incredible scene that last no more than 10 second, and that 10 second is what makes this my favorite Nogizaka46 Music Video. don't get me wrong, even without that scene this MV will still easily be in the top 10, it has a great story, beautifully shot, great acting, and just overall very well made mini drama, but that one scene is what makes this MV the best.
So powerful
i guess we know now where the director of Infinity war get their idea from

and that is my list of my favorite Nogizaka46 Music Video. it was longer than thought, i hope i don't bored you with reading it. what do you guys think? do you have a different list? if you do, you can tell me on the comment below. i guess that's it for now




This is Delta
Over and Out


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