[2017.03.29] °C-ute Final Single - To Tomorrow / FINAL SQUALL / The Curtain Rises

[MejraThea]

Yeah... I really liked it during the H!S preview, but then with the random rap added into the full version it pretty much ruined it.

[Elpis]

H!P seeeme to be having a lot more songs with rap in it lately. Both a-sides of MMs last single had it too.

[Noa]

I actually really loved that, it made me a bit teary and I was never that big of a C-ute fan. I think it was a really sweet idea. I also noticed some Dance de Bakoon dance moves in there.

[Solarblade]

Previews for both "To Tomorrow" & "The Curtain Rises" will shown on today's H!S - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2fmN4r5ccY
 
For "To Tomorrow" other H!P members were added as backup dancers (all leaders/sub-leaders & KSS members; Ichioka, Horie, Takase, Kawamura, and Maeda)

[Purin-chama]

I really like The Curtain Rises. Spunky C-ute. Final Squall is really depressing (in a good way). I really liked the bridge to the end of the song. 

[kira]

Of the 3 I still really like Final Squall... I've been listening to it on repeat at work. It super grew on me like Tsugi no Kado wo Magare.
 
I translated the liner notes from the Final Squall PV (it's from the bottom in the video description), written by the songwriter/composer.
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
I love these girls.

Their songs, their expressions, their words, their dancing, and their lives.

I love all of them.

In order to bring smiles and happiness to those who asked for it, they put in effort, fought, and endured every day.

But without realizing it, that became what they lived for...

And like that, °C-ute kept running into their 12th year.

When I heard that they were going to disband, I understood that this would come someday, and yet, it's too soon... I was at a loss for words.

And at the same time, I thought, what I can I do?

In order to ensure that these days becomes the irreplaceable best days for these girls, and everyone on Team °C-ute...

I thought, I want to help, even if it's something small!


It was always raining on their important memorable days.

Unexpectedly, people often remember those slightly imperfect days better than those days where everything goes smoothly.

Up until now, various rains have strongly tied together their bonds.

On that final day, what kind of rain will there be?

Surely... the most intense rain ever...

But then that rain will stop immediately.

And then... after that, we'll definitely be able to witness a cloudless sky that's never been seen before.


A final squall.


I hope that June 12, 2017 will be an unforgettable day.

 
SHOCK EYE
</blockquote>
 
gonna go cry now

[MejraThea]

I hate To Tomorrow. It's as bad as Summer Wind.
 
I don't like Curtain Rises, either, but I like it a lot more than Tomorrow.

[Elpis]

I don't really like To Tomorrow either. But I like the curtain rises a lot. It's not better than Mugen Climax but it's still pretty good

[TicTacAnyone]

[quote="Solarblade"]
 
 
For "To Tomorrow" other H!P members were added as backup dancers (all leaders/sub-leaders & KSS members; Ichioka, Horie, Takase, Kawamura, and Maeda)
[/quote]
 
     

[kira]

I was reading the comments on the Final Squall video and someone noted that the video could be repeated infinitely - the end transitions into the beginning.

[Noa]

Did anyone notice Mizuki screw up the dance at the beginning? ???????? hopefully they edit that out.

[Revangelis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG3S3BnxaR8


The PV for To Tomorrow has been released. And no, they did not edit Mizuki's mistake out 

[momoirosaya]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Thea" data-cid="206175" data-time="1489685293">
I hate To Tomorrow. It's as bad as Summer Wind.


I don't like Curtain Rises, either, but I like it a lot more than Tomorrow.</blockquote>
What!?!? Summer Wind is one their best songs!

[MejraThea]

I loathe Summer Wind!  I can't stand it, I've never heard more than 30 seconds of it when I wasn't color-coding it, and that was only 2 other times after that lol.
 
But where is Mizuki's mistake? I don't notice it!

[Zoe]

It's at the very first shot of the choreography--she brings her arms down too early.

[TicTacAnyone]

I like that H!P now knows how drones work and is like "OH MY GOOODDD YOU CAN FILM MVS WITH IT. NOW EVERYONE WILL STOP COMPLAINING."
 
That being said, I like the MV. lol. 
 
The song is nice too--a definite throwback to their earlier singles; in particular, Zekkochou Everyday. Choreography is on point. A nice single to end on.... This song, at least.
 
 
PS- a little confused as to why they changed "I looked like a panda" to "I looked like a raccoon." I know for English-speakers, the latter is a more natural thought, but almost everyone would understand what you meant if you said Panda, and it just sounds odd when you hear them clearly say "panda" and read "raccoon."
/end translation rant

[MejraThea]

^^ Oh, thanks!

[Zoe]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="TicTacAnyone" data-cid="206209" data-time="1489782924">PS- a little confused as to why they changed "I looked like a panda" to "I looked like a raccoon." I know for English-speakers, the latter is a more natural thought, but almost everyone would understand what you meant if you said Panda, and it just sounds odd when you hear them clearly say "panda" and read "raccoon."
/end translation rant</blockquote>
I was randomly skipping through the video and landed on that line--I had to rewind and watch it again cause I thought there was no way "racooon" would ever make it into a Jpop song

[MejraThea]

Ok, Curtain Rises grew on me.

[DonJuan]

I thought "panda eyes" were a common term for eyes with smeared make up... (maybe I'm completely misunderstanding the situation though because I haven't watched the MV.)

[TicTacAnyone]

[quote="DonJuan"]
I thought "panda eyes" were a common term for eyes with smeared make up... (maybe I'm completely misunderstanding the situation though because I haven't watched the MV.)
[/quote]
 
I'd say looking "like a raccoon" is more commonly said than panda, but like I said... I think almost anyone would understand what you meant if you said panda. Especially in the context of the line.
:)

[JPope]

"Raccoon eyes" is a fairly common phrase in the west, so if that's the intended context of the line, it's understandable. You could say the translation is being too nit-picky wrt translating a cultural idiom -- especially since they are essentially translating an English word! -- but better that than not taking idioms into consideration at all.

[Shoujo Q]

On Upcoming this week
 
MV Preview of Curtain Rises
Recording Final Squall with Chisato, Mai, and Airi.
Warning : They sandwiched Mai between Chisato and Airi so I had to force myself to listen. It wasn't pretty. 
 
 
Honestly. I really don't like this single. I can't bring myself to like it. It's just not as good as the last one. I was perfectly content to leave it at that. 


I bought it, just to support the girls but I really this whole single doesn't feel like C-ute. 
 
I think I'd go as far as saying I hate this single, but I actually think I like Curtain Rises. It's the only saving grace to this sham of a single. They should have just released an album like Berryz did and be done with it. 

[JPope]

<div>After listening to what's out there for a few days, I've decided I like this single. It's better than I was expecting, but I was expecting hot garbage. I agree with Shoujo Q that none of these songs sound like C-ute songs, but their sound has been evolving over their last three singles, anyway, so I couldn't care less about that.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>To Tomorrow - About the only thing I really don't like is the dated 90s AM-radio, adult-contempo funk-ish arrangement of the verse. It's otherwise standard H!P fare, innocuous and unobtrusive. I neither love it nor hate it. I feels more like a Morning Musume song to me, though.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Final Squall: I knew one of the songs would be like this. It's totally predictable, but it's also pretty well done. I like it more with repeated listenings. Of the three songs, this is one that most sounds like C-ute, but it sounds more like post-Golden Era MM. It also sounds like it could be an opening theme for Fairy Tail.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Curtain Rises: This feels like an ANGERME song, which is a good thing, because they get all the good songs. I legitimately love this song - rap and all - and I was not expecting to love anything on this single.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Overall, 2 outta 3 ain't bad, and even 3 isn't horrible. No way they were going to top their previous two singles, but this is a solid effort.</div>

[Solarblade]

I actually agree with Q, this single is quite mediocre to me compared to the last couple singles, if anything I kind of wished Mugen/Seidenki/Singing was the final single because these songs feel like throwaway songs to me for some reason...like not a lot of effort was put into them...IMO

[JPope]

Well yeah, compared to their last two singles, this is mediocre. Those were great singles, though. I really do think it's unfair to expect that level consistently. Compared to the rest of their catalog, though, I think this stands up nicely.

[Farrah]

[quote="JPope"]
Well yeah, compared to their last two singles, this is mediocre. Those were great singles, though. I really do think it's unfair to expect that level consistently. Compared to the rest of their catalog, though, I think this stands up nicely.
[/quote]
I think people are just disappointed because the previous single was SO flawless that it would've been the perfect note to end on.  It felt kind of epic, this feels... a bit phoned in tbh.
 
I'm excited for The Curtain Rises but I can pretty much do without the other two entirely.  They're just very safe and boring to me - I don't hate them but they're a little too unobtrusive.  Final Squall in particular is so similar to Tsugi no Kado wo Magare that it makes it seem worse than it actually is, because Tsugi is such a perfect take on that sound.

[Revangelis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_K8bSpDw9U


And here is the PV for The Curtain Rises
 
I must say I'm not a fan of those rap parts they seem to throw in pretty much every song nowadays...

[Meikochi]

I didn't think it would so much but I'm really bothered by their pronunciation of "Curtain rises" ^^".

[Mugi]

After listening to all the songs. I can't say they are super special but I still like all of them. All the girls look great and I'm sad this is their last single.