CD only regular edition.
Type A CD+DVD limited edition Kojima Haruna version.
“Answer”
no3b
Release date: March 2nd, 2011
Tracklist:
1. Answer
2. Monozuki Ichigo
3. ☆ no Mukougawa [no3b ver.] (limited edition),
Answer TV Animation ver.- 89sec. (regular edition)
4. Answer -Instrumental-
5. Monozuki Ichigo -Instrumental-
6. ☆ no Mukougawa [no3b ver.] -Instrumental- (limited edition)
Type A DVD tracklist:
1. Answer Music Video
2. Making of Answer
3. “Cloudy sky” from GREATEST HOUR SETLIST 100 2011 (LIVE at SHIBUYA-AX Only Edition)
no3b’s first single release of 2011, and it proves to be a strong one. “Answer” is their 6th single overall and took the #2 spot on Oricon’s weekly single ranking. Continuing a tradition that dates back to their 3rd single “KISS no Ryuusei“, “Answer” comes in three CD+DVD limited editions each featuring one member along with a CD only regular edition.
These girls’ hair look absolutely gorgeous in the covers. I personally picked up a Kojiharu version limited edition because she’s my favorite member and the DVD comes with a live performance of her amazing solo song “Cloudy sky“. Not being able to resist a pretty cover shot of all three members with their shiny and pretty long hair, I also snatched up the regular edition XD.
The DVD comes with a reasonable amount of content to justify the price of the limited edition. “Answer”‘s music video is very typical in terms of presentation, but the concept and direction are solid. The girls sport a mature and sexy look, especially Takamina. I thought the choreography during the dance parts was a bit shaky though. The making of video is fairly interesting and offers some nice behind-the-scenes footage. For me, the real gem of the DVD was Kojiharu‘s “Cloudy sky” performance. There’s only one word to describe it: adorable.
On to the review…
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Answer
It took me a couple of listens before getting hooked to “Answer”. The main guitar riffs are catchy and make this a memorable song. During the verses, the girls’ voices carry the flow of the song very well. In addition, their singing during the chorus has a good synergy and sound fantastic together. Miichan‘s solo parts in this song are impressive. Her vocals sound superb, with Takamina and Kojiharu not falling too far behind in that aspect. Overall a strong track with a mature feel to it.
2. Monozuki Ichigo (Curious Strawberry)
Another track I wasn’t too fond of, but now I love it! This shows exactly why the girls’ voices are suited for singing various styles. The feeling you get is vastly different from the mature “Answer” and they sound more like three anime seiyus on a character CD! I’m surprised how cute their voices become. Overall a fun upbeat song with lots of vitality. It’s a great contrast to “Answer”.
3. ☆ no Mukougawa [no3b ver.] (The Other Side of the Star)
Originally from AKB48‘s A6 stage “Mokugekisha“, this song is more laid back than the previous two tracks on the single. I myself have never heard the original A6 song so I can’t really do a comparison. no3b’s version of it is a mellow listen though, and sounds almost fairy tale-like. Kojiharu‘s voice is quite prominent during her parts too, which is a plus. Overall I don’t find this track very remarkable, but it’s certainly a beautiful piece with an ethereal sound.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I’ve come to like no3b more since this single. It’s a strong release from arguably the strongest AKB subunit. Like I’ve pointed out already, these girls are all very talented singers and have great voices. “Answer” serves as a perfect illustration of that, offering three unique tracks.
Releasing a separate version of this single for each girl with content exclusive to that one member was a great idea. It builds a fan base for each girl and allows fans to be more connected to their favorite member. It’s also a great way to generate revenue…XD. In my case, I will always be picking up a Kojiharu version. She’s such a beauty @_@.
The final verdict: “Answer” is probably a hit or miss for some people. Either you like it or you don’t. For AKB48 fans though, I would not hesitate to recommend it. This is without a doubt one of their more solid works.
Buy here:
Type A limited edition Kojima Haruna ver.: CDJapan, YesAsia, HMV Japan
Type B limited edition Takahashi Minami ver.: CDJapan, YesAsia, HMV Japan
Type C limited edition Minegishi Minami ver.: CDJapan, YesAsia, HMV Japan
Regular edition: CDJapan, YesAsia, HMV Japan
Nippon Gaijin 