Centers Miyawaki Sakura and Watanabe Mayu
AKB48 performed their new single “Kibouteki Refrain” during TBS “All Star Thanksgiving Festival” show yesterday.
As reported earlier, the senbatsu for this single consisted 32 members, with many younger generations being included for the first time. According to fan accounts on the Internet, this huge senbatsu was divided into 2 groups during the filming of their music video. The regular faces formed Group A(aka media senbatsu), whilst the rest formed Group B. It was therefore quite a surprise when a mixture of members from Group A and B showed up for the first TV performance.
Netizens were rather excited about the new song since it proved to be worthy of the “kami”(legendary) status which producer Akimoto Yasushi had promised. With a catchy and energetic tune, the audience(actors/actresses/talents/comedians) also joined in by waving their penlights.
What do you guys think about the last AKB48 song of 2014?
Lyric Translation:
When i turn around this corner
Why do i know that you’ll be here?
Across the rays of sunlight,
I can tell that you’re coming near.
If this is true love, there’s something incredulous about it.
If this coincidence continues, isn’t it a hint of fate?
I like you too much(I like you too much) x2
I like you too much(Wow wow wow..)
My heart(my heart) feels sad(feels sad)
Its painful (Wow wow wow..)
Even if i give up, i will still like you again
Wishful Refrain
I like you too much x3
I can’t see anyone other than you
No matter how much i wish for it, i know this love won’t come true
Only you(only you) x2
Only you( wow wow wow…)
Don’t notice(don’t notice) Be my only(be my only) flower(wow wow wow..)
The moment when i breathe, i will like you again
Endless Refrain
I will like you
Wishful Refrain
After listening to it a few times, i can say i definitely like the tune. Lyrics wise, it is pretty much like the one-sided love songs that AkiP likes to write. Only this time, it’s much more plain. I found myself getting hooked from the first couple of sentences, but as we approach the chorus, the lyrics are like any other love song out there.
Costumes-wise,the wardrobe department is obviously running out of ideas cos these checked uniforms were last seen in Mae Shika Mukanee and Fly Get and the list goes on. The hat accessories are probably recycled from Paruru’s Eien Pressure. I have started to hate uniforms from a long time back and it’s starting to impede my judgement on a song!
And finally the dance – those pointy fingers are way overused and sadly they appear quite frequently throughout the song. Luckily the formation is kinda fresh and there’s even a cute running action that continues even after the song ends.
AllThingsJpop 
the formation looks fresh because half of the front girls are missing. Lately the costumes are really simple, they made a good ones when is a tour but it’s like for single they just recycle their ideas over and over again.
the song is okay not bad not good, like all the song has been lately. I wonder why akip has been given AKB songs so similar, after KFC it’s like they are stuck with that type of music. Yeah everyone knows KFC was a hit, but the next hit does not have to follow the same patter. Akip you have been trying to do it with the last 5 songs, it is time to move on and do something different, is definitely not working.
“Akip you have been trying to do it with the last 5 songs, it is time to move on and do something different, ”
I think I know what you are saying. I am the same age as Akimoto-san, and I hear a lot of 1960s hooks in a lot of his songs (well lyrics, then the music he wants for it). Some of the recent songs have grown on me a lot.
I keep finding myself saying. Well song A was not as good as song B last time. Then when song C comes out I say “well, it is not as good as song A was”.
Confusing? You betcha.
I still like all the new songs. I’m probably hearing more 1960s 1970s elements than you are.
Could you tell me the names of the last 5 songs? Is Heart Ereki part of it?
I also liked the first part, better than the later part but this too will probably grow on me.
I already like this more than KNP. The throwback feel was done much better here, but I hated the repetitions in the chorus. It was hard to understand at first!
I don’t think this really deserves to be a “kami” song, though. It would be better as a B-side to something that breaks away from the generic idol feel, as fall singles have done in the past.
If this is what the Mayuyu era of AKB48 is going to be, then this era better be short or AkiP needs to make different songs.
Refrain is definitely the best song they’ve had in a very long time, starting from Suzukake onwards. However, I think calling it a kami song is a huge overstatement, I think people are only calling it as such because it’s much more fast-paced but fast pace does not equal kami level. The fact that the last 2 or 3 A-side were cute, idolish songs probably helped overhype the 38th single in that people lowered their expectations of AKB.