Sakura Mankai / Yuujou - Kokoro no busu niwa naranee!

This DVD contains two versions each of the videos for the second and last singles made by Morning Musume Sakura Gumi and Morning Musume Otome Gumi, which consisted of the then-14-member lineup of Morning Musume evenly split into two groups. The "Sakura Mankai" video is shot in a studio made up to look like a traditional Japanese street and the girls are dressed in kimonos in different designs engaged in different activities, e.g. Yossi hanging up patterned fabrics, Eri putting out parasols, Aibon placing branches with flowers in a vase, etc. The dance shots feature them in short, pink satin kimono-like garments with white boots against a white background tricked up with effects images, including a revolving cherry blossom. There's also a wall of pinwheels. It's a beautiful video, but the Close-up version, also included here, is even more beautiful. It focuses on the girls in their traditional costumes and they offer up some exquisite close-ups, esp. Mari, Ai-chan, Aibon, Risa and Yossi. "Yuujou - Kokoro no Busu Niwa Naranee!" has a fashion show/runway motif and the girls are dressed up in individualized black-and-white fashions. Sayumi wears a white cap, long white gloves, a black skirt with white trim and white boots and she looks just awesome, clearly stealing the show in the looks department, although Nono dominates in the dance and comic antics sections. I'm not crazy about the song, but I love the video so much it doesn't matter. And it comes with what they call the "Oi! Oi! Version," essentially a dance shot version where the girls dance in what looks like a modeling studio. We get to see more of Nono here than in the earlier Otome Gumi video, "Ai no Sono Touch My Heart," which, unfortunately, did not come with a Dance Shot version. Nono is clearly the best dancer to come out of MM after Ai Takahashi and the Otome Gumi videos prove this. The "Making of" portion is just over eleven minutes, with Sakura Gumi getting two minutes more than Otome Gumi. Miki seems to be having a good time and wraps her coat and arms around Sayumi outside at one point. Aibon has fun on the traditional set. Nacchi was part of Sakura Gumi when they made "Hare Ame Nochi Suki," their previous single, but she'd graduated by the time they made this, so she's not in "Sakura Mankai." The girls performed all 4 of the Sakura/Otome Gumi songs in the "Best of Japan" Spring 2004 concert.

May cost alittle more than the usual Morning Musume dvd singles but with this one you do get to great songs. A delightful slow paced ballad and a catchy upbeat pop song. Well worth the extra money.