Review by Jacques

The first day of the AKB48 Young Members national tour held in the spring of 2015 and the AKB48 spring solo concert are now available on DVD and Blu-ray! The annual Spring Con will be held at Saitama Super Arena in 2015! The memorable first day of the young members nationwide tour by the young members who will carry the future of AKB48, and the double package of AKB48's spring solo concert! Introducing a 4-disc set that includes behind-the-scenes making and bonus footage! DISC1[AKB48 Young Members National Tour ~The future is being created now~] For AKB48, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in December 2015, this was the beginning of a concert tour in which the young members who will lead the future are expected to make great strides. This was their first concert without their seniors who have always been behind them, and they captivated fans with their youthful and energetic performance. After the encore, a surprise announcement of the new unit "Dendenmu Chu!" was made during the MC, and seven members were selected: Nanna Owada, Mion Mukaichi, Aki Murayama, Miku Tanaka, Nako Yabuki, Saya Kawamoto, and Megu Taniguchi. The first day of the tour concluded with tears of joy and smiles. DISC2-DISC3[AKB48 Spring Solo Concert ~Jixo is still in training!~] DJ Hina Kojima appeared at the opening with EDM (electronic dance music)! Saitama Super Arena turned into a huge club, and the voltage reached its peak from the beginning with EDM arranged versions of songs such as "Flying Get." In the middle of the show, each team performed their songs, and Team 8 made their first surprise announcement. Ten people, including Ikumi Nakano and Nagisa Sakaguchi, were selected as Team 8's new unit. In the encore, they performed their 40th single ``Bokutachi wa Senai Nai'' for the first time, and it looked like the show was going to end safely, but suddenly the general manager of AKB48 appeared on stage and announced ``AKB48 Spring Personnel Changes.'' There was a huge roar from the venue at the announcement of concurrent positions between each group, new team composition, Rie Kitahara's transfer as NGT48 captain, and Rina Kawaei's graduation. DISC4 Making of : AKB48 Young Members National Tour ~The future is being created now~ AKB48 Spring Solo Concert ~Jikiso is still training!~ The bonus footage is behind-the-scenes coverage of Young Members' concerts.

First concert, first big hit! Nothing to say about the AUDIO CD. It's simply excellent. On the other hand, why make a BLU-RAY with only a “summary of the concert”? It's completely crazy, especially since it's their first published concert. It's incomprehensible, the choices of production houses are sometimes simply irrelevant. And what's more, we are treated to a documentary on this concert of which we only see extracts: more ridiculous, I don't know. We therefore have two products in this box: 1) A simple AUDIO CD of a concert: it's like going back 40 years. But it is excellent nonetheless! 2) A BLU-RAY with extracts from the concert: it's ridiculous. Fortunately, artists are excellent at correcting the blatant commercial errors of their production company! I recommend all of the NACHERRY AUDIO CDs already published (and whose sound recordings are excellent!) in addition to the AUDIO CD part of this product. Hoping that their production house comes to its senses... ANOTHER BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO NACHERRY!!!

I've been waiting too long for this show to be released. It's certainly not a stage for 100,000 fans, half a kilometer wide, with high decorations like the EFFEIL TOWER, but the atmosphere is fabulous. The presence (finally!!!) of musicians on stage radically changes the atmosphere!!! But the list of songs is missing in the booklet, everything is for the AUDIO CD, the concert being considered a secondary product!!! That's really having little consideration for these young women, isn't it? AVEX Marketing has an incomprehensible publication policy.

2 DVDs for 33 minutes and 56 minutes of show? These are just selected moments... I'll be direct: if it's not a bad concert, it's far from the usual atmosphere that Tokinsen is capable of bringing. Despite all the efforts that the young girls can make on stage, a form of boredom sets in. They even seem tired. And why 2 DVDs for such a short duration? Just 1 was enough. This saddens me, because there are already so few concerts published, and yet we have a lot of extracts from many concerts on their official YT channel, concerts never published! Only 5 concerts published since Tokisen was formed. Plus the 2 made during the COVID health crisis: these are paradoxically the best! There isn't even a list of songs in the booklet, everything is for the AUDIO CD... AVEX Marketing has an incomprehensible publication policy.

One of the best TOKISEN concerts! Indeed, it is one of the best, among the rare concerts published at the time, and there will be little more afterwards. After 3 minutes, we completely forget that it was filmed in a room without spectators, because of the COVID health crisis. The young girls provide an incredible atmosphere. It's even an achievement when we remember how our existence was supported at that time. To buy without hesitation!

Also the best TOKISEN concerts! Indeed, it is one of the best, among the rare concerts published at the time, and there will be little more afterwards. After 2 minutes, we completely forget that it was filmed in a room without spectators, because of the COVID health crisis. The concert is enhanced, compared to the TYPE A edition of the AUDIO CD, with a sequence of games and sporting and absolutely funny challenges. And the musical sequences are really excellent. I wonder how they could have been so cheerful and excellent, in such dramatic circumstances: the confinement linked to COVID...But it is often in adversity that we really reveal ourselves, right? With the TYPE B edition, these are two concerts to absolutely obtain, without any hesitation.

The concert is truly excellent. There is no negative criticism possible, it is simply impossible, otherwise it is bad faith. In any case, that's what I think. I haven't listened to the 2 AUDIO CDs yet, but I have no doubt about their excellence. I also see that the product is already in “Back Order” status!!! That shows how much it was appreciated, right? The group is even known in France: in the superb French-language magazine "JAPAN Magazine" number 16, there is an article about one of the young girls in the group, NATSUME! Absolutely superb article. We learn that she started at 17 and wanted to join Morning Musume. But ultimately, it will be OCHA NORMA, a brand new group a few years later. OCHA NORMA is an ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS group!

The group lost almost all the members who had been there since the beginning, more than 10 years ago. The new young women who came there have perfectly adopted the codes of the original group. They perfectly interpret all the great hits that made DEMPA GUMI.inc and I even have the feeling that some music has been slightly retouched and now has excellent maturity. Some people on Youtube have said that this new group no longer interests them. It is true that when we see historic members leave (only 2 remain) it can lead to a certain nostalgia, a little sadness even. But damn, life goes on! The young women who left are also mothers for some ;-) For the second disc, I will say that without subtitles, I can hardly say anything interesting about it. To obtain without hesitation, you will not be disappointed at all compared to the original group.

What can we say other than that the student has surpassed the master (AKB48) and in an absolutely masterful way? The success of NMB48 has not waned since that time. Please note: this box set includes 4 concerts in DVD version available separately but in BLU-RAY version: - Osaka Juuban Shoubu (Kanzen Ban) 2012.5.3@Osaka Orix Gekijou - Kinki Concert Tour - Minasan.Chapuchapu Shimasho - (Kanzen Ban) 2012.8.21 Yoru Kouen@Osaka Gold - Nishinihon Tour & Higashinihon Tour 2013 12 Gatsu 31 Nichi - 3rd Anniversary Special Live There is only more in the box: Request Hour 2014 Contains all songs from the Request Hour Best 50, which was held over two days at Orix Theater on May 21st and 22nd! Guest members also appear! If you don't know NMB48, this box set is an excellent choice!

One of the best CD albums of the year 2021! And for a first album (unless I'm mistaken), the quality is simply incredible! It's been a long time since I listened to such catchy and well-sung songs. These young women have completely captivating voices. To obtain urgently. I'm impatiently waiting for a first DVD / BLU-RAY!!! All my congratulations from France!

This album is an essential MCZ album. The studio versions of the songs offered are truly excellent. If you are hesitant about the absolutely enormous number of MCZ DVDs (and having bought ALL the MCZ DVDs, I know what I'm talking about!), buy this album. None of the songs has lost its interest, far from it: their studio version allows you to find fundamentals that are sometimes a little forgotten during concerts. And some of them should be present a little more often during the next concerts, and should have been on previous shows. This album is pure joy, to buy without hesitation. Go for it! And take advantage that it is still available...

It's always an intense pleasure to see these young singers on stage. Their energy, their kindness do us enormous good. After AKB48, it's the second group of Japanese singers that I discovered, and I've been a fan ever since! They are extremely endearing people. Their shows are always of very high quality, without anything grandiose or pretentious: just the songs, impeccable choreography, very pretty costumes, and it's perfect like that. But how unfortunate it is that so few shows are released on DVD/Bluray. For this one, only the second volume has been published, the first is, if I understood correctly, remained in the form of streaming (a video on demand), and I don't even know if it's still available, including outside Japan. It's frustrating, and difficult to understand.

Two exceptional shows! In this box, we have two shows. The first, "Longitude", occurred at Zepp DiverCity on February 5. The second, "Latitude", occurred on March 26 at KT Zepp Yokohama. The two are quite different and reflect very well the high artistic quality of the young singers, their musicians, and the authors and composers of the songs, and the diversity of musical styles. The first show is in a softer, calmer atmosphere than during the previous DVD/bluray. When I say calmer, it's relative, because it's still very energetic but not all the time. There are many new and beautiful songs too. The second show is at the heart of DIALOGUE+: the energy and the almost magical side of a rocket that wants to cross the barrier of light (yes, I know, I'm exaggerating a little, but I'm not a professional critic no more, eh?!). Of many very recent groups that I watch on the main video streaming platform, this is one of the ones that left the biggest impression on me. And honestly, I'm delighted. I'm looking forward to the next DVD/Bluray. Ah yes I would like to say that the sound recording of all their DVD/Bluray is excellent, as well as the video part: it's perfect. Even the menus are created with perfect professionalism. Even the costumes are very pretty, nothing extravagant or ugly. It is superb. I wish them a very long and very successful career. They really deserve it. To buy without ANY hesitation.

This edition is very disappointing! The first day is mainly composed of a medley of lots of MCZ hits! It is unacceptable. I understand why the other edition cannot be found... This is a very questionable business process. And I remain very moderate. Only day 2 conforms to a real concert rendered on DVD... The photo booklet is ridiculously small. The list of titles on the back of the box set is written in white on a gray background: it is almost illegible. Every day could fit on a single DVD... Success does not justify such excesses on the part of the MCZ production house!!!

An exceptional Show! Dialogue+ is a very recent group (2019) of 8 extremely friendly and energetic young singers, whose artistic qualities are of a high level. This is their first DVD/Bluray released. It was produced in very special conditions: in full confinement during the COVID crisis, in June 2020. We just have the singers, the musicians, the stage, and very simple light shows. You might think this is going to make for a trivial spectacle? Well no ! The result is simply STUNNING! The introductory song already gives an idea of the atmosphere that will reign throughout the show. And that’s nothing to say. This is probably one of the best shows I've seen so far. We completely forget that there are no spectators in the performance hall! If the singers are really excellent, the musicians are simply brilliant. When they play solo towards the middle of the show, it's an incredible moment: I almost thought I was hearing Deep Purple at the time of their legendary album "Made in Japan"! That tells you if these musicians are excellent. To buy without ANY hesitation.

A Show even more exceptional than the first! Here we have, unless I am mistaken, the first real concert published on DVD/Bluray of this young group. The result of the first concert ("online") was already breathtaking, the young singers and their musicians are several notches above! And the atmosphere in the performance hall: it's incredibly energetic and at the same time melodious! We don't get bored for a single second. The songs range from a gentle ballad to rock, even hard-rock, jazz, jazz-rock, funky, with a mastery and sequence worthy of artists with much more experience. The mastery of the stage by the young singers is simply incredible! In addition to the DVD/Bluray, there are 2 audio CDs of the concert in the case, which is a very nice initiative. The photo booklet is very pretty and highlights each of the young singers very well. We would have liked more photos, but these are of excellent quality. It's definitely one of the best shows I've seen so far. You know how you've seen a great show? Here are my observations (in addition to being very satisfied with them of course): 1) When the last song comes on, you say to yourself “but is it already the last song?!” 2) When the last song ends, you say to yourself "but is it already over?!" 3) You didn't touch or look at your smartphone during the entire show... To buy without ANY hesitation.

Great show, as always, but... However, there are several things that may surprise you. First, the group of musicians is reduced to only 4 people, and even with the help of an extraordinary percussion character whose very sophisticated system replaces several musical instruments, it absolutely does not give the same atmosphere as in the previous shows. This is felt throughout the show. Then, the general atmosphere is decidedly very calm, we don't very often find this almost magical atmosphere, even grandiose, if not a little "crazy" as in many previous shows. Finally, if the second concert recorded at Osaka-jo Hall seems more dynamic (more...electric?), it has a very surprising particularity: the sound is monophonic, unless I'm mistaken! Frankly, if that's it, I don't understand. "The fault of a student trainee in the sound control"? The booklet has many beautiful photos. In summary, if MCZ gains in maturity, the group, during these two shows, becomes a little less enthusiastic than before. But I repeat, this does not detract from the quality of the show, which remains very high. I feel like a transition period for MCZ this year 2017. I don't think small venues are made for a band like MCZ, but you understand that doing a concert in a stadium in the middle of winter is difficult to imagine...although not! The one from 2013 - which I highly recommend! - is the counter-example, because it was shot in the open air, in the mountains, with lots of snow, and moreover at the end of the first day's concert, the snow began to fall heavily...

I give a score of 5/5 for the overall artistic quality of this article: these young singers very much deserve it. They are for me in the top three groups of young female singers in Japan (the first DVD I bought here was their 2019 Christmas concert). For the technical quality of the second disc (the AUDIO version of a concert, it is not a DVD), I give a note of 3/5 because of the irremediable problem on track 13: my CD player tries 5 or 6 times of reading at 3 minutes 29 seconds, and skipping at 3 minutes 41 seconds, and my DVD/Bluray player gets through this time better, but there is a clearly audible play attempt problem. These problems are extremely rare these days. The disc presents no problems on visual inspection, and I have tried it several times on both devices.