Remembering good ol' Ali Project days

感情: nostalgic
音楽: "Seishoujo Ryouiki" - ALI PROJECT






Listening to my old ALI PROJECT mp3s brings back old memories especially when they were still in the Shiro Ari (White Alice) phase. Those poppish songs like Wish, Peony Pink and Labyrinth were reminiscent of their old works which doesn't really reminiscent them NOW. Especially now that they have changed into the Kuro Ari (Black Alice) phase.

But believe it or not, I like them as they are now. Although their songs tend to have "no point" or "nodirection" at all but Arika's supreme voice is what atrracted me to the group. And my two fave ALI PROJECT songs like Kinjirareta Asobi and Seishoujo Ryouiki are really my dosage of great neo-classical songs of everyday. Especially the latter, it never fails to make me smile because it is considered as one of the "merriest" songs that the group performed -- at least for me. Well I mean, some of their songs are also happy but with the despair and dark feeling within them but Seishoujo Ryouiki is not among these songs (although the translations of the songs are also a factor) but when it comes to the sound or tune, you won't really feel the "darkness" it possesses.

And it was actually one of my first influences to ALI PROJECT's neoclassical/darkwave songs because my initial attachment to them was Peony Pink because I was watching Clamp School Detectives several years ago. I mean, I'm still not that attached at time but I can remember the names of the singers/groups in a certain extent so when Avenger came out of Animax and noticed the same name, I was like "WAHH!" because it was so far from the ALI PROJECT that I knew from Clamp School. And that time, I didn't know the shift from Shiro to Kuro Ari. xD But it was really all good for me. Gesshoku Grand Guignol (Lunar Eclipse Grand Guignol) was my first ALI PROJECT neoclassical song that I've heard then got curious with Kopperia no Hitsugi (Coppelia's Coffin) which is the opening theme for the anime Noir. It was, at some point, creepy and spine tingling but it still very powerful to me even at this moment.



And now I present to you, a live version of Seishoujo Ryouiki (Domain of the Holy Girl) together with famous anime seiyuu/singer Nana Mizuki. :D Seishoujo Ryouiki is the opening theme for the anime series Rozen Maiden Traumend which is the sequel to Rozen Maiden in which ALI PROJECT also did the opening theme (entitled Kinjirareta Asobi [Forbidden Game]). I tell you, one of the most amusing combi is Arika Takarano and Nana Mizuki. Actually one of my most fave videos of all time because as I said, this is one of ALI PROJECT's merriest songs and one of the songs that you should listen especially if you want to try out the group. :D

I'm telling this because I remember reading one of my friends' statement that she heard ALI PROJECT by Code Geass because they did the ending theme but when she heard the long version, it was "too much" for her and I didn't really get the point of that "too much" --- too much what? o,O Oh well. I'll just indulge more into them since they're one awesome group. *lurves gothic lolita fashion*

Random I've Sound trivias/facts

感情: hungry
音楽: "Kopperia no Hitsugi" - ALI PROJECT

DISCLAIMER: This post doesn't contain ALL trivias/facts regarding I've Sound. I'm just going to post the facts that I only know. If there are infos that I don't know or you would like to add, please inform me! :D I'd be more than happy if you enlighten me with more infos plus I'll credit you. xD

Now, let's start!

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

1. the most highest first-week sales of I've Sound single is 25,499 copies? Which is KOTOKO's 2nd single Re-sublimity while the single with the weakest first-week sales is MELL's 4th single KILL with only 2,664 copies sold.

2. the I've single with the longest charting week is Eiko Shimamiya's debut single Higurashi no Naku Koro ni? It charted for 26 weeks. While the shortest charting week is still MELL's 4th single KILL which only stayed at the Oricon top 200 charts for only 2 weeks.

3. the most successful (I meant highest ranking, not highest sales) I've single ever released was KOTOKO's 5th single being which garnered the #4 spot on its first week. Although that was the case, did you know that the least successful I've single as of now is also by KOTOKO? And it's her recent released sleepy single U Make Ai Dream which only debuted at #46. (But if we're talking about an "all-time" single, the lowest will be Shooting Star at #62). 

4. the longest I've Sound song of all time is Eiko Shimamiya's Sukarabe no Inori -Brown Sugar Style- from her EP hologram. It's length is 8:51. But if we're talking about an original song (meaning it's not a remix), the longest would be Eiko Shimamiya's O with a length of 8:03. Despite the shortest title I've had came up, it holds the longest non-remix song of all time. While the shortest song would be Mami Kawada's 4th single Get my way! with a length of 2:56.

5. the longest original title (meaning there's no  "-Remix-" or any other name of a person who remixed it or whatsoever) that I've made was KOTOKO's song Mighty Heart ~Aru Hi no Kenka, Itsumo no Koigokoro~ with 40 letters on it (special/punctuational characters not included) while the shortest title is Eiko Shimamiya's O.

6. I've Sound's first movie/live-action tie-in was Real Onigokko? The song made for the said movie was performed by KOTOKO with the same title as the movie.

7. that the first I've girl was actually MELL and not KOTOKO? MELL and I've Sound King Kazuya Takase are already acquainted with each other even before I've was created. However, at that time, MELL is still using her pseudonym Orihime and it was changed to MELL when I've was formed way back 1998. And according to an interview when MELL will be guesting at a concert in Texas a few years ago, it was actually Takase who gave her the name MELL which came from her pet dog named Mellmo. She asked why gave that name but Takase just persisted it and unbelievably, she used it! Until right now, her real name is still a mystery.

8. I've Sound girls had a rather "private" profile? Speaking of mysteries, their real names were never revealed and even their birth years. What's with the hiding of personal information?

9. the first I've girl to sign into a recording label was actually KOTOKO and not MELL? KOTOKO was the first to sign a recording contract to Geneon on 2004, followed by Mami Kawada (2005), Eiko Shimamiya (2006), MELL (2006), and Kaori Utatsuki (2007). Although the same year, Eiko Shimamiya was still the first to sign since her debut single Higurashi no Naku Koro ni was released 3 weeks before MELL's debut single Red fraction.

10. the most successful and highest selling I've Sound album of all time was KOTOKO's 2nd album Garasu no Kaze? It garnered the #6 position and had a total sales of approximately 48,000 copies. The least successful and least sold album was Eiko Shimamiya's 2nd album Hikari Nadeshiko. It only reached #27 and sold only 7,333 copies.

11. the I've girl who has the most multiple tie-in of only one series was Eiko Shimamiya? From her debut album to her future 5th single, it is all tie-in with Higurashi no Naku Koro ni series.

12. (c/o KuroiYuki88) according to their official profile in Geneon's website, the tallest member of Love Planet Five is Mami Kawada with 158cm (some says its 159cm) height, and the shortest is KOTOKO with 150cm. However, recently KOTOKO wrote in her blog, saying that she grew 2cm taller than the official one. So if we count this as true, then Kaori Utatsuki will be the shortest member with 151cm.

13. Madonna is actually one of MELL's idols (according to the same interview mentioned above) that's why if you see the Promotional Video (PV) for no vain, it's somewhat similar to Madonna's video for Frozen. Similar location, same color setting, similar clothing etc.

Hmm this is all that I can think of right now. I'll add up if something comes up from my mind squeezing. XP nyahaha!