Final Fantasy VII No Materia Challenge

FFVII opening screen

The amount of times I've seen this screen

Time for something different. A few weeks ago I decided to try a challenge on Final Fantasy VII. There were various reasons for this choice. Firstly, I didn’t particularly want to start a new game, however, I didn’t really want the monotony of replaying one. I have a limited selection of games with me to physically play on my Playstation – I limited myself to unfinished games – and likewise, I also have a limited selection on emulator. I ended up relying on good old Final Fantasy VII, but rather than powerhouse my way through it, reducing everything in my path to a weird red outline, I chose to undertake one of the easiest challenges for completing the game – the no Materia challenge. It’s my first challenge, hence why I wanted it to be one of the easier ones. This is also my first time playing the game correctly on an emulator, instead of ripping it apart with the Debug room. This means pictures!!!

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AKB48 – Koko ni ita Koto

“I want you! I need you! I love you!”

Koko ni Ita Koto cover

They couldn't fit 48 girls on this cover. These are the girls people can actually name.

AKB48 need no introduction. Established as the idols you can meet, their success seemed to appear out of nowhere. They came close, with singles such as Beginner, to breaking records that have been held for 10 years by solo juggernauts Namie Amuro and Utada Hikaru. 2010 was AKB48′s year, and many believed their gimmicky marketing would not let it last into 2011. Last year proved even more successful for AKB48, and in June 2011, they packaged up 2010 with some new tracks in their first original album (their previous two were single collections) – ここにいたこと (Koko ni ita Koto/We Were Here). This is idol music. If you keep that in mind when listening to this album, AKB48′s success may become a little clearer.

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Ayumi Hamasaki – FIVE

“The days we could just be free are far past”

Ayu

I thought we agreed you'd have long hair forever, Ayu!?

It’s hard for me to review this album. I’m stuck between what I felt for Ayu, what I feel for her now, and the fact that I instinctively place anything by her in a thirteen year context. Anything she produces is valued on a scale of comparison, is this because, like most Ayu fans, I’m stuck in the past, or because she is no longer the innovative, inspired, unreachable figure she once was? Maybe she still is that to some people, and I am no longer captivated her magical spell. This isn’t about Ayu and I though, this is about FIVE and the music. But with Ayu, it’s hard to separate her music from the fans she is so devoted to, but it’s also hard to ignore the extremely selfish nature of what she does and the way Ayumi Hamasaki produces her product.

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Shojo Jidai – GIRLS’ GENERATION

“Just let it rain…”

I really do not know their names

For ease I’ll be referring to the girls as Girls’ Generation, also known as 소녀시대 (Sonyeo Shidae/SNSD) in Korea, and 少女時代 (Shoujo Jidai) in Japan. Their first Japanese album is a collection of remakes of their classic Korean hits in Japanese, such as Gee and Hoot, and a healthy amount of new material. This album may just surprise you with how good it is!

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Miliyah Kato – DESIRE/BABY!BABY!BABY!

“I’ll crush the summer sun and immediately give it to you. Holding on to the season in which we met”

Miliyah Kato

The very yellow limited edition cover.

Miliyah Kato’s “WHY” was easily my favourite song of 2009. It both made me a follower of her music, and I also devoured her back catalogue. Despite having an intense dislike of her permanent sad face expression for modelling, I’ve found her newer albums to be fantastic. DESIRE/BABY!BABY!BABY! is both true to the Miliyah Kato style, but also as summery as you can expect to hear from her. Released on 2011.6.22

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2NE1 – LONELY and Park Bom – DON’T CRY

“Baby I’m sorry, even when I’m with you, I’m lonely”

Park Bom

My favourite member is actually CL, Bom is cute though

You might be starting to notice, or soon will notice, that I’m not good with knowing names in girl groups. This is where 2NE1 is the exception. CL, Minzy, Bom (whose solo single is also being reviewed) and Dara are known for their overuse of autotone and vocoder voices, in-your-face attitudes and over the top colourful promotional videos. But unlike their peers in the industry – both in Japan and Korea -  there’s no cutesy cheerleader/schoolgirl type costumes and playing to a male audience, but even 2NE1 can’t avoid the dance routine crucial to these groups.  “LONELY and “Don’t Cry” manage to show that 2NE1 have talents other than looking good in flashy clothes and reinforce the talent they portrayed in songs such as “It Hurts“. Both songs are refreshingly different to what is expected from 2NE1.

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Natalia Kills – Perfectionist

“Just take two of these with perfection, and everything will be fine in the morning”

Natalia Kills

This isn't the cover. Too much black, grey and red in the cover.

Natalia Kills is a singer-songwriter from England. Her debut album Perfectionist was first released in continental Europe in April 2011. She’s English, but she has this really annoying talking voice where you’d think she’s faking an American accent. I loath her talking voice, her singing voice, fortunately, is better. Riddled with Americanisms, sex, love and the physical appearance, the album is a mixed bag. Tied in with her persona, music videos and mini-films, can the album stand alone without the visuals she has surrounded it with?

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