Linkin Berryz and Cutie Park: LP meets the Hello! Kiddies

Special thanks to Radicalipton in advance for the inspiration of this entry’s topic:

Speaking of Linkin Park, you might want to check out Chinamist's fine remixes on YouTube (formerly of the extinct but excellent Stage6 site), in which he interfaces Linkin Park songs (3 to be exact) with Berryz Kobo PV footage. Crazy? Yes, but it really works!

I decided to check out the videos (turns out there’s actually five Hello! Park videos instead of three but how was Big Bad Rad supposed to know? Only the Berryz had straightforward names and you’d have to be a LP fan to know that the two C-ute videos were of the same caliber as well).

First vid
Video Name: C-ute A Peace of My Head
Hello Kiddie Group: C-ute
Linkin Park Song: “A Place for My Head” from Hybrid Theory (2000)
My Two Cents: Putting aside obvious errors in the name, this is an example of the footage blends about almost exactly to the song. For example, the first few seconds blend almost as though they were made to “A Place for My Head” (considering it wasn’t released as a single). While the “You tried to take the best me. Go away” part was a little questionable (the first few seconds was rather energetic, unless you consider the rhythm of Chester’s vocals. When he starts screaming and the music goes on again, the dancing becomes slow but again, it’s okay if you consider the constant flow of the music). I also likes the small breaks near the end. The choreography provides a nice fusion of rock and little idol kids.

It was also interesting to see Cuties “rapping” and “singing”/“screaming” Mike and Chester’s respective parts (I think it was Saki was appeared to be doing Mike’s lines for the most part, though she also “does” Chester’s lines at some parts. Maimi also joins in some parts).

One additional little highlight from me is Maimi in the beginning. There are no words spoken in the beginning so the vid (the footage provided for said part) gives the impression that she is imitating the bass.

One last thing from me is that the lyrics, when put into the perspective of the Hello! Project, could be descriptive of the feelings of the harshness of the idol industry and the fans/wotas involved from the idol’s point of view (i.e. Maki Goto).

Second vid
Video Name: C-ute What I've Done
Hello Kiddie Group: C-ute
Linkin Park Song: “What I’ve Done” from Minutes to Midnight (2007)
My Two Cents:  This little vid incorporates not only concert footage but also behind the scenes footage and clips from the “Tokaikko Junjou” PV as well, making it a well-rounded piece.

The black-and-white outtakes show their funny side, adding some sentimentality to the work. It was like watching an episode of LPTV (think the backstage footage you see on Single Vs), only with C-ute.

Now comes my little critique of the PV footage used. Chinamist was right to use “Tokaikko Junjou” for the mood and the setting blends well with the LP, almost like watching a C-ute cover of “What I’ve Done” (you’d have to often remind yourself that it’s not -it would be considered an OPV-). For example, when Chisato bounces the baseball, showing her hand at “…with the hands of uncertainty” and when Maimi takes the baseball and chucks it towards a river, almost symbolic of the song’s “moving on from the past” message. The choreography also fit with the song (I’ve overused this phrase. I apologize).

I also admire the ending, also using the “Tokaikko Junjou” PV, with a closeup of the face and then fading into a background.
When put into Hello! Perpsective: The song itself is about accepting your faults and moving on with the past (duh. I said that before). We can interpret this as C-ute moving on from their past as background dancers and “indies” singers into a future as full-fledged idols, competing against “oneesan” Berryz and “oneesama” Morning Musume. Then again, this “accept what’s yesterday, move on with tomorrow” attitude can be applied to any Haropro group or any music act in the world (like the Mikan Controversy and the present issue with “LALALA”).

First vid for the Berryz.
Video Name: Linkin Berryz Part1
Hello Kiddie Group: Berryz Koubou
Linkin Park Song: “Numb” from Meteora (2003)
My Two Cents: Using slowed-down footage from a Haromoni@ (that is where it’s from, right?) performance of the Berryz Single Everyone Hates Nowadays (aka “Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi”), this Meteora gem of a closer (it’s the last song on the album) is Berryfied in the best way possible. Choreography and timing praise is abound.
When put into Hello! Perpsective: The song talks about the strain coming from the pressure to live up to someone’s standards. We’ve seen it all before in our lives as wota - idols “letting us down” when they “do something wrong” or out of what we’d expect them to be. Some wota even believe that an idol should stay within what we think of them forever. It could be a message from the idol to the wota (and idol management because they play a role too) about this issue.

Second for the Berryz.
Video Name: [Linkin Berryz] Part2
Hello Kiddie Group: Berryz Koubou
Linkin Park Song: “Breaking the Habit” from Meteora (2003)
My Two Cents: The Dance Shot version of the “Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi” PV is the primary source of footage for this OPV. However, unlike the slowed-down live performance, this is sped-up.

The blending of Hello! Choreography and Linkin Lyrics are practically spot on (much like “Cutie Park”’s “A Place for My Head”). In fact, this is probably the video that has the most precise timing of the Berryz with the Linkin (except with the ending; I think it should have been slower. Although, that’s going with the music. If you go with the sound effects and whatnot, you can say they’re on-key. Plus, the ending effect certainly makes up for it.

(BTW this was my first Linkin Park song).
When put into Hello! Perpsective: The name of the song says it all - breaking a bad habit that tears you life apart from limb to limb. When Mike Shinoda wrote this song, it was dedicated to a friend of his who was terribly addicted to drugs yet was unable to quit. While the Hello! Project at large aren’t for the most part drug junkies (then again, we have smokers and leg-spreaders within H!P, along with blogger-made accusations of Kusumi Koharu -and even Tsunku- being on drugs), the “break a bad habit” theme can be seen within idol culture. One example is the scandals (Aibon anyone?). In fact… we all have bad habits that we wish to break, don’t we? I’m sure that our idols have some too under those smiles and smirks.

Third for the Berryz.
Video Name: Linkin Berryz Part3
Hello Kiddie Group: Berryz Koubou
Linkin Park Song: “Faint” from Meteora (2003)
My Two Cents: Like Part 2, the Dance Shot version of the “Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi” PV is the primary source of footage for this OPV. However, unlike its predecessor, it’s at normal speed.

It’s like the Berryz are getting accurately timed videos (not that C-ute has off videos - they’re pretty good) because it’s almost like the dance was designed for this song! (Okay, there’s an obvious effect near the end but still). I don’t really have anything to highlight other than it being 100% “Linkin Berryz.” (If Chinamist was practicing his transitions and his timing in the other vids, I’d say he has gotten it down pact with this one. Five stars! Two thumbs up! Two “rock on” horns up as well!).
When put into Hello! Perpsective: The lyrics suggest a want (or need) to be noticed after circumstances and that attention will be given, “like or not.” Another expression of the idol and their life, their circumstances, their “need for attention” to not only the wota and the idol management but also the world at large. The song also expresses a need for whoever they’re talking to “don’t turn their back on them” for “they won’t be ignored.”

This makes a nice finale to the series (along it being one of my favorite Linkin Park songs).

Now, the videos overall were pretty well-done imho. While in some videos, things were a little off, Chinamist provided a fascinating bridge between the alternativeness that is Linkin Park and the idolicious goodness that is the Hello! Project (using the Kiddies as examples). Also in Chinamist’s channel are videos featuring Buono! and Lucky Star (along with more Berryz and C-ute videos) combined with a variety of artists like TM Revolution, Judy & Mary, and even those guys who did “YATTA!” so feel free to check it out.