Maji Love 2000% - STARISH CD review

Title: Maji Love 2000%
Artists: STARISH
Release date: 24 April 2013
Version: n/a

Packaging: A rather standard packaging for a single, the usual jewel case with a front and back cover. The main artwork is on the front cover that doubles as the booklet cover. Within the booklet the artwork is reused to give each character a small head shot mixed in with the lyrics. The lyrics do have the line breakdown of who sings what line. The CD itself is picture labeled with the same head shots that are in the booklet but in blue monochrome.

Tracks:

1. Maji Love 2000%
The song incorporates some of the sounds of the first season's opening theme, Maji Love 1000% but does enough new to take it at least a step above being just a rehash of that song so it can stand on its own. I do like that with this song it starts off with each character getting to say the letter of the group's name that corresponds with their own name. As a fan of Japanese boy bands that tend to use the same naming conventions I find it a nice nod to that. Overall another fun song with a lot of energy and after listening to the shortened version of it watching the second season it is nice to hear the full thing as it makes it sound fresh again.

2. 夢追人へのSymphony (Yumeoibito e no Symphony)
Like with the first season there is a slower song that the group sings together during the series that is the B-side to the theme song single. This is very much in the same vein. I do love that being a quieter song that it lets the vocals stand as the focus of the song. And like it usually is with real life boy bands everyone in the group gets a good amount of solo lines throughout the song. The instrumental is nice, helping bring out the flourishes in the song and a really nice way to bring it to a close. After the high energy of the first track this one brings things down to a more relaxing place.

3. Maji Love 2000% (off vocal)
4. 夢追人へのSymphony (Yumeoibito e no Symphony) (off vocal)


Overall: A nice addition to the ever growing discography for the Uta no Prince-sama series. The title song strikes a good balance of borrowing from the first theme song to adding something new to it. And the coupling track acts as a nice balance to the first track with the difference in sound and energy.

Honestly if you liked the single for the first season theme song than you will most likely like this one as well. And if you are a fan of the series then it is nice to hear the full versions of these instead of the shortened versions used in the series. I actually like Maji Love 2000% much more as a full song and feel it comes off as being much stronger in full.