Wonderful Journey

Sakura Junior High School urge you to travel the world with them

Earlier this month, Junior High School idol group Sakura Gakuin released their 4th single Wonderful Journey. The first single since the departure of graduated members Matsui Airi, Miyoshi Ayaka and former student council president Muto Ayami. Wonderful Journey plays on the group’s usual school theme to urge the audience to learn about the world together with Sakura Gakuin.

Wonderful Journey is typical idol fare as far as the arrangement goes. Choir-like vocals are backed by band instrumentals, though the group tends to focus more on the former more than others. The girls from Sakura Gakuin sing of curiosity, aspiration and excitement but for the most part, the song is about nonsensical references to various countries around the world and bits of their languages.

Wonderful Journey would not be particularly notable, if not for the somewhat catchy tune and refreshing theme. The theme also lends itself quite nicely to Sakura Gakuin’s use of flags, which can be likened to the arbitrary use of glow sticks and face towels in the choreography for all Japanese idol and rock groups.

Wonderful Journey.

With other Japanese idol groups slowly gaining ground overseas, and Sakura Gakuin’s own spin-off sub-unit BABYMETAL visiting Singapore later this year as part of the Anime Festival Asia 2012, could it be that Sakura Gakuin themselves are looking towards the rest of the world?