It made me a little sad when you said. ""...which gets me a certain amount of grief.". I'm not sure what people say to you, but ignore them. You are apart of The One, so you have over millions of people who are on your side and feel the same happiness as you do when you listen to BABYMETAL. BABYMETAL is one of the joys I have in my life right now. Their songs make me happy, and energize me more than a cup of coffee. Btw, I am a 48 old man who still gets emotional listening to "The One", "No Rain, No Rainbow", "Akutsuki (Unfinished Ver,)", and their performance of "Ijime, Dame, Zettai" at Sonisphere 2014. Greetings, from California!

⚡ 💀 💕 / 💓 ⏰ There's a distinction between the Kami Band (live supporting musicians) and Babybones (the guys in skeleton suits pretending to play instruments), like they have in this video. The Kami Band were introduced in October 2012 at 'Legend I' with a two song encore of 'Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!' and 'Ijime Dame Zettai'. The last Babybones appearance was in February 2014. Folks are often surprised how long the Babybones and the live Kami Band overlapped. Although they had school uniforms as Sakura Gakuin members, the outfits for this video, as well as 'Iine!' are Goth Loli style. Su's coat was borrowed from one of the teachers. Moa's vest was borrowed from Yui, and Yui borrowed hers from fellow student Raura. More importantly, you made really interesting points and had some observations I hadn't considered before. I hope you continue this series.

Great video and thanks from Japan 有難う💛。This is my first experience to look forward to watching forthcoming reaction videos. Normally, this comment area is full of information, advice, recommendation or sometimes refutation, correction or even giving second chance to reactors. But today, viewers are enjoying your reaction or lecture "How to enjoy BABYMETAL". I am a 65-year-old Japanese guy but a newbie in the Foxhole and had never been a fan of girls group in my life until July 2019. (I know that BABYMETAL is beyond a just "girls group") I still have a lot of things to learn about them. So please continue this series.

Wow, your analysis of the video and explanation of the lyrics to "Doki Doki Morning" was very eye opening. The part about "I hate pretending not to know.", the downside of kawaii culture, and the infantilizing of women, was VERY interesting. There is so much more substance to this song than I realized! Now, I'm really curious what I will learn from their other songs! Thank you!

Professor Andrew, I just enrolled in your class, "BABYMETAL Theory 1 - Fall 2020". This is going to be fun and enlightening! SUBSCRIBED

5 dislikes ? That's easily one of the best analysis I've seen on BABYMETAL in a long while ! This was amazing, keep them coming and I'll be sure to keep watching ;).

I'm mid - fifties and have been involved with metal music since my teens, and to be honest BABYMETAL gives me joy. Playing in bands all that time with all the issues and personality disputes that are part and parcel, had all but robbed me of my love of music, so much so that I had long ago quit listening to music for enjoyment, listening only to produce and to learn cover songs for gigs. And then I found BABYMETAL and quickly tumbled into the Foxhole. (My friends and family are sometimes a little perplexed by my continued declaration that this is the greatest band ever, but, oh well!) I am a daily listener and love to watch peoples first reaction to them. Watching reactors has led me to many other new bands over the last few years and my love of music is restored. As far as I am concerned, BABYMETAL'S quest from the Fox God to restore hope and joy to the metal galaxies is a real thing. I'm subbed, please, do proceed. Kitsune Dao!

Just astonished by wide range of your lecture out of this short music video ! Thank you for opening my eyes. Respect from Japan. 🐳

Wow, that was really great. I wondered how someone could talk about Doki Doki Morning for almost twenty minutes and keep it interesting and you really managed to. If you continue with this journey I'm totally onboard. I guess it would be really great to keep it chronological to also see how they evolve through the years. Kitsune up!! 🤘🏻🦊

Your smile indicates a genuine appreciation for the art. I view DDM as pure magic combining real talent of the collaboration of music., arrangements, the girls, dance movements, video and sound editing. It's fun to watch and makes one feel happy. How can anyone not smile? Looking forward to your analysis of Megitsune.

I'm a huge fan of Babymetal and hope you continue through each of their songs. Even though I know quite a bit I really enjoy your informative take on Babymetal and you got me as a new subscriber. 🤘🦊🤘

Great idea! It will provide us, BABYMETAL fan diehards -- and lurkers who wonder what the hype is all about -- a new and interesting avenue to enjoy what BABYMETAL has to offer! I hope you manage to do a lot of their songs like this!

Nice work, 100% agree with your ‘metal rant’. I’m only a few years off your age and the Babymetal phenomenon is perhaps the most 100%+ effort production I’ve seen, from the music, choreography, performance and staging. Lucky enough to see them this year too. As for the, “not playing instruments or writing music”, directed at the girls, Frank Sinatra made a reasonable career with that model.

Good analysis, I can't think of anything you said that I could disagree with - and yes please, why not do something similar with all their songs - random or chronological order depending on whether you can think of more to say each time (and there is always lots to say ... you should see some of my comments on KZfaq reactions lol). Just a thought, did you have a relative who wrote a book about fly fishing? (I think only Brits of a certain age will understand the reference).

I don't often go back and revisit DDM, so I appreciate this video. One thing I would add is this. At the time of the song's making (recorded late October 2010), Babymetal was merely a subunit of the idol group Sakura Gakuin. I think that is an important note with this song in particular... And how it plays a part of the first Sakura Gakuin album. Because, those songs (Yume ni Mukatte, Hello Ivy!, Fly Away, Chime, Message, even Brand New Day (not to be confused with the Babymetal song of the same name)) were all aspirational within the box of an idol group of elementary/middle school students. Of course, the musicality is different (and Koba's genius is recognizing the potential of this mash-up and pushing this sub-group beyond the boundaries of Sakura Gakuin) and the image is different. But, lyrically, the song fits very well within the SG universe. (I think all 3 Babymetal songs that were also in Sakura Gakuin albums fit fairly comfortably lyrically within the Sakura Gakuin template of aspirational and/or fun songs. Even Ijime Dame Zettai (which was performed on stage with SG) fits the concept (but the length probably was a factor for not getting on a SG album). I look forward to your continued thoughts.

just do all the songs in order of release - im a huge fan but never knew anything about the lyrics, keep em coming im your 30th sub - i think that number may rise....

Thanks Prof Hartley. Enjoyed it and welcome to the foxhole 🦊. Agree with most of your comments. They just make me happy as well. I think it is on those people who see a negative. I am an old metal head and never thought of the "Girls" being sexualized until others made that comment. I have learned much about Japanese culture because of BM. The world needs to relate more to what we have in common instead of focusing on our differences. Looking forward to the next one. 🤘🦊🤘

You definitely nailed the the polarization that occurs at the decision point for adoption of these guys. KISS anyone? I will even admit that I was skeptical at first but I think seeing the dedication and resolve they displayed in the 2016 Download performance of Karate sealed the deal for me.

Great analysis. I’ve been a fan for about 9 months now and you have given me new insights into this song. I subscribed to your channel and looking forward to more insightful analysis. Thank you. 🦊

Yes, please do continue with the lecture, professor! 😄👍 There are tons of reaction videos. The videos that dissect and explain BABYMETAL songs and videos, objectively and from a fan’s perspective, are rare, though. So, although I’m a fan myself and already know everything there is to know about BABYMETAL, I’d love to hear more of your takes on what they’re about. Looking forward to the next one! 🤘🦊

Greatness! I hope your lecture hall has an abundance of seating to hold all of us. Consider me enrolled in Babymetal 101! I just found them last April and I can't get enough. The positive and upbeat energy has helped me through a rough period and they are my official workout playlist (I'm 55 and just recently started exercising again). Looking forward to more!

Wow, that was so cool and entertaining, I enjoyed every second of your video. So thanks a lot for your insights and necessary rants about music elitists :-) New subscriber earned. And please continue this BABYMETAL journey.

Subed, please keep going, im loving the lyrics insight. BABYMETAL FOREVER 🤘🤘🤘 All hail The Fox God

I have been a BABYMETAL for a few years now, nevertheless this was quite interesting. A few things I had never thought about, and a few things can't be said often enough.

Always positive, being strong, type of songs. Great Rant

You did a good job touching on all the BM areas fans deal with and BM has to resist to continue their journey through kawaii metal. A lot of fans really don't know BabyMetal. They know the music but the BM story makes it even better. The girls were cute but also very serious. Now as women they are even more serious about being catalysts to change the world. They are fascinating to me. Thanks!

Just came across your channel and LOVE your breakdowns of their music, videos and Japanese insights. The first time I heard this song, some time back in 2013, my jaw dropped to the floor, and once they started head banging it was all over for me… and I have been addicted ever since. As a composer I usually look at things from a musical perspective first, so it’s nice to hear different perspectives of what makes them stand out to other people. Their key is CONTRAST. Their concept is something so extreme on both ends, it can’t agree with everyone. Mixing cuteness with brutal metal was initially just dismissed as gimmicky - a concept that shouldn’t work on paper, but it just did, and I think it’s due to Key Kobayashi’s genius and respect for both of those worlds. I remember the metal scene going bonkers over them, some in a good and some in a bad way. Once they got praise and endorsements from big names in the industry, like Rob Halford et al, the hate seemed to die down a bit, and people embraced their fun and craft more openly. Plus they really started to shine (even more) once the kami band was made part of their touring lineup. I saw them in 2014 in LA at the Ford Theater, a venue that holds roughly 1600 people, and it was clear even back then that their greatness wasn’t just a fad. Looking forward to watching your whole catalog of breakdowns. Cheers from LA \m/ BABYMETAL \m/

Appreciate your insightful analysis of Babymetal and in particular this song. Subbed. Look forward to more.

Yes please do more as many as you’d like and or can, the information you give is great and so enjoyable, thank you! 🤘🏽🦊

Awesome analysis, thank you so much!

Andrew-Metal RULES. Keep the videos coming please

wow loved it, one of the best videos about Babymetal I've seen around this year. Please continue, would love to see your take on other stuff from the band.

I am now on your new class to :D Something to brighten up 2020. I am 53 (as of today in fact) and found them only in 2018 by accident and suffered that classic WTAF moment as something I was only half listening to on KZfaq made me stop (I was at work), rewind to the start and watch to the end in awe. I was hooked from that moment. Seen them live 3 times now and for the first time in my life found music that reached my soul. I admired the lack of sexualisation compared to many girls in music sadly - the girls always came across a strong female empowerment models despite the kawaii image.

That was a great analysis - more please !

Really enjoyed that video. Keep 'em coming!!

a babymetal analysis is something i never knew i needed... thank you, sir for this video

Oh my god it seems i stumbled over a treasure trove of Babymetal Analysis videos. GJ!

I’m in. Great video x

Wow! I agree with you 1000%! From now can i call you Master Andrew? No kidding here! Good job!🤘🦊🤘

61st subscriber here..... :) Been a BM fan for about 3 years now, seen a ton of reaction videos and this is one that stands out in terms of being informative. I already know the most of it of course but what I like very much about this one is the analysis of the lyrics, I would love to see you do more of that. It wouldn't be only informational but perhaps even a bit educational for people trying to study Japanese, like me. ;) But don't tone down the analysis of every other aspect of the songs, your take on it is very factual and highly interesting. As you started off with the first video they made, I suggest moving forward with their songs in release order,... but that's entirely up to you of course. But yeah, keep them coming!

Thank you, it's always good to hear people with certain knowledges, like when a musician reatcs to them, and explains their work musicaly, so it's gereat to have a professor to give a more academic and even cultural analysis of their work, it was very interesting hearing your thoughts on the lyrics of this song. And i agree with your views on their looks, it's to be cute and metal, like adorable metal little sisters, it was never about being sexy, even now that they are adults it's more about being feminine than being sexy. And that "Yo ne?" part... it always get me, can't hold back a smile at that XD.

Back to square #1. I'm late to the party but determined to watch them all. As always, professor, thanks a lot for your explanations. While I'm by now used to multi layered meanings and themes like girl empowerment in Babymetal songs, I totally did not expect it in this one. But then, Megitsune is from about the same period, so I shouldn't have been surprised. In hindsight, Koba-metal had a masterplan and followed it from day one. Thanks also for your remarks regarding "that's not metal" and sexualization (or the lack thereof). Favourite moment: The Babybones join the dance. Totally surreal; you might as well put Darth Vader into a Moulin Rouge show. Just to give you some info about your audience: I'm an older white guy (born 1965, German) and discovered Babymetal 9 months ago via The Charismatic Voice @ YT, where they did a vocal analysis of the Karate MV. I've been hooked since, bought all four albums and listen to them as whole works of art. Saw them live in May supporting Sabaton. I can't make it to Cologne on Nov 21st, but hope to see them again next year. They are announced to be in the lineup for the Rock am Ring festival here in Germany in June 2024, so I'll guess they will do other concerts in this part of the world around that time. I am very much looking forward to the rest of this series!

I love your view on music, like music is supposed to be a way of self expression rather than genre boxes, so im veery happy a reactor finally stated that, ... I really hope more people will think so openminded :3 very good reaction video, and i hope to see more videos from your channel soon ^^

Nice Reaction !! (analysis) JUST BE WARNED !! "You can check (them) out anytime you like ... , But you can never leave !!" ;-)

Thank you for this. My favorite version of Doki Doki Morning is one that does not have Babybones band and the special effects. The only enhancement is a small animated Babybones character dancing at the corner. Plus you get to see them drop to the floor just before waking back up. It's just pure DDM.

This is great ! I hope you do more. You are the 'new Duane-metal' (if you don't know him, look him up on KZfaq 'Duane-metal Babymetal') 7:12 Actually, the way I see it, in a way Babymetal is the most metal of any metal band. Because metal is rebellious counter culture and Babymetal is little girls doing rebellious counter culture inside the very matcho metal counter culture, how cool is that ?! :-) On the topic of not writing their own songs, Su-metal is as much involved in writing the songs, etc. as Floor Jansen in Nightwish. Kobametal has a huge talent of taking tropes from different, even opposite things and combining them in unusual ways. And the song writing captures the girl's ideas/thoughts of the time period. The horror-like stuff you mentioned, the way I always see it: Babymetal is having fun with the genre. Not mocking it, just having fun with it.

Great analysis, I really enjoyed the video.

I up-voted quite a few of the comments so have nothing more to add to the conversation. But I wanted to add one more comment to feed The Algorithm. Awesome video!

As a new viewer watching this right after your most recent video, it's interesting to note the common thread between the two - that Babymetal was not meant to stay in one place. No one puts Babymetal in the corner.

The fear of being judged and called (by other) as pedophiles are real, because it is a strong word and haters often use that word as their main weapon to make other people stay away from Babymetal, especially new listeners. I think this is particularly is the main hinderance to DOKI DOKI MORNING. I believe there is no problem with its musicality (it's conveys fun, if you feel fun, then mission accomplished, as simple as that). Anyway the girls are fine grown ladies now (altho Kano is still 16) so one should less worry about this. For DOKI DOKI MORNING, after 10 years it still impresses me, it's so... random? experimental? But it works well... Dang... Next, I think it'd interesting to hear your take on the other song that many people experience as their first Babymetal: GIMME CHOCOLATE! Thank you... ^^

3:58 “Ima Nanji“ is a part of lyrics of Southern All Stars’s “Katteni Sindbad”[1978]. The band belong to the entertainment office same as Babymetal.

WIsh I could upvote this more. I hope you do more of these :) Maybe just do them in order of release

I'm late, but I want to add some thought about the erotized or sexualized some people says about BM... Well, I have this exercise: Tell me how much flesh do you see on any western female singer, and then tell me how much do you see on the Babymetal trio (when they were kids or now been adults. It doesn't matter)... Who is sexualized? Case close. Whoever says they are sexualized are sick, or they are just simply haters and uses that as a pretext. That's all. And sorry for my english. Is not my native language and maybe I've expressed myself in a weird way. Hope you all did get my point. ^_^;

I just like your facial reactions when you are looking at the video. This is probably how I look also :) Their music just makes you feel good. Being a Metal Head for over 30 years, I've seen and heard a lot of bands. I got to say that they are the most energetic band I've ever seen. I thought Rammstein gave a good live show visually, but they have stiff competition here. These idiots who put them down know nothing about metal. Per Britannica dictionnary, heavy metal is : "Heavy metal, genre of rock music that includes a group of related styles that are intense, virtuosic, and powerful. ... Driven by the aggressive sounds of the distorted electric guitar," These guys check off all the boxes. Looking forward to your next Babymetal class. Subscribed.

Thank you This band changed my reality

"How can you not like this?!!" 😂 Preach it from the mountain top, brother!

Please keep doing these videos they are great. KITSUNE UP

HEY, this is not how youtube works, you are ment to see the video and have your mind blown away and not understand anything, but then we come to the rescue and explain it all................................... hmmmm I LIKE THIS, please teach us more Kitsune sensei 🤘🦊🤘

Andrew, I totally agree with you (at 15:17): There is no eroticisation of teen girls in Babymetal videos. Nevertheless a German male friend of mine reacted just as you describes it, namely with a feeling of discomfort. -- Strange enough I never heard or read about another possible criticism. Although their bodies at the time were not yet adult and still in growth, they dance on a high level of competitive sports. It's a well-known discussion, if doing gymnastics on an Olympic level as a teenager may harm the child's health. I hope that this didn't happen to Yui.

I'd love to see more analysis like this. New appreciation for a song I already really enjoyed. I think people get uncomfortable because we've been trained to expect female performers to be sold with sex appeal. Anything that *can* be construed sexually is likely to be, and even when there's nothing, there's an uncomfortable expectation that something will eventually happen.

looking forward to listen more! especially about lyrics, I find some of them waaay above what you can expect from metal groups

Babybones is the mime backup band here. The Kami Band is a real group of talented musicians that now play with BABYMETAL and make them a real metal band able to play big concerts rather than an idol curiosity. I'm glad you brought up the unease some people have with the image of such young girls performing, but I don't think it necessarily reveals the character or proclivities of the people making the criticism. Often that unease stems from a feeling that the girls are being exploited by older men (Koba and wota) and maybe the response should be arguing if that criticism is well informed. I certainly worry that Amuse is making money from such young girls and about the restrictive nature of Japanese agency contracts. At least BABYMETAL/Koba don't indulge in signings for wota and they have some self aware and empowering lyrics, but Su, Moa and even still Yui are invisible outside of their BABYMETAL personas and I don't know if that is good or bad.

Yes, I want you to do more BABYMETAL. My favorite KZfaq video in quite some time. Subscribed. I’d prefer less focus on the haters... just don’t see that they’re that important. But regardless, looking forward to the next one.

Well I never knew You could take a Babymetal class at the university. But hell I am taking it. Thx Proffesor.

"Gatekeeping" is the word you're looking for.

Sorry, if - maybe - I repeat something already said by other students. Based on the song text Andrew convincingly explains the bridging parts at 10:16 and repeated at 16:21. They are interesting also from a visual point of view. We see rotating rack-wheels and Yui and Moa spinning around in a stock-still standing or even hanging bearing. For me this is an allusion to karakuri puppets. I quote from Wikipedia: " (からくり人形, ) are traditional Japanese mechanized puppets or automata, originally made from the 17th century to 19th century. The dolls' gestures provided a form of entertainment. ...". -- Imagine what that means: The teen girls are not human beings, but

I'm in.... keep it coming. Subbed 🤘😷👍 Please give some notice if you're going to give nendo tests 😁

Thank you

Some interesting points you mentioned there. In the context of the lyrics the innocent phrase "What time is it now?" could also refer to ones age, getting older, and ultimately doing something with ones lifetime. Might seem a bit far fetched, but considering Babymetals later lyrics it wouldn't surprise me.

Babymetal: proof of concept.

The next level Duanemetal.

Professor Hartley, I am sure you are aware of the Wagakki Band. I'd really be interested to hear your take on some of their music such as Akatsuki no Ito or Senbonzakura. I just recently discovered them and find their music very intriguing. I did enjoy this video very much. I hope you will make more of them. You got a new subscriber today!

More analysis please..I like this better than reactions..

Thank you "Kitsune Sensei"

Why I think they're awesome {infinite list here}

interesting thoughts about image in musical industry, yesterday part of the Kami Band did a livestream, Takayoshi Ohmura and Boh-sama, both were wearing some t-shirts with the a draw of them looking a females anime sides of them and they even wearing kawaii accesories typical on girls, and their faces/eyes was covered with makeup making them look like they have anime big eyes alike and apparently many were throwing bs on them just for looking like that. What a jerkes, it really pissed me off people judging what's other ones wearing, it seems they don't know what is freedom about.

Is it weird if I immediately fell in love with them after hearing Gimme Chocolate in 2014, despite having 0 metal background and liking maybe less than 10 metal songs?

You could've plucked your thoughts on why they get hate from the metal scene right out of my head. I don't think I've heard someone absolutely 100% thinking the same things I do when it comes to that topic. Very interesting video and I hope you continue your series. That being said, my next paragraph is general and not really aimed at the explicit lyrics you picked out in your video: I don't think you can really interpret any of their, at least early, songs like you tried to do. It's close to an impossibily in my eyes to put a stamp on the lyrics, especially if the artists themselves didn't write them. You can't really know what the songwriters thoughts were when they wrote the song because we don't know who these guys are, except for their names. It's an exaggeration, but maybe it was an 18 year old guy who wrote it and he really only thought about the literal meaning of the lyrics, or maybe it was a 30-something woman who really wanted to bring in this feeling of feminism and want of independency. Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all criticizing you for trying to interpret the lyrics, just wanted to say that I think it's an impossibility to get a general consensus of them. To your point of sexualization: I never heard anyone sexualize them at all. It's almost exactly the opposite with most people I know. They are always praising their management and the girls themselves for being "appropriately" dressed (sorry, not a native speaker and it's the most fitting word that came to mind) and not wanting/trying to go the "sex sells" route, which would have been a far easier way to generate success, especially since they're of legal age now. I think they went in the completely different direction with their new costumes, they aren't really showing any skin nowadays. In the early years they weren't wearing more revealing clothes than any high school girl in Japan does daily when they go to school. Probably even less if you count all the girls who crave male attention in schools. So I really can't understand people who think something like this for even one second. Also, as far as I know, AMUSE has a strict policy of not sexualizing their talent. Perfume is always a very good example of this for me. They have their 20th anniversary this year and even though they are attractive women didn't need or tried to sexualize themselves, at least as far as I know. Not like other Idol groups, f.e. AKB48, who ist the most successful one of the last few years and who regularly dance around in their lingerie in music videos.

Ima nan-ji!

Does anybody know the name of the big, pink flower at 15:17, 16:48 and elsewhere?

Jan Kott"Shakespeare, Our Contemporary (1964)"==>Andrew Hartley"Babymetal, Our Contemporary (2020)"

Hi. Why does she (Su) hide the flower microfone at the end? Two flowers at the beginning. One at the end. Su intentionally hides her flower. And what remains on the stage?

Other classic manufactured bands, bands assembled by a producer, include The Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Sex Pistols. Other artists who did not write their own music and did not play instruments include Ozzy Osborne. (he used ghost writers). The people who say Babymetal aren't a true band because they don't play instruments really annoy me sometimes. There's a whole range of skill to performing that Babymetal have in spades. Aspirational is the word I have long used for the bridge between the verse and the chorus. These young ladies have dreams and hopes, and they are speaking to all girls, and I think you see that when they say "yo ne?". Idol, especially the teen/tween idols, are supposed be examples for fans, and these girls are just kicking that door in. A cynic might say they are told what to do and say but I think this works because Babymetal believes in the message, their performences are authentic. Yui was not replaced because Su and Moa didn't want a replacement. I'm sure the record company does. The girls have far more agency than many fans credit, they are not the passive drones many imagine them to be.

old white guy XD

You lost me at very start,Babymetal a band? They are an idol group,one of over 200+ idol groups who perform over rock/metal. And btw they are not even the first idol group doing this,just the first who got popular outside Japan. A list with 200+ groups like Babymetal: kzfaq.info/sun/PLZ1ttg5H72QMV-PE34Zt0dPe5gP5YqmPI Some of them strated before bm,some of them in same year,some of them after. All idol groups.