From our other sites
The story
A debate broke out on 5ch’s Hello! Project board over the choreography for Juice=Juice’s new song “Kurakura☆Climax,” with posters calling it “mediocre.” The choreographer, Sako Makita, is a veteran who has provided routines for multiple groups including Tsubaki Factory, OCHA NORMA, and BEYOOOOONDS. The thread debated her past work’s reception and view counts, compared each group’s YouTube upload frequency, and argued over whether Kurakura was even meant to be a buzz-chasing song in the first place.
What people said
Even I could come up with choreography like that
Related thread
[Breaking] Tsubaki Factory's new song "Ai=Un+En+On" MV hits 254,000 views in one week!
https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1793188898/
[Breaking] Tsubaki Factory's new song "Ai=Un+En+On" MV hits 254,000 views in one week!
https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1793188898/
Re: #3
[Breaking] Juice=Juice's new song "Kurakura☆Climax" Pia Arena MM live footage hits 581,000 views in one week!
https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1781406215/
[Breaking] Juice=Juice's new song "Kurakura☆Climax" Pia Arena MM live footage hits 581,000 views in one week!
https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1781406215/
Re: #5
That was back when Juice was at peak momentum — they shouldn't be satisfied with numbers like that. If they wanted to chase buzz they should've gone all out, but instead they just handed them bland, mediocre choreography.
That was back when Juice was at peak momentum — they shouldn't be satisfied with numbers like that. If they wanted to chase buzz they should've gone all out, but instead they just handed them bland, mediocre choreography.
Re: #11
When's Tsubaki Factory's moment finally going to come? Juice=Juice's social media seems to be getting held back until Tsubaki catches its wind.
When's Tsubaki Factory's moment finally going to come? Juice=Juice's social media seems to be getting held back until Tsubaki catches its wind.
Watching the Pia Arena Blu-ray again made me realize — there are a lot of scenes in Kurakura where the members just aren't doing anything.
Re: #6
The footage is identical to what's up on YouTube, so you don't even need to watch the Blu-ray to know that.
The footage is identical to what's up on YouTube, so you don't even need to watch the Blu-ray to know that.
Re: #8
I hadn't bothered watching it since it didn't seem worth it, but I bought the disc and finally gave it a look after all this time.
I hadn't bothered watching it since it didn't seem worth it, but I bought the disc and finally gave it a look after all this time.
Re: #14
Yeah right, sounds made up ("uso-matsu" — 5ch slang for an obviously fabricated anecdote).
Yeah right, sounds made up ("uso-matsu" — 5ch slang for an obviously fabricated anecdote).
Re: #14
The YouTube channel of a group actually worth watching is getting throttled because of the hard sell for a group that isn't.
Number of YouTube videos posted since July 17:
24 (Jul 2 / Aug 7 / Sep 3 / Oct 13) Tsubaki Factory 👈
19 (Jul 5 / Aug 1 / Sep 9 / Oct 4) Morning Musume。'26
19 (Jul 2 / Aug 3 / Sep 5 / Oct 9) Rosy Chronicle
14 (Jul 2 / Aug 5 / Sep 4 / Oct 3) Juice=Juice 👈
12 (Jul 3 / Aug 4 / Sep 3 / Oct 2) Angerme
12 (Jul 2 / Aug 6 / Sep 2 / Oct 2) BEYOOOOONDS
10 (Jul 1 / Aug 3 / Sep 4 / Oct 2) OCHA NORMA
08 (Jul 1 / Aug 3 / Sep 2 / Oct 2) Up-Front
04 (Jul 1 / Aug 2 / Sep 1 / Oct 0) Hello! Project Kenshuusei
The YouTube channel of a group actually worth watching is getting throttled because of the hard sell for a group that isn't.
Number of YouTube videos posted since July 17:
24 (Jul 2 / Aug 7 / Sep 3 / Oct 13) Tsubaki Factory 👈
19 (Jul 5 / Aug 1 / Sep 9 / Oct 4) Morning Musume。'26
19 (Jul 2 / Aug 3 / Sep 5 / Oct 9) Rosy Chronicle
14 (Jul 2 / Aug 5 / Sep 4 / Oct 3) Juice=Juice 👈
12 (Jul 3 / Aug 4 / Sep 3 / Oct 2) Angerme
12 (Jul 2 / Aug 6 / Sep 2 / Oct 2) BEYOOOOONDS
10 (Jul 1 / Aug 3 / Sep 4 / Oct 2) OCHA NORMA
08 (Jul 1 / Aug 3 / Sep 2 / Oct 2) Up-Front
04 (Jul 1 / Aug 2 / Sep 1 / Oct 0) Hello! Project Kenshuusei
In Korea lip-syncing is assumed, so intense choreography like that is the default, right? Japanese or American performers could pull off that level of dancing too — as long as they're willing to sacrifice the singing.
Re: #9
Juice=Juice manages to do both at once, though.
Juice=Juice manages to do both at once, though.
Re: #10
Like Matsunaga said, it's probably not realistic. If they perform it exactly like that on a music show, lip-syncing becomes unavoidable — and I can already see the backlash: "Wait, Juice=Juice's lip-syncing?!" Whoever at the agency greenlit this plan is an idiot.
Like Matsunaga said, it's probably not realistic. If they perform it exactly like that on a music show, lip-syncing becomes unavoidable — and I can already see the backlash: "Wait, Juice=Juice's lip-syncing?!" Whoever at the agency greenlit this plan is an idiot.
Re: #13
If you think Juice=Juice would just give up there, that just proves you don't actually follow them.
If you think Juice=Juice would just give up there, that just proves you don't actually follow them.
Re: #13
Let's cheer them on together.
Let's cheer them on together.
Re: #15
Uh, I am a Juice fan though.
Uh, I am a Juice fan though.
Re: #19
If you're really a Juice=Juice fan, the members' repeated comments should've already made it clear that "Juice=Juice isn't a group that's only chasing buzz."
If you're really a Juice=Juice fan, the members' repeated comments should've already made it clear that "Juice=Juice isn't a group that's only chasing buzz."
Re: #20
But Kurakura is clearly a song that went for buzz. Makita's the only one who didn't do her job.
But Kurakura is clearly a song that went for buzz. Makita's the only one who didn't do her job.
Re: #22
Assuming it's a buzz play just because they hired Sako Makita seems like a pretty rash conclusion.
Assuming it's a buzz play just because they hired Sako Makita seems like a pretty rash conclusion.
Re: #22
The fact that Kurakura isn't even a single means it's not a buzz play. There's no such thing as chasing buzz without even making an MV.
The fact that Kurakura isn't even a single means it's not a buzz play. There's no such thing as chasing buzz without even making an MV.
Don't you think whoever started this thread is a Tsubaki fan? Aiueo (the "Ai=Un+En+On" nickname) only got brought up because Makita happened to be involved with that one too — getting a song like that and still only pulling those kinds of numbers just makes me think, well, that's Tsubaki for you.
Re: #21
If Juice=Juice wants good numbers, regardless of the song or choreography quality, all they need to do is keep posting live footage and get smarter about their social media updates. Juice=Juice's members' quality is already a given — they just need to show it off.
If Juice=Juice wants good numbers, regardless of the song or choreography quality, all they need to do is keep posting live footage and get smarter about their social media updates. Juice=Juice's members' quality is already a given — they just need to show it off.
Re: #24
But isn't she supposedly nicknamed the "buzz contractor"?
But isn't she supposedly nicknamed the "buzz contractor"?
Re: #25
She's provided choreography for Hello! Project multiple times already, and every single one has flopped.
Sako Makita's Hello! Project choreography credits
2023
Tsubaki Factory "Mousou Dake Nara Freedom"
2025
OCHA NORMA "Gakkou dewa Oshiete Kurenai Koto"
BEYOOOOONDS "Sai KOO DE DANCE"
2026
DECA!BEAT "Wacha☆Future"
Juice=Juice "Kurakura☆Climax"
Tsubaki Factory "Ai=Un+En+On"
Rosy Chronicle "Datte Daikyou jan☆"
She's provided choreography for Hello! Project multiple times already, and every single one has flopped.
Sako Makita's Hello! Project choreography credits
2023
Tsubaki Factory "Mousou Dake Nara Freedom"
2025
OCHA NORMA "Gakkou dewa Oshiete Kurenai Koto"
BEYOOOOONDS "Sai KOO DE DANCE"
2026
DECA!BEAT "Wacha☆Future"
Juice=Juice "Kurakura☆Climax"
Tsubaki Factory "Ai=Un+En+On"
Rosy Chronicle "Datte Daikyou jan☆"
Just looking at 2026, aren't Deca-Bo and Aiueo way better? Haven't seen Daikyou so I wouldn't know.
Re: #29
They're not buzzing precisely because they're not good.
They're not buzzing precisely because they're not good.
I feel like if Aiueon had been posted on an account with Juice's kind of reach, it would've pulled better numbers than Kurakura.
Re: #33
That's just because everyone figured a trash song with trash choreography like that should be fobbed off on Tsubaki.
That's just because everyone figured a trash song with trash choreography like that should be fobbed off on Tsubaki.
Juice=Juice's Korea content isn't getting any buzz either — once people get bored, it'll be over fast.
Re: #34
[Breaking] Tsubaki Factory's new song "Ai=Un+En+On" MV hits 108,000 views in 24 hours!
https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1792670509/
[Breaking] Juice=Juice's "Juice's Summer Camp" behind-the-scenes hits 130,000 views in 24 hours!
https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1793091737/
[Breaking] Tsubaki Factory's new song "Ai=Un+En+On" MV hits 108,000 views in 24 hours!
https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1792670509/
[Breaking] Juice=Juice's "Juice's Summer Camp" behind-the-scenes hits 130,000 views in 24 hours!
https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1793091737/
Re: #36
So the number of people watching has dropped down to about the same level as Tsubaki…
So the number of people watching has dropped down to about the same level as Tsubaki…
Re: #36
A brand-new Juice=Juice video just dropped, and only 130,000 people wanted to watch it right away.
A brand-new Juice=Juice video just dropped, and only 130,000 people wanted to watch it right away.
To begin with, Juice=Juice fans aren't even aware other groups or their songs exist, so you'll never hear a Juice=Juice fan admit to wishing they'd gotten that song instead.
Re: #37
It's not about wishing for it — it's that if it had been posted on the same account, it would've gotten more views than Kurakura. Honestly, I could do without either of them.
It's not about wishing for it — it's that if it had been posted on the same account, it would've gotten more views than Kurakura. Honestly, I could do without either of them.
Back in the original-lineup era they got stuck with the label "the Juice that can't dance," but from the mid-era onward they started putting real effort into dance, and by the time of "Bourei" through "Moreme" (fan nicknames for their songs) they'd become one of the most dance-capable groups in Hello! Project — and then this garbage agency saddles them with a song like Kurakura, where everyone except the spotlighted members just stands there blankly thanks to the trash choreography.
Re: #38
In "BLOODY BULLET" too, everyone except the three doing the dance break during the interlude just stands there blankly. Maybe point that out to Natsumi Hanaoka as well?
In "BLOODY BULLET" too, everyone except the three doing the dance break during the interlude just stands there blankly. Maybe point that out to Natsumi Hanaoka as well?
It just means the number of people actively wanting to watch Juice=Juice's videos has plummeted.
Re: #45
That's probably just because they stopped updating YouTube altogether.
Number of YouTube videos posted since July 17:
24 (Jul 2 / Aug 7 / Sep 3 / Oct 13) Tsubaki Factory
19 (Jul 5 / Aug 1 / Sep 9 / Oct 4) Morning Musume。'26
19 (Jul 2 / Aug 3 / Sep 5 / Oct 9) Rosy Chronicle
14 (Jul 2 / Aug 5 / Sep 4 / Oct 3) Juice=Juice 👈
12 (Jul 3 / Aug 4 / Sep 3 / Oct 2) Angerme
12 (Jul 2 / Aug 6 / Sep 2 / Oct 2) BEYOOOOONDS
10 (Jul 1 / Aug 3 / Sep 4 / Oct 2) OCHA NORMA
08 (Jul 1 / Aug 3 / Sep 2 / Oct 2) Up-Front
04 (Jul 1 / Aug 2 / Sep 1 / Oct 0) Hello! Project Kenshuusei
That's probably just because they stopped updating YouTube altogether.
Number of YouTube videos posted since July 17:
24 (Jul 2 / Aug 7 / Sep 3 / Oct 13) Tsubaki Factory
19 (Jul 5 / Aug 1 / Sep 9 / Oct 4) Morning Musume。'26
19 (Jul 2 / Aug 3 / Sep 5 / Oct 9) Rosy Chronicle
14 (Jul 2 / Aug 5 / Sep 4 / Oct 3) Juice=Juice 👈
12 (Jul 3 / Aug 4 / Sep 3 / Oct 2) Angerme
12 (Jul 2 / Aug 6 / Sep 2 / Oct 2) BEYOOOOONDS
10 (Jul 1 / Aug 3 / Sep 4 / Oct 2) OCHA NORMA
08 (Jul 1 / Aug 3 / Sep 2 / Oct 2) Up-Front
04 (Jul 1 / Aug 2 / Sep 1 / Oct 0) Hello! Project Kenshuusei
Kurakura's fine because it's easy to copy — Revenger is just too hard.
Re: #48
It's probably just not made with the intent of being copied, so who cares.
It's probably just not made with the intent of being copied, so who cares.
Re: #48
For Revenger, it's people who already do K-pop style dance regularly who post their covers — it's choreography worth the challenge for dancers. Kurakura's the fun one that makes regular people want to copy it. Good balance, really.
For Revenger, it's people who already do K-pop style dance regularly who post their covers — it's choreography worth the challenge for dancers. Kurakura's the fun one that makes regular people want to copy it. Good balance, really.
Background and Key Points of This Discussion
As listed in the thread, choreographer Sako Makita has a solid track record — starting with Tsubaki Factory in 2023, she went on to provide choreography for multiple groups including OCHA NORMA, BEYOOOOONDS, DECA!BEAT, and Rosy Chronicle through 2025–2026, so she’s actually hired quite frequently. Where opinions in the thread diverged was on a more basic question: given that Kurakura☆Climax isn’t a single and never got an MV, can it really be considered a song that was “aiming for buzz” in the first place? A comparison table of each group’s YouTube video counts was also raised, but that only reflects differences in upload frequency, not a direct measure of view-count trends. It’s worth noting that terms like “flopped” and “mediocre” used in the thread are just subjective comparisons made by 5ch posters, not conclusions based on any official measure of hit performance.
※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “Watching Juice=Juice’s Korea training camp footage makes me scratch my head all over again about what was up with Sako Makita’s mediocre choreography on Kurakura.”
Leave a Reply