BAND-MAID's arch NEMESIS 🤫 | BAND-MAIKO, Secret Maiko Lips 

Who’s your favorite super hero/super villain?

One of the greatest April-Fool-Pranks ever .

MISA'S "howling" kills me everyime 😂

Would REALLY love to see Band-Maid and Band-Maiko do a concert together! However, to the best of my knowledge, they have never been seen together! 🤣😂🥰

The name of BAND-MAIKOs bassist is Umemisa, and you can hear her sing on this song ;) hehe

The deadly rivals of our beloved Maids.

It’s interesting how the addition of the percussive shamisen makes what was already one of their most badass riffs hit like a flamethrower.

Great reaction. Po! You understand more than most Japanese.

Gotta ♥ their sense of humor & fashion! 😃

Last week I wrote 'Be prepared for your world to go from Black and White to Technicolor', so glad to see that wasn't wasted and it came true ! here's the thing though, Secret Maiko Lips is the entry point, the masterpiece that is 'Gion Cho' will make your eyes pop open wide !!!

...and from now on, when you hear Band Maid's original I bet that you hear shamisen in your head!

Can these beautiful ladies do anything wrong? Everything they touch is golden. They are so captivating in their traditional Japanese garb and, like their usual maid outfits, they contrast with the music they play. With every song, with every solo, with every thing they do, they prove they are the Best Band Ever! I LOVE BAND MAID❤. Oh….Great reaction as usual, NittPicc.

Thank you great reaction. Next GIONCHOU Band Maiko.

I was waiting eagerly for you to react to this, and I am happy to say I wasn't dissapointed! 🙏🕊&❤

Thanks, Nittpicc. Happy Sunday !! 😏♥️🎙🎸🥁😎🤘

I learnt about Japanese traditional instruments like... shakuhachi is different from Shinobue, even if the sound is similler. BY THE WAY, I am 100% Japanese! but i didn't know "Shinobue"... omg... I never imagined I knew it from a foreign youtuber. thank you...

Another Band-Maiko song is: 祇園町 Gion-cho

Great reaction... I have been following Band-Maid since 2014 and I have collected everything that Band-Maid, Band-Maiko and Cluppo... You may ask what is Cluppo... It is a Miku Kobato April Fools Day joke,same as Band-Maiko. So far I have everything that Band-Maid has produced that is CDs, Dvds and other memorabilia.. Keep up the great reactions... ❤❤❤❤❤🕊️🇺🇸 BAND-MAID FOREVER!!!!!

I love the knowledge you have on all the instruments. And that you "get" what the Maids were going for. And they pulled it off, of course.

I think you mean - World Domination instruments ! 🙂

Can't wait for you to react to the other Maiko video, their one original track, Gion-cho. I think it is so good, they realized it could never be topped and decided to retire after that! 😂

They also changed the dialect for Band-Maiko. instead of the modern Japanese dialect they use the Traditional Kyoto dialect. I think that was brilliant!!

Don't forget the only Original BAND-MAIKO song, 'Gion-Cho', which is a musical love letter to Kyoto. I believe that's the one with the Kyoto dialect. Also the Post-COVID April Fool's Day Bit, Miku Goes Solo as Cluppo with 'PEACE & LOVE'. Akane's insatiable appetite is a running gag that you'll see in many of their Music Video. Se also follows MISA's drinking on stage by eating a banana, since she is the banana powered Half Gorilla / Half Drum Machine.

Band-Maiko is the only band that matches the level of Band-Maid. Fujiki - lead vocals Hatoko - rhythm guitar, vocals Kanoemi - lead guitar Umemisa - bass Akatsuki - drums

Great reaction and your infectious enthusiasm makes your reviews all that more enjoyable. Thank you for the reaction and your insights into the traditional instruments (I had missed the flute sounds all these years until you pointed out).

Many of us also prefer this version of this song, BECAUSE of the added musical nuances of the traditional instrumentation.

the traditional instruments were added by Kanami and are not played. On the other hand, it is Misa's voice that we hear at one point. Not being an expert in the Japanese language, I don't know the details, but they use a different Japanese than that used in their other titles. Miku also released a solo album, with 5 tracks in the form of a wink towards the members of the group.

Gion Cho is an outstanding Band Maiko song as well that pays homage to Maiko, the lyrics are incredible when you look into the meaning of the song and what it represents. You are right, their level of expertise and dedication to their music is wonderful.

If you loved this then you should definitely check out Gion-cho. It's Band-Maiko's only original song....and it's a masterclass in fusing the modern rock instruments with the traditional ones, but it actually leans more heavy on the traditional side. I think you would really enjoy that one the most considering you musical background :)

I have to agree with you. This is my preferred version of this song. I love how much the traditional instruments add to it. 🤘💝🤘

Miku spent months studying the Kyoto dialect in order to translate the song. She then gave the lyrics to Saiki, who didn't understand the cadence or the meanings. Miku had to teach Saiki the translation and sing it for her so she knew how to sing the song. This is just a small step into Band Maiko. A year later they finally stopped plagiarizing Band Maid and released their own song Gion Cho. Gion Cho ranks in my top five Band Maid (Maiko) songs. It takes everything you love about Secret and elevates it. Kanami and Miku outdid themselves. When you review it there is a making of video on YT. You need to watch it just for the part when Kanami drops her pick and can't bend over to pick it up.

Watch Gion-cho, I like it more. Hope I spelled that right.

You not wrong everyone loves this version more because the traditional instrument

We should have known you would be able to tell a shinobue from a shakuhachi! I'm hearing a shrill high-pitched (almost a fife or penny-whistle) sound. Is that the shinobue? There is also a lower-pitched instrument that sounds more like an alto recorder; is that a larger version of the same instrument or are they different? The other Band-Maiko music video is *"Gion-cho"* - perhaps you could indulge us with pictures and descriptions of the different kinds of Japanese flutes and whistles and then watch and listen to it. I'm not demanding, it's your channel!

The MISA MISA MISA howl is worth the price of admission alone. Yes, that IS her real voice. MIKU is writing WORLD DOMINATION at the beginning. Saiki and the girls are playing "Tohsenkyo", a Japanese fan game. A Maiko is an apprentice Geisha. The song itself is different because it was rewritten in the Kyoto dialect. Despite not usually wearing shoes the MAIDs claim MISA MISA MISA was the only one who could make a proper "clopping" sound with the wooden shoes :) . Akane's costume was so heavy she could barely drum ... and I should not be calling her Akane because all the girls changed their names for this prank: Fujiki - lead vocals Hatoko - rhythm guitar, vocals Kanoemi - lead guitar Umemisa - bass Akatsuki - drums Happy April Fools day!

Even that half time melody at the end sounds like it could be a Japanese folk song. This is so brilliant on so many levels. Secret My Lips is an amazing feat of composition to begin with, and then this - well holy moly, Batman!

There's a special place in my heart just for this video and everything about it. All of the ladies are absolutely gorgeous in their kimonos and makeup. But I've got to confess that I'm especially enamored with how perfectly Miku and Saiki pull off their characters. Beautiful perfection in my eyes. I'm completely smitten with the both of them.

The entire Band-Maiko EP is completely awesome, I especially love their cover of Screaming.

One the best "April Fools" presents ever from the Maid's......Miku is incredibly detail oriented as you can see in this production but in all the projects she does the Flappy Pigeon guitars that Zemaitas made for her and there's a bunch of little easter egg details in the Cluppo MV's where you're just left going.....Wow, Miku REALLY thought about this 😎👍🪕🎶🎌

This was one of the best April fools prank but what I love the most is seeing the girls in a traditional kimonos and traditional instruments. Japanese culture is amazing. Thanks God for make such a wonderful people and Nation. A lot of love from the bottom of this Mexican heart to all my Japanese brothers and sisters . God bless them always. God bless the world ❤‍🔥

Band-Maiko are: Hatoko (鳩子) - Vocals, Guitar Fujiki (富士姫) - Main Vocal KANOEMI - Guitar Akatsuki (紅月) - Drums Umemisa (梅美沙) - Bass This is the only band that can possibly rival Band-Maid's greatness. Even Miku, the strongest member of Band-Maid, is somewhat intimidated by Hatoko. She's not one to be trifled with.

Gioncho next! Its the only original on the album and super good also.

Don't feel bad, I like this version better as well. You should check out the Band Maiko video Gion-Cho next!

I wish I had Band Maiko Band members' names handy.

Love the glimpse into the Kyoto culture combined with modern music, so well done! Not bad for a April Fools prank, eh?

They used to do April-fool like this every year. Hasn't done so in the last few years sadly but I guess it can't be helped as they gain more fame their schedule became much constrained.

A few easter eggs - MISA usually performs barefoot and doesn't sing but is wearing sandals and howls in this video. Akane quickly eating because she has an insatiable appetite for noodles. Also during filming, Kanami dropped her pick but the geisha outfit was so heavy that she couldn't reach it and had to get someone to pick it up for her.

i prefer this version as well however "gion-cho" is the better of the 2 Maiko videos they did

Nice Japanese instrument and cultural knowledge, NittPic-chan! Correct, Band Maiko are just apprentices. One day, they will be Band Geisha!

This time, it's the perfect "new" band to respond to after Wagakki Band😁. These maikos don't play Japanese instruments, but there's no problem with that. By the way, the lyrics are in the Kyoto language (dialect). Anyway, I was once again surprised by the depth of your musical knowledge. Even among us Japanese, not many people are familiar with Japanese musical instruments. It would be interesting to do a completely different type of song next, like “Rinne” or “Different.” I'm looking forward to next time!

Yet another little hint re Flutes and taiko drums: 2011 and 2012...Mt Fuji Taiko Drum Festival; entry from Hiryu High School; ..........the "girl in the middle".............best taiko drumming ever !---so, where is she now...still playing ?

It's funny, as great as Secret My Lips and Secret Maiko Lips are (and I do love both of them) they aren't in any of my top tens of band-maid. And I have five of those That just goes to show you how deep and how awesome their catalog is

I think MAIKO represents what's great about their band. The fusion of Wagakki bands was certainly a good idea, but, In terms of fusion, MAIKO's "everything is ringing and everything can be heard" excellence; Another instrument that gets in between the sounds. I can clearly understand the best part of this BAND's composition. Yeah, MAIKO doesn't play Japanese instruments though.

NittPicc-sensei, you were right the 1st time, the samisen then koto, Po! Btw, good timing as we near Apr, 1, 2024. I'm hoping for Maiko or DJ Achi debut, Po! It would be sad if they didn't surprise us. The timing is right for a surprise, as they are recording stuff right now, Po! As for the mix, Kanami is a musical genius on Cubase, Po! Po! Po! Ganbatte, Po! 🦍🍌Man, wouldn't we like to be a fly on the wall when they brainstorm their music. I always believe they treat each song like a mother with their child (song). They continually love and nurture the hell out of it, so much so that every song becomes your favorite at any given moment, Po!

🤘🤘🤘🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🔥🔥🔥 Ps: I recommend Atarashii Gakko! Very fun! 🙂🙂🤪🙂

「世界征服」 Miku wrote means "World Domination".

have you watched any cluppo yet? peace and love or flapping wings would be a good start :)

J'ADORE 😂 BRAVO les 5 sirènes de BAND MAID❤ j'adorais déjà l'original ❤ là avec la nouvelle version ( rapide 😂) Génial 😮 bravo

Another great reaction. However i agree with Madiacs and Maikoacs that Band Maiko experience can't be fullfiled without MV Gion cho.

Obviously .. Akane would be the first to succumb to call of the Noodles.

not bad for an April Fools joke.

The lyrics are mostly the same. The most noticeable thing is that words ending in nai (negates verbs and adjectives) now end in hen.

8:31 - notice anything "unusual"?

React to Juna Serita(Tokyo Groove JYOSHI) do bass cover What Is Hip, Play That Funky Music...🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

So true!

How dare you prefer Band Maiko to Band Maid?!?! . . . . LOL! 🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for another great reaction! Your love and appreciation for this band come through so well. It is written all over your face! There was a behind the scenes video for either this one or "Gion-cho" which is really to cool to watch. In it, there was a scene where Mincho (Kanami) dropped her pick and had to have one of the staff get it for her because she could not bend over in her kimono to get it herself. I wonder how many takes it took to get the scenes where Misa is going "yuuuuuuu-ah!" without them all laughing there butts off? They work hard, but they always manage to have so much fun too and they share a lot of this with their fans. It's not possible to not love them!

These women are brilliant. Gion Cho is exclusively Band-Maiko. Akane, Kanami and MISA all play multiple instruments so I wouldn't be surprised if it is them playing. I would be disappointed if it wasn't. I'm impressed you know all the instruments but you are a professional so... So you've seen them rock out, now you've seen the Maikos, when you're ready you will need to find the Christmas acoustic. It's magical.

You're the only one I've seen who knows about Japanese flutes. Being a professional certainly helps. 😁 There are a variety of both transverse and vertical bamboo flutes of various sizes.

Personally I prefer the Band-Maiko version of Anemone over the studio version one.

used Kyoto words

Watch the making-of of this MV to learn how many helping hands were needed to get the ladies in the dresses 😇😍

Saiki is singing in the Kyoto dialect which is akin to Old English. One of the most elaborate April fools jokes ever played. I actually prefer this version over the original. The maids channelling their inner Princesses. The members of Band Maiko Are Hatoko (Vocals and Rhythm guitar), KANOMIE (Lead Guitar, koto), Akatsuki (Percussion and drums), Umemisa (Bass, Shamisen and howl), Fujiki suma, (vocal).

This video is fantastic, but is pedestrian compared to "Gion-Cho" in my opinion. You might also like to watch the "making of" video for the Band Maiko videos, they are very interesting. Unfortunately, the traditional instrument sounds were added by a sound engineer, and not live. Kanami spent a lot of time with the sound engineers to learn about inserting EDM. She did a masterful job with the piano parts in the music video of "From Now On". Those howls in both videos were actually recorded by Misa and add a great touch to both videos. If you thought the sets were artistically great, wait until "Gion-Cho", they film some outdoor and indoor scenes that are visually gorgeous and were filmed in Kyoto. I did some research into the geisha culture after seeing this video and it turns out that the full geisha regalia is 7 layers of clothing and cannot be done singlehandedly, especially when the obi (sash) is applied and has to be as tight as a corset. The weight can be anywhere from 35-40 pounds in total. It's been said that the ladies only wore 2 layers because of the weight issues and that was between 15-18 pounds because of the heavy, stiff fabric of the kimonos. If you watch the videos you will see Akane has her hands low for the greatest part because the sleeves were so heavy it tired her arms quite a bit. They also did a lot more individual shots of the ladies. And the way they did the ladies hair perfectly mimicked the geisha style, especially Misa, Kanami and Saiki, as their hair is longer. You definitely need to do "Gion-Cho" next. 😎😎😎😎😎😎 As usual, another great reaction.

A lot of people prefer the Band-Maiko cover, even going as far as to say that Band-Maiko is the superior band. But Band-Maid is prolific, while Band-Maiko only ever put out six Band-Maid covers and one original song (Gion-cho, which has a video that's twice as gorgeous as this one). Miku has said that Hatoko-san, her counterpart in Band-Maiko, is very hard to get a hold of, so we don't know if there will ever be any more Band-Maiko releases. (They've also said the kimono rental is very expensive and the kimono are heavy and nearly impossible to play in.)

There is this band called Metallic Spin that only seems to show up to Gacharic Spin events (they opened at least once and they played Koga's birthday) where they play 80's Hair Metal. I'll just leave a few links here METALLIC SPIN/09.18 "Electric Lady Loud"動画コメントru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qCZpCddh1pw.html (no music, on Gacharic Spin's YT) and Spotlight kid ヲ ヤッテミタ / METALLIC SPIN ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iBWkWeknJco.html (music).

If ya aint having fun why work so hard?

No, they can't play they traditional instruments. Those are synthetsized, supposedly Kanami's electronic wizardry. As for the initiative, Kobato is clearly fascinated with the old and traditional - the look and the feel.

Maikos don't speak Kyoto dialect, they speak Kuruwa Kotoba 廓言葉 which is only spoken in that district by professionals. Most of Maiko girls are not Kyoto natives, they come from all over Japan and speak their own dialects. By learning this Kuruwa Kotoba, those young girls transform into Kyoto-flavored professional ladies known as Maikos/Geikos 舞妓／芸妓 . Ordinary Kyoto native girls don't speak such artificial and unnatural Kuruwa Kotoba. Maikos are not apprentices to Geishas 芸者, they are apprentices to Geikos 芸妓. There is no Geishas in Kyoto as you all foreigners imagine, Geishas are a part of Edo-Tokyo culture. In Kyoto, Geishas mean musicians and comedians.

In all of BAND-MAIKO's songs the arrangement of the traditional instruments within their usual rock sound has been executed to perfection. I actually prefer the sound of BAND-MAIKO to that of BAND-MAID, but please don't tell the maids...

There is one original song by Band-Maiko.... "Gion-Cho"

Check out Band-Maiko "Gion-Cho". It's the only Band-Maiko original. It's beautiful.

Another Band Maiko song Gion Cho is equally great.

Just FYI. the writings at the beginning means "World Domination" and they sing in Kyoto dialect.

I have a lil' personal trivia about Band-Maiko: when they released the limited edition CD, it came with a lovely little bag. When I went to see them live in 2019, I wanted to offer them custom guitar picks, so I thought it would be a good idea to pack them in the Band-Maiko bag. At the Meet & Greet, I placed the bag in the "gift box". During the concert, I was petrified when Miku suddenly came frontstage with that bag and asked who it was from? She said they were really gratefull for the picks, but that the bag was a collector item and that they wanted to give it back! And so I received my bag back. You can't imagine kindest people.

They played Domination as the start of 10th anniversary tour except in Kyoto. They started the original versions of BAND-MAIKO's five songs. Just F.Y.I. 😍🎀 BAND-MAIKO was an special project of april fools day for two years. We maidiacs are still expecting some funny event on that day.😆

Awesome. I learned a lot. I just noticed Miku and Saiki had head dress to match the flowers they wear normally. 🤩

This is the song that turned me from liking Band-Maid to actually loving them and realizing how talented and artistic they are.

B-M brings joy in whatever form they appear. Pure happiness.

Damn girl, you need a new wardrobe. 🤣 Starting to think you recorded the entire catalog in one day. Best dissection musically I've seen of this song and your instrumentation knowledge is S tier. You weren't lying about that Masters in pedagogy.

And the words Miku wrote in the beginning translate to "World Domination". Story has it Kanami and an engineer added the traditional Japanese Instrument sounds in the production phase. If you want to see a "real" ex-Maiko check out "Kimono Mom" channel, her and her little daughter Sutan prepare Japanese food.....pretty cute channel. The mother "MOE" is from Kyoto. This EP is covers of Band-Maid songs except for "Gion-cho" which is a Band-Maiko original......you'll love that one.

Miku writes "World Domination" at the beginning, per Emmy of Sandz RU-vid

It all adds to Band Maid lore and I think that's what makes this band extra special. Please check out Gion Cho, the harmonies near the end are wonderful.

Thank you for posting this one. ❤

Then there's Gion Cho an original song which was released in 2019 with the EP, written specifically for Band-Maiko style, with Miku's tribute to Kyoto. Maiko Lips was shot in Asakusa and Gion Cho was shot in Kyoto. The trad instruments were all programmed by their recording engineer.

They went so hard on all of the Band Maiko songs when they really didn't need to. I also like this version a bit more lol.

Band cewek jepang dgn nuansa baru..menyegarkan telinga kita....❤❤❤❤

Easily the best April Fool's joke in music history imo. Although joke is the wrong word. Having the idea is one thing, pulling it off, getting the label's support with an MV and everything, announcing the Maids' disbandment with the name change and a complete redesign of the homepage for the day is quite another. This idea is just as big and great as mixing Maid costumes with hard-rock, which is why I'm willing to bet almost everything i have that a certain genius pigeon came up with the initial idea po. :) I don't think I need to mention that now 'Gion-Sho' is an absolute must :), but the other songs on the Maikos' EP are also worth a comparison with their originals. I particularly like 'Ansan' (Anemone) and 'Akasimahen' (Awkward), as I really love both songs and their 'covers' can really get under my skin. And of Anemone there's also this very special acoustic version that has cult status anyway. 😇 It's impossible not to like these ladies beyond their music. 😌🤘🏻 _____________________ 「 _"Our rock never dies ever. Forever!"_ 」 - from *BAND-MAID* - 'Manners' ♬🕊

Have you heard of, “Cluppo?” It’s a project by Miku where she writes and performs all her own music. Some of her lyrics have a double meaning. Words pronounced in English will translate to something different in Japanese but will still fit the song. Her brain must operate in her own dimension. She founded the band but stepped aside when her voice wasn’t powerful enough for their music. Learned to play guitar after the band started. (A few stories came from that development.) After 10 years Miku is still high energy. The energizer pigeon.

Kanami and their sound engineer used sound samples for the traditional Japanese instruments. None of the band members can play the traditional instruments - but give them time .

"D" has been replaced with "KO". Maybe it was MIKU's idea. Both serve customers. Perhaps they are modern-day MAIKO, entertainers who serve customers with rock music instead of traditional Japanese music and dance. Anyway, Kanami's composition and arrangement are wonderful. She also takes on the challenge of composing for an orchestra in "SENCE"' and ``FROM NOW ON''.