Released March 2009.

CD

1. “Koi Kana” (“Is This Love”) 1st single, 2006

2. “Sugao-flavor” (“Genuine Flavour”)

3. “Balalaika” 
2nd single

4. “Mizuiro Melody” (“Light Blue Melody”)

5. “Love da yo Darling” (“It’s Love, Darling”)

6. “Happy” 3rd single

7. “Koi no Maho was Habibi no Bi!” (“Love’s Magic Is a
Lover’s Beauty!”)

8. “Chance!” 4th single

9. “Ramutara”

10. “Olala”

11. “Papancake” (“Papa’s Pancakes”) 5th single, 2008

12. “Hapi Hapi Sunday!” 6th single, 2009

13.
“Hana wo Pūn” (“Snub Your Nose”) 1st and only single of Kirarin
Revolution with Kira Pika

14. “Futari wa NS”

15. “Sansan GOGO”

16. “Anataboshi” 1st single of Milky Way, 2008

17. “Tan Tan Tan!” 2nd Milky Way single, 2008

18. “Gamusharara” B-side of  “Tan! Tan! Taan!”

DVD

1. “Koi Kana”

2. “Balalaika”

3. “Happy”

4. “Chance!”

5. “Papancake”

6. “Hapi Hapi Sunday!”

7. “Hana wo Pūn”

8. “Futari wa NS”

9. “Anataboshi”

10. “Tan Tan Taan!”

Like many Japanese idol singers, 20.5-year-old Koharu Kusumi has crammed a
great deal into a short space of time. Her musical career began in 2005 when she
joined super-group Morning Musume, having been chosen from a staggering 21,611
applicants. She went on to perform in that and various subgroups and also in
theatre, on radio and on TV as a voice actress. Since graduating from Morning
Musume in 2009 167cm tall Koharu has found success as a fashion
model. (FYI: she was the second tallest member, one centimetre below Lida Kaori and
Junjun, and AKB48’s loftiest singer and model Mariko Shinoda.) She also
performs with Dream Morning Musume, a group composed of 10 former MM members
created in 2011. Milky Way was a short-lived trio with Sayaka Kitahara and honey-toned . Their “Tan!Tan!Taan!” was used as the seventh opening theme of the
153-episode anime “Kirarin Revolution”, while “Gamusharara” served as the
eleventh ending theme. Koharu voiced the lead character Kirari Tsukishima, who
is the alter-ego referred to in the title this best-of CD.

Koharu Kusumi’s cheeky grin and affable personality won her
countless admirers from the start, her singing voice having a distinctive quality that made it memorable
in ensemble work. It is showcased in this collection. Most of
the songs are up-tempo and addictively catchy, although there are a couple of lovely
(and relatively reflective) ballads “Sugao-flavor” and “Futuri wa NS” which she sings tenderly and beautifully, the latter with Kira Pika.  In the main, however,
Koharu is in Tigger mode; but no matter how rapid the delivery, how frenetic
the music, every syllable comes across clearly. She’s a consummate performer.
The first thing you are aware of when watching the PVs is her energy. She never
stops moving, even during the introduction to “Futuri wa NS”. Consequently several of the PVs, especially when she’s
performing centre frame in an eye-popping cartoonish set, resemble some species
of fitness video. Appropriately her songs start, shake you around and hug you
for a few minutes, and while you’re gasping for breath, the next begins.

There’s a Russian flavour to a couple of the songs here,
most overtly in “Balalaika”, which puts me in mind of Watarirouka Hashiritai 7’s
2011 release “Kibou Sanmyaku” (even their PV matches the Cold War design and
colour palette of Koharu’s) and “Anataboshi”. This latter inexplicably begins
with a passing reference to Scottish bagpipes before plunging into sabre dance
territory when there’s no reference to Scotland or Russia in the lyrics, unless
“I’m floating fuzzily/In a situation like zero-gravity/I fell in love before I
knew it/Even the sky is oblivious” can be turned into a reference to the
Russian space programme. Best, though, not to over think these things and simply enjoy.
And this really is a CD to enjoy, whether or not you end up with the bare-bones
or the recommended 2-disc release that has the terrific DVD.This is J-pop
at its very best.