An artist who can definitely stay apart from her associations, May�n has proven she can stand on her own.

It�s been a while since I�ve seen a J-Pop concert, and one of the main things I look for in a good concert is the artist's ability to catch my attention with vocals. I say live concerts are a way to prove to people you�re not just about looks but talent as well. Here's my review on the May'n Special Concert BD 2011 'RHYTHM TANK!!' at Budokan on Blu-Ray.

May�n debuted back in 2005 and she has released a lot of singles but didn�t release her first album until years later in 2009. It was that same year where she was chosen to be the singing voice behind Sheryl Nome. From there on, she's been gradually recognized as one of the �main� singers in the industry. Usually when artists have a strong tie to anime characters, it can be hard to separate the two (Aucifer from 'Kaikan Phrase') because all one can hear and picture is the role that they portrayed. However, luckily for May�n, she has been able to overcome that.

Filmed in one of Japan�s most popular venues, Budokan, this concert was her second, and while I can�t compare it to her first, I�m glad I was able to experience her concert in a format that makes it worth watching and listening.

If you haven�t really followed May�n, this may be one concert you want to pick up as it offers music from her first and second album plus songs she�s performed as Sheryl Nome. It's a good introduction to May'n for J-Pop fans.

The concert itself was over two hours and had some very good highlights. She featured lyrical and hip-hop dancers as well as an ensemble of strings. Although I did feel the first thirty minutes were songs that blended together, making it hard to differentiate them, the concert got better afterwards.

Some great moments were of her singing slow songs that really emphasized her vocals, a performance involving fire, and her acoustic corner. The most memorable moment and definitely the highlight of the concert was her last song, �Moshi kimi ga negau no nara� (from PSP game�'Valkyria Chronicles 3'). Accompanied with an ensemble of strings and faux snow, had this not been Blu-ray, I doubt the effect would have been as great.

In addition to the 180-minute concert is a 33-minute documentary that follows May�n and her crew through preparing for the concert and her thoughts about it. It also includes backstage footage, rehearsals, and May'n cutting her hair to fit the concert concept.

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This disc was the first concert I experienced in Blu-ray and I believe that it was concerts like this that made many switch over from regular DVD.

The concert is presented in 1920x1080 Full Hi-Definition. I loved some of the effects that came in this edition that you can�t get in the DVD, such as the lighting, smoke, and snow. If it had been in 3D, it would have been awesome. I especially like the editing as it wasn�t like some concerts where shots are 2-3 seconds, and a constantly moving camera can cause headaches. With all the camera angles and cut scenes, this is one of the better-edited concerts I�ve come across.

The audio is presented in LPCM 2ch STEREO. Truth be told, if you can�t handle nasally voices, listening to her sing and talk may not be your cup of tea during some songs. Do not let this scare you away because May�n can definitely hold her own and rock out.

This Blu-ray concert is the next best thing to watching an actual concert in person.

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Track List:
Kimi Shinitamou Koto Nakare -Special ver.-
Welcome To My FanClub's Night! -Styles ver.-
HERO
PARANOIA
Iteza ? gogo kuji -Don't be late-
Kindan no Elixir
Funanori
Shinjitemiru (*from INCITE MILL -7-Day Death Game-)
0 -Zero-
MOSAICA
INFINITY
DIAMOND CREVASSE (*from Macross Frontier)
My Lovely Thing
Get Ready
Swan
Disco?Galaxxxy
XYZ
Get it on - KOUSOKU CLIMAX
Ready Go! (*from Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi)
LION -May'n ver.- (*from Macross Frontier)
ANEMONE
YUZURENAI OMOI
Moshimo kimi ga negau no nara
NORTHERN CROSS (Encore)
Ai wa furu hoshi no gotoku (Encore)
Phonic Nation (Encore)
May'n?Space (W Encore)

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TITLE:
May'n Special Concert BD 2011 RHYTHM TANK!! at Nippon Budokan

RELEASE DATE:
2011.11.02

LABEL:
Victor Entertainment / Flying Dog

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Starring:

May'n

Musician & Dancers:

Guitar: Yusuke Onishi / Daisuke Sakabe

Drums: Tetsuya Hatano

Bass: Wataru Suzuki

Keyboards: Yasuhiro Nozaki

Manipulator: Kunihiro Kashima

Strings: SHU STRINGS

Constructor of the Back Tracks: Wataru Maeguchi, Takehsi Masuda, HIroshi Sasaki (Smile Company Ltd.)

Chief Dancer: KEN

Dancers: TAKAYUKI / A-SUKE / TOSHIKI / MOMI / SONOKO / RIEKO / HITOMI

Reviewers Rating: 3.5 / 5