Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!! Harunan and Masaki center chicks!
Wave yo feathaaaaaaaaaz!

The first time I saw a preview of this, a strange simile popped into my head: this song is what Momoiro Sparkling would give birth to if it mated with a Chocobo. Every time I hear the intro, I  remember FF7 and having to breed a GOLDEN Chocobo. It took for frakkin EVER. I mean, not only does it take a million tries, but the damn things are quick and you have to feed them these special nuts and not SCARE them…ugh and after all that running around the chicks aren’t even GOLDEN until you try ANOTHER million times-

I digress. My point is, the music of Pyoko reminds me of the quirky Chocobo music in that game. It also reminded me of C-ute’s single, but I’m not sure why exactly.

Hey, Chocobos can be cuddly. They are good companions, right? Maybe one night Momoiro Sparkling was just lonely-

S: “Excuse me, can you stop being disgusting?!”

W: “You know you’re scaring all these kids, right?”

Kidz: “We thought it was cute, until you ruined it!!”

Ok, ok, fine. Let’s get back to the review…

People are already calling this the death of Momusu and other such dramatic nonsense. People are saying it’s a knock-off S/mileage single and it’s too childish. Still, others are optimistic, especially considering how creative and adorable the pv is. There are a lot of creative moments in here and a lot of cuteness.

Like giving Gaki’s shadow some cake!!
(Man Zukki was born to wear that chick costume)

Watering various members…or…the mini-chick version of them- you know what, I didn’t say I understood it exactly, it’s just cute.

And then there is this:

M: “Heads for saaaaale! Cute, kouhai chicky heaaaaads!”

E: “Oh gawd!”

W: “Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you??”

Ok, sorry. Couldn’t resist. After all the nursery rhyme cuteness that saturates this pv, you can’t blame me. I watched this quite a few times.

Honestly, I don’t mind it as much as I thought I would. My first reaction was similar to others: What is this? Why is it so much like the opening of a children’s show? Who the hell is who!? Then I watched it a few times. And I thought, “Why not?”

The problem isn’t so much that they’ve decided to go this route – Momusu has had other fare similar to this, albeit not as overtly aimed at the kidz. And Mini Moni was singing about a hamsters grand prix before we got random-gangsta ‘Crazy About You’. I think it’s just that we’re so used to it now, the Momusu that has been churning out more mature tunes, most of which sound similar and have similar structure. Ray from International Wota made an excellent point – why shouldn’t Momusu reach out to a younger generation, rather than always relying on fickle old wota (I paraphrase horribly, of course. He is much more eloquent in this adorable story here). If this sort of fare catches them, they have loads of other songs to get to know and love, while following the current line up. This would make Momusu truly a group one can grow up with.

Quote from this article that sums it up for me: “Maybe it’s just that whole negative vibe that’s floating around that’s turning people off. What with the sudden influx of new, young members, as well as the constant wondering and worrying revolving around who’s graduating next, it’s easy to lose any sense of appreciation. But before we cry over Gaki‘s upcoming graduation and complain about how childish the new members are, we need to remember that this is just part of the process. It’s about evolution and a metamorphosis if you will. Pardon my science geek coming out, but if we decide to quit now, we won’t see what will happen next. And for all we know, what happens next just might be the single most wonderful thing on the freakin’ planet, but we would never know because we chose to rage-quit the fandom because some freakin’ KFC-promoting chicken costumes turned us off. I say that’s your loss.” - Not Another K-blog!!!

That is exactly what I wanted to say and this blog says it beautifully. I love the term “rage-quit”, too. It’s tempting, but let’s not, ok guys?

The song is strange and not very catchy, but everyone sounds great. I mean, Mizuki gets a solo! FIN-ally. Each new member makes an appearance. Riho and Winky are fighting it out pretty obviously for the center, but Riho seems more comfortable than I’ve ever seen her (and that voice keeps getting better). How long has it been since we’ve had a pv with this much joy and silliness? They look like they are having so much fun…

Well…most of the time.

Cheer up Mame! You’ll be off soon enough.

M: “Ahhhh, that’s true!!”

Seriously though. During what would normally be the dance-break, they just sort of freak out. The chick costumes make it a crazy yellow mess.

M: “PARTY TIIIIIIIIIIIIME!”

All: “WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

BLURRY WINKY FAAAAAAAAAAAAAIL! Granny is SO DAMN HAPPY!!

RUN, RUN, RUN!!

CHICKS CHASIN’ CHICKS – FEATHERS EVERYWHERE!!

OOoof. YELLOW!! FEATHERS EVERYWHERE!!!

…Back to the song. Whew. What the hell was that??

That was all about the chick costume – it gives them a certain freedom they haven’t had in awhile. If you look silly anyway, why not act silly? Once the chasing starts, they are all pretty much laughing at each other. That is kinda the point. Maybe they don’t like this song, but they are having so much fun with it. This feels like a fun place for the kidz to get their feet wet.

Let’s check out some close ups!

Kuduu~! The bossy one. She is extremely cute. I thought she’d get more lines, actually.

Dai-ishi! Who comes up with these nicknames anyway? Ayumi has the Yasuda Kei face and I mean that as a compliment because it’s the only way I can recognize her in this pv. Again – cute.

Masaki is so happyyyyyyyyyy!

Seriously, there isn’t much I can say, but cute.

Sorry Harunan. I’m glad you got some lines and some time in the center of the dance, but right now all I can say is cute.

Like mah Zuk, here. She always gets pushed to the back, so when she gets some actual closeup time, I’m so happy. It’s sad that she being overshadowed at the moment. I hope she will keep getting better.

Relax, Mizuki. I won’t make the severed head joke again. At least not about you. You got some lines and pwned. And you look gorgeous and elegent even as the spawn of an idol-song-Chocobo union.

M: “I’m cool with that!”

Riho – ace and she knows it.

Eri-pon! She has grown so much and yet still strikes me as adorably awkward. I’m really starting to like this kid.

Poor granny. She still can’t dance, or walk very much. It must be incredibly frustrating, but you’d never know it. Granny shines in these kinds of settings. I think the genki-childlike stuff must be easier for her than the other stuff because she’s lost that bored-forced smile and looks just overjoyed in this pv. And she sounds great.

Chuuuu~ <3!

Miss Gaki sounds lovely and looks like a princess, but something tells me she is done, done, done. She has her eye on that door and is ready to bolt as soon as she can. I have no doubt she will always love Momusu, but she wants to move on.Can you imagine – the sixth gen will be ruling, until that glorious day when Winky finally leaves… I think Shige is supposed to be the new leader now. SHIGE.

Think about that for a moment.

W: “No, no, it’s me. I’m the leader for serious. Who even is this Shige?”
Granny: “WAAAAAIT-”

S: *mid cute-pose* “What??”
Shige realizes she will have to defend her position.

….

….

*whirring*
*smash*

….

D: “Anybody else hear that?”

*more strange sounds*

…..

…..

…..

Shige: *whistles nonchalantly*

R: “Can I still be the ace?”

S: “We can talk about that and the bunny costumes you’ll be wearing later.”

S: “For now, come here my chickies!!”

You know…I am liking this pv more and more…there is so much you can do with it.

;-P I know. I’m terrible.

~Isilie

I knew someone would have already used this, but I need to say it all the same. When I read this news, my first thought was what Mame said to Yossy when she graduated: “With your departure, the Morning Musume in my heart will completely disappear.” I shouldn’t say such things, of course. Yossy is my favourite and I’ve loved Momusu even after her grad. It’s just…

It’s MAME. Beanie. Gaki-san.
She’s the last of the Gokkies.

There is no other generation I care about the way I’ve always cared about the Gokkies. I’ve probably said this in other entries, but they have always struck me as the last generation to really feel like joining the group was a big deal – not just because the group was so popular when they joined, but because they truly loved it. No one loved it more than Mame. She wanted in so badly. Through the years you could always tell, the fifth gen never lost that vulnerability. There is now confidence, of course. Momusu helped them all grow, gave them the opportunity for many other things, but that sense of vulnerability never went away. It kept them close to each other, maybe moreso than any other generation, minus the first and second.

When Takahashi left it was emotional enough. She was leader for a few years in the only stable line-up the group has ever had. Now they are returning to form with all these people leaving left and right and all these new kids.  I have always sworn that I would love the group no matter what they did. This strange feeling in the pit of my stomach really brings home that sense of being spoiled. The stability and consistent sound of Momusu spoiled us. Now we all expect things to be stable but they just never have been. They tried keeping them stable and everyone complained.

You do realize this means the sixth gen “rules” now?
*shudder*

Miki was leader for about three seconds once her Yossy was gone. Even in past years when Momusu was consistently changing their members, the leader always had someone either from the same generation, or close to her age, to back her up. Niigaki must be where Miki was in 2007.

There really isn’t anyone for her to confide in anymore, no one she’d feel as comfortable relying on. She’s surrounded by kids, who are cute, but helpless and loud. Who is her sub leader? The one dressing them in bunny outfits and giving them candy – Michishige. Winky is probably already trying to take over as leader, even though she technically won’t be the leader any time soon, unless Shige is planning to split. I can just see her sending the little tenth gen girls to get her dry cleaning, while Niigaki looks on helplessly.

Not on my watch, sista.

I’m being facetious. A little. You probably don’t wanna mess with Niigaki…

I have no doubt that Gaki is an awesome leader. I have no doubt that she still loves Momusu. But I know that when you are close to someone and suddenly that person is gone, it doesn’t get easier overnight, especially when all kinds of pressure is heaped on your shoulders. The sound of this new single is just…strange. It’s nothing like what they’ve done before and many have commented on how similar it is to S/mileage. One thing you could always say about Tsunku is that he gives each group their own sound, subtle or otherwise. Is this another one of his unconscious attempts to merge S/mileage and Momusu? The members have already expressed concern (or as much as they can when so much just isn’t allowed to be said). You can’t avoid changing the sound, since everyone is young again, but…duckies? Really?

Of course, this is probably just a case of Mame doing as she is told. She was originally going to leave with Takahashi, but they wanted her to break in the new members. You can’t exactly argue with that. I know I always get all sentimental about it, when it’s all probably just business, but I can’t help it.

I find myself much more emotional about this one than about Takahashi. I guess because Mame is the last of the members that I fell in love with, the last of my favourite generation, the last of a breed of Musume who remembers what being a member used to mean and carries that in her heart.

I wish there was more time.

I wish she would get a solo song release, so then I could pretend that she got the solo career I really wanted her to have.

I wish we’d hear her more in the new single, but I doubt Pyoko will deliver anything but Winky-Riho.

She worked so hard to become what she is – a dynamic and joyous performer. I am so proud of her.

And honestly, I don’t think I could have handled a double graduation with these two.
I cried enough at Konno and Ogawa’s…

She better get a damn good send off.

*sniff* Why do you do this to me, Momusu!?

~Isilie

Need I even list all the insanity of this year?  If you’re an H!P fan, odds are you already know. If you aren’t, then you’ll at least have heard of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March and how continuously devastating it is to those still living it. It is hardly over, even if the news has moved on. Reading translated tweets from Japan, reading as much as could online and just seeing the photos in newspapers everywhere is something I will never forget. I suppose it’s trite – I don’t live there, I have no family there – but the feelings I had during that month…not something I will forget. Something that changed a lot of things for me.

Just to digress for a moment, I was very touched when the online fan communities rallied this year and donated money, time, effort, and headaches into fundraising campaigns. You can look at it however you want (I’m sure there are more than enough people out there who think donating money is/was a bad/ignorant/naive idea because blahblahblah, but hush for a bit, ok?), but I thought it was awesome. I love that our self-indulgence could help, even a little bit. Love of idols tends to lead to a love of Japan, the desire to learn the language and a love of the culture outside of anime or Johnnies or whatever it might be. At least it has in my limited experience. That is the best part about this sort of fandom. I was very, very touched.

Ok~! Onward, one more time in 2011!

Fave Singles

Morning Musume – Kono Chikyuu no Heiwa o Honki de Negatterun da yo! / Kare to Issho ni Omise ga Shitai

I think almost everybody likes MajiSuka the best this year. I agree that it is a fabulous song, one that captures genki Momusu with being embarrassing (I’m looking at you, Pyoko! Not sure what to make of you yet…). Plus it’s one of those increasingly rare songs that lets the newer members actually sing a distinguishable line. However, if we’re talking singles that Isilie played over and over and over – this is the Momusu song(s) that did it for me.

I don’t care that the costumes are borrowed from a previous single, because everybody looks great. I don’t care that most of the lines go to three girls because, well as much as it pains me, they all sound great. The song is funky and awesome. Kareto is possibly the best use of Shige that I’ve ever heard (before I heard her “duet” with Mizuki on 12Smart). It might be the catchiest chorus we’ve gotten out of Tsunku this year. The pv is the kind of silliness we usually only get from S/mileage. I never got around to writing a review of that pv, but I suspect it would have taken forever and exploded my brain. There is only so much capping one can reasonably do before one must give up and just place a youtube link to the pv itself.

To sum up: in my opinion they had some strong releases this year, amidst all the craziness, but this one was my favourite. I wish they would continue with this sort of sound, but it seems like Tsunku has other ideas. I will probably end up loving whatever Pyoko will be, but from the previews (and some worrying comments from three of the elder members about how this direction is a little strange) it may take some getting used to.

PS: I cannot wait to see Ai’s graduation concert. It will be epic and I will cry again.

Berryz Koubou – Heroine ni Narou Ka (Honourable Mention to Aa,Yo ga Akeru)

We only got three singles out of Berryz this year, minus the Berikyuu stuff. They started the year off with this and it blew me out of the water. I love pretty much everything about this song. I’m always surprised by how well Berryz handles the dance stuff. When I think of them, I always think of slightly wackier songs like Monkey Dance or rock-y, funky stuff like Maji Bomber. I never picture them sporting ‘Lady Gaga’ head gear or dancing in shadows. When they get a song like this, though, they really make it work. Risako’s last little push at the end of the dance-shot, when her hair flips over her face pwns my socks off.

I also love how in 2011, the singles seemed to give more play to girls who weren’t normally leads (in the singles, anyway). It was awesome to see Captain get some screen time, beyond just a few glances in the dance-shots. Maasa just…she just rules.

I really liked Aa, Yo ga Akeru but it didn’t hit me as hard as this one.

C-ute – Kiss me Aishiteru

C-ute wasn’t even on my radar this year, minus this one song. I love it when C-ute is fierce. They need to do songs like the two summer singles (I didn’t review those because they sound pretty much the same to me – they aren’t bad songs, just forgettable ones) because their name pretty much demands it, but this song, with it’s crazy intro and awesome vocals captures that kind of power that only C-ute has.

I didn’t get a chance to review it, but the pv is really well-done. There is something very smooth about it all, despite the fact that it’s just the same close-up dance-shot stuff it always is. I love how they all don’t seem to have any idea what to do with those clear, glass apples. I love the recycled-from-Lullaby-Game padded hall-way set that they dance through. Mostly it’s the vocals that make the song. Airiri and Chisato continue to power up. They were so powerful I almost didn’t notice Maimi…and that takes some doing.

And now there is S/mileage…

Well…

Hrm.

It’s been pointed out to me that I probably care more about them than I let on. After all, I didn’t do extensive pv reviews, but I did do a couple posts on them, most of which detailed my concern for the members. They lost two founding members this year and gained a bunch of rookies, who I can’t even recognize at the moment. It irks me that two members in one year just up and left when the group seemed so tight-knit.

It’s funny the audition for these rookies seemed so hastily put together, right alongside the Momusu auditions. It’s like Tsunku or whomever was surprised and unprepared for Saki’s departure – like she just came into work one day and said, “that’s it.” It worked out: the auditions caused the leader to step up and the founding girls to work together to welcome the new members…but it also made Yuuka want to leave. As I understand it, she is the “face” of S/mileage for a great many people. Now she says that she wants to go to school, but who knows? There is also the matter of Takahashi’s grad, all these new faces when the group was four people for such a long time. The timing seems a little suspicious.

But whatever. They’ve worked out their style now and they have that whole “short skirt” angle to go with all the cute.I really like this picture of them – the  newer pics with the rookies just remind me that there is now a hierarchy (yet another Momusu similarity). Some have pointed out that having the same members for years can potentially stagnate a group, but I don’t think that is something this group ever needed to worry about. Four is a nice even number, first of all. Second, this number meant that they couldn’t rely on one or two of the girls for all vocals without looking like tools. Everyone got to sing, because there just weren’t enough people to ignore. So much for that…

The only song I liked or paid any attention to was Tachiaagurl and even then, barely. It’s cute and singable, but I don’t listen to it that much. I wonder what it is with this group where I don’t care about their music at all but I persist in writing about them.

Good luck kids!

Kikkakawa Yuu – Every. Single. Song.

Sign me up.

There is nothing that she has released that I don’t love and listen to on repeat. Her singles were awesome and all the awesome b-sides made them like mini albums. She did different styles but always had me hooked.

She is cute, pretty and talented. She is funny. She is amazing live (from the performance clips I’ve seen, anyway). I mean, she could have been in Riho’s position, lending that strong, pretty, awesome voice to Momusu. But no. We got Granny instead. In a way though, I’m grateful. I haven’t enjoyed a UFA soloist in a long time. After the yawn-fest that was and is Mano (just…can’t…get…into it), she is a breath of fresh air. I cannot wait for the album…

You’ll have to forgive me. This year I worked very hard and learned a lot of things and I am very, very tired. I sort-of lost track of H!P and I spent a lot of time at my other blog writing about other things that I couldn’t have posted here. I don’t mean to cut this short, but compared to previous years I guess this year end post is pretty small.

Last things:

I want to mention Dream Momusu, because their new single looks incredible and I don’t use that word lightly.

Yossy. Slapping. Charmy. (around 2:16)

For that alone, this will be the most awesome pv in the world.

The only way this picture could be more amazing is if it were Yossy…
*dies*

Nakazawa-sama is getting married and so ending a decade of jokes. I am glad she held out for exactly what she wanted. Weep, gentlemen who thought you were man enough – you lost.

I want to mention Goto Maki, who I think is on her hiatus now: I hope she becomes happy again. I still think Fly Away is my favourite of her post-H!P fare, but I enjoyed her album Ai Kotoba. There was a real sense of freedom in her once she decided to leave us awhile. She already seemed more at ease. That makes me very happy.

Buono – I liked Zassou no Uta a lot. Then Momoko wouldn’t shut up and I stopped paying attention.

Mobekimasu – Not a bad song, but the whole thing just felt so half-assed. I couldn’t get as into it as I wanted to.

I think I need to see some concerts with all these new kids…

And then there is Yossy – always my favourite. I followed her shows and appearances as best I could and even when she isn’t doing idol things, I love watching her. I think my favourite appearance was when she went on a biking trip with a former race-car driver. He comments a lot that she is stronger than he expected, an idol, but athletic. She goes at her own pace, but keeps up even when they are winding their way up huge hills. They proceed to bike through gorgeous countryside until the plastic models factory in which she does this:

Y: *totally ignoring everything else* “I had these when I was a kid!!!!”

Then they race model cars and she makes this face:

Serious mode – activated!

Quote: “I go at my own pace, but when I am competing, I’m totally serious.”

“Not that I need to compete, however….Awwwwww yeeeeeeah.”

Love her.

As for Takahashi’s grad – I think I said it all here.

I’m going to get some rest so I don’t get left behind again in the new year. Thank you everyone who commented or stopped by (especially those that always stop by ^_^). Thank you for taking an interest in my ramblings, contradicting me, agreeing with me, anything.

I really love writing.

Fave Headers

If you ignore the fact that their heads are smooshed – it’s Takalin for the win!!!

Kamei is beautiful. I thought the layering worked out well in this one.

No doubt the best photobook H!P has ever seen – or at least the most creative. Shige can pull off anything…

A very simple, highly colourful header using one of my favourite pics from the JunLin Kamei grad concert. Rival Survival was an awesome show and the last of tight-knit family-Musume.

Happy New Year everybody!

Wow…Gaki’s already drinkin’!

~Isilie

XD

Unsurprisingly, when Dream came along, my initial reaction was an unthinking, “YAAAAAAAAY!!!” I hadn’t seen this group together in years and years. Aside from Nutjob, who I am at best ambivalent about as an idol, there is no one in this group who isn’t an engaging, strong performer. I didn’t sit there analyzing it and thinking, “uh oh”, I just let out a squee and waited to see the concert.

Which was completely epic.
But now they have a single. An original single.

Shining Butterfly is one of those Tsunku titles that just makes me giggle because it probably makes no sense in context. It’s probably one of those things that just sounded good to him. I feel like he must have a stock pile of english phrases or random words that just sound good to Japanese ears and he uses them without too much thought. Then there are situations like the one with GAM: it suddenly meant ‘a lady with nice legs’ when the word actually refers to legs themselves – and is an outdated term as far as I know. Shining Butterfly could mean many things, but nevermind that. How is the actual song?

Well, from the tiny pv preview and what little I could hear, it’s very pretty, slightly rock-y (the way Shogani Yume oibito was rock-y) and has a more adult sound than a lot of their concert fare.  Best of all? The pv has a story! A set! Guest stars Ms Takahashi.

Oh yeah. And she’s totally psyched to be here.

Welcome to Hostess Musume. The Elder Club was just preparation for the hostess club they would all open together. Unfortunately, it’s a cutthroat world out there, beyond the shimmering genki walls of H!P and that means that you see shocking betrayals like -

- Kemeko and Nutjob totally stealing one of your biggest clients, or possibly your boyfriend.

Even when you’re as drunk as Rika is right now, it looks pretty bad.

No, no. She’s actually pretty upset.

“Well, what do you expect, Rika-chan? I mean, you’re already the center in like 30 singles and now even six years later, you’re doing it again.”

“But the AUDACITY! That KID and that….that KEMEKO!??”

“Being Rika is so painful.”

N: “Ok, now listen to Mama. You’re way too drunk to stop them.  I mean all that crack and absolute lack of self-consciousness…it’s deadly. Nutjob and Kemeko cannot be stopped with anything less than a rocket launcher. “

“Of course, this is only because no one here is as powerful as I am…”

“No! WAIT! RIKA-”

N: “I really should have cut her off.”

Then there is dance-shot.

I actually love these costumes, mostly because they aren’t huge, hideous tutus with bows all over the place. They are comparatively elegant, showing off some skin, but not too much and providing some nice looking contrast between the white and colour.

I’m actually not surprised to see Rika in the center of the dance. It seems like the actual singing lines are distributed between Tsunku’s old favourite centers. That means Kemeko, Yossy, Makochin and Nutjob will probably just be back-up. That kinda pisses me off, but it’s not unexpected. At least in this group you know those that will actually sing will be pleasant, if not epic, to listen to. I love Yuko’s voice at the end of the clip. I loved hearing Kaorin again. I loved hearing Yaguchi.

Lovely Nacchi! She is…*dreamy sigh*

Kaorin, Yaguchi and Yuko-sama – classy and beautiful. Yuko is spending this pv reminding us how hawt she is. And we weep that she is off the market now.

I’m going to need Yossy to be onscreen for more than a second at a time though, please. Makochin too. Why do we never get to hear her? She’s never been a bad singer and she’s never looked better, quite frankly. This is probably the first pv I’ve seen where Kemeko didn’t get her face into every shot somehow. She used to be the best at photobombing every single screenshot.

So, predictably, I love the song. Seeing it made me excited, happy. I didn’t think too hard about it. Then I started reading other blogger’s reactions to it.

Heavily Paraphrased: This is another outrageous move by UpFront to remind people that current Momusu sucks and these are the real members! This is happening because the OGs have nothing else to do and so they begged/were begged to put on the Momusu badge once again, even though they have graduated, and sing the same songs AGAIN to revive their stagnant careers. This Dream stuff is just because Tsunku hates Momusu now and wants to deal with the members he actually likes (then how do you explain Koharu!? *rimshot*). He should have retired the name Momusu. He should have left these members alone to grow beyond their roots. THIS SUCKS! THIS IS A TRAVESTY!! DAMN NOSTALGIA JUNKIES!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!

How about we all calm ourselves?

• I don’t think Tsunku hates what he created. He might be tired of it, but he is still creating music for them and I don’t think it’s bad at all. Momusu has evolved with the times and the changing members. Even songs everybody hated, like Nanchatte or Mikan have the power to make fans of people. Stop underestimating our current members just because they aren’t Tsuji-Kago or the powerhouse of awesome that is Yossy.
• The OGs all have careers. They are all busy, in one degree or another, and some of them even have families. Just because you haven’t made the effort to look up what they are doing, it doesn’t mean that they have fallen off the face of the earth. Not being popular anymore has not stopped them from working. Plus they will always have the respect of the industry because of their past achievements and their personalities. That’s a good thing, not something pathetic that they exploit.
• Maybe they wanted to do this. Maybe they thought it would be fun, even if it is a desperate grab for nostalgia-fuelled money. All the members love Momusu in their own ways. They helped create it. Why would they resent something like that? If they hate it, they are professional enough to never, ever let us know it, but it doesn’t seem likely to me. Hell, Yuko has a Momusu shrine in her house, with all the releases, photos, autographs…she treasures Momusu because it’s such a big part of her. She wants to support it, no matter how different it has become. Yuko says, “keep supporting my beloved Momusu” and if Yuko says to do something, you’d better do it.
• Tsunku has favourites, but I don’t think he will ever get tired of lording it over 14 year olds and molding them into idols. It’s what he does.
• I don’t think Dream is going to last forever. Especially because, as I just mentioned, they all have careers. Momusu, however, will still be around. Let’s see what Gaki does with it before we get rid of it, shall we?

Mostly I think people are overthinking something that is simply a fun, nostalgic romp. Some old friends got together, did some concerts and got a single release. It’s a good song, it will be an interesting pv. Let’s enjoy that and look forward to the next Momusu release, Pyoko Pyoko we-are-fluffy-baby-chicks.

I’m thinking it will probably remind me of Hyokkori Hyoutan-jima. Or maybe it will be a whole new, cracked-out, cute sound. That is fine by me.

I love Morning Musume. All of it.

~Isilie

our randomly-generated Hello! Project unit:

The one-time only unit Egao Matsuri will be made up of Yaguchi Mari, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Tsuji Nozomi, Matsuura Aya, Ayaka, Maeda Yuki. Their single will have a 80s New Wave sound and they will wear black leather tube tops with matching pants for the PV.

…

…

Thank you Cult of Pop!!!!

I read that and went out of my crappy reality into a happy visual place.

PS: Thanks for letting me know about all the H!P happenings guys. I have lots of stuff to check out now.  XD

~Isilie

All I keep seeing is this Mobekimasu stuff and I just – I don’t care about that! It’s DONE. No more promotions where Momoko makes an idiot of herself trying to be Shige, no more performances where they pretend that dance isn’t completely ridiculous (stop bending over and shaking your butts when you’re wearing the huge skirts – you look silly)…

Mobekismasu will be fun at H!P concerts, but it’s DONE now. Do something else.

There is hope. I heard about a new S/mileage single. I heard and actually liked the preview of it. C-ute and Berryz are doing concerts together, I think. There was something about a movie too…

Momusu’s new single is supposedly called ‘Pyoko Pyoko Ultra’ which just sounds cracked-out and nonsensical. It’s an introduction single for the newest members, so hopefully they will get to do something. I hope it’s a little toned down from the craziness that was Ok Yeah (that was a little too much, even for me).

I don’t like doing these unfocused posts that basically list things. It doesn’t feel like me. It’s kinda funny that I couldn’t keep up last time I tried to post and now I can’t find anything to post about. Well, I can, I just don’t have any new stuff to comment on. It seems strange to me that so little seems to be happening, or rather that so much is just not even on the radar in H!P at the moment. This has been a roller-coaster year with almost constant change, but now it’s like they just need to rest for a moment. That, or Takahashi leaving has just caused some sort of panic and Mobekimasu is their way  of distracting us while they rebuild.

Dramatic, but possible if you consider how much they relied on Ai’s voice and her star power.

Found this here, but I wanted to reiterate:

Momo needs to dial it down or Shige will just keep knocking her down by her FAYCE!

Really. Enough!!

You were scary and now you’re just constantly vomit-inducing. The reason Shige is getting attention on variety shows is that she has been doing this ‘I’m the cutest’ thing for years. I don’t know if Momoko has, but I can never remember it being like this. The important difference isn’t really even the amount of years Shige has devoted to self-worship but to how she presents it. She doesn’t simper constantly and interrupt people to insert ‘yan’ into an incoherent sentence. Rather than an act she puts on, it is just a big aspect of her personality. She also has a sharp tongue, another personality trait that she just has kept quiet with until she felt comfortable enough to let it out.

Plus, she’s hawt.

Momo, you’re a good singer, a good dancer and you actually have fans who don’t consider you scary. Don’t alienate them by stealing an act and doing it wrong.

Maybe she’s going for a Yasuda Kei move. The more you embarrass yourself, the more they pick on you, the more screen-time you get. Maybe Momo is just a genius.

Still…it’s annoying.

I am dying to see the newest Momusu generation in action, especially considering that little Egg (Haruka?) and how adorably bossy she was on Hello Pro Time.

Ishida: “I’m trying to eat here!”
Kudo: “Enough of that nonsense! Introduce yourself to the people! *huff* Amateurs…”

Then there is Ikubo Haruna:

Just for your information…

Everyone’s concern with her is that she’s sixteen (or is it seventeen?), but you SO SO need that right now. They can’t all be ten years old people! Momusu has always had younger girls, it’s true, but there has always been a decent mix of older and younger performers. Besides, it’s not like Iikubo will be a lead singer, so she has loads of time to get good at that. In the auditions she really seemed keen to get better at everything. I hope she keeps that enthusiasm.

…

*shrugs* That’s all I got for this one.

So, is this just me, or is there a lot going on that I am just missing?

~Isilwen

There are a bunch of things I haven’t commented on (yet again) that I want to talk about, but none of them warrant their own posts.

At least I don’t think so.

It’s odd, I’m still kind of stuck on the recent graduation, if only because I recently saw the actual ceremony (and I cried yet again). The poor new members…one was so nervous she couldn’t even finish her sentence.

Ahhh, so small…

The whole thing really did feel intimate, like it was done at a tiny theater or something. I loved Ai’s casual outfit, how humble and cool she was, even when she was crying too hard to sing. Niigaki’s eyes when she told her friend that she should live for herself now…*sniff*

It was a fantastic goodbye.

Anyway, here’s just a few things I wanted to talk about.

The new Momusu album, 12 Smart.

First of all: that’s a silly title. What does that even mean? What is the deal with the angel theme then?

Second: Give me Ai is a nice song, with the expected Ai-Riho-Winky vocals and the rest going ‘lalala’…I like it…but it’s not an album opener. Unless this whole album was going to have a similar atmosphere, I have no idea why they chose this one, especially when they have some pretty insanely high-energy numbers to follow. Tsunku has almost always been awesome at that first track. Genki+, Songs, Night of Tokyo City…these are amazing ways to open an album and get me excited to listen to the rest of it. This one feels like it should be track six or something…

Third: FINALLY GAKI GETS A PROPER RAP! Why I love rap moments in Momusu, I’ll never know…but this is something I’ve been waiting for. And Granny Mitsui has finally, FINALLY found the best use of the weird monotone she’s been fond of lately and that pouty, bratty vibe she’s been giving off. She and Gaki must handle all rap now and they need to do it more often! Granted, she’s entitled to be a bit off – the poor girl has been on hiatus for awhile now with yet another injury and who knows when she’ll be back. Meanwhile, Tsunku has added yet another four girls, who will no doubt further drive her into her jealous shell – unless she can get over it and be genki again. I’ve seen her be so cute and sing so well. I really want her to find an ally in this generation, so if she does get overshadowed, she will at least be friends with some of them.

Stop being jealous and threatened and show them what you’re made of!!!

Fourth: The two songs I like the best (not counting the singles) star both members of the sixth gen. Winky really toned it down for Silver no Uedokei. It’s actually rather pretty and quite a contrast to the improved, but still very young Riho. Shige’s song with Mizuki, Suki da na Kimi da, is fun too. Perfume-esque and catchy. I’m sure the lyrics are plenty cute. I can’t hear Mizuki at all, but apparently she’s in there somewhere. Everyone seems to want to see the dance to this one. I’m expecting something para-para. What do you think?

Five: Good luck doing a lot of these vocals now that Takahashi’s gone. Just sayin’.

Six: Positive S is a lot of fun. My Way = Hi there 9th gen! I knew you guys were still around. I really would have LOVED to hear more of Zukki’s lower register Gaki-esque voice! OK YEAH should have opened the album, or divided it in two the way Ikimasshoi! did with the 4th album. Also: hi there Mini Moni! Nice to see you’re sneaking in that Ai~n Dance no Uta-esque stuff!

Seven: Stop giving Granny limp, cutesy songs. She and the 9th gen deserve better than Otome no Timing. It’s not a bad song, but it’s not that good either. I keep forgetting it’s there. I know the newer members need to be broken in slowly, especially in terms of vocals, but…I don’t know. I just expected something a little more fun. And Mitsui is capable of more. Really. Give her some credit.

Eight: I can’t wait to see them pull these off in concert. Seriously. It’s gonna be nuts.

Mobekimasu

Why? There was no conceivable reason for this except a quick cash grab. It sounds like a Berryz song that they just decided to share with everyone. It’s not a bad song. I like the costumes. But the pv is completely uninspired and only four people (I don’t remember the exact number) get to do anything.

As far as the whole comparison to AllStars…I’m not making one, because there is no comparison. There was a reason for that shuffle. It celebrated everything H!P was and it was full of joy and energy. It made me so proud to be a fan.

This song has a recycled title, no attempt at any new sound and it was made for no reason.
Why should I even pay attention?

On the New Members

Don’t know them yet, but since they are all pretty young and all fairly adorable…

They’re doomed.

Shige starts early.

Also, she’s persistent until she gets what she wants.

The pic that spawned a thousand fanfics…

GOTO @ the Dream Momusu Concert!!

YeeeeeeeaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAH!

I was happy to see this because I’ve worried that Goto distanced herself from everyone associated with H!P. It’s just a nice bit of nostalgia to see them together and to think that even if she didn’t want to be in that world anymore, she still wanted to keep in touch with those who did.

Random: I watched the Dream Momusu concert and it pwned so hard that I nearly died from awesome.

Reborn: The new Morning Musume Play
(Can you tell I don’t know the title?)

I don’t know anything about this play or who plays whom. All I know is that I saw this on the picboard the other day:

Niigaki as a bad ass warrior assassin chick???
YES PLEASE!!!!

Ok…I think that’s it. Hoping to see more from the 10th gen. Can’t wait to hear them in action.

And I can’t wait to see the Ai Believe concert…I bet you anything I’m gonna weep again.

~Isilie

Takahashi Ai had to take the reigns from Yossy, the last of the ‘Golden Era’ musumes. She led the group through nearly four years of big moments: their first trip to America, their first (I assume) trip to Paris, their first number one since ‘Aruiteru’ and two major member additions – the Chinese half of our eighth gen and the delightful ninth gen. I’ve read so many blogs saying that under her lead the group ‘stagnated’ (people rely on that word a lot) because the songs all started to sound alike and because the line-up of front-girls never changed. I’ve also read talk that claims because she was such a powerful performer she overshadowed everyone. To paraphrase another blogger (if this is you, tell me and I will credit you properly) “There’s no need to push anyone else to improve. Takahashi will carry everything!”

I don’t think there has ever been a case quite like that in Momusu history. Even in the Goto era we had such powerhouses that it didn’t matter how hard they pushed her – the others kept speaking up and getting in our faces (and that is why Dream Momusu can exist). With the Ai era, I don’t think it was even just that she overshadowed everyone. That was part of it, but I think Momusu was just missing that senpai-kouhai dynamic that was so prevalent before Yossy left. Let’s face it, none of the Gokkies are leader material on first glance. I think that is largely why Momusu became so close and familial. There was such an emphasis on unity, very few line-up changes and much less of an age gap so everyone became comfortable with each other. They were comfortable enough that some OGs mentioned it specifically. Eventually Ai herself commented that Tsunku’s advice was to make it a “close and family-type” group because it would work for her.

Takahashi led the group and then H!P itself through a very strange time. Getting rid of the Elder Club and restructuring H!P back into a place for the younger performers was a huge step. I personally loved this era and after Yossy left I didn’t even know if I would still be a Momusu fan. But I am, perhaps moreso than ever before. I just wanted to reminisce about Takahashi’s lead because I don’t want to write another post about how great, adorable and talented she is and how she will be missed (even though those things are all very true). I wanted to really look at the things that I loved most about it and see what conclusion I can come to.

This ended up quite long, so forgive me.  m (_ _) m

The Resonant Blue Single

Honestly, the first thing I remember about this era is Resonant Blue. I know that Takahashi Ai was leader two singles before that, but Onnani felt like a transitional one. They were finding their lead girls and getting JunLin used to things with complicated choreography. It’s a good song, but I’ve always felt like it was sort-of hanging on to the last one. It doesn’t help that the song had to be messed around with because of Miki’s departure. As a result there is way too much Takahashi in a time when that wasn’t exactly the norm yet. Mikan felt like an experiment: can we genki it up again, or do people still want us to brood?

When I first heard Resonant Blue it was an mp3 from a radio show, so for the first few seconds Winky’s annoying-ass voice interrupted things. I’d broken my rule of never listening to previews because it had been awhile since Mikan and I really wanted to hear something new. I was on the bus, on my way home from class when I first heard it. The sound quality was horrible and honestly I couldn’t make head nor tails of how the verses were structured. But I loved it. It didn’t sound anything like Momusu to me, but at the same time it was so…them.

That is why I use the phrase ‘Resonant-Blue-Style-Insta-Love‘ on this site. Because I’d never really had that experience before. I’d not been that excited about a new Momusu song since I could remember. I was a fairly new fan. I mean, I’d only started really getting into them around the Chokkan2 single and it was going back through their history that made me fall in love. So it sounds strange, even to me that Resonant Blue, a single that seems to be loathsome to so many people, is the first single of theirs to make me feel like that. I wish I could explain it to you better. I just know that I felt a surge of excitement the first time they got to the ‘ne ne dakedo‘ moment and from then on I was hooked. I listened to it over and over and the moment I got the pv I watched that over and over. The only issue I can take with it at this point is how Winky/Nutjob heavy it is. Other than that, I can’t think of anything I don’t like about it.

I loved those costumes. I loved the heavy eye make-up. I loved the black and blue lighting. I loved that choreography and how Kamei suddenly turned into this kick-ass dancer the moment she got onscreen.  I connect with the lyrics and how (to summarize and simplify) it’s not simply a girl getting cheated on or ignored but someone who is just sick of the whole game. I couldn’t think of anything to compare it to. People were saying the song was like Summer Night Town and the pv was like Shabondama. I can see that, but I don’t agree. Summer Night Town has a sort of dazed, brooding quality to it where Resonant Blue is all loneliness and muted anger. It ends in a desperate plea for help rather than a coy ‘I hate you cause I can’t help loving you’. Shabondama’s choreography is almost all straight up flailing rage, where Resonant Blue’s is more contained. There are a few moments of desperation, but most of it is structured, with the rage straining to release itself.

Plus there is no sexy water time in that one. A shame really.

The original video is just a dance-shot, but they released a whole bunch of versions of Resonant Blue that are really interesting, including my favourite version which is a mix of all of them. Still can’t get over that dance-shot though…

More than anything else, it was theirs. I felt like the members actually loved this song. Sure it ushered in the era of the Koharu-Ai-Winky front girls, but it was something really cool that they hadn’t done before. This is the song that started the era for me.

Family Musume

I sound like a bit of a broken record here, but unity just rules. Momusu became completely different. There wasn’t really a feeling of sections: the senpais and the kouhais and then the newer members. Everyone paired off in certain ways, but they seemed to work so well as one. That was probably because of the age difference not being much of a difference. It also could be because JunLin needed everyone to make them feel welcome and help them communicate. It felt like the most important thing to Takahashi was to have one vision of what Morning Musume should be and for everybody to put that forth. The best and worst thing about it is that the sense of rivalry wasn’t there. At least not in the blatant way it was in the past, or in the way it is now with the eight (count em people, EIGHT) newer, younger members. I think it was a good thing simply because we’d never seen a Momusu like that before.

Now you can go on about how “fake” it all is and how they all probably cat around at each other behind the scenes, but I really don’t care. If it was fake, they did a damn good acting job and I really enjoyed it. And girls squabble about stupid things no matter what. It’s to be expected when you spend absurd amounts of time together in a job where your appearance is just about everything. I remember Shige and JJ having arguments about their hairstyles because they had such similar characters. That is clearly a silly thing to argue about, but it didn’t stop them from working together for the group. There is a moment in the Alo Hello dvd where Shige, Winky and Linlin make fruit bouquets. They all have to choose a flower pot – green (?was it green?), yellow or pink. Shige and Winky both want pink so they janken and Winky gets it (and yes, she is really annoying about it). Then Shige turns to Linlin and smiles, setting a hand on her shoulder. Linlin just sighs and says, “Right. I understand.” and takes the green one. I didn’t see this so much as a senpai kouhai moment as a sister indulging a sister.

When I say ‘unity’ or ‘family’ I don’t mean to suggest they never argued or were always happy with each other. I mean the sense that I always got from Takahashi’s members was one of family – Takahashi is very much the mother-hen, with Gaki as the slightly more stern father. They all seemed to be very close. That is why the two graduations – Nutjob’s and the trio of Kamei, JJ and Linlin – took so very long. Breaking apart that nine when they’d been through so much together…(I wept, I’m not gonna lie)

They really had to re-create their own Momusu in the shadows of the OGs. I don’t remember where I read this, but one of the blogs I read mentioned that Momusu moved away from their idol roots and were more focused on performance. Their dancing really stepped up and their music got very uniform and polished. Because it was a group more focused on concerts and performance, the lack of idol personality became much less important. It makes so much sense to me. I would never say there was no personality there, but I agree that it became very music oriented. You don’t realize how many appearances they had in the past. This version of Momusu just didn’t have that anymore. They were never given that chance. You can either dismiss this as “they were all boring” or you can wonder if maybe their focus was just different. If they don’t get to talk well then, dammit they’re gonna perform their asses off!

ZombieZombie mentioned that in the past Momusu’ s performances weren’t very polished (in this awesome post – you should check out part one also, because it mentions that people need to stop comparing them to the OGs and start appreciating what Momusu is and not what it was – THANK you!). That was part of the charm, but that is also why this recent Momusu was so different and so special. They had to step it up, they had to put in that work. Now they are attracting a new generation of fans. Momusu LIVES, baby!

JunLin

New members are one thing, but new members that cannot even speak the language they are meant to perform in-?

The general reaction to this was a supreme wtf.
But also a raised eyebrow.
Cause really, with all the uproar of Yossy leaving and Miki stepping down, can they really handle this?

Answer: YES!

Let’s get this out of the way first: they weren’t exactly treated the way they should have been. I know JJ was harassed into closing her blog and Linlin was lonely and isolated before Momusu. I know that they should have been given a hell of a lot more to do, especially considering Linlin’s vocal ability and JJ’s versatility. I don’t know how much the fandom in Japan embraced them and I know that unfortunately, if you don’t sell you don’t get a lot of opportunity, but the fact remains that they had two talented, dedicated girls who they could have utilized a hell of a lot better. The fact that they wasted that opportunity just makes me sad.

If you want to talk about how bad or good they were first consider how far they came in three years: they studied the language enough to be able to sing, communicate their feelings and create relationships with the members and with fans; they spoke up on variety shows even when it was embarrassing, in a time when people were not really speaking up; they were very young when they came to Japan and leaving your family when you are that young is hard enough without leaving your country itself. The fact that they were able to overcome such things to the extent that they did and work so well in a group with so much history is an incredible achievement.

JJ could be adorably awkward one second and then pouty and sensual the next (hence her shuffle into Zoku Biyuuden). She pulled off the genki just as much as the moodier stuff. Look at her in 321 Breaking out and then watch her in Nanchatte Renai – both looks work. I think she could have done a lot more. A weaker voice never stopped them before -  look at Ishikawa and all the things she got to do. Then there is Linlin who can bring tears to your eyes or bring the house down with those vocals. She is very much the spunky little sister and is one half of my eternal otp Takalin (<3 love them <3). Given the chance I think she could have pulled off some T&C Bomber stuff…And if they did feel like they were getting pushed to the back, they didn’t act resentful about it. Both these girls love the group and the fact that they didn’t have as many fans made them appreciate the ones they did have that much more.

I’m glad that Momusu became such a familial place because if there had been such a sharp divide between the generations, I don’t know if JunLin would have felt as comfortable as they did. When I watched the graduation ceremony with subs for the first time, I was struck by how close the members were to these two and how much they recognized their efforts. I think I was worried that because JunLin hadn’t been in that long and because of the ever present culture/language barriers the messages would be formal and vague. I was also thinking that maybe Kamei would overshadow them in terms of importance. I was pleasantly surprised and touched. When I got to Niigaki’s message I lost it.

She says to Junjun (paraphrased from a HelloFansubs sub): “At first when the two of you joined I had many worries about it but you must have been much more anxious. Leaving your own country, coming all the way to japan…thank you so much. Being together, doing our best together…and having so much love for us…I’m so thankful for it. Even though you’re graduating we’ll always be friends.”

I think that sums it up beautifully.

Concerts I Loved

Resonant Live

This was the first concert that made me sit up and think, “damn, Momusu is BACK!” The set list is practically flawless (with a few exceptions, like Nutjob’s Tantantan song – sorry, except Anataboshi I wasn’t a fan of anything Milky Way) and the pacing is fantastic.  There are some solos but for the most part the group is together. I remember being struck by how much their dancing seemed to improve, or at least how they were trying to highlight it. They brought back numbers like Purple Wind, in which each performer gets her own small solo and Yeah!Aishitai, one of those songs people seem to dislike but I ADORE. I’m sorry, but ever since the Morning Curry tour, TOP followed by that song is the hottest, best thing EVAR!

The costumes (for once) aren’t entirely composed of insane tutus and this is the first concert (that I remember) that started previewing album songs. I think this was the best idea they’ve had in a long time. I have never seen Take off is Now look more fierce than this first performance. I loved Guruguru Jump the first time I heard it because it was made to be performed. Seeing such a goofy song live first gives you a whole new appreciation for it when you hear it on the album. It was so awesome to hear Linlin and JJ for once, not underneath the vocals of others, but right there. And have I mentioned Take off is Now being FIERCE!?

Some (badly interlaced) Caps:

OTP time!!! Takalin being awesome, in awesome costumes.

Take off is Now: debuted in this tour and FIERCELY (it’s a shame about Mame’s dress though)!

LOVETHEMLOVELTHEMLOVETHEM!!!

(The previous caps in almost no way encapsulate how awesome this concert is. They mainly reflect Isilie squee-moments and you should still check it out if these moments don’t appeal to you.)

Platinum 9 Disco

Well I already reviewed it here, so…yeah…it is awesome.

Nine Smile

I don’t know why, but I loved all the promo material for this concert. And it’s funny because the concert itself isn’t as genki as they portray it to be. I found it rather more sophisticated than you’d expect, especially for being Nutjob Kusumi’s graduation. All I mean by this is…well look how colourful the posters are and then compare it with most of the set list…maybe it’s just me…

I haven’t really commented on Nutjob’s grad, even though I had a review post planned, but I was struck by how long the grad ceremony was and how it just fell apart in the middle. Riida had to keep reminding them that the hug-and-cry could happen backstage and not in the middle of the ceremony. I mean, there are eight people to get through! Koharu, stop saying things and listen! It felt so different from the previous grads because rather than a formal, ceremonial approach it felt like the adults had left the kids in charge and there’s an almost amateur feel to it, after such a professional set. They really try and stick to the formula, but because they are all so close they end up taking way too long and crying way too much. And you know what? I loved that. It really brought home how significant the break-up of nine nin Momusu was for them. I’m not trying to down-play Koharu’s role here. She beloved among fans and members alike. For me though, it’s always about the family.

The setlist has a quite a few shuffles, even bringing back the Gumis (Sakura Mankai ftw! They almost never perform that one!) and they have a moving stage (well…part of it rotates a little) that really adds some interesting elements to the songs.

I need to take a moment to mention Kamei Eri and the Kimagure Princess performance.

She is absolutely gorgeous in this number and in this concert. She kept powering up, becoming more beautiful, more confident. I think she might even give energy to the other members who all seem to really get into this song. Towards the end of her tenure, she really loved her concerts. My eyes are drawn to her over and over for her awesome dancing, her joyous smile and the way she belts out her lines. She is playful and beautiful and her singing is oddly deeper and strong. I couldn’t get over it.

Can we also talk about the best costume ever in…EVAR!?

Momusu in gauzy, lacy, confused, loli, cowboy chaps??? Yes please!

Loved these costumes so so SO much. These should have been the main costumes. Who needs those odd, hole-punched pajamas they wore in the pv!

Also loved that these costumes stayed on for Genki+. Man, I love that song. I didn’t hear the harmony that makes the intro so haunting and distinctive though. *sigh*

I’m sure my brother would like me to mention that Rainbow Pink makes a sugary, obnoxious appearance.
It does. If you like it, more power to ya. If, like me, you fast-forward as frantically as you can, then…well I’m right there with you.
But yeah. It’s there. Doesn’t look like we’ll be getting rid of it any time soon.

Takalin ftw!
(I would put that phrase a t-shirt if I could…maybe with a cute animated Takalin-? XD *dorks out*)

PikaPika I also loved, but I already reviewed it here.

There is also Rival Survival, but talking about that would extend this post EVEN MORE, so I will just say: awesome, finally back in Yokohama Arena and HOT COSTUMES.

I want this poster.

To Sum Up: Concerts became a lot more about dancing in the Ai-era, but what remained was an intensity and dedication to engaging the audience. They didn’t have many chances in variety to show their stuff, so concerts were that much more vital. They have some very choreographed numbers and some very free ones and both draw you in. Previous years had a lot more mc moments and running around (mostly because they had bigger stages back then), but I think it’s awesome that even with smaller audiences and much less technical decoration to work with, Momusu pwned their lives.

I guess the common thread with me is that family feeling. Or sisterhood feeling? However you want to word it, there was a distinct sort of bond between the members of the Ai-era Momusu. They really had a lot to go through with a lot of nay-sayers telling them they were no longer relevant. I didn’t see anyone here giving up. In fact, I saw the members loving the group even more, working ever harder for the audiences to keep them entertained and engaged. Whether that worked or not is up to you. For me, I notice that a lot of bloggers say they got into Momusu during this era and I always feel so happy when I read that. They can still pull in new fans, which means even if you think Momusu is now a disaster, there is still something there, pulling people in. That feeling of unity that was so different from any other time, that absence of acute rivalry, was really interesting and I think it was in no small part due to Ai stepping up and being that kind of leader.

A lot will change now. Obviously, without Ai and with all these new kids, they will have to step up and recreate yet again. The dynamics will change, Winky and Riho will probably dominate a great deal of the time and the musical style may be confused for a bit.

But I believe they can do this.
I will be here, loving the group as always and loving this era.

Yoroshiku!

~Isilie

It’s funny…

This morning I was listening to Honki de Atsui theme song from Ikimasshoi!, Takahashi’s first album with the group. I was thinking about how strange it is that she has graduated and how it never really sinks in that one of the girls is leaving until she is long gone. I was listening to her unpolished enthusiasm and thinking over all the different evolutions she’s lived through in this group. It became something else for awhile when she became leader. Whether that something was good or bad is really a matter of opinion.

I personally loved it. But that particular song triggered something.

I felt in that old song this strong sense of excitement and happiness that is just completely different. It wasn’t just nostalgia, but a sense that all of these singers were wishing for something, that being in this group was really fun and really important to them. They weren’t all perfect, but they all got to say something, to sing a line, to yell something, to express something. I want to hear songs like that again. They don’t necessarily have to be as polished as something like Kimagure Princess, or Lullaby Game, but as long as Momusu remembers that they love their group and that singing as this group is really fun, it will be ok. Potentially better than ok. I loved the singles from Ai’s time as leader, but I would love to see how Tsunku could integrate this sort of joy and abandon into the style he’s developed over these last three years.

With a 12 person group I don’t think you have any choice but to break out the genki again. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love a few more Kimagures, but a new GoGirl would rock too.

10th gen members! Go here for Shige’s nicknames.
When I’ve watched HPT I will talk more about them.

I am going to miss Takahashi Ai and the unity of her era, but I can’t help but feel excited for the future. I love that Momusu is always caught between newness and nostalgia, the burden and blessing of years of history. A lot has been said about OGs holding them down, but that is also a matter of opinion. The fact that all these girls, from so many age groups, different places, even different countries, are connected by this one name…or dream, if you will…that is pretty amazing when you think it through.

~Isilie

Uh oh. It’s about to get DISCO in here!

For now I’m only talking about Kono Chikyuu no Heiwa wo Honki de Negatterun da yo!  I do think the linking is interesting, certainly a first for H!P, but since there are just too many caps to be used, I will have mercy on myself and do one at a time. One thing: the pjs are cute. The waking-up faces are cuter. The door-to-the-disco-universe thing? Hey, whatever! It’s her dream, right?

Let’s get the obligatory belly-aching out of the way: these costumes are just like the Onna ni Sachi Are costumes, except for, as many many people have pointed out, the lack of feathers. The pv is WAY too bright and the crazy light-show going on at all times makes it really hard to see the girls (and makes capping a damn nightmare – that and I was too impatient to wait for the HD version of this pv). The glitter-fest disco-Vegas-insert-your-comparison-here costumes don’t exactly help. Is it my imagination or do the girls look especially skinny? Granted they also look gorgeous, but they just seem skinnier to me. It could just be the insane amount of golden light constantly exploding from this pv…

Why even bother going into the horror that is the excessive WINKY? She is EVERY OTHER FRAME. Why can’t she just GO AWAY!??

Her and Riho – the two new front girls. I called it and here it is!

Let’s just move on to the good.

Which is basically everything else.

I ADORE this song. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since I first heard it. I love the way they dig into the notes, I love the disco-y beat and I love that even though the chorus does that Tsunku thing where it goes in a completely different direction than I expected it still ends up catchy as all hell. I don’t even mind those ‘universe’ shots that make everyone all pink.

Riho is growing on me now and reminds me so much of Takahashi when she first joined it’s kinda spooky. You sound great, kiddo! Despite how shy she seems in all the background moments I’ve seen, she murders her every line.

Eri-pon when did you become gorgeous?!

“Ehhh, me?? Are you s-sure? I mean, I’m trying really hard…”

It’s alright.
*pats head*

WOA!
Queen Sayu is here and she can’t BELIEVE how much cuter she is than you. Such riff-raff. Honestly…

“But for some reason, I didn’t get the star.”

“Nah-UH SISTA! That star is MIIIIINE!”

“Te he!”

There really doesn’t need to be this much Takahashi in this song, but at this point complaining that there is too much Takahashi in a Momusu song is like complaining that grass is always green instead of purple. Some things just are. I will have to accept that once she leaves ALL her lines are likely going to Winky, so for now I am basking in that powerhouse voice, that beautiful smile and how completely ecstatic she looks in almost every shot.

Well…almost.
“Oh man. What did Sayu put in my drink last night?!”

There isn’t nearly enough Fuku-chan in this pv. What happened to her loveliness!?

“Well, Michishige-senpai put something in my cocoa last night…I’ve been all like, dazed and stuff…”

“Mmm, I had funny dreams where Michishige-senpai was trying to put kitty-ears on me…”

“Hai, for me it was bunny ears.”

“Ugh, so many bunnies…everything was so pink…”

“Hey, hold on, I only put something in Riida’s drink because she doesn’t remember that she’s dating me!”

“Waaaaait a minute-”

“This whole thing is Sayu’s dream after all, right?”

“Alright that’s enough!”

“There, we’re singing and walking together. Is that good enough?”

“Only for now! There’s still concert attacks to be done.”

“Uhhh, Zukki?”

“Don’t underestimate the Zukk!”

Where the hell was my little Zukki!? I know, I know. I just said it’s silly to complain about this, but it really does suck that the most loveable (arguably) is constantly absent. She doesn’t have a lot to do in this song, except look unexpectedly beautiful.

Or a little nauseated. It’s all those lights…

Mitsui is understandably scarce because, she doesn’t get any lines (big shock) and because of her leg. I really hope she heals soon and this isn’t one of those things that will be an excuse for her to bow out. I say this a lot but I really think Mitsui has been underestimated and overshadowed since she joined. Have you noticed that in every good-bye message she’s given to departing members (the last four anyway) there’s been some variation of “I was jealous of how well you fit in” in there somewhere? Is this her fault? Is this because she just isn’t popular? I don’t see why not. I mean she’s adorable, she’s dependable, she can be as sweet as she can be bratty…

More than a few bloggers have mentioned that she’s not very photogenic and I think that might just be that she refuses to smile. She either does this odd wincing grimace, like she’s baring her teeth, or her closed-mouthed granny smile. I’ve seen genuine smiles on her and they are absolutely adorable. I think Michishige mentioned it too, that she isn’t one to smile much, but her smile can light up a room.

If it’s as simple as, she isn’t sure she looks good smiling, or she feels insecure in the group, I hope she can overcome that. She really impressed me in the most recent concert tour. She actually got some lines there and she really belted them out. I’ve not heard her be that powerful since her line in Kanashimi Twilight (why did everyone hate that line? she was squeakily awesome!).

Now let’s talk about Niigaki Risa. The gorgeous, genki, soon to be soloist Niigaki. I think it’s significant that her first line is hands-down the BEST PART OF THE SONG. It gives me goosebumps at how fierce yet playful it is. It’s so completely Mame – that attitude, that sexy, impish grin…

“Yep, Niigaki here and the only thing in my cocoa today was awesome-sauce.”

I’ve said this many times, but they need to give her more solos! This girl is TOO POWERFUL to be put in the back so much. Her voice keeps getting stronger and her confidence just explodes when she’s onscreen.

Shortly before the pv explodes from the awesome. Notice the others subtly creeping away.

I’m hoping that Tsunku will have mercy on me and give her a lot more to do, especially if he’s going to continue with this genki, disco route. Winky is fine in small doses. It’s not like she can’t sing. But look at this.

Niigaki workin’ it and then that STUPID FRO COMES IN!

“Um, exCUSE me! I haven’t been onscreen in like, a couple seconds, ya’ll.”

“It’s Winky tiiiiiiiiime!”

Too bad Michishige’s special cocoa kicked in there, huh Winky?
After all, it wouldn’t be a Momusu pv without some Winky fail.

“Wait for it, guys. When I’m leader, I will RISE from between these two and Gokkies will RULE AGAIN!”

“Uh, Mame? Shouldn’t we keep that to ourselves?”

“Not saying a word.”

I’d comment on the dance more if I could make it out over the light-show. They seem to be fond of the line formation lately. The dance break looks interesting enough. I do like how Winky appears to be tripping forward and Zukki is staring at Michishige’s armpit in this cap.

YAAAAAAAAAA-woa Fuku-chan, what’s the matter??
It’s all those lights right?

Overall, I love this song. The pv is too bright but joyous and a good excuse to have the girls parade around in the kind of glittery skimpiness that idols don’t really need to explain (even though I would have never pictured those costumes in relation to this song). I can’t wait to see the choreography in the dance-shot. There are far too many shots where either the lights are too blinding, the cuts are too quick, or the girls are so far away that you aren’t sure who is where.

I like this direction a lot. Moreso, I like how singable this song is. Only You was pretty, but it didn’t really get stuck in my head. It didn’t really stay with me. Plus all that auto-tune got distracting.

I’ll be singing this one all night.

Onto the 2nd part!

~Isilie