Friday 27 January 2012

Hagiwara Mai Solo "Yuke! Genki-kun" and other randomness.

The other day a video was posted on youtube for Mai's solo song from the upcoming C-ute album "Dai nana sho - Utsukushikutte Gomen ne". Fair enough, the video is kind of random and not terribly exciting. But I am liking the song a lot and I find that Mai sounds, by her standards, impressively unannoying! In fact, I might even go as far as to say that, "I think her vocals sound great and really fit the song".

I can't find the video on the actual youtube uploader thingy, so here's a link.

In other Hello! Project news: 

Hair extensions are really quite fail-ish.
 

The harsh realities of the senpai/kouhai system are exposed.


Ishikawa Rika is still the photobook queen


My brain explodes from the awesomeness of RisakoxKyary.


Wednesday 11 January 2012

Lucky 7th "era for Momusu?, Pyoko Pyoko Ultra PV

 The other day I was thinking about how many different "eras" Morning Musume has gone through as a group. I did this in reference to singles rather than albums (I have always thought the albums moved in pairs. For example, First Time and Second Morning, 3rd Love Paradise and 4th Ikimasshoi, and so on.). It would be interesting to know what other peoples view on this is.

So, what I was thinking was:
  • Era no. 1 - Morning Coffee - Furusato
  • Era no. 2 - Love Machine - Renai Revolution 21
  • Era no. 3 - The Peace - As For One Day
  • Era no. 4 - Shabondama - Namida ga Tomaranai Houkago
  • Era no. 5 - The Manpower!!! - Kanashimi Twilight
  • Era no. 6 - Onna ni Sachi Are - Kono Chikyuu blah blah blah
  • Era no. 7 - Pyoko Pyoko Ultra - ???
Who knows, people always go on about lucky 7.

Pyoko Pyoko Ultra (PV)

In other, more relevant, news the Pyoko Pyoko Ultra music video has been uploaded to Morning Musume's official youtube channel.


I am still not the songs biggest fan but I'll admit that it is quite catchy and has the most bonkers arrangement since 'Guru Guru Jump'. The PV is very cutesy, showing us a morning musume that hasn't really been seen in a long time. The whole thing is insanely yellow (as if you didn't know that already!) and unfortunatly the costumes aren't to my taste. Still, the girls make it work (to an extent) and the PV is an entertaining watch. Everybody looks great despite the fact that Aika has been given a terrible hat. (I honestly feel sorry for the girl, she always seems to pull the short straw as far as costumes go.)
As another plus, the B-side ,'Kanashiki Koi no Melody', is great. The radio preview is well worth 1 minute and 54 seconds of your time!


Sunday 8 January 2012

Dream Morning Musume's Shining Butterfly (PV)

Here is the PV on youtube. (If you're wondering why this is as a link rather than embedded it is because the video is unlisted. On the plus side, this means it might be safe from the copyright police. For now.)

My opinion on the whole idea of Dream Morning Musume has never been entirely positive. I do not, however, want to tread old ground so I shall not go any deeper than that.

I am trying a new format of review and writing as I watch. Not sure if this will work.

0.01 - "Lonely, lonely, lonely. Gimme love, gimme love, gimme". Oh no, wrong song.

0.04 - Nacchi! She has come a long way vocally since "ENDORESSAMAAA!"

0.08 - Long-haired Mari! (This must have been filmed a while ago)

0.20 - I don't really like these outfits . . .

0.53 - Floaters in your drink?

1.17 - Kei and Koha hanging out with some guy who can't tie his tie properly, Yuko looks suspicious.

1.59 - Kamo, kamo, kamo . . . . . wrong song again, sorry folks.

2.00 - Butterfry~

2.15 - Ah, no! It's bad tie man again!

2.35 - *Slap* Charmy got owned.

2.44 - Early Kaorin look?

2.53 - Nacchi looks creepy. XD

3.28 - Back to Cinderella Complex again! Not sure I completely get Aichan's role in this, do you?

3.35 - Her legs do look great in those boot though, I must say.

3.40 - Now Aichan has morphed into Rika. I'm confused.

3.58 - There's something funny about how poor Koharu is pretty much hidden behind everyone else.

4.30 - Ha! He has finally been punished for bringing shame onto the great tie-wearers! Good on you Rika.


Overall, I would say this release is good, but nothing too special. The song is passable, the vocals are good, the PV is alright (I presume some of the footage is from the film 'Atsuhime no. 1. This gave the PV the benefit of having more than just the old dance shot close-up formula) but the release doesn't particularly excite me, sorry dorimusu.

Monday 2 January 2012

Niigaki Risa to graduate at the end of the Spring tour

Wow. What a great way to start the new year. . . . . . not.

This announcement has hit me really hard. Much harder than Ai's graduation announcement but I suppose that was one we all saw coming. This one, not so much. (Or at least I didn't)

It feels the Morning Musume I knew is slipping away through my fingers. After Risa's graduation there will be only 3 members left out the 9 who were part of the line up back when I first came across the group in 2009. Risa was one of those members who I was just drawn to immediately. Her sheer amount of energy on stage is something I find incredibly impressive. She really "brings it" right from the get-go. 


Take, for example, this performance of Shabondama from 2007. Risa's performance really is incredibly captivating. When she sings I almost forget about the others, just for a moment. As cliched as it sounds, Niigaki Risa has "it".

One may say, "She wasn't always that great" and that's true, she certainly wasn't. It isn't until 2007, when she was included in that lengthy titled 10th anniversary unit, that I would have been able to really rate her as a singer. Risa improved a lot throughout 2007 and her role as the prince in the 2008 'Cinderella' musical seemed to really teach her how to utilise her voice. However, I feel that it was her love for Morning Musume that allowed her to develop into the great performer she is today. I am looking forward to seeing more of her acting (since that seems to be what she wants to focus on) in the future because from what I've seen she is not bad at all.

In the time she has left in the group I am sure that Risa will continue to be a great leader to the younger members and I hope they will grow to fill the rather large shoes that she, and indeed Aichan, have left behind. I am sure that Sayu will be a great leader and will have fantastic back-up in the form of Reina and Aika and I sincerely hope the three of them still have a few years (at least) in the group.

Also, 'Pyokopyoko Ultra' as a final single? She deserves so much more.










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