Sayonara Sweet Sayumi

There is no denying it. Sayumi's graduation marks the end of an era. This girl has been in two-thirds of all the Morning Musume singles and 8 out of 14 studio albums. She is the last members to have been in the group with members from the first generation and the final survivor of the so-called platinum era. She has gone from the girl who everyone loves to hate to the girl everyone loves. Full stop. Which for a girl with no particular talent as a performer, someone who at school was friends with insects and came into the group as a narcissistic, self-proclaimed Tetris queen is no mean feat.

In 2002, at the ripe old age of 13, vocal prodigy Sayumi Michishige enters Morning Musume

This arguably rather awkward girl went on to become one of the best and most unique idols Hello!Project has ever seen. She is also undeniably rather beautiful; inside and out. As much of a cliche as that is. So what better way to look at her career than through photographs.

Adorable from the first なのに、どこ行ったんだよ！(And who can forget her flinging her mic across the floor in an early performance. Perfect)

First photobook a year after debut. This girl is going places.

Sayu learns from the best: Collaborative photobook with Ishikawa Rika 'Angels' released in 2005

Ecomoni: Raising environmental awareness and making ears bleed since 2004~

Somewhere along the way Sayu developed a trademark pose. Everyone loved it. Well...Ai doesn't look so sure

Talking of Takahashi, I believe that Sayumi only really went to the audition for an opportunity to proposition the girl on a regular basis. Not that Ai seems to mind...

Luckily Sayumi is fickle and had no problem finding some fresh meat

Despite Sayumi's fawning over the current front girl, she is a great leader of a great group

She has been known to do whatever it takes to bring attention to the group. Even if it involved portraying herself as a bit of a *name that isn't used in high society...outside of a kennel*

And how could one picspam Queen Sayumi without mentioning how simply stunning she is.

And how..well..you know... inappropriate I know

She is, despite the shortcomings mention earlier, close to perfection.

So,

Sayonara '14

Sayonara Sayumi.           (Don't stay away too long, okay?)

Aidoru vs. Audrey

One thing I am a tiny bit obsessed with, as should be obvious, is idols. Another thing that takes up more of my time than it should is watching old films. In my shallow mind pretty much any film made before 1970 gets bonus points and makes its way onto my “to-watch” list. And because I am a cliche teenage girl and the emotional equivalent of a fairy cake, I have seen an almost unholy number of Audrey Hepburn movies.

Whether she is Princess discovering the “real world”,

  a schoolteacher faced with lesbian rumours

 or making out with Peter O’Toole in a cupboard whilst attempting a heist,

 I am fascinated.

Where am I going with this?

Well I have figured out that the reason I love Audrey and the reason I love idols is actually almost the same. Audrey played all these different roles while still being Audrey Hepburn. She kept up an impeccable image and always acted with grace. While we never knew her personally we felt that we knew that she was kind and well, just lovely. She was an “almost girl next door” in that she was good natured and natural but a magnetism, talent and beauty that, I don’t know about you, I have never found next door. 

These qualities are exactly the same ones I recognise is my favourite idols. I guess there must be a reason why, even today, Japan is particularly Audrey crazy. 

I can’t remember who said it but I am sure someone once said “If you want the girl next door, go next door”. The best idols, in my opinion, are slightly untouchable. This is getting more and more rare these days with the use of handshake events to shift copies of singles but that’s a whole other discussion.

There's something about Nacchi's contained energy that's rather Audrey-esque

In one of my favourite pictures of Ai she is wearing the classic black polo-neck

Also, something that is significant in Japan, even in the idol world, is the idea of duty. We want our idols to be committed to their career and to their fans which is probably why people kick up such a storm at any “scandal”. And you know Princess Ann says in “Roman Holiday”…

 Were I not completely aware of my duty to my family and to my country, I would not have come back tonight... or indeed ever again!

(Bit Late I Know) Looking Back on 2013

Overall, I would say that in the mad world of Hello!Project 2013 pretty much took over where 2012 left off. The prominence of electronic music continued to rise, the groups became, if anything, even more dance focused and we saw more one-off units courtesy of Satoyama/Satoumi.

I doubt anyone remembers but this time last year I had a list of 'Hopes for 2013'. And now is the perfect time to see whether any of my dreams were realised.


Hopes for 2013

• Morning Musume. C-ute and S-mileage continue in their current style - This definitely happened.
• Berryz finally find a niche . . . please? - This never really happened...
• Better quality album tracks for all - S/mileage had a great album this year but other studio albums have been naff.
• Some more serious Buono! No more of the fluffy 'sherbet' nonsense. - Buono seems to have died a bit of a death.
• Less cheap looking concert costumes. - There were some nice ones in the summer concert I suppose.
• A successful acting career for Mano - In the unpromising world of ex-idols I'd say she's doing alright.
• More MVs shot outside? - Once again, thanks Satoyama.
• New photobooks for Risako and Miyabi - Miyabi-yes!, Risako-this year maybe?

 Best Single

 This double A-side single was the perfect representation of this era of Morning Musume and put their previous effort (Brainstorming/Kimi Sae Ireba Nani Mo Iranai) to shame.

Best Album

S/mileage's second studio album was, in my opinion, one of the best Hello!Project albums in recent year. Full of great singles such as 'Suki yo Junjou Hankouki' and 'Samui ne' and quality album tracks such as 'Shin Nippon no Susume' and 'Otona no Tochuu' this album is far and away the best one H!P has offered this year.

Best Outfits

Back to 'Ai no Gundan'. These outfit were just brilliant. This isn't the best picture but I love the fact that they are uniform but still have variety, match the theme of the song and looked great in the dance.

 

I also have a bit of a soft spot for these retro ensembles from Juice=Juice. I love the more casual vibe this new group have been given in terms of outfits and these are just adorable. And they look even better in the dance shot of the music video for 'Hajimete no Keiken Chuu'.

Best Music Video

I don't think there's been any particular stand outs this year but I do rather like the stylish feel to this one.


Members that have stood out well in  2013!

•  Fukumura Mizuki - Her performance level is so much higher than it was a year ago and since Reina's graduation she has moved into the forefront. 
• Ishida Ayumi - Ayumi is now much more than Riho's sidekick and has a powerful presence that I can't really describe
• Shimizu Saki - Saki can really work both the camera and the audience now and if she was a more consistent vocalist I am sure would be at the front with Miya and Risako
• Nakanishi Kana - With the whole 'Yataruchan' campaign Kana has really come into her own and found her niche within the group. Her singing and dancing have also improved considerably and I think we could be seeing a lot more of her.
• Kanazawa Tomoko - I don't think many people new much about Tomoko before she was placed in Juice=Juice but I immediately found myself wondering how she wasn't an idol already. One to watch, definitely.