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.

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.

Have Idols changed the way I live my life?

 First of all I apologise for my absense. . . . Sorry folks. For the past couple of weeks the prelim exams have been killing me slowly but surely. Anyway, while I was "revising" my mind kept drifting off to other topics, one of which was how idols (H!P in particular) had changed my life. It is amazing what I will do to avoid studying. My house has never been more hoovered. XD

Like many people in the fandom anime was my way into Japanese pop culture. It was when I watched the series 'Clannad' that my outlook on life change. I learnt to appreciate what I had, and I began to value all the things that I had been taking for granted: the jokes I made with my friends and family, the great oppurtunity I had been given in the form of a piano, the town where I live. I guess you could say 'Clannad' made me more optimistic, even if I do still have that cynical sense of humour. Hello! Project took what 'Clannad' had given me and raised it up a few notches. From the moment I saw Kusumi Koharu's 'Koi Kana' back in 2008 I was amazed at how infectious and bouncy the song was and how happy it made me feel. Despite this I never really got into the whole thing at that stage and it wasn't until 2009, shortly after the release of 'Nanchatte Renai', that I really became a fan. It wasn't long before I watched 'Ayaka's Surprise English Lessons'. I remember thinking, "these must be some of the funniest girls on the planet". I wanted to have that same spark that the girls had and decided to try and be more "genki", for lack of a better word. Seeing all these girls who work so hard but always seem to be smiling made me feel like I was taking my easy life for granted. Their individuality made me feel that I didn't need to hide. I started to find talking to people, and socialising much easier and managed to find a great circle of friends.

There are so many idols that I have to thank.

 

Nacchi : Someone who worked hard to improve herself (singing mostly) and has inspired me to do the same.

Kago : She bounced back after things went wrong and showed herself as someone who has learned from her mistakes.

Tsuji : Managed to turn what was originally a slightly dodgy teenage pregnancy into a career. She's not as stupid as we were lead to believe. She makes me want to succeed.

Aichan : She lets me feel that it's okay to be shy at times and bold at others. Also it's nice to know that idols can be geeky too. XD

Sayumi : Showed me that you don't always have to be perfect, and that your own talents will shine through.

Koharu : My first idol and the idol with the magnificant smile. Thanks for cheering me up! ^__^

The Lovely Takahashi Ai graduates from Morning Musume

 Ten years ago Takahashi Ai joined Morning Musume as part of the wonderful fifth generation. Back then she was a young, shy girl with a strong accent. Now she leaves as an dynamic performer and a great idol. Aichan has been the centrepiece of Momusu for a long time now and hopefully she will now use her skills in a different way and be highly successful while doing so.

  Aichan has been my ultimate idol for a while now but she certainly wasn't the first idol who I began to like. I guess I didn't notice her at first because she didn't really stand out. I immediately lent towards idols with large TV personalities, such as Aibon, but after a period of floating around on the surface of the fandom I swam a bit deeper and found Ai. Ai has always been a good idol but in my opinion she really came into her own once she became leader. If you compare the Ai of 'Aruiteru' to the Ai of 'Onna ni Sachi Are' there is a huge difference. A sort of increase in power or 'oomph' as I like to call it.

I hope Ai can become more and more 'oomph' filled in her life post-musume.

I will leave you with Takahashi Ai's great performance of the stunning Goto Maki ballad 'Suppin to Namida'.

Front Girl Fear

  With 9th generation Morning Musume member Sayashi Riho dividing opinion I began to think about the attitude we, as idol fans, have towards members who are lucky enough to be placed in the center.

  If you have read any of my blog before you may have gathered that I am a bit of an Aichan fan (haha, that rhymes). Therefore you may be thinking  , "This girl obviously doesn't have any sort of front girl fear!". I wouldn't go as far as saying you were wrong but I think we all, even me, have in the past felt some resentment towards a front girl of an idol group. While I love Ai now, if I had been a fan in Morning Musume's earlier years I might've been less keen on her being rapidly pushed to the front. Also, It took me a good while to come around to Nacchi but she is now one of my favourite idols ever! There are others such as Maki, Risako and Reina who I am not really a fan of but I can see the attraction and why they are/were centre members. A lot of people enjoying rooting for the underdog and I suppose this is why members like Sayu, Maasa and Eripon are fairly popular.

Konno Asami, Everyone's favourite underdog . . . well, almost everyone's.

   Going back to what I originally said it seems as if some people aren't too keen the amount of focus being placed on Riho. I understand wanting your favourite to be more in the limelight but sadly, some girls will almost be more pushed than others. Personally I feel it's good that Riho is getting a lot of attention. After all, Morning Musume needs a new front girl (or two). As long as it doesn't become the Reina/Riho show I am happy. If it was just those two the whole thing might be a bit whiny for my taste. Give some lines to Gaki and Kanon to balance things out.

"The shop's the way it is because it is the way it is. If it wasn't the way it is, it wouldn't be the way it is." Bernard Black

                 

30 Day Hello! Project Idol Challenge - Day 28

Day 28 - The idol that brings special memories of something or someone to you?

 Aichan reminds me of my best friend. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because they both have huge levels of talent, maybe it's beacuse they both have an ability to be really cool at the right time and slightly spastic and other times. Whatever it is, I see a lot of my friend in Aichan.

30 Day Hello! Project Challenge - Day 15

Day 15 - Favourite Morning Musume member?

 For anyone who has read much of my blog . . . this won't come as a surprise. At all. I like pretty much everything about Ai. Her voice, her dancing, her personality, her looks and even her ridiculous reactions. However the thing I love most about Ai is her dynamic on stage. For someone who seems kind of shy when talking she gives off an amazing air of confidence when performing!

30 Day Hello! Project Idol Challenge - Day 8

Day 8 - You're favourite voice?

I love the voice of Takahashi Ai. It is very pleasant on the ears. One of the best things about Ai's voice is that it is versatile so she can sing pretty much anything well. A personal favourite is this performance of Koi ING.

30 Day Hello! Project Idol Challenge - Day 7

Day 7 - Favourite couple/duo

Takagaki: Two beautiful girls, amazing performers and great friends. What more could you want! If you can find it check out their duet song from the Cover You album. Machi no Tomori, I think it's called.

30 Day Hello! Project Idol Challenge - Day 4

Day 4 - If the idol was a boy, who would be your boyfriend?

The obvious answer for this question would have been a certain Yoshizawa Hitomi. However a certain (G)ai-chan has been catching my attention recently!

30 Day Hello! Project Idol Challenge

   It seems as though these 30 day challenge things are pretty big at the moment. The challenge looks like fun so I have decided to take the plunge!

Day 1 - Your Favoutite Idol

My favourite idol is Takahashi Ai. She has a beautiful voice, is an amazing dancer, is absolutely stunning and seems very sweet. But Aichan has something else, something I can't quite put my finger on. Whatever it is it gives her unbelievable stage presence.