Searching for Idol Perfection - Morning Musume.

First of all, I shall say that my rating method is not exactly tried and tested so the scores do not really represent what I think of a girl. Secondly, I apologize for by horrible hand-drawn table.

So, Morning Musume scores . . . . .

(sorry, it seems you need to click on the image to get the animation)

Chisato + Airi = New duo please!

These two have always been the best vocals in C-ute. However, I never would of thought they'd end up at the top of Hello! Project too!

Look here for 'ONLY YOU', here for 'Daite yo! PLEASE GO ON', here for 'Shabondama', here for 'Melodies', here for 'Kioku no Meiro' and here for an acapella version of 'Urahara'.

  

 And just when you think, "those are familiar looking matching pigtails" . . . . 

Here is 'Koi no Vacance'!!! 

Unfortunately it seems Chisato is never happy!

"I recently received the DVD
of the ChisaAi event and watched it,
and my singing style
is too careless~
so I was frustrated
that I wasn’t able to sing as I would have liked"

(Quote from Chisato's blog entry on the 16th of February. Translation by the kind folks at blog!project.)

Searching for Idol Perfection - Introduction

 Before I even start I should apologize to you if, like some others in the recent past, are here looking for under 15 junior idols. I regret to inform you that this blog never really covers young girls in very little clothing. (Yes, I have been looking at my stats. XD)

The other night I was talking with at my sister about how I didn't really get how people can "rank" idols. I can't really think of any 'bad' idols considering different idols appeal to different people. While I may think that Takahashi Ai is perfection and Yajima Maimi is perfection on legs, other people may beg to differ. In the end I came up with a simple box ticking solution.

Basically, there is four boxes (singing, dancing, looks and personality) and ideally an idol should tick at least 3 out of the 4 boxes. Unfortunately this system may not be the best as it is fairly rigid and opinions may vary from person to person. For example, even though I rate Risako as a great singer, others may feel differently.

So, I intend to do this series in 5 parts to encompass all 5 groups in Mobekimasu (well, 4 groups and 1 soloist). We shall begin with Part 1 - or モ(－ニング娘)

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.

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!

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.

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.

がんばって！