Going over some unrelated recent events...

Time to rant endlessly on the most diverse topics to make up for the long silent time around here!

Kouhaku

I wonder what the Kids were doing there? Ok, so C-ute is a great unit and Tokaiko Junjou sold well, but what's the use of having it there if it's just a 15 seconds segment or so? And what's up with that "LA LALALA LA" song in the end that I've never heard before - or at least don't remember? What a waste of Kouhaku time... And then the girls only appeared again in an enka song, where they did absolutely nothing. They just stood there watching the woman singing. Where's the kimonos and the cute dance, like they did last year? Ohh, that's with AKB48 and Shokotan... Shokotan!! <3 Thank God Leah Dizon wasn't in this part, he had already ruined the mood during the "Idols Medley" before (AKB48 + Leah Dizon + Shokotan). By the way, I thought Kouhaku was supposed to have Japan's best singers, who let that Dizon in? And they call her an idol, that kills me a little inside.

"They're Idols, not Musical Legends" & "It's ALWAYS been about the Music"

When I saw this I thought there would be another big discussion, but thank God it never got anywhere. I do put the idols themselves above the music, but that's just me. Focusing on idols or on music are just two different aspects of the same fandom. There's no need for this pointless discussion over which of them is the right way. I can't understand those who go against Rad's enthusiasm though... I thought it was blind once - that post about JUMP - but other than that... If a person can't show his devotion at his own personal blog, then where the hell is this world going? You can bet I'll go radical if I ever need to defend Konno. He has his enthusiastic writing that might bother some, but there's still arguments on it, and he's open to discuss them. I respect that.

1st GOODSAL Covers

Covers taken from Some Boys! Blog. I really don't like them. I think I understand the thought that went into this... In the limited edition, the one on the left, someone very creative decided to put the album's name in the middle and have all the girls around it look at the name. And the background should be the same color of the uniforms, orange. Then, to make things more interesting, they made a little twist on the idea when they designed the regular edition cover - instead of in the middle, put the name on the right, and have all the girls looking away from the name! Genius. And more orange. Coincidentally, orange is one of my least favorite colors.

Abe Natsumi & Yajima Maimi - 16sai no Koi Nante

I made a comment on this in Henkka's positive review about it, so let me first paste it here:

"Hum... I guess we're pretty far off in this one. By the middle of 16sai no Koi Nante I was just bored and skipped to the B-side. It still didn't really grow on me, although taking a look at these lyrics might help that. I'll be checking them now. However, if Yuuko sung this "with all the lost time, age thirty is just before your very eyes / If you don't decide now, there'll be no time left" I'd be converted in an instant XD Love that and it'd be genius with Yuuko. Call me cruel.

I like the B-side though, it convinced me that their voices can work together to create something beautiful."

Checking the translated lyrics helped me like the A-side a little bit more, but it's still not enough. I think this just isn't the kind of song I want to hear Nacchi sing (that would be something like Iki wo Kasanemashou / Anata Iro / Amasugita Kajitsu / Yannachau).

Hello! Project Concerts setlists

Instead of showing the setlist and commenting each song, I'll show it in my order of preference (since you've probably already seen the setlist in the right order somewhere else). First, the Elder's Club tour:

1. Yattarouze! - Ongaku Gatas
2. Narihajimeta Koi no BELL - Ongaku Gatas
3. Koisuru Angel Heart - Biyuuden
4. WOW WOW WOW - Yasuda Kei, Yoshizawa Hitomi & Ayaka
5. Hitoshirezu Mune wo Kanaderu Yoru no Aki - Nakazawa Yuko, Yasuda Kei & Maeda Yuki
6. Watarasebashi - Matsuura Aya
7. Datte Ikitekanakucha - Abe Natsumi
8. Iki wo Kasanemashou - Abe Natsumi
9. Danna Sama - Nakazawa Yuko
�� Morning Musume medley - Morning Musume OG:
10.���� Renai Revolution 21
11.���� Daite HOLD ON ME!
12.���� Happy Summer Wedding
13.���� Happy Night
14. Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari - All
15. HAPPY TO GO! - Matsuura Aya
16. Jaja Uma Paradise - Biyuuden
17. The Peace! - All
18. SEXY NIGHT ~Wasurerarenai Kare~ - ROMANS
19. Akai Freesia - Melon Kinenbi
20. ENDLESS LOVE ~I Love You More~ - Maeda Yuki, Inaba Atsuko, Miyoshi Erika & Okada Yui
21. Onegai Miwaku no Target - Melon Kinenbi
22. Ai Ai Daiko - Maeda Yuki
23. Michi Naru Mirai e - All

Anything that has Konkon, Yossie, Yasuda and Yuuko gets priority. Lots of songs I don't recognize either go to the end of the list, or stay somewhere higher because I like the line up. Overall, I think there'll be some great moments on this one, especially seeing Momusu OG doing all those classics and the Yasuda-Yossie-Ayaka trio, but I'm more impressed with the Wonderful Hearts setlist. Here it is, in my personal order:

01. Robokiss - Michishige Sayumi & Sugaya Risako
02. Special Generation - Berryz Koubou & °C-ute
03. Renai Sentai Shitsu Ranger - Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa, Michishige Sayumi, Tanaka Reina, Mitsui Aika, Tsugunaga Momoko, Sugaya Risako & Natsuyaki Miyabi
04. Renai Rider - Buono!
05. Seishun! LOVE Lunch - Athena & Robikerottsu
06. Ai~n! Dance no Uta - Kamei Eri, Junjun, Linlin & Sudou Maasa
07. Everyday Everywhere - Takahashi Ai & Tanaka Reina
08. Tokaikko Junjou - °C-ute
09. Meguru Koi no Kisetsu - °C-ute
10. Kokuhaku no Funsui Hiroba - Berryz Koubou
11. Aozora ga Itsumademo Tsuzuku You na Mirai de Are! - All
12. Odore! Morning Curry - Morning Musume
13. Mikan - Morning Musume
14. Chokkan 2 ~Nogashita Sakana wa Ookiizo!~ - All
15. Chance! - Tsukishima Kirari starring Kusumi Koharu (Morning Musume)
16. Happy - Tsukishima Kirari starring Kusumi Koharu (Morning Musume)
17. Everyday Yeah! Kataomoi - Shimizu Saki, Hagiwara Mai & Arihara Kanna
18. Oujisama to Yuki no Yoru - Umeda Erika, Yajima Maimi, Kumai Yurina & Tokunaga Chinami
19. Omoitattara Kichi desse! - Berryz Koubou
20. Bon kyu! Bon kyu! BOMB GIRL - Morning Musume
21. Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~ - Morning Musume
22. LA LA LA Shiawase no Uta - All
23. Hand Made CITY - Morning Musume, Berryz Koubou & °C-ute
24. Nanni mo Iwazu ni I LOVE YOU - All
25. Renai Revolution 21 - All
26. Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi - Berryz Koubou
27. Sexy Boy ~Soyokaze ni Yorisotte~ - Morning Musume

So they decided to follow the last tour's Sayu-Momo-others Momoiro Kataomoi performance with a Sayu-Risako Robokiss? I can't complain :D Then there's Special Generation with C-ute, that seems both weird and genius for me, since I strongly associate this song with Berryz, but this combo might be great. I'm surprised to see Renai Sentai Shitsu Ranger here, but those members can make it great. Actually, add Kamei, Junjun and Linlin to that, take out Miyabi, and there you have it, a perfect line up for a new super-unit! Hum... maybe swap Risako or Aika with Airi... But then she would have to compete with Takitty for lines, and that could get ugly. Anyway... Then there's Buono!'s new single, looking forward to that, and also Athena & Robikerottsu, which doesn't really matter to me musically, but Aika is cute there. Oh, and since I'm talking about Aika...

The Moment I Begun Liking Aika

Uta Doki! 311 - Yaguchi Mari - Koibito ga Santa Claus

There's nothing special in this video, it's a Christmas-themed Uta Doki! episode featuring Yaguchi singing and Aika as host. However, in the middle of it, Aika decides to play with Yaguchi throwing some ballons around, and I noticed how cute she is. I mean, I already knew that from a Haromoni@ episode some time ago, but this sealed it. Then I went watch Shouri no BIG WAVE!!'s PV (hadn't done it yet) and she was cute there again. Oh, and I decided I can like Koharu too, after brainwashing myself with her KirarinLand album some weeks ago.

ZARD, Kobukuro and Hirai Ken

Just wanted to say that although H!P's performances on these last year's specials weren't that great, the specials introduced me to Kobukuro and Hirai Ken, which are my newest addiction. ZARD I've known for a while (hello, MorningBerryz!) but only started listening to recently. "Sakura" from Kobukuro, "Ooki na Furudokei" from Hirai Ken and ZARD's "Kimi ga Inai" are the basis for my current playlists. Actually, ZARD's whole "Golden Best: 15th Anniversary" album is always present.

Buono! in the U.S.

Buono! is tied to an anime. Anime is already all over the world. I only don't believe Shugo Chara will be enough for them to make it: it'll be licensed, the singles will come to the US, but it'll never get mainstream attention from that. Doubt it? Well, then the people who're not into anime, try to tell me, which show is Hare Hare Yukai from? Can you name the people who sing it? Thought so. This is from a BIG anime (The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi) whose seiyuus (Japanese voice actresses) have already been in an American anime convention. If Shugo Chara doesn't get as big as Haruhi or Full Metal Alchemist are - that's very difficult -. they won't reach even the majority of the overseas otaku market. Unless there's a bigger number than I think of American otakus who are already into H!P, enough so that calling one of the units for an appearance in a convention would be interesting, they'll need to ride on the popularity of something better than Shugo. I'm sure Buono! or some other H!P unit can do that if they really try. Good luck for them.

Comments

[投稿情報: Henkka]

Kouhaku: Yep, I basically agree with your sentiments here. It was pretty meaningless for the Kids to be there. I thought the H!P performance overall was pretty bad. But Shokotan <3 indeed! Can't wait for her new single also, from what I've heard from the PV, it's pretty awesome though it has yet to really grow on me. By the way, did you enjoy Ken Hirai's performance on Kouhaku? I think Elegy is a damn good song, always great to see him perform it..

"They're Idols, not Musical Legends" & "It's ALWAYS been about the Music": I would've liked to watch a huge discussion and debate come about from this actually. :) Not that I would've really participated in it (I only threw in a small comment in CJ's post), but it would've been fun to see what people think about the subject and which one would be the more popular opinion. And it's always good fun to see people get angry because of heated internet debates. :) Ah well...

1st GOODSAL Covers: While I've no comment about the covers or anything, I will say I'm very much looking forward to the actual content of the album. It's gonna be good, I tell you, goooood.

Hello! Project Concerts setlists: I do think you're crazy for preferring the Wonderful Hearts setlist over the Elder Club one. :) Though I admit, the Wonderful Hearts one does have tunes I'm very much looking forward to, like Special Generation, Oujisama to Yuki no Yoru and especially SEXY BOY. Damn you and damn everyone for always hating on SEXY BOY. :) To me it's up there as one of the very best of Momusu. I love playing that song on guitar also, probably my favorite of all H!P songs that I know how to play (which is admittedly not a whole lot).

The Moment I Begun Liking Aika: That was indeed very cute. One of the more memorable Uta Doki moments. :) Speaking of recent cute and memorable Uta Doki moments, I need to mention the 303 or 2007-12-10 one with the talk between Sayumi and Konno. The beginning is so unbearably cute. :) "Sayumi..." "Konno! *extends hand*" "*grabs hand* *shake*" Awww!

I'm glad you liked the PV to Shouri no BIG WAVE, that's one of the rare cases when watching the PV very much enhanced my opinion of the song. It's just adorable! :o See proof here, here and here!

[投稿情報: laura]

Kokuhaku: Yeah I agree also I was glad that the kids were there just disappointed they preformed for like 15 seconds :/

Gatas covers: I dont like them either. Not much else to say about them.

The moment I begun liking Aika: So you've finally sucumbed to Aika's cuteness? XD Koharu still hasnt grown on me yet, as a matter of fact she's slipped down my list recently as I find her annoying :/ She'll probably grow on me soon though XD

(My comment had to be cut short as Im in school and my lesson is about to finish so I missed out some topics, I enjoyed reading nevertheless XD)

[投稿情報: HarimaKenji]

Kouhaku: Much love to Hirai Ken, whatever it is he might be singing. Elegy really is a beautiful song... I prefer his performance in Best Artist 2007 though, just because of how they used some green lights in the beginning of the song there, it was beautiful.

"They're Idols, not Musical Legends" & "It's ALWAYS been about the Music": I guess I'm too old for watching these debates... Well, not really old, but I've already seen too many of them. Every fandom has a bunch of topics that turn into some pointless discussion every few months.

Hello! Project Concerts setlists: I like the Elder Club's setlist a lot, and it might end up being my favorite concert out of these two, but looking at them now, Wonderful Hearts has some line ups and songs I'm really waiting for. Especially Robokiss.

The Moment I Begun Liking Aika: Yeah, but Sayu got me angry in another episode with Konno, when she just went there beside Konno in the middle of the music for no reason other than being the camwhore she is, and just stole camera space from my dear Konkon. That wasn't nice.

[投稿情報: HarimaKenji]

I'm glad the Kids were called there, even if the host couldn't read C-ute's name... But with the way the performance was done, it was meaningless. If they can't get enough Kouhaku time to put all the groups, then why try the impossible? T_T

Aika's cuteness was too much for me to resist =P I eventually had to succumb. It wasn't so easy with Kouharu... She had this strong ability to put the weirdest songs in my mind for days (Balalaika), which I found annoying, but after enough repeated listenings, I got used to it.

[投稿情報: Henkka]

Kouhaku: I think I preferred the Best Artist performance too. I haven't heard much from him to be honest, only love Elegy and have heard some random other songs... I can only tell it's good stuff, even if it makes me feel slightly homosexual. Lucky I don't care about that sort of thing. :) And so I have a special request for you. Please recommend me some album or, if you prefer, some very good singles I should download and check out from him. I really want to hear more from this guy.

Hello! Project Concerts setlist: Damn you Pedro, damn you! You totally ignored my comment about SEXY BOY! I want an explanation to why you would do such a blasphemous thing as to rank it at the lowest spot! It's a great song! >:oo Admit the greatness that can be found in SEXY BOY!

The Moment I Begun Liking Aika: Hehe, yeah. That's Sayumi for you. But then you could also say Aika was sort of camwhoring in that Uta Doki you linked to also! Actually, those MC's have a tendency to do that camwhoring thing a lot nowadays as they hang out at the set themselves too. It can be pretty fun sometimes.

[投稿情報: HarimaKenji]

Kouhaku: I've already said too much about Tsunku and Hirai Ken to start feeling homosexual now, so I also don't care about that sort of thing :) I think you should both download an album and his singles, and do it at once, with his Single Collection album (it doesn't include Elegy). I downloaded this torrent, it's working well but the mp3 had some broken tags T_T if you get it you'll have to fix them manually using the tracklist available on theppn. It's the best bet for Hirai Ken stuff though, and I don't know where else you would find Ooki na Furudokei, and that's an obligatory song in his discography. Well, it's a single, but I can't find it available on torrent anymore. The lyrics on that are just perfect, although I don't know where you'd find them translated... Not on the fun side like 16sai no Koi Nante, but on the sad side.

Hello! Project Concerts setlist: In the musical aspect, SEXY BOY could be over Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi, since I don't really care for both of them... But I dislike the dance in SEXY BOY, while I can at least laugh a little at Tsukiatteru. Nope, not going to admit any greatness myself.

The Moment I Begun Liking Aika: Oh, but there's a big difference between Sayu's camwhoring and Aika's. Sayu just stood there doing nothing except smile for the camera, and she did it in a Konkon episode, that triggers my bias. Aika actually did something, interacted with Yaguchi playing with those balloons, and made the whole thing fill with cuteness. Aika added something to the episode. It's like comparing someone who comes here and posts a link to his own blog without saying anything on my post, or saying something useless (thats great u're cool man!) - I'd call this spam and delete it on sight - and someone who makes a good point and just leaves his blog's address at the end of his post, so I can check it out. There's a world of difference.

[投稿情報: Henkka]

Kouhaku: Alright, I'll definitely download the album then. Thanks! Just checked thePPN and found out that album has sold over 2 million copies. Crazy stuff. :o

Hello! Project Concerts setlist: Whaaat! It's impossible for anyone to not like the "sekushii, UE UE!" move!

The Moment I Begun Liking Aika: Hehe, you do have a point. Don't delete Sayumi though for being just a big (although cute) pile of spam, even she makes alright "posts" sometimes. :)

[投稿情報: Rad♂]

Outstanding, meaty post ... Regarding the anime-J-pop relationship, most of the animes featuring Kusumi's songs were supposedly minor-league, but if that is the case, why did her song sales take off in 2005-06-07? Someone had to be paying attention. Buono!, in my view, is positioned top be far greater in scope than even Koharu. It is only a matter of what Pony Canyon and UFA decide to do with this excellent collaboration.

Yes, anime is all over the world and, yes, the fan base is hugely fragmented. But that is what makes events like Anime Expo successful. Guarantee: Anime Expo will sell thousands and thousands more tickets and vendors will be clamoring for spots if a group the calibre of Buono! gets an invite.

http://www.bloggerparty.com/blog/radreview

 

[投稿情報: HarimaKenji]

Problem is, Koharu's anime (it's only one, Kirarin Revolution) does have a decent market, but it's not the one that matters in this case. Kirarin Revolution is famous with young girls, not with otaku, much less with overseas otaku. Sure there will be some exceptions to that, but it's mostly true. So, while Koharu might be able to sell a lot in Japan, that doesn't translate into an Anime Expo appearance, because Anime Expo would mean overseas otaku fans. That's why I say Kirarin Revolution and Shugo Chara! aren't going to do it - it's not that they don't have a market in Japan, but that they don't have it overseas. Buono! singles probably won't receive any promotion - I've never heard of anime music being promoted - so it's impact will be much more dependent on the anime's success or failure than it should. That's what worries me. And anyway, even if it did get some promotion, it would be labeled "anime music", which I don't think would help a lot in spreading the love to a mainstream audience.