So today is a major day for me. Yossy's birthday, Airi's birthday, Gomaki Ganbare! Day and the last part of Aibon's interview (excuse me for still calling her that. For me she'll forever be Aibon no matter who much she changes). So to all my four beloved idols something is happening today.
I had planned to do a long post about them. But let's put all that aside. Why? Because
- I've got a shitload of schoolwork again and no time for blogging
- I'm stunned. And I'm A WAY MORE stunned that I was with Namida no Iro.
Just... how great is this? And (I NEVER swear!) why the fuck didn't they have this as the main version? May I ask? Just what is the logic behind this? I know that everyone else is thinking the same. But I still cannot understand...
Aichan looks genuinely lonely. This scene... the way she gulps... She really made me almost cry. Gaki and Reina were great (can you say that in this case?) too. Actually... I don't think I'll be able to write anything smart now. So I'll leave that for the good writers.
Just... When will they learn to do stuff in widescreen?
I feel bad for not featuring any of those for I mentioned first. I love you all! You're my top four, can you hear?! (Though Aichan... you might be number five now...) I'll put one of my favourite photos of each one. ♪
Wow, Gocchin was a hard one since I don't have any favourite photos of her. Probably because she's always gorgeous :P (though so are all of these girls!). In the end I decided to put a funny one because I love those jeans to death.
Actually, these photos tell quite well the images I have of each of these girls. Unfortunately I'll have to change my image of Aibon since that's what she wants... But since a picture tells more than a thousand words, I'm convinced not to try to say anything more but to read my love for these girls in the photos.
PS. People at Hello!Online translated Aibon's blog entries. I love them! ♥♥
First I want to announce that I absolutely loved Resonant Blue. Why didn't I review it? Because at the time the PV was released I was busy and later I didn't do it because I agreed with everyone else (why don't others get any screen time etc. etc.) so I felt it kind of unnecessary to repeat everything that had already been said. But now I must do a PV review. Because I'm amazed.
Just like I started my Renai♥Rider review with Airi now I have to start with Maimi. I really enjoyed her in LA LA LA Shiawase no Uta. She really was the only thing to save that song for me. While the costumes were hideous, and the whole song was a bit of crap, Maimi did her best, sang a thousand times better than Airi (I NEVER thought I would say this!) and danced like mad. She really impressed me. I never liked her that much before. I always thought she was overdoing it a bit. But how she impressed me then is nothing comapred to this PV, Namida no Iro.
Just WOW. She impressed me in every single aspect there can be regarding a song and the accompanying PV. Because I have to start with something, I'll start with the singing. Really, it's the only "weak point" she has and it's not even WEAK. If someone asks me, I think Maimi's the one with the most potential of become the next soloist superstar of H!P (yesterday I would have answered that Airi's the one! How quickly opinions can change... However, I'm not counting Aichan or Reina now). Less like a Kohachan or Ayaya kind of soloist, but more a Gocchin kind of. I could hear her singing songs just like this Namida no Iro. Sad, beautiful but powerful songs. Just look at her FACE. She's really putting her heart and soul into it!
That look... It gives me cold shivers and almost makes me cry... And you can hear it in her voice also. It feels like she could really relate to the lyrics although I have no idea wht they are about (probably something sad considering the name of the song. :P) Maimi handles her parts in a great manner and I no longer wonder why she's the other of this group's lead singers.
As for her dancing. When everybody was praising her I always thought that sure, she's great and all, but in my opinion she overdoes all the movements and is given too much credit for her dancing. She had a great talent but she wasn't really controlling it yet (even in Tokaikko Junjou). In a few years, I thought, she could learn to be more subtle and expressive. When she was claimed to be the best dancer in H!P I always thought of Aichan and disagreed. (Captain is great also, really!)
Well, it either didn't take her that long to learn or I was wrong all the way. I mean, just look at her posture.
Dancing is of course hard to capture but I'm quite sure you'll all agree with me that she stands out a lot. All the girls are great dancers but they're just on a completely different level from Maimi. I still wouldn't pick her over Aichan though, and there are others who are really good as well (Inaba Atsuko and Kame for example. I'm also starting to appreciate Sayu greatly. And I couldn't call Reina a bad dancer either...) Anyway, back to Maimi. I just have to say that she's incredible in this video.
And the intensive look in these shots...I think this slightly curly hair suits her face shape a lot better than straight hair. I really liked her looks in the covers already. But she has never been more beautiful than in this PV. She has great shots like this in her photobooks also, but I never really realised it... How pretty she is... I could just have a whole PV of her face!
But in the name of being fair I shall move onto the other girls now. First up, Erika.
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this. Erika's been given her moment too! Although I must admit I'm a bit disappointed. She looked so kickass in the covers that I thought she would here too... Well, this was her worst shot. Maybe she should have let her head go even lower or something... But anyway, I was incredibly happy for this. Overall, though, she was given too little of screentime. And no sololines, of course. (Sigh...)
I can't say I didin't enjoy Airi in this one and she was certainly a lot better than in LA LA LA Shiawase no Uta. I guess I used to be so fond of her that I'm always expecting a bit too much, more than from the other girls. But I think she really got to show her dancing in this one.
Great Airi & Maimi working it out... Maimi's great but Airi's too. She's just incredibly talented and I was quite satisfied with her vocals performance in this one.
Airi deserves all the attention she gets. I think she was perfect in Tokaikko Junjou and even if I would want everyone to have a chance I wouldn't want to change her position. And in this one she really isn't stealing all the spotlight (she didn't steal it in LASnU either) so it's okay. Right!?
She isn't just as much as into the lyrics as Maimi is but she great too. And I love her anyway. She's my favourite. And I love her cap. :)
Where as Maimai really looks like she about to cry... Poor little girl. :(
But I definitely see why eveyone keeps saying that she's becoming a preteen diva. :) Airi uses that kind of looks sometimes also, I think.
Nakki keeps impressing me with her dancing, She also very pretty. :) I remember someone said that she like the Sayu of °C-ute. That might be right. :)
And then Chisa... I don't know what she needs to do to become something else than cute...
She certainly trying hard though... And no solo lines. Never.
That's for the members. As for the PV... In the end it has a great atmosphere and mood to it. This is one of those PVs that made me change my mind on the song. When I heard the radio trip I thought it was a bit boring. But I'd never use that word to describe this song now... I love the instrumentals in the beginning before the verse starts. Actually the whole song is quite catchy.
Comparing to Tokaikko Junjou, I like the dance of this better. Tokaikko Junjou was great but this is even better. The clapping reminds me of course of Iroppoi Jirettai but I guess it's part of the style so that wouldn't be copying. The PV has got a praiseworthy amount of shots of the other girls besides Maimi and Airi and that's always good. What I like more about Tokaikko Junjou, though, is that it's shot outdoors.
I'm tired and going to end now. I was going to write more but maybe tomorrow. So now let's end with a few more screencaps.
Maimi shines again! That pose...
Since Gocchin is coming back some kind soul made this site for trying to make people arrange Gomaki Ganbare meetings to support Gocchin and her comeback. I just thought I'd advertise it a little... So please visit the site! ^_^ It's a nice idea!
My own Gomaki (how weird I never call her that) present is Yanpapa. So if you like to use torrents here's a great chance for you to see the best drama featuring H!P members ever! I really love this drama and I'd sincerely recommend it to any Gocchin, Nagase Tomoya (from TOKIO) or Japanese drama fan. Or to anyone, in that matter. :)
YAAAA～～ Can you tell how happy I am? :D I'm just waiting for this to really become something, I mean that she really would have a solo career ahead. But at this time I'm quite positive about it; she must have signed up with some agency as she's doing all this... And they seem to be investing at least something in her, she's in LA and all after all! Is she still with UFA? Don't know, but as some smart person noticed (damixedplate at H!O article's comment section) the photos in her blog don't say "(C) UP-FRONT AGENCY" as they used to but "(C) GOTO MAKI official blog" instead. See?
(Aww, the latter one is so cute... I remember when I was little and love things like that!) Also there must be a reason why all the previous posts are erased. And well... how could it be "official" if it was only her personal blog?
But could my SOME BOYS! TOUCH CD have arrived at a better time? :) I must say: the more I oppose the PV the more I love the song. ♪
Deep, deep in the jungles of Madagascar...
...there lives a Maki. It's a very rare species and lately it has been feared to be extinct. But if we're really lucky maybe we'll be able to catch a glimpse of one... Wait! Can you see?
What a wonderful moment! A Maki stepping out from the jungle! We are here witnessing a historical moment! But why is she wearing only underwear? Maybe that's why she hadn't been doing so well... Poor Maki had been underclothed and thus freezing even in the deep jungles of Madgascar.
Don't be afraid, Maki is very used to people taking photos of her and allows tourists to come very near before taking fright. Actually, with time, she has learned to pose in a way that satifies photo-greedy tourists very well.
...like that. Let's take one close-up still, shall we?
Not like that, you baka! That's a stupid pose! And could you please put a bit more on...?
Well that's a lot better.
To start talking clearly, I really wonder what they were thinking when they decided to put that one as the cover. The pose is really stupid. I think they should have used the back cover photo, it's loads better. Or even that one when she's coming from the jungle (booklet scan 4). Please Gocchin, wear a little bit more on your future career! I really prefer those photos with a little bit more clothes...
Instead of going for the limited edition (although if I remember right the limited edition DVD includes the Face Ver. of the PV which is the only one I like) I decided to get the regular edition with the first press booklet. And it was worth it because besides these jungle photos there were also these two:
Not that I have anything against jungles, but this was a bit too much.
I love CDs with photos on them but couldn't they have Gocchin on that, not that stupid jungle? Well, anyway. :)
SOME BOYS! TOUCH
is the catchiest song! I really, really like it. I guess at first I had a bit of culture shock when I saw the PV. I can't say anything but that Japanese are being just as exploitive of men as they are of women. O_O There could never be two guys dressed like that in a Western music video...
I have had the impression that also many others think that the PV goes a little too far. I couldn't agree more. I might not sound like it but I really don't have anything against being sexy, and I think a style of that kind suits Gocchin very well. But it's two different things, being sexy and being... well like she is in the PV. Her last concert is a good example of mindblowing Gocchin that is not slutty at all (only for SB!T and that hideous pink last costume maybe). As I said the Face Ver. of SB!T is great, but the other versions are too much for me.
In my opinion, UFA could also finally understand that these girls don't have to be half-naked to be smoking hot. The Resonant Blue costumes are a good direction I think. They're clothes, not that kind of "hey, is that a skirt or a belt you're wearing?". Yes, go Resonant Blue!
But anyway, this is one of those songs I could listen to nonstop. The melody on the chorus is great and I love the instrumentals just as much!
ALL OF US
I like this one too. It's very listeneable. I mean that it's not great or very memorble or anything awesome anyway, but a song that's very easy to listen to. It's something that's good to have after the intensivity of SB!T. Nothing special, but I still like it.
Anyone wanna know what's with that jungle in Madagascar? That's because this is what "maki" means in Finnish. Feel free to seek for more information in wikipedia. :)
Aww, cute isn't she?
Yay, I turned 18 yesterday... And I had so much school work I couldn't do the post I was intending to do... But at least I get to post this great song now, a day too late. If I only could find a translation...
But let's put that aside, I got myself a great birthday present! :) I won't be revealing what it is just yet (something to do with H!P? Of course you baka) but when it arrives I will be examinating it closely. It's great. ♥ Also I got a lot of money and on the "what-to-get-first"-list there are Buono!'s singles and Gocchin's, Ongaku Gatas' and Momusu's latest albums. (Yeah, I haven't got SEXY 8 BEAT yet. Lame, isn't it?). And of course Resonant Blue, which will be the first thing ever I'll buy as soon as it's released. Or even preorder as soon as it's revealed what the bonus DVDs will include.
I haven't been writing much lately and so I actually have a lot to catch up with. Just when I find time I will post of many things. Now I just don't have the time.
But now I'm waiting for my birthday present (oh, it will take weeks) and crying for happiness and WAITING FOR TOMORROW when we'll at last now what she's up to.
I love you Gottsuan.
Come back already...
But I couldn't possibly leave Yossy out! She's also cheering on you Gocchin!
BTW, a belated Happy Birthday to International Wota also! I'm kind of sorry I couldn't participate in the Cake Day... It would have been a lot of fun! :)
I found a bigger version of my favourite picture from Y-H.org! It has a great Yossy gallery, please visit it everybody! It's got more photos of this concert tour also. :)
And yes, this photo deserves a post of its own. :) It's fabulous. The photo in itself is also a great one, I love how her eyes are fastened on the side, on something we can't see. The composition is great. (In fact, I study in a Higher Secondary School of Visual Arts... I'm supposed to be kind of artistic I guess. :P)
Dohhup put up some videos about Ongaku Gatas concert tour! Here and here! The first one features some backstage material and even live material from the real show! (Though the sound is not the right one.) The latter provides us some extremely cute presentation of the tour goods!
(As you can see I'm really exited! ♪)
Setlist (taken from thePPN.org)
1. やったろうぜ! (Yattarouze!)
2. 抱きしめて・・・涙 (Dakishimete... Namida)
3. MC1
4. 恋人は心の応援団 (Koibito wa Kokoro no Ouedan)
5. 好きすぎてバカみたい (Suki Sugite Baka Mitai)
6. 地球と月 彼と私 (Chikyuu to Tsuki Kare to Watashi) - Ishikawa Rika, Konno Asami, Sengoku Minami, Sawada Yuri
7. 青春のカスタード (Seishun no Custard) - Yoshizawa Hitomi, Satoda Mai
8. MC2
9. 心の谷間 (Kokoro no Tanima) - Noto Arisa, Mano Erina
10. キスしよう (Kiss Shiyou) - Ishikawa Rika, Konno Asami
11. MC3
12. ザ☆ピ～ス! (The☆Peace!)
13. 浮気なハニーパイ (Uwaki na Honey Pie)
14. MC4
15. BE ALL RIGHT!
16. 恋占い通りにはならないわ (Koi Uranai Doori ni wa Naranai wa) - Korenaga miki, Noto Arisa, Mano Erina, Sengoku Minami, Sawada Yuri, Mutou Mika
17. MC5
18. カラゲンキ (Kara Genki) - Yoshizawa Hitomi, Ishikawa Rika, Satoda Mai, Konno Asami
19. 本気で熱いテーマソング (Honki de Atsui Theme Song)
20. 鳴り始めた恋のBELL (Narihajimeta Koi no BELL)
21. Go Girl～恋のヴィクトリー～ (Go Girl ～Koi no Victory～)
22. お先にすんずれい (Osaki ni Sunzurei)
Encore
23. 栄えろ羽ばたけガッタス ブリリャンチス H.P. (Sakaero Habatake Gatas Brilhantes H.P.)
24. MC6
25. DREAMIN'～ガッタスブリリャンチスH.P.の応援歌～ (DREAMIN' ～Gatas Brilhanted H.P. no Ouenka～)
No matter what some people say but I'm in love with Ongaku Gatas and their incredible first album which I'll write a review about someday! And I'm gonna buy this concert DVD for sure! I honestly think that Tsunku has found himself again with Ongaku Gatas. I just love their style of music! I wonder though why thwy didn't perform Souda! We're ALIVE in their concert, it would have fitted in so much better than Uwaki na Honey Pie for example. Maybe Uwaki na Honey Pie just fits in their super genki style (just like Go Girl ～Koi no Victory～ does) and since Maichin is there they're kind of forced to perform at least one Country Musume song. I still wonder... they're performing Koibito wa Kokoro no Ouedan and that should be enough I think... To me Uwaki na Honey Pie is somehow too much. But I'm not complaining, Uwaki na Honey Pie is a lot of fun and Koibito wa Kokoro no Ouedan is too cute not to be loved. But I love the fact that they're performing Honki de Atsui Theme Song, it's one of my favourite Momusu songs ever! Just what are they going to shout in the end after all those "izasusume!"s in the place of "Morning Musume!"? "Ongaku Gatas!"? ;P Doesn't really sound good.
Suki Sugite Baka Mitai has me a bit worried, because I've always thought of it as a Gocchin song (read: only to be performed by Gocchin&co. or some other people who are Gocchin-like enough (Reina is ok. :)). I don't know who would be good to perform it... Apparently all members of Ongaku Gatas perform it or at least I don't know better. I'm sure there'll be lots of Rikachan (of course, she was in DEF.DIVA) and Maichin because I think someone thinks that she might work in the song (though not a win for me). But those super cute eggs in this song? Somehow I cannot see that...
And seriosuly, putting those two Gatas cheering songs as encore is a weird decision. They're not very good songs to be performed in a concert anyway... But maybe that was the only spot they could think of - you couldn't really put them in the beginning or in the middle either.
Some great Yossy photos from their concert (taken God only knows from where and I definitely don't have any rights to put them up, but do I ever have anyway?)
I love the first one, she's so BEAU ・TI ・FUL!! ♥♥ That incredible costume is for the Seishun no Custard performance, I assume (watch the Dohhhup! video clip).
Again some great photos!
God I love that Seishun no Custard costume! I wonder why they don't use normal clothes in coincerts more often... They look always better. And somehow in all the photos where Yossy is wearing those clothes she looks like 100 times better that in the others. All my favourite photos from this whole batch are the ones where she's wearing those. (Though Maichin's clothes for that same performance are... horrible. What's with that hat, seriously?)
Poor Yossy - so pretty, so skinny... That fourth photo!
When I was speaking of Gocchin I remembered something I just understood a while ago. She's now become my second favourite H!P girl, if not even trying to get to share the tops spot with Yossy and that's a lot to sayl, and I love her a lot and I'M NEVER GOING TO SEE HER PERFORM IN A H!P CONCERT! My dream is to some day make it to a concert in Japan and Gocchin won't be there. :'( I'll better make my dream true soon, otherwise everyone else will have already left also when I finally get to Japan...
I'm starting to think that I'll never see her perform anyway. For a long time I wanted to believe the rumors that she was going to sign up with avex or something... But it's already February and nothing has been heard from her. I'm still hoping but not really believing anymore.
Gocchin, I miss you... You're so beautiful!
Congratulations to you! You've become a mother! (And a little bit more responsible one than dear Nono, I'm afraid... I think it's a great decision not to give the baby's name to publicity. But no offense to Nonnochan, I believe in you Nono!!!)
You're such a beautiful woman aren't you. ♥ Why didn't you go into modeling? You have the body (what a great body that is!) and the looks... Even the elegant aura.
I don't enjoy your voice and I have never bothered to look for your solo material so I have no clue of what it's like. Or actually I do have two clues: the song you performed on Momusu Tanjou 10nen Kinentai's concert tour, Nakazu ni Irarenai Watashi desu (and maybe some others of you solo songs that I cannot remember perfomed on some Momusu concert tours) and the fact that it's supposed to be "Mediterranean style" or "European style" - whatever that means. Maybe I should give you a chance, at least to know what your music is like... I think that a classic and mature approach to solo music is very natural to you and definitely suits you well. I find it hard to imagine you releasing solo singles like The Stress or anything like that. You've always been that classic beauty, having a somewhat elegant character.
Despite the fact that I don't like your voice you will always have a special place in my heart. I loved your behaviour when you were younger. So spaced out but also actually appreciating the chance you got when Tsunku decided to form Momusu... I'll never forget the Music Station episode I watched (I guess it was a graduation special for Asukacchi or something, can't really remember) where they showed the reactions of all of you when the first week single ranks were revealed. It was so funny to see all the other girls sitting there reserved and smiling happily and little Kaorin bouncing up, screaming and clapping her hands... You really were very exited about the good rankings your singles got, weren't you. ^_^ You were really thankful and honestly happy to be in Momusu.
You were also one of the funniest ones, always making funny expressions, though I guess you weren't aware of it. But in the end people who aren't trying to be the funniest one are the funniest. :) Another music show memory... When the 2001 shuffles were featured in Utaban and you kept staring forwards so intensively and looking SO angry and Takasan kept teasing you for it. :D You really stood out from the other girls. Not to speak of this hilarious Ayaka's Surprise Lessons episode (this is was in the Hello Online "Iida Kaori gives birth" news bit and I hadn't seen it before. It was SO funny!). :DD You do have a strong personality so it's quite sad that you got pushed back so many times, especially later on.
Was it because you weren't much of a dancer? I actually think that the case was just that an old dog cannot learn new tricks (no, I have absolutely no idea if that's a proverb in English :). I hope you get the point though). In earlier Momusu songs and concerts you were just as good as anyone else (though messing up a little bit sometimes :)) but when I look at you in the Ai Araba era you do stand out a bit. If not as a completely hopeless case still as a bad dancer. Well, the dances were a lot easier back when you started, but still...
But I think I've got the reason why you mess up so often.
You actually have a great ability to put your heart and soul to the song you're singing. One only has to look at your face and see how much you get from it. When performing, I always see in you the one who most does the things she feels like (gestures, expressions I mean) while the others strictly follow the chorepgraphy they're given. A good example is the Last Kiss performance from Momusu 10nen Kienentai's concert tour. The duet you and Mamechan do is awesome and maybe one of my favourite performances ever (Gakisan is so great at Tanpopo songs! I loved her doing Tanpopo in the H!P 2007 summer concert also. Her singing was something incredibly beautiful to hear). But looking at you and Gakisan standing side by side made a clear difference between you two when it comes to moving while singing. Both of you have a great and very emotional expression but Gakisan does all her movements in a big manner and one can see how they are carefully thought beforehand. However, you do the same movements but in a minimalistic and less exaggerated way, as they were natural and spontanious and not learned. To some it may seem like you're no good at all at dancing but to me it just shows how much you care about the song.You might not be as theatrical and showy as Gakisan but it doesn't mean you're dull.
Your true place, however, was in 1st gen Tanpopo. It's the place where you, Marippe and Ayappe fitted together perfectly. The image was just the right for you - mature, sexy and great vocals. While Marippe found her place in second gen as well you seemed a little out of place to me. Marippe's strenght has always been her variety, she's perfectly able to change her behaviour, attitude and image from a super-sexy (though super-tiny) photobook realeaser to a children's favourite super-genki Minimoni leader. You instead, you fitted better in the serious-styled Tanpopo than in the "I love my boyfriend, let's go on a date!" Tanpopo. That's why I was extremely happy when I found this post by Yoshimi telling about her love to first gen Tanpopo. I agree completely with her with the sentence "Tanpopo really striked me as the kind of ideal group for Kaori, back in the day.&qu