13 posts tagged “morning musume”

(Here's something for you to listen to while reading my utterly long post. Am I the only one who loves the pinku-duo? :P After this it'll be no use ever again to claim that in an idol I look for a good singing voice.)

 

TADADA-A! My birthday present (anybody remember anymore? :)) arrvied actually over a month ago :D but I haven't been able to post about it. So now I shall (it took me ten days to write this :D). Here it is:

Can you guess what it is? I'll give you a hint. The reason why I finally started blogging (I had been planning it for a while) and why I started my blog here in vox is this. A long time ago (okay, it hasn't been such a long time :P) MorningBerryx decided to hold a draw for two great j-pop items, Arashi's concert tour DVD an Morning Musume's "Sweet Morning Box 2002". As a result two lucky persons got a wonderful a Christmas present. I wasn't one of them (:( unlucky me) but to be able to enter the draw I had to create an account here in vox. And this is how my blog was born. :)

Anyway, after that MorningBerryz also made entries about the other "Sweet Morning Box " Momusu Christmas collectibles from years 2003 and 2004. I was immediately drawn to these great collections of interesting and unique Momusu goods. These really are the most complex H!P collectibles I've ever seen! But as MorningBerryz mentions in the other post these were unfortunately released only during the years 2002-2004.

However, after looking around in Yahoo Auctions Japan I found out that the first "Sweet Morning Box" was actually released in 1999 with the LOVE Machine line-up available only to Fan Club members. Shortly after that the person from whom I usually buy H!P stuff in eBay put up this thing. I was able to win it at only 15.50 dollars! (The fact that the box wasn't sealed and that the shipping fee was huge didn't bother me at all. :)) So this is what I ended up with: "Morning Musume. Sweet Morning box 2000"! ★☆★

Although it's a million times more simple than the later releases MorningBerryz has got I'm extremely happy with it and it's justifiably the shining jewel of my H!P collection! Because I love all of it I'll start with the cover of the box.

This box is beautifully designed right from the beginning: once you remove the red cover another, green one appears. The picture is very cute: Momusu choir with Yuuko as the conductor! Can you recognise them all? :D Remeber that this is from th year 2000 - the 4th gen had just joined the same year.

It's not too hard is it? :) I think Gocchin's the cutest one here. For some odd reason Nacchi's not cute at all even though in real life she's as sweet as sugar! But let's open this "takara no hako" of mine :). ♪♪

Looks good doesn't it? :)

As you might have already noticed the cover of the box tells us everything there is inside it. All in all it makes seven different items:

1. X'mas Message Video
2. Special Trading Card x3
3. Deck of Playing Cards
4. Year Plate 2000
5. Special Mini X'mas Tree
6. Ornament x10
7. Message Card

Isn't it great? ♪

I will review these items in this given order. First up is the "X'mas Message Video". BTW, although this box was open when I bought it all the goods inside were sealed and so was this VHS too. However I couldn't resist opening and watching it. ☆ As you all probably know VHS aren't very hard-wearing so I'm thinking of taking it to one of these places were they'll transfer it to DVD. My parents are going to do so with some of our old VHS and I think maybe they will be kind enough to take this at the same time. :)

I have no knowledge of how to rip a VHS myself and put it in computer so unfortunately I don't have the chance to upload this video anywhere. I can't even share screencaps as much as I'd like to. :( I can only tell about the content of this video and show scans of the case.

Aibon's wearing some amazing hair extensions isn't she? :O I wonder why they aren't smiling properly, Christmas is supposed to be a happy event isn't it? I can imagine a similar shot with the current Momusu... It would probably be something more like this.

Flashing peace signs and looking ridiculously happy. :) Now, that's what idols are supposed to look like! I couldn't deny though that the Morning Musume of 2000 is just as cute as the current one even if it's a lot more serious. :)

The video is basically a making of. I don't know what the running time is because I didn't count when I watched this and it isn't written anywhere but it was more than an hour. First we're treated with some footage from a photoshoot (all the girls look incredibly cute!). The photoshoot is the same one where these case photos (and the trading cards which I will show you next) are from. (The next photo is even cuter than the last one! I love their clothes. :) So 90's :P)

After the short photoshoot footage there are individual interviews from all these girls. I don't understand Japanese so I can't tell what they're saying. :/ From my VERY limited understanding I can say that the questions asked are something like "What was the highlight of the year 2000?" and so on. In the end of their interviews eveyone gives a short message to the viewer (who supposedly is a fan club member as this is a fan club release). I have to say it once more: they are all extremely cute! I had to scan the other side of this VHS too because they're incredibly cute!!!

I just got an idea: I promise that from now on, on my every birthday I will buy myself one of these "Sweet Morning Boxes" as a birthday present and eventually, after five years, when I turn 23 I will own them all. Isn't that a great idea? ♥ I'm loving it already. :P

Shall I move onto the trading cards now? I'm having trouble of finding something to say about the video because I can't share any of it. So maybe I'll just move on. :)

Here are the next great items included with the box! I'm a trading card girl; I always collect the photocards that come with limited editions and first presses and I even have two trading card albums for Momusu trading cards I've bought via Internet: one for normal trading cards and one for bromides (that one's extremely fullt though. So I absolutely love these. I scanned them too in order for you to see better. :) First the front sides and then the back sides.

Whoa the Momusu choir makes another surprise appearance! Now you should at least be able to recognise every memeber from the drawn pictures. You even have a parallel in the other side of the card. :) They are standing in the same order except for Yuuko Santa who's in her sleigh. Plese bring me lots of gifts next Christmas Yuuko Santa!

BTW, all these girls look as adorable as ever. Have I mentioned it yet? I love the third card best because of its great backside. Yossy, Marippe and Gocchin have great poses! The first one is great too again because of the back. The photos have a kind of home photo album feel to them which makes them special. The setting behind is the same where the interviews were shot.

I wonder if these cards where the same in all boxes? I guess so, but just what makes them "trading cards" if everyone has the same cards...?

 

Next maybe my second favourite thing in the whole box... Douzo!

A deck of Momusu playing cards! Isn't the case hilarious? :) I really don't get that snowman. Unless it's Makoto of course. :) (You know which Makoto I'm talking about. Alhough I think he wasn't MCing H!P concerts yet at this point.)

This case is something I've never seen. It has the most unique way of opening. It's genius though, it prevents the case from being damaged when opening. Sometimes I think I'd like them to have something like this in the CD slip cases too, they always tend to fold when I open them...

Can you see how it opens? I think it's great! The folds are there already so the case remains decent-looking.  No you can see the contens already can't you? :) Here it comes (I scanned the hearts because the pictures are the same in all the suits and hearts are the cutest ♥):

It's the choir again!

Aibon is given the position of Ace as the cards feature the members from the youngest to the oldest. Isn't Nono cute? It's always hard to realise that Gocchin was actually the third youngest in the group at this time...

Then it's everybody's beloved Yossy, Charmy and Marippe. For some reason Rikachan's looking very young throughout all these goods. Maybe it's just because she really was very young. :P

Nacchi looks incredibly sweet... And Yuuko continues to stand out with that blond hair of hers. :) She's so funny.

Now I have the court cards left. They feature different girls in different suits so I scanned them all. :) Please pay attention to details - you may find some little things that are different from the rest. :)

Did you notice something missing...?

 

 

 

 

I THOUGHT SO. SO DID I and I was still surprised. :DD BANG!!!

BANG!!!

Which one is scarier? :DD I might vote for Kaorin - Yuuko looks just plain disgusted. XD

These playing cards are just great. However, I'm never going to use them. Who would like to have a deck of dirty, torn cards? Not me at least.

 

Now to my biggest favourite! You can see the package (it's the choir again) in the photo of all the goods from this box. The white cardboard case contains something that's really precious to me...

Tada-a! It was extremely hard to take a photo without any reflects but I did my best... At least I got a photo where all the drawings are well visible. Isn't it lovely? I really, REALLY like it! All the girls are really good at drawing, but some of my favourites are Marippe's incredibly cute angel choir, Aibon's peach head that reminds me of Momo's drawings (they have a very similar style don't they?) and Yossy's little Father Christmas. :) Gocchin's Santa is quite hilarious and Nono's little creatures - well, weird. :P I don't get what their doing. But I must announce that the winner is

YUUKO WTF? I don't get her drawing at all! XD Maybe it helped if I understood the text. As for now, to me it looks like a chibi-Yuuko crying out for help for getting married. ;P

I just have to say again that this particular piece is just incredible. You may enjoy the photo - I'm certainly not giving this to anybody! :D

 

Next up is the Special Mini X'mas Tree. I have to say that this was maybe the one to impress me the most. As you all may know today's Japan is full of plastic stuff - everything just seems to be made of plastic. There are a lot of throwaway things. So, I was very pleased to see this:

It even contains real cones! The tree itself is plastic, of course, but in a non-annoyning way that really pleases me. And the stand is real wood. I just love this and I'll be sure to use it next Christmas to decorate my room! It's so pretty!

 

Well, nothing more to say - and this post is already unforgettably long - so I'll move on! Ladies and Gentlemen: Ornament x10!

I don't have much to say about these... only that I wish I that these actually contained actual photos of the girls themselves, not these choir girls again... They're cute nevertheless but I won't use them. :) I'll include bigger photos just in case you want to take a closer look.

There are they. And now for the last one: Message Card!

Do you know what this is? Obviously a Message Card, right, but what does it do?

 

The choir gets its fair share again, because this thing sings. Well of course it doesn't actually sing, it plays. No more and no less than We Wish You a Merry Christmas in a very annoying whiny sound that sounds like a ringtone. Well I bet you all know how singing cards sound like.

I was having a hard time trying to get good photos of its inside without opening it too much because I didn't want it to play, but evetually I had to open it completely. To my great pleasure, although, it played the tune only once and then remained silent. So I was able to get good photos of it after all.

All your hand are belong to Andla@. :P Anyway, this is how it looks like

and here what they said. Again no idea but I like Kei's lips. :P

And a little closer look to the already famous choir which is singing with its whiny ringtone voice.

But wow! This time it really is them! :O

 

You know, that was it. ☆ See you next time (I have time to write anything. I have a job now, you know, so that I could afford to buy H!P stuff :P.) 

Because it's already full of photos nobbody's gonna care if I put one more. I support you Gocchin, through the hard times with your family! I hope you'll be able to start working soon!

Gocchin's totally badass banner and wait! I accidentally put two pictures. ♥

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

1. I've got a shitload of schoolwork again and no time for blogging
2. 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! ♥♥

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! :)

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!

(There's something wrong when the photographer has focused his camera on one's boobs instead of one's face...)

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." That's exactly what I think also.