This is my first concert review!
1. OPENING/3,2,1 BREAKIN' OUT!
Okay, the cow costumes are a little weird, but some of them are super cute! I especially like Aika's. Why does she look so damn cute in a hood? The song is one of my favorites, but their vocals aren't the strongest here. Probably not quite warmed up yet.
2. HOW DO YOU LIKE JAPAN? ~Nihon wa Donna Kanji Dekka?~
I've never been a huge fan of this song, but they really rocked it! Ai-chan, Gaki, and Linlin especially stuck out as having energy and power.
3. VTR - Member Introduction
As far as VTRs go this one was pretty good. I never really cared for the NINE SMILE promo outfits (except for Linlin's), but the way to put this animation together was very nice and graphic. Thumbs up!
4. Kimagure Princess
Oh, I love the modified KP outfits! Much more flattering than the originals. The lace chaps really show off those "charming rears" too. Aika looks especially rockin'. This song really is great live! I only wish there was a little more 8th gen. Once again, Ai-chan pronounces the word sexy better than any else in Hello! Project ever has.
5. MC1
Just noticed Koharu's obnoxiously large hair bow and pony tail. She looks about 12 feet tall.
6. Nanchatte Renai
Oh Koharu, I'm so sad to see go even though you have a silly, whiny little voice. This song is hands down the best single out of this 9nin Morning Musume. Sounds and looks great live. The rapping was a little weak, otherwise I was pleased.
7. Genki+
No one looks very genki in this song! They sound outstanding though, even Sayumi and Koharu. And a giant yay for Linlin solos! It's great to see this song brought out again. It's too good to only be performed on one tour.
8. Ame no Furanai Hoshi dewa Aisenai Darou? (Chinese Ver.) / Morning Musume featuring Linlin and Junjun
Oh this makes me excited to hear this song on the upcoming album! Probably the best performance of the song I've seen.
9. Sukiyaki / Niigaki Risa, Kusumi Koharu
Those outfits look like 12 colors of cotton candy all mixed together and then glued onto the girls on the most unflattering places possible. The song is cute of course, a good kind of tune for Koharu. The hugging is really heartwarming too. I wonder if they did that at all the concerts or just this one because of Koha's graduation.
10. MC / Niigaki Risa, Junjun, Linlin, Kamei Eri
Awwwwwwwwwww, sleepy Junjun! And were they calling her an old woman? Also, awwwwwwwwwwww, sleepy Linlin (and Linlin's cute Chinese accent).
11. Haru Beautiful Everyday / Kamei Eri, Mitsui Aika
Oh, Eririn looks really looks very pretty in that plaid dress. Aika's hat is stupid. This song is very sweet, and I like it better live than the recorded version, but Aika's vocals are pretty weak here. Also, Tsunku really needs to learn the difference between "everyday" and "every day." "Everyday" is an adjective, not an adverb like he seems to think. And why are they singing about beautiful spring days in autumn?
12. Kioku no Meiro / Takahashi Ai, Tanaka Reina
All that fur plus the giant hair bow make Reina look very feline. Ai-chan's look is a little spartan in comparison, and I'm getting kind of bored with the fedora+vest+miniskirt thing for High-King. I've never been a huge fan of this song, and it's especially lackluster without Saki and Maimi. The dance at the end is very sexy though.
13. Aruiteru / Michishige Sayumi, then Morning Musume
Oh god, worst Hello! Project singer ever + my least favorite Morning Musume single = bleeding ears. On the other hand, Risa and Koharu's circus outfits are really cute when you take away the puff! Sayumi's plaid/leopard thing is ugly as sin though. And what the hell are Junjun and Linlin wearing?
14. Aki Urara
Ouch, Ai really botched the opening line. But that second half of the verse section sounded spectacular. Great harmonies, ladies!
15. Shouganai Yume Oibito
I'm ready for a costume change. I think Ai-chan's voice is getting a little tired at this point. She sounds reeeally rough. But her finger-biting thing is pretty hot.
16. MC / Michishige Sayumi, Tanaka Reina
Pajamas? What? Reina, surely you never wear pajamas. You probably wear some kind of couture negligee to bed.
17. Sakura Mankai / Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa, Kamei Eri, Mitsui Aika, Linlin
Oh, all my favorite members performing one of the best Hello! Project songs ever! Beautiful. The pink spangly outfits are pretty unattractive. And I don't care for the accessories. Linlin's giant flower and Aika's cheap pink earrings are no bueno. This song makes me really miss Kago :( I enjoyed the wota's very slow "L. O. V. E. Lovely Blah Blah."
18. Yuujou ~Kokoro no Busu niwa Naranee!~ / Michishige Sayumi, Tanaka Reina, Kusumi Koharu, Junjun
The purple spangly outfits are a little better. I would have preferred to hear Otomegumi's other single "Ai no Sono ~Touch My Hear~" though. And as much as Sayumi is marked as the second coming of Charmy, she really can't compete, and this song is no good without Rika (and Tsuji :( )
19. Dekkai Uchuu ni Ai ga Aru
Wow, those are some happy cut outs! Eri is really stealing the show vocal-wise in this concert. She's really improved recently.
20. MC
Well, that was short.
21. Coupling Medley: Bon Kyu! Bon Kyu! BOMB GIRL / Please! Jiyuu no Tobira / Hand made CITY / Odore! Morning Curry
A pretty good selection of B-sides. "Please!" isn't my favorite, but it was fun. The silver outfits are an improvement. They look nice and cool at least. The arrangement of "Hand made" was a little too choppy for my tastes. "Odore!" was goofy and fun, as expected. A fun dance for "BOMB GIRL." No bon-kyu-bon girls in Morning Musume though really. Aww, more hugs for Koharu! "Happy happy..." part sounded fab. Good job, Risa!
22. MC
Another short one.
23. Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari
Wish I had translations for the solo bits. I think Linlin said something about her flavor. And did Koharu call all her sempai sexy or say that she was sexy in comparison? Sayumi called Eri a lying idiot! This song is always fun even if I have no idea what's going on ^___^
24. Naichau Kamo
This song sounds so blue, but the PV and lighting here are red. For some reason I can't enjoy the song with the red visuals. Does anyone else have this problem?
25. Resonant Blue
Good lord, this is a superb song. From the dance break on it's pretty much just perfection.
26. Rainbow Pink / Koha-pink, Shige-pink
Perfection. My number 1 guilty pleasure, and this is the best live performance of it ever. THIS is why I'm going to miss Koharu :'( :'( :'( Oh god, the little interaction at the end almost had me crying in the middle of the public library. I bet the graduation ceremony will have me actually crying.
27. Koharu's graduation ceremony.
I'll start by saying I don't like the outfits. I think Koharu's graduation outfits should have been pink. These remind of of the Tsuji/Kago graduation.
Watching this, all I'm think that Koharu has always had a surplus of charisma and cute, but I think she has now developed some poise and grace as well. She looks so grown-up and mature.
I kind of wish they had left Sayumi last, because we all knew that was going to be emotional. It seemed strange to have Reina come up after her. On the other hand, I think it made Reina all the more sentimental. I really love it when the girls whisper to each other after the big talk. Whatever they are saying must mean so much more being private. And I really don't understand why they don't tuck a handkerchief somewhere in their costumes during the graduation ceremonies. It's sad seeing them try to wipe away their snot.
I at least managed to not cry during the ceremony.
28. Furusato / featuring Kusumi Koharu
I was surprised how good Koharu sounded singing her graduation song. She worked must have worked really hard on it. I think this is the first time we've really heard a solo song be her live since all of her Kirari stuff was lip synch'd. But I don't think there will ever be a graduation song as touching as Kago and Tsuji's "I WISH."
29. SONGS
This track seems kind of out of place. I want something either happy or sad after a graduation ceremony, not sexy and ferocious.
30. MC
...
31. LOVE Machine
Koharu's last dance with Morning Musume. Poor Sayumi looked like she was holding in tears as hard as she could. I bet she just bawled when the girls got back stage.
I'm pretty happy with this concert release. Final thoughts
- Needs more Linlin.
- Koharu, I will miss you
- Sayumi can't sing
- Eri is wonderful :)
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