Daburuyuu Joshi Koutou Gakkou Special Edition: °C-ute's 12th major single "Campus Life ~Umarete Kite Yokatta~"

The PV for °C-ute's 12th major single "Campus Life ~Umarete Kite Yokatta~" was released today on the UP FRONT YouTube channel. The single will be released on April 28 and the Single V on May 12.



This is a really outstanding PV! Firstly, the girls are looking GREAT! Everyone looked so wan in the "SHOCK!" PV. Here everyone looks healthy and pretty and happy. Well, I'll do the regular break down.

The Outfits

So, for the dance and close-up shots we get the cover outfits:



And they're pretty rockin'. Especially those shoes! They're like a much more wearable version of the "SHOCK!" boots. They look sexy as hell, but they would be good for summer because they are so open. The rest of the the look is very cute. It fits their image well. I especially like the ties.

For the rest of the PV we get to see casual looks.



Maimi and Saki are looking sweet and feminine. I can't tell if Saki's got on a romper or a really short dress.



The second grouping is Airi, Mai, and Chisato. I think Airi's hair is a little ridiculous, and her outfit is definitely my least favorite. Mai and Chisato both look cute as BUTTONS. I don't think Chisato has ever looked that good before and Mai actually looks her age.

The Song

I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of the song. It reminds me a lot of "Ai no Suki Suki Shisuu Joushou Chuu," the opening track on Berryz Koubou's fourth album 4th Ai no Nanchara Shisuu. Obviously the "suki suki" hook is a big part of that. I'm just not a fan of this style of song, not even live. At least it's not another glorified solo for Airi?

The Dance

We don't get to see a lot of it, which is fine by me. The only part that really stuck out to me was during Maimi's "suki suki suki."



It's like she's saying, "I like you, but it's a secret ;)" Oh Maimi, I like you, too! Lets not keep it a secret...

The Rest

So like everyone else I will mention the iPod Touches that are so prominent.



Are iPods as ubiquitous in Japan as they are in the US? I don't know. But the image of girlfriends sharing songs on a portable music device isn't so strange to me.

What sticks out more to me is the softball. In the US softball is often associated with lesbians. Is that the case in Japan? Once again, I don't know. But Mai and Chisato were definitely paired in this video more than the other girls, and their looks are not as femmy.





And I hate to say this, because I feel like everyone else is in love with her, but I don't understand Nakajima Saki's appeal.



I find her mouth unsettling, like she might at any moment open it obscenely wide and eat a person whole. I think it's the fact that her teeth are big compared to the rest of her face. Her voice does seem to be improving though.

I'll let Maimi have the last word here.



"Call me, bitches."

Hello! Project 2010 WINTER Kachou Fuugetsu ~Shuffle Date~

I watched the Shuffle Date concert a few nights ago. It was Glorious

1. Uwaki na Honey Pie / All

It seems that from the solo line distribution the “leaders” of the shuffle groups are as such:

High-King: Reina + Ai-chan
Zoku v-u-den: Risako
Shin Minimoni: Linlin
Aa!: Miyabi
ZYX-alpha: Risa
Petitmoni V: Mano Erina
Tanpopo#: Eri

They all make sense except Zoku v-u-den. Why did Risako get the solo and not Sayumi?

As for the song, “Uwaki na Honey Pie” has always been a favorite of mine. I love the knee-knocking choreography :D

The bright-colored plastic + zebra-print faux fur things are… bizarre.

2. VTR

Nothing too impressive. Every one looks cute of course!

3. MC

I’d much rather have one of the girls MCing than Makoto. His stupid bowl cut just gets more and more irritating.

4. Pen Pen Kyoudai / Shin Minimoni

Oh god. Minimoni is, was, and will always be the best unit ever. The outfits are ridiculously adorable. Plaid! Purses! Tiny capes! Leg warmers! MITTENS! And all of the girls are singing fabulously, especially considering all that jumping. This is one of the best revival unit songs, which is saying a lot since they’re all pretty good.

5. Mini. Strawberry~ Pie / Shin Minimoni

Girls, I would eat a mini strawberry pie from you all any day. This is the perfect unit.

6. GOING ON / Guardians 4

Meh. Boring song. Why did they use so much yellow lighting for this one? Everything just looks kind of jaundiced. Eww. And why can’t we ever get Aika bangs anymore?

7. MC

Oh, it’s 6th gen Morning Musume. What’s up ladies? Eri’s side braid is uggggly. Now they are showing off their ‘r’-rolling skills.

Now, I couldn’t follow this conversation entirely, but it seems that Junjun thinks Captain’s dancing is really cool and that she’s cute. Then she made a full on confession (kokuhaku), complete with a present, that she loved Captain (daisuki!). Looks like Junjun is also getting intimate with another High-King member:



When Junjun confesses again in front of everyone the ladies are SCANDALIZED! Ai-chan is in fits of laughter over this scene:



Risa is outraged and scolds Junjun:



Captain thanks her sweetly though and they move on.

Then there’s some story about Chinami and Ogawa Saki. I cannot follow it. Ai-chan is apparently amused by this one as well though:



Also, did you notice how outrageously large Tanabe Nanami (the newest Egg)’s pigtails are? Each one is literally bigger than her head. Damn. (I've tinkered with the brightness and contrast around her head because it's difficult to see black pigtails against a black background)



8. FIRST KISS / Aa!

I like this song, but I miss Reina’s voice in it :/ She had such a distinct (a.k.a. kind of weird) way of pronouncing her ‘k’s that I loved in her early H!P years. Also, I can’t wait for Miyabi to be rid of those awful extensions

9. Yume no Genjitsu / Aa!

A really fabulous song with outstanding choreography. What more could we ask for? Well, I would ask for better styling. I don’t like anything about those outfits (except maybe the boots) and they all have awful hair. Still, what a rockin’ live song. I hope this one becomes a standard!

10. Pira! Otome no Negai / Petitmoni V

Okay, so this song benefits a lot from some visuals. And those are some spot-on Petitmoni outfits. The choreography is good, too. I love Maimai shaking her nothing of a chest during the bridge

11. Chokotto LOVE / Petitmoni V

Aww, this is a delightfully goofy song, isn’t it? They did really well with it. And the Eggs just added just enough insanity.

12. MC

I think this is a ranking of whom you would most want to kiss? Those are NOT the top three girls I’d want to kiss! For me that would be Ai-chan, Linlin, and Maimi. Mostly Ai-chan though.

Apparently Maasa has voluminous, erotic lips? Oh my!

I have no idea what the Ai-chan/Risako/Linlin thing was, but Linlin has the cutest Chinese accent ^__^

13. Oujisama to Yuki no Yoru / Tanpopo#

Oh, now I see why they are dressed like foppish little princelings. It’s because they are singing “Oujisama to Yuki no Yoru!” Makes a lot of sense now. And holy hairbow does Aika look perfect in hers. Seriously how can her body look like that? It’s unreal. The girls all sound really great. Tsunku put together a top-notch Tanpopo#. But it’s kind of sad to hear and see this song with no Aibon, no Charmy, no Marippe, and no Kaorin :(

14. Umbrella / Tanpopo#

Another great revival unit song. Major props to the arranger and the choreographer. The dance is reminiscent of “Otome Pasta ni Kandou.” And going back to the outfits, why with even as low of heels as the other girls got did Aika get completely flat boots? She always has flat boots. Is it a foot problem?



15. Bravo☆Bravo / Buono!

Sweet boots. Momo looks wonderful (as usual). Miyabi’s shorts are très adorable. I really couldn’t care less about the song though. The best part about it is the inexplicable “P-A-T-I.” WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO SPELL? Is it an acronym for “Please Apply Tapeworms Indiscriminately?” Or maybe "Punch that Asshole Tsunku In the face?"

16. Renai♥Rider / Buono!

Now this is a great Buono! song. They sound a little tired though.

17. BE ALL RIGHT / Risa, Mai, Linlin, Mano Erina, Chinami, Junjun, Chisato, Maeda Yuuka, Ogawa Saki, Fukuda Kanon, Saho Akari, Wasa Ayaka, Takeuchi Akari

Never one of my favorite shuffle songs, and I would have preferred to see Linlin, Junjun, and Risa in smaller groups. And why is this the only mix group to not get a special outfit?

18. MC

There sure is a lot of Junjun and Linlin love in the MCs! I think Linlin said something about revolving cheese. Weird. Also, I just noticed something again that I had noticed in some of the pics from this concert. Linlin’s bag is red, white, blue, and star-spangled. The reason Mika had Americana accessories is that she was actually from America. Shouldn’t Linlin’s Minimoni accessories be red and gold with stars?



19. Suki Sugite Baka Mitai / Sayumi, Reina, Maimi, Maasa

Please stop trying to substitute Sayumi for Rika. Rika could actually sing pretty well and was about a trillion times cuter than Sayumi. On a happier note, Reina really sings well and Maimi is a major hotty even though she’s not in the least bit curvaceous. It must just be her awesome stage presence.

20. LOVE LIKE CRAZY / Eri, Saki, Ai-chan

Love the song. Love the girls. Love the outfits. Love the dance. I’m in raptures watching this performance. Yep, definitely rewatching this as soon it’s over. Can someone explain why Captain’s talents are being absolutely wasted in the background of Berryz Koubou and why she has no photobook?

21. Shiroi TOKYO / ZYX-alpha

Now this was great styling all around. Although the asymmetry of their arm apparel makes it look they got lightly mauled by wild animals on their way to the stage. See what I mean?



Saki’s fuchsia five of hearts is probably my favorite accessory:



22. Iku ZYX! Fly High / ZYX-alpha

How did I never notice before that they spell out ZYX with their bodies at the intro to this song? That is one of the neatest bits of choreography I’ve seen in Hello! Project! Maasa for some reason sticks out as looking super gorgeous in this performance. This unit in its 6nin form is really outstanding. Why didn’t they get a new song?



23. MC

Oooh, a ZYX MC. I bet Maasa is VERY warm in that get up. If I was here I would sit around naked back stage for a while.

24. ONLY YOU / Zoku v-u-den

Damn Risako. You really have some pipes. And that outfit certainly emphasizes your *ahem* Western figure. Junjun looks really nice in the get up as well.

25. Koisuru♡Angel♡Heart / Zoku v-u-den

All the bending over is wasted on those outfits. WHERE’S THE CLEAVAGE? Is this v-u-den or not? And why don’t Junjun and Risako get garters? Those stockings aren’t staying up!

26. DESTINY LOVE / High-King

I wish they did more wide shots for this song. I want to see the dance! Specifically I want to see Saki dancing. And Maimi. And Ai-chan. With Yuuka and Reina I’m kind of take-em-or-leave-em.

Side note: I think I hear women shouting in the audience! Woo hoo.

27. DIAMONDS / High-King

Thank goodness for Saki shorts, but why do Ai-chan and Maimi both get long pants? Surely it’s a sin to cover up legs like those! I do love this song though.

28. C/C Cinderella/Complex / High-King

Yes yes yo, indeed. We’d all be better off with more of this song in our lives I think. This unit is the closest thing to perfection Hello! Project has seen since Morning Musume Sakuragumi.

29. MC

Those corduroy shorts and white T-shirts look even better in motion than they did in photos. Double thumbs up for Linlin, Risako, Aika, and Eri.

30. Renai Revolution 21 / All

I love how during this song they all sort of subtly shifted from being grouped in their shuffle units to being grouped into their usual units.

31. Ending

Awwww, good bye ladies! That was a really superb concert. Probably my favorite since Berry Kamen vs. Cutie Ranger! Maybe one day I’ll be able to go to Japan and see you all live!

Maeda Yuki's 10th single "Mianeyo ~Gomennasai~"

The PV for "Mianeyo ~Gomennasai~" has been released on Dohhh UP! This single will be released on April 7.



Link to video on Dohhh UP!


Wow, Maeda Yuki is just getting more and more beautiful as the years go on. At 30 years old she is more gorgeous than she was at her debut ten years ago.

The song is lovely as well. It sounds almost whispered at times, and so heartfelt. I feel like she's really apologizing to me for breaking my heart.

The PV is a truly mature one. All the settings are so beautiful and sensual. It's so sad at the end to see her drinking away her pain :(

Berryz Koubou's 6th album "6th Otakebi Album"

Berryz Koubou's sixth album 6th Otakebi Album (6th 雄叫びアルバム) was released on March 31, 2010.

1. Otakebi Boy WAO! (雄叫びボーイ WAO!)

This really is a song worth naming an album after. The throaty voices are outstanding! And the percussion is much better than usual. There’s some really interesting stuff going on in the backing track!

2. Rival (ライバル)

Such a sweet song! It reminds me of riding my bicycle all over the city during the summer. It’s just a cute little pop song, but one of the best of it’s kind in recent years from Hello! Project. The spoken parts are really just icing on the cake, aren’t they? A cake full of counting, “go go fight!”s, and a sort of ‘50s feel.

3. Ryuusei Boy (流星ボーイ)

This has a truly funky backing track! It’s one of those songs you can’t help dancing to at least a little when it’s playing. The dance break is a little much though.

4. Ai ni wa Ai Desho (愛には 愛でしょ)
Natsuyaki Miyabi, Tsugunaga Momoko

I’m not totally in love with this song, but it’s certainly not something I’d skip. I’m sure it will be great live. How could it not be with Miyabi and Momoko? On the other hand, why pair two girls who are already in a small unit together?

5. Seishun Bus Guide (青春バスガイド)

Definitely the weakest of the Inazuma tracks. Still a decent tune. It’s just too monotonous.

6. Kimi no Tomodachi (君の友達)

Is it just me or does that piano in the background sound like it was sampled from a Final Fantasy game or something? I think this is a pretty strong track. Makes me feel like I’m walking through a fantastic landscape in a video game. I could have done without Risako’s monologue though. Why does she seem to get all of them in Berryz songs?

7. Grand demo Rouka demo Medatsu Kimi (グランドでも廊下でも目立つ君)
Kumai Yurina, Sudou Maasa

I prefer the Maasa half of this song, but the whole thing is honestly pretty weak. There’s not enough variation in the instrumentals and it’s just kind of monotonous. It reminds me of Kirby music a little though.

8. Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! (友達は友達なんだ!)

I know I wouldn’t like this song half so well without the PV, but I like it never the less. I like to think that the Berryz girls really are all friends, and that Momoko is the glue that holds them together. It’s such a sweet image. Momo certainly stands out vocally on the track. I really do like her voice!

9. Kibou no Yoru (希望の夜)

I’m really glad this album only got the one mediocre ballad, but oof, I do not look forward to hearing that opening line sung live. It’s painful enough after being tinkered with in AutoTune. I think I hear Saki’s vocals among the studio singers. I always like to hear her in a chorus. It makes me feel like there’s at least one perk to being Captain.

10. Dakishimete Dakishimete (抱きしめて 抱きしめて)

I still love this song as much as I did a year ago. In fact, I probably love it even more now.

11. Yakimochi wo Kudasai! (ヤキモチをください!)
Shimizu Saki, Tokunaga Chinami, Sugaya Risako

This track is kind of fun. Everyone sings so nasally though! All three of them tend to, but it’s a little extreme here. I hope this will have a cute dance for Captain when it’s performed live.

12. Watashi no Mirai no Danna-sama (私の未来のだんな様)

Hands down the best non-Inazuma track from the girls’ last three singles. I think everyone likes the echo parts in the verse. The chorus isn’t bad either. It seems like sort of a strange choice for a last track though. The album seems incomplete.

So this is definitely not as good as 5 (FIVE), which is disappointing but not unexpected. It was at least better than Shocking 5 though. The original tracks were extremely forgettable. In fact I listened to this album several times through before writing this review and not one stuck out in my mind. The whole thing was saved by strong single tracks, so it’s probably a good thing that 7 out of 12 were in that category.

Morning Musume's 10th album "10 MY ME"

Morning Musume's 10th album ⑩ MY ME was released today, March 16, 2010. You can buy it right now at JapanFiles.

I'm going to start out by talking about the worst part of the release: the cover! Risa looks middle-aged, Aika looks like she's about to cry, Linlin looks pissed, Sayumi looks lost, and everyone else looks bored. I know that Ai-chan, Aika, and Linlin look smoking in the outfits, but this cover doesn't do any one justice.

Now let's get down to business. The album blows the pants off of Shocking 5, hands down. Starting with the opening track

1. Moonlight night ~Tsukiyo no Ban da yo~
Moonlight night ~月夜の晩だよ~

Holy fucking god DAMN. This. Is. The. Best. Thing. From. Morning. Musume. In. Years. This is EXACTLY what I've been wanting to hear from them. It starts out so crazy and just stays that way. The electroconvulsive therapy. The instrumental moment of enlightenment. The falsetto. The shouting in the chorus. The ethereal dance break. Sayumi's distorted "let's dance." Oh god, it's perfection. I could listen to this forever. I've already listened to it six times I think. I credit all of this awesomeness to the arranger, Tanaka Nao. He has arranged most of my favorite recent H!P songs (Google 田中直 site:projecthello.com).

2. Kimagure Princess
気まぐれプリンセス

After "Moonlight night" "Kimagure Princess" sounds so tame. I can see where they were trying to go with song, it just didn't quite make it. Still, I like the song. I just think it maybe should have switched places with "Shouganai Yume Oibito" on this album.

3. Genki Pikappika!
元気ピカッピカッ!

At this point I started to lose faith, because this song kind of sucks. Had all of the awesome been packed into the opening track? That's what happened with SEXY 8 BEAT after all.

4. Namidacchi
涙ッチ

I wasn't sure about this song at first. On the one hand, it started out with some nice Linlin vocals, but it was also a little boring. But then it picked up and got super fun! The driving beat in the chorus is a nice contrast to the saccharine piano-ful verse. And then the little rap break just put it over the edge. My final verdict: cute and fun!

5. Onna ga Medatte Naze Ikenai
女が目立って なぜイケナイ

Well, I just don't know what to make of this single. The guitar and the real violin are interesting, but I just can't bring myself to like the song. Maybe I just need more time.

6. Ookii Hitomi
大きい瞳
Kamei Eri, Michishige Sayumi, Tanaka Reina

They've finally found a way to make Sayumi's voice palettable! Just AutoTune the dickens out of it. But seriously, this is a fun song. I enjoyed it, especially the Sayumi parts.

7. Ano Hi ni Modoritai
あの日に戻りたい
Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa

*yawn* This song is booooring.

8. Nanchatte Renai
なんちゃって恋愛

Love it. Loved it since the beginning. Still needs more Linlin.

9. Osaka Oishiinen
大阪 美味しいねん
Mitsui Aika, Junjun, Linlin

Waaaaaaaaaa~~~!!!!! TOOOOOOO CUUUUUUUUUTE. If this song doesn't turn you into an absolute Linlinatic then you are hopeless. She's just so unbelievably fabulous. Junjun and Aika really slathered on the awesome (Chinese mutterings and rolled Rs!), but there's no competition with my Lin-chan. Would I like this as well if it wasn't an 8th-gen thing? Probably not. But I love it anyway.

10. Loving you forever

WHAT A SNOOZEFEST.

11. Shouganai Yume Oibito
しょうがない 夢追い人

Not my favorite single on this album, but a good track nonetheless.

12. Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai Darou? (Chinese Ver.)
雨の降らない星では愛せないだろう? (中国語Ver.)

Good lord, Linlin. That note was the best thing I've ever heard. I ADORE this arrangement. I almost wish it was just a Linlin solo thought! Still, an absolutely breath-taking song.

Over all a very book-ended album: the first and last tracks were by far the best. And we got to hear quite a bit of 8th-gen, which is always nice. Now I'm really looking forward to 6th Otakebi Album!!

S/mileage's 4th indie single "Otona ni Narutte Muzukashii!!!"

S/mileage's 4th indie single Otona ni Narutte Muzukashii!!! (オトナになるって難しい!!!) will be released on March 14.



WAO!!!~!

Wow. Ok. Whoa.

The Outfits

I wasn't a huge fan of the promo outfits for Suki-chan, but I really like these! I'm in love with the cardigan. I wish I had one just like it! Everything else is just so cute! The pink plaid fits their image really well, and of course I like the tiny hats :) I'll admit, I was a little uncomfortable with how good Kanon looks in the costume. She's really growing up fast!

The casual outfits are pretty boring though. I would even say DAWA's is ugly. It looks like she's wearing an acid-wash denim jacket. Boo, I say.

The Song

Well, it looks like someone figured out that the whisper chants in "Suki-chan" were a big hit. The "waku waku waku waku," "doki doki doki doki," etc. bits were very sweet and fun. The more I listen to the song the more I like it. The backing track is cute and youthful, just like the girls. I'm also a huge fan of the title. "Otona ni Narutte Muzukashii!!" translates to "becoming an adult is difficult!!!" Truer words were never spoken, my friends.

The Set

Well, the set is all green screened in, and I think it's wonderful! It's a similar style to Morning Musume's "3,2,1 BREAKIN' OUT!" but I think this PV is a better composition. Granted, it looks a bit amateur-ish in comparison, but I think that fits with the image of the group and song. On the other hand, we get two outfits. We get swings and bike riding. We get heads and torsos gliding across the screen (also seen in Minimoni's "Lucky Cha Cha Cha!"). We get adorable antics and dramatically sighing Kanon. It would be a lot more impressive without the "3,2,1 BREAKIN' OUT!" PV having preceded it, but I still give it two thumbs up.

The Dance

Well, since this isn't just a glorified dance shot, I can't make a lot of judgements about the dance. It looks pretty simple, but still energetic. There's a lot of follow-the-leader moves, which seems to be a fad in H!P right now.

The Cover



This cover is pure lol. Whoever put it together needs to fired. The composition is awful! At first glance Saki looks like a contortionist with enormous calves, but upon closer inspection those legs belong to Kanon, who is flying through the air with the aid of an electric fan. Saki also appears to be fending off the popcorn eruption that DAWA has an extremely contrived shock at. Meanwhile, Yuuka is sighing over a big a present that displays the "Produced by Tsunku." That box is probably full of old Sharam Q cassettes.

I really can't wait for S/mileage's first major release, which should be coming soon! Their debut concert is just 4 weeks away. After 4 great PVs I'm actually a little worried that the quality of their releases might actually go down with their major debut. Or that, like fellow graduated Egg Mano Erina before them, they will get a great debut song and then a trail of blah.

Morning Musume Fall 2009 Concert Tour NINE SMILE

The DVD of Morning Musume's Fall 2009 Concert Tour Morning Musume Concert Tour 2009 Aki ~NINE SMILE~ was released yesterday, February 24, 2010.

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 :)
  

°C-ute's 5th album "Shocking 5"

°C-ute's fifth album Shocking 5 was released yesterday, February 25, 2010.

My first thoughts: it's a bland, mushy, boring, pitiful excuse for an album. Shocking 5? More like Sucking 5.

1. EVERYDAY Zekkouchou!! (EVERYDAY 絶好調!!)

Why did the album title Shocking 5 not start with the song "SHOCK!"? Instead it gets off to a boring start with this single, which isn't my favorite one from the group by far. Even though it's Erika's final single she doesn't get even one solo line! It's just a mess of the sappy "SEISHUN!!!!"-ful diarrhea Tsunku has been excreting on us lately.

2. The Party!

Worst. Party. Ever. That exclamation point in the title: completely unwarranted. This is like the very first part of the party where a small handful of people have taken the start time literally and it's just them and hosts. Every one is getting a little antsy and thinking of maybe going somewhere else. And then some more people show up and everyone gets trashed. Except in this song, that last part never happens. The guests do go home and we're left with a lone crooning Airi.

3. Aa Koi (嗚呼 恋) / Suzuki Airi

This kind of sound's like the inside of one of Bowser's castles. It's an alright track, I suppose. Certainly one of the best one's on this album at least. I don't think it's as strong as Airi's previous album tracks though.

4. Bye Bye Bye!

Compared to the rest of this album I almost like "Bye Bye Bye!" Wait... nope, I still hate it. It probably doesn't help that it's sandwiched between the best two tracks on the album. Maimi's little climax is still the best part of the song.

5. Lonely girl's night / Yajima Maimi

Well, I wasn't expecting anything that would rival "Natsu DOKI Lipstick," but I was hoping for something a little upbeat. The track is still is pretty good, it just could be stronger. Still, Maimi could probably make anything sound like solid gold.

6. Kimi no Senpou (君の戦法) / Nakajima Saki, Okai Chisato, Hagiwara Mai

Oh, I have a great idea! Let's put all the weakest vocalists on a track together, and while we're at it we'll just give them a boring backing track with minimal chorus behind them! Seriously, this is a real trash pile of a song.

7. SHOCK!

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I like "SHOCK!" Of course I hate the line distribution, but that doesn't stop it from being a fun track.

8. Shigatsu Sengen (四月宣言)

You know, who ever they hired to do the guitar on this album was really trying his/her hardest to make the songs good. Everything else on this track: AWFUL. Even the PV they made for it is boring.

9. "Zansho Omimai Moushiagemasu." (「残暑 お見舞い 申し上げます。」) / Suzuki Airi

So Airi basically gets three solo songs. I do not approve. This song is okay, but I would have left it a B-side. I guess Tsunku wanted something of his own work from their summer single on the album since he had no hand in what made "Shochuu Omomai Moushiagemasu" awesome.

10. Yume ga Aru Kara (夢があるから)

Aw, and now we get to the heart-warming group ballad song at the end of the album. Except that's what the rest of the album has been. Of course the song is sweet and pretty, just like the countless sound-alikes that came before it. And this time we only get five girls, three of whom are weak singers, to provide that full vocal sound.

11. Shochuu Omimai Moushiagemasu (H22 Remix) (暑中お見舞い申し上げます (H22 Remix))

How did they manage the make the best thing °C-ute released in the last year into something just as balls-rific as the rest of this album? Do people actually like remixes, ever? The only one's I've ever cared for are "Koibito wa Kokoro no Ouendan (Hyper Dance Version)," "Ai~n! Dance no Uta (MORE TRANCE REMIX)," and "Dschinghis Khan Tartar Mix." This one sounds like °C-ute stuck in a Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix nightmare.


Final verdict: DO NOT WANT. Also, I miss Kanna and Erika :'(

Guardians 4's 4th single "Going On!"

The PV for "Going On!" has been released on Dohhh UP! This single will be released on January 20 and the single V will be released on February 3.



Link to video on Dohhh UP!


It seems Guardians 4 is going a bit stale. I do not rate this release well. Hopefully the accompanying Shugo Chara Egg! song will be better. I'm excited to hear the new Amulet Diamond Tatabe Nanabi at least!

The song

Well, the girls voices are nice. Nakky seems to have really improved recently. Otherwise it's just super boring. And that "heart unlock" part is irritating.

The PV

This is a bizarre concept. Why is there a lion directing, a green elephant working the camera, and a purple thing doing... whatever it's doing? I like it that kooky aspect of it, but sadly it is poorly edited. The shots are much too long, which makes the whole thing sort of stagnate. There's far too much lens flare and arbitrary anime clips. I did enjoy the phallic vegetable scenes, especially Nakky's reluctance to take the leeks. Why did Yurina end up with a non-phallic fruit though? Well, when Scarface was edited for TV they replaced the word "pussy" with "pineapple." Coincidence? (...probably :P)

The outfits

I'll tell you what, I love these Guardians 4 outfits on Aika. Her bod is totally rockin' and these really show it off. Sadly the stylists always make her hair look awful. I just don't understand how all the others can look so perfectly coiffed while Aika looks like her straightening iron is tragically broken.

Overall, I'm not pleased. The PV concept was right up my alley, but poorly executed. The song couldn't be more forgettable. Well, better luck next time, ladies!

Kako to Mirai: 2009 retrospective and 2010

Oh hello, world. Well, this has been one hell of a year. I for one have been a total stress mess! I had a very rough summer, lost about 40 lbs. (~20 kg), struggled through a difficult and economically lean semester, and graduated university. Through it all I kept up with Hello! Project, but not this blog, clearly.

I thought an end-of-year post with rankings, reviews and resolutions would be a nice way to get back into things. First up, my perennial favorite.

Morning Musume


A year ago Berryz Koubou had temporarily become my main squeeze, but Morning Musume is back on top as my favorite group. This is mostly like due to my new-found love for Linlin! Her "HI, I'M LINLIN!" at the Anime Expa Q&A this summer absolutely melted my heart.

As for releases this year, Naichou Kamo was not a strong kick-off. The A-side is pretty forgettable, the PV is the worst yet, and the B-side has waaa~y to much Sayumi.

On the other hand, I couldn't have asked for much more with Platinum 9 DISC. Morning Musume's best album in years! Their next single was also a stand-out, though "3,2,1 BREAKIN' OUT" outshines "Shouganai Yume Oibito." It was great to see a Morning Musume single reach number 1 again, too.

The Platinum 9 DISCO concert DVD had performance that just blows all the others away: Linlin's solo in "Aozora ga Itsumademo Tsuzuku You na Mirai de Are!" That little girl's got a huge voice. Love her!

With all the promotion for Nanchatte Renai it was bound to do well, and it really really did. It was the best-selling single for the group in four years, and the second-best-selling one in the last five years. The A-side and PV really are standouts, maybe even the best of the 9-nin line-up. Biggest disappointment was too little Linlin in the PV!

The B-side collection wasn't something I was too interested in. The girls looked great in the booklet though! And it was nice to Kago on a cover of a Hello! Project release again :D.

I loved Kimagure Princess, but it didn't fair well being their second-worst selling single ever! The song is super cute, but the promotion was nonexistent and the PV was absolutely nothing special. I would have liked to see more Koharu in this, as it was her last single!

Speaking of Koharu, I'm really sad to see her go. I was on the anti-Koha boat in the beginning, but she really grew on me. What presence! What charisma! What energy! She was a like a Mari 2.0 for me, and she would do well to follow in Yaguchi's footsteps I think.

My first hope for the coming year is to see/hear more Linlin in singles! My second hope is for an audition! With Koharu gone it's time to find ninth gen! I'd like to see a really smart girl already graduated from high school. Tsunku can even put her in glasses since he seems to have a bit of a fetish for megadols.

Berryz Koubou


At the beginning of the year I was obsessed with Berryz, but their recent singles have left them with less luster in my eyes.

They kicked off the year pretty well. Their best-of album sold pretty well and "Otoko no Ko" was a bitchin' track. I couldn't have loved Dakishimete Dakishimete more, and I went on at length about it on this blog.

The double A-side singles are fine, I suppose. They tracks are really nice and the PVs are more okay, but there's something about the girls' image now that seems a little dull and empty. They always look too made-up or something. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but hopefully once they finish acting like an anime unit they'll bounce back.

My hope for next year: an album! 5 (FIVE) was really outstanding, and I want something just as good for this next year.

°C-ute


°C-ute has never been my favorite group, and they haven't grown on me any more this year. ④ Akogare My STAR was pretty good, BYE BYE BYE was terrible, Shochuu Omimai Moushiagemasu was cute and had a great PV, EVERYDAY Zekkouchou!! was fairly forgettable, and the best-of album was a huge disappointment with no new tracks! I suppose my favorite release of the year was Shochuu Omimai Moushiagemasu. It parallels my favorite °C-ute release of 2008, Edo no Temari Uta II in that it was a summertime cover song. I'm not sure what Tsunku's doing with SHOCK!'s Airi saturation. Maybe he's hoping for another Furusato→LOVE Machine situation.

Mano Erina

Manoeri's debut single held so much promise! I had a lot of hope for her career after hearing "Otome no Inori" and seeing its PV. Sadly everything sort of went downhill from there for me. The only other single she has released that I even remotely like is Kono Mune no Tokimeki wo, and if that I don't love. Her album was a bit of a snooze too. Really an all around disappointing year from her!

S/mileage

I'm excited about their immanent debut! The girls have such a fresh, sweet image and strong vocals. I think "aMa no jaku" is a super boring track, but "Suki-chan" is super cute with a great PV and "Asu wa Date na no ni, Ima Sugu Koe ga Kikitai" is one of my favorite releases of the year.

Year's Best/Worst

Best albums
Platinum 9 DISC, Champloo 1 ~Happy Marriage Song Cover Shuu~

Worst albums
FRIENDS

Best singles
Berryz Koubou: Dakishimete Dakishimete
Buono!: MY BOY
°C-ute: Shochuu Omimai Moushiagemasu
Guardians 4: Omakase♪Guardian
Mano Erina: Otome no Inori
Morning Musume: Nanchatte Renai
S/mileage: Asu wa Date na no ni, Ima Sugu Koe ga Kikitai

Worst singles
Berryz Koubou: Seishun Bus Guide/Rival
Buono!: Take It Easy!
°C-ute: Bye! Bye! Bye!
Guardians 4: PARTY TIME
Mano Erina: Love&Peace=Paradise
Morning Musume: Naichau Kamo
S/mileage: aMa no Jaku

Best shuffle units
High-King, Shin Minimoni

Worst shuffle units
Petitmoni V

The year ahead

Well, I'm looking forward to this next year. I hope all the groups do well and have great releases. As for myself, Here are a couple of things I have in the works for the blog this year:

• A collection of Morning Musume essays: Theseus' SHIP! TO THE FUTURE, Swan Songs, and Asahi Musume
• Berries for Berryz
• An exploration of shuffle units and subgroups

Kago Ai's 1st single "no hesitAtIon"

The PV for Kago Ai's debut solo single "no hesitAtIon" has been released. The single will be released on June 24. BUY IT!



Lord have mercy, this girl is too fabulous to exist. I just need to keep listening to and watching this a couple of times.

10 minutes later

Okay, seriously, this is good. When I first heard about this, my thought was that I would buy it no matter how bad it was, because I love Kago. When I heard the preview I thought, this might not be too bad.

But this PV has turned that all around.

I want to just sit and a room and watch and listen to this for a day. No eating, drinking, sleeping, blinking. Just Kago.

The song
I didn't know what to expect from the song itself. I've been of the opinion that while Tsuji's voice never really grew beyond her little girl "Nono" sound, Kago was really becoming quite the singer before she was fired.

This song just shows how well she can sing. The backup vocals are doing just that: backing her up. They add a little audio interest to the song without overpowering her beautiful voice during every chorus. The instrumentals are actually really nice, too. Very flowing, and with proper use of dynamics.

I won't begin to act like I can translate the lyrics, which she wrote herself, beyond the obvious "no hesitation" and some references to the sky and other simple nouns like that. It will be so nice to see what the lyrics mean.

Hearing this song makes me excited to hear the b-side!

The video
Okay, my main beef with it is "did we really need to see your panties, Kago?" But let's put that aside for now.

Is it just me or does she look somehow timeless in everything she's wearing? I feel like this video could have been release any time within the last 40 years or so and look fresh. I'm really impressed at how they managed to make her look her age. She really looks like a 21 year old woman, not a teenager trying to dress like an adult. And her hair looks terrific! If there's one thing Hello! Project stylists consistently got wrong it's Kago's hair outside of pig tails.

The camera work is so clean and bright, too. There's not a ton of bloom or lens flair, which are both very popular right now. They might have overused the unfocused lens thing a bit much, but other than that it's just perfect.

The lip syncing is a bit off and she occasionally looked at a loss for what to do with her hands. But other than that she just showed such beautiful spirit throughout the whole thing. She looks really genuinely happy in the whole thing, and when Kago's happy, I'm happy.

Also, way to be sustainable with your glass water bottle!

I might have to do a second review of this once I've heard the b-side. Also, because I love Kago two much.

Mano Erina's 3rd major single "Sekai wa Summer Party"

The PV for "Sekai wa Summer Party" has been released on Dohhh UP! This single will be released on July 29 and the single V will be released on August 5.



Link to video on Dohhh UP!

Overall, this track is like a glass of iced tea that's been sitting out a little too long: sweet and refreshing, but a little too watery.

The song

I love that there are real instruments and not just synth-crap for the backing. However, this is a little boring. I had the same problem with "Hajimete no Keiken." It's a cute song, but I probably won't be listening to it much. It doesn't sound terribly summery either :( Perhaps like "Nakimushi. Yowamushi" on her last single I'll end up finding the b-side "Jasmine Tea" to be an infinitely better track.

The set

This reminds me of old school Matsuura Aya. It's just her being generally adorable with sundry little props. Overall very sweet and fun to watch. The giant globe isn't my favorite, but at least it seems to be a physical object and not a green screen composition.

The dance

Oh, like everything else it's nothing terribly special. I like seeing S/mileage again as backup dancers.

The outfits

I don't care for the outfits. The plaid one isn't particularly summery, modern, or attractive and the yellow one is sort of age inappropriate. Neither of them look much like party clothes or vacation clothes. The little school girl outfits S/mileage has going on are just kind of boring.

Overall, this release seems a bit disappointing. I hope people who do like it don't a) get sick of it or b) get tired of it by the time it's released. Why did the PV come out so dang early?

°C-ute's 9th major single "Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu"

The PV for "Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu" has been released on Dohhh UP! This single will be released on July 1 and the single V will be released on July 8.



Link to video on Dohhh UP!

Like "Edo no Temari Uta II," last year's °C-ute summer cover track, "Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu" is near perfection!

The song

As you may know, this tune is a cover of the popular Showa-period female trio Candies' 14th single. (Bonus fun fact: the first three guardians in Shugo Chara! are named after the members of Candies). The arrangement of the °C-ute version is very similar. The modern vocals are clearer, but not as rich, because that's the modern style. I can't wait to hear this live to see if the girls are doing that pretty harmonization during the chorus themselves or not. If so, kudos! The instrumentation in this new version is synth-y but dynamic. I like it a lot!

The outfits

The red and white outfits are very cute! I'm sure it's hard to find a single style that looks good on six different girls, but they did a great job. It would have been nice to have a little more variation in the outfits so that the girls are more easily distinguishable, but over all a very sweet little throwback to the original song.

The outfits from the cover are even better! The girls all look beautiful and sophisticated yet youthful and summery. They look like they are ready for a fun night out on the town. Chisato's hair looks a little funny here though. Those stylists need to find a style that actually works for her with longer hair!

The beach outfits are... not as good. I realize they were going for a everygirl look, but they all look kind of sloppy. Chisato looks straight up dumb, in fact. The only ones that I would actually say look good with this styling are Maimi and Mai, but honestly it's hard to make either of those girls look bad. Still, they looked good for running around on a beach in.

The dance

Not a lot to say about it, I don't think they changed the choreography at all. I'm still having a hard time getting used to 6nin °C-ute. I hope Kanna gets better soon :(

The set

What a cute beach house! It looks like a really nice place to go on vacation, and I think it was the perfect setting for this PV. It's just so refreshing to see a Hello! Project PV without a completely computer-generated or made-of-cardboard set. Could we maybe see some more of that in the next Berryz Koubou PV, please?

Over all I think this is shaping up to be a great release! I can't wait to hear the b-side "Zansho Omimai Moshiagemasu," as it is an interesting concept. Hopefully Tsunku wrote a really good song if he's going to give it a title that similar to a super hit like the original a-side.

Return of the beast

Hello all,

I realize I took a surprise unexplained hiatus, but since I don't want to come off as emo and whiny I'll not explain and just say, "sorry!"

I've missed several releases in the last couple of months, so here are some mini reviewlettes for you all to enjoy. Later today or tomorrow there will be full reviews for Mano Erina and °C-ute's new singles, which have summer themes: my favorite!

MY BOY - Buono!
Wow, Buono!, What a great track! The guitars are really hot, and their voices sound so rich and mature. I love Momo's "it's so nice" line. What an understatement, darling! That girl sounds better and better with every release she's on. I love the cake thief thing in the PV, too. It's such a huge step up from "Lotta Love Lotta Love." I can't say that I love the "Warp!" but none of Buono's b-sides have been anything special, except possibly "Lady Panther." Gao, indeed.

Sadistic Dance - HANGRY&ANGRY
It's good to hear from the duo again! This is in the exact same style as their mini-album, which is fine. I like the goth-pop. You don't get a lot of that in Hello! Project. Rika and Yossie sound really nice. The cover is really ugly though. What is up with Rika's hat?

Shouganai Yume Oibito - Morning Musume
The newest Morning Musume single is great! What a pretty melody and such nice backing vocals. Everyone sounds nice on the track except Ai and 8th gen, who sound ridiculously good, and Sayumi, who sounds like herself. I can't say I love the dance in the PV, but everyone sure looks gorgeous.

The real star on this release though is the b-side. Oh my god, Ai-chan, could you for one minute stop being pure anthropomorphized HOTNESS? I've been listening to it every time I go for a run, and I just grin like an idiot through all 4.5 minutes of it.

Omakase♪Guardian - Guardians 4
Only three words can adequately describe this song: "holy shit Aika!" I think it's a little weird that she's in another four-member special anime unit with Nakajima Saki, but I'm fine with whatever gives me more Aika, especially with her adorably shouting "bui~!" The song itself is totally precious, even more than the Shugo Chara Egg! version of it! It takes a lot of skill to be cuter than something with Fukuda Kanon. On the other hand, the PV and the b-side are completely "meh."

Mecha Mote I LOVE YOU - MM Gakuen
Without at doubt the best thing to come out of TNX ever. I've been listening to both the a-side and the b-side almost non-stop for about a week now. The songs are great for everything: washing dishes, riding bikes, lifting weights, playing video games, dancing, riding the bus, grooming/primping, and everything else I've been doing this summer. Not the best for listening to while writing a review because I can't concentrate on writing due to how stupidly good the tracks are.

Seishun Bus Guide/Rival - Berryz Koubou
In case you haven't noticed, I love Berryz Koubou. They are hands down the best overall in vocals in all of Hello! Project (unless you consider High-King to be an active group), and arguably the best overall in asthetic appeal.

On that note, I don't love this single. It's through no fault of the girls (excluding Risako maybe, because she sounds a little strained on both tracks), it's just bad song-writing/arranging. "Rival" is moderately adorable and definitely ends up as my number one song on the release, but "Seishun Bus Guide" is almost entirely forgettable. The PVs follow similarly.

Still, it's not a bad release, just not the best Berryz release. And obviously people like it because it's number 3 for Berryz as far as first week sales! Berryz, please come to the U.S., preferably my part of the country!

aMa no Jaku - S/mileage
This song is boring as hell. I'm glad the girls have something over than just b-sides on another group's release to keep them occupied though. 'A' for effort, maybe?

So yeah, I'm sorry I hibernated through the spring. Lots of exciting stuff coming up this summer though, so hopefully you'll be hearing a lot from me!

°C-ute's 8th major single "Bye Bye Bye!"

The PV for "Bye Bye Bye!" has been released on Dohhh UP! This single will be released on April 15 and the single V will be released on April 22.



Link to video on Dohhh UP!

After "LA LA LA Shiawase no Uta" I didn't think °C-ute's releases could get any worse. Good gracious was I wrong. "Bye Bye Bye!" looks and sounds like it is missing some essence. Let's break it down, shall we?

The clothes
Those shiny tracksuits that they are also wearing on the cover remind of "DANCE suru no da!" in a really awful way. The color and the shininess and the style are a little too turn of the century for me. It's also upsetting that they couldn't do a little more differentiation between the outfits. Everyone looks so similar in the PV. And why the hell does Maimi have a popped collar?

As much as I dislike the main costumes, the casual wear is even worse. First off, you can't actually tell what the girls are wearing because they only show them from the shoulders up. I'd like to imagine that they couldn't afford pants for them so the girls are all just wearing the sweats they showed to the set in. The parts we can see are all mismatched: Maimi is wearing a t-shirt, Airi and Chisato are wearing peasant tops, Saki and Mai look like middle-aged women at the office, and Erika is wearing a scarf and presumably a shirt.

The set
Set? What set? Oh, you mean that bizarre industrial room with a light display in the background that might have been cool before LCD screen came about. Or do you mean that worst-Hello!-Project-CG-background-yet "set" during the closeups?

But really, the screen that says the name of the song and flashes pretty animated colors is no substitute for a real set. And some stupid pastel interpretation of abstract art is even worse.

The dance
I think the dance itself is alright, but it seems to have been shot very poorly. During the dance break everyone looks like they are in the wrong place even when they are not moving across the floor. Perhaps it was originally choreographed for seven and the translation to six didn't work well.

The girls also look really bored and unenergetic, which is a cardinal sin in the world of idols. Even Risako manages to pull out some semblance of energy for PVs (I wish she would for concerts as well), but the °C-ute members (even the normally dance-tastic Maimi!) look like they aren't aware that they are performing.

The song
First off, it sounds like it should have been released about twenty years ago. Those backing vocals are ridiculous! They just don't fit with these girls' thin teenage voices. I do kind of like the "take control" bit though. It's very empowering.

The thing that really bothers me, and I mean really bothers me especially after they did it on the opening track of Platinum 9 DISC as well, is the vocal distortion. I wish I could say that I'm fine with them doing the distortion on Saki as I can't stand her voice, but the distortion sounds so harsh and jagged. Distortion like that is what they used on pop singers who couldn't sing before Auto Tune was invented. I also really hate those hiccups at 3:40. They sound like they aren't supposed to be there!

Now, I don't absolutely hate this song. I really appreciate that Mai started it out. With the hiatus of Kanna Mai has moved up my third-place °C-ute member. It was nice to see her featured so much in the song!

Maimi's belting at 3:50 was a seriously delicious climax. In fact, I really loved the last 20 seconds of the track. It seems like the girls gained some energy in the dance and the backing vocals changed to something more appropriate.

Overall, this is my least favorite °C-ute single so far. I was really hoping they'd get another great release like "Edo no Temari Uta II" or "Tokaikko Junjou," but this falls back into the ranks of the other major singles. I'm really hoping we get Kanna back before their next release!

Morning Musume's 9th album "Platinum 9 DISC"

Morning Musume's ninth studio album Platinum 9 DISC isn't released until tomorrow, but it's leaked early as usual. It was hard, but I waited until I'd listened to the whole thing through twice before I started this review.

My overall first impression of the album was that the tracks seemed out of order. What business did "Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai Darou" have being the third track instead of the last? Why didn't anyone think to put one of those nice solo tracks in between "Take off is now!" and "Naichou Kamo?" Why did "Kanashimi Twilight" end this album, or for that matter why was it even on here?

Taking each track individually it was a fairly solid bunch. I'll just have to get over the funky ordering.

1. SONGS (****-)
This track has a great intro! Nothing like a little piano transitioning into a hardcore beat. I was really feeling this track until they pulled the distortion on Ai-chan. Excu~se me? Ai-chan doesn't need that kind of treatment on her vocals! It loses a star for being insulting to Morning Musume's best vocalist. Otherwise, a solid opening track! It really sets the stage for the album to come.

2. Resonant Blue (****-)
This track is pure blue heat. I can ignore the ridiculous line distribution for a song this cool and sexy. It definitely loses a star for the lack of real instruments during the dance break. That would have made it perfect.

3. Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai Darou (****-)
This would no doubt have been a five-star song if they had used the original arrangement that leaked during the New Star Auditions. This new version is still good, but it doesn't quite hit the spot. First of all, this way it makes the Junjun/Linlin solos more of a novelty as they're the only solos we get, but they muddled them up with unnecessary backing vocals. Secondly, I really enjoyed the duet lines in the bridge of the original mix. Thirdly, while I love the really powerful instrumentation in the last part of this arrangement, I don't like what they did with the tempo around the 2:15 mark.

4. Take off is now! / Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa, and Tanaka Reina (*****)
Oh. yes. I don't know if I can use words to review this song because I kept help getting up off my chair and DANCING. Why can't I be Rosie Perez? Just watch the girls performing it live if you haven't already, and then maybe you can understand. And that outro... just too perfect.

5. Naichou Kamo (*****)
I realize I was really skeptical of this song at first, but P-chu Piano Labs convinced me to give this track another chance. Girl, am I glad I did! It's all but impossible to not sing this one out loud as I cross campus.

6. Watashi no Miryoku ni Kizukanai Donkan na Hito / Mitsui Aika(***--)
I think I might have actually preferred this one live. Aika really sounds lovely, but the instrumentation is so damn generic. Also, I was really expecting something to happen during those four beats leading up to the chorus. Something sort of did before the last chorus, but it wasn't exciting.

7. Guru Guru JUMP / Kusumi Koharu, Junjun, and Linlin (****-)
I'm sure this one will eventually grate on my nerves a bit, but right now, at this moment, I LOVE IT. It's sort of a mix of Super Mario Brothers, "Lemon Iro to Milk Tea," and Koha's Kirarin☆Revolution work (at which she really excels). Junjun and Linlin sound really adorable, and their accents aren't too overpowering in this track either. A few favorite parts: Linlin's "Nee nee"s; the "say!"s during the verse; all the "Jan jan ja ja jan ja ja ja JUMP"s before the chorus.

8. Mikan (****-)
While I don't care for "Mikan" as a single, I think it makes a nice album track, and it's even better live. Such an energetic and hopeful song of youth!

9. Jounetsu no Kiss o Hitotsu / Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa, and Tanaka Reina (****-)
Wait, didn't this subset just get a go five tracks ago? I have to admit that I was skeptical about this song after the pure sexiness of "Take off is now!" but it has merit. The ladies all sound nice, Ai-chan is especially highlighted and sounds outstanding. The instrumentals aren't the best, but it fits well with the rest of the album.

10. It's You / Michishige Sayumi (**---)
Did this seriously make it on the album? I don't care that the style sounds ridiculously dated (I was really waiting for a "Stop! Give me a beat!" in the intro, only to be served some irritating giggles), in fact I kind of like that. Here's the problem: Sayumi can't sing. Not even this kind of thing. She sounds awful. I can't believe I managed to sit through this trash twice.

11. Onna ni Sachi Are (*****)
I love this song. It's so angry and passionate and mature. "All the best to women" indeed!

12. Kataomoi no Owari ni / Kamei Eri (***--)
I really wish Eri's track was better. She's has such a sweet voice and look, but this song is completely forgettable. I really hope she gets a music side project soon. I'm not satisfied with mediocre album tracks! Her new anime makes me hopeful though.

13. Kanashimi Twilight (*****)
I don't think this track belongs on this album. It's the only one that isn't from Morning Musume's current lineup, and it was released almost two years ago! On the other hand, I love this song for both its musical quality and the nostalgia in induces. When Yossie and Miki left I felt like the group lost a lot of personality. There's no one sassy left in Morning Musume anymore! When ninth generation finally rolls around I hope we get someone who's a bit older and has a well-defined personality.

New collaboration PV for Matsuura Aya

Graduated Hello! Project member Matsuura Aya has collaborated with Inagaki Junichi on a track from his new album Ballade Best, which was released on Wednesday. A PV for their collaboration track "Anata ni Aitakute ~Missing You~" has been released on YouTube.



Link to video on YouTube

Aya sounds beautiful is this release, and she actually gets to do the harmony part to Inagaki during the latter half of the song.

It's got some really interesting visuals, especially considering that it was released through some sort of "Age Free Music" label. The first part of the song features Aya, a young woman, in a bright and sunny room looking at a vibrant red fish. The latter half of the song features Inagaki, an older man, in the same room, but at night and with a black fish.

These visuals don't follow the male:light/female:dark archetype, so I would conclude that they are emphasizing the age difference. Aya is in the sunny day time of youth whereas Inagaki is in the evening of adulthood. I'm sure some Aya fans are going to love the idea of her being interested in older men.

Aya is a fabulous vocalist and a beautiful young woman. I'm sure that at the very least she will continue to get projects like this now that she has graduated.

One a related note, does anyone else think of Whistler's mother when they see the profile shots of Aya in the chair?