Berryz Koubou announces 26th single

After making my post about Momusu's new single I completely forget, that I haven't mentioned Berryz's new single yet. Berryz Koubou announced a few days ago that they will be releasing a new single. The song is currently untitled and will be released on May 4th. Which is only 1 month and 2 days after their last single, and only 5 days after their 7th album.

Berryz Koubou fans are getting A LOT of releasing all at one. 2 new singles, an album, and a photobook. This is either an extremely good thing or and extremely terrible thing. Well, only terrible because Berryz fans will need to sell a kidney just to buy all their releases. XD

Of course you can buy this single at CDJapan by clicking the links below.

Berryz Koubou - UNTITLED [w/ DVD + Serial Number Card, Limited Edition / Type A]

Berryz Koubou - UNTITLED [w/DVD + Serial Number Card, Limited Edition / Type B]

Berryz Koubou - UNTITLED [w/ Serial Number Card, Limited Edition / Type C]

Berryz Koubou - UNTILED [Regular Edition]

Berryz Koubou-Lady Gaga ni Narou ka?

The PV for Berryz Koubou's upcoming single, Heroine ni Narou ka, has just been uploaded to their official youtube channel.


This PV is actually really awesome. It's a lot more visually creative then your average Berryz PV. Despite this PV being basically the H!P standard dance shot and close up formula, but they've still managed to make this PV really interesting to watch. Maybe it's the Lady Gaga wigs or maybe it's the facts that there's a least an effort made to have some sort of storyline. Nah, it's probably the Lady Gaga wigs. XD But I bet Ai-chan is probably really upset though. She'd probably kill to rip off Lady Gaga's style in a PV. I actually don't really mind them getting inspiration from Lady Gaga. American and Korean artists have been copying her style for a while now. But I don't know, for that reason the PV comes off as being artsy, high quality, and cutting edge. The only complaint I really has is, I wish they focused less on the Lady Gaga outfits and more on the regular ones. The regular ones are really amazing and all the girls look super incredible in them. Especially Chinami and Yurina.
 
 
 

I was actually really impressed by this. It's an awesome effect.

 
 

Despite it being similar to effects Perfume uses.
 
 

I doubt the Lady Gagaish style was done by accident.
 
 

I mean a lighting bolt on the face, where have I seen that before?
 

Oh yeah that's right, Lady Gaga started that.
 

Lady Gaga never actually wore this makeup, but it does remind me of Poker Face. And by the way look how fierce Miaybi looks. *O*
 

Wow, Chinami's makeup is incredible.
 

Risako's makeup is way too big and too close to her eye, that it just comes off as awkward.
 
 
 

I really like the dance for this song. There are a lot of intense and exciting moves.

 
 

Awesome effect!
 
 

Ok, this move sucks. XD
 

Look at Risako looking all sultry and hot. I just wish the video quality was better. :/
 
 

I love this part of the dance. It reminds me of Kimagure Princess.
 
 

Momoko's the only member who looks adorable in her makeup instead of high fashion. XD
 

Woah, look at Saki bringing it.
 
 

And now everyone is sad for some reason.
 

Even acting sad Chinami looks gorgeous.
 

This dance moves always impresses me. I think Berryz has done this before, but I can't remember. I know NEWS has. XD
 
 

Berryz Koubou to perform at Sakura Con

At Berryz Koubou's last concert Shimizu Saki announced that Berryz Koubou would be performing at Seattle, Washington's Sakura Con. Marking their first performance outside of Asia and their first every performance in the United States. (Well, first ever if you don't count their fanclub tour in Hawaii, which I personally don't.) Sakura Con runs from April 22-24. You can register as a guest on their website here.

Why do idol groups always have to perform across the country so I can't go? AKB48 performed in New York, but I didn't really care at the time. But as fate would have it, I'd kill to go now.

Even though I personally can't go, I am completely excited about this. It's always extremely exciting when idol groups perform in the United States. Something like this will definitely bump up their popularity with foreign fans, even if it's just a little bit.

So I guess I'll just have to wait for legions of fan reports, pictures, and videos. To those of you going, you don't know how incredibly lucky you are. And how completely jealous I am. Berryz Koubou is my 2nd favorite H!P group. Actually 2nd is a tie between Berryz and Buono.

Berryz Koubou-Shining Power preview

The new opening and ending themes for the anime Inazuma Eleven are out. Which means we now have a preview of Berryz Koubou's 24th single Shining Power.


After first hearing the song I automatically though it sounds like Ryuusei Boy mixed with Dance de Bakoon. And I still think that. I also think the song is pretty tame and forgettable. I'm actually really disappointed. Maji Bomber was one of my favorite Berryz singles, and it was obviously a hard song to follow. But after Maji Bomber being so amazing I was expecting this song to be equally amazing. The song for me is sitting right in the middle. It's not great but it's not terrible.


As for line distribution it seems to be back to how it always is. Risako, Miyabi, Momoko, and Yurina lead. (I know Yurina doesn't always lead but she has been for the last 6 singles.) And it's pretty sad because I don't hear the other members at all. And it took me of guard because Berryz Koubou has been pretty fair lately. Maybe we'll hear the other girls in the second half.

Yurina's semi-sweet solo commercial

Exciting news for Yurina fans like myself, Berryz Koubou member Kumai Yurina was in her first solo commercial. It was a CM for BaseBallBear's new album, or new single, (What is the) Love & Pop? The title distracts me a little bit. Mostly because isn't not even a horribly failed English attempt they just need to get rid of one word. I don't know it just urkes me.

Anyway back on subject. I think Yurina looks gorgeous in this CM. She's wearing a school girls uniform, which is just instant win for me. Her hair is softly blowing, she just looks awesome.

Though I do kind of hate how she looks in the beginning.

She looks like a deer caught in headlights. I know she's supposed to

because of the theme of the commercial, but it just looks awkward.

Though she makes up for it with this look.

It's half creepy and half alluring. I'll take that.

I wasn't really expecting blood to shoot out of her lemon, it caught me off guard.

It reminded me of Koishite Akuma XD. I had to laugh a little at it

though, just because it's not believable looking. Japanese blood

never looks real. Just like in the Suicide Club. Love the movie

hate the blood's appearance.

This picture makes me think Yurina would be perfect for a horror movie.

Where her movie about fighting zombie ghost things?

Berryz Koubou's Thrilling Kingdom :UPDATE:

I perviosuly stated on this post that Berryz Koubou would be getting their own shown called Thrilling! Berryz Kingdom, but it turns out it's not a TV show at all. Rather it's a radio show on SKY PerfecTV. I guess I just assumed it was a TV show because the station is called SKY PerfecTV. You know what they say about assuming, and having misleading radio station names.

I'm sorry to any Berryz fans who got their hopes up over this post. I'm just as dissapointed as you.

Maasa's first photobook

Berryz Koubou member Sudou Maasa is getting her first photobook. It will be titled Maasa. And to many Massa fans this has been long awaited.

Now I'm not really a big Massa fan, but this is exciting news. It's about time someone other than the most popular members get a photobook. I mean Momoko already has 3 and Risako has 2. I hope this means that the remaining Berryz, C-ute, and Momusu members will get photobooks soon.

I'm dying to see a Mitsui Aika and Arihara Kanna photobook. Mittsi has been in Momusu for a while now. It's about time she gets one! And as for Kanna. Come on Tsunku, the girls going through foot surgery. Give her something to ease her pain!

Anyway, congrates to Massa. Hopefully this will make her popularity go up.

Hold me, Berryz!

Berryz Koubou's 19th single, Dakishimete Dakishimete, is being released March 18th. But the PV is already out, more than a month away from the release date. The covers aren't even out yet. But this is exciting news for Berryz fans. It's a potential move in a different direction for Berryz Koubou. This might be a new mature era for them. Who knows. We'll just have to wait and see.

Until then we just have Dakishimete Dakishimete to focus on. The concert preview of this song didn't instantly blow me away, but I still had high hopes for the song. The song is slowly growing on me but for now it's really just mediocre at best. If it wasn't for the awesome trance like music I think this song might have been a miss for me. As we know it's yet another Risako overdose, but they other girls do sing. Each member gets a minimum of 2 solo lines. Which I'm ok with. To me Miyavi, Momoko, Saki, and Chinami shined vocally in this song. The other girls weren't necessarily bad they just lacked something for this song. After watching the video this song will always remind me of a fun dance song. Which at first listen, the thought didn't even cross my mind. This song may turn out to be one of my favorite Berryz songs. I mean I hated Madayade when I first heard it and now I can't get enough of it.

I'm actually really surprised by the PV. I didn't really expect a dance club themed video. And the video is very impressive, and it looks like it cost a pretty penny. And there's a lot going on. The club scene with speakers and a dj booth. Disco balls and raving lazor lights. Glittery backdrop and multicolored stars. And even green screen parts. Berryz had an obvious big budget and it shows. The PV looks fantastic! Easily the best Berryz video so far. Maybe graduating the Elder Club was a good idea. All the groups seem to have nice video budgets. C-ute's upcoming single is the real budget test though.

The video has so much more to offer than just the background visual aspect of it. The girls look absolutely gorgeous. The rocker themed outfits and the beautiful hairstyles make for amazing close up shots. And the dance is really cool too. It's visually intricate and difficult yet simple and fun enough to learn yourself. Everything is just working in Berryz favor with this video. It's better than I expected it to be! Everything just blows me away.

Even though I'm not a fan of Saki's hair she has the

best outfit in the whole PV.

Miyabi looks so gorgeous. Her scrunched curls give her

a soft and pretty feel, while at the same time giving her

a mature and sexy vibe.

Momoko somehow manages to make any rocker outfit look

cute. She looks so adorable in this video. I love her hair up

like that.

Wow does Yurina look mature and goregous or what? It's

amazing what a few curls can do.

This hair and outfit makes Chinami look very sleek and

chic. Her up-do makes her look sexy but still classy.

I'm not a fan of Maasa's outfit. It's the least rockish of

them all. But her blown out curls pinned to one side really

show off her face. She looks great.

There's not really much of a change for Risako. She looks

like her same old cute self. But I really love her red zebra

print jacket. It's defiantly the one peice of clothing I'd

like to steal from the video.

Berryz Koubou preview

Berryz Koubou preformed their upcoming single, Dakishimete Dakishimete, at the H!P Winter Concert. So, a very poor quality clip of the song has been posted online.

This song seems to be more mature song and a step away from the childish songs they've been doing lately. But I prefer Berryz more immature songs, so I'm still on the fence about this song. I'm really liking the music of the song, it's really catchy. I can't wait to hear a high quality recording. I'm also pretty upset that the line distribution went back to how it normally is. Which means there's an overdose of Risako and hardly anyone else. So far Yurina only has one solo line. Which is not enough! I'd also like to hear less Miyabi and more Momoko.

3 new singles

So I was kinda MIA from blogging right after I made this, mostly because I forgot all about it. XD In any case, I am back now. So the point of this post is to talk about the 3 newest singles from Hello!Project. Papancake, Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance, and Edo no Temari Uta II.





Papancake: So I want to start off by saying that I am a huge Koharu Kusumi fan, and a lot of people seem to dislike her but I have nothing bad to say about her.
The song itself is very cute, upbeat, and catchy like all of her solo songs. Her voice is almost too overly sweet like she's forcing it to sound that way. In some of her other songs the cuteness sounded almost effortless. But the "hai" in the song is really adorable. When I listen Jpop I feel the cuter the better. So I give the song a 7/10.
Now the PV really shows how young of a demographic she has though. With the random tricycles and teddy bears scattered around in the background. I almost feel too old to be listening to it. And maybe I am. The PV aslo has way too much yellow for my taste, but other than that it's cute. Koharu's dress is cute and she looks really pretty. The kaleidoscope parts were really cool and fit nicely in the PV. So I'll give the PV a 8/10



Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance: The first thing I notice about monkey dance is the line distribution is fair. In Berryz songs the line distribution was always semi-fair, with it still revolving around Momoko, Miyabi, and Risako. The song is another upbeat and easy to dance to song. I found that it is also very addicting. It was a surprisingly good transition from Dschinghis Khan.
The PV is a bit of a problem for me though. I can't really get past the monkey outfits. But it's defiantly a first for H!P. The other outfits they wear are really cute though. And there's a lot of detail in the PV. With the transitional bananas and two different outfits. There hasn't been much of double outfits lately in H!P, so it's nice to see they had a higher budget for this PV.




Edo no Temari Uta II: This song had more noticeable line distribution than Berryz song. I think it's the fairest C-ute song to date. You usually have to listen to the B Side to actually hear the other girls sing. The song has a pretty harmony and the lyrics of the song flow nicely. The song is the shortest of the 3 only being 2:40 long. It leaves you wanting more.
I absolutely love the outfits for this song. I don't really like the hats they picked for Airi and Kanna. They almost look like bowls. They just seem out of place. The set of the video is very cool. Kind of like a modern version of those old Japanese paintings.




With three great songs from Hello!Project let's hope the next three singles will be as good! :D