Kono Mune no Tokimeki wo preview

ManoEri's new single, Kono Mune no Tokimeki wo, is being released August 30th. So today we have the full song preview.

Since I loved her last 2 singles that were upbeat and happy, I was expecting the same thing from this song. However, I was actually pleasantly surprised. The song was a lot softer and mellow, like most of Erina's songs. But unlike Mano Piano this is a slow song I don't absolutely hate. And another plus is her voice in this song doesn't make my ears bleed. It's actually a lot more polished sounding, showing just how far she's come from Ongaku Gatas.

I'm not really a fan of ballad type song, but this one is undeniably sweet. Her voice actually compliments the music nicely. While this song isn't my favorite song by ManoEri, it's not my least favorite either. I like the song. Which I blame on becoming a ManoEri fan no matter how hard I try to fight it.
There is one weird element to the song. The random sleigh bells in the background. The seem really random and out of place.

Kinyoubi is just Super Cargo 2.0

The cover for Kago Ai's new photobook, Kinyoubi, is out and I gotta say I'm a little disappointed

The first photobook I could forgive and overlook, because it seemed like this was something Aibon needed to do for herself. To show everyone she was growing up and was no longer H!P's puppet. But this photobook I can't even explain. Kinyoubi looks exactly like Super Cargo. The cover is bad taste and is cheap looking. Kago is better than that, or at least she used to be.

After reading the translation to Kago's last photobook, I felt a bit of Aibon closure. We got to hear her side of the story. She sounded very mature, like she was ready to move on with her life and career. And yet she made the same stupid mistakes when she was an unhappy teenager. She was in another scandal with an older man, and she releases this new photobook. It doesn't seem like Kago has grown up or changed at all.

I understand that Kago is finally making discussions for herself, but that's not really an excuse for her making bad ones. On one hand Kago seems to be leading the career she wants. She wrote and sang her own music with No Hesitation. The song and PV were a bit average, but that seemed to fit the new lifestyle she was leading.

But on the other hand she releases another almost gravure photobook. Her music and photobooks are drastically different. And I can't help but wonder if this is something Kago wants, or something she feels she has to do. She lost a lot of fans because of scandals, maybe she feels this is the only way to get new ones. But even Leah Dizon stopped being a gravure model when her singing career came along.

I'm a little sad by this photobook, I was just expecting more. Especially since the photobook is called Friday. But would a photobook of her without slutty pictures really sell that bad?
I'm just ranting now, I'll have to wait for more scans to from my definite opinion.

Berryz Koubou and C-ute's inevitable fate?

With C-ute members Kanna and Erika leaving/gone it made me really wonder the fate of not just C-ute, but of Berryz Koubou as well.

C-ute has lost two members in the past month. Bringing their well put together and stable seven member group down to just five. Now I thought C-ute looked lacking when Kanna was absent from their last two singles. But I can't even imagine seeing C-ute with Erika gone too. I can't imagine how C-ute is going to come back from this. Kanna and Erika weren't exactly vocal powerhouses, but they were still good singers. As C-ute is now with just five members, they aren't strong enough vocally.

Mai and Chisato are mediocre singers, but Saki is borderline terrible. In my opinion of course. Airi and Maimi will be forced to carry the group even more then they are now. Let's take C-ute's single Bye Bye Bye. It basically shows C-ute's currently line up because Erika only got one solo line anyway. New C-ute will focus on Airi, Maimi, and Mai, with Chisato and Saki as backup. Just like in Bye Bye Bye. However I think this song is really lacking, and I'm also not looking forward to hearing more Saki. They can't distort her voice forever.

I seriously think they should add a few more members to C-ute. It would be the smart thing to do. Kanna was an Egg and everything turned out fine for her. Sure she faded to the background, but if they choose one of the most popular Eggs it could increase C-ute's sales. With C-ute as it is they will fall even further behind the shadow of Berryz Koubou.

Being realistic here, it's pretty safe to assume that new member won't be added to C-ute. But I would still like to know where that leaves C-ute? Is the pull of Airi and Maimi strong enough to keep the heartbroken Erika and Kanna wota?

It might seem like I'm overreacting or thinking way too much here because Morning Musume graduates members all the time. However, Morning Musume also gets fresh new members to replace them months before the actual graduation. But Berryz Koubou and C-ute depend solely on the members they have. Which is why in the entire time they were groups only one member graduated officially, Maiha. And now Erika. And even though it's years away, eventually all the members will want to graduate. Whether it's to continue their studies or find a better career path, within or without H!P.

So what happens to Berryz and C-ute? What happens when the popular members want to leave? They have nothing to fall back on because the Hello Project Kids didn't follow Momusu's design. Which was good for the time, not to be seen as a younger carbon copys of Morning Musume. It's even good for the time being while all the members are young and want to be idols. But what happens when thy get too old? Does C-ute and Berryz Koubou just disappear forever?

I always took this as the Hello Project Kids main design flaw. As it is H!P can't make it without C-ute or Berryz Koubou. Without them they would be left with just Morning Musume, short lived subunits, ManoEri, and S/mileage. Which would be a catastrophe, since Berryz Koubou, C-ute and Buono have almost been surpassing Morning Musume. With the Berryz award in Korea, C-ute in Hawaii, and Momusu's Kohaku snub. They managed to create a following almost as large as Morning Musume's. And when they leave they'll be taking a significant amount of the fanbase with them.

Now, I don't mean to rain on anyone's H!P Kid's parade, but you still have to wonder what's going to happen to them in the future. And if this really is Berryz Koubou's and C-ute inevitable fate. With the H!P Elder Club graduation a few months back, after a certain amount of time they might be forced to break up anyway. To make room for younger solo artists and groups. To keep H!P's newly fresh and young image.

C-ute loses another member

It was announced at H!P summer concert that C-ute member Umeda Erika will be graduating from C-ute on October 25th. Erika is leaving to become a fashion model. Hello!Project's official site also has some official announcement. But your Japanese is probably as good as mine.


Becoming a fashion model? Am I the only one who expected Yurina to leave for that reason? I mean, the girls got the height. I know Erika is tall too, but Yurina is a few inches taller than her. It also seems like she's not the only one who wants to bang JE boys. Since those JE boys love their models.


I really wish I could say that I was sorry that she was leaving. Heck, I'm not even upset that she's leaving. Much like Kanna Erika was shoved into the back, never really getting her chance to shine. Except for that one random solo song she got on C-ute's 3rd album. Even though Kanna was in the background, she was still engaging and entertaining. But Erika pretty much bored me to tears. I never saw anything special or amazing about her. I didn't really even like her voice. I guess I know how all the people who didn't care Kanna left feel.




I'm also concerned where this will leave C-ute. I know they didn't lose anyone that puts the group in danger of failing, like Airi or Maimi. Since C-ute's debut they have lost 3 members, making C-ute now a quintet. Does this mean C-ute will be adding new Egg members? Personally it seems like they should. Losing 2 members in 2 weeks makes C-ute a little bare, and lacking something. This would really be the perfect time to do so. They have the room, and besides Maimi, the members of C-ute haven't even hit 16 yet. If they added new members now they would be able to pick up a fan base over the years. Most likely C-ute will be a group longer than Berryz Koubou since the member a years younger then them, with the exception of Risako.


Anyway, like I did for Kanna I thought I'd post some of my favorite Erika singing moments. Except I don't really have any. So all my favorite moments are only because of other members, and she's kinda there as an after thought.



I like this for Kanna, but Erika doesn't sound that bad.


I like this performance for Yurina, but I think Erika actually sounds great during it.



I do think Erika is really pretty. I hope she does good in the modeling world. Maybe she can be a model turned actress, like so many models do. Good luck Erika!

Happy Birthday Janakya Mottainai!!~

That's right Janakya Mottainai turns one years old today. Well today's not the exact date I created my blog, it's just the anniversary of the first actual blogging post I made. My first post was an introduction post, and I didn't make a second post until about 2 months later. ._.

My blog has changed a lot in the year I've been doing it, as I mentioned in my 5,000 views post. So, let's look at all the snazzy things that have happened to my blog over the past year.


Jelly_Man @ H!P related JM's blog was the first person to put my blog link on their blog.

I was actually really excited about that. My first reaction was, "OMG, someone out there likes my blog enough to link it on their page!" Yeah it doesn't really take that much to make me happy. XD
Since then a lot of other awesome blogs have linked me. Most of which you can find on my blog roll.

My blog was also featured on International Wota.



This was the first and only time my blog was featured on International Wota, but I'm still pretty ecstatic to have been featured at all. When I first made my blog it was my goal to be featured on that site. Though I kind of wish I was featured for something other than Yamapi, since I don't cover JE news often.

I also have my first affiliate Jiriri Kiteru.

Which is pretty awesome! I never really planned on having affiliates, but when her site was asking for them I decided to be one. I didn't even have an affiliate graphic, so I had to make one. Which took a grand total of 2 minutes. ;]

Since most people haven't seen my affiliate picture here it is.

Simple graphics are pretty much all I can do. :/ And of course it had to feature Koha. I also wanted to change this up and put Janakya Mottainai in Japanese.

My blog also has over 11,000 views, and it averages about 100 views a day. That's not really that many views compared to a lot of other H!P/Jmusic blogs out there. But I think pretty much amazing. Especially since the quality of my posts are sometimes iffy.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who reads my blog. If I didn't have people reading or supporting my blog, I probably would have stopped a long time ago.
And comments are of course welcomed and loved. I respond to just about every comment I get. I've actually been getting a lot more comments lately, which I'm pretty happy about. But I can't really tell if it's because they want to or because in every random blog post I mention wanting feedback from people. Either way I appreciate it. ^^

One more piece of random blog news. If anyone out there in blog land wants to affiliate with my blog, just ask me. I guess you can comment about it on this post, since I don't have any other formal way of going about it. Eventually I might make a contact section on my blog, but as of right now I have no idea how to do that. XD

Oh and just because. ;]

Head to class with S/mileage

S/mileage's debut sinlge, aMa no Jaku, was released July 19th and the PV has just come out. Which is only a few days late.

I think S/mileage might be my new favorite group ever. I love the song! They have the cutesy voices that I love in H!P. They only have one song, and to me their almost at Buono's level. Which is pretty up their on my list of favorite H!P groups of all time. S/mileage can pick up where W left off.
The PV wasn't anything really special, mostly because it's an indie single PV. But look on the bright side, it had a much higher budget than Massara Blue Jeans. And ManoEri's indie singles didn't even get PVs. The set of the PV is in a school, H!P having a handful of school videos already, there really wasn't that much you could do with it to make it unique. But it was the first H!P school PV that focused on the school setting as a whole, rather than just one or two rooms. I really enjoyed the polaroids of the girls throughout the PV. I think that made the video cuter than it already was.
The dance is pretty cute. It's simple but it fits well with the song. I'm a little sad that I watched S/mileage's performance during the Egg concert. It took away the surprise of watching for the first time in the PV.

I also think everyone looks absolutely amazing in the PV, especially Yuuka. It's almost unbelievable how gorgeous Yuuka looks! Even though Kanon is my immediate favorite of the group, I have to say she doesn't really stand out in this PV style wise. Everyone has 2 different adorable hairstyles each, but Kanon's stays the same. She either has it just pin straight, or pin straight with a headband. It reminds me that they did the same thing to Momoko in the Rottara Rottara video. Apparently if you have short hair in H!P your only style option is straight, unless your Ai-chan of course.
Hair might not seem like a big deal to most people, but to me clothing and hair is just as important as line distribution. Besides that, I'm against anything that takes focus away from Kanon. The line distribution also takes focus away from Kanon. The song focuses mainly on Yuuka and Saki, which is fine because they only get one more line then Kanon and Ayaka. Not only does Kanon get just 2 lines, she gets the shortest solo lines in the whole song. As a biased Kanon fangirl, I think that's unfair to her.




Apparently it takes 30 seconds to write the word S/mileage

Unimaginative dance move #1. Dancing, stop before you start

There's nothing more exciting than playing cards

Unimaginative dance move #2. H!P sure has been addicted

to pointing lately

Someone try to tell me Yuuka doesn't look INCREDIBLE

Unimaginative dance move #3. Clap clap clap

It looks like they were pictures after all

When did Ayaka get this pretty? She looked nothing like this

in Shugo Chara Egg

Unimaginative dance move #4.

Why hello there bland looking Kanon

Unimaginative dance move #5. Do the hustle, and walk back

3 steps

Unimaginative dance move #6. S/mileage is making this too

easy

And yet Saki makes it look good

For some unexplainable reason the girls are now all sad

Saki looks the best in the school girl outfit

Unimaginative dance move #7. Wax on wax off

Kanon's wall of cute

The real reason Yuuka got more lines

Unimaginative dance move #8. It wouldn't be an H!P dance

without some kind of spinning

And just for fun you can see up Kanon's and Ayaka's skirts

Quick everyone run for no apparent reason

Unimaginative dance move #9. Eggs really are the best dancers

Unimaginative dance move #10. Kick up your heels

This picture is full of win

I think someone other than Ayaka may have drawn this

Unimaginative dance move #11. Dancing ability doesn't matter

when you're cute

This post needed more Kanon

Unimaginative dance move #12. To the left, to the left

Adorable picture is adorable

Bye bye!

Unimaginative dance #13. Cha-ching



So it makes you think, just how many indie singles is S/mileage going to have before a major debut? I personally think anything more than two would be unnecessary. To me S/mileage is H!P at its best. Much like Buono they have a clear style of music, that's both unique and at the same time fits into H!P. It seems like H!P has put all their good ideas into the subgroups, which is making Morning Musume suffer. Even Berryz Koubou has had better songs than Momusu lately.

Nancahtte Renai PV preview

Morning Musume released a review of the PV for their new single, Nanchatte Renai, yesterday.
I got to say I'm slightly disappointed. It's exactly the same format they're used for their last 4 PVs or so. It's heavily dance centered with a few close up shots.


The set also reminds me a lot of the Roman My Dear Boy PV.

But other than that, in the 30 odd seconds of the preview nothing really stands out.
I'm getting a little bored of Morning Musume's continuously slow paced songs and seemingly identical PVs. I wonder how long this wash, rinse, repeat cycle will last for.