目の前の歌・紅・芽・意

(me no mae no kakumei)

is an idol-only blog, and

Kimagure Romantic

will become my forays into the world outside of idols, including artists such as Hamasaki Ayumi and Ikimono Gakari.

go there now!

~Max :3

Last time I did one of these posts, C-ute was a 7 member group.  Kanna disappeared sometime a little after I did the last one, and then Erika graduated in October.  And since I did that post, I’ve realized that C-ute is my least favourite group.  I’ll take a go at it anyway, since i don’t really dislike any of them. xP

Yajima Maimi

I’ll be quite honest, Maimi is my least favourite member of C-ute.  I’m not sure why, but as an idol she just doesn’t appeal to me.  That doesn’t really keep her from being popular, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, her solo songs aren’t really that bad.  Plus she’s a great performer and dancer.  She’s gotten plenty of solo attention in concerts, with filling in for Reina in Mikan in the 2009 winter concert, as well as performing Natsu DOKI Lipstick at the same concert, and on top of that she was just recently in a movie with S/mileage’s Fukuda Kanon. 

There’s nothing really stopping her from becoming a soloist except for C-ute’s limitations: If she were to graduate, it’d become a four member group, and it’d lose it’s other main vocalist.  Songs like FOREVER LOVE, Meguru Koi no Kisetsu and Massara Blue Jeans would be even more shot to hell than they already were (especially Massara), and Tokaikko Junjou would lose its speaker. So while she’d have at least minor success within the fans and wota of H!P, she can’t graduate or C-ute would just go away.

SOLOIST?: She could, but C-ute would break apart and everyone else would leave too.

Nakajima Saki

Nakki can’t really sing.  She’s a good dancer.  But her voice is like they hooked a helium pump up to her lungs at an early age, and she’s still wearing off the effects.  Plus she’s got a semi-successful anime tie-in and she’s in the new Pucchimoni, so it’s not like she’s that bad off.  I love you, my dinosaur faced squirrel, but you can’t really sing very well ): Sorry.

SOLOIST?: . . . ._.; ):

Suzuki Airi

This girl already is a soloist.

Yeah.  But seriously, why the hell not? she’s the best singer of the H!P kids, and according to the mixi 2009 idol rankings, she’s the 2nd most popular member of H!P right now. Go for it, UFA.  *thumbsup* 

I could see her being a new Ayaya type–beautiful ballads and awesome crazy cute songs, while Manoeri is a Nacchi type.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Airi started a solo career sometime around when she turns 16.

SOLOIST?: Yes please <3

Okai Chisato

I would LOVE for Chisato to become a soloist, but she’s just not popular.  If you haven’t heard her, it’s not a surprise ): She’s gotten next to no attention within C-ute, despite being the most improved singer out of all the H!P Kids. (where Airi was the best to begin with–i’d like to see your 9 year old sing a BoA song for Tsunku)

She’s got a gorgeous, strong voice, but no places to show off her talent, so she’s probably going to stick to C-ute for the time being.

SOLOIST?: while I would love it, i don’t know if the wota would ._.;

Hagiwara Mai

MaiMai is from what I understand a relatively popular member of C-ute, and she’s always gotten a lot of attention just for being the youngest. And kind of a brat.  She usually leads whatever song she’s put into in an album, and she’s gotten secondary vocals in plent of C-ute’s singles, but that doesn’t necessarily translate well to popularity.

Every idol group has a small batch of ‘pushed idols’ who fail, most notable being probably Koharu for H!P (random forced graduation what?), and Narita Risa for AKB48.  I guess that you could say that MaiMai is one for C-ute, but she still isn’t even 14, so it’s not like her idol prime has worn off. She’s not ready for a solo career now, but ask me again in a few years.

SOLOIST?: Not right now, but she may be ready for it in a few years see me when she turns 16.

I think it’s relatively obvious that this blog is dead.  I haven’t been able to keep up with the news. I have no computer, and thus no means to post. It’s a tragic state of affairs.  I think of a new blog post just to have that bit of news pass me by for something even bigger.  Really, I can’t keep up.

I’m definitely not giving up blogging.  It’s too fun and it’s a good way to pass time. But for right now, I’m going to leave ChanceChanceBoogie.  I’m not leaving because I don’t like Hello! Project, or because of anything like that, but because I”m starting fresh.

Kimagure Romantic will become solely for artists such as Otsuka Ai, SNSD, 2NE1, Ikimono Gakari and any other non-idol artists I come to like.

And then I will start a new blog based around idols. That’s still a secret, so wait for it to come out   It will mostly be posts on H!P and AKB48.

Sorry for leaving this place dormant for so long Just be patient and I’ll be back on my feet in no time

As a Morning Musume and Hello! Project fan, this is something I still haven’t really gotten used to. When I first got into Morning Musume’s new releases, Yossy had just graduated, so I didn’t have to get used to a brand new lineup, since everything was new. When Elder Club graduated, it didn’t really concern me either because the only elder club artist I regularly listened to was Aya Matsuura and let’s be honest, who cares about her new stuff (sorry maiZe ): )?

Then came Kanna, then Erika. Fortunately for me I don’t care about C-ute at all. I listen to their releases and when I have the opportunity I will get their newer music, but unlike the other H!P artists, I don’t go out of my way to watch their concerts or DVD magazines or PVs. The group just doesn’t interest me like Berryz or MoMusu.

And now Koharu’s graduating. This is the first graduation from an idol group that I think will really effect me.  When Matsuyuki and Gussan graduated from AKB48, I was still learning the ropes and didn’t know what I was talking about. It was the stage when they were the first to catch my eyes and now I know better.

Since I first got into H!P, Koharu was one member that stuck with me. She was never my favourite. In fact, for a good year she was my least favo–no, I hated  her. But one song compeltely changed my entire opinion of her.

That’s right, the Kirarin single that is usually considered the worst is what changed my absurd hatred for the girl to love–for her solo career at least. I steadily grew into listening to all of her solo music and then started to learn about her like any of my other favourite idols– for example, she’s the closest member of Morning Musume to my birthday, and the second closest in all of Hello! Project, second only to Sudou Maasa. That is an important thing to me, for some reason, and it’s part of the reason why I tolerate her below-average vocals during concerts and on singles.

Honestly, though, Morning Musume isn’t really losing much–just a personality. If you look at them as a serious group like they’re trying to be, she was the second weakest link. Her personality was still under-construction, thanks to Tsukishima Kirari stunting her development as an idol, and her vocals and dancing are sub-par.

It’s exciting that it’s my first real graduationg since I first started to get into Hello! Project, and I’m sure that there will be times that I’ll miss Koharu, but for right now I’m looking forward to December.  This definitely does not mean that I’m giving up on Morning Musume, and no, Koharu is not suddenly my favourite. This is what Morning Musume is–or was, at least–known for. They need a fresh face or four, and hopefully this will be it.

I had no official Elder Club members in my favourites D:

1. JunJun:  Now, if you have ever talked to me about anything, you’d know that JunJun is my absolute favourite idol in all the world and all time.  I honestly have  no idea why she’s my favourite, she just is.  I love seeing her in concert, especially when she gets solo lines.  And I really like when she speaks in chinese, or says something nonsense in Japanese, like when she was on Music fighter and tried to talk about being late after she turned 20 <3  She’s just so cute <333333

2. Tokunaga Chinami:  Chii is my favourite in Berryz Koubou.  She’s silly and cute and funny, and even though she’s not the best singer, it’s obvious she always tries her best.  Recently she’s been more of a front girl in Berryz Koubou, and she’s become gorgeous since she started growing her hair again.  But she’ll always be the cute little happy coconut in H!P.

3. Fukuda Kanon: Kanyon is the winningest egg in the history of eggs.  Her audition was so cute, with her little twitch.  She’s just an adorable girl, and she’s got a strong voice and a great stage presence.  I’m so excited for the unit that she’s in for the fall

4. Kumai Yurina: Yurina’s gorgeous.  plus she’s the tallest idol xD  I like watching her sing and perform, and she’s so polite.

5. Okai Chisato: Chisa’s the only C-ute member to make the top 10 :O  She’s a good performer and she’s got such an amazing voice, it’s a wonder she doesn’t get more solo lines in singles. Fortunately she was at least a secondary vocalist in Bye Bye Bye!, so hopefully that’ll just pave the way for her to being a front girl in the future <3  She’s funny, too.

6. Kikkawa Yuu:  Kikka is the second of 3 eggs in my top 10 :O  I really like her voice and it’s cute that she got to work with her favourite idol in MilkyWay.  I hope that Milkyway becomes permanent or that she becomes a soloist, because she’s definitely one of the most powerful performers out of the eggs.

7. Noto Arisa: Nocchi is so silly.  I like that she’s the egg representative for dogadoga, cause she’s so weird and cute.  I hope to see more of her in the future too

8. Youko: Lightbulb is such a strange one.  She’s got this silly look on her face, and she kept her nerves very well at the elder club graduation concert.

9. Mitsui Aika: Mittsi was one of my first favourites in morning musume, I think.  She was the ‘new member’ and joined right around the time when I first got into H!P, so I became kind of attached to her.  I like her solos in Egao YES Nude and I love listening to her sing

10. Shimizu Saki: Captain is hot.  She has changed a lot from the tiny one back in the day to the hot captain who will forever be the rockin’ dancer of Berryz Koubou.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Tsugunaga Momoko: Momo, you’re cute, but you didn’t quite beat Captain this time

Michishige Sayumi: Do something epic again, and you’ll totally be back in the top

Umeda Erika: You’re gorgeous, but c-ute isn’t win.  sorry D:

lol uncreative D:^

It seems like many animes and TV dramas have had some sort of tie in to music that we like. This month, this is what Wota Wonderings is all about.

The most notable one that I can think of right now is Buono!, and H!P Act featuring Suzuki Airi, Tsugunaga Momoko and Natsuyaki Miyabi.

When Buono! first started, I was wary of the group.  I didn’t know anything about Berryz Koubou and I knew next to nothing about C-ute.  Heck, back then I knew hardly anything about Morning Musume, let alone the rest of H!P.  But when Shugo Chara started, I grew to like the two songs used for the opening and ending, especially Kokoro no Tamago.

Because of Buono!, I got into Shugo Chara and the entire first season, anxiously anticipating hearing the new endings and openings as they came out.  Now, Buono! doesn’t do the openings for Shugo Chara, but they still do the endings.  Unfortunately, their music has also been getting worse, in my opinion.  co no mi chi, their newest single, is my absolute least favourite Buono! song.  To the point where I refuse to listen to it.  I haven’t watched the second season of Shugo Chara! because I haven’t gotten around to it yet, but not because of Buono!’s lack of participation.  I still really like Buono!’s music and Shugo Chara Egg!’s two singles.  I’m just hoping that co no mi chi was the lowest point they get in their career.

Another group that got me into a TV series was no3b from AKB48, featuring Team A members Takahashi Minami, Kojima Haruna and Minegishi Minami.

no3b’s first single, Relax! was the opening song for the drama which starred the three girls, Mendol.  Because of a mixture of the plot, wanting to get into AKB48 itself and the previews for the opening song, I decided to watch Mendol, and am currently watching it still (I never finished it in the first place).

Their songs are catchy and I think both the a-side and b-side from Relax! are in my 25 most played on iTunes. Also, the group succeeded in getting me into AKB48, and I’m currently absorbing AKB knowledge like it’s nobody’s business.

The group never became uninvolved with the drama, fortunately, as they were the leads and it was only 12 episodes long, so every episode I got to watch, I heard Relax! at the beginning and Oogoe Diamond at the end, two of my favourite AKB recorded songs.

Now, no3b is releasing a 2nd single, called Tane, for an anime called ‘Tetsuwan Birdy DECODE: 02″ which looks pretty interesting and I’m actually thinking of watching it as I’m writing this down.

Here’s no3b’s 2nd single, Tane:

Sudou Maasa

Poor Maa.  It’s kind of hard what to say about her because she hasn’t gotten attention in a single since Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai.  Recently she’s had a little luck as the lead of Berryz Kamen (BERRYZ KAMEN RED!), but she’s been given the shaft since then.  Her voice is nice to listen to.  It’s deep, which is what seems to give Berryz their character.  Captain, Yurina and Maasa have deep voices compared to the likes of, say, Nakki and Mai from C-ute.

I especially liked listening to Maa’s lines in yuke yuke (migi mukanai!), but honestly it seems like Berryz songs have been so concerned with giving everyone a line that they don’t seem to showcase anything.  Don’t get me wrong, I like Dakishimete Dakishimete and MADAYADE, but for some reason they just seem so. . . nonexistant.  It’s like the management just told Tsunku ‘write a songs so everyone can get a line’ and he did.  And we got those two.  But this post isn’t about that, it’s about maasa.  I’d love for any of these members in this post to be a soloist, but it doesn’t seem very likely if they don’t get some pimping now.

SOLOIST?: I’d love to hear maasa sing solo, or maybe do a Berryz Kamen unit, but. . . it’s very unlikely.

Natsuyaki Miyabi

Miyabi is the best singer in Berryz Koubou.  That’s uncontested.  Her voice is the most pleasant and she has the most control, in my opinion.  I’d love to see her go solo.  I don’t know a lot about Miyabi, though.  I know she’s popular and she’s good friends with Chinami and Captain, but that’s about it.  It seems like on TV shows she kinda sits back and lets the rest of the people speak for her.  Maybe i’m just not thinking correctly, but she just seems to agree with everything everyone says.

Even with her non-scandal last year, she barely fell from grace.   Sure, she was given the least lines on MADAYADE, which happened to be the worst selling Berryz single of 2008.  Seems to be a connection, I guess.  Especially since she was given lead back in Dakishimete Dakishimete.  But she still seems on the outside. . . slightly.  She was wearing blue, while Risako and Momoko were both wearing red.  I dunno, maybe I’m just looking too far into things.  Either way, I’m sure that if MADAYADE’s lack of Miyabi was in any close association to sales, Miya would make a great soloist, and I’m sure that if she was given a solo career she’d be able to showcase herself differently than from when she’s in Berryz or Buono!.

SOLOIST?: She’s an interesting case, but I think she’d do great.

Kumai Yurina

Yurina’s already got a gimmick for if she were to become a soloist: “WORLD’S TALLEST IDOL.”  Honestly speaking, though. . . Yurina’s a tough case.  She’s got a deep voice, like Captain and Maasa, but unlike Maasa and Captain, she was originally a lead.  She’s absolutely gorgeous and she’s not a bad singer.  Her personality is very polite, though.  That may seem like a good thing, but for idols. . . it seems like being polite is boring.  Generally the most popular idols seem to be vain (like sayumi or rika), mischievous (tsuji and kago) or tomboyish (yossy and makoto), but the polite ones like. . . say, eri. . . They never really took off.  It took them a while for them to get any sort of following, and as a result they don’t get much appreciation from their management, which is probably why she lost her lead position after about 2006.

Fortunately, she’s blossomed into a beauty recently and that’s helped get her lead position back.  Obviously, the idol world is vain.  I like Yurina, so I’d love her to be solo, but she’s kinda. . . just there, honestly.

SOLOIST?: I don’t think anyone really knows what would happen if she became a soloist.  I’m not sure if she still has as big a following as she had circa 2005, but a duo with chinami would be cute!

Sugaya Risako

Socko, Socko, Socko. . . you’re the lead singer in Berryz and always have been, but you can’t sing or dance.  Whatever are we to do with you?  Her personality is really what gets her her fame.  She fits into the vain category of idols, not necessarily saying she’s cuter than everyone, but she just seems very snooty.  She’s got a decent voice to listen to the voice but stay away from her singing, especially live.  Everyone’s said this, but she seriously just screams.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate risako.  She’s not my favourite, but i’m not anti-risako or anything.  I’m just honest.  And what I say here isn’t going to effect the fact that she’ll probably become a soloist anyway, especially with all the pimping she’s had since she joined Berryz.  Her solo song on 5(FIVE) was great, especially the chorus, and the live performance wasn’t bad, either.  So hopefully she’ll get a few better voice lessons before they start her on her blatant pimping for a solo career.

SOLOIST?: of course.  Not that i’d enjoy it 100%, but we already know it’s coming, so why bother protesting?

So there you have it.  Berryz Koubou.  Up next, the oldest three in C-ute.

Shimizu Saki

Recently, Captain’s really been stepping up.  Her voice has improved so much from Berryz 4th album to their 5th, and she’s been given a bigger role within H!P since it’s been announced that Elder Club’s been graduating.  Unfortunately for Captain, she’s been given the shaft since the beginning of Berryz because of Miyabi, Momoko, Risako and (especially in the beginning) Yurina.  Personally, Captain’s my third favourite in Berryz Koubou.  She’s gotten much better looking (read: hot) recently, too.

Let’s not forget her dancing, either.  She’s got the same blessing and curse as Eri:  She’s a great dancer, so she’s given that as her charm and gimmick.  I’m sre anyone who knows anything about H!P knows about Captain’s solo dance rendition of Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai a few years ago.  Basically, Captain would be a great soloist if she had a greater role in Berryz, but she doesn’t so her solo career would probably flop unless she got the kind of fanclub events that Manoeri’s gotten or some sort of tie-in like Koharu.

SOLOIST?: She has the potential, but not the popularity.

Tsugunaga Momoko

Momoko’s definitely one of the most popular members in Berryz Koubou, even H!P.  She’s consistently been the lead singer in Berryz songs and has been in several units outside of Berryz, specifically Buono!  Since she’s joined Buono!, she’s really stepped it up to handle the more varied vocal range of the Buono! songs, so she’s become a good little singer as well, even with her sometimes too sweet voice.

Let’s not forget to mention her dancing skills, second in Berryz only to Captain.  She’s frequently center dancer in the more difficult Berryz dances, most specifically Munasawagi Scarlet.  She’s always been a fan favourite to the wota, and usually new fans pick her as their first favourite until they learn more about the members.  Momo’s solo appeal, however. . . I’m not quite sure what to say about her in that regard.  She’s a good singer, but even I get a little sick of her voice if I hear songs like Gag 100kaibun Aishite Kudasai on repeat.  In Buono!, even with her recent position in the center and as ‘self proclaimed leader,’ Miyabi and Airi’s voices cancel out her sugar-sweet singing.  So maybe She would be a great soloist, but her success probably wouldn’t leave the wota community.

SOLOIST?: She’s got the talent, but her success would probably be limited because of her voice.

Tokunaga Chinami

Chinami has recently become more popular in Berryz, even if Berryz as a group has lost a little popularity.  She had lead vocals in MADAYADE and she was a main vocalist in Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance.  Unfortunately, as is the case of many of the H!P kids, it was too little, too late.  Her recent boom in popularity has kept her hidden from the general public, and unless she gets lots of pimping like manoeri has been getting or like members of Morning Musume or the main H!P Kids have been getting, she wouldn’t make it outside the wota public as a soloist.   Her voice is a little too much to handle in high amounts, so that is also a hindrance to her popularity as a vocalist..

Her personality, on the other hand, is perfect for solo stuff.  She makes lots of jokes and puns and her facial expressions are priceless, as well as some quick events that have happened in Making-Of sections of DVDs and things.  She would probably have a lot of fun with the hosts of Utaban or Music Fighter if she were on there on her own.

SOLOIST?: She’s recently gotten much more popular, but her voice wouldn’t cut it.

So there you have it: The first half of Berryz.  Next up is the second half.  I swear I will finish this series.

Koharu’s been skipped, as she’s already a soloist, even if it’s for an anime.

Mitsui Aika

Mittsi’s relationship with the fans is love-hate right now, as far as i’m aware.  About half the wota population thinks she looks and acts like an old lady, and the other half thinks she’s adorable and would love to see her grow and hear her sing more.  I am part of the latter half of the wota, but to be honest I think pushing her as a soloist would be a risk right now.  It’s somewhat obvious that Tsunku and the bigwigs at UFA are pruning her into a soloist, what with a solo performance in her first fall concert and a solo performance in the recent fall concert as well.  I’m sure she will eventually grace H!P’s list of soloists, but for right now it’d be too much of a risk.

SOLOIST?: It’d be a risk, but it’s obvious that H!P and UFA are primping her to be one.

JunJun

JunJun, JunJun, JunJun. . . You’re too darn cute, y’know that?  Hello! Project’s recent expansion into mainland Asia and Taiwan has brought about the two most curious cases for H!P soloist material, especially after the debut of H!P’s Taiwan based Ice CreaMusume.   If JunJun, generally considered the more popular of the two pandas, were to debut as a soloist, would it be under Hello! Project’s new “Hello! Pro Taiwan”? or would she stick to what she’s already got and stay with Hello! Project’s main group.  She’s considered the worst singer of the two pandas, but she is a decent singer.  Her voice has a nice tone to it and because Japanese is her second language, when she sings in japanese it sounds Chinese, which is, to me, one of her charm points.  It’s really hard for me to foresee where she’ll be in H!P in 2 or 3 years, even though she’s been in H!P for 2 years already (wow, i can’t believe it’s been that fast!)  I guess that since Morning Musume was so slow in 2008, no one was really given a chance to see what kind of stuff JunJun can do, but if her minor corners on Haromoni@ and her cute impression of Ayaya in the 2008 summer concert were any implication of what kind of idol goodness she’s got stored away in her reserves somewhere, I think she’d be a good soloist.

SOLOIST?: I’m not 100% sure.  She has the personality, but she’s definitely not ready, and her voice isn’t quite there yet. . .

LinLin

LinLin’s got some of the same complications as JunJun:  She’s one of the two pandas, so if she were to become a soloist, where would she go–Hello! Pro Taiwan or regular Hello! Project?  Her voice is superior to her 8th generation peers and she’s been in the entertainment business since she was 8, but as an idol, her personality is still under construction.  She had a number of hilarious faces in the recent Alo Hello! DVD, but even then it seemed like she was just putting on a show–even if we know that all idols do that.

Ever since she debuted on Haromoni@ back in July 2007, she’s been kind of out there.  She doesn’t seem comfortable acting goofy or dancing around like a maniac, but she does it anyway.  I’m not sure if she’s told to or if it’s just what she thinks is right, but it’d be nice to see the real LinLin sometime.   Even Sayumi, who’s always seemed like such a bubbly character, admitted on Music Fighter in April 2008 that she was a reserved kid and her only friends in elementary school were pillbugs.  It’s silly stories like that that you completely believe that make an idol, not the making silly faces and acting cute.  Getting to know an idol is like getting to know a classmate, almost, but this time they don’t know who the hell you are, but you know absolutely every detail about them and chances are you’ll never get within 20 feet of them.  All I’m saying is that LinLin’s got the voice, but right now I can’t believe her personality so I think she needs more time before she does anything outside of Morning Musume.

SOLOIST?: not right now; her personality still needs work, even if she is a great singer.

There you have it:  Morning Musume.  A lot of these are just my opinions, so you have your right to give your two cents in the comments   Next time I’ll be writing about Berryz Koubou’s three oldest members, so wait for it!