 Back in 2008, a group was formed that was meant to be a parody-style idol group of Akimoto Yasushi’s Onyanko Club back in the 80s. This group had a bit of a catch: they consisted of idols who worked heavily in the gravure and adult video industry.  This was the Ebisu Muscats. And they were much more than just a group of gravure and AV idols. First off, some of their songs did have a bit of a sexual undertone. Their biggest hit, “Banana Mango High School” was released in 2010 and, if you were to understand Japanese or read the English translation, you can kind of see what they were talking about. I will not exactly explain the song lyrics right in front of you, but the song itself was just as sexual as a few of Onyanko Club’s hits. At least the video itself was not as perverted as the song: As for their other songs, some of their sugar coated hits involve spring holidays, chocolate, and a honey trap. Rather than just talk about songs, the lineup of the Ebisu Muscats was also a major strength. Yes, you have a lineup of adult video idols, some of which were the biggest in the business (Yoshizawa Akiho, Asami Yuma, Aoi Sora, etc.), but when you watched them perform through music videos, and even through their late-night variety show in "Onedari Muscats!!", you saw a different side of the girls rather than what you would see on a video found in the red light district. They had personality, they were funny, and they broke the stereotypes one may have when you talk about a group with adult video actresses. Like other idol groups, the Ebisu Muscats had a captain that was shuffled throughout the group’s lifetime. The first captain was Aoi Sora from 2008-2010, Asami Yuma from 2010-2012, and Kishi Aino from 2012-2013. As for the members, some members stayed for the entire duration of the Muscats’ tenure, such as Rio, Andou Aika and Hatsune Minori, while others stayed for a very brief period of time, such as Mizuki Uruha, Ohashi Sayoko and Ozawa Maria. Also like other groups, there were one or two sub units who performed their own songs. One of them was the Purukawa sub unit (based pretty heavily on the PreCure magical girl anime), featuring my Ebisu Muscats oshi, Rukawa Rina. The Muscats also had other appearances with other groups and artists. There was even a time where they starred in a special showcasing other idol groups, such as Berryz Koubou and SDN48. Here they are starring with DJ OZMA, with a few shots at AKB48 here and there: The Ebisu Muscats grew in popularity, especially in the early 2010s, with singles that sold fairly well and concert tours here and there (including one in Singapore). Unfortunately, in 2013, at the height of their popularity, the entire group announced graduation and was disbanded. Some of the other former Muscats can be found doing other lines of J-Pop based work, such as Kuriyama Mui of Through Skills and Sakuragi Rin of innuendo-named J-Pop duo, P * cherry. Will we ever see a mature J-Pop group like the Ebisu Muscats again, where their gravure and adult video careers were put on the side for the sake of J-Pop and variety shows? Only time will tell.
This group, however, holds something really dear to me, and that is because this was the gateway I had to J-Pop and the idol industry. I was curious to the idea of a bunch of adult video actresses in a J-Pop group, and then “Banana Mango High School” grew on me. I listened to this song so many times that I even learned the dance. Eventually Rukawa Rina caught my eye as being the kawaii anime otaku in the group (and the closest one to my age, given that most of the Muscats were 3-8 years older than I was). Eventually it was not just “Banana Mango High School”, but I listened to almost all of their songs wherever I went: at the gym, driving to college, etc. I would get excited to see new episodes of their variety show and new releases of songs. This group also introduced me to other J-Pop acts, such as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Perfume, DJ OZMA, and even AKB48. They were the biggest reason why I love J-Pop so much. When they announced graduation and disbanded, the final episode of their variety show struck a chord, since I now had to find a new J-Pop group to follow. I still follow up on whatever non-AV based J-Pop things some of the former Muscats are doing today, but it is definitely not the same. I had to find another group that I could follow up with, who I could like as much as the Muscats. But then I ran into a gravure photo of an attractive girl on a Tumblr page. The girl on that photo was named Shiraishi Mai. And the rest is history... -L4verra (Nathan)  Recently, AKB48’s Morikawa Ayaka announced graduation to pursue a career in modeling. Nogizaka46’s Hatanaka Seira announced graduation as well. You can kind of notice that there has been a wave of graduation announcements left, right and center. Perhaps not as frequently with AKB48 and Nogizaka46, but graduation announcements have affected other groups in the 48G family. Let us start with the good news. NMB48 gets rid of all of their kenkyuusei…but in the best way imaginable. NMB48 just revamped their roster by adding in all of the kenkyuusei to teams N, M and BII. The original Team M center, Jo Eriko, after graduating from NMB48 and returning as a kenkyuusei, makes it to Yamamoto Sayaka’s Team N roster. Also, Uno Mizuki, who made an appearance on the AKB48 Janken single, “Kimi wo Hohoemi wo Yume ni Miru”, gets promoted to Team M. NMB48, alongside AKB48, are the only two groups in the 48 family (including JKT48, SNH48 and Nogizaka46) who do not have any kenkyuusei. However, two members of NMB48 have already announced graduation a while back: Team M’s Murakami Ayaka and Yamada Nana. The addition of the kenkyuusei to the three NMB teams help aid the upcoming loss of Nana and Ayaka, but the graduation wave affects some groups more than others. The bad news is that graduation announcements have affected one group more so than the others: SKE48.
Just look at this list of members who announced graduation: Nakanishi Yuka, Sato Mieko, Abiru Riho, Furukawa Airi, Iwanaga Tsugumi, Ogino Risa, Sasaki Yuka and Yamada Nana (who has a kennin with SKE48). Some graduation announcements affect more of the members and fans than others. Furukawa Airi’s graduation is the hardest hitting so far, given how she is the leader and one of the main forces behind Team KII. But never forget how Nakanishi Yuka and Sato Mieko helped SKE48. Yes, SKE48 is having its 7th generation members named soon, but there is a sense that more members of SKE48 may graduate soon as well. Perhaps during the Sousenkyo election, where we saw Shinoda Mariko announce graduation from AKB48 in 2013, and where we saw Kojima Haruna fake a graduation announcement out in 2014. Someone will probably announce graduation this June. The question is, who? SKE48 is not exactly making things easy for their fans when THIS is the trailer for their upcoming documentary. It is titled “Idol’s Tears”. Given the many graduations and graduation announcements the group has experienced, someone is going to cry their eyes out. I know I might. It also does not help that Kizaki Yuria is there since she, well, got transferred permanently to AKB48…
But SKE48 still has a fantastic roster. Of course the W-Matsui duo of Jurina and Rena are still here, and Shibata Aya, Suda Akari, Takayanagi Akane, Oya Masana, and for you kenkyuusei fans, Matsumura Kaori, are all still here. At least 3 of them will probably make Sousenkyo senbatsu, since 4 (almost 5) did last year.
Don’t forget some of the other up and coming 6th gen members that may capture your heart such as Kumazaki Haruka and Kitagawa Ryoha, and don’t forget transferred members, such as the dorky Tani Marika! These are some of my favorite SKE48 members, especially Marika.
So there is definitely hope for SKE48 to climb back up again from graduation announcement after graduation announcement. The 7th generation members could be what the 9th generation was to AKB48 and really set the tone for the future of the group. Heck, SKE48 has two members from AKB48’s 9th generation and one of them is co-Team KII captain. But anything can happen, and all we can hope for as fans, is the best. But as we publish this, we just got another one. Kobayashi Ami has announced her graduation as well... -Nathan (L4verra)   For this week's Throwback Thursday post, we travel back a few years and visit one of my favorite idols of all time, Kusumi Koharu. Who was a member of Morning Musume (as its sole seventh generation member), a member of the trio MilkyWay and a soloist. The song I chose here is her final solo single, "Happy Happy Sunday", which she released under the name "Tsukishima Kirari starring Kusumi Koharu". It was the eigth, and final, opening theme for the anime "Kirarin Revolution", a show where Kusumi voiced the title character. The song is indicative of her solo work at the time. While Morning Musume was focused on mature sounding songs like "Naichau Kamo" and "Shouganai Yume Oibito", Kusumi's solo work was a mix of up-beat pop and cutesy lyrics that were playful, but not annoyingly so. While her sound was carefree and fun, it still fit in well with the Hello! Project style that was heavily dominated by the Tsunku-written songs. The video for Happy Happy Sunday is also one of the most colorful ones to come from this era of Hello! Project. Slightly reminiscent of Aya Matsuura's "Ne~e" the song and video chronicles Kusumi's tough decisions regarding her impending first date. If you have not heard this song before, now's the time to check it out! Kusumi Koharu had an interesting, if short, career as an idol. She joined Morning Musume on May 1, 2005 as Morning Musume's sole seventh generation member. She debuted musically on the single "Iroppoi Jirretai", but she really hit her stride when she was chosen to star in the anime "Kirarin Revolution" in 2006. The show was extremely popular and ran for three years and would make Kusumi one of the most popular members of Hello! Project as well as net her a host spot on the show "Oha Star". Kirarin Revolution would also see video game adaptations and even make its way to France and Europe where it would be known simply as "Kilari". Besides the voice work, Kusumi also provided the opening, closing and insert themes for the show starting with 2006's "Koi Kana", which was also her first solo single. While a lot of her work on the show was solo, she was also part of two groups that provided music for Kirarin Revolution. The first of which was "Kira Pika" which was a duo with C-ute's Chisato Mai. The other was the longer lasting "MilkyWay" which was a trio that also included Kikkawa You and Kitahara Sayaka, both of who have since moved onto solo careers of their own. At the top of her stardom, she graduated from Morning Musume and Hello! Project on December 6, 2009 in order to begin a career as a model. Not completely done with the idol scene, in 2010 she joined the group "Dream Morning Musume" which was made up of past members of Morning Musume. More recently, she left the show Oha Star in 2014, signed with a new modeling agency and has appeared in several television dramas.   ANGERME's second A-side "Otome no Gyakushuu" Promotion Edit PV is out now! ANGERME won me over completely on "Taikibansei" and this song just blew me away even though I thought nothing was going to top their debut effort. It is definitely the best Hello! Project song I've heard over the past year and is front runner for idol song of the year so far. Any other song that comes out down the road will be hard pressed to top this one as far as I'm concerned! Those who have read my previous blog posts, both here and on other sites, know that I am not a big fan of S/mileage. I never was and I always thought that at best I'd be a casual fan of a particular song/single/etc. I didn't think anything of the ANGERME name change either. In fact I thought it was a mark that the end was near for them. They were going through a complete identity change and Tsunku was no longer going to write for them. I predicted they'd last a year or two at most. Well, I was right in that they were getting an identity change, but completely wrong in thinking that this was the beginning of the end! If anything this is clearly a new start for them and Hello! Project is making sure that they make the best of it! This image change was definitely needed and I'm sure I'm not the only fan who is completely accepting of it! This song has a somewhat dark, playful feel in its melody and is something that you would never really hear in a S/mileage song. That being said, it stays completely catchy throughout and I defy anyone to not be humming along by the end. The beat drives the track forward and it becomes readily apparent that ANGERME is shaping up to be one of the better dance-friendly H!P units. Speaking of the dance, I rarely point them out, but this one is great. There is the usual borrowing from past dances from other groups (I can only imagine this because they share the same choreographer) but all the girls show off their dancing skill in good form, even the new arrivals. About those new arrivals, I have to say that I think I prefer them over the second generation of S/mileage. They just seemed to smoothly integrate better than the Second Generation did. It also helps that the song is more evenly split up in terms of solos and screen time than one usually sees in a Hello! Project video. Also, I'm not big on picking favorites in idol groups (I know that this is a huge part of the fandom, but rarely am I able to pick a favorite) but I think that Rikako is slowly becoming a favorite of mine both in the group and amongst the new additions. I also can't forget to mention Meimi in this context either since she stated in the recent Hello! Pro Station that she's a fellow Takarazuka fan!  Onto the video itself. It's clear that this video has the bigger share of production values over "Taikibansei". The location is beautiful and the video does a great job playing on the contrast of light and dark throughout. I am unsure if this location is a set or an actual existing building, but it's a nice setting for this video nonetheless. To complement the great location, the videography is perfect, complete with timely cuts, sweeping angles and clever shots/focus pulls/etc. What this means in non-technical terms is that the video is gorgeous! The playful dance break also is something that was all-but nonexistent in H!P before and is yet another breath of fresh air in the somewhat aging collective. Returning to the darkness that seeps through the song, at points it's strong in the PV as well both literally and figuratively. That said, dark or not, it never hurts the songs appeal nor detracts from the overall enjoyment. Did I mention how great everything looks at the end when the set lights up? Well, it does! The single "Taikibansei/Otome no Gyakushuu" drops on February 4th and I suggest everyone go out and buy it like I will! It'll be available through the usual online outlets and import shops. Be sure to watch the video and check out ANGERME if you haven't already as they are shaping up to be the future face of Hello! Project! ANGERME Are: ◆ Wada Ayaka ◆ Fukuda Kanon ◆ Nakanishi Kana ◆ Takeuchi Akari ◆ Katsuta Rina ◆ Tamura Meimi ◆ Murota Mizuki ◆ Aikawa Maho ◆ Sasaki Rikako  Hello! Pro Station Episode #100 Contents MC: Tamura Meimi & Miyamoto Karin ◆ ANGERME - Taikibansei PV ◆ ANGERME Name Choosing ◆ 4-Kanji Phrase : 水魚の交 ◆ New Hello! Project Unit Announcement Part 2 ◆ Q&A Corner ◆ Murota Mizuki Hair Arrangement The 100th episode of Hello! Pro Station went up last week and it was full of all the new Hello! Project groups that we're going to see lots of this year! The episode starts with a clip of the ANGERME's new PV "Taikibansei". The song and video are amazing. I had heard this song previously in previews/rips/etc, but hearing it in its proper form allows one to hear just what a great song this is! It's catchy with a nice beat and melody and the girls, new and old, shine here! This single is coming out soon and the full version of the PV (and it's other A-side) are actually already out at the time of this writing. Check them out whether you were a fan of S/mileage or not!  We move to our hosts who for this episode are Tamura Meimi of ANGERME and Miyamoto Karin of Juice=Juice. Meimi just might become a favorite of mine since she mentions that she loves Takarazuka! This was something I never knew about her. Has she stated this before? If anyone can pinpoint clips that refer to her love of Takarazuka I'd love to see them. Drop me a comment or message if you can. Anyhow, we have some fun banter with our hosts and then move into a clip that shows how the name "ANGERME" was decided upon.  There were some good name choices there. I can't remember what mine was, but I submitted one too and I was hoping that they'd mention it here. They didn't. Did anyone's submission get mentioned? Anyhow, they clearly decide on ANGERME and I still think it's a little unfair since it came from a member's idea and makes the whole contest thing moot. Moving on, after this clip we move into what I'm sure is everyone's favorite segment (sarcasm present) the 4-Kanji Phrase!  Ikubo Haruna (Morning Musume '15 sub-leader) introduces this one to Inaba Manaka from Country Girls. This week's phrase is "水魚の交" which refers to close friendship. I am not sure as to the point of this segment or if anyone truly enjoys these, but they are here and I watch them! I guess it helps with some of the quirks of the Japanese language if one is a student. It's a bit too esoteric though for the casual student/learner though I think. Inaba Manaka surely didn't know this week's phrase... After this we move into the second half of the new Hello! Project Unit's announcement.  Expect more tears from the former Kenshuusei as they are told about their new status in Hello! Project. After this little bit we get Maimi's assessment of the girls. She wishes them the best in the future career as do we all!  This week's Q&A corner is dominated by Meimi's thumb! I can't get over what her thumb can do and I don't think Karin could either! Check it out. Our hosts do a good job keeping everyone interested which I was actually surprised by since neither of them are anywhere on my favorite member lists. I still can't get over Meimi's new hair by the way though I'm sure in a couple weeks I won't notice anymore.  The episode closes with a hair arrange by Murota Mizuki of ANGERME. Another segment that I don't really care for though I can see its appeal to others. That said, I don't think I've seen her hair arranged like this in any clips/segments. All in all this was a really good episode of the usual format and if you haven't watched it yet, watch it now! Be sure to check out all of ANGERME's new PVs too!  The 2015 Request Hour has finally come to a close. With all sorts of guest appearances from some of your favorite former AKB48 members (like seeing former ace Maeda Atsuko) and emotional moments (did you cry when you saw Takamina break down before she performed her “Jane Doe” solo, especially when her no3b buddies Miichan and Kojiharu comforted her at her time of need?), this was a request hour for the ages. At the end of the day, “Suzukake” takes the #1 spot. Congratulations to Matsui Jurina for her janken single to reach the top! But, at the end of the request hour came new reveals for new sister groups and senbatsu lineups.  Niigata Prefecture gets their very own sister group. NGT48 will have auditions and announcements in March, with their theater open in October. Announcements will include possible kennin members or even transfers. There’s no idea who might get sent up to Niigata. Maybe Sato Shiori from AKB48’s Team 8 lineup could lead the new squad? She is from the area, so that’s someone to keep in consideration.
But other than new sister groups, here comes a new senbatsu lineup! The new AKB48 single, “Green Flash”, will do something that has never been done before, and that is have Kashiwagi Yuki at center. She will center alongside Kojima Haruna, who hasn’t been seen at center since “Heart Ereki”. Also gone are the massive senbatsu lineups, seen on “Kibouteki Refrain” or “Labrador Retriever”, in favor of a traditional 16-member senbatsu. The lineup is nearly identical to “Kokoro no Placard”, with only Kojima Mako, Kizaki Yuria and Iriyama Anna replacing Miyazawa Sae, Shibata Aya and Suda Akari. No real surprises here. The only surprise is who got booted out. So to all the Miichan, Milky, Tano, Rie, Naanya, Mocchi, or “insert-your-oshimen-who-didn’t-make-senbatsu” fans, I’m sorry. My oshimen in Minegishi Minami didn’t make senbatsu either, but hey there’s always sousenkyo! But I digress, even though Aki-P hasn’t revealed any sort of news on new Stages for some of the teams, there’s still plenty to get excited about for the upcoming few months. Do you like the idea of a new sister group to north of Japan? Do you like having Yukirin and Kojiharu to bolster the new single? Did you like Jurina’s janken single making the Top 2 for 2 years straight? Let us know what you thought. -Nathan (L4verra)  It’s that time again: it’s time to shuffle the senbatsu for Nogizaka’s next single! As you may have known, the last single, “Nandome no Aozora Ka?” has had the longest run at single since it was in the middle of promoting the album. The Ikuta Erika-centered single was well received for being in line with “Kimi no na wa Kibou” or “Kidzuitara Kataomoi”. Even Sashihara Rino covered it during AKB48’s Kouhaku Uta Gassen. But it’s time to move on to the next one. Who makes senbatsu this time around?
This is an 18-member senbatsu, which is the biggest lineup since “Natsu no Free and Easy”. Speaking of said song, Nishino Nanase has been chosen as center once again. Joining her in the front row include some of the Nogizaka46 fan favorites, such as Shiraishi Mai, Hashimoto Nanami and Ikuta Erika. But joining Naachan in the front row is SKE48’s very own Matsui Rena. Quite possibly the most surprising reveal of the senbatsu, but not the only surprising reveal.
How this senbatsu was revealed was that the second row was revealed first. The second row seems the easiest to predict, so that’s not where the suspense lies. We’re at that point where it’s near impossible to see Ikoma Rina, Fukagawa Mai or Sakurai Reika out of senbatsu, unless something happens to them (such as taking time off for schoolwork, etc.). Thus, the second row includes, Reika, Ikomachan, Maimai, Wakatsuki Yumi, and everyone’s favorite Nogizaka fisher, Akimoto Manatsu. The first and second rows are called the Jyuu Fukujin, who will get the most screen time out of the main single, much like the Kami-7 of AKB48. This leaves 8 members awaiting their name called for the last remaining spots of senbatsu.
This is where some surprises took place. One thing to notice is that someone will get shuffled out of senbatsu in place of someone new. For “Nandome no Aozora Ka?”, that lucky member was Saito Chiharu. Now someone succeeds in her place, but whom? Here comes Sagara Iori, the late 2nd generation member who makes it to senbatsu; the third 2nd gen member to do so. Joining her as a 2nd gen member is Hori Miona, the only 2nd gen member to center a Nogizaka single, and the longest running senbatsu member of the 2nd gen. Other members of senbatsu have been regulars for for months, and show no signs of slowing down: Eto Misa, Takayama Kazumi and Hoshino Minami.
Albeit a predictable surprise, one of the senbatsu members who fell out of Jyuu Fukujin is Matsumura Sayuri. While her scandal may have affected her status in the higher parts of senbatsu, she still made it. Some could argue that she could have dropped to undergirls, but she’s worked to erase some of the wrongdoings of that scandal. She’ll be back to a higher spot next time.
The final two spots of the 3rd row were the last members to be called, and they are Ito Marika and Saito Asuka. Arguably the aces of the Nogizaka undergirls rotation since they’ve both centered undergirls songs, seeing them both shoot to senbatsu was the most surprising reveal of all. One could argue that one of them could make senbatsu while the other spot could have gone to another 2nd gen member, such as Shinuchi Mai or Terada Ranze. But Bebitan and Ash made it, leaving plenty of options for an undergirls center. Sasaki Kotoko? Inoue Sayuri? Nakamoto Himeka? The list can go on and on. But me personally, I’d like my oshimen, Wada Maaya, to center an undergirls song. That’d be pretty awesome.
There seems to be pressure riding on this single since this is the way Nogizaka46 can respond to being snubbed out of NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen due to unfortunate circumstances. But all Nogizaka46 has to do is keep doing what they were doing a year ago, since 2014 was so successful. They’ll get in this year. What do you expect to see from this upcoming 11th single? Do you expect a powerful ballad that brings you to tears like “Kidzuitara Kataomoi”, or do you expect an upbeat, pop/rock-esque song like “Natsu no Free and Easy”? Only time will tell. But big ups to Nishino Nanase for being selected as the 11th single center! You go girl! -Written By L4verra [Nathan]   The first PV from ANGERME dropped a couple days ago and it is one of the best Hello! Project songs in recent memory! This is the first single to be released under the new name (For those that don't know, they were formerly known as "S/mileage") and the first to feature the new members Murota Mizuki, Aikawa Maho, and Sasaki Rikako. I honestly didn't know what to expect from their new sound, but I wasn't expecting too much. Basically I was figuring this name change was going to be the beginning of the end for S/mileage as they're sales were steadily dropping the past few years. I am glad to say that I was wrong to think that the changes in Hello! Project (name changes, group disbandment, new group formations, Tsunku's sickness) were going to make every aspect, from music to promotion, take a turn for the worse. The song "Taikibansei", which is the first A-side from the single "Taikibansei/Otome no Gyakushuu" is a departure from the material that S/mileage has released before. That isn't necessarily a bad thing as there are some songs in their earlier catalog that I simply can not stand. For years there seemed to be an identity crisis at the Up-Front offices when it came to how to promote S/mileage. They were either super cutesy and upbeat ("Dot Bikini" and "Yattaruchan") or they were mature, both in sound and content ("Mystery Night!" and "Aa Susukino"). This song is the perfect mix of the two ideas. It is upbeat and catchy but does not have that unspecified quality that might turn off certain listeners with too much over-the-top antics and cutesy-ness. The video isn't going to win any awards, but it's well-edited and put together and the girls all look great here. That being said am I the only one who still can't get used to Meimi's new haircut? It seems to have gotten shorter. The song is where everything really shines though. The arrangement is amazing with one of the best mixes I've ever heard from Hello! Project. The song drives forward with a powerful beat and catchy chorus. I guarantee you that it will be stuck in your head long after you're done listening to it! The lyrical content is typical idol fare I will admit, but nothing too distracting. I'm looking your way, "Mystery Night!".... Everyone gets a chance to show off their vocal talent here too and this is refreshing as some of the bigger groups heavily favor only certain members. Have I mentioned that I have always thought that S/mileage/ANGERME has the best vocal talent in Hello! Project? I'll admit that I am not a fan of Wada Ayaka, but Takeuchi Akari, Fukuda Kanon and Tamura Meimei have amazing voices and the new girls seem to be living up well to the legacy. I am glad to see that their talents are not being squandered in this new single. All this said, I can't wait for the single to come out on February 4, and I encourage all you to check out the video and to mark your calendars for the eventual release date! ANGERME Are: ◆ Wada Ayaka ◆ Fukuda Kanon ◆ Nakanishi Kana ◆ Takeuchi Akari ◆ Katsuta Rina ◆ Tamura Meimi ◆ Murota Mizuki ◆ Aikawa Maho ◆ Sasaki Rikako  For today's Throwback Thursday post, we are going back to the Golden Age where solo idols ruled the stage and they more often performed with live instruments over backing tracks! This will prove relevant later, I promise! The video I am sharing now is from Sakai Noriko, better known to her fans as "Nori-P". The song is her mega-hit "Norenai Teen-age". I am not only a fan of this song, but also of Sakai Noriko in herself and I like spreading the word of idols sometimes forgotten. While not one of the "big three" of the eighties, she had one of the biggest followings of the day and remained strongly supported into the nineties when many early idols saw their careers end. Her sound was unique in that it was at once both accessible and catchy but also came with just a hint of a rebellious edge. She started her career very young, even by idol standards of the time, at the age of fifteen and began both acting and singing. Young or not, she was winning awards and performing on huge stages within a few short months. Her debut single was "Otoko no ko ni Naritai" (I want to be a boy) but she really hit it big with the song "Nagisa no Fantasy". Many of her next singles would be hits such as "Nori-P Ondo" "GUANBARE" and "Diamond Blue" . Despite this huge early success and rise to stardom, her biggest hit wasn't from the eighties. It actually came about in the nineties with the song "Aoi Usagi". This was on the eve of her attempts to break into the mainland Asian market and as such it would be translated and performed in Chinese. Not one to rest idle, she would continue to perform throughout the nineties and early 2000s and perhaps might be still performing today if she didn't have the pesky problem of a drug-related conviction in 2009 that has pretty much put her career on an indefinite hiatus that it may not recover from. The video chosen here is a live performance of the song from her 1988 Tour. At this point the song had been part of her repertoire for over a year and the arrangement is a bit different than the studio version, but is probably even more enjoyable in its present state. Enjoy!  Hello! Pro Station Episode #99 Contents MC: Yajima Maimi, Fujii Rio and Hirose Ayaka ◆ New Hello! Project Unit Message ◆ New Hello! Project Unit - "Onna no Sono" ◆ Country Girls Message ◆ Country Girls - "Itoshikutte Gomenne" ◆ Juice=Juice Message ◆ Juice=Juice - "Watashi ga Iu Mae ni Dakishimenakya ne" ◆ ANGERME Message ◆ ANGERME - "Taiki Bansei" ◆ Juice=Juice - "J=J School For Girls" ◆ Morning Musume '15 New Year Resolutions ◆ Morning Musume '15 - "Tiki Bun" ◆ C-ute New Year's Resolutions ◆ C-ute - "I miss you" ◆ Berryz Koubou Message ◆ Berryz Koubou - "Love Together!" ◆ Maimi Yajima Announces New Unit This is a big episode as we get to see and hear the new Hello! Project units/members in action! The episode starts with member introductions of the as-yet-unnamed group performing the new song "Onna no Sono". This song is a nice upbeat track that is somewhat reminiscent of the early S/mileage songs. I can't wait to hear more from this group as they have a great sound and I'm sure they'll evolve into a cornerstone of Hello! Project. Especially with the upcoming departure of Berryz Koubou.  Next up we get a message from Country Girls. This whole segment confused me as there is Momoko introducing them and acting like a member, but when they perform she's no where to be seen. I am seriously confused as to what her role really is in the group and whether she is actually needed if she isn't going o be performing with them. That being said the song "Itoshikutte Gomenne" is a good song and rather catchy, but I don't think it's going to fly off the shelves. It does have an classic feel to it reminiscent of Country Musume's "Shining Itoshiki Anata" and while it doesn't have the same exciting feel of the new unit's song, it does have me wondering what Country Girls' sound will eventually be.  Moving on to Juice=Juice, we get a performance of "Watashi ga Iu Mae ni Dakishimenakya ne". This is somewhat standard so there isn't too much to say except that they're spot on in their performance as they should be since this is a staple song for them. Watch for Karin's solo in the final chorus and perhaps you'll laugh as much as I did with her over-the-top delivery.  Next we get ANGERME (Still trying to get used to calling them that) with a message and performing their new song "Taiki Bansei". This is the best new song of the bunch. I was worried when I found out the song wasn't going to be a Tsunku composition, but that was unfounded as the song is amazing. It has a lively feel and dance and the new girls do an amazing job continuing the S/mileage legacy. I hope this is an indicator that good music will continue to come from them.  Next up is Moring Musume '15. We get some New Year resolutions from the girls. Ikuta wants a show, Kudo wants to be cute and Nonaka wants a world tour. Their performance of "Tiki Bun" isn't too exciting except that it contains the 12th Gen members. It's a good performance, but I was hoping for a better track that showcased their post-Sayumi strengths. Not necessarily a new song, but a better choice of song to display the new line-up.  Next we get C-ute's New Year resolutions. Maimi notes that it's the group's 10th Anniversary this year and hopes for a Yokohama Arena concert to mark this event. I second this, but I don't know how likely it is. Their performance of "I miss you" is as good as any other. Once again nothing ground-breaking here, but I really like this song so I'll allow a bit of rehashing in their case. That's not fair of course as I'll never tire of this song so it'll always seem fresh to me. Nice editing throughout some of the harmony segments adds a nice flair too.  We get a message from Berryz Koubou and a performance of "Love Together!" to close out the series of performances. I love this song too and I am glad that they gave Berryz such a good song to graduate with. The lyrics are completely fitting and are the right hint of nostalgia that will stand the test of time rather than becoming stale. I hope we get to see lots of Berryz Koubou before their graduation.  The show closes with Maimi announcing to the then-Kenshuusei that they are to be part of a new Hello! Project unit (the very same one we saw at the top of the episode. Tears flow and we get to see a small number of the Kenshuusei move forward in their Idol careers.  That concludes the episode, but there was a lot to see here. From great performances to new songs, this was an episode that was filled to the brim. I should not here that this episode was hosted by Yajima Maimi (C-ute), Fujii Rio and Hirose Ayaka (Both New Hello! Project Unit) who do a good job with this extra long episode. Watch and enjoy! |
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