Bikkuri Project

That line is stuck in my head! Morning Musume’s new PV for “Only You” is out. Let’s look at what I feel are the positives and negatives, shall we?

+ I absolutely love the chorus. Best darn chorus Morning Musume has had in a long time.

- Not so sure about the verses. They’re… cool, but weird and sort of disconcerting?

+ Gaki-san’s lines are epic!

- Gaki-san’s lines have about twice as much autotune as they should. I think a little would be cool and fit with the song, but it’s just way too much

+ I actually like Ai-chan’s hair. I was shocked at first, but she’s really working it.

- They could not have picked a less flattering hairstyle for Zukki if they tried. Are they THAT determined to make her unpopular?

+ Nice editing! I love when it quickly switches back and forth between the red and white background during the last chorus. Adds lots of drama.

+ “Boobs grabbing” dance move in the chorus makes me LOL. It’s like they’re saying “Stop bouncing around while I’m dancing!”

- Dancing during the bridge is awkward

+ Riho! Yep, I’m happy about what a good position she got. No one can deny she’s a fantastic dancer and has a really cute face, but I was also impressed with her vocals. Certainly not as good as Ai-chan, but she really held her own on that last chorus. Morning Musume needs new front girls, and I fully support Riho being one of them.

- All the people who now “hate” Riho because she’s being pushed. Boo to you.

Other observations: More Fuku-chan than expected. She actually got a better spot than Gaki-san during the V formation, and I think she’s center in the “two lines” formation they use a couple times.

I expect this to sell better than Majidesuka ska because this kind of song tends to do better than the happy kind, and the chorus is so strong. (BTW, Maji ska did end up outselling Seishun Collection eventually. HA!)

~Celestia~

I’ve finally found the time to make a new video! I think I was long overdue to make an OPV for my favoritest Morning Musume member ever, Miss Risa Niigaki.

I spent forever trying to figure out what song to use. I almost went with Mano Erina’s Genkimono de Ikou, but then I decided I ought to use a song Risa was actually involved in. Overall, it’s not as good as my Eri/Jun/Lin graduation OPV, but not bad, I think.

~Celestia~

Does anyone else get the feeling that Aika may graduate soon because of her foot problems? I mean, she hasn’t been dancing in high heels for years, and now she has a stress fracture in her heel. How can she continue to be a part of the group if she can’t dance? Even if her heel gets better, won’t it just become injured again when she starts dancing?

Predictions 2 for a dollar. Come and get em’

~Celestia~

If I have one regret about my time in Japan, it’s that I didn’t go to more concerts. I mean, sure, I probably spent over $2000 on concert tickets (not just h!p) over my two years there, but it was worth every penny. Today I had about an hour to drive by myself, so I turned on my h!p playlist, and I was singing along and doing the hand gestures (one handed of course. The other hand stayed on the steering wheel), and then “Sono Bamen de Bibiccha ikenai Jan” came on, and that song is just not the same without all the wota chants, so I had to add those too, and God I freaking miss going to those concerts so much.

I mean, my friends want nothing to do with Jpop. I was in a respectable sorority in college! But… there’s something about just saying “Fuck what the rest of the world thinks of me and how “uncool” this is. Tonight for two hours I’m going to dance and jump around like a fool and shout chants and have the time of my life at a Japanese idol concert”  Fist pumping to the “oh yeah!” parts of “Mikan”, bouncing like a hyper kindergartner during “Yuujou~ Kokoro no Busu ni Naranee” and “Koko ni Iruzee”, receiving a brilliant smile and double handed wave from Risa, and singing along with the girls to Ame no Furanai for the very last time with tears in my eyes… I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything, and I’d do anything (within reason) to be able to go back for just one more show.

Life is One Time,

~Celestia~

After a three year Morning Musume audition drought, suddenly we will likely have two new generation debut in the same year. Wow! Some fans seem upset because the 9kis haven’t really had a chance to settle in, but this is much more similar to how Momusu used to work back in their heyday, so maybe it will be all right. 1st-5th generation only had a year between each of them after all. I’m sure the 9ki will have at least 3 singles under their belt before 10ki debuts, and Maki only had 2 singles before 4th gen debuted.

Predictions:

I’m thinking this will be a small generation, maybe only 1 girl. They’re probably looking for a new singing “ace” to replace Ai-chan eventually. At first I thought it would be Riho, but I think Riho is more of an Eri/Reina replacement, because I think she can get to Reina/Eri vocal level, but not Ai-chan level. She’s more co-lead/top dancer material than THE lead singer.

If there are multiple girls, I really wouldn’t be surprised if one of them was Miyamoto Karin. As I’ve said before, that girl has STAR written all over her. Check her out in Shinminimoni’s performance of Gatamekira . She’s the one in the longer coat.

Impressive, no?

The other option I see happening with Karin is a new unit being made with her and fellow tiny yet talented Egg members Takeuchi Akari (other girl in the video who’s not Fukuda Kanon) and Kudo Haruka (looks like baby Risako)

I figure the timeline will go like this:

Summer: Auditions

Late Summer: We start seeing audition footage

MM’s Fall Tour: Announcement of the audition winners. Aichan’s last single (9th gen’s 3rd) debuts

H!P Winter Tour: Debut of new single featuring 10th gen, possible graduation announcement from one of the older members. Maybe Gaki =(

Later,

~Celestia~

Dear Idol Fans,

I’m not sure you knew what you were getting into when you became a fan of idols, but it seems that something needs to be clarified for you, so please allow me.

These girls….

Will always be pushed more than these girls.

Just as these girls….

Will always be pushed more than these girls….

Is it fair? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe those first girls are prettier, maybe they’re more charming, maybe they’re more talented. Maybe you can argue that they’re none of those things and the second girls just haven’t been given a chance. There’s probably validity to both sides. But here’s the thing….

SOME GIRLS IN IDOL GROUPS ARE PUSHED MORE THAN OTHERS. LINE DISTRIBUTION, SCREEN TIME IN PVS, NUMBER OF PHOTOBOOKS, ETC ALMOST CERTAINLY WILL NOT BE EQUAL. DEAL WITH IT.

Every time a new single comes out (most recently the concert rip of Morning Musume’s Only You), the forums are flooded with people saying “I hate this song because Aika (or Captain or Chisato or Maasa or whoever) is in the back of the dance formation again!” or “I hate Reina (or Ai-chan, or Risako, or Airi, or more recently Riho) because she’s hogging the solo lines!”. I know this kind of thing happens other idol fandoms outside of h!p too. Whining isn’t going to help, and hating a girl because she’s pushed more than your favorite is just stupid.

In short: Idol life ain’t fair. Cry me a river, build me a bridge, and freaking get over it.

Love and Kisses,

~Celestia~

PS. If you happen to be into AKB, I should mention that

These girls…

Will always be pushed more than these girls.