Bikkuri Project

It’s summer refreshment time! So please, kick back and enjoy looking at this picture of my refreshment provided by International Wota. I bought ingredients and stuff to make a blueberry crisp with icecream! Here you can see the crisp editing a video. (Fun fact: All my videos are edited by baked goods)

Within the idol sub-genre of the Jpop genre, there are several sub-sub-genres, mostly seasonally based. There’s the “songs about spending (or not spending) Christmas with that special someone” genre (i.e. Aitai Lonely Christmas, Pittari Shitai Xmas). There’s the “it’s spring so we are mandated by Japanese law to sing about sakura” genre (i.e. Sakura Mankai, Sakura Chirari) But perhaps no idol genre is quite as prolific as the “summer song” genre.

So what constitutes a “summer song”? I put forth the following three qualifiers:

1. The song must be released within the time period of May through August.

2. The song must be light, upbeat, and cheerful. Preferably with a “refreshing” feel

3. The word “summer” or “natsu” doesn’t have to be in the title, but the lyrics and/or the PV must contain Japanese “summer” imagery which may include any of the following:

Use of the word “summer” or “natsu”, watermelon, yukata, festivals, fireworks, beaches, bikinis, bright colored beachwear, surfboards, beach balls, squirt guns, excessively sunny outdoor scenes, bubbles, ice cream, and shaved ice. Let me know if you think I missed any important ones.

Using these criteria, we can definitely say that not every song released during the summer is actually a “summer” song. I would also argue that many songs that include the word “summer” are not songs in the “summer” genre. For example, S/mileage’s “Yume Miru 15sai”  meets qualification numbers 1and 3 with a May release date, many uses of the word “natsu”, and mention of festivals and fireworks, but I wouldn’t consider it to be a true summer song because it fails qualification number 2. The overall feel is just too dark to really be in the summer genre. Morning Musume’s “Summer Night Town” and Berryz Kobo’s “Natsu Remember You” would be excluded for the same reason.

So, for your refreshment and viewing pleasure, here’s a compilation of some of H!p’s summeriest.

~Celestia~

Our next “Name that Song” challenge has songs from Berryz and C-ute (no Buono). In fact, I’ll give you a hint and say that 6 of the songs are Berryz and 6 are C-ute. Again, clips are only 2 seconds long. I think maybe this one is a little easier?

So, how many did you get this time?? Shall I continue making these?

~Celestia~

HIGHLIGHT BELOW FOR ANSWERS:

1. Icchoumei Rock! (7 Berryz Times Album)

2. Soku Dakishimete (C-ute Single)

3. Amai Wana (Everyday Zekkouchou!! B-side, C-ute)

4. Sabori (Dai 2 Seichouki Berryz Album)

5. Every Day Yeah! Kataomoi (Cutie Queen Vol. 1 Album)

6. Tsukiatteru nanoni Kataomoi (Berryz Single)

7. Sono Subete no Ai ni (Dakishimete Dakishimete B-side, Berryz)

8. Faraway (Momoiro Sparkling B-side, C-ute)

9. Berry Fields (Anatanashi de wa Ikite Yukenia B-side, Berryz)

10.Edo no Temari no Uta II (C-ute Single)

11. One’s Life (4 Akogare My Star Album, C-ute)

12. Koi no Jubaku (Berryz Single)

It’s been a while since I’ve made a game! The rules are simple, listen to the video below and name that song. You’ve got to listen fast though, because each clip is only 2 seconds long. All songs are from Morning Musume albums, singles, or B-sides. Some are much easier than others.

So how’d you do?  If you got all 12, you are a true Momusu wota (personally, I think I’d only get 10 if I were playing). How’s the difficulty level? I thought about doing all h!p, but then I narrowed it to just Morning Musume because I thought that’d be too hard. Maybe I’ll do that for next time though!

~Celestia~

FOR ANSWERS HIGHLIGHT BELOW

1. Be Positive! (Sexy 8 Beat Album)

2. Happy Summer Wedding (Single)

3. Dekiru Onna (Ai Araba B-side)

4. Kira Kira Fuyu no Shiny G (7.5 Fuyu Fuyu Morning Musume Mini Album)

5. Pepper Keibu (Single)

6. “Suggoi Nakama” (No.5 Album)

7. Harajuku 6.00 Shuugou (3rd Love Paradise Album)

8. Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game (Single)

9. Shiroi Chou no Samba (Cover You Album)

10. Chance Chance Boogie (Sexy Boy B-side)

11. Tatoeba (Daite Hold on Me B-side)

12. The Peace! (Single)

So, I wasn’t planning to do another Costume Hall of Shame really, but then I saw this picture.

*facepalm*

I swear to God, this is the EXACT same print as my grandmother’s sofa. Not only that, but it’s been fashioned into a horribly unflattering pajama jump suit thing. Are those random medals pinned on her supposed to make it cool? Is this punk? Because that teddy bear is hard core. Overall, the costume makes me angry and sleepy. Probably not what they were going for.

And as long as we’re talking about bad costumes again, another costume that I strongly disagreed with was this one.

Giant asymmetrical hip ruffle makes gives the impression of giant asymmetrical hips. Who’d have thunk? The fabric is clashing with itself too. Maybe that’s why the hip ruffle is trying to escape.

And finally…

I had a hard time finding a good picture of this, so here’s a video of her wearing it. Saki has a solo around :35 and 1:05

Okay people. Ogawa Saki is not 5 years old. Stop dressing her like a baby clown! I mean, this red romper with puff balls is cut to just above ankle length, making it even more infantile. Having her sing Get Up Rapper while wearing this makes me think H!P is trolling us.

~Celestia~