Bikkuri Project

Something pretty interesting has occurred to me lately.  It’s kind of an expansion of a theory that I’ve discussed recently on the Hello! Online forums, but what it basically boils down to is this:

I think I know how overwhelmingly popular groups such as Arashi and AKB48 (currently) can exist in Japan.

Keep in mind that every word I’m typing here is a generalization, and I am well aware that it does not apply to everyone. I’m just looking at general trends.

It comes down to what I think is a very important difference between American (possibly European too, but I can’t really speak for Europe) and Japanese fans. It all started with a debate about 10th gen and Sayashi Riho. People were complaining that everyone loved the talented little Riho at first, but then, once she rose to the top of the 9th gen heap, many turned on her.

“I used to love Riho, but now she’s “hogging the solo lines” (or “being pushed in our faces”) and so I don’t like her anymore.”

Logically, this doesn’t really make sense. Why should we dislike a girl for becoming popular? Whether her push to the front is a response to her popularity (and I think it is. She’s been rapidly gaining attention from the moment she appeared in auditions) or her popularity is a result of her push to the front, it can’t be denied that she is the most popular of the 9th gen with the Japanese fans, and that she has earned herself haters among the American fans as a result.

We can see this same pattern happening with the “front” members of any group really. Maeda Atsuko is another good example of a “pushed” girl the American fans love to hate. Just being in the front seems to immediately cause haters. In the mean time, members like my own favorite Niigaki Risa, who never seem to have quite enough spotlight, are often extremely popular with the foreign fans. That’s not to say that every “popular” girl will be hated by foreign fans and every “unpopular” girl will be loved, but if you look at the general trends, the girls who are the most popular in Japan are often relatively less popular in America, and the girls who are least popular in Japan are often very popular in America.

Now, one could argue that this comes down to different personality types being attractive in Japan as compared to America, and there is probably some truth to that, but it’s far from the whole picture. Riho’s personality has not changed dramatically, but American fans turned on her just the same once she started becoming a front girl, while Japanese fans embraced her with open arms. The key difference is this:

Americans have an almost pathological need to root for the underdog, while Japanese have a need to be part of the larger group.

These are deeply embedded cultural values I’m talking about here. Ameicans love the girl who has to fight her way up from the bottom, despite all the obstacles that seem to be in her way. We like to find that girl who’s not appreciated and cheer for her when “no one else” will. (I would say this is true whether or not she “deserves” it). One reason we don’t like the front girl is that she’s “stealing” the spotlight from our poor, unappreciated, underdog. We also don’t want to pick the girl who “everyone else” likes as our favorite because that’s so… cliche or conformist.  Japanese believe that if everyone else loves the girl, there’s a good reason. The group knows better than the individual, and if she’s so popular, she must be pretty special and worthy of consideration. Conversely, if she’s not very popular, she’s probably not so great. Conformist? That’s a compliment!

And THAT is how last year in Japan two groups swept the entire top 10 Oricon singles. How Arashi and AKB probably have over 10 TV shows and dozens of advertising campaigns between them this year (i’ve lost count). In America, if a group or singer reaches a certain degree of popularity, people automatically begin to dislike them because “they’re so mainstream”. It becomes uncool to like that particular group. A natural leveling off and even decline of popularity occurs. In Japan, popularity can continue to increase exponentially. More people liking a group makes more people become fans of that group, no matter how “mainstream” they become. Mainstream is a good thing in Japan.  It’s a positive feedback loop! Popularity can just keep going up and up, until they essentially run out of people to become fans or something better comes along. When I was in Japan I could hardly find a person who didn’t at least casually like Arashi. You would never find that in America with a band or singer that is still in the media forefront. (we’re not talking nostalgia here, because that’s another issue)

Eventually, the people will move on to the next big thing and AKB and Arashi will suffer a gradual decline in popularity, most likely still holding on to a sizable contingent of fans for a good long time. This will happen not because they got too popular, but because casual fans are fickle. Something else will start rising in popularity and they will happily jump aboard the bandwagon. Meanwhile, the American fans will continue to bemoan the fact that our favorite groups and members will always be pushed away in the corner, and they deserve to be in the front, totally unaware that if they were to become very popular for any extended period of time, we would probably like those groups and group members less for it.

Dang… I want to write a thesis on this or something,

~Celestia~

I’ve finished my most recent video project! I put a lot of work into this one, and I think it came out pretty well (though I still can’t seem to top my Eri/Jun/Lin graduation OPV). This time it’s my Top 20 Current H!p members. I had to get this finished before Ai-chan graduates, or she couldn’t be included. The song is “All for One and One for All” because that HAS to be the song for something like this.

Hope you like it! The old youtube channel surpassed 400,000 views a while ago, and I’m pretty excited about that. Big thanks to everyone who’s watched my videos!

~Celestia~

There was a small mistake in the MM singles sporcle game (”in” instead of “ni”). Just wanted to thank those of you who called it to my attention and let you know it’s been fixed.

There’s a few things I want to talk about, so I figured I’d just cram them all into one post. Sound good? No? Well I’m doing it anyway!

1. Kosuga Fuyuka has to drop out of S/mileage sub members due to severe anemia. Not much that can be said here other than “That’s so sad for her”. I bet her anemia was connected to how very skinny she is. Her departure may be a blow for S/mileage as she was the sub member gaining fans most quickly and seemed to be featured in the center of the new girls. I’m sure the other sub members are sad but… do you think some are thinking “Now that she’s gone, I have a better chance of becoming a full member”?

2. Maybe an unpopular opinion? Not to pick on the cripple but, You know what, I’ve been thinking about it, and I’m just going to come out and say it. I don’t like Mitsui Aika anymore. She’s just not a very good idol. She seemed to have potential at first, little miss smiley, and as the only member of her generation (at first), I was so excited by her addition. I really wanted her to become a great idol,  but she has just failed to develop into anything special, and every year I lose interest more. Her singing got a little better, then flatlined, and now it’s infuriatingly inconsistant. She can sound quite good on a line or two (usually lower lines), but then she comes out and sings the entirety of “Sungoi My Birthday” in this annoying, breathy “little girl” voice.  It sounds just awful and weird in a way that’s hard to describe. And that’s the voice she uses most of the time. Her looks are nothing special, and her personality seems to become blander by the day. She’s failed spectacularly at gathering fan support (her mixi community has been surpassed by half of 9th gen already, and Eripon will likely beat her in another month or two as well) And don’t tell me she hasn’t been given a chance to shine!  She had every chance in the world when she first debuted. She was the only girl in her generation at first, so all the attention was on her. She had prominent solo lines in both Egao Yes Nude and Kanashimi Twilight and a strong presence in Onna ni Sachi Are and Mikan. But management realized that they couldn’t sell her, so she was gradually pushed back to where she is today. In summary: To everyone saying “Mittsi deserves to be in the spotlight more! She’s so under appreciated! She shouldn’t be pushed back in favor of 9th gen members!” I say “She’s getting exactly what she deserves based on her popularity, talent, and level of charisma. Every member of 9th gen is already a way better idol than she is.” Was it a mistake picking Aika above Kikkawa Yuu? Oh hell yes it was. Yuu might not have much personality either, but at least she has a pretty voice.

Whew. Some might hate me for that, but I’m glad I got it off my chest.

3. Morning Musume 10th Gen Audition Footage. This week we got a quick teaser of the 10 finalists. Although… I still think there’s a possibility that s/mileage finalists are in the running but they didn’t have to go to the camp since they’ve already done a camp and UFA has seen enough to judge them. Anyway, we only saw a tiny bit of each girl, but here are my initial impressions. Of course, this could all change after next week’s audition footage. Not going to include pictures here. Maybe in a later post.

Kudo Haruka- Absolutely adorable, well-spoken (based on egg footage), and she has a nice strong voice. I don’t just like her because she’s an egg either, because there are plenty of eggs I don’t want anywhere near Morning Musume. The one drawback is not so much that she’s young (11)  but that she LOOKS young.  My First Choice

Ikubo Haruna- Pretty, fashionable, and seems charismatic. Also the right age to fill in the “gap” between Mittsi and 9th gen. Singing sounds weak though. Apparently she’s the “most improved”, which probably means she’s the “project” girl. You know, the one who kind of sucks at everything but might make it through on looks and personality? There’s certainly room for that kind of girl in MM, but only if she’s added alongside someone with more talent. I think she’d be popular. My Fourth Choice (as long as she’s not the only girl added)

Sato Masaki- Just not feeling it on this one. Vocally weak, and I don’t think she’s very cute either. Then again, she could prove me wrong. No Thanks (for now)

Tashima Meru- She’s cute in a weird way? Her voice is okay, not great, but there’s some potential there. At least she’s very facially expressive when singing. There’s something about her I like so I’m going to say Maybe.

Oogami Hinako- Long hair, good dancer, pretty, but no footage of her singing yet, so it’s hard to form an opinion. Unsure, need to hear her sing

Miyagi Ayumi- Okay singer, but I just don’t think she’s very cute. Kind of has a pinched face? And looks are important for idols, so I dunno. Maybe.. leaning towards no.

Miwa Satsuki- Looks a little like Berryz Captain to me. Unconventionally cute. Seems okay at singing. I’m not crazy about her, but she looks like the kind of girl Tsuku goes for, and I don’t dislike her so far. Maybe

Ishida Ayumi- The other standout “all arounder” (besides Haruka). Very good dancer, pretty face (looks like Riho in a couple years), and seems to be at least decent at singing. It’s hard to tell because Naichau Kamo is kind of a brutal song.  My Third Choice

Tanaka Fuuka- Good dancer, maybe the worst singer in this audition group (and she said she’s been taking singing lesson, so she probably won’t get much better). Cute, but not stand-out cute enough to make up for her voice (example: Sayu can get away with her singing because of her looks) No thanks, unless she turns out to have a fantastic personality

Murakami Sara- Probably the best singer out of this audition group, and she hasn’t even had lessons! For that reason alone, I like her, but she also has a good face and there are hints she might be a “cool” character (she plays the drums and has a cool hairstyle). That’s something that’s been missing since Yossie and Mikitty left. One drawback is that initially she doesn’t seem to be as popular with the Japanese wota as a few of the other girls. My Second Choice

So far, it looks like there is a lot of potential in this pool of girls. The best part is that there isn’t anyone so far that I’m thinking “Oh God no! Please don’t pick her!!” *cough Mogi cough*. There isn’t too long until we find out who the 10ki’s are, but I still can’t wait!

4. Sporcle Games. Have you guys ever been to that site? Great time waster. I’ve made a couple h!p themed games. The first is naming all Momusu singles (similar games existed, but weren’t up to date with recent singles), and all Berryz singles. If you like it, you can search for other h!p games that various users have made.

http://www.sporcle.com/games/Celestia/all-morning-musume-singles-

http://www.sporcle.com/games/Celestia/all-berryz-kobo-singles

~Celestia~

PS. Working on a new video of my top h!p members, and it’s going really well so far. Taking a long time though…

Wow…. I mean, I’m shocked, but I guess these rushed-feeling auditions make a lot more sense now. I said in a previous blog post that auditions probably mean graduations, but I didn’t expect it to be this soon.

It really seems that she may not be leaving on very good terms. It’s pretty clear that the agency didn’t want her to leave, but she forced the issue.   For example, Tsunku’s statement:

“Also, she is still an immature student.
A working adult would understand that abandoning work half way is an inexcusable act,”

So he basically says that what she’s doing is “inexcusable” but to please forgive her because she’s too young to understand responsibility. Also, the fact that she is leaving in just a few days, without any kind of graduation ceremony or send-off. Only girls who leave with h!p’s blessing get a graduation concert. Honestly, this is probably a very bad time in S/mileage’s development to lose a member, especially their strongest singer, so it’s understandable why they don’t want her to leave right now. I imagine it feels like they’ve invested so much into Saki, years of training and grooming, and done all this promotion and work leading up to S/mileage’s debut and their first year, and NOW just as they’re really starting to take off she decides to quit. On the other hand, Saki is young (14) and she joined h!p at the tender age of 7. Seems that a lot of important decisions about her life have been made for her, and now maybe she wants to take back control.

I mostly feel bad for the other members. I wonder if they only just found out too? It’s pretty clear that the other girls didn’t know at the time they announced the auditions, since they were all saying things like “But I want it to stay just the four of us!” They must be so sad!

~Celestia~

Hey all. Something a little bit different today: my top 12 anime themes! But since that doesn’t have much to do with h!p, let’s do some mini-reviews first.

Aa, Yoru ga Akeru: Pfffffffffffft. Berryz songs are all starting to sound alike since they decided to go with this new “sexy” angle. I miss the Berryz from 2005- early 2010.

Sekaiichi Happy na Onnanoko: It’s starting to grow on me. The PV is pretty cute. However, the dance is the stupidest thing I’ve seen out of h!p for a long time, and “Kiss me Aishiteru” and “Momoiro Sparkling” are both better songs.

“Paretenza” and “Natsu Dakara”: Buono is back! Natsu Dakara is a great summer song, and I’m impressed with the singing skills. There are some good tracks on the album too. I especially like “San Bun no Ichi no Junjou na Kanjou”. Yeah, I know it’s a cover, but it’s the first time hearing it for me, and I like how they used their deeper voices.

Also, have I mentioned that I love “Uchuoten Love”? Because I do.

Now, on the topic of anime themes:

I think it’s very interesting that in Japan, themes for TV shows are usually real songs by real artists. I think most established acts in America would never stoop to doing a TV theme, but in Japan, the biggest artists do songs for TV shows all the time, and they top the sales charts.  For this reason, you can find some real quality songs attached to animes.

I have to admit, I’ve put together a pretty eclectic list. There are old songs, new songs, cute songs from girly anime, and epic songs from violent anime. Now, I don’t claim to be an anime expert. In fact, I haven’t even watched the shows several of these songs come from. I just found a cool song and later learned it came from an anime.

Oh, and I limited myself to just 1 h!P song, because otherwise the list would be overrun with Shugo Chara and Inuzama 11 songs.

12. Sousei no Aquarion, Genesis of Aquarion: A pretty popular karaoke song in Japan. I actually first heard it on a game of Taiko no Tatsujin

11. Yuzurenai Negai, Magic Knight Rayearth: Ah memories of middle school. I taught myself how to play this on piano. People would ask me “what’s that pretty song?” but I wouldn’t admit what it was

10. Cha-La Head-Cha-La, Dragon Ball Z: THE classic anime theme. Japanese law stipulates that it’s got to show up on lists like this.

9. Life is Like a Boat, Bleach: Don’t really care for Bleach, but I love Rie Fu’s voice. A really simple, but beautiful (and bilingual) song.

8. Kesenai Tsumi, Full Metal Alchemist: FMA just has too many great songs to choose from!

7. Blue Bird, Naruto: This was playing everywhere my first year in Japan! Another one where I know the song but not the series.

6. Sekai Wo, Death Note: My favorite anime series. I never skipped through this opening, because the song’s so cool with the animation!

5. New Future, Full Moon wo Sagashite: Okay, so it was only used as the ending for the final episode, but that still counts as an ending theme! All of the “changin’ my life” songs from this series are really great, but this one’s my favorite. (Ever heard of this show? It’s a cute little anime about a girl who wants to be a singer so she can reach the guy she loves (who moved to America when they were little). Magical transformations! Sappy messages about never giving up on your dream! Oh, and also she’s dying of throat cancer, her parents are dead, and the guy she loves is actually dead too but she doesn’t find that out until later. Odd show)

4. Rottara Rottara, Shugo Chara: Had to get at least 1 h!p song in there. This is my favorite Buono song.

3. Asu e no Brilliant Road, Uchuu no Stellvia: I was able to see Angela perform live a couple years ago, and I fell in love with this song. It’s very unique, don’t you think?

2. Melissa, Full Metal Alchemist: So…catchy! Now it’ll be stuck in my head all day.

1. Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis, Neon Genesis Evangelion: I have a love-hate relationship with Evangelion, but a love-love relationship with this anime theme classic.

And the surprise at the end? Just try and tell me you weren’t tempted to start singing along.

~Celestia~

Having closely watched the S/mileage auditions, I was very excited to find out the results today. Still, a part of me feels like, with regards to S/mileage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. I mean, they’ve just released their best selling single ever, outselling the first weeks of all but a couple Berryz and C-ute songs, and their chemistry as a group is really strong. On the other hand, S/mileage is a group with a very “youthful” image, and it may be that instead of letting their image mature, like Berryz, Tsunku wants the members of the group to remain young. I hate to say it, but where there’s auditions, there’s probably also graduations. Something tells me that the current S/mileage members don’t have more than 2-3 years left in the group, maybe a bit longer for Saki since she’s older.

Anyway, that unpleasantness aside let’s take a look at the new sort-of members!

Katsuta Rina

Her singing and dancing are both  polished and debut-ready. Maybe a bit weaker than the other two eggs, but certainly head and shoulders above the non-egg finalists. Of the three eggs who auditioned, I didn’t really expect her to make it, but she seems like a really sweet girl, and I’m glad she did. One of her eyes is shaped differently than the other, but I still think she’s cute.

Kosuga Fuyuka

6 kanji in her name! 6! Anyway, Fuyuka has a unique look, and apparently she’s smart? I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about her that makes her stand out, and I think the audition judges saw that. Her dancing was good, singing… not so much. Her voice is pretty nasally, but having a bad voice never stopped Dawa I guess. There’s enough good singers in the group to cover for her.

Tamura Meimi

Also known as the cute little girl from the Shugo Chara musical. Tamura brings lots of spunk, S/mileage-worthy personality, and energetic on-point dancing. She’s also adorable, though her teeth need some help. Then there’s her voice. It’s strong. I mean, she really knows how to project.  It’s even in tune, but it’s really really super high pitched. Like Momoko on helium. I don’t know if she’ll grow out of that. Honestly, it’s not a huge problem for me though. Her voice fits with S/mileage, and I might even kind of like it!

Nakanishi Kana

I was absolutely shocked that this girl got in. Out of everyone at the audition, I felt like she stood out the least. I mean, she wasn’t terrible at anything, but she wasn’t very good at anything either. She was just kind of… there. I suppose she’ll be trainable and her dancing and singing will improve, and she’s not bad-looking, but I really feel that some time as an Egg would have been the better option for Kana. Not sure there’s really anything special about this one, but I hope she proves me wrong!

Takeuchi Akari

Take-chan! She was my first choice for S/mileage. Excellent dancer, and a good singer too! She first impressed me in Shin Minimoni. Interesting fact, Takeuchi joined the Eggs in the same group (of three girls) as Fukumura Mizuki.  Anyway, I’m really happy for Akari, and I know she’ll be great in S/mileage. What I’m not happy about is that they gave her Fukuda Kanon’s old haircut from when S/mileage debuted. I HATE that haircut! (I used an old picture here just because I can’t stand it).

A couple fan-favorites from the audition were notably absent from the winners circle. First, Miyazaki Yuka, the girl who perpetually looked like she was going to cry. She reminded me of a cute puppy, and she just seemed so… earnest. I can see why she didn’t get in though. Too tall and probably too old (17) for being a new S/mileage member. I could really see a place for her in Morning Musume though, so it’s be interesting if she tried out for 10th gen. If h!p really lets her go, don’t be surprised if she turns up in an AKB group sometime soon.

Also absent, Miyamoto Karin, leading to much speculation that she will be added to Morning Musume 10th gen for sure. That wouldn’t surprise me one bit, but whatever happens, it’s clear that the reason Karin wasn’t chosen for S/mileage isn’t that she’s not talented or cute enough, because she has HEAPS of talent and cute. I’m not too worried, because I have no doubt that h!p has a plan for her. You don’t get natural star-power like that every day.

Another interesting point is how they are handling the new girls. Instead of becoming full-fledged members, they will be sub-members until after S/mileage’s tour in October at which point Tsunku will decide what to do with them. They could become full members, remain sub members, become eggs, or be dropped from h!p entirely. It’s like these next few months are still one long audition for them! I wonder if Tsunku will really follow through with this plan, because it’s going to be absolutely heart-breaking for any girl who doesn’t make it into the group. It’s an interesting idea though. I guess they want to be really sure they’re picking the right girl before they commit to her.

Well, I for one am looking forward to S/mileage’s next single and seeing all the newbies in action.

~Celestia~

PS. Does anyone think the new gimmick of showing live audition footage, the surprise concert announcements, and the sub-members being “sort of part of the group and sort of not and having to prove themselves” thing is a little…AKBesque?

Not long ago I compiled my list of h!p “summer songs”. Interestingly enough, a series of photos of the h!p girls in yukatta answering the question “Which h!p song do you want to listen to in the summer (when it becomes summer)?” I thought I’d do a quick translation and see how their answers compared to mine. 3 girls (Aika, Chisato, and Nakky) are missing. I’ll be sure to update if their pictures show up!

Morning Musume:

Suzuki Kanon: Chu! Natsu Party

Sayashi Riho: Yume Miru 15sai

Ikuta Erina:Hyokkori Hyoutanjima

Fukumura Mizuki: Sekai wa Summer Party

Mitsui Aika: ???

Tanaka Reina: Chu! Natsu Party

Michishige Sayumi:Semi

Niigaki Risa: Genki Pika Pika

Takahashi Ai: Momoiro Kataomoi

Berryz Kobo:

Sugaya Risako: Semi

Kumai Yurina: Maji Bomber

Natsuyaki Miyabi: Natsu Remember You

Sudo Maasa:Maji Good Chance Summer

Tokunaga Chinami: Chu! Natsu Party

Tsunaga Momoko: Natsu Wakame

Shimizu Saki: Maji Bomber

C-ute:

Hagiwara Mai:Tropica~l Koi Shite~ru

Okai Chisato: ???

Suzuki Airi: Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu

Nakajima Saki: ???

Yajima Maimi: Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu

Mano Erina: Sekai wa Summer Party

S/mileage:

Ogawa Saki: Momoiro Sparkling

Fukuda Kanon: Wasuretakunai Natsu

Maeda Yuuka: Yume Miru 15sai

Wada Ayaka: Yume Miru 15sai

I feel weird following S/mileage with a slash since it already has a slash in it. Anyway, it’s time for our next “Name That Song” game! 12 songs, 2 second clips, how many can you guess? All the songs this time come from either S/mileage or a Shugo Chara associated group (Buono, Shugo Chara Egg, Guardians 4). Singles, album songs, and B-sides are all included. Hint: It’s pretty Buono heavy since they have the most material. Should be easy if you’re familiar with those groups since there were less songs to choose from this time. Good luck!

Feel free to leave a comment telling me how you did.

Until Next Time,

~Celestia~

HIGHLIGHT BELOW FOR ANSWERS

1. Janakya Mottainai! (Renai Rider B-side, Buono)

2. Our Songs (Buono Single)

3. Shugo Shugo! (Shugo Chara Egg Single)

4. Hatsukoi no Anata e (Koi ni Booing Buu! B-side, S/mileage)

5. Lady Panther (Gachinko de Ikou! B-side, Buono)

6. Short Cut (S/mileage Single)

7. Over the Rainbow (Buono!2 Album)

8. Kataomoi (We Are Buono! Album)

9. Party Time (Guardians 4 Single)

10. Shooting Star (Warugaki 1 Album, S/mileage)

11. Internet Cupid (Cafe Buono Album)

12. Ama no Jaku (S/mileage Single)

I’ve been watching some footage of the new C-ute and S/mileage collaboration DVD, and I was once again reminded of how much C-ute rocks my socks. Let me take a moment to explain why.

I am the kind of idol fan who values awesome performances over a cute face/personality, perhaps bucking the current trend in idol fandom. That’s not to say that looks and personality aren’t important. I don’t think I could be a fan of an idol I find to be unattractive, but I also have a really hard time getting behind an idol who doesn’t shine on stage. The fact that Sayumi has partially won me over speaks volumes to just how pretty and funny I think she is, but she’s the exception, not the rule.

Anyway, when I think about why I like C-ute so much more than Berryz, it really comes down to their high energy dancing and standout vocalists. As a dancer, I am amazed at the kind of dancing they can pull off while still being able to sing in tune and with such power. It’s been so fun to watch them transform from a group of somewhat awkward little girls, Berryz rejects, into a highly polished, entertaining idol group. Remember how Chisa used to be a bad dancer who looked like a little boy and never got any lines or recognition? Not any more! Remember how Nakky used to be painfully shy and couldn’t sing to save her life? Now she’s a fantastic dancer, full of stage presence, and her singing is…acceptable.

Don’t hate me for saying this, but I honestly believe that losing Kana and Erika made C-ute stronger, because those two were their least popular members and probably their weakest performers. Now the slimmed down 5-nin C-ute has been releasing awesome song after awesome song (Dance de Bakoon!, Aitai Lonely Christmas, Kiss me Aishiteru), their most recent album is one of their best yet,  and they’re finally allowing the non-Airi/Maimi members to get their fair share of solo lines and screen time. Not that I don’t approve of lots of solo lines for Airi (one of the best vocalists in h!p, and she will have the highest ranked mixi community after Ai-chan leaves), but it’s nice to see the others getting a chance too. It finally feels like they’re a real team, not just Airi w/Maimi and some background dancers.

There’s another Berryz/C-ute battle concert coming up (YAY!), so are you Team Berryz or Team C-ute? I think you know where I stand.

~Celestia~

Because they’re fun to look at, C-ute “Then and Now” Gallery

Hagiwara Mai then….

and now!

Okai Chisato then….

and now!

Nakajima Saki then….

and now!

Suzuki Airi then….

and now!

Yajima Maimi then…

and now!