Bikkuri Project

My recent graduation has me feeling thankful to be a h!p fan. There just aren’t many American songs that are suitable for musing on graduation. There’s that Vitamin C thing from forever ago, and I could always listen to the “doooooo dododo doo doo” graduation march over and over again, but thanks to h!p’s frequent graduations, I have lots of songs that are well suited to a graduation state of mind. Here’s my top 6. Mostly MM, but they have the most graduating going on, so that makes sense. They’re not all songs that have been used to for graduations, but there are some other songs that just seemed appropriate.

6. Hey! Mirai- MM- Future-focused songs are always good for graduation. This one is all about dreams for your future life. It’s fitting for the graduate who isn’t quite sure where they’re heading next and needs some encouragement. Lyric Sample: Hey! Kono machi wa. Watashitachi o sodatete. Hey! Kono saki wa. Watashitachi ga tsukuru mirai. Translation: Hey! This town is the place that raised us. Hey! Right before us is the future that we’re going to make.
5. Hyacinth- Ayaya- Pretty song right? It expresses appreciation for the people who supported you, now that it’s time for you to set out on your own. Appreciation for the people who helped you get there is an important thing to remember at graduation-time. Lyric Sample: Arigatou. Watashi ga itsuka watarashi rashii kaze ni naru. Arigatou anata ga kureta subete ni arigatou. Translation: Thank you. One day I will become my own wind. Thank you for everything you gave me.

4. I Wish- MM- It’s the graduation song, right? This song is so very hopeful. The message, “there are both good times and bad in life, but overall, life is wonderful!” is just what a new graduate needs to hear. Lyric Sample: Hare no hi ga aru kara. Sono uchi ame mo furu. Subete itsuka nattoku dekiru sa! Jinsei tte subarashii. Translation: Because there are sunny days, there are rainy days too. Someday, you’ll understand it all. Life is wonderful.

3. Never Forget- MM- This is one of MM’s songs that’s tailor-made for graduation. The lyrics are about reminiscing about the past with friends while you reluctantly say goodbye. I know I’ll never forget my time in college and the people I met there. Lyric Sample: Wasurenai wa anata no koto. Zutto soba ni itai kedo nee shikata nai yo ne. aa nakidashisou. Translation: I’ll never forget you. I want to stay by your side always, but I guess there’s nothing I can do. Aa, it seems that I’m starting to cry.

2. ByeBye Matta ne- Berryz- Sometimes you want to feel optimistic and excited about where you’re going. Sometimes you want to cry your heart out over leaving where you have been. This is the song for that second occasion. Saying goodbye to my best friends, quite possibly never to see them again, is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. The lyrics and the tone of this song express that feeling perfectly. Lyric Sample: Bye Bye kyou to iu suteki na jikan. Bye Bye watashi na zeitaku na anata to no jikan. Translation: Bye bye. Today was really a wonderful time. Bye bye. The time I spent with you was precious.

1. Aruiteru-MM, Maybe a surprising choice for number 1? I swear though, this one is just waiting to be someone’s graduation song. Maybe Sayumi’s. She seems rather attached to it. I like the image of “walking forward into the unknown future”. There’s the feeling that we’ve got to keep walking, keep progressing. It’s encouraging, especially since the song reminds us that we’re not alone. Lyric Sample: Aruiteru. Sono saki no sora he. Mada minu mirai he. Translation: Walking. Towards that sky ahead. Towards the future we cannot yet see.

To the future! Cheers,

~Celestia~

Holy shit, I’m a college graduate.

 ~Celestia~

Another cross-over post. You have been warned. There’s more h!p so it goes here.

I’ve got to admit, I’m kind of brutal with music. When I get a new album or single or whatever, the first thing I do is listen to all of the songs once or twice through and sort them into two categories. Either they go into the NEW section of the “My Music” folder or to the “Other” folder, which is a dumping ground for things I’m not sure I want to get rid of, but I’m not sure I want to keep either. The “My Music” songs in the new folder get listened to regularly until I’m no longer being obsessive about them at which point they are moved to the appropriate permanent folder, sorted by group, where they will still be listened to, but not as often. Songs that go to the “Other” folder are largely forgotten about until something prompts me to dig them up again. When I say I’m brutal about my sorting, I mean it. It’s not uncommon for entire albums to end up in the “other” folder, and even with my favorite groups, it’s rare that more than 3 or so songs on an album make the cut.

That’s not to say that I never change my mind. I will occasionally go back and give albums or songs another chance, just in case, and I usually find some songs that didn’t impress me much on the first listen, but are great on the second. Also, watching a good live performance of a song is often all it takes to change my mind about it. So, out of my more recent diggings through my reject folder, here are some of my “New” discoveries.

Koi Uranai Toori ni wa Naranaiwa- Ongaku Gatas Album
I’m ashamed to admit that I kind of blew off the entire 1^st Goodsal album when it came out. Something about Gatas and their music style just doesn’t sit right with me. It might have been Mutou Mika, I dunno, but interestingly enough, she’s the one who inspired me to give this song another listen. I noticed that it is the only song on the entire album where she has any sort of solo line (for a grand total of 5 words), and I wanted to hear what her voice sounded like. Not surprisingly, she’s no Ayaya, but surprisingly, I found myself liking the song. Not the best singing (it’s all the eggs), but it’s got a nice melody.

Fight All Night, KT-
I was resisting this song for a very long time for a very dumb reason; I think the title is stupid. There are several songs I have excluded from my files over the years because I’m embarrassed to listen to something with such a lame English title (MM’s ‘Nature is Good’ comes to mind). However, on reassessment, I’m forced to admit that the part in the beginning where they kind of computerize a few words of Jin and Kame’s voices is rather cool, and they don’t say “Fight all Night” that often, so I have begrudgingly promoted it to the My Music folder.

Dekiru Onna, MM (c/w to Ai Araba)-
B-sides are always at a big disadvantage when it comes to making the list, especially when they are the coupling for a single that I really like. I love Ai Araba so much that almost any coupling track would pale in comparison. So, I brushed off Dekiru Onna as being too slow and kind of strange and forgot about it….until the Sexy8Beat concert. The girls were all sweaty and lethargic, and somehow it was the sexiest performance of a concert with the word “sexy” right in the title! The last line where Rika (Aika in the concert) gets cut off is awesome. This isn’t standard MM, but it’s certainly worth more than one listen. 45 second performance clip! Short for easy viewing.

Online Videos by Veoh.com

Rock You- Arashi, TIME album
What a deceptive title. There’s nothing “Rock” about this song at all. Without a doubt, it was the live performance from the TIME concert DVD that made me like it. Turns out that while I don’t care for the chorus much, I LOVE the verses. The song starts with the chorus, so I probably stopped paying atention at that point when I first heard it. I really hope that this is an Arashi album track that they’ll be bringing back sometime. Also, I like the little Ohmiya moment in this song. You can see better in the larger version, but I swear, Nino has a certain way of smiling that you only see around Oh-chan. Doesn’t he look downright proud? Anyway, this part of the song is really nice, isn’t it? 30 second clip!

Online Videos by Veoh.com

Sayonara Hageshiki Koi, Berryz-
It is a mystery to me why this song didn’t make it through the first time around. Did I accidentally skip it or something? I watched the “Welcome Berryz Kyuuden” concert and was like, “What is this song?? It rocks!” You know, it might even be my favorite Berryz album song now. I’ll have to think about that though…

I suppose the lesson here is that it might be worth your time to give songs a second chance. Something that didn’t really grab you at first may end up becoming one of your favorite songs!

Keep on Rockin’,

~Celestia~

I don’t know exactly what this is, but it sure is cute! Also, I love Disney so…

Interesting that LinLin got a singing line when Sayu, Aika, and JunJun just got spoken parts. Anyway, real update on the way soon. I’m busy watching all 9 solo angles of the BonKyu concert you see…

Mickey Mouse!

~Celestia~

I am currently debating whether or not to attend the summer Wonderful Hearts concert, and before you say, “You fool! Of course you should go!!” please hear me out. The concerts are on August 2nd and 3rd. I will be in Japan staying with friends starting in mid July, but I’ll only have moved to my residence in Saitama a few days before. I won’t be very familiar with the area yet, so I’m concerned that I won’t be able to figure out the train system in time to safely get myself there. Also, I’ll probably be very busy trying to set up house in my new apartment. Finally, I’m unsure whether or not I will have training activities for my job that day. It’s a weekend, and the contract says I don’t work weekends, but since it’s the very beginning, there might be activities anyway. I suppose they might get over before the concerts, but with my lack to train skillz, I don’t want to cut the timing too close. I do really want to go though, and an all Wonderful Hearts concert would be a great way to kick off my year in Japan, wouldn’t it?

Then, assuming that I can work out all of the problems mentioned above, what sort of tickets ought I to get? On the one hand, as a 5′4” 115lb female, I’m worried that if I sit on the main level I will be accidentally trampled by overenthusiastic dancing wota or perhaps take an elbow to the face and break my nose or something. I’d imagine being rushed to the emergency room would be a pretty effective way to ruin my concert-going experience. Also, I don’t really intend to dance along, because I want to actually watch the concert, so I’m worried people might get annoyed if I’m not dancing with everyone. On the other hand, I don’t want to have to bring binoculars just to make out which girl is which. I’m going to the concert to actually see them, and that might be difficult if I’m sitting up in the “family” section.

Help?

~Celestia~ 

Gaki-saaaaaaaaaaaan!!! My favorite Momusu has a new photobook. Many thanks to gordiehowe at the hello online forums for putting scans up for download. I still can’t get over how she has transformed from an awkward pig-tailed kid into such a lovely young woman. She’s kept the same beautiful smile throughout though. Here are my favorite pictures of our little duckling turned swan.

Allow me to indulge myself with a bit of personal news at the end here. I finished my last ever class as an undergraduate about an hour ago. There’s still finals, of course, but no more classes. I feel…weird. I’m happy, but I also kind of feel like crying. I’m proud to have (almost) earned my degree, and I’m looking forward to going to Japan, but I hate it when things end, and today was the first time it started sinking in that a major chapter of my life is almost over. Even more than when I finished high school, everything in my life is about to change all at once. I don’t even know what to feel right now, and as graduation approaches, I know it’s just going to get more confusing.

Tomorrow is another day,

~Celestia~

I haven’t been around much lately, have I? I do have a good excuse though. We’re entering into finals week at my school, so I’ve been very very busy trying to graduate. It’s important that I do so, because if I don’t graduate, I don’t get to go to Japan, and if I don’t get to go to Japan I don’t get to go to concerts in Japan, and if I don’t get to go to concerts in Japan I will be so utterly disappointed that I probably won’t even bother defending myself when my mom comes to kill me for wasting all the money they spent on tuition by coming out without a degree.

I do feel obliged to take note of the fact that Mika Mutou is leaving both Ongaku Gatas and H!P. It’s no secret that Mucchi has not been my favorite h!p member. In fact, it’s fair to say that she’s been my least favorite h!p member. However, the announcement of her departure has made me like her just a bit more. She evidently realized that there is no future for her in the idol industry (and you’re just kidding yourself if you really think otherwise), and so she made the wise decision to exit gracefully. I respect her for that. She was lacking in looks, charm, and vocal ability, but apparently not in brains. I still kind of hate Mucchi the idol, but I wish Mika Mutou the person all the best with wherever her future takes her.

I wonder though, is Ongaku Gatas over? It’s been a while since they released anything, they’ve lost two members, and Arisa Noto is going to be busy with that new Happy Style unit now, so who knows how long she’ll stick around.

To Mika!

~Celestia~

PS. As long as we’re talking about eggs, I added a new poll. Vote for your favorite Egg! I added the girls who seem to be the most visible, but if your favorite isn’t on the list, feel free to add her! Remember that Erina and Miki aren’t eggs anymore, so please don’t add them!

Yesterday, I took it upon myself to learn how to make animated .gifs, and now I’m kind of addicted to it. I made a bunch for my other blog, and then spent far too long just staring at them. Watching them go around and around and around and around and…anyway, for my first, but certainly not last batch of h!p .gifs, I’ve just used the Resonant Blue “Another Version” pv since I already had it on my computer.

Feel free to take these, but as always, comments are highly appreciated.

Round and round and…

~Celestia~ 

!!!!!CONGRATULATIONS WINGEDMONKEY!!!

You have correctly guessed all of the song titles in my little game. Looks like I’m going to have to make the next game more difficult, because you guys are just too smart for me. I definitely want to do something like this again. I think it was a lot of fun. Highlight below for the correct answers, or don’t look just yet if you still want to try guessing just for fun. You can comment here if you want an explanation on any of them.

EDIT: Prize has been sent!

1. Resonant Blue- MM

2. Ookina ai de Motenashite- C-ute

3. Uwase no Sexy Guy- Maki

4. Wassup? Enryo ga Theme- Minimoni

5. Koko ni Iruzee- MM

6. Skip!- Melons

7. Sentimental Minamimuki- Tanpopo

8. Robokiss- W

9. Giniro no Eien- Miki

10. I know- Ayaya

11. Shiawase desuka- Sexy 8

12. Handmade City- MM

13. Unforgettable- Melons

14. Yeah! Meccha Holiday- Ayaya

15. Happy Summer Wedding- MM

16. Ai to Taiyou ni Tsutsumarete- MM

17. Sugao flavor- Kirari

18. Baketsu no Mizu- Buono

19. Mikan- MM

20. Bi~ Hit Parade- VUDen

21. Thanks- Gam

22. Get- Heike Michiyo

23. Dance & Chance- Coconuts

24. Ai no Sono, touch my heart- MM

25. Takara no Hako- MM

26. Hey! Mirai- MM

27. Very Beauty- Berryz

28. Everyday, Everywhere- Taiyou to Ciscomoon

29. Amasugita Kajitsu- Nacchi

30. Iroppoi Onna ~Sexy Baby~, Country Musume

31. Tatoeba- MM

32. Lucky Chachacha- Minimoni

33. Sayounara, Tomodachi ni wa Naritakunai no- Maki

34. Kokoro no Tanima- Gatas

35. Baisekou, Daiseikou- Pucchimoni

36. Fighting Pose wa Date ja Nai- Berryz

37. Aruiteru- MM

38. Pittari Shitai X-mas- Pucchimoni

39. Shouri no Big Wave- Athena and co.

40. Namida Tomaranai Houkago- MM

41. Aisu Kuriimu to My Purin- VUDen

42. Otome no Shinrigaku- MM

43. Otome no Keitai denwa no himitsu- W

44. Akai Fresia- Melons

45. Special Generation- Berryz

46. Today is My Birthday- Berryz

47. Jump!- C-ute

48. Fine Emotion- MM

49. Oshare- Ayaya

50. Last kiss- Tanpopo

Below you will see a list of Hello Project song titles in disguise. I’ve taken the meaning of various H!P song titles and put them into different words. For example, “Love Machine” might become “Mechanical Device of Strong Affection”. If a title is in Japanese, I may use words that mean the same as the English translation, but a good two thirds of them are at least partially in English to begin with. See how it works? Your challenge is to decode as many of them as possible. “Why should I?” you may ask. Because it’s fun! Also, I’m generously bribing you.

THE RULES

1. Post your guess in the comments section. I will not approve these comments to be viewed by anyone (so no one can steal your answers)
2. The contest ends on May 20^th at midnight
3. The first person to guess all of them correctly, or the person who has the most correct when the contest ends, is the winner
4. Any song within the Hello Project discography is fair game. TNX is not included. Any distinguishing punctuation (~, *, !, etc) is not included in the clues
5. If I feel like it, I may give hints on some of them later on
6. It is not required to list the artist name in your answers
7. The grand prize is $30 to YesAsia.com to spend as you see fit. If anyone can get all of them, I’ll be extremely impressed and make it $60

Here is the list. Some of them are quite hard, some of them not so much. Remember, it can’t hurt to guess. If you only get one right but you’re the only one who guesses, you still win! Ready, set, go!!!!

1. A cheerless sustentation or amplification of sonance
2. Regale me with potent fondness which is of above average size
3. The possessor of a Y-chromosome about which statements are in general circulation
4. Why, how might you be today? The subject matter is circumspection
5. This is my current location
6. Move in a light, springy, manner by bounding forward with alternate hops on each foot!
7. Maudlin with the front part of my head directed 90° clockwise from East
8. Automatronsmack
9. The color of Ag in perpetuity
10. It is within my comprehension
11. Would you describe yourself as “chipper”?
12. A metropolis constructed entirely without the use of machines
13. Impossible to become unable to recall
14. An affirming acknowledgment. Day of exemption from work to a high degree.
15. Gladsome nuptials during the period in which our particular hemisphere of the Earth is most tilted towards the sun
16. Completely enclosed in warm personal attachment as well as radiance emanating from a nearby star
17. Doesn’t taste of any sort of deception
18. A flat bottomed cylindrical vessel containing dihydrogen monoxide
19. C. unshiu
20. Pulchritudinousness, procession of dazzling instances of success
21. I wish to express my appreciation
22. Acquire
23. Rhythmical movement as well as opportunity
24. Plot of land used for the cultivation of affection, palpitate the circulatory organ which belongs to me
25. A container often favored by pirates
26. Hark! That which is yet to come
27. Exceedingly pleasing to the eye
28. Exempting neither a single time during which it is not night nor any location
29. Excessively saccharine material resulting from the ovaries of photosynthesizing organisms
30. Erotically attractive lady, infant of similar quality
31. Supposing such is or will be the case
32. Auspicious ballroom dance of Latin American origin
33. Valediction. I do not have a hankering for our relationship to be chummy
34. Coronary cleavage
35. A form of conveyance which relies on two circular frames revolving around an axis aligned in tandem, and a success of considerable size
36. A posture that suggests that one may soon engage in combat lacks in flamboyance
37. Perambulating
38. I covet a yuletide without flaw
39. Monumental progressing disturbance of triumph over adversaries
40. My lacrimal glands will not discontinue being unusually active following a period of education
41. Fattening dairy product of passionate attachment and a thickened dessert in my possession
42. The study of the mental processes of the gentler sex
43. Confidential knowledge which belongs to the portable communication device of a certain lass
44. One of the flowering plants in the family Iridaceae which reflect light at a wavelength of 625-740nm
45. Extraordinary body of individuals from the same epoch
46. The where n=number of earth orbits around the sun and n=0 corresponds to the 24 hour period in which I came into existence, during the current 24 hour period, n is equal to a positive, whole-number integer
47. Make use of the muscles of your legs in order to increase in elevation!
48. Top-notch sentiment
49. Vogue!
50. Buss after which there would be no further osculation

Final Answer?

~Celestia~