Archives for the ‘Pop Idols’ Category
Perfume - Polyrhythm [10th Single]
A track-by-track review from blackmager on the 2007 release from Perfume. The judgment on the edited version of the title track is brutal, but (to me, at least) appropriate.
Ray • May 15th, 2008
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AKB48 hosts “reality-documentary-variety” show
Courtesy of Tokyograph, news that AKB48 will have their own reality-documentary program. And what’s this about the girls going on a group date? If you bring all the teams for this group date, it’ll look like a Moonies wedding!
Ray • May 15th, 2008
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So guess who was sitting beside each other again…
Johpan brings us the next batch of JunJun goodies, and the second photo needs to be in good resolution. Is that JunJun holding a big cuddly panda??? Should I read into the ideology or should I just pass it off as a cute girl holding a cute thing? Oh, and Aika’s still made to sit by JunJun. No doubt the producers are trying to fool us into thinking they’re getting along. I choose not to believe it.
wu-san • May 14th, 2008
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Ojamarushe Intros (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KONKON!! - Part 2)
HarimaKenji shares a healthy dose of KonKon via H!M News segments. You know the ones, where she role-played a host of characters along side Ogawa and Yuko. My favourite one has to be of her kitted up in baseball attire. She’s just too adorable in, actually, in everything she does. Thanks to HK for bringing these to our attention, and breathing a little life into past H!P happenings.
wu-san • May 14th, 2008
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Berikyuu! Episode 11: At Wii’s End
Another snark instalment of Ray’s imagination which is geared towards idols and Berykuu!, that is to say it’s all rather mad. This time around we have murdering and the right way to go about and dispose of all, well, of all these murders. Of course, Momo’s an old hand at this sort of thing. As if you weren’t all thinking it already. A fun read.
wu-san • May 14th, 2008
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Lex enjoys this 2007 release from Perfume in this solid track-by-track write-up, but again there’s a little kerfuffle about the looping repetition thing.
Ray • May 14th, 2008
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A track-by-track review of the #1 girl group album of the year: some flaws are noted, especially in the vocal mixes of a couple tracks, but Die finds the overall package a “techno utopia with some impressive and spectacular songs”.
Ray • May 12th, 2008
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Recommended reading. Samantha goes through some potential pitfalls that idols can make in their line of work, using examples to illustrate each point. I like how she stresses the subjectivity in having a favorite idol, as well as her willingness to point out flaws in idols she likes, not just those she doesn’t like. As always, Samantha shows a clarity and thoughtfulness that never fails to impress.
Ray • May 12th, 2008
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Cat turns her attention to one of the more neglected members of Team A, Kawasaki Nozomi. As always, there’s plenty of nifty screencaps of this “classic” beauty, while Cat explains how Nozofisu’s had to work to mold a rather specific idol persona for herself. Another great profile, as my AKB48 education grows.
Ray • May 12th, 2008
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Kaori Iida +06+
Kanna & Airi & Saki
Will’s latest set of pictures feature Kaori Iida, and they’re pretty damn great on the simple premise that it’s Iida. The third picture’s a lot of fun.
An earlier entry has Kanna, Airi and Saki all looking happy together. I think what Kanna’s wearing is pretty neat, in a kind of indies way.
wu-san • May 12th, 2008
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Memorable Snippets: Part 2 - Matsuura Aya “Ayaya Knows”
Our very own MaiZe has the next instalment of her ‘Memorable Snippets’, and it’s all to do with Ayaya this time around. The fist shared clip consists of Aya performing ‘I know’ and forgetting the lyrics near the beginning. As MaiZe points out nicely, Aya handles it with ease, and that certainly translates positively to the fans. God, she’s such a good performer. The second clip has her teaching the fans the lyrics and some silly arm movements, which is one charm part of the song I suppose. Vocally, well, Ayaya shines, and that’s not really a suprise. As far as H!P goes, she’s near, if not at the top. The clips are from 2003 and I have to thank MaiZe for taking me back to a happy place. I mean, ‘I know’ is pretty damn awesome.
wu-san • May 12th, 2008
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Um, is that hair on your head, or a really ugly hat?
Misa takes a brief look at some awful H!P hairstyles, and really, there’s so many to choose from. Misa manages to jest about a few, but you know what, I liked the Aichan style she picks apart. Wait, actually I was always too busy staring at her body in that jumper thingy to be honest. Yes, her hairstyle for Kanashimi Twightlight was certainly arresting, and maybe not for good reasons. Ha, but I like the Aika bangs on show in the post, contrary to Misa’s misgivings.
wu-san • May 12th, 2008
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Kiss! x 3 Ltd Edt DVD - part 1
Pretty baby, un petite ingenue
Our own Zush screen capture’s a segment of Buono!’s making of DVD for their ‘Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!’ single, and Miya’s having a little trouble keeping her drink down. Bless.
An earlier post sees Zush reinstate his love for Rii with some Blondie lyrics, and of course, they’re rather fitting.
wu-san • May 12th, 2008
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A very enthusiastic review of the single, deeming both the title track and the c/w some of the trio’s best songs. However, all this fear of repetition strikes me as odd - why not embrace it, like an early Helmet song? And what’s this about predicting GAME will sell half a million copies, though? Well, I doubted they’d make #1 on the Oricon charts, so I’ll be glad to be proven wrong yet again.
Ray • May 12th, 2008
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Shiori to Shimiko no Kaiki Jikenbo栞と紙魚子の怪奇事件簿 Screen Caps
Kevin reviews this drama, which features AKB48’s Acchan., and finds it similar to the vampire series RH Plus in tone. Also, among the copious screencaps, best use of the peace sign EVER!
Ray • May 12th, 2008
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Ashita wa Ashita no Kimi ga Umareru
Mail no Namida
Ali reviews the two singles for AKB48’s subunit trio, finding the first considerably stronger than the second. The track by track reviews the solo performances for each of the title songs as well.
Ray • May 9th, 2008
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Paul talks about the latest issue of UTB magazine, as the original ‘Up to Boy’ format has had a revamp -explained by Paul in an earlier post. Now that Paul has his own copy, he talks in brief about the changes and the content involved, including H!P related screen captures et al.
wu-san • May 9th, 2008
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9nine, Hey! Say! JUMP, Perfume, and Utter Confusion
Our own Julia finds out a few things about 9nine and it gives her a good deal to wrap her mind around - namely, that one of the members is the sister of Perfume’s A~chan, and that another member was kicked out for dating one of the Hey! Say! Jump boys. I think the most interesting point, though, is that Ju Ju has given over to the dark side and is becoming a Johnny’s fan. Wouldn’t it be great if Intl Wota slowly shifted from being predominantly H!P-leaning to JE-leaning? It may just be a matter of time.
Ray • May 8th, 2008
Blogs, Johnny's, Pop Idols • 2 Comments
Enka singer Jero!! ^-^
Hello! Project Digital Photo Book #42- Tsugunaga Momoko
MorningBerryz takes a look see at Jero, the guy you’d bet on your family’s lives wasn’t an Enka singer. But he is, and now your whole family are in for a world of pain. Seriously though, who could guess such a thing? Only in Japan could this happen with such normalcy. I mean it’s visually, and digging a little deeper, culturally off, but then it works just fine, that really, there’s nothing wrong with it in the end. Jero’s got the right voice for Enka and it’s a pleasant suprise indeed. I must admit that Jero’s attire in the first clip provided is stuck in the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ days, and that’s only ever fantastic. It’s a short post that offers up a listen more than anything else. Still, it’s a quick and easy access point for newcomers.
The previous post deals with Momo’s digital photobook which is H!P’s 42nd. MB goes through the process of digital PBs in short to give us an idea of what we’re dealing with, and then shares plenty of Momo. They’re the digitals from her first PB. Recommended for all Momo fans I’m sure.
wu-san • May 8th, 2008
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Paul’s latest post deals with some recent H!P articles and other H!P asides from the ‘Friday’ magazine. Paul’s recently purchased issues - some back-dating of course - have semi-reawakened a little muse for the more current scandals - Aibons - that’ve come from the magazine. None are really gone over again, as that’d be exhausting, and really, we’ve all moved past it now. Still, it’s a reminder of events gone by, and the caught off guard pictures - of a sort - have their merits. I mean, in one of them you can just about make out Reina’s pink panties. It’s not that impressive actually, but then use your imagination and it can be quite wonderful. Some talk about Rika and a fanta CM at the end, followed by the mention of Mikitty in theatre. Oh, and a few pictures from Niigaki’s PV are talked about in brief, too, and how Paul wishes he kept with his order.
A previous post talks about Ayaya’s ‘Kizuna’ song and PV, and Paul’s liking it quite a bit. Well, he’s defending her quite a bit. I think it’s safe to say he’s enjoying the effort though, and it’s interesting to note how Paul just knows this single wont sell well. I think we’d all agree on that. An interesting section at the begining of the entry about how a the right setting and/or situation can transform one’s perception of an album is certainly interesting, and there’s a whole other blog post in that. Somewhere. Oh, and Paul thinks ‘Double Rainbow’ is his favourite Ayaya album. Hmmm…
wu-san • May 8th, 2008
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Kiss me here, but be quiet about it, won’t ‘cha? -_^ tee hee.
Johpan has more enticing JunJun pictures; this time of her pointing to her very, very desirable lips. Joh also announces his second week anniversary, which includes the news that his worship site has over 2000 hits already. Good Job.
wu-san • May 8th, 2008
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Recommended ogling. HANABI.1984 has the covers for both editions of the best-selling girl group album in… well, years.
Ray • May 7th, 2008
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Oroitsme is back with overviews and plenty of screencaps of episodes 3 & 4 of the Perfume-hosted variety show HAPPY! The concept hasn’t been changed around much from the first two eps; still featured are plenty of cute pets, massage talk and… yeah, that’s pretty much it, pets and massages. Oh, and also some tongue tricks it seems. Still, don’t even act like you won’t watch this; getting your weekly dose of Perfume goodness is essential, no matter what they do on the show.
And still this show seems considerably more interesting than Haromoni@…
Henkka • May 7th, 2008
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Spring 2008 Drama Previews
Hirai Ken - FAKIN’ POP
Elizabeth looks at some of the j-dramas this season, so far finding at least Kimi Hannin Janai yo ne?, Last Friends and Puzzle worth watching. She definitely convinced me to check out Last Friends by this post, so this is recommended reading for all who have yet to choose which dramas to watch this season.
She also does a nice job reviewing Hirai Ken’s newest album, finding it a very enjoyable listen indeed. I really appreciate the detailed song descriptions. She also provides samples of some tracks for you to check out and decide if you want to listen further.
Henkka • May 7th, 2008
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oroitsme shares clips showing how the PV for this song was made, taking note of the amount of chocolate the girls consumed for the sake of their craft.
Ray • May 6th, 2008
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diegwa enjoys this double A-side, declaring it a “winter wonderland” but clearly preferring the more upbeat “Baby Cruising Love” to the easier-going “Macaroni”.
Ray • May 6th, 2008
Blogs, Pop Idols • 5 Comments
AKB48’s latest DVD Himawarigumi 1 Review Team 2
Having already profiled the members of Team 1, Cat now moves on to profile Team 2, who fill-in for Team 1 members when they can’t perform. Nevertheless, for understudies, Cat still finds a great deal to enthuse over, as several of these girls are among her favorites.
Ray • May 6th, 2008
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Our own AnyGroove shares the first episode of the show being hosted by Perfume. If you haven’t seen it yet, give it a try!
Ray • May 6th, 2008
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I love this Fan Service. (95%)
A positive review of the two tracks on this release, though neither “Chocolate Disco” nor “Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow” are recommended for new fans.
Ray • May 6th, 2008
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9nine gets CM tie-in with Aragaki
Some great developments from the girl group, as they have a couple of marketing tie-ins and a second album scheduled for July 9. Maybe they’ll get some help from the older sister of member Nishiwaki Sayaka - A~chan of Perfume.
Ray • May 5th, 2008
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Singing cats and idol group collaborate for TV theme song
So a novelty act of singing cats , Musashi, will be singing the theme of the series Daisuki! Itsutsugo with the girl group Power Age. The way things look, it appears the humans get more out of this pairing - visibility and sales-wise - than the cats. Which is both sad and amusing.
Ray • May 5th, 2008
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A solid track-by-track review that emphasizes the range achieved within the genre and sees it as Nakata Yasutaka’s achievement more than the girls’.
Ray • May 5th, 2008
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They don’t call ‘em catchlights for nothing!
Recipie for Happy! Also, dots!
Johpan’s latest post gives special attention to JunJun’s eyes. The picture’s taken from Momusu’s ‘Onna Ni Sachi Are’ UFA set, and it’s all rather tasty.
The second entry reveals another one of Johpan’s ‘things’. The thing this time being his love for polka dots. JunJun happens to be wearing some in a set of UFA photos, and that’s all systems go for Joh.
wu-san • May 5th, 2008
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Will has some Chisato photos to share, and I’m just guessing here, but they appear to be from C-ute’s early days.
wu-san • May 5th, 2008
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Kiss!Kiss!Kiss! me again (95%)
A very positive review of Buono!, but I find that the comparisons to Perfume are too general (and the differences in nuances too obvious) to actually persuade me. A trio of dancing, fashionable, cute, fun idols could just as easily be Kitty GYM or Nochiura Natsumi. However, the observations made on each group separately works well, and on that level this is an enjoyable read.
Ray • May 5th, 2008
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Momusu vs. Berryz Koubou…it was only a matter of time!
Fujimoto Miki’s “Okitegami” features a reuniting of Enka and Hello! Project.
MorningBerryz’s latest post is another poll in a popular line of polls at his place. Poll madness! Anyway, inspired by the current battling between Berryz Kamen vs. C-utie Rangers, MB’s inspired to do a Momusu vs Berryz one, and I dont honestly know where my vote lies. I’m very loyal to Momusu, still, but BK don’t suck at the moment. What to do?
An earlier entry deals with the return of Mikitty through the scope of her ‘Okitegami’ single. Basically, expect a review of the song with MB’s overall feelings towards Mikitty’s return. An informed, albeit light discussion of Enka helps build a little perspecitve, and MB’s usually excited voice is on typical good form. Recommended reading.
wu-san • May 5th, 2008
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Our own Raid finds a little time to post up his latest J-magazine purchases, and along the way he shares some nice photos of them all. Expect lots of Hirai Ken - of course - plus others, like one half of AAA. The wrong half if you ask me.
wu-san • May 5th, 2008
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Yoshimi brings us the next instalment of Chotto Matte!, and this time around Maasa’s looking a tad suprised.
wu-san • May 5th, 2008
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Say Hello To Nice Girl Project
Chris considers the announcement that NGP was to begin “full time activities” for THE Possible and Canaria Club in April and considers how their actual month went. He ends on a hopeful aphorism, but based on what he said, that first month wasn’t all that shabby by any means.
Ray • May 5th, 2008
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@Hitomi Yoshizawa@ *08*
C-ute - So C-ute ! +01+
Nozomi Tsuji (06)
Will has some Yossi pictures of her donning a school uniform. Suited for many tastes I’m sure.
A pervious entry shares more C-ute, and to be honest it’s very much welcomed by myself right now, C-ute being a group that has me falling in love with them purely on the basis of pictures. The last one certainly cater’s to my Maimi and Erika lusting needs. Er…
I’m seriously loving Tsuji’s belly in the second pic in the last in a line of recent posts. And the camping pictures? well, they’re fail quite honestly. It’s camping. All my past experiances point to this being a big Nono! ha, did you see what I did there?
I’m so lame…
wu-san • May 4th, 2008
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Secret love for Perfume. (96%)
A close study of the most recent Perfume PV, which marvels at how much the girls have grown over the years and how this comes into play when watching the video.
Ray • May 3rd, 2008
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Recommended reading. Well, they were due for one, and here it is. I’m still trying to get the hang of AKB48, but it’s good to know there’s a resource if I decide to turn my attention to this growing girl group.
Ray • May 3rd, 2008
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AKB48’s latest DVD : Himawarigumi 1 - Boku no Taiyou Review
Is it me, or does every review of AKB48 in our corner of the J-blogosphere demand a sizable investment of reading time? An individual assessment of each girl on a Team inevitably leads to an ecstatic minna lag that outdoes even 15-nin Morning Musume. Anyway, Cat profiles the all-star Himawarigumi Team 1 and keeps thing snappy as she goes through each member and their highlights in the recent DVD. There’s lots to appreciate - both in the girls themselves and the insights Cat provides along the way. And slowly, very slowly, I’m finally getting to know who’s who, and giving in to the inevitable…
Ray • May 3rd, 2008
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This is the SUMMER TIME! (94%)
Recommended reading. FHB slowly explores the world of Johnny’s and is charmed by both this latest single for NEWS and the rather adorable PV that accompanies it.
Ray • May 2nd, 2008
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diegwa does a track-by-track review of this 2007 single, focusing on the quality of the vocals in the tracks.
Ray • May 2nd, 2008
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Erhanz shares the download to this release and recommends the first two tracks.
Ray • May 1st, 2008
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A few reasons why you should buy the Himawari gumi DVD
Recommended reading. Cat gives a song-by-song look at this new DVD, which features AKB48’s Team A and K working together. The observation on “IDOL Nante Yobanaide” strike me as particularly interesting - it’s like a weird reverse psychology thing, like Harenchi Punch’s initial gimmick.
Ray • Apr 30th, 2008
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Corrupting Your Friends: Jpop in America
Recommended reading. Chiakii writes quite amusingly about a friend of hers and her slow descent into wota-dom. I like that Wink factors into this, especially Sachiko’s sexy hat from “Samashii Nettaigyo”. But the best part is the way the word “pedolicious” is used over and over again - I haven’t seen this much flagrant use of the word since… well, since me.
Ray • Apr 30th, 2008
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Lex provides a short, enthusiastic track-by-track review of this Perfume classic from last year.
Ray • Apr 30th, 2008
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Besides getting the year of Perfume’s start wrong (2001 with the first single in 2002), this is a solid track-by-track review of last year’s release, deeming it “techno supremacy” despite some shortcomings.
Ray • Apr 29th, 2008
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