Hello! Project -Official Site-
Elder Club members to graduate from Hello! Project (Hello!Online)
Hello! Project’s Elder Club members to graduate (Tokyograph)

Wow.

As of March 31, 2009, all the members of the Hello! Project Elder Club–including popular soloists Matsuura Aya, Abe Natsumi, and Fujimoto Miki, as well as full groups like Melon Kinenbi and Ongaku Gatas–will graduate from the H!P umbrella. So if your favorite soloist isn’t in Morning Musume, Berryz Koubou, or C-ute, or an H!P Egg, they’re probably leaving. H!O has a full translation of the list, Tokyograph brings the essentials to the table, and you can of course read the original announcement on the H!P website.

There’s no word yet on whether or not any of the graduating members will be moving to a new record label, TNX or otherwise, or even continuing their careers as idols. The lack of information is actually somewhat disheartening, and you have to wonder if this giant graduation is actually a giant firing. I’m certain that nearly everyone reading this has a favorite idol on this list, and you have to wonder what’s going to happen to them now that their future within H!P has gone from uncertain to … nonexistent. And even if you aren’t a fan of these idols… it is a sad day for them, not just their fans, and you have to wonder how they are taking it.

Take this whole thing as you will, but this is a startling announcement that leaves the future of many, many young women, as well as the entire body of Hello! Project, unclear. Obviously not all of these idols were getting a lot of attention, instead being constantly passed over in favor of the bigger flagship groups, but I don’t think many people really expected a mass departure like this to happen.

All I can say is wow. It’s a sad day for a lot of fans, and an even sadder day for a lot of idols.

Two recent H!P concerts: one good, one not so good…

I haven’t seen either of these concert DVD’s, so I was really interested in hearing Madara’s thoughts.  The show he really liked was Morning Musume Tanjo 10 Nen Kinentai.  Madara likes the classic songs done in the show, especially since 3 of the 5 girls were around for the original versions of many of those songs.  What grabs my interest the most is the emotional angle of the backstage footage.  I enjoy any chance to see idols being “real”, and backstage crying is usually a big “buy factor” for me.

Then Madara covers Ongaku Gatas’ first concert tour DVD, which doesn’t fare nearly as well.  He doesn’t feel the group has enough material to sustain a solo show, and the cover songs they sing only make him long for the originals.  Then there was Yuri Sawada’s t-shirt…

Madara ends the report with a rant about Yuri’s “Stop Snitchin” shirt which he is obviously offended by.  We have seen some crazy shirts worn by the girls over the years.  And there is no way that they are ignorant to the messages they are wearing.  So I wonder, are they just wearing these messages to be cool and hip?  Or is there something more sinister going on here?

Is futsal all these girls are up to?  Has anyone seen any copper electrical wiring around Gatas’ dressing room?

シングルV「Come Together」:Ongaku Gatas & the art of suppressing the inevitable Nocchi rant.=D
Momusu returns!!!…time to go out and buy that disco ball you’ve always wanted! XD

MorningBerryz writes a nice flowing, enthusiastic post on Ongaku Gatas’s original and close-up version of the Come Together PV, and he also takes a look at the making of section. There’s plenty of screen captures involved to move the entry along, and it’s another H!P fan-pleasing effort from our MB.

An earlier post sees MB giving his thoughts on Morning Musume’s Pepper Keibu single, and the read is well-written, especially when dealing with the song as a period piece. I couldn’t follow or agree with some of the entusiasm on show here, but I enjoyed perving at all the jacket scans. Junjun will always be my sexy place in Morning Musume and I cant thank her enough for that, although if I did meet her in person I can try and show it XD.

Lets compare: AKB to H!P
Mai Satoda scares the crap out of me.

Misa does a very quick job of comparing AKB48 with Hello! Project, using a few pictures to represent different aspects of both companies. There’s very little substance here, but the quick bursts of snark always help.

An earlier entry is full of screen captures from Ongaku Gatas’s Come Together close-up PV, and expect digs at everyone involved.

Kindai Oct 2008

If anyone remembers Paul’s last post about the recent UTB magazine and the lack of H!P love adorned in it, this lastest entry will come as great news for you - if you’re a H!P fan. It looks like Kindai still has no problems with showing your favourite H!P idols in full colour and in good measure. Paul screen captures a host of lovely pages featuring Buono!, Ongaku Gatas and Mano Erina. A recommended read for all concerning fans, even if it’s just for the scans. However, Paul does a lovely walkthrough of the pictures, too.

Super Happy Genki Hyperforce Go!

Recommended reading. The blog’s name may seem daunting, but Super Happy Genki Hyperforce Go! is a promising looking new H!P blog. This blog has been around for about a month, and superhappygenki already has quite a few interesting posts.

There is the obligatory introductory post which outlines superhappygenki’s likes and dislikes within Hello! Project’s groups. It looks like she’s not too into the soloists.

She has also written up 2 posts highlighting specific members of Hello! Project. Up first was Berryz Koubou’s Captain, Shimizu Saki and with superhappygenki’s enthusiasm for Captain, I think she and SecondBlossoming would get along quite nicely. She follows that up with some musings on Morning Musume’s leader, Takahashi Ai, which definitely give you something to think about.

However, this is not solely a H!P blog, for superhappygenki also has a post on doramas. She also notes that some anime/manga posts may pop up every now and then. This is definitely a blog I’ll keep my eye on.

Ongaku Gatas Come Togther Outfits and PV  (Tricia’s H!P and TNX Blog)

ongaku gatas “come together” pv  (Love マシーン)

Ongaku Gatas - Come Together  (The J-Pex)

Come Together PV  (Stardust)

Ongaku Gatas Come Together pv  (Morningtime)

Ongaku Gatas- Come Together PV  (Midori’s J-pop Overanalyzations)

Ongaku Gatas - Come Together (unfortunately)  (Wotaku Now!)

Sorry for the delay on this one.  Here is what people are saying about “Come Together” by Ongaku Gatas…

Tricia quite simply says the PV and outfits are “super cute” and has screencapped the promotional photos

Markusantoine is happy that Konno, Rika, Yossie and Sotoda Mai are fronting a PV, noting it feels like the past H!P.  He also digs the outfits.

J-Pex really likes the rock feel to the song, and notes that this is the most “western” style PV Hello! Project has ever done.  JP also likes the behind the scenes footage.

Mars also likes the “documentary” style of the PV, but is concerned about the “pushing to the back” of the Eggs in the group.  Overall he is still not sold on the song.

Morningtime has a screencap bonanza!  And also hopes the song does well.

Midori bulletpoints the good and bad of the PV, although most of the good points seem to be critical of the PV too!  She is not crazy about the dance or the costumes, and is offended by the “fake” promotional newspaper they are reading.  But she feels Yossie carries the song with her vocals.

And then there’s Shirow.  Shirow gives us some well-detailed reasons why he doesn’t like the song or PV, which can be summarized by his title line…

“The PV Sucks”

So there ya have it.  Not a glaring endorsement.  Maybe I’m crazy, but I think it’s the best song Gatas has done.  But then again, I also like Koharu’s “Konnichi Pa”.  So consider the source.

To Be Honest, I’ve Never Been Into Ongaku Gatas, But…

Like CK, the first thought that came into my mind when I heard Ongaku Gatas’ new single title was the Beatles song ‘Come Together’. Ongaku’s previous releases, both singles as well as their album, haven’t piqued CK’s interest, but this single has caught his eye/ear. It’s left such an impression on him that he’s got it down as “one of the best songs [he] has heard in 2008″. He relates this single to something from the 70s and embeds a video, as well as Ongaku’s PV to show the similarities.

Come Together Full PV

Paul takes a look at Ongaku Gatas’s latest PV,Come Together, and breaks it down for us. A nice flowing description followed by the video itself. As paul suggests, the song isn’t as riot-worthy - in pop terms - as their last two singles, but it’s still a catchy little number, and quite honestly I think Ongaku Gatas is the best unit in H!P right now. At least in a music sense.

Come Together; Ongaku Gatas radio rip

Misa links to a radio rip of Ongaku Gatas’s upcoming single Come Together, and the single cover is also included for your viewing pleasure. If you haven’t taken your share already, feel free to swipe it from here.

Cover for Ongaku Gatas’ Come Together

Totally Hello! Project shares the cover for Ongaku Gatas’ upcoming single, Come Together. To be blunt, I find this cover pretty hot. I guess that’s what Yossy in an orange biker jacket and a tight leather skirt does to me. For any girls who think they like men, this might be one of those turnaround points for you! Don’t be afraid to come out of the closet.

Morning Musume new single (Cutie Party!)
New H!P Releases!! (What Kio Says: Hello Project Much?)
[09/24] Morning Musume 37th single (JPH!P post by tiny)
[03/12] 「Jingisukan」 Berryz Koubou 16th single (preview p.3) (JPH!P post by tiny)

Morning Musume will getting another single this year. It will be released on September 24. Misa of Cutie Party has the news and also delivers some early hopes for the single. Kiokiou of What Kio Says has this news in addition to looking at other future releases for Hello!Project, including Berryz Koubou, Buono! and Ongaku Gatas. There is also a JPH!P post that has this news.

Regarding the Berryz Koubou Khan Remix, an earlier entry today at IW had stated the release date was going to be September 10. This appears to be be wrong and it looks like September 17 is the release date. The second post at JPH!P links to an official page that has September 17 as the release date. At least this remix will not infect the album

[09/10] “title TBA” Ongaku Gatas 3rd single (JPH!P)

Tiny from JPH!P posts information of a new Ongaku Gatas coming in September. No title yet.

..::*GASP*::..

Altho there’s something silly about this and maybe there’s a statement about underpromotion with this group, but Amy does not seem to be alone in her lateness. Many are slow to realize that Yossy, Konno and Rika are in a new group (even huge fans of the three) and that the group is pretty great. (Not everyone shares the opinion of their greatness, but I can settle for them knowing the group exists at least, and still not everybody does.)

So, I kinda like when this happens, and I hope it happens to more people.

Before…IT’S TOO LATE. Just kidding. (I hope.)

Member #33
Member #32
Member #31
Profiles are bothering me…

saplesweet has more H!P profiles to share. This time the eldest of the H!P Kids, an Ongaku Gatas member and and Egg are covered. It looks like Umeda isn’t getting the love from saplesweet in this profile, and while I’m not the biggest Umeda fan, I’ve never thought of her look resembling that of “Weird looking American girls”… Definitely an interesting observation.

And it looks like with all the recent activity in H!P, saplesweet’s feeling a little OCD hit, and may be changing these member numbers soon.

TLS JUNE Madness: This Finally Ends

Recommended reading. Our broomhead FINALLY completes the TLS [insert month here] Madness series with an exciting finale!

The suspense must have been killing all of you.
Or no one cared anymore about it. And with just cause.

I was part of the first group. LOL XD I really enjoyed this series by broomhead, even though he knocked Miya out in the early goings…

Elder Club 2008 - The ladies are at their peak!

Recommended reading. Madara shares his own unique take on the Elder Club concert DVD from the four-disc set. I especially like how he takes issue with the opening number of “Joshi Kashimashi” in maid uniforms - he finds it beneath the ladies’ dignity. I’m left thinking, “Since when has being an idol had ANYTHING to do with dignity?”