Hello! Store USA, Marry Me?

I logged onto the Hello! Store USA site a few weeks ago to find that they had not only restocked, but had put in the Nine Smile merch. I JUMPED on it. xD They were already sold out of the Nine Smile "all" T-shirts, but they still had the individual members.

So I made my very first purchase from the store!

Let me tell you, I was in a good mood for the rest of the day. It felt like I had won something. xD

There was some wait before it was shipped, but it got here in just a few days. I expected as much, as Nevada is right next to California. xD But I thought that my H!P calendars would arrive first, considering they had shipped two weeks before this. (I'm still waiting, by the way. If they don't come Monday, I have to email YesAsia. >.>)

Many of the other bloggers have been posting pictures of their first orders, so I'd like to do the same~




The picture's small, but Blogger doesn't give me much room. xD

As you can see, I ordered Junjun's Nine Smile T-shirt (It's HUGE!), which came with a wristband and two photocards. I also purchased Junjun's Nanchatte Renai set (2L is a great size for a photocard), and the ZYX-α photoset. I loved Zoku-Biyuuden, yes, and it has Junjun and Risako, but it has Shige. And ZYX-α has six people I love, plus Wada Ayaka and Momoko. xD

I'll definitely be ordering from them again. Especially since YesAsia has been crap lately.

Pick a Side, Any Side

It's the question in the world of idol fans. You probably have or will run into it at some point. It's unavoidable, but really, in my opinion, it's one of the most stupid questions ever. Why do I have to pick a side?

Of course, I am talking about "Which do you like better, AKB48 or Morning Musume?"


I don't understand the rivalry between the two groups. Can't I like both? Are they really that alike that you HAVE to like one or the other more?

With the recent announcement of the 60th Kouhaku Uta Gassen invite list, everyone's been talking about two groups in general.

"Oh my god! AKB48 and Morning Musume, on the same stage!"

"They've got to hate that! It's going to be so awkward!"

"I wonder what's going to happen!"


They aren't rappers, for god's sake. Sure, if they were two American artists who obviously hated each other, you could expect SOMETHING to happen. But this is a formal New Year's special, not the MTV Music Video Awards. And have you all forgotten? They have performed on it together before. Two years ago, during the 58th. Morning Musume opened and AKB48 got MM's original spot. "Well, that's a reason for tension", you may say, but what does it matter? It's an honor enough to be invited.

I really hate the "rivalry" between the groups. Mainly because I believe there is no rivalry. Morning Musume probably doesn't see AKB48 as rivals any more than Hamasaki Ayumi, GACKT, Amuro Namie, the Johnny's boys, or any of the other high-selling artists out there. Hirai Ken and Morning Musume will be sharing a stage, it's gonna be a bloodbath! And why isn't there a supposed rivalry between Perfume and MM? It's because the rivalry is between the fans.

You have to like one or the other. You can't like both equally. Maybe I'm a bad example, because I care for Hello! Project more than AKB48, but at least I like some of their songs.


I remember reading a blog post a while back, I can't remember by whom (and I can't seem to find it) where the blogger compared AKB48 and Morning Musume by certain aspects (dancing ability, singing ability, personality, looks, and I think one or two more). Of course, seeing as that person was an AKB48 fan, they ranked higher. How biased is that?

I try not to say that one is better than the other, because it's all a matter of taste. They both have their redeeming qualities.


I find that AKB48 has idols. Their girls look like idols. They act like idols. They sound like idols. They are idols. Yes, there's probably more to them that I haven't seen, but they are idols in the end.

Tsunku has a habit of picking unusual girls. You know, girls who might not be as a pretty, or as good at singing. But they all have their own charisma, and therefore they appeal to different people differently. They seem human and unique.

I'm not saying that AKB48 are fabricated to be the stereotypical idols, but that's what I see when I see them. The school uniforms, the bikinis, the revealing clothes and mature poses... They're idols, through-and-through.

Morning Musume has Biyuuden, yes. AKB48 had Chocolove. They both have aspects that resemble each other. But really, when I think of Morning Musume, I think of hilarious episodes of Utaban, of Junjun's girl crush on Tanaka, of ridiculous, good-natured singles like Hyokkori Hyoutan-jima. AKB48 just seems sexual to me.


Let's compare the two most recent singles, shall we?




Morning Musume's Kimagure Princess. While many people complain that it is a mash-up of two many other singles, its sound is a refreshing change from the past three singles. It's random, but kind of creative in a strange way. With its suggestive lyrics and dance, it is a step in a different direction for Morning Musume. Many people have protested the less-than-innocent lyrics, it works.



AKB48's River. Everyone has been raving about this single, and so I had huge expectations going in. But really, I think it's crap. The rap is sloppy, uncharismatic, and ruins it. The whole song is noisy and disjointed and is a complete, utter mess. It does have some redeeming parts that I don't mind, but it's too much. I thought the same of Namida Surprise. It would have been a great song if there were better vocals and it stopped jumping all over the place. It's a barrage of sound, and it sounds like five songs are all playing at the same time. And worst of all, it's the stereotypical AKB48 song. Nothing unique about it at all.



But the point of this entry is not to voice my opinions on which group I like better, but to explain that opinions differ. This stupid rivalry between the two fandoms should stop, because it's just our taste in music. I think River is the worst thing to come out of the group in ages, and the rest of the internet loves it. There. My point is made.

[PV] Kimagure Princess

My right hand is dead from some really intense homework, but I decided to post this anyway.

The Kimagure Princess PV has been floating around for some days now, not the whole thing, but enough to get a general glimpse of what it would be like. The PV preview showed just a close-up and a danceshot, as did the Rekochou version or whatever it was called that was available for download earlier in the weekend.

But today Dohhhup! uploaded the full PV.


So I'd like to show you some screencaps.

I have a lot of opinions on this PV, but instead of summarizing it up front, I'll just get to it with the pictures.

Nearly 70 pictures. Not the most I've ever had, but I stopped to eat dinner and watch Modern Family about halfway through, and when I got back I had sort of lost my motivation.





I really like this opening shot for some reason. The light is cool and I like the design of the roof.



The danceshot takes place in this hallway of sorts, with the large, intricate archways and lots of greens, oranges, and yellows.



I wasn't really expecting a 'gate shot', but I was really glad they had one--Takahashi looks gorgeous, as always.



This is probably the best Tanaka looks throughout the PV. Which isn't saying much.



...Aika?

She's really embracing her puppy-self. When I first saw this I thought of a dog waiting at the gate for its owners. Or at an animal shelter, looking at the prospective owners and saying "buy me?".



Not a flattering shot, Shige.



The dance is really cool. It has this Russian theme that I really like.



This could have been a really pretty shot if it weren't just GAKI'S NOSE.



I hate Junjun's hair. I really, truly do.



Hallo, Linlin.



Kame is absolutely gorgeous in this PV. I like this shot in particular; it reminds me of a ball jointed doll. xD I'd definitely buy one that looked like Kame. ;D



This was a very pretty shot, but I fail at screencapping, so I don't feel like I captured it correctly. Koha looked down and smiled, and then looked up again.



Random Linlin butt.

This PV is all about the butts.



Rogue scarf.



I'm not a huge fan of the costumes, but Takahashi rocks a cowboy hat like you've never seen. I thought so when she was running around a Long's or whatever in Hawaii during her Watashi making of.



She was mouthing her lines and making fish mouth.



Although, fish mouth can sometimes be charming.



They did this kind of Cossack-like dance a few times throughout the PV. Strange and random, but it fits.



Tanaka just isn't looking very nice this time around.



Aaaand we all focus in on their butts.



Sexy cowgirl Kame.



Junjun's looking kind of cat-like. I think if my cat Rai were a human, she'd look just like that.



El oh el Koha. Bless her heart.



Aika's eyes look different for some reason. Also, I prefer her hair straight.



It's all very swoopy, this PV. Now I understand the baggy clothes.



Looking a bit better, Shige.



The dance has a lot of arm movements, all very fluid and cool-looking (running out of adjectives here).



Here they are imitating a bird.



I don't know what this is.



And some panda butts.



I wonder if Takahashi ever didn't do this pose, would her arms would fall off?



Koha, fading away as we near her graduation.

(No, don't even JOKE about that!)



Gaki is finally liking me (I never get good pictures of her). She looks great in a cowboy hat, too.



Takahashi is looking particular HQ compared to the rest of the members.



The dance shot turns red a few times, and even though it's a simple change of lighting, it makes things interesting.



Morning Musume can also manipulate fire.



GRAH HAIR.



This shot would be amazingly beautiful if it weren't for THAT HAIR.



Linlin is amused by her new power.



Gaki goes the other way~



Kame~



Aika has long arms.



Tanaka is very forgettable in this song and the PV. I always forget that she has solos. THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE.



Shige does have very pretty hair.



Sexy Kame is sexy.



I like this part for some reason. It reminds me of the Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu dance. And is it just me, or does Kame sort of look like Konno?



The beautiful thing about this PV is that really, it's quite simple. But they do some small things, like change in lighting, that make it seem unique. They make the closeups more than just closeups by having them move.



Their movements blend into each others and it's very fluid, very clean.



I love this dance!



Gaki really is quite cute when she's having fun.



Lawl.



Ohh, Gaki. <3



Butt butt.



Takahashi really is amazingly sexy.



Junjun is, too~



And the queen, Gaki~



El. Oh. El. Suggestive dance moves.



I took this screencap thinking "Linlin really is catching my attention lately. She really covers all the bases, doesn't she? Good singer, funny, entertaining, and really pretty... She might end up tying with Junjun soon..."



... And then Junjun reminded me who is number one. ;D



TanaKICK.



Junjun is an assassin from China, you know.



I wish this was closer up. Linlin NAILED the facial expression.



Kame really is adorable. No wonder she's been so popular lately~



WAI HELLO GAKI-SAN.



Koha can spinnn~



Did I mention I love this dance?



Aaaaand it ends.

[Review] Why Today is Awesome Part II

...I guess it should be more like.... Why Tuesday was Awesome Part II. xD

Anyway, Tuesday rocked. I already addressed the gorgeous Kimagure Princess costumes, so now I'll move onto the afternoon portion of Tuesday...


I preordered Goto Maki's Sweetblack mini-album back in August. I had also ordered the Platinum 9 Disco concert at the same time. For the first time, I used YesAsia's split order option. The CD was to be released in the middle of September, and I didn't want to wait that long for my DVD.

YesAsia and I have always been on good terms. I have spent hundreds of dollars with them over the past two years, and they have always had very good service. I normally get things under a week, sometimes even before the item has been scheduled to release.

But for some reason, this time was different.

I was expecting my CD to arrive in about five or six days, as "usual". So I waited. But when five days passed, then six, then seven, I began to become impatient. Every day I would check the mailbox (because recently YesAsia has switched from using UPS to using the post office) and everyday I would be disappointed. They said that an order could take up to FOURTEEN business days. I ended up waiting about twelve. That's about two weeks when you include weekends.

Well, I had a feeling that my CD would be there on Tuesday just because my day had been so crappy. And that's how those things work out, right?

And there it was.

H!O had said that the limited edition album came with a 60+ page photobook, so that's why I spent an extra ten dollars on the limited edition. It wasn't a photobook. It was a book, yes, but it contained no photos. Just a few excerpts from some books and a short, dirty josei manga. Apparently these three things were the inspiration for some of the songs that Goto Maki wrote.

Which is very impressive in my book, considering she was once an H!P idol. You'd think that a girl who grew up having her lyrics written for her would grow accustomed. Or maybe it would just strengthen her desire to write her own even more. I don't know.

Anyway, because the album is so perfect (well, the songs. The CD case got a little bit cracked in the mail. Damn customs) I'd like to review it.

Queen Bee-

I heard this song when H!O posted the PV for it on their site. I loved it immediately. It's cool and sexy, and the PV is one explosive nosebleed after another. I had listened to it so often that by the time the album actually arrived, it was losing its shine. Sort of like Take Off is Now! on Morning Musume's Platinum 9 Disc album. On its own, it's a good song, but I feel like the PV really completes it.

Lady-Rise-

Like Queen Bee, I've seen the PV so many times that I picture it in my mind whenever I listen to the song. This song shocked me when I had first heard it. It was so different from what Goto had been releasing under Hello! Project and showed a brand new side of her. It's actually quite a simple song in terms of instrumental and whatnot, but her voice really makes it interesting.

Candy-

This is probably the only one I don't care for too much... Vocally, it's one of her better ones. Goto really has a surprisingly gorgeous voice when she sings those deep notes. It's a very good song up until the chorus, and then I lose interest. The lyrics are a little strange, too. She has a very bad case of Engrish.

TEAR DROPS-

To sum it up? BEAUTIFUL. This song is a masterpiece. It's delicate and soft, and yet has this strong R&B beat that prevents it from being forgettable. KG's voice suits Goto's and the song very well. The emotion in the song also brings it all together. I really love it.

Mine-

The opening just makes you smile, doesn't it? Ken the 390 sounds just like most other Japanese rappers, which is probably why I like it, because it reminds me of all the J-urban songs that I like. Goto sounds great, very mature. This song is upbeat and fun. This is one of my favorites. Apparently this was the first song Goto had written and she had performed it when she first signed with avex? Is that right? And then the rap was added later. ;D

Fly away-

I kinda feel like this should have been the first track. It's a good intro to who Goto Maki is and what her Sweetblack music is like. It was this song that first caught my attention. Up until then, I wasn't sure what she was doing with avex and I didn't really care. But when I heard this, I started to pay more attention to her now as well as back when she was in H!P. It's really a great song. And the PV is amazingly gorgeous.

Plastic Lover-

I first heard this song when radio rips were floating around. It's very techno, and I didn't care for it at first, but it's a cool song. It's kind of unusual in its composition and sound, and that makes you stop and listen. Goto Maki is one of those singers who don't need to be autotuned, so she sounds very pure and clear considering there's such heavy music around her vocals.

with...-

I never really paid much attention to this song when it was first released (there should be a post about it around here somewhere) just because I was expecting something a little more powerful after her previous two singles. But really, it's a nice song. It's a little forgettable, but it's soft and cute and nice to listen to. The lyrics are also nice. It's just very... nice.

Brace Yourself, Tsunku

Ladies and gentlemen, a little under fourteen hours ago, Hello! Store USA opened.

As an American wota, I never thought I would be able to see it in my lifetime. The Hello! Store USA opening? It's not just a myth? JapanFiles isn't actually just playing a cruel early April's Fool joke? (Or is it late? I'm too tired to check a calendar)

When I woke up, the first I thing I did after getting ready was log onto the store and see what they have. It was around 6:30 AM. The store had only been open six and a half hours. And already, a good amount of the stuff there was already sold out. That pleased the hell out of me--hadn't JapanFiles advertised the store has having 250 items each with thousands in stock?

And they had sold out already?

Those of us at AX were incredibly disappointed that they weren't selling more merchandise. Yes, apparently there were bags of things, but those had sold out the moment the dealer's hall opened. We've been deprived of H!P stuff for a long time. We've had to resort to buying through Japanese wota, a kind thing for someone to do for the foreign fans, but at a much, much, MUCH higher cost.

There's something about western fans that I think the Japanese music industry forgets. We have tons of money. Well, I don't, because I'm a minor and have to rely on babysitting and birthday money to buy anything, but think of the guys who work full time. They have money to spare. And if they don't, they'd probably readjust their budget to fit in some photocards.

When I logged on after school, I was surprised to see that more than half of the items were sold out.

I wasn't disappointed. I don't have the money to go on a shopping frenzy just yet. I'm aiming for some Nine Smile T-shirts, which haven't been added yet. I was actually thrilled that they were making such enormous sales. They'll restock, they have to. Tsunku will probably look at the sales reports and think "Why didn't we tap into this sooner?"

Maybe with the added funds, we'll be able to see some more shuffles?


My only concern is that already I have hundreds of dollars worth of stuff in my wishlist. I was already having trouble affording DVDs and CDs. xD

Why Today is Awesome [Part I]

I'll admit, this day didn't start off too well.

You see, this week is Homecoming week at my school, and today we were supposed to dress in all black and white to show our school spirit. It's a pretty easy one; which teenager doesn't have a black and white outfit? Anyway, I dressed in a blouse and jeans, like I normally would, and wore my pair of lolita shoes.

During second period, which is library TA, however, the ankle strap on my shoes broke off of the shoe.

This has happened once before, but I was at school. I couldn't go home and get a new pair of shoes. So I was stuck walking around in a broken shoe.

On top of that, there were various sucky school things. Like, I failed a Japanese quiz just because I can never remember comparisons, and so I have to push my testing schedule back a day. And I had a timed write on Siddhartha, and about 15 minutes was wasted when one of the school security guards came in to tell us a hilarious story about our teacher's house. I couldn't finish my essay.


But all of those became unimportant when I arrived home and found TWO wonderful things waiting for me.

And I shall talk about the first of those two things now.



Hello! Project updated Morning Musume's artist photos.

Normally, I'd shrug and say whatever, but this is our first HQ look at the Kimagure Princess costumes. Now, I've seen low quality pictures of the new single cover, but so far very little has been released, which is a little strange, considering the single comes out in less than a month. They were showing off Nanchatte Renai related things immediately after Shouganai Yume Oibito became old news.


First off...






Takahashi Ai!

The theme for this single, I assume, is 'princely cowboy'. Because that's how I perceive these costumes, especially with Takahashi's. She's sporting a lovely black cowboy hat, black boots, a long white overcoat thingie, and plenty of black accessories. MM has been pretty boring with their clothing, using very contrasting colors like black, white, and red. However, it does make a very startling, eye catching look that I like for Morning Musume.

Takahashi has been showing off some gorgeous hairstyles, with the only exception being whatever the hell that was back during the Platinum 9 Disco concert. You know what I'm talking about.

However, my only complaint is the pants. The holes are an interesting touch, but the clear plastic covering them...? It would have been better without. It's not like I've never seen Takahashi's bare legs before. (Wow, that sounded so much worse than it is)






Niigaki Risa


Gaki is looking radiant as always. I really love her hair at this length. Really, you just can't go wrong with the long hair and thick bangs.

I really like the criss-crossing belts and the lacy glove. It gives a very feminine yet princely look. Gaki is the queen of princes, considering she perfected the art of playing one back in Cinderella. And she looks cute in the hat~





Kamei Eri

I'm really a fan of Kame's new haircut. When the first pictures of her new color were released, it was shockingly orange, but it seems they've toned it down. The length is cute, too. The curls at the bottom suit her perfectly~

Kame's outfit is one of my favorites, simply because I like the gloves and there are less plastic-covered-bubble-holes. And the star necklace is cute.

Kame has been full of crazy eyes lately, but this isn't as bad.





Michishige Sayumi

Could it be? Could I actually find Shige pretty for once?

It's a very flattering length and hairstyle for her. They always insist on giving her these huge Rococo-era hairstyles. You'd think that as a lolita I'd like the big hair thing, but I'm just in it for the shoes. ANYWAY.

The hairband is cute and prevents her from looking too plain... She had a bit of that going on in SYO. I find that she looks better with something on her head, but it can be something as simple and understated as a headband.





Tanaka Reina

...Uhm, I'm not sure what she was thinking with these poses.

Tanaka has more of a shawl than a coat/robe thing. Which is interesting, but add that with the white, and I think "Oh my goodness EVERYDAY Zekkouchou?!" (Which I'm listening to right now, by the way). And what's that on her head? Feathers? I'm glad to see that they're trying different hairstyles, but this is just too much like the others. Why is the ponytail always on one side of the head? Can't you put her in a ponytail like normal people? I've seen Koha, I know you can do it.

I do like her arm warmer thingie with all of the bangles, and I am liking the heavy eye liner.





Kusumi Koharu


MY GOD KOHA WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU?!

I'm sorry, this hair is ridiculous. It's almost an insult to graduate her like this. This is the last artist image she'll have in H!P.

At least she's covering up any possible holes in the pants so I have nothing to complain about from the forehead down.





Mitsui Aika


*boooo hisssss* ...What? =D

(We'll discuss my growing dislike for Aika later)

It looks like they're growing her hair out. Or maybe that's just what her hair looks like when it's not curled.

Looks like someone's foot is better! Welcome back to heels, Aika! No more flats for you, unfortunately!

She has a butterfly necklace, and therefore must die.

(I lose my ability to critique productively when it's around someone I really don't like at all)





Junjun

I REALLY can't stand this hair. It's just not flattering. It doesn't suit her head shape, it doesn't suit the costume, it doesn't suit HER.

...However, I do like how the necklace sort of looks like it could be her hair. I thought it was her hair for a moment. xD

I also like the pattern in which the holes are going along the pants (not the holes themselves!). It looks a little more planned, rather than lack of ideas.





Linlin

WOW Linlin is turning out to be quite the beauty. I think it's the one who looks the strangest starting out (Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa, Goto Maki, Yaguchi Mari) turn out to be the most beautiful. It probably has something to do with being at a disadvantage at first. I mean, you have to work a little harder at your photos than girls who are naturally photogenic.

But I digress.

Linlin's hair is generally hit or miss with me. I love the top of the hair, I really do. The little ponytail thingie is cute. I just HATE how the bottom parts look. They're too stiff, it looks unnatural. I understand that with hair as short as hers, it's hard to have successful complex hairstyles like that, but still.

Her outfit is my favorite. It's just very cool and I like how it's balanced.

Tsunku Hates Us.

And by us I mean tall people.


Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Kusumi Koharu, the Ace of Morning Musume, the Miracle member, the sole winner of seventh gen auditions, is graduating.

But not just from Morning Musume. Nooo, that would be too fair. She's leaving Hello! Project. For good.




How can you get rid of this?!


I was definitely not expecting to hear that Koha, my beloved Koha, would be leaving us when I logged onto Twitter and saw the H!O announcement. I would have bet everything I had that Takahashi would be the first to graduate. I mean, she'd been getting countless solos at concerts and in albums and EVERYTHING. I was positive that Tsunku was prepping her for a solo career. Then Mano Erina's lack of talent could be counteracted and balance would once again be brought to the H!P soloists.

But no.

It's Koha.



The first thing I thought, of course, was that Tsunku hates tall people. Elder Club was full of tallies. Iida? Yossie? (Of course, these are relatively tall people. They are tiny compared to me.) Then Umeda Erika was graduated. I was JUST starting to recover from that shock when it was announced that Yuri-tan is graduating, too (I'm still pissed that she's not in the Eggs concert). And now, Koha? What's with all of the tall hate?

Tsunku claims he saw her improvement and wanted to give her a solo career. But wouldn't a solo career mean she stays in H!P? And if that's a solo career, then what the hell was that Kirarin thing she did for the majority of her time in Morning Musume?


Okay, I admit, she's had a pretty good run. She's had a brief solo career, voiced the main character of a hit anime character, and was in Morning Musume for four years. Back when there were fifteen or so members, four years was a long time to be in the group. People graduated after three, two, even one. But now we're in the age of endless lineups. Takahashi and Gaki have been the group for, what, six years now? Seven? The current lineup of MM has been like this for about two years. That's quite a feat.

And you know, I always sensed that Koha didn't get along with a lot of the other members. In backstage things or making of's, she tended to be alone. She has such a strong personality, like Linlin, that she comes off really strong in the generally personality-less Morning Musume. I mean, Linlin is a complete goof, and Junjun is no robot, but at least they were manageable. Sure, Linlin makes stupid jokes and is always laughing, and Junjun tends to be a bit of a camera whore and will speak her mind no matter what, but if you compare those traits to the eternally hyper and bubbly Koharu, the pandas seem like Takahashi. Seriously.

Yeah, Koha is amazingly photogenic and will make a good model (which she wants to do) and god knows she's better at modelling than singing, but she will still be missed. It's not like she's gonna appear in magazines next month. It'll probably be years before we see her again.

In the meantime, I can find comfort in the fact that I'll have all of her lasts: her last calendar, her last photobook, her last single, and her last concert. I mean, I have yet to preorder the MM 2009 fall concert and Kimagure Princess, but there's no way I'm missing out now.


This has been a terrible year for H!P fans (except for Takahashi fans, who are probably rejoicing that their beloved Ai-chan will be staying a little longer). I just pray that this trend of graduating the our beloved tall members doesn't continue.

YURINA, MAASA, JUNJUN.... DON'T GET ANY IDEAS.