[PV] Nanchatte Renai

I woke up this morning to find that H!O had posted Morning Musume's brand new PV~ I had already seen the preview, so I knew the theme of the PV (it's Shouganai Yume Oibito's evil twiiiin!) but I still wanted to see if it had any surprises~

And since today is my birthday, I was definitely in the mood for a surprise or two. ;D



Weird squiggly title... I'm still not sure how Japanese people are able to read these weird fonts. xD Like, I would have no idea that the 'nan' in nanchatte was what it is, and the 'ai' in renai is completely weird. xD



It reminds me of Memory Seishun no Hikari. xD



The minions arrive.

Wow, I just noticed that Aika is wearing flats. xD She had foot problems recently, didn't she?



I was very pleased with the number of high quality Junjun eye candy. She SUCKED on the cover, but she's gorgeous in the PV. Especially once she gets that silly hat off.



The dance shot is a little too centric, but I like it when the PV has so many shots you can't tell if it's a good dance or not. ;D



GOD Linlin has gotten pretty. It was like Tsunku called her to his throne room, looked down at her from his high throne of wota with his Elder Club harem, and announced that now that she is getting a more noticeable role in H!P and will probably be inheriting the group vocally from 5th gen, she must stop being a Kemeko character and start looking cute.



I was disappointed that the costumes were the same as on the cover. What happened to having a completely different outfit on the cover than in the music video? It stopped somewhere around Resonant Blue.



This PV is all about the eyes. Or, at least, that's the body part I notice at 9:30 in the morning.



Aaaand the rap starts. =D It's pretty Aika/Koha heavy.



Aika did the same exact head move in SYO, didn't she? It's like her trademark.



Welcome to the lair of the Shige~

This looks so photoshopped for some reason. xD Just the lighting and everything.



Shadow-y Kame takes some getting used to...



Dammit, Junjun, why must you be so beautiful?



Damsel in distress Takahashi.



This shot was a pleasant surprise. I like the flow-y white outfits and the contrast between black and white.



Koha is not amused.



Why do I always think that Kame looks like a young housewife with this hair? xD Now she looks like a RICH young housewife. xD



Spin~



Um... I'm not sure what I think about this pose... And I'm not sure Aika knows either.



How come I can NEVER get a flattering shot of Gaki?



Bangs, please.



I paused the video, and this is what I got. xD Gaki looks like she just passed out on the pandas, and Linlin is giving us a great 'What do I do?!' expression. xDD



Aika. Non-armpit version.



Betteerrr...



Betteeeerrrrr....



And we're back to no. xD



GUESS THAT POKEMON!



Junjun owns this PV in terms of beautiful window shots. =D



That's a big couch. Oh, and look, Gaki's still out.



It's Tettekette-mon! =D



And it ends.

Is This How You'd Celebrate Your 40th Single?

Most of us have probably heard the radio rips on Youtube of Morning Musume's 40th single, Nanchatte Renai. I know I have. In fact, I've been listening to it all day. xD We were all hoping that their 40th single would be catchy and upbeat, like their 30th, Ambitious, or 20th, Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~. Hell, I'd even like something with a nice message like their 10th, I Wish. But no. We get another sad song about heartbreak or whatever...

Not that I mind the songs about lost love, but considering all of their singles (with the exception of Mikan and Pepper Keibu) since Kanashimi Twilight have been angry or sad or whatever. That's five unhappy songs, right after each other. I like this song, it's good and the rap is cool. But is it 40th anniversary worthy? I don't think so.

But us Morning Musume fans have been requesting an upbeat, happy song for a while. There's not much we can do about it. And I think a lot of us are tired of talking about the song itself.

But what about the covers?

I stumbled upon the covers in the H!O picboard today, and I'd like to comment on them. Because, you know, they just don't feel like a celebration.




Normal Edition


It's simple. Frankly, I like it little bit better than their more recent normal edition covers, simply because you see their entire bodies. Sure, Takahashi is swallowed up, but I like seeing them head to toe. I like their outfits, too. The strappy shoes, the ruffly black dress with black belts, the different shirts, the hats.

Niigaki totally wins this cover. Is it just me, or is her new haircut amazing? I love the dark, shiny brown and the thick bangs. I request that she keeps it like this. It makes her look younger and (is it even possible?) more beautiful. She's just gotten so small! (Is it me or, does it look like she's grinning because her hand is touching Tanaka's chest? xD)

Linlin looks beautiful, and we don't get to say that about Linlin that often. I find my eyes drawn to her everytime. Anyone who still doesn't like her 'China' haircut can GTFO. I love her.

Aika looks nice, and her hat is the only one that isn't bothering me.

Tanaka's trying new hairstyles, and this one doesn't irk me as much as the one she had in the SYO PV. The black hair is a nice touch. I think it suits her better than brown and glitter.

Takahashi has her photo face. Pouty lips, sorta lifeless face, and uncomfortable pose. God, it must have sucked pausing for that photo. xD

Shige looks pretty. I know, I'm surprised too, I've never found her face THAT attractive. I think it's the eyebrows and the eyes and the nose and the mouth... Wait, that's just her face. xD But I actually like how she looks. I must admit, her pose is probably what made them choose this cover for the normal. It just screams 'buy this single~'

Kamei looks a little scary. I think it's just the eye makeup that does it, but it makes her eyes look a little too wide. It also looks like Shige is about to pinch her boob. Which would explain the 'HELP ME!' expression on her face.

Koha is... MY GOD, WHY DO YOU INSIST ON THESE HAIRSTYLES! I can deal with the weird flarey ponytail when she has some hair down in the front or bangs. But I hate, hate, hate her hair like this.

Junjun... Oh, Junjun... You make me cry sometimes. I honestly thought we were past 2007 and 2008. I thought you were finally getting used to the camera. I mean, look at your beautiful photo sets, Junjun! Spring 2009 was amazingly gorgeous! But this... It's like we're back to Resonant Blue with your awkward, mouth-breathy expression. Yes, you look sad, but this isn't Naichau Kamo anymore.


THE WINNERS: Linlin and Gaki
THE LOSERS: Koha, Kame, and Junjun
FINAL VERDICT: Boring. Some good looks, but generally not very interesting.




Limited Edition A


Now they're sitting. On a black bench that blends in with their dresses. I thought they were levitating at first. xD Okay. This is no way as amazing as the SYO Limited Edition A, where they were all on the golden pipe thing. But that was a masterpiece.

Onto the winners of the last round!

Gaki is looking just as gorgeous as before. She's working the new hair and costume, but still looks a little contemplative, like she's thinking about what to eat. Or why in the world Linlin's hand is on her shoulder.

Speaking of Linlin. I think it might be some sort of weird fetish thing or something, but I LOVE IT when girls' ears stick out in their hair. xD I love it when they tuck their hair behind their ears or when they have short hair like this and you can see their ears. So Linlin has that going for her. She still looks pretty, but not as startling pretty like before.

NOW Aika's hat is bothering me. She looked a little troubled. What's wrong Mittsi? Still bumbed from SYO? You seemed fine at AX...

Shige... Pfft. Shige. xD The beauty, the mystery is gone. She's trying to beat Maasa in the big puppy eyes contest. No thank you.

Kamei is feeling bad about what I said before, and now looks REALLY bummed. But I like it. I just wish her face wasn't so shadowy...

Junjun still looks awkward. Where is her leg sneaking off to?

Tanaka has her 'you trying to mess with me?' face on.

Takahashi's face looks weird, but I like her pose.

Koha's face is GORGEOUS in this pic. Her awful hair blends in with Junjun's dress, so you just see FACE. She is the queen of the big eyed, inquisitive look. She looks very uncomfortable, though...


THE WINNERS: Gaki, Kame, Koha
THE LOSERS: Everyone else
FINAL VERDICT: What the hell is with these awful expressions? You can see the circles under their eyes, too. 8th gen just looks tired.





Limited Edition B

It reminds me of the Limited Edition B for SYO, where they're all jumping. Now they're flouncing?

Gaki looks pretty, yes, but it just doesn't seem as perfect as her other ones. It looks like she got hit on or something by a guy she doesn't like and Shige, her bodyguard, stepped in to intervene.

Aika still has the same sad puppy face. And I don't want sad puppy Aika, I want happy puppy Aika!

Shige. Ahh, same old Shige face.

Linlin looks cute~ I like her flared out bouncy hair. And the hat thing is just so much more charming when she does it~

Kame still looks a little unstable... But cute, and that's what matters.

Junjun is getting better, but it still looks... Ugh. I think it's the placement of the hat on top of that hair. It's too much on that side of her head. I like her with full bangs.

Tanaka looks really pale. xD Like, her neck looks almost unhealthy. Not much to say about the pose or expression. It's Tanaka.

This has been the only Takahashi face that I don't mind. She has a very strange face, and she can be really beautiful with the right makeup and lighting.

Koha is looking good! She looks very youthful, and the pose might not be the most creative, but I like it.


THE WINNERS: Gaki, Linlin, Koha
THE LOSERS: Kame, Junjun
FINAL VERDICT: A little more interesting than the others, but still, I feel like I've seen it before.




Commemorative 40th single Edition

This one has a different B-side, I believe. It's the only cover without the red background, and a different angle.


Linlin looks like her normal self, but I love how she's standing, like she's about to push Takahashi out of the shot and take her rightful place as best vocalist of Morning Musume.

Come on, Aika, give us a smile...! Come on, Aika, I can see you starting to... Oh! come on, Aika~ xD It honestly looks like she's trying not to smile but the photographer is pleading her to.

I really can't stand Kame's eyes, which is a shame considering she has such beautiful eyes.

Tanaka... You bore me.

Shige is too busy admiring her reflection in the camera lens to notice that she's about to elbow Junjun in the neck.

Junjun would actually look quite nice if she didn't look so old and tired and had better hair. It's not her fault, though.

Gaki is stealing the shot AND the space. She's showing off the nice layering in her hair with a brilliant smile~

Koha is pretty, and looks very cute and sweet.

This is the best Takahashi has looked, I've decided. It's her signature look, afteall. ;D


THE WINNERS: Gaki, Takahashi (Runner-ups Linlin and Koha]
THE LOSERS: Tanaka and Shige, because they bore me.
FINAL VERDICT: The best out of the four, but it seems more like a backstage shot.



THERE. THAT IS THE THING ABOUT THESE COVERS!

The costumes is nice and all, but it really seems like a backstage photo. The lighting is awful and washes them out, and their skin looks shiny and greasy. You can see how tired they are and it's just not flattering. I know it sounds bad, but they airbrush for a reason.

It reminds me of the Sexy 8 Beat album cover. There, I said it.

I really, really hope they start being more creative with their covers. This was rather boring, I've got to admit.

My Life <3

So I promised I would post pictures, and I finally got around to scanning the darn thing. Ohh, what am I saying? I love it! I love it like a child! It's my life, the proof of the most magical day of my seventeen years!

Yes, my autographed copy of Alo-hello! 3... ;D




<3333333333

[Review] H!P Chanpuru ~Happy Marriage Song Shuu~

Thank god for preordering. ;D This album isn't supposed to be released for another three days, but there's always that one person who gets their copy a few days ahead... Sorta like how I got my H!P calendars two weeks before their release date. Woo-hoo!

I'm going to write down my comments as I listen to it for the first time. Since I've heard the songs before, I'll be mainly critiquing performances and voices, and how they blend. I must admit, I'm a little nervous as well. These are the new units, and I'm hoping they don't disappoint.

1. Diamonds - High-King

Holy geez this is too cute for High King. xD And is that a Saki solo?! Of course, Takahashi does amazingly with her lines. This is really different from the sound that High King had in C/C. It's sweeter, cuter. There's plenty of Tanaka, no surprise there. My god, I'm really loving this. xD It's Maimi and Saki and Takahashi... It's great! Little Yuuka is only heard during the group lines, but she blends well, so I'm not complaining. In fact, she and Tanaka sound great. Ahh, there's a solo, but it's short and isn't anything to brag about. She's pretty much overshadowed by the others. But they did a good job. I really like it. My only complaint is how Takahashi pronounces her 'o's. xD It's weird.

2. Ai wa Katsu - c-ute & Mano Erina

Oh look. Piano. I wonder who is playing? xD Mano fits in perfectly with c-ute. She could very well be Kanna's replacement... Oh no, I take it back. She started singing. Bad, Mano, very bad! Good save, Maimi. Help fix our bleeding ears! xD I'm serious. That was an awful solo. You know, it's probably just the song, but it's not grabbing me like Diamonds was. I mean, it helped that I love the song, but... You know, there's just nothing missing. STOP SINGING MANO! Where's Airi, by the way? Oh, singing with Maimi. It's hard to hear with Maimi's big voice. xD Ahh, it was cute. Totally forgettable, though.

3. YES-YES-YES - Aa!

Airi/Miyabi blending is probably my favorite thing ever. I'm just saying. Is that Akari singing? Holy geez the girl is good. Tsunku, good choice! I prefer Akari so much more than Tanaka. It just blends more! This is a very nice song, and all three girls do well. This is my favorite track so far. That last note was pretty, too. Good job, ladies.

4. Tentou Chuu no Sanba - Shin Minimoni

God, this is so Mini Moni sounding. xD THIS IS SO FREAKING CUTE! All of the Eggs sound adorable, and Linlin is so.... god, she can do anything. She can sing big songs with a huge voice but then she can also sing in an adorable voice to rival her Egg group mates. xD I love it. It's so cute and upbeat and.... I like Shin Minimoni already. xDDD This is one of those songs that you can't help but smile when you hear it. xD And I'm grinning. xD AHHH THAT WAS GREAT!

5. Kimi ga iru dake de - Pucchimoni V

It's cute. They blend well. Are they awesome like the first Pucchimoni was? Not. At. All. It's nice and cute. Mano needs to stop singing. Saki sounds great~ Mai, too. The c-ute girls have such deep voices compared to Mano. xD I like Saki and Mai in this, I HATE MANO. It's a nice song, and I think Saki does the best job with it. Mai does good, too, and Mano is... Well, by now you know how I feel about Mano in this album. xD

6. Heya to Y shirts to Watashi - Tanaka Reina

Every once in a while there will be a moment where I pause and think to myself, "Tanaka can kinda sing". Well, this is another one of those moments. Tanaka, like Koha and Kamei, are startling when they sing deep notes, because they sound so good. I also like Tanaka's slight vibrato. That's an unusual thing to have if you're an idol, and I really like it. It's a cute song, and she does a good job. I really started liking her at AX after seeing her at the panel and the concert and the autograph session, and I'm starting to like her vocals with this. The song is long as hell, though. xD

7. Mamotte Agetai - Niigaki Risa & Kamei Eri

From the first line I'm loving this. xD I've been looking forward to it, too. Gaki and Kame have lovely voices, and together... Ah~ They blend so well! Gaki's big voice and Kame's sweetness comes together and creates the perfect sound~ I could probably go on forever and ever about how much I love these girls together and in this song... My only complaint is that the song is a little boring, but just a little. Ah, but I love it.

8. Cosmos - Takahashi Ai

One word: Gorgeous. Come on, give this girl a solo career! It's hauntingly beautiful with flawless vocals and emotion... God, when she sings in that big, deep voice, I get goosebumps. And I don't get goosebumps easily with J-pop. I mean, the instrumental is no match to Takahashi. xD It probably would be more moving A Capella. I take it back, this is my favorite track so far. This blows me away. Takahashi is such an amazing singer when she's not in a group. Come on, Tsunku, graduate the girl and make her a soloist! If we could get more songs like this, H!P would be SO MUCH BETTER.

Whereas Tanaka's solo was too long, this was too short. xD

9. Mirai Yosouzu II - ZYX-α

This isn't like the ZYX I'm used to, it's too down to earth. xD And when they sing as a group... Ehh... Gaki really shines during the deep and big parts. In the chorus, they all sound so big. xD Maasa and Gaki must be a little louder than usual. ;D I wish they had solos, but maybe in the future... It's such a big group that solos would probably detract from the song. It's a nice song, but after Takahashi's solo, it just doesn't compare. xD

10. ONLY YOU - Zoku･Biyuuden

God, I was so nervous about this. xD Opening with a cool solo from Risako... Hell, even Shige sounds good with the instrumental. xDD They blend surprisingly well, too. Junjun sounds awesome~ GO JUNJUN! God, I love this song. xD This is the best Junjun has sounded in a while. When she's not being all cute-like, she really sounds awesome. She has a big, deep voice. She makes the song for me. Junjun especially rocks during the chorus. xD God, I love it so, so much! This is tied with Takahashi's solo. It's as cool and fun as Takahashi's was beautiful.

11. akai sweet pea - Tanpopo #

It's such a sweet song. God, they sound so great~ Even Aika. I've never really appreciated Chisato's voice until now. xD She sounds a bit like Risako. Kame really makes the song shine, though. She was the best. Yurina sounds a little detached at first, but she gets into it later. It's nice to listen to~ God, Kame's last solo... *goosebumps*

12. For You… - Linlin

This was what I was waiting for. xD She showed us she can be adorable in Mini Moni, and now is her big solo. Her voice is really gorgeous when it soft. And she does have amazing control. It's still a little nasally, but it's beautiful at the same time. She is another one of those emotional singers. It just comes together perfectly in the chorus. She has such a huge voice, it's amazing. To think that she was the same girl as the one two years ago... She's improved so much. This is an amazingly solo from Linlin. She really does deserve a larger part in Morning Musume. Both she and Junjun have proved that they belong in the music business.

13. Kanpaku Sengen - Berryz Koubou & Mano Erina

Surprisingly, this song suits Mano's voice better. xD It's something more her style, too. Hey look, solos. The song is kinda folksy, and Yurina sounds so cute. xD Maasa's solo was great, as was Risako's. Saki sounds a little strained and awkward, but I love her. Momoko sounds cute. Berryz as a group completely overpowers Mano. xD She's no match! Miyabi sounds pretty~ It's a weird song, though. xD I feel like it might be a little too easy for some of the girls, and a little too hard for the others. I have mixed feelings. And no Chinami solo? Poor thing.

14. Sekai wa futari no tame ni - Michishige Sayumi, Kusumi Koharu, Mitsui Aika, Junjun

I was dreading this one. xD Aika sounds really nice at the beginning, though. When she can sing softly, she sounds good. As a group they're not bad either. Koha sounds cute~ She's taking a step away from her Kirarin voice, which is good. Baby steps, but steps nonetheless. ;D Junjun's solo was my favorite part. xD The violins were great, and she sounds pretty. Not as great as in Only You, but good. Even Shige sounds okay. What is with her lately? She hasn't been killing my ears as much lately.



Ahh, that was great. It got off to a rocky start, but it really turned out great in the end. I recommend that everyone listens to it, especially Takahashi's solo, Linlin's solo, and Biyuuden's song. ;D

This Needs to be Done

There are three issues that I find I must comment on.


Number one- Arihara Kanna leaving

Don't act like you didn't see it coming. Bunion surgery generally requires 8 weeks for recovery. Kanna had twice that. Sure, you can give her a little extra time because she's a dancer, but come on. You knew she would be getting the boot. I mean, it's the perfect excuse. She was injured and felt like she wanted to live a normal life. Good for her. But we all know that there's something going on under there. Like Fujimoto Miki and Yaguchi Mari resigning, or Maiha and Megumi returning to being normal students. Come on. Tsunku's working behind the scenes. But it's not like the group is losing anything. She never got solos. Now, if it were Airi or Maimi who was leaving, THAT would be a loss for c-ute. But to tell you the truth, I didn't notice the transition from seven members to six, except for the fact that their dances were symmetrical. Actually, I never even noticed Kanna when she WAS in c-ute.

However, I will give the Kanna fans something. She was one of the stronger singers, which I discovered by listening to their most recent album. So yes, it is a little sad that Hello! Project is losing even more talent.



Number two- The UNOFFICIAL casting for the new groups

Mind you, these are rumors. It has not been officially confirmed, but it's been pretty well circulated, so I might as well voice my opinions on them.

Aa!- Suzuki Airi, Natsuyaki Miyabi, Saho Akari

Everyone's wondering where Tanaka is. She's in HIGH KING. I'll be saying this a lot, so you might as well memorize it now.
Saho was cute in Shugo Chara Eggs, in a sort of awkward, "I don't really want to be here" way. She's gonna be completely crushed by Airi and Miyabi. Poor girl.

Shin Minimoni- Linlin, Fukuda Kanon, Takeuchi Akari, Miyamoto Karin

Linlin makes this group win. I don't care about the Eggs. xD Even though Kanon is very cute.

Pucchimoni V- Nakajima Saki, Mano Erina, Hagiwara Mai

UTTER, COMPLETE FAIL. I can't talk about this group. It's too sickening. xD

ZYX-a- Niigaki Risa, Kusumi Koharu, Tsugunaga Momoko, Sudou Maasa, Wada Ayaka, Umeda Erika, Ogawa Saki, Tokunaga Chinami

DID I TOTALLY CALL IT OR WHAT? I'm serious. When Gaki sang Shiroi Tokyo, I knew that she was total Yaguchi material. xD I really like this group. Everyone is all "Where's Maimi and Captain?" HIGH-KING. They're in HIGH-KING. Remember? HIGH-KING. They already have a group. But Maasa, Gaki, and Erika together in one group means that there will be strong vocals. Momoko and Koharu will offer the personality, and the Eggs and Chinami will be cute. =D

Zoku Biyuuden- Michishige Sayumi, Sugaya Risako, Junjun

I also guess this one. Shige is the Ishikawa of this generation. I was praying that she wouldn't be in the same group as Junjun. xD But I like Junjun being sexy. Risako will hold the group up vocally, and Junjun will be able to show what she's got. Shige will probably prevent the group from being great. Oh well. I hope they do okay.

Tanpopo#- Kamei Eri, Okai Chisato, Kumai Yurina, Mitsui Aika

Ehh... I only like Kamei. The rest of them are a little too kiddish and cutesy for Tanpopo. But I think they'll blend well.



Number Three- LEAVE SUGAYA RISAKO ALONE FOR TSUNKU'S SAKE!


I've been meaning to talk about this for a while.

I don't understand all the hatred for Risako.

I mean, I've encountered people who refer to her as 'Tubby' and insult her singing. My god? What's with the aggression?

I hate that an idol is attacked because she's gained a little weight or just has a round face. Gaki gained quite a bit of weight, but then she dropped it all. And actually, I preferred her when she was rounder. It's not obese. It's healthy. If you look at pictures, they're not overweight. They're just not SKINNY. So, for those of you who read this, I'd like to request--no, I DEMAND that you discourage people calling her fat.

I also hate it when people say she's a bad singer. When is she ever a bad singer? She's the strongest vocalist in Berryz. It may not be a cute, sweet voice like Miyabi's, but she has a huge range and is a good singer. Sometimes I feel like big, deep voices are under-appreciated. In most societies, you know, a deep voice is preferred over a helium voice. Like, there was a girl on Youtube who posted on one of my dubs "You have a man voice". I'm sorry. I'm a mezzo, so I'm NOWHERE close to having a man's voice. As I told her, not everyone can have cute, child-like voices. Just because we sound different doesn't mean you can attack us.

I'm a little worked up for no real apparent reason, but I'm totally serious. Leave her alone, you guys. It's hard to maintain a steady, perfect voice when you're dancing. Let's see you try. Also, she's only, what, fourteen? Fifteen? Her voice is still maturing. She's just hitting a rough patch.

Well, AX is practically over....

How did it become 4:46 PM? It's only 1:50, silly computer!

I'm sitting in the Sheraton lobby after just experiencing the most amazing day of my life. Yes, I met Morning Musume. And I shall tell you all about it~

My friend Sarah came over Wednesday night. We went to bed around ten and woke up at 3 the next morning.

After six hours of driving, we arrived in LA. We found the convention center fairly quickly, and all three of us (Sarah, my mother, and myself) went in to get our badges.

Anime Expo is HUGE compared to Fanime. The convention center alone is massive. There are crowds everywhere. And it didn't help that the press was scurrying around the Staples Center, which was right next door.

Registration was quick and painless, even though they forgot to print Sarah's concert ticket voucher at first (we had to come back later).

We immediately got in line for the panel. We were close to the front, which was exciting. They moved us inside out of the sun, but that probably wasn't the greatest idea. The staff members didn't know about the change, and thought that we were in line for the Morikawa panel. So they brought us in by accident, and the line was lost.

The Morikawa panel was painful. All of these fangirls came up during Q&A and asked him to say "Will you marry me?" in Sephiroth's voice and the like.

After an hour, they all cleared out. Sarah and I had befriended two other teenagers, a girl cosplaying as Takahashi Ai in Resonant Blue and her friend, a guy who didn't really know who Morning Musume was. xD We seat jumped, but failed to get one in the front. We instead got one in the seventh row, close to the Q&A mic.

It was a little bit before 2 when Morning Musume came in.

They were surrounded by security guards and handlers, and quickly slipped through the front to go to the backroom, where they could change. Everyone leapt up when they came in, and we all cheered and screamed and cried. xD Well, I did.

We calmed down (except for the Japanese wota who had followed them from Japan) for a minute, but we got pumped up again when they played a 'history of MM' video. We sang along with the songs, and even did some wota-gei (the cheering and chanting that goes along with idol songs). Then the girls came out.

A girl I had met during the Morikawa had seen the girls at the airport on Wednesday, and she put the whole experience very eloquently. And it was true. These girls were so small, so fragile, like they could faint at any moment. These were people we idolized, and it was strange seeing them in person. Like the girl said, they were "so beautiful, yet they were very human and tangible." They whispered to one another, looked bored, everything. It was amazing.

They were still very small up on the panel platform. They introduced themselves, mostly in Japanese, but Linlin spoke in English. In fact, she spoke in mostly English the whole time.

After talking about their experiences and the like, Q&A opened up. A mass of people rushed to the middle aisle, including Desiree, the girl we had met. She couldn't decide on a question, so she pulled me up to help her. Our noise attracted the attention of Junjun, who looked at us curiously. Immediately I froze and returned to my seat. xD

The panel was fun. Most of the questions were fairly fanboyish, like asking members to do impressions. One guy even challenged Tanaka to a rock-paper-scissors match, and when he lost, he had to act like a cat.

Shige did usa-chan peace. Gaki did mayuge beam. The pandas spoke in Chinese to a Chinese fan. Kamei did the catchphrase from the anime series she's acting in. Koha freaked out over a Koharu cosplayer who asked a question. Aika was like the mother of the group. Takahashi was very leader-like.

Afterwards, we went out and stood in line to get our tickets for the concert. We met a group of high school friends and chatted with them. The Mana concert was going on, and so we made fun of the music, too. xD

Our seats were actually pretty good. We were in section F, which was the section right next to the center section. So, we were right in front of the screen and could see the stage well. We were in the 12th row.

The next morning, we got at the center around 10 or 11. We went immediately to the line in the back. It was really hot outside, and I had trouble breathing because of the smog. xD

Around 12:30, they let us in. We got a seat in the middle of the row. We cracked our glowsticks. I had red for Koha, orange for Kamei, green for Gaki, purple for Mittsi, aqua for Linlin, and dark blue for Junjun. The dark blue one turned out more blue, but I used it anyway. Sarah used my purple and aqua glowsticks. xD

The concert started on time (surprisingly), and we all went nuts. The girls all ran out. They were wearing costumes from their most recent concert. Now, I can't remember their complete setlist in order, but here's what I remember:

3.2.1. Breakin' Out!
Shouganai Yume Oibito
Resonant Blue
Mikan
Medley (from their Single Daizenshuu concert)- Happy Summer Wedding, The Peace!, Souda! We're Alive, etc
HOW DO YOU LIKE JAPAN?
Sono Bibiccha... whatever the Resonant Blue B-side is called. xD
And 3.2.1. Breakin' Out again.

We sang along and did the wota-gei. Wota-gei is really fun. You're jumping and waving your glowsticks and yelling 'oi!' in time with the music.

At the end, before the encore performance of 3.2.1., Yoshizawa Hitomi came out.

Yossie looked really cute. Her hair is getting long. It was bleached blonde, and the tips were dyed pink. She wore a sort of light punkish outfit, probably for her Hangry signing later.

Soon it was Yossie and Morning Musume, and then Tsunku came out. We were all dying. xD
Yossie hosted the MC, and Tsunku announced the winners. There were three winners. The winner of the Morning Musume award (the one MM liked the best) was in the audience. The grand prize winner really was amazing.

After some MC banter, Tsunku and Yossie left and Morning Musume performed 3.2.1. one more time. By then we were tired of it. xD

At the end, we all stood around and yelled 'Encore!' in Japanese until the con staff said "Seriously guys, they're gone" and shoved us out.

The concert was great. There weren't many MCs or breaks to give the girls resting periods. Every now and then, they'd run to the back of the stage and grab water bottles. xD They really did a great job.

They sang live, too, and were very good. Aika can really hold her own when live. Like, really live. Not concert DVD. You have to be there.

It was incredible. I really enjoyed it. And my love for Tanaka has increased. xD She has moved up in my list.

We went and bought copies of Platinum 9 Disc. Each CD came with a photo card. Coincidentally, I got Linlin and Sarah got Junjun. xD Since we had the other's favorite, we switched.

We went out to dinner in Little Tokyo and came back just in time for Hello! Party.

Hello! Party was not what I was expecting. It wasn't so much a party as it was a bunch of games. xD We sat and were separated into teams by favorite member.

It started off with an awful "medley" of songs by the dubbing group Sekai no Melody. They said medley. It was actually 3 songs in their entirety. Then we started the games.

First was the song guessing game. Sarah played. She totally guessed wrong. xD

After that was a trivia game. I didn't take part, even though Junjun's team was up. I should have, though. That trivia was pretty easy for the most part.

Then, after a break and a short dance performance (much better) we started a game that wasn't on the program but I was really excited about: The karaoke game!

Unfortunately, Junjun had already gone, but I really wanted to play, so I switched teams. xD I got a lot of boo's, but another Junjun team girl had done the same. We just wanted to play~ And so I joined the Koha team!

The game was really fun. We sang, around 3 lines each, before switching. My mic wasn't working with me, maybe because I was singing into it at an angle. So that was embarrassing.

We played twice, the same medley. I was the second to last singer the second time. xD I passed the mic to the girl behind me, who was on Gaki's team. But after singing the last line, she handed the mic off to a team Koha guy, and even though technically the Koha team won, we lost instead. And the guy got silly-stringed. xD

There were two more games after that, a drawing telephone game that Sarah played and the burabura thing, where you blindfold people and drop a mysterious object down on their head on a string, and they have to guess what it is.

We left after that.



We got up early this morning because we had an autograph session we had to try to catch! We arrived a little before 8, and wandered around before finding the line. After sorting the ticket-holders from the non-ticket holders, they moved us to a waiting room, where we were given place holders.

Sarah and I were behind a guy who had tried to make it to the first session, right after the panel, but they apparently only let in 150 people, and he was around 200th in line. He was nice, so we talked to him. There was also a teenage guy and a guy who had just gotten back from studying abroad in Japan in the line behind ours, so we talked with them.

We waited about 2-3 hours before they moved us into a larger room next to the autograph room.

The session started at 11. We didn't get in until noon.

Walking in was the strangest feeling. All nine girls sat behind a table. They were in normal street clothes, not their Shouganai Yume Oibito costumes like the panel. There was a short line before you could get your autographs.

I brought my Alo-hello! 3 DVD for them to sign.

First up was Takahashi. She took my DVD and asked me where I wanted to have my autograph. I said that anywhere was fine, and so she signed next to her face on the cover.

Gaki was listening, so she greeted me with a smile and signed her name. She's gotten really skinny...

Kamei was next. Her last pen had apparently died, so she grabbed another one and checked to see if it worked. I was nervous, so I laughed quietly and she grinned at me. After signing next to her face as well, she handed me the DVD back before reaching out and grabbing my hand. I was so stunned I let her shake my hand vigorously without saying anything.

Well, by then I was completely shocked and starstruck.

Shige greeted me softly, and signed her name.

Tanaka did the same, but as she saw the Alo-Hello! DVD, she let out a loud "Oh!". Tanaka's signature features a little doodle, so she took the longest. Koha, who was finished with Sarah, watched Tanaka with a bored expression on her face. She probably was tired of waiting.

Koha had big hair. xD She signed my name with a smile.

Aika was really excited. She greeted me with a "Hi hi hi!" and signed her name energetically.

Junjun was next, so my heart was pounding. She smiled slightly at me, with the small smile she normally had, and signed my DVD case. Then she held out her hand, and I shook it. It was a long handshake, mainly because I was too blissed out to move (xD).

Linlin said hello very loudly and energetically, and signed my DVD, handing it back with a bow.

I kinda stumbled out and collapsed on Sarah, who was talking to the guy in front of us from before. We stood around and looked at our signed products, talked about the girls, and waited for the others. All five of us walked down the stairs together, then said bye and went our separate ways.

I kinda wish I weren't so braindead during the whole thing. xD Sarah said that she told Tanaka that she thought her signature was cute, and Tanaka thanked her. The guy who had returned from Japan said that they complimented his Japanese. The teenage guy said that he said that Tanaka's black hair looked good, and she thanked him, and Kamei said that he had a nice smile. The guy in front of us had had a chat in Chinese with the pandas. I had gawked at them. xD

Sarah and I stumbled around to lunch with dazed looks on our faces. It really was incredibly. They looked just like they did in photos and on TV. But they were real people. Kamei kept on checking her makeup, and Junjun had some pimples covered up with makeup. And their hands were warm~

My DVD is amazing, too. I'll post photos soon~

Less than 18 Hours!

Yes, ladies and.... Well, as far as I know, only girls read this blog. xD

I AM LEAVING FOR ANIME EXPO IN ROUGHLY EIGHTEEN HOURS!

After months and months of hyperventilating, stressing, studying, spazzing, and very little sleep the past week, D-Day is nearly upon us.

It didn't feel entirely real up until I read Paul's blog post about his first days in LA. Yes, I had packed up my clothes, meticulously planning each one. Yes, I had placed my glowsticks in my bag and an easily accessible spot for the CDs and DVDs (or even T-shirt) that I'm planning to get signed. But it didn't seem real until I saw that photo of a bunch of wotas standing in LAX holding a 'Welcome, Morning Musume' sign a day early. xD

I'm sure this will be the best week of my life, despite a few things here and there that have happened that have threatened to lessen the experience.

I'll be unable to update this blog, due to lack of laptop (xD) but I might be able to check in on stuff with my iTouch in the hotel. Regardless of how or when I do it, I will tell you all about it, and share photos~

So here's the game plan:


We will leave at, like, 4 AM. Maybe a little earlier, maybe a little later. But I'm aiming for 4.

We'll drive for six hours, and get at the convention center around 10 AM.

My mother will push me and Sarah from the car, and go off to a coffee shop or bookstore until she can check into the hotel.

Meanwhile, Sarah and I will get our passes, and depending on when we're supposed to pick up our concert tickets (I'm assuming the day of, though), get that done too. We'll have four hours until the panel, and I'm hoping that will give us enough time to get our passes and get in line to the panel, and maybe buy a few CDs if possible.

We'll go to the panel. Hopefully, we'll be able to go to the panel-only autograph session. If not, we'll have our tickets from buying CDs. ;D


On Friday, we'll get up early and wait in line for the concert as soon as possible. xD It might be that we'll have to pick up our tickets, but maybe not. That might be earlier.

Before the concert, we might try to meet up with our dubbing friend Momo and her friend.

Afterward, there will be an autograph session with Yoshizawa Hitomi. We may or may not go. I know Sarah is planning on buying a Hangry & Angry CD, but I don't know if that means we'll go. Personally, I love Yossie, but she's not signing as Yossie, she's signing as Hangry. And I'd rather meet Yossie. ;D

Then there's Hello! Party, which I'm really excited about. Mainly because it's just a huge geek out, and there'll be karaoke games. xD

On Saturday there are two autograph sessions, and we may or may not go to those, depending on how the Thursday autograph goes. Or how many autographs we can get. Because there are three autograph sessions, and I would love to get an autograph from Junjun, Linlin, and Kamei/Gaki. If we can get an autograph from all nine at one, that's even better. xD

That's about it for the H!P related stuff, but after that we'll be heading down to San Diego to look at colleges. >.>

And throughout the week we'll be doing stuff in the evening and morning and stuff. Like, going to Little Tokyo and looking around, doing the basic Hollywood tourist stuff, and finding Kathy Griffin's house. xD