Review Monday: Morning Musume – What is Love?

Posted on November 4, 2013 by serenyty

I was kind of racking my brain for what I could review for this week’s Review Monday post. The problem is, not much has come out recently that I really need to say something about. I considered Juice=Juice’s new PV, but I have nothing much to say other than “I kind of like this.” AKB48’s latest came out recently, but even that’s a bit of a letdown after the fantastic Koisuru Fortune Cookie. Then my friend Dani suggested I take a look at Morning Musume’s newest song “What is Love?” It hasn’t been released yet, and there’s not even a plan for its release yet, but I thought this was an excellent idea.

Oh wait, no, wrong clip (sorry, I know this joke is so old by now).

Song: I’ve been really into this song since the first short preview popped up online, and if this gets put on a single it will potentially be my favorite Morning Musume song of the year. That’s how much I like this.

One of the things common to a lot of my favorite songs is that they bend genres. I’m a fan of groups like Babymetal and Rhymeberry because they aren’t afraid to do something unusual with their music, and to mesh an unusual genre with idol music. Morning Musume does this almost perfectly with “What is Love.” They take the current electronic/dubstep-lite sound that Morning Musume has been doing for their last few singles and mixed it with, of all things, 1920s era swing/jazz. This is the type of thing that doesn’t get mixed with current music a lot. If modern music decides to look back, they usually stick to the 50s onward. But here, Morning Musume is taking on a genre and era of music, mixing it with some very modern sounds, and doing something very unique.

There is a bit of risk to doing this song; if this was done poorly, it would have been just awful. That’s generally why Hello!Project acts tend to keep it safe, musically. However, Morning Musume does this unusual mix very well here. The swing music mixes remarkably well with the electronic music and, apart from the initial shock of hearing two separate genres combined, doesn’t sound forced or like a bad combination. The song itself is very catchy and the arrangement fits well. I normally prefer real instruments, but the type of song fits this type of arrangment.

Basically, I love this song on multiple levels. It’s very listenable and catchy, but I also love what it represents, bending genres. Morning Musume has been on a roll with solid releases lately (even though I didn’t enjoy their remix album), and I’m very impressed by what they’ve done with What is Love. 9/10

Dance: Since there’s no PV, I’ll just give a few quick words about the dance. Dance is probably the area I know least about with idols. However, Morning Musume’s dances have stood out a lot lately, and this is no exception. I know to some the dance formations are getting a bit old, but that’s one of the aspects I love about current Morning Musume. The dances all look a thousand times cooler and more interesting when all the members are moving together in a formation.

Some people think this dance is too weird. It is a bit odd, at times, but ultimately it fits really well with both the style of music they’re doing as well as the current style Morning Musume has right now. I especially like the part during the chorus where the girls swing their leg in front and in back of them. Ultimately, as a complete non-expert on dance, I really like this. It’s unusual, but I like unusual.

Verdict: This song and dance are great. While I’ve had my misgivings with MM releases in the past, Morning Musume does an excellent job with What is Love. 9/10

[Announcement] Happy Disco’s Facebook Page is now Open!

Posted on November 4, 2013 by serenyty

Happy Disco now has its very own Facebook page!

https://www.facebook.com/HappyDiscoIdols

I will be updating this page whenever I post something on Happy Disco, for convenience. I’ll also be using this page for Your Thoughts posts, connecting with readers in an easy format, and possibly doing some contests in the future.

So if you like what I do, please like the page. You can also follow me on twitter @writerserenyty, but that’s a lot of my ramblings about everything including idols, video games, tv shows, and general stuff like that. I once livetweeted being annoyed on the train. So that’s the level of my twitter.

For anyone that has went to Happy Media from my recommendation, first off thank you, and secondly I WILL be updating that eventually, I just need to figure out what I’m doing with that space.

Thank you everyone for the support! It’s been two months since I revamped Happy Disco, and I’m very happy with how things have been going!

Tokyo Idol Festival 2013: The Acts part 20

Posted on November 1, 2013 by serenyty

Melody Lien

This is a unit produced by KOUTAPAI, who has written/arranged stuff for Idoling!!! and SDN48. Notably he arranged Idoling’s Don’t Think! Feel!! and wrote SDN48’s Min Min Min. So if you like those songs (which I do) it’s safe to assume there’s going to be some solid music.

Melody Lien was formed in August 2011. Since then they’ve had a successful (over 300 in attendance) one man live. While there are six members on the TIF picture there are only five member profiles,
so there must have been a fairly recent graduation. The thing that amazes me is that, for a fairly unknown group, they’ve already put out seven singles, their latest being “Sensei ni Rei.” So if one thing that frustrates you about indie groups is a lack of music, that shouldn’t be a problem with Melody Lien! The only notable issue is that while they’ve put out seven singles, their last one was in February, so it seems that the group has slowed down a bit.

Another notable fact about the group is that they have a regular live every Friday at a maid cafe. It’s only 1000 yen, so it’s a very cheap event. Then, after that event, for 500 yen you can go to a “tea party” event where there are games with the members, they do solo karaoke, etc. It sounds like a really fun event, and one that would allow an idol fan to get close to their idol.

As expected, the music is pretty good. It’s hard to tell because YouTube isn’t updated that much. This is the biggest shame; the girls are energetic and cute, they have some good ideas and good backing, but it feels like the group has lost a bit of traction. Hopefully they can gain it back, and Melody Lien can come back strong.

Momochi Minami

I have decided that if I ever become an idol, that I will declare Momochi Minami as my ultimate rival.

Momochi Minami is an idol who always wears an anime face mask. Previously I declared that Momochi Minami hangs out in the Uncanny Valley, which I stand by. Momochi is often kind of creepy.

She is an Anison (anime song) DJ and also is a part of the Bakusute Sotokanda　Icchoume group. She also does a lot of live events, but hasn’t put out any singles of her own. So she’s not necessarily a solo idol.

Honestly, I’m more fascinated by Momochi Minami than anything. I think it’s hard to specifically be her fan, especially if you can’t go to her events, but it’s easy to be fascinated by her.

Yumemiru Adolescence

Yumemiru Adolescence is a five member idol group of girls who were models for the magazine Pichi Lemon. Their dream is to grow from models to actresses, so this is their “adolescence.” They perform once a month using song, dance, and I think acting as well.

So far they’ve put out two singles and a mini album, Nakimushi Sniper. They’re putting out a new mini album in November, so they’re still a fairly active unit!

It’s kind of interesting that Yumemiru Adolescence’s goal is acting; I suppose that’s true of bump.y as well, but it’s still unusual. I also suppose it’s a good thing, because these girls’ vocals are pretty weak. If you need strong vocals, this group may not be for you.

That said, Yumemiru Adolescence is a pretty standard idol group. That’s not a bad thing, but there aren’t any big gimmicks other than the whole actress thing. The members are all very pretty, though, and have a lot of energy, so if you want to support a pretty new idol group who have that going for them, then Yumemiru Adolescence may be for you.

Rhymeberry

Rhymeberry is one of my top five current idol groups. They are consistently excellent and you should be following them.

Rhymeberry consists of three MCs (Miri, Hime and Yuka) and one DJ (Hikaru), and they do idol hip hop. I found out about them at last year’s TIF, and since then they have continually impressed me. They were originally part of Usa Usa Shoujo Club, but now they’re their own idol hip hop unit, and have really set themselves apart from their original group. Last year I compared them to Babymetal, and I stand by that. Both Babymetal and Rhymeberry are doing an unusual genre for idol music, were originally a subgroup, and now have surpassed the original group in popularity and renown.

Rhymeberry has put out three singles so far, their latest being SUPERMCZTOKYO. While I buy their singles and enjoy them, watching the live performances makes the difference with Rhymeberry. The members sound better live, and have a lot of great energy while rapping on stage. They have started putting out PVs, though, and both of those have been superb.

Their sound is also really interesting, too. I didn’t go into Rhymeberry as a rap fan, but they’ve made me appreciate it. Sekaichuu ni I Love You, for example, features 1920s era music as the back for their rapping. The girls are all talented and every song is great.

I honestly can’t recommend Rhymeberry enough. They are one of the most interesting and consistently good groups out there, and you need to follow them.

Lucky Color’s

This is being posted after some bad news for Lucky Color’s fans; Alisa, the lead singer, just withdrew from the group. So this is now just a unit with two members, Kanon and Miina.

This is a local vocal dance unit from Okinawa, formed in 2010. There really aren’t that many units from Okinawa, at least that I know, so it’s always good to see more of them. Their theme is, you guessed it, lucky colors; each member wears her own lucky color (Kanon’s is blue and Miina’s is yellow-green).

So far they’ve put out one single in 2010 and a mini-album last year. So they aren’t the most active group in terms of putting out singles. However, they do have a number of live performances on Youtube.

Lucky Color’s is a group that has lost a lot of members (there were two other members who left earlier) and are in kind of a weird place right now. They mostly have live performances on Youtube, which are mostly street lives and the like. However, the fact they’re from Okinawa is a pretty cool thing, and they seem to be a pretty solid group in terms of performance and singing. So I hope the best for the two remaining members!

Idol Thoughts: Evolving Groups

Posted on October 30, 2013 by serenyty

Recently, reviewing Momoiro Clover Z’s GOUNN has made me nostalgic. So I’ve watched some of the older Momoiro Clover PVs, thinking about how much the group has changed.

The group is nearly unrecognizable. And I apologize in my reviews of MomoClo if I sound at all bitter, but it’s hard sometimes to reconcile the current group with the past group.

A group’s evolution is something every idol fan has to go through, really, unless the group is very shortlived. This hit close to home with how much Momoiro Clover has changed, but, for example, look at how vastly Morning Musume has changed over the years since the group has formed. The group that put out Wagamama Ki no Mama Ai no Joke bears no resemblance to the group that put out Ai no Tane. I don’t feel comfortable saying “I’m a Morning Musume fan;” instead it would be a lot more accurate to say “I’m a 1997-2005 and a 2012 – current Morning Musume fan.”

This has happened with other groups as well; I know people who have gotten tired of AKB because favorite members have left, or because they aren’t doing anything as risky as Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou or Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru anymore.

This is a tough thing to think about, I think partially because you become so invested in idol groups. Idol groups are centered around the concept of support, that you should support the groups you love, but what if a group becomes something you don’t want to support?

This isn’t just an idol thing. For a while I was a very big Doctor Who fan. I love the seasons with Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant. Then Steven Moffat took control of the show and it was just disappointing. Here was a show I adored, but was going in directions I just didn’t like. I haven’t watched the show since about the middle of the 6th series, and it still bums me out. I also really liked Glee for a while, but then its quality got so bad that it was not the show I got into.

It’s kind of hard not to sound bitter, and like I’m not someone who’s ranting completely. I even like a lot of the things that current MomoClo has done. If the current MomoClo was a completely different group from the MomoClo I became a fan of, then I would probably welcome this group with open arms. But that’s not the case.

I’m sorry to sound unhappy on a blog called Happy Disco. I’m honestly really happy with the idol industry right now, and there are tons of groups that I think are doing great things. But it’s just hard as a fan to go through some of these changes.

Your Thoughts: Do Idols Need Talent?

Posted on October 30, 2013 by serenyty

This week I got a lovely comment from one of my favorite idol bloggers and a friend of mine, Chiima of Okay! Musume Time!

Much like you, I feel that Sasshi is right in one way, but wrong in another. Idols don’t necessarily need that talent, but they need a likeability factor about them, and for some, their likeability factor is their skills in dancing, singing, or how they portray themselves. Nakanishi Kana, for example, has the skill of being able to speak. She speaks very well (which surprised me, because I always took her as the goofy girl I loved and cherished) and, whilst it doesn’t seem like a talent, has become one of her strong points, as Yattaruchan has shown (and Hello! Pro Station when she MC’ed). But some girls do need their talent to get them by, like Maeda Atsuko. I find Acchan so boring and bland, and she is forgettable with her looks, but her voice is so pretty to listen to.

For me though, I like Idols for various reasons, whether it is their talent (Ayumi as a dancer), their looks (Iikubo Haruna) or just because I absolutely adore them for their lack of talent and other driving factors about them which make them shine in my eyes (Eripon and her awkward beauty, her love for Gaki etc, and Niigaki Risa for her acting skills).

But like you say in your post, it is how the Idol is marketed, and when marketed well, they can truly shine as Idols and prove their worth in different areas that do not focus on singing or dancing.

By the way, very well written, and a joy to read. I love you~

This is pretty much what I think. Standing out is pretty much the biggest thing an idol needs to do. At this point, there are hundreds and hundreds of idols in Japan. The 48 groups alone have hundreds of members, and there are even more groups out there. If you’re going to be an idol, it’s important, if you want fans, to have something that they can latch onto. The reason I became a fan of Team Syachihoko’s Ooguro Yuzuki, for example, is her obvious enthusiasm while performing. Other idols have similar qualities, but just the level of her excitement is really special.

Chiima brings up an interesting point with Maeda Atsuko, though. I’d consider her to be one of the most important, popular idols of all time. Yet, there’s nothing about her that really stands out. She does have a pretty voice, but there are stronger vocalists out there. She’s pretty, but not particularly gorgeous. She doesn’t have a big personality, or something that really stands out. Yet she was very popular. A good part of this is the push, since she was pushed as AKB’s center since pretty much the beginning .Really, the thing about her that stands out is that she’s kind of the archetypal girl next door. She’s pretty, but seemingly attainable.

Basically I agree with Chiima; idols are capitalizing on what the individual girls have to offer, and marketing them.

Review Monday: Momoiro Clover Z – GOUNN

Posted on October 28, 2013 by serenyty

I was wondering what to do with the Review Monday segment this week, when I saw the PV release for Momoiro Clover Z’s single “GOUNN.” Since this is actually the first single from MomoClo this year, it’s a very highly anticipated single and music video that’s been hyped up for quite some time.

The Song: I’ve made it no secret that Momoiro Clover’s music has had its ups and downs for me. While a lot of their older music is some of my favorite idol music, their current music has been a mixed bag for me. However, this is the strongest MomoClo has been musically in a while, aside from some of the better tracks on 5th Dimension.

The song itself is quite good, and memorable. The song was written by Shihori, a Japanese singer songwriter who I do not believe has written for any idol acts. I have to believe that, after GOUNN, idol acts are going to be knocking on her door, because this is wonderful. I don’t know if I fully appreciated the song during my first listen, but it is an earworm after a good few listens. The girls in Momoiro Clover Z sound great, too, and while a large part of that is undoubtedly due to practice and good vocal direction, the song fits their vocals well. Kanako in particular sounds really nice, especially for being a fairly weak singer. For this single, MomoClo were going for a “Buddhism” theme (something I’ll delve into a bit later), and while it would be easy to go full stereotype, Shihori gets a bit of that kind of flavor into the song without making it sound like it’s from a bad stereotype of Indian people.

Probably my biggest rant about Momoiro Clover Z was my reaction to Otome Sensou. It was the first MomoClo single I genuinely did not like, and while parts of that song have since grown on me, I still have a lot of complaints. One of these complaints is that the arrangement was weak. This song completely avoids that. The instrumentation is lush and full, fitting the song, but never really feeling busy. The slow moments, featuring piano, are lovely, and I love pretty much all the bass lines thrown in there. There’s a bit that sounds like an electric sitar, but don’t hold me to that. But it sounds really nice, and fits with the song without making it sound stereotype-y.

Most importantly, the song just works. There are wonderful individual elements, but they all work nicely together. Otome Sensou is a song where I can see how I would want to change the song. While there are other songs I like better this year, this is the best GOUNN that they could possibly make. So I’m very happy for MomoClo. 8/10.

PV: OK, I’m going to get this out of the way, since I’ve been working on putting this in words for a while, and doing some research. I’m not quite sure how I feel about this PV, cultural sensitivity wise. First off, I’m going to have a disclaimer: I am not an expert in Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, or any religion that isn’t Judeo-Christian or Greek/Roman mythology. So I’m not making any conclusions about this PV. If anyone is particularly versed in Buddhism (particularly Mahayana, which is what is mostly practiced in Japan), Hinduism or Shinto, please feel free to comment.

That said, I did have initial misgivings, especially due to the costumes. Even if everything is completely accurate or is as close to accurate as possible, it is still taking aesthetics from popular belief systems that people do think should be handled with weight. The idea that this kind of aesthetic, taken from these religions/belief systems, is somehow used as MomoClo’s new PV aeshetic bothered me. I don’t practice these religions, and I know that Japan isn’t a very religious nation itself, but it’s an issue of respect. This is also added to the unfortunate fact that MomoClo doesn’t have the best track record for cultural sensitivity in their music videos.

That said, I am a bit confused with the religion portrayed in the PV. MomoClo has called it “Buddhism-themed,” which would make sense. Buddhism spread to Japan, and is one of the more significant religions in Japanese history. However, certain things made me suspect that this wasn’t as accurate to Buddhism as it could be.

This depicts a turtle on top of a serpent, with elephants on top of it. This is a big part of Hindu mythology, in which the Earth is balanced on top of elephants balanced on a turtle balanced on a serpent. This is a fairly well-known aspect of that religion. However, I was unable to find any references of this myth in relation to Buddhism.

Buddhism is a system of beliefs that is sometimes debated on whether or not it’s a religion, primarily because worship of deities isn’t a major part of said religion. Enlightenment is the primary goal of Buddhism, not closeness to a god or gods. That said, worship of deities does occur in Mahayana Buddhism, which is what spread to Japan. I’ve been trying to look up who each member was supposed to be. I believe Kanako is approximating the Medicine Buddha, but I’m not sure.

The costumes are the last thing that make me wait and consider. They look to be more approximations of Shinto goddesses rather than anything else. Which adds to the whole giant mixed up PV this is.

Like I said earlier, I don’t want to make any conclusions. I don’t think MomoClo are trying to do something bad, and I’m not even sure if I think this is all that bad. BUT It does make me sit up and wonder. If you or someone you know is an expert in this field, I’d like to hear from you.

All of that aside, I really like this PV a lot.

THIS is how you do a highly visual effects driven PV. None of the effects look cheap or goofy at all; instead, they work to create a very visually pleasing PV that looks incredible. MomoClo has all been lit well and shot well, so the effects work well to create a visually stunning PV. This is possibly the best looking PV that I’ve ever seen done primarily using visual effects.

The sections where it’s just MomoClo in these circles, adding to visual patterns. It looks great, and is a bit of a gutsy move, just based on being able to show very small pictures of the girls to go along with the visuals.

Some people may be taken aback by how unusual this PV is, which is a big part of why I want to figure out more of the religious backing to the PV. For example, Ayaka here is sitting on a tongue, surrounded by teeth, holding a toothbrush. Kanako is holding a syringe and surrounded by blood. Reni is sitting on and surrounded by hair. The PV is so beautiful, though, that it’s hard to catch until someone goes “oh my god that’s teeth in the background” (which is admittedly what happened to me, when someone pointed that in a Facebook group I frequent).

The editing, while good, isn’t perfect. There are points where it feels too fast and frantic; more than once it edits exactly on the sung syllables (when Ayaka sings “ka-ru-ma,” there’s an edit on each one of those syllables). However, this is a small complaint. I do wish that the girls were doing a bit more. They take part in the dance shot, they appear in the visuals I showed above, but for the most part they’re just sitting in their location. This is fine, and I’d imagine things were limited by the visual effects. However, that is a bit of a disappointment.

Ultimately, though, this is a visually stunning PV, and while I was taken aback by some of the PV’s content, that doesn’t change that this a well put together PV. 8/10.

Tokyo Idol Festival 2013: The Acts part 19

Posted on October 25, 2013 by serenyty

Nearing the end! I’m going to schedule something else when I’m done with these posts to go on Fridays. Maybe List Fridays. Because the internet loves lists.

Bellring Shoujo Heart

Ahh, Bellring Shoujo Heart. This is one of those groups I’ve heard about for quite some time, a group I know some people love, and one that has come highly recommended, but that I’ve hesitated on because they seem a little bit scary. This is not your standard idol group. The group has 7 members, and was formed in April 2012. Recently they put out their first album, Bedhead, and they’ve put out several singles. They often have fake crow wings on their sleeves as decoration; this is an art group along with being an idol group. They remind me a lot of groups like BiS in their aesthetic; they’re one of the more out there idol groups. Even though their outfits are kind of strange, as well, the girls themselves seem considerably less scary and weird than the comparable BiS.

That said, their music feels a bit different from their aesthetic. Instead of being rock/metal artists you may think from the way the group looks, they instead go for a more retro, 60s aesthetic with kind of a circus sound in there. The closest Jpop equivalent I can think of is the song Dekiru Onna by Morning Musume, though that’s not even really that much like Bellring. Their music also reminds me of the western band The Like, whose second album is very 60s inspired. That said, there’s no idol music quite like Bellring, so if you dislike generic idol pop then Bellring is a great option.

The only thing that makes me a bit hesitant is that the girls’ vocals aren’t THAT strong. They aren’t bad, by any means, but this is the type of music I wish I could hear with some really strong vocals. That said, the majority of what I could find on YouTube were concert performances, so I might want to check out Bed Head to see if I can hear this in higher quality than some concerts. The girls, from what I can tell, seem sweet and nice, though, and I generally like them.

I’m honestly regretting waiting so long to check out Bellring Shoujo Heart. Because this music is great.

Houkago Princess

Go read Okay! Musume Time. If you want someone to really sell you on HouPri, Chiima is your person. That said, I’ll try to give my brief take on them.

Houkago Princess translates to “afterschool princess.” That is basically, in a nutshell, the group. They’re a school-themed group, with nine full members and some trainees. The group was formed in August 2011, and has since had quite a bit of lineup changes and some quiet points in their history. One notable point was that a relative of Michishige Sayumi of Morning Musume joined as a trainee, so that is most likely bringing some recognition to the group.

They’ve put out a few singles so far, mostly things that are only sold at live events, but it looks like their latest single, (a redone version of their older single, Juliet ~Kimi wo Suki na 100 no Riyuu) had a bigger release and managed to get to 17th on the Oricon weekly chart, which isn’t bad at all.

The thing about HouPri is that they are kind of a very typical unit. They use both the school motif and the dress up thing, so they can use both uniforms and fancier outfits. Their music isn’t revolutionary, either, and is pretty typical cute music. That said, I can really see this being an appealing unit if you really want a girly, cute, typically idol unit. So many units are trying to do different things with idol music, which is great for me, but if you don’t like that kind of movement then HouPri might be the group you need.

Manaminorisa

Manaminorisa is one of the most clever idol group names I’ve encountered. There are three girls in the group; Manami, Minori and Risa, whose names all connect to be Manaminorisa. (Though this does put pressure on Minori; she can’t leave because Manami and Risa can’t form a name together). These girls were formed in 2007 at the Hiroshima Actors’ School, which is where Perfume originated. The girls are a bit older, in their early 20s, which could be a draw. In 2011 they won the UMU Award, which is an award that looks at local idols. Not only did they win their local region, but they took home the grand prize, which is a big achievement.

The group has put out several singles, but recently made their major debut this summer, with their single Blister. While this may not sound super appealing, my friend pointed out it was probably in relation to the blisters they get while working towards their dream. Which sounds much more palatable. There really isn’t a gimmick or anything that unique to Manaminorisa; their music is slightly rock inspired pop (only slightly) and they still have pretty simple/plain PVs. However, the girls seem to be talented at singing and dancing, and there is a general level of polish to them as a group. I recommend listening/watching Polaris to hear some of their vocal strength. If you are annoyed by the whole idol ideal of unpolished performers, you should check out Manaminorisa. They seem like a group to keep an eye on, if only for their background at this point.

Maria

This is a very new group, formed in February 2013. They’re a rock unit that makes a big deal about wearing sunglasses and carrying school bags (at least their TIF description mentioned it). Their goal is to be the strongest idol unit in this idol era, and make a note that they have regular lessons and tests. So they’re aiming to be a top group in this idol boom. There are only five member profiles on the site, but more members than that in pictures, so I’m not quite sure on how big this group is. They are still accepting auditions, and the girls have to be 9-14 years old, so this is a pretty young unit.

Looking at their website, it’s pretty apparent that this group is just getting started and working things out. The “Discography” page is under construction, despite already having a PV out. Still, the fact they have a PV at all (even if it is just a filmed live show) says something. Their first self-titled song is pretty good; it’s pretty light rock that features a lot of other sounds, but it’s definitely solid. The vocals are still pretty rough, but the song itself is nice.

This is a really young group that is nowhere near polished. If you like the idea of following a group with younger members that are just starting out, and you think they’re cute, maybe give them a try.

Minitia Bears

Oh hey, a Stardust group! Minitia Bears is another group from Stardust Promotion, along with Momoiro Clover, Team Syachihoko, and Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku. Minitia Bears is a cheerleading themed unit that performs at Stardust lives and does stuff, but has really young girls in the group and hasn’t put out singles. Generally it’s not really as big a group as the other main Stardust ones.

Since Stardust is putting out Takoyaki Rainbow, I really doubt that Minitia Bears is going to be a permanent/big unit. However, if you want to see adorable kids being adorable, you could do much worse than Minitia Bears.

Idol Thoughts: Do Idols Need Talent?

Posted on October 23, 2013 by serenyty

Recently I was browsing Maji De 2ch, a blog that posts translations of 2ch threads (2ch is basically an anonymous board that was the inspiration for 4chan. You can talk about anything but there is often discussion on idols). I like browsing the various sites that do 2ch translations, just because it’s often very interesting to hear about things that Japanese fans talk about.

The post that caught my attention was this one. Essentially, it’s reactions to a talk that Sashihara Rino did, where she said that, if you aim to be an idol, you don’t have to learn how to sing or dance.

(Translation from the Maji de 2ch Page)

“Girls who can’t dance are cuter. They make you want to root for them”.

“Most idol fans these days are old men, right? These old men actually find the girls who can’t do anything cuter, and they’re happier when they tell a girl that ‘You’re totally no good!’. I think people are more attracted to idols who are giving it their all despite being really bad at it”.

This, understandably, is a fairly controversial statement about the nature of idols. So, what do I think?

…Sasshi’s partly right. BUT this is oversimplifying things.

Sasshi’s statement basically says that idols that can’t sing and dance are cuter, but they should be giving it their all. Which is a fairly key concept that I think would be easy to miss.

One of the defining features of the idol industry, in my opinion, is that it’s based on watching idols grow. The vast vast majority of girls who become idols have never done much of anything in the entertainment business before. Some may have modeled, or did commercials, but the point of the idol industry, especially the female idol industry, is that it’s a temporary stepping stone to another career. Therefore, it’s not necessarily a good thing for an idol to be polished from the getgo, because that’s not the point of idols.

However, there are some other things that I think need to be taken into consideration.

1. A fan might be drawn to an idol’s performing talent.

People become a fan of an idol for a variety of reasons. Some like the cute girls, some like personality, some like this kind of “can’t do anything” type. However, some people like the talented girls.

For example, I don’t follow foreign fans of Hello!Project as much, but Tamura Meimi of S/Mileage has been getting buzz lately because of her vocal talent.

Meimi’s been a good vocalist for some time, but given some time to improve and given songs that show of her vocal skills, she’s been getting buzz, at least from Hello!Project fans.

I’d say this is similar with girls like Ishida Ayumi, as well. I became a fan of hers both because of her dance skills and because of her drive to become a good dancer.

This isn’t exclusively Hello!Project. AKB48 has had various singing contests and things, which allows girls like Iwasa Misaki and Takeuchi Miyu to shine. Natori Wakana is also a strong singer who gets notice for her voice. Would Iwasa Misaki have been able to rank at #33 last year (just out of the Undergirls) if she didn’t have her vocal skills and her brand new enka career? There’s no way to know for sure, but vocal skills can definitely help girls.

However, as a counterpoint, I don’t think JUST singing and dancing are the only things that can make a girl stand out. They’re the most popular talents to have, for sure, since being an idol means a lot of singing and dancing. However, AKB’s Matsui Sakiko is a very skilled pianist, which has allowed her a great deal of press.

2. Girls have to actually try and practice once they get in.

Being initially unpolished is fairly acceptable among idol fans. No one is going to expect a new trainee to AKB to be the best singer and dancer the group has seen. However, very few girls can make it if they don’t try, or don’t seem like they’re trying. Girls like Shimazaki Haruka are few and far between, and that type of push is a big gamble. One of the most popular things to show of idols is videos of them practicing, working hard. That’s the key here; practice and hard work are fairly essential, once you’re an idol. So while I’d say you don’t have to be inherently talented to get in, you have to at least try.

3. It’s all how a girl is marketed.

This is the big one. Inherently untalented idols can be popular IF they are marketed well. I mean, look at Sasshi herself. She’s not exceptionally talented, but plays this up, and plays up that she likes idols.

An idol who isn’t the most popular in her group but who does this exceptionally well is S/Mileage’s Nakanishi Kana. Kana, when she joined especially, isn’t particularly good at singing or dancing, and is kind of clumsy. However, it seems like she tries really hard and always looks happy about the whole thing. Recently, in S/Mileage’s latest single ‘Yattaruchan,’ Kana got a prominent role by having a spoken part that became the most notable thing about the song.

However, one of the most memorable instances was in the dance to Choto Mate Kudasai. In this, Kana purposely messes up, and jumps the wrong way. It’s a little thing, but it puts her front and center. It says that she and management are aware she isn’t the most talented, but they want to show her off anyway. This is important.

Ultimately, while I think that being talented can be an advantage, that ultimately it is mostly how a particular idol is marketed.

What do you think? Do you like talented idols or idols who aren’t very good at singing or dancing? Do you agree with Sasshi? Comment below and I’ll write a Your Thoughts post next week!

Review Monday: C-ute’s Tokai no Hitorigurashi + Ai tte Motto Zanshin

Posted on October 21, 2013 by serenyty

C-ute is a group I’ve followed occasionally, and I’ve even bought some Maimi goods, but I don’t know if I would consider myself a big fan of theirs. Nothing wrong with C-ute, mind you, but I really don’t pay attention to them as much as other groups. However, their career has had a really interesting trajectory. Starting off as the ‘leftover group’ from the H!P Kids, C-ute has grown to surpass the original H!P Kids group Berryz Koubou, and has lately gotten even more recognition. They’ve gone from a group that did Ooki na Ai de Motenashite to a group that does more adult things like Crazy Kanzen na Otona. So how does their new single hold up?

Tokai no Hitorigurashi

Song: This song had to grow on me. I definitely liked it at first, but it’s not immediately catchy. The best word I can use to describe this song is pleasant. There isn’t anything immediately interesting about the song or anything mind-blowing about it, but I do like the song. The chorus is a lot more interesting than the verses (especially the repeated “Why Not” sections), but the verses grew on me too.

My biggest complaint is the arrangement. It’s a nice sounding instrumental track, but the electronic backing doesn’t fit as well. If they had used real instruments (I’m thinking this would be brass heavy, but would have some piano and strings in there), the song would sound a lot nicer. This isn’t an electronic song like some of Morning Musume’s latest fare; those songs make sense to have mostly electronic stuff going on. This is not the same type of song, and the instrumental is just disappointing. I like the melody and song enough that that would make this transcend from being just good to really great.

The lyrics are nice; Tsunku isn’t a master lyricist or anything but they aren’t bad. The only thing that made me pause was the line about being chubby. Um, no one in C-ute is even remotely chubby.

Nice and pleasant are the ultimate words I will use in reference to this song. I like it a lot better than some of the recent stuff C-ute has done, but it’s not going to be on my top song list of the year or anything.

PV: PVs are not H!P’s forte. It’s gotten to the point where, if H!P has a PV that’s even remotely good or interesting, I’ll be excited and happy for them. I have to think this is where this PV stands. If you are comparing it to all idol groups, it’s not the most interesting of PVs. However, compared to H!P, this is wonderful.

The biggest thing I admire about this PV is its unified aesthetic choice. It’s doing this style which feels unique and fresh, but also appealing. This goes a long way for turning a PV from boring and average to being interesting.

The best part are the member introductions at the beginning. They’re designed well, all the girls look nice, and it has a really dynamic feel to it. I think a good part of that is because the girls move into the still shots of them, instead of just featuring the still shots. There’s a lot of motion in this PV, which I always like.

One of the things that’s hard to show in the screencaps is that there is a fairly long, single take shot on what looks to be a handheld camera (or at least not a steadycam shot). It’s very fluid, moving between the girls in a way that I don’t always see from H!P PVs. It adds a lot to the PV and is something I appreciate.

Another thing I like is the set. I’m not sure where it is or if H!P built it, but the white serves a nice contrast to the girls, and all the stairs, mirrors and windows make for a much more interesting set than we’re used to.

The effects add a nice burst of color to the plain white surroundings, and make it look interesting. Yet the effects never look tacky or just plain awful. They add a lot to making the PV look great.

The dance shot is the worst part of the PV, by far. While C-ute does well with dancing, like always, I just don’t get some of the choices made. Could they have chosen a more boring place for their dance shot? Even if they rented this place out, surely they could have picked a better pace than a boring white wall. It just doesn’t fit with the reset of the great set.

Compare this Airi…

To this Airi. Notice anything? The answer is the lighting changed! Most of the PV has nice lighting. H!P PVs often have iffy lighting at best, so I was really excited to see how good the lighting looked until I saw the dance shot. Everything looks so drab, dark and flat in the dance shot that not even the visual effects can brighten it up. I would have probably not cared that much with this lighting had the rest of the PV not been lit well. Worse than being bad, it’s inconsistent.

Overall, Tokai no Hitorigurashi is a solid song/PV from C-ute. It has its share of issues, but is more than passable and even steps things up from an average Hello!Project release.

Ai tte Motto Zanshin

Song: This has the opposite issue to me than Tokai no Hitorigurashi; the chorus here isn’t what works. Up until the chorus I really enjoy this song a lot. It’s a cool song with a bit of a darker tone and utilizes some deeper vocals than I’m used to with C-ute. The instrumental sounds fitting and I don’t wish for a different arrangement like I do with Tokai no Hitorigurashi. However, everything I like about the song disappears with the chorus. It’s not a bad chorus, per say, but it has a very different feeling. The verses have a lot of oomph to them, for lack of a better term. The chorus sounds a lot happier and lighter, which feels wrong with the rest of the song.

The arrangement also falls flat in the chorus in that it feels empty. There’s a lot going on in the rest of the song, but it feels like most of that drops out for the substandard chorus.

I really like the heavy, dark feel of the song, and if the chorus could harness more of that I would be totally on board. However, the chorus alone keeps me from really feeling like this is an outstanding song. Which is a shame.

PV: Speaking of lighting…

I love it. Seriously, H!P, keep this lighting designer please. This isn’t inconsistent, but just good. It plays a lot with light and shadow, all the while making sure that all the girls look good.

Occasionally the girls are slightly overlit (one of my H!P PV pet peeves) BUT this is almost always a temporary thing and done for effect. But seriously, H!P, this is how you light a PV. This PV always looks gorgeous and visually interesting, even though it’s mostly just close-ups and dance shots. Despite the simplicity, the basic elements are done well, which means that I’ll want to watch this over most H!P PVs.

Location wise… Dirty, falling apart warehouse? It’s not my first choice for a great PV location, but it this type of situation facilitated the lighting then I’m all for it. Plus it really goes well with the feel of most of the song.

This PV also has a really nice sense of movement to it. The camera is rarely stationary, moving well with the C-ute members and aiding in the transitions. This makes for another fluid PV that doesn’t feel choppy. The best part is again at the beginning and whenever the girls do solo dances. The camera work and the editing work well together.

The worst part of the PV are the cheap filters that are put on things. It doesn’t happen often enough that it feels like a proper part to the PV, like the effects in Tokai no Hitorigurashi. It just looks cheap and unnecessary.

The other negative is that it is a fairly simple PV. It’s comprised of the group dance shots, solo dance shots, solo closeups and some brief group closeups. I know that I said it’s done well enough that it makes it better, which is true. I love the lighting in this enough to make this one of my favorite C-ute PVs. However, just a bit more would make this PV really special.

Overall: Much like Tokai no Hitorigurashi, a few shortcomings make Ai tte Motto Zanshin fall a bit short of its potential. A lot of good things are there in the song and PV, but the issues keep it from being as good it can be.

This is a solid C-ute single and a solid H!P single. There are a lot of things I like, but enough frustrating things that make me wish that it had been done just a bit better.

Tokyo Idol Festival 2013: The Acts part 18

Posted on October 18, 2013 by serenyty

Happy TIFriday! I’m working on this on vacation. So you’re welcome, however many people read this?

Fudanjuku

Fudanjuku is a pretty niche group. Not as a bad thing, but they’re basically a great group if you want your female idols to dress up like guys and perform like that. If that doesn’t interest you in the least, I doubt you’ll be a big Fudanjuku fan. If you love that idea, there’s a pretty good chance you may enjoy Fudanjuku.

Fudanjuku actually started as a regular idol unit, Nakano Fujoshi Sisters, back in 2006. Fudanjuku was created as the “male” counterpart to the feminine Nakano Fujoshi Sisters. However, since then they’ve really run with the Fudanjuku side, and Nakano Fujo Sisters (as it’s now called) has gone on hiatus. Still, this is a pretty prominent part of their history as a group.

Currently Fudanjuku has put out 11 singles and 3 albums, some of these as “collaborations” with Nakano Fujo Sisters. Currently the group has 8 members, all with image colors and male names. They generally do fine with sales (often reaching just under #10 on the oricon weekly charts) but they aren’t quite a super popular group. However, I’d say this stems from them being much more of a niche act. Very specific people might love Fudanjuku, but the very concept could turn people away.

That said, if this thought interests you you really ought to check them out. Personally, even though I find the concept intriguing, I have yet to become a big Fudanjuku fan. Maybe it’s because I tend to gravitate towards feminine idols, perhaps I just haven’t really gelled with the music, For whatever reason, they aren’t my thing. However, they have improved a ton in production values and presence since I first became aware of them in 2009, and if it sounds like they might be your thing you should definitely pay attention.

Blue Chee’s

A little history lesson for you guys; back in the late 90s Akimoto Yasushi decided to create an idol group after hitting success with Onyanko Club. This group was called Checkicco, and they did decently, but they were disbanded because their sales paled in comparison to Morning Musume. At this time, a band was formed with some of the members called Chee’s. It was more of a band than anything, with members playing instruments while singing. The band was disbanded. Blue Chee’s is the group, ten years later, formed by the original members. Even though they’re older and one is a mom, they have started to play as a band again. Their first reunion live was in December 2010, and since they’ve released a few singles and recently put out their first full-length album as Blue Chee’s.

They’ve since performed at TIF and at Naka Kon in Kansas. However, despite their history and despite performing internationally, there is really not that much about them on YouTube. There are a few filmed performances from Naka Kon and a song that was put on YouTube, ‘Ramen Tabetai na.” This is a shame, because I REALLY like Ramen Tabetai na and I’m very intrigued by the group. Something about women who are coming back 10 years after disbandment is really appealing and great.

So ultimately, it might be a bit hard to become a fan of Blue Chee’s right now. However, given their history, I have high hopes that Blue Chee’s will go somewhere and gain some success, which will inevitably make things easier for international fans. So while I can’t really say I’m a fan YET, I will say I’m intrigued and hope that Blue Chee’s continues on!

Fruity

If you like the fact that Juice=Juice chooses to have image fruits over image colors, Fruity has got you covered! They’re a ten member idol group that hails from Hokkaidou; I don’t see too many idol groups from Hokkaidou, so it’s nice to see them here. They were formed in 2011, and have been really active in their native Hokkaidou as well as putting out CD releases; they’ve put out 11 singles and two albums! So they’re a very active idol group.

There is another big interesting system with Fruity, and that’s the voting system. They have an election over the course of several months, where fans can vote for their favorite members though various things (being a member of the fan club, people who purchase CDs, people who buy goods, people who go to live events, etc.) and gain many votes. Then they rank the members through this. This seems a bit cruel to me, considering every single member gets ranked, which means that girls like poor Mizuki, who has been last place 5/8 times, know how unpopular they are.

Unfortunately, this is another group where finding information about them is a bit tricky. I can’t seem to find any PVs, and most of the videos seem to be fan cam recordings of events they did. So this seems like a type of group that would be amazing if you’re in Hokkaidou, but is a lot more difficult to watch from a distance.

They seem like a fine group, and one I would care about if I was in Sapporo. They are cute and have a good energy, and I like some of the songs I’ve heard. Unfortunately, following them from a distance is a lot of work.

predia

Predia the name refers to essentially “a rough, unpolished diamond” (hence pre meaning before and dia for diamond). After watching some Predia stuff, this feels like a fairly accurate name. Formed in 2010, this is an 11 member idol group that has a lot more of a sexy, adult vibe than most of the idol groups at TIF. So far they’ve put out five singles, an album and a mini-album, but watching a performance for their latest single, “Hey Now,” they still feel like they’re much less polished than, say, KPop groups that go for a similar image or even the Jpop groups that do this similar thing.

Watching PVs, they seem a lot more polished there, but that’s not really a big surprise. Still, for being an unpolished group, their PVs are pretty solid and they have some decent music, mostly focusing on electronic, dance-focused music (though they themselves aren’t dance focused). Their 4th single, Crazy Cat’s opening reminds me of Morning Musume’s song Wolf Boy, and in general they give off strong Girls Generation vibes.

That said, if you really like that more mature feel but you kind of wish you could view that group from the start, then predia might be a decent choice for you. They have a fairly decent presence on Youtube, including videos from the girls and PVs, so following them isn’t going to be too difficult. Personally, if I want a cool group, I tend to prefer more polished acts, at least more polished than this, but predia has some good music, decent PVs, and if you prefer a more mature image to your idols they certainly wouldn’t be the worst choice.

BabyRaids

This is another group with an interesting origin! Babyraids is a five member group that was formed in 2012 by Idoling!!! member Kikuchi Ami, who isn’t in the group but is kind of the producer/mentor of the group. The name of the group stems from the fact that they’re trying to “raid” the idol industry, since the idol industry is so competitive right now. They aim to perform at the Budokan within two years of their debut, which is a pretty big goal.

So far they’ve put out five singles, the latest being Konomi no Ue de wa December. They definitely have a rock influence to their music and to their appearance; these aren’t cutesy idols. However, they never seem to go as far as being like BiS or Alice Juban; they aren’t serious or scary. In this way, I think I could really enjoy Babyraids. I like rock music a lot, but I don’t particularly gel with the image of Alice Project groups or BiS. This feels like a nice middle-ground group for people who want their idols with a bit of a rock edge, but don’t want to go too far with that. Their music also sounds like real rock, not just pop with guitars. So if you enjoy rock music, you might like Babyraids.

While it’s the first single, I very much enjoy the self-titled single “Babyraids.” The girls are all energetic and seem to be enjoying themselves, and the song is catchy and fun. I think that Babyraids is going places; they’re already making a name for themselves as a group, and I’m very impressed by the quality level of this group. I’m convinced and I’m a fan now, and you guys should absolutely check them out.