My H!P year in brief
Looking it from my point of view year 2006 was clearly divided into two periods: First part of this year came to it’s end on 23rd of July when Asami Konno, my true love, graduated from Morning Musume & H!P. She left the idol world aiming to be a University student. I warmly hope that she’s doing well, where ever and what ever she is studying. The second part of the year is of course period without dear Konkon.
After Morning Musume’s (current and graduated members together) awesome Love Machine performance in New Year’s Kouhaku I thought this is going to be a very cool year for H!P and for me. Little I knew. More I wished. And then things started do go awfully wrong.
The shock
First nasty and still highly speculated surprise blew agains our faces when Japanese paparazzi magazine Friday caught Aibon smoking while she was still underage. Screaming article with blurry photos was published on 10th of February. Aibon was suspended indefinitely and all W activity was freezed. Up to this day we don’t know the real situation of Ai Kago. She has now been away over 10 months.
Morning Musume’s 7th allbum Rainbow 7 was released in February. Not the best MM album but it has it’s moments like Iroppoi Jirettai, Osaka Koi no Uta and How Do You Like Japan. But if I want to enjoy more balanced MM albums, I choose older ones. You don’t find any classics from Rainbow 7.
Then came Hanami season and some relief for the pain that Aibon’s suspension had raised. Berryz Koubou got me excited with their 10th single called Jiriri Kiteru. A song with classical tones & best choreography Berryz had done. In March came out also MM’s single Sexy Boy ~Soyo Kaze ni Yorisotte~, song that first sounded OK but after a while I found it to be quite irritating nonsense rhyme. The battle between Morning Musume and Berryz Koubou had really started in my head.
The “almost shock”
When blossom petals were falling off the cherry trees in Japan I was almost in tears. April, the month of even more surprises. No, it wasn’t Hanami that got me so emotional. It was Tsunku’s announcement that Konkon will be graduating on July 23rd and not only leaving MM but also saying good byes to H!P and the whole idol business. Was I in shock? Maybe that’s too strong word to describe my feelings, but sadness took over on me. Only few months to go and then Konkon is gone.
Ambitious! Yashinteki de Ii Jan, MM’s 30th single, was Konkon’s last recording with Morning Musume. She should have had more ambitious song than this as a farewell present from Tsunku. Konkon didn’t even get spotlighted in this song. I would have killed Tsunku if I have not had so much respect on him. And I still respect Tsunku, although there is many things in H!P that I could have done differently than he. On the other hand I don’t have built-in business calculator in me.
Good bye, my dear
Last summer was hot & dry in Finland. But my eyes were not so dry when came The 23rd of July, Konkon’s graduation concert day.This Hello!Project 2006 Summer Wonderful Hearts Land concert was held in National Yoyogi Hippodrome 1st Gymnasium in Tokyo. First we thought that it’s only Konno’s grad concert, but we were taken by great surprise when it appeared to be also Makoto’s graduation performance. Even though it’s been said that Mako was only leaving H!P for learning English & she will make come back to H!P family after those language studies. DVD of this concert was released in October and you might understand that watching this concert gets me every time really emotional.
There has always been speculations if Tsunku is a gay. I guess now we can assume that he really is a bi or even only a heterosexual. In June Tsunku married Idemitsu Kanako, a 25-year old former model. When we can expect first addition to the family?
Welcome, my dear
In the end of sweaty summer 2006 came out two impressive Berryz items. The first one was BK Concert Tour 2006 Haru ~Nyoki Nyoki Champion~ DVD. With this live recording Berryz Koubou shoot down Morning Musume as my number one H!P act. Special Generation! Berries Revolution! And right after that Berryz sang so captivatingly in 60’s style Waracchaou yo Boyfriend.
It was August 24th when Miyabi Natsuyaki, Berries loveliest girl, had her 14th Birthday. Such a romantic fool, that’s what I am. When American Wota arranged a poem writing competition I took part in it. The job was to write a B-day poem for Miyabi. I put some words together and finally got my poem voted as second best. And here it is now:
Miiya makes me so curious
Now fourteen candles on her cake
How kawaii and scrumptious
This dream of mine, don’t want to wake
Just let me be bit amorous
’cause feel of this it ain’t mistake
More S.E.X. please
Fall 2006 had some more surprises coming out of H!P’s hip pocket. Some of those were enjoyable and some not so cool. Ayaya and Mikitty got their things (!) again together and outcame GAM. Duo’s first single Thanks! was just a warm-up for something more sensual to come. PV for GAM’s next single had that controversial kissing scene plus much sexual titillation. But those scenes almost got the focus away from the song itself. Melodies is quite a decent song.
Fall was also time for Maki Goto to move to the next level of her career. Her 11th single Some Boys! Touch introduced our new disco queen with almost overexposed sexual image. Maki got boobs. So what!
Tsunku’s busy again
On October 1st Tsunku announced the stablishment of his new company TNX. How this is going to affect on his activity in Hello! Project and all in all to his productivity & creativity reminds to be seen. TNX has today artists like Ami Tokito, The Possible, Za Za and Nitta Hirokazu.
Good or bad things?
October was another Berryz month because of fantastic live DVD from group’s summer tour. Natsu Natsu! ~Anata wo Suki ni Naru Sangensoku~ proved that these berries are growing up and learning fast. They look more mature and they sing better than before. Berryz roxx!
When we get closer to the year end there is still left some surprises for us H!P fans. Did Megumi Murakami leave ºC~ute & H!P based on her own decision? Was Tsunku too busy with other projects and decided to disband Country Musume? Asami and Miuna are graduating from CM & H!P in Hello! Project’s 10th anniversary final concert on 28th January 2007.
And what is happening to Morning Musume, still the mother ship of Hello! Project? Group’s latest single Aruiteru was once again a disappointment for me. And same thing goes with MM’s Christmas record Fuyu Fuyu Morning Musume Mini!
Happy8, Happy8, Joy, Joy
But not all was that confusing with MM. During fall Tsunku was searching new members for shrinking Morning Musume. Happy 8ki auditions were held all over Japan and finally Tsunku picked up only one fresh girl. I wished to have at least two new members but I’m however happy with Tsunku’s decision. 13 years old Aika Mitsui gets already all my support. She is making her debut with other MoMusu’s in group’s Valentine’s Day’s single. This is first time for a long time when I’m really waiting for MM’s new single. There is a hope in the air. Don’t let us down, Tsunku-san.
What’s inside it?
Do you know what’s the best way to end my H!P year? It’s of course getting a parcel that has some of the coolest recent items from H!P’s glorious artists.
First item is Berryz Koubou’s unbelievable catchy single Munasawagi Scarlet. I don’t get tired of listening it. I think it’s even better than berries Jiriri Kiteru. I’m almost afraid can Berryz, with a little help of Tsunku, make their songs even better.
Second item is Aya Matsuura’s jazzy, very cool, very stylish and almost unplugged album Naked Songs. Wu-San already praised this album within his own blog. It’s not overstated to say that Naked Songs is the best album that came out from H!P this year. I got this masterpiece as limited edition with DVD.
And third item… it’s Risako Sugaya’s first photo book with DVD of course. Risako is super kawaii and dangerously charming. She is on my Top 5 H!P girls ranking list in the second position. First place is Miyabi’s. That leads to question: When we can expect a PB also from Miiya?
Epilogue
It’s December now. Quite a struggling year is now almost left behind us. We all have our Christmas holidays and a chance to relax and just take it easy.
I WISH YOU ALL
A MERRY X-MAS
&
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007 !
yours:
zush
