Well, this took longer than I thought (so much going on this week), but it's finally done!! And so without further ado, my top 14 Morning Musume singles!! :D
14. Sakura Manaki - Sakura Gumi
The longest song of all H!P releases (excluding remixes). This song is so pretty, vocally, instrumentally and PV-ally. XD I adore Sakura Gumi beacuse most of my favourite MM members of all time are within this group, and definitely my favourite members vocally (Takahashi, Hitomi, Risa and Kago - I love her voice when she sings seriously over cutesy). Although I'm not normally a fan of pink, I can accept it for this PV. I mean, Sakura blossoms are pink, so it's fitting. Their kimonos are beautiful and I love the fan dance. :)
13. Osaka Koi no Uta
Rika (official) and Mari's (unofficial) final single. The one thing that really stands out for me regarding this single is the PV. I love the effect during the dance shot of their bows (I call them wings) fading in and out as the red lights come in and out. It's a very dramatic sounding song, and I find the PV matches it very well. I like the vocals here, as most members get a line (though Takahashi gets most). I can deal with all the Rika lines even though her vocal quality isn't the greatest, simply because this is her final single. Not surprising she'd be showcased more. However, it's sad thar Mari only got one line in her final song. Then again, her leaving the group wasn't planned, so who would have guessed that this single was going to be her last?
12. Ai no Sono ~Touch My Heart!~ - Otome Gumi
I just love the drum line in this single. It's crisp and the transitions between the sections of the song are really brought together through the drums. The vocals are strong from all involved in this single as well. You really get to hear Mako-chan's
voice here and she does a splended job. Even Rika and Sayu, whose voices aren't very strong, fit in well with the parts that. And I must mention that I love watching Kaori do this dance (well, really, I love watching Kaori do any dance... She always looks so awkward, it just really gives me the giggles).
11. Ai Araba It's All Right
This is such a happy-go-lucky song. It never fails to put a smile on my face. It's so catchy. Every time I hear it, no matter what I'm doing, I always have to tilt my head right before the chorus (like my head's a bell). I also get the urge to point and sway my hips. LOL :)
10. Souda! We're Alive
This is one of Morning's more rocking songs. I love the guitar riffs in this song. This was the second single with the gokkies, and all of them got solo lines except Konkon. It was with this song that I fell in love with Takahashi's voice. I didn't notice it so much in the recorded version, but during one of their Music Station live performances, I was absolutely wowed by how she sang her "hontou no kimochi wa kitto tsutawaru hazu" line. Risa on the other hand... Her performance in this back in the day was kind of painful. However, I am glad to say that Risa has improved over 100-fold in the 6 years (interesting... It's almost 6 years to the day that Souda! We're ALIVE released [02.20.2002]. Has it really been that long?) since this single. This song is very high energy. Similarly to Ai Araba, Souda! always has me pumping my fist. Doesn't matter if I'm at home, at the mall, or in the car. My fist starts pumping during "Doryoku mirai A BEAUTIFUL STAR".
9. Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~
This song always puts a smile on my face, just like Ai Araba. It always makes me want to dance as well. I love the dance in this song. I just adore this PV so much. Vocally, there's nothing spectacular (not that I'm saying the vocals are bad). No solo lines here, it's all group work. Basically, the energy (and dance) in this song is what ranks this one so high. It never fails to brighten my mood when I hear it.
8. The Manpower!
This song has so much going for it. First off, can you say Takahashi and Yossy for the win?! Their tag team solo lines are absolultely fabulous. The beat in this song is perfect. It always gets my head bobbing. I love the dance in this song. The hip
thrusts are fabulous, and the costumes are one of my favourites (quite possibly my favourite) from any Morning Musume PVs.
7. Shabondama
The rokkies (well, Reina at least) had a very nice welcome into Morning Musume with this single. 4th gen were in the background with their debut single Happy Summer Wedding. Same with the gokkies and Mr. Moonlight. It was 6th gen that started the trend of actually putting new members to use with their debut single. This single had a very different sound compared to the singles which had been released to it, and I found it very refreshing. I remember reading an interview with the members saying they were surprised at the anger in the song, and they were worried at how the new members would cope with the song. This song is so intense, particularly with the hard, rolled "R"s. This is one of my favourite Morning songs to sing along with because of its intensity.
6. Kanashimi Twilight
Yossy (official) and Miki's (unofficial) final Morning single. I thought this was a great way for Yossy to bow out of Morning. This song is another one of those distinctive Morning songs, due to the edgier sound (much like Shabondama). The vocals were solid in this single (seeing as it's mainly Miki, Yossy and Takahashi, who at that point were the strongest vocalists in the group - some of the strongest vocalists [arguably the strongest overall] in the entirety of Morning Musume's history). The guitar in this single is just so sexy. It gives the song such attitude, and add that in with emotion you hear in the girls voices and then hotness that is
the PV for this single, and it just stands out as a great release for Morning.
5. Iroppoi Jirettai
I love the Spanish feel to this song. The trumpets are amazing (not that trumpets are particularly Spanish) and I just adore the castanets. This was Koha's debut single, and she was alright. She wasn't too in your face at this point (and other than the
whispering at the start, only got one line, so nothing was butchered too badly... I don't mind Koha getting camera time, 'cause I don't argue with the fact that she's quite attractive. Just please, don't make me listen to her sing too much >_<)... So maybe I should say that she wasn't too in your ear at this point.
4. Roman! ~My Dear Boy~
Another song with great guitars. Anyone noticing a trend with the guitars? I love the guitar solo in the middle of this song. The vocals are strong in this single (again, mainly Miki and Takahashi). I remember watching this PV the first time and thinking "what the heck is up with the non-Japanese people here?" Again, it's all part of my amazement anytime a non-H!P related person is seen within an H!P PV (like Memory Seishun no Hikari). This is another song where I just love the dance. I learned the dance during the chorus for this one, but I find that listening to it again, I need to brush up on the movements.
3. Do It! Now
Another one of the edgier Morning songs. I mean, it's got a rap in the middle! :) This single followed the release of Souda! We're Alive, and this song further confirmed my love of Takahashi's voice. Another song in which I loved the dance. Another song which I love to sing along with. I loved most of the outfits in this PV (though I know, and will never forget, that I abhor - notice the present tense, for it hasn't stopped - Aibon's outfit here. It makes her look so frumpy. I don't know why, but I feel like their stylists hated Aibon. She almost always seemed to get the ugly clothes).
2. I Wish
Another feel good Morning song. This is the one and only song in my top 10 that doesn't feature Takahashi Ai. I don't know what it is about this song, but it blows all the other happy and joyful Morning songs out of the water for me. It's hard to explain this in words. The tempo stays consistent throughout the song, but the intro and outro are "slower" than the body of the song. I guess the best way to describe it would be that the intro and outro are more focused on the vocals. There isn't much in terms of background instruments or sounds. Just a little bit of keyboards, followed by organ, slowly building up into the more energetic part of the song. There's also a part after the instrumental that doesn't have much background sound, but it has a slightly different effect due to more than one person singing. It's the contrast of intensity in this song that really catches my attention. It's hopeful and dream-like, as well as energetic and genki. I find it quite fitting, since if I'm remembering correctly, it was out during the 2000 Olympics and was kind of Japan's theme song. Aibon and Maki were great in this single, and this single is best with the original
line-up. It really was a toss up between this song and the #1 song on my list. But by far, this song is my favourite Morning Musume song of all time (with all members together - excluding the subgroups).
1.Hare Ame Nochi Suki - Sakura Gumi
Like I said, it was nearly impossible for me to choose between this song and I Wish for my number one song. This is such a beautiful song, and the PV is fits perfectly with it. Takahashi and Aibon absolutely pwn this song!! Takahashi's last line, the
high note "SUKI" is fabulous. I love all the vocals in this one. Looking at the lyrics on PROJECThello, I just realized that every line in this song is a solo line. This song is so soothing yet powerful, I could listen to it forever with no complaints (much like Aya's Zutto Suki De Ii Desu Ka). I'd say that this song will always be best sung by Takahashi and Aibon (much like I Wish with Aibon and Maki), but I do have to mention that I was highly impressed with Miyabi's performance of this song at the Winter 2007 Wonderful Hearts Otome Gokoro concert. I thought she sang it beautifully, and this was actually the performance that really brought Miya to my attention. Maimi was impressive here as well.
Well, there you have it! My top 14 Morning Musume singles, thus finishing off my ranking of all Morning singles released from 1997 to the end of 2007. It's amazing that it's been 10 years since MM came into existence (and almost 7 years since I was first introduced into the world of Morning Musume, and thus Hello! Project).
An explanation of my rankings: basically, my what places a song higher on my list is how often I can listen to it without getting tired of it. I have fully memorized 6 out of my top 7 songs. I don't understand much Japanese (though I'm trying to remedy that situation). When I work on memorizing a song, I listen to it constantly. The fact that I'm not few up with it by the end of learning the song is testament to my love for the song. This is why amazing songs such as Mr. Moonlight and Renai Revolution are further down my list. I simply cannot have those songs on endless repeat without getting bored. Obviously, it's all a matter of personal taste. :)
What I've learned from my rankings:
- This isn't quite new information, but rather it just consolidates my previous mention of Takahashi being my favourite Morning Musume member in terms of vocal quality. From this top 14, she is heavily featured in every song except for I Wish (she wasn't part of MM yet), Go Girl (there are no solo lines in that song), and Touch My Heart! (she wasn't in Otome Gumi).
- Singles leaning towards the rock genre (or rather, the edgier songs) rank highly on my list. These are the songs with prominent guitar and drums, where you could picture a band (as in a rock band) standing behind the girls playing live, and not having half the sound of the song gone (ie. less synth and cutesy sounds, and filled with strong, classic instruments).
- Vocals are my number 1 criteria for song favourites. The instrumentals are next. I was surprised to find that the dance for a single really helps keep my interest in a song. And funnily enough, costumes in a PV can raise my interest in a song (probably because I like to picture the PV as I listen to the song, simply because the costumes are pretty).
There we go! All done! Hope you all enjoyed my reasonings, and congratulations for surviving all my rambling! :)
Showing posts with label Yajima Maimi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yajima Maimi. Show all posts
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
C-ute: LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA (x4)
Just before I post part 2 of my All Morning Musume Singles Ranking, my thoughts on C-ute's new PV.
So, the PV for C-ute's new single "LA LA LA Shiawase no Uta" is up on Dohhh UP! and I'm sad to say that I am nowhere near as enthusiastic about this PV as I was after watching Buono!'s "Renai Rider" for the first time.
It's an okay song. It's not terrible. I like Maimi in this single. But I find I'm not liking Airi's voice so much in this release. I feel like she's c-ute-syfing her voice too much. She's not singing badly per se, but I don't like the quality of her voice when she manipulates it in the way she does in this release.
The girls all look C-ute in this PV, though I could definitely do without all that fur... But hey, it's an H!P PV, and sometimes you just have to wonder what the stylist was thinking. >_< I thought Maimai stood out from the girls - and I'm thinking it was due to her hairstyle. I just really liked it here.
I was highly disappointed with the lack of Chisato solo lines. It's absolutely ridiculous how Chisa hasn't had one solo line in the 4 official singles released by C-ute, and only 1 solo line from the 4 indie singles. That's 1 line 8 singles. Erika and Kanna tie for the 2nd and 3rd least number of solo lines at 3, while Nakajima's had 6 lines and Maimai has had 8. I won't bother counting Airi and Maimi. We know who the leads are... All I can say is "Wow..." and "GIVE ME SOME CHISA!!!!"
Moving on... Do you notice the title for this entry? That's 31 "LA"s. Notice the (x4). 31 x 4 = 124. That's how many times the girls sing the word "LA" in the last 50 or so seconds of the song (starting at around the 3:24 mark in the PV). I just thought all those "LA"s really dragged on... and on... and on... It felt like the song would never end.
So, while I don't hate this song, I don't love it either. It's energetic and happy, but I think it's longer than it has to be. I won't be able to bring myself to buy this single, no matter how much I love C-ute. Therefore, I'll just sit back and hope their next release is more to my taste.
PV: C-ute - LA LA LA Shiawase no Uta
*EDIT: I'm sitting at work, and the LA LA LA's are running through my head... I can't recall the melody of the verses for the life of me, but can't forget the LA LA LA's. If this keeps getting stuck in my head like this, I think this song may drive me to insanity... Or rather, even deeper into the insanity that is my psyche.
So, the PV for C-ute's new single "LA LA LA Shiawase no Uta" is up on Dohhh UP! and I'm sad to say that I am nowhere near as enthusiastic about this PV as I was after watching Buono!'s "Renai Rider" for the first time.
It's an okay song. It's not terrible. I like Maimi in this single. But I find I'm not liking Airi's voice so much in this release. I feel like she's c-ute-syfing her voice too much. She's not singing badly per se, but I don't like the quality of her voice when she manipulates it in the way she does in this release.
The girls all look C-ute in this PV, though I could definitely do without all that fur... But hey, it's an H!P PV, and sometimes you just have to wonder what the stylist was thinking. >_< I thought Maimai stood out from the girls - and I'm thinking it was due to her hairstyle. I just really liked it here.
I was highly disappointed with the lack of Chisato solo lines. It's absolutely ridiculous how Chisa hasn't had one solo line in the 4 official singles released by C-ute, and only 1 solo line from the 4 indie singles. That's 1 line 8 singles. Erika and Kanna tie for the 2nd and 3rd least number of solo lines at 3, while Nakajima's had 6 lines and Maimai has had 8. I won't bother counting Airi and Maimi. We know who the leads are... All I can say is "Wow..." and "GIVE ME SOME CHISA!!!!"
Moving on... Do you notice the title for this entry? That's 31 "LA"s. Notice the (x4). 31 x 4 = 124. That's how many times the girls sing the word "LA" in the last 50 or so seconds of the song (starting at around the 3:24 mark in the PV). I just thought all those "LA"s really dragged on... and on... and on... It felt like the song would never end.
So, while I don't hate this song, I don't love it either. It's energetic and happy, but I think it's longer than it has to be. I won't be able to bring myself to buy this single, no matter how much I love C-ute. Therefore, I'll just sit back and hope their next release is more to my taste.
PV: C-ute - LA LA LA Shiawase no Uta
*EDIT: I'm sitting at work, and the LA LA LA's are running through my head... I can't recall the melody of the verses for the life of me, but can't forget the LA LA LA's. If this keeps getting stuck in my head like this, I think this song may drive me to insanity... Or rather, even deeper into the insanity that is my psyche.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
New scarves for the new year!
I just got home (yesterday) from a 2 week long trip to California to attend my cousin's wedding (where I was her maid of honour).
While I was in sunny California, one of my best friend's went to Japan for Christmas break (*jealous*). But she went with a big request from me... Please find me Miyabi and Chisato's 2008 H!P scarves!! I originally saw these scarves from a post Ray linked to from Hello!Blog on International Wota. I immediately wanted both Chisato & Miyabi's scarves, but I couldn't figure out the Hello Shop site (other than that the scarves were 2000 yen each) and Ohta's store was pretty expensive...
So, I implored my friend to get me these scarves when she went to visit. I gave her detailed instructions (and back up purchases in case she couldn't find an H!P store). But my friend pulled through! She was able to get directions to a store near her hotel from the internet (with picture landmarks... I was kinda worried, b/c my friend is notorious for having no sense of direction), and when she got to the store, she just pulled out my instructions and asked the sales lady where *points to description of the scarves in Japanese* these were and voila!
My friend who got these for me doesn't follow H!P, but when she bought the scarves, she also got a free pic. When she told me this, I asked her of who and she said:
"I had to draw some straws and she told me I could pick something from a bunch of different girls, and I was like....hmmm...they all look the same. so after 30 sec of looking totally confused, the saleslady pointed to one and pointed to the scarf i had just got. so i think it's one of the girls you like"
(Don't mind the punctuation. It's taken from our MSN chat).
LOL... My friend is so funny... The free pic she got was:
Yay! I'm so happy to have my scarves! And I got both of them for the price of one on Ohta's store.
So, while I was gone, I watched C-ute's fall concert (℃-ute ライブツアー2007秋 ～放課後のエッセンス～ / C-ute Live Tour 2007 Aki ~Houkago no Essence~). The following are my thoughts on the concert, by member.
The set list:
1. 都会っ子 純情 (Tokaikko Junjou)
2. めぐる恋の季節 (Meguru Koi no Kisetsu)
3. MC 1
4. 桜チラリ (Sakura Chirari)
5. ENDLESS LOVE ~I Love You More~ (C-ute Ver)
6. タイムカプセル (Time Capsule) - Yajima Maimi & Nakajima Saki
7. MC 3 - Buono!
8. ホントのじぶん (Honto no Jibun) - Buono!
9. MC 2~ Sketch - Yajima Maimi & Hagiwara Mai
10. 通学ベクトル (Tsuugaku Vector) - Umeda Erika & Arihara Kanna
11. EVERYDAY YEAH! 片想い (EVERYDAY YEAH! Kataomoi)
12. ディスコ クイーン (Disco Queen)
13. 美少女心理 (Bishoujo Shinri)
14. まっさらブルージーンズ (Massara Blue Jeans)
15. ふたりはNS (Futari wa NS) - Okai Chisato & Hagiwara Mai
16. 夏ＤＯＫＩ リップスティック (Natsu DOKI Lipstick) - Yajima Maimi
17. MC 4 - Umeda Erika, Nakajima Saki, Okai Chisato & Arihara Kanna
18. That's the POWER
19. As ONE
20. YES! しあわせ (YES! Shiawase (C-ute Ver.))
21. 僕らの輝き (Bokura no Kagayaki)
22. JUMP
Encore
24. 大きな愛でもてなして (Ooki na Ai de Motenashite)
25. MC5
26. わっきゃない(Z) (Wakkyanai (Z))
*Note: The setlist is taken from wiki.theppn.org; Where'd #23 go?
Umeda Erika
Watching this concert confirmed that I'm not a big fan of the quality of her voice. Listening to her sing Tsuugaku Vector did absolutely nothing for me. I particularly didn't like her "woah woah"s. Don't really have that much to say about Erika for this concert, actually. She didn't really stand out to me.
Yajima Maimi
I thought she was a little bit off timing wise (a split second late) while singing her solo lines at the start of Tokaikko Junjou, but she picked it back up in Meguru Koi no Kisetsu. One thing to mention... She dances very well, but man does she sweat out there. She reminds me of Takahashi Ai in that respect. These two girls put so much energy into their dancing. You can see that they're not holding back on their performances. Maimi was strong through the rest of the concert, and I must say that she definitely did not disappoint in her performance of Natsu DOKI Lipstick. She hit her high notes well, and not in falsetto, as I thought she might. That was definitely some dance solo... That split kick on the ground definitely raised my eyebrows. And the expression on her face when she and Chisato pecked on the lips during YES! Shiawase (C-ute Ver.) was priceless. XD
Nakajima Saki
Saki was a little shaky at the start. She had a lot of energy and was very into the dance for Tokaikko, but come her solo lines... Woah.. had to take a step back (and not in a good way). Her singing improved after the opening number, but she definitely had shaky moments throughout the concert. I got this strange feeling that she wasn't really into the concert as it progressed. She went through the motions, but many times, her facial expression didn't match the mood of the songs. She definitely didn't keep the same energy level that she started the concert with. She wasn't outstanding in this concert.
Suzuki Airi
From the opening number, Airi shows what she can do. This girl so amazingly consistent, it boggles my mind. What can I say about her? She's a decent dancer, and she's a great singer. Not quite as high energy as Maimi or Chisato (then again, she sings so many solo lines, that she does a lot of the "muted" dance moves), but still fabulous.
Okai Chisato
Chisato definitely did not get enough solo lines in this concert. But the solo lines she did get were pretty awesome. I'd list all of them, but that'd get pretty repetitive. I highly enjoyed her lines in Bishoujo Shinri, and I really liked her performance in Futari wa NS with Mai. However, I was very upset with the changes made to Bokura no Kagayaki. Why in the world did Erika get to keep her lines, but Chisa didn't get one solo line in that song?!? I was very disgruntled watching that performance (no offense to Airi, who had Chisato's lines). However, even with only a limited number of solo lines, Chisato kept the energy level high throughout the concert.
Hagiwara Mai
Was very pleased with how Mai opened the concert. Where she usually is a little off tempo on her "Demo ne..." in Tokaikko, she was fairly well timed. She was pretty consistent throughout the concert, but still am not the biggest fan of her voice. Though I'd rank her voice higher than Erika's on my favourite list. She also had some lazy dance moments, not fully extending on movements (ex. Disco Queen).
Arihara Kanna
Kanna impressed me this concert. I thought she did very well performing Tsuugaku Vector. However, I don't think her voice blends well with Erika at all. She didn't look too awkward in this concert, which I enjoyed. This concert has definitely changed my C-ute favourites list. Her dancing was okay, but again, not quite reaching the level and energy of Maimi and Chisato.
Buono!
Yay for Buono performing at the concert! Momoko certainly wasn't in a bowing mood that night, though. She didn't bow when she introduced herself and she didn't bow when she did her ending speech. Though she did bow before they left the stage. The actual performance of Honto no Jibun was pretty good. Someone was going a little sharp at points during the chorus. But then again, it's a pretty bouncy dance, and with only the 3 of them in the group, it doesn't leave much room to cover up when someone's voice goes a little off. I have to say that it wasn't Miyabi's best performance. Her voice sounded a shaky for some reason. Definitely not normal for Miya. It was a little evident in Momoko as well. Maybe they didn't warm up enough piror to the performance (while Airi had already had 4 songs to really get her voice going). I highly enjoyed Miya and Momoko coming out at Ooki na Ai de Motenashite and doing some backup dancing. It was very cute. :D
So to end this post, I think I'll add my current C-ute favourite member list, for as I said, it has changed from my original list.
7. Umeda Erika
6. Nakajima Saki
5. Hagiwara Mai
4. Arihana Kanna
3. Sukuki Airi
2. Yajima Maimi
1. Okai Chisato
*GASP!* That's right, Airin has been dethroned by the ball of energy that is Chisa. I can't pick between Airi and Maimi right now.
EDIT: Okay, I won't cop out... No sharing spots... I still absolutely <3 Airi, but right now, I'm completely fascinated by Maimi (though not enough for her to take over Chisato). Never thought this would happen... Was so sure that Airi would stay my favourite C-ute member forever. I feel like my top 3 will be shifting possibly single to single or concert to concert. They're all very close to each other in my rankings.
I actually wrote up an appreciation post for Chisato (as well as Takahashi Ai and Ishimura Maiha) on the JPHiP forum. To salute Chisato moving to the #1 spot on my list, here's the link to the post (as well as Ai-chan and Maiha's).
NOTE: These links have lots of pics to load (other member appreciation posts are there too). If you load one of them, my 2 other posts are actually on the same page. [In order, Takahashi's closest to the top of the page, immediately followed by Maiha, and then the 9th one under Maiha is Chisato's post].
Okai Chisato appreciation post
Takahashi Ai appreciation post
Ishimura Maiha appreciation post
Wow... This turned into a freakin' long post.
While I was in sunny California, one of my best friend's went to Japan for Christmas break (*jealous*). But she went with a big request from me... Please find me Miyabi and Chisato's 2008 H!P scarves!! I originally saw these scarves from a post Ray linked to from Hello!Blog on International Wota. I immediately wanted both Chisato & Miyabi's scarves, but I couldn't figure out the Hello Shop site (other than that the scarves were 2000 yen each) and Ohta's store was pretty expensive...
So, I implored my friend to get me these scarves when she went to visit. I gave her detailed instructions (and back up purchases in case she couldn't find an H!P store). But my friend pulled through! She was able to get directions to a store near her hotel from the internet (with picture landmarks... I was kinda worried, b/c my friend is notorious for having no sense of direction), and when she got to the store, she just pulled out my instructions and asked the sales lady where *points to description of the scarves in Japanese* these were and voila!
My friend who got these for me doesn't follow H!P, but when she bought the scarves, she also got a free pic. When she told me this, I asked her of who and she said:
"I had to draw some straws and she told me I could pick something from a bunch of different girls, and I was like....hmmm...they all look the same. so after 30 sec of looking totally confused, the saleslady pointed to one and pointed to the scarf i had just got. so i think it's one of the girls you like"
(Don't mind the punctuation. It's taken from our MSN chat).
LOL... My friend is so funny... The free pic she got was:
Yay! I'm so happy to have my scarves! And I got both of them for the price of one on Ohta's store.
So, while I was gone, I watched C-ute's fall concert (℃-ute ライブツアー2007秋 ～放課後のエッセンス～ / C-ute Live Tour 2007 Aki ~Houkago no Essence~). The following are my thoughts on the concert, by member.
The set list:
1. 都会っ子 純情 (Tokaikko Junjou)
2. めぐる恋の季節 (Meguru Koi no Kisetsu)
3. MC 1
4. 桜チラリ (Sakura Chirari)
5. ENDLESS LOVE ~I Love You More~ (C-ute Ver)
6. タイムカプセル (Time Capsule) - Yajima Maimi & Nakajima Saki
7. MC 3 - Buono!
8. ホントのじぶん (Honto no Jibun) - Buono!
9. MC 2~ Sketch - Yajima Maimi & Hagiwara Mai
10. 通学ベクトル (Tsuugaku Vector) - Umeda Erika & Arihara Kanna
11. EVERYDAY YEAH! 片想い (EVERYDAY YEAH! Kataomoi)
12. ディスコ クイーン (Disco Queen)
13. 美少女心理 (Bishoujo Shinri)
14. まっさらブルージーンズ (Massara Blue Jeans)
15. ふたりはNS (Futari wa NS) - Okai Chisato & Hagiwara Mai
16. 夏ＤＯＫＩ リップスティック (Natsu DOKI Lipstick) - Yajima Maimi
17. MC 4 - Umeda Erika, Nakajima Saki, Okai Chisato & Arihara Kanna
18. That's the POWER
19. As ONE
20. YES! しあわせ (YES! Shiawase (C-ute Ver.))
21. 僕らの輝き (Bokura no Kagayaki)
22. JUMP
Encore
24. 大きな愛でもてなして (Ooki na Ai de Motenashite)
25. MC5
26. わっきゃない(Z) (Wakkyanai (Z))
*Note: The setlist is taken from wiki.theppn.org; Where'd #23 go?
Umeda Erika
Watching this concert confirmed that I'm not a big fan of the quality of her voice. Listening to her sing Tsuugaku Vector did absolutely nothing for me. I particularly didn't like her "woah woah"s. Don't really have that much to say about Erika for this concert, actually. She didn't really stand out to me.
Yajima Maimi
I thought she was a little bit off timing wise (a split second late) while singing her solo lines at the start of Tokaikko Junjou, but she picked it back up in Meguru Koi no Kisetsu. One thing to mention... She dances very well, but man does she sweat out there. She reminds me of Takahashi Ai in that respect. These two girls put so much energy into their dancing. You can see that they're not holding back on their performances. Maimi was strong through the rest of the concert, and I must say that she definitely did not disappoint in her performance of Natsu DOKI Lipstick. She hit her high notes well, and not in falsetto, as I thought she might. That was definitely some dance solo... That split kick on the ground definitely raised my eyebrows. And the expression on her face when she and Chisato pecked on the lips during YES! Shiawase (C-ute Ver.) was priceless. XD
Nakajima Saki
Saki was a little shaky at the start. She had a lot of energy and was very into the dance for Tokaikko, but come her solo lines... Woah.. had to take a step back (and not in a good way). Her singing improved after the opening number, but she definitely had shaky moments throughout the concert. I got this strange feeling that she wasn't really into the concert as it progressed. She went through the motions, but many times, her facial expression didn't match the mood of the songs. She definitely didn't keep the same energy level that she started the concert with. She wasn't outstanding in this concert.
Suzuki Airi
From the opening number, Airi shows what she can do. This girl so amazingly consistent, it boggles my mind. What can I say about her? She's a decent dancer, and she's a great singer. Not quite as high energy as Maimi or Chisato (then again, she sings so many solo lines, that she does a lot of the "muted" dance moves), but still fabulous.
Okai Chisato
Chisato definitely did not get enough solo lines in this concert. But the solo lines she did get were pretty awesome. I'd list all of them, but that'd get pretty repetitive. I highly enjoyed her lines in Bishoujo Shinri, and I really liked her performance in Futari wa NS with Mai. However, I was very upset with the changes made to Bokura no Kagayaki. Why in the world did Erika get to keep her lines, but Chisa didn't get one solo line in that song?!? I was very disgruntled watching that performance (no offense to Airi, who had Chisato's lines). However, even with only a limited number of solo lines, Chisato kept the energy level high throughout the concert.
Hagiwara Mai
Was very pleased with how Mai opened the concert. Where she usually is a little off tempo on her "Demo ne..." in Tokaikko, she was fairly well timed. She was pretty consistent throughout the concert, but still am not the biggest fan of her voice. Though I'd rank her voice higher than Erika's on my favourite list. She also had some lazy dance moments, not fully extending on movements (ex. Disco Queen).
Arihara Kanna
Kanna impressed me this concert. I thought she did very well performing Tsuugaku Vector. However, I don't think her voice blends well with Erika at all. She didn't look too awkward in this concert, which I enjoyed. This concert has definitely changed my C-ute favourites list. Her dancing was okay, but again, not quite reaching the level and energy of Maimi and Chisato.
Buono!
Yay for Buono performing at the concert! Momoko certainly wasn't in a bowing mood that night, though. She didn't bow when she introduced herself and she didn't bow when she did her ending speech. Though she did bow before they left the stage. The actual performance of Honto no Jibun was pretty good. Someone was going a little sharp at points during the chorus. But then again, it's a pretty bouncy dance, and with only the 3 of them in the group, it doesn't leave much room to cover up when someone's voice goes a little off. I have to say that it wasn't Miyabi's best performance. Her voice sounded a shaky for some reason. Definitely not normal for Miya. It was a little evident in Momoko as well. Maybe they didn't warm up enough piror to the performance (while Airi had already had 4 songs to really get her voice going). I highly enjoyed Miya and Momoko coming out at Ooki na Ai de Motenashite and doing some backup dancing. It was very cute. :D
So to end this post, I think I'll add my current C-ute favourite member list, for as I said, it has changed from my original list.
7. Umeda Erika
6. Nakajima Saki
5. Hagiwara Mai
4. Arihana Kanna
3. Sukuki Airi
2. Yajima Maimi
1. Okai Chisato
*GASP!* That's right, Airin has been dethroned by the ball of energy that is Chisa. I can't pick between Airi and Maimi right now.
EDIT: Okay, I won't cop out... No sharing spots... I still absolutely <3 Airi, but right now, I'm completely fascinated by Maimi (though not enough for her to take over Chisato). Never thought this would happen... Was so sure that Airi would stay my favourite C-ute member forever. I feel like my top 3 will be shifting possibly single to single or concert to concert. They're all very close to each other in my rankings.
I actually wrote up an appreciation post for Chisato (as well as Takahashi Ai and Ishimura Maiha) on the JPHiP forum. To salute Chisato moving to the #1 spot on my list, here's the link to the post (as well as Ai-chan and Maiha's).
NOTE: These links have lots of pics to load (other member appreciation posts are there too). If you load one of them, my 2 other posts are actually on the same page. [In order, Takahashi's closest to the top of the page, immediately followed by Maiha, and then the 9th one under Maiha is Chisato's post].
Okai Chisato appreciation post
Takahashi Ai appreciation post
Ishimura Maiha appreciation post
Wow... This turned into a freakin' long post.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
C-ute's mini album; C-ute vs Berryz
Just recently got around to listening to C-ute's mini album （２）mini～生きるという力～ (after watching a live performance of Bokura no Kagayaki, and realizing I could hear some quality Chisato on this album).
Listening to this album definitely solidified my top 3 C-ute members. There really is a big gap between my affection for my top 3 and the other 4 girls in this group.
The opening song "That's the POWER" has a really carnivale feel to it. It's bouncy and upbeat, but I don't think it will get too many plays on my list.
The 3rd track "Disco Queen", unsurprisingly, isn't quite my fancy, seeing as it features Mai and Saki, neither of whom quite have the quality of voice that I enjoy.
Airi's song, "Tsuugaku Vector", is okay. Not much to rave about on my part, surprisingly. I definitely still <3 her (one song won't change that), but this song won't go down as one of my favourites.
I really enjoy Maimi's solo song "Natsu DOKI Lipstick". I really need to see this song live and see how well Maimi pulls it off. The chorus is so catchy, and I just love the high note that she hits at the end of each chorus (except the 2nd last one). I don't know if it's just me and my bad memory, but I feel like most H!P songs don't have a key change within a song. I think because of that, the key change within this song really stood out to me. It makes the end of the song much more potent (not quite the word I'm looking for in this situation, but I like the sound of it XD). I really like the quality of Maimi's voice. She's definitely the most mature sounding of C-ute at the moment.
*EDIT*: My brother tells me I do have a very bad memory and that many H!P songs do actually have a key change (ex. Koko ni Iruzee!). Hmm... seems I need to brush up on my old school H!P songs.
However, I'd have to say my favourite song on this album would have to be "Bokura no Kagayki" which features Chistao, Erika and Kanna. Can you guess which of the 3 I'm particularly enjoying in this song? In the live I saw, Chisato was definitely the strongest performer, IMO. I love the guitar in this song. It's not overly complicated... Makes me want to figure out the chords... Hmm... there's an idea. I also enjoy the drum pattern in this song. It makes me want to go out and play this song on Drum Mania (if it were on Drum Mania, that is... Unfortunately I can only play fake video game drums. My coordination isn't good enough to handle different beats between my hands and feet).
To go off on a tangent, I've been think a lot recently about the C-ute vs. Berryz debate and who's better. Thought I'd get my two cents in.
Berryz has been getting put down a lot from what I've been reading. While everyone's entitled to their own opinion, I don't think it's quite fair to compare C-ute at this stage to Berryz when they were at the equivalent stage in thier careers.
First, when Berryz released their 3rd major single "Piriri to Yukou!", the members were at an average age of roughly 11.75. Compared to C-ute's 3rd major single "Tokaikko Junjou", C-ute's average age is almost 2 years older, at roughly 13.57. C-ute also had 4 indie singles prior to their major releases, so they had the chance to build up a fanbase, as well as get more comfortable with their position/roles as idols than Berryz did initially.
As for the most recent releases, most people have either loved or hated Berryz newest, while many seemed to thoroughly enjoy C-ute's latest. Well, can't do much there. It's not Berryz choice on what song they're given, or the choreography that comes with it. But at the same time, I think people need to give Berryz more credit (though it's so ironic that with the bashing of "Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi" before it's release, it ended up outselling all of the most recent H!P releases, with the exception of Buono!'s "Honto no Jibun").
*EDIT #2*: Someone pointed out that "Tsukiatteru" outsold in first week sales, and not total sales. That's what I mean to say, it just didn't occur to me to specify that when I originally posted.
Look at what Berryz has done in the 3 (almost 4) years they've been a group. They are currently on their 15th single (almost 1 year earlier than Morning Musume in regards to time from 1st single release to 15th single release). In addition to the singles, Berryz has also released 4 albums (albeit one was a mini album), just like MM had released by their 15th single. MM did 3 movies, 2 musicals and 6 concerts, while Berryz did 2 stage plays (I think it's 2... They just completed one recently, if I'm thinking correctly) and 9 concerts. Keep in mind that Berryz got to this point 1 year faster than MM. I think that's just mind boggling.
I'm not saying this to bash on C-ute in anyway, 'cause I definitely love C-ute as well. Call me non-confrontational (heck, I'll be the first to admit that I'm non-confrontational), but I just don't get why we need to bash on one group to raise up our favourites. They're 2 different groups with 2 different sets of girls. C-ute's gotten off to a good start, but just because they got the supposedly better song (once again, I say different groups, different sounds), you can't totally throw out all that Berryz has accomplished over the years.
And finally, forget a tangent... I'm gonna take a complete 180, and return from Japan back to Toronto and make my first real mention of the Toronto Raptors in my blog.
Watched the game tonight against the Hawks. This was our first game back at full strength since having injury problems with Bargnani, Bosh and Ford starting Nov. 20. So what happens in this game? First Jason Kapono goes out with a wrist injury. Initial X-rays came up negative for damage, but no futher info. Then just before the start of the 4th, Jose Calderon goes to the locker room for what seemed to be a dislocated finger. Luckily, he was back on court within a few minutes.
But the major kicker happened with about 1:30 left in the 4th. TJ Ford made a steal, and as he's running down the floor going for a layup, Atlanta's Al Horford went for a block, but instead pulled on TJ's head. It took TJ off balance and he crashed into the ground, his head bouncing hard off the floor. He lay completely limp. It was terrifying to watch. A few years ago, Ford suffered an injury that required neck surgery and kept him off court for a year. It could very well have been a career ending injury. Since then, he's had a pretty sensitive neck/back and has suffered a few stingers from hard fouls. Tonight just left me with a terrible feeling inside, wondering how bad this injury is.
It was like watching the game against Boston last season where Jorge Garbajosa went to block a shot, but when he landed he broke his ankle (as in his food was 90 degrees/perpendicular to it's usual angle, with the bone sticking out). He has since come back to play, but ironically, he just had a second surgery on that ankle, I think it was tonight.... And then Ford gets this injury...
Listening to this album definitely solidified my top 3 C-ute members. There really is a big gap between my affection for my top 3 and the other 4 girls in this group.
The opening song "That's the POWER" has a really carnivale feel to it. It's bouncy and upbeat, but I don't think it will get too many plays on my list.
The 3rd track "Disco Queen", unsurprisingly, isn't quite my fancy, seeing as it features Mai and Saki, neither of whom quite have the quality of voice that I enjoy.
Airi's song, "Tsuugaku Vector", is okay. Not much to rave about on my part, surprisingly. I definitely still <3 her (one song won't change that), but this song won't go down as one of my favourites.
I really enjoy Maimi's solo song "Natsu DOKI Lipstick". I really need to see this song live and see how well Maimi pulls it off. The chorus is so catchy, and I just love the high note that she hits at the end of each chorus (except the 2nd last one). I don't know if it's just me and my bad memory, but I feel like most H!P songs don't have a key change within a song. I think because of that, the key change within this song really stood out to me. It makes the end of the song much more potent (not quite the word I'm looking for in this situation, but I like the sound of it XD). I really like the quality of Maimi's voice. She's definitely the most mature sounding of C-ute at the moment.
*EDIT*: My brother tells me I do have a very bad memory and that many H!P songs do actually have a key change (ex. Koko ni Iruzee!). Hmm... seems I need to brush up on my old school H!P songs.
However, I'd have to say my favourite song on this album would have to be "Bokura no Kagayki" which features Chistao, Erika and Kanna. Can you guess which of the 3 I'm particularly enjoying in this song? In the live I saw, Chisato was definitely the strongest performer, IMO. I love the guitar in this song. It's not overly complicated... Makes me want to figure out the chords... Hmm... there's an idea. I also enjoy the drum pattern in this song. It makes me want to go out and play this song on Drum Mania (if it were on Drum Mania, that is... Unfortunately I can only play fake video game drums. My coordination isn't good enough to handle different beats between my hands and feet).
To go off on a tangent, I've been think a lot recently about the C-ute vs. Berryz debate and who's better. Thought I'd get my two cents in.
Berryz has been getting put down a lot from what I've been reading. While everyone's entitled to their own opinion, I don't think it's quite fair to compare C-ute at this stage to Berryz when they were at the equivalent stage in thier careers.
First, when Berryz released their 3rd major single "Piriri to Yukou!", the members were at an average age of roughly 11.75. Compared to C-ute's 3rd major single "Tokaikko Junjou", C-ute's average age is almost 2 years older, at roughly 13.57. C-ute also had 4 indie singles prior to their major releases, so they had the chance to build up a fanbase, as well as get more comfortable with their position/roles as idols than Berryz did initially.
As for the most recent releases, most people have either loved or hated Berryz newest, while many seemed to thoroughly enjoy C-ute's latest. Well, can't do much there. It's not Berryz choice on what song they're given, or the choreography that comes with it. But at the same time, I think people need to give Berryz more credit (though it's so ironic that with the bashing of "Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi" before it's release, it ended up outselling all of the most recent H!P releases, with the exception of Buono!'s "Honto no Jibun").
*EDIT #2*: Someone pointed out that "Tsukiatteru" outsold in first week sales, and not total sales. That's what I mean to say, it just didn't occur to me to specify that when I originally posted.
Look at what Berryz has done in the 3 (almost 4) years they've been a group. They are currently on their 15th single (almost 1 year earlier than Morning Musume in regards to time from 1st single release to 15th single release). In addition to the singles, Berryz has also released 4 albums (albeit one was a mini album), just like MM had released by their 15th single. MM did 3 movies, 2 musicals and 6 concerts, while Berryz did 2 stage plays (I think it's 2... They just completed one recently, if I'm thinking correctly) and 9 concerts. Keep in mind that Berryz got to this point 1 year faster than MM. I think that's just mind boggling.
I'm not saying this to bash on C-ute in anyway, 'cause I definitely love C-ute as well. Call me non-confrontational (heck, I'll be the first to admit that I'm non-confrontational), but I just don't get why we need to bash on one group to raise up our favourites. They're 2 different groups with 2 different sets of girls. C-ute's gotten off to a good start, but just because they got the supposedly better song (once again, I say different groups, different sounds), you can't totally throw out all that Berryz has accomplished over the years.
And finally, forget a tangent... I'm gonna take a complete 180, and return from Japan back to Toronto and make my first real mention of the Toronto Raptors in my blog.
Watched the game tonight against the Hawks. This was our first game back at full strength since having injury problems with Bargnani, Bosh and Ford starting Nov. 20. So what happens in this game? First Jason Kapono goes out with a wrist injury. Initial X-rays came up negative for damage, but no futher info. Then just before the start of the 4th, Jose Calderon goes to the locker room for what seemed to be a dislocated finger. Luckily, he was back on court within a few minutes.
But the major kicker happened with about 1:30 left in the 4th. TJ Ford made a steal, and as he's running down the floor going for a layup, Atlanta's Al Horford went for a block, but instead pulled on TJ's head. It took TJ off balance and he crashed into the ground, his head bouncing hard off the floor. He lay completely limp. It was terrifying to watch. A few years ago, Ford suffered an injury that required neck surgery and kept him off court for a year. It could very well have been a career ending injury. Since then, he's had a pretty sensitive neck/back and has suffered a few stingers from hard fouls. Tonight just left me with a terrible feeling inside, wondering how bad this injury is.
It was like watching the game against Boston last season where Jorge Garbajosa went to block a shot, but when he landed he broke his ankle (as in his food was 90 degrees/perpendicular to it's usual angle, with the bone sticking out). He has since come back to play, but ironically, he just had a second surgery on that ankle, I think it was tonight.... And then Ford gets this injury...
Friday, December 07, 2007
New shipment in!!
They have finally arrived!!!
I ordered this from yesasia way back on Nov 8 or something along those lines, and seeing as I didn't want to pay extra for shipping, I had to wait for "Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi" to release. And for some reason, it took forever to reach me. Usually it only takes 4-5 business days from shipment date. This time it took 7 days.... Hmm... I think I was just really impatient for this shipment, since I ordered it so long ago. It's only 2 days late, now that I think about it...
Anyway, I love them! I've obviously listened to all the songs before, but it just feels so nice to own them and have the wonderful pictures and CDs in one's hands.
I love Berryz's new single. The PV is growing on me, and I so enjoy doing the dance along with the girls as I watch. As for the CW for this single, not a favourite, but it's nice to hear the others get a chance to sing. Miya, Momo and Risako don't get one solo line in the CW. I found that quite fascinating. When I first heard the CW, I immediately thought of a superhero movie... But not I can't recall which superhero I thought of... Oh wells.
As I've said after reviewing the PV, I just love these outfits, and the girls all look so beautiful, with the exception of Momoko, who is still weirding me out with this single. Not to say she looks ugly or anything, just... odd... Which is strange, 'cause while her voice drives me nuts, her appearance doesn't tend to phase me. And I enjoyed her in Buono!'s "Honto no Jibun", even though I didn't like her hairstyle. Oh well.
I <3 Very Beauty! I love Miya's outfit in this song, as well as Yurina's, even though it makes her look even taller than she is (I think it's the vertical stripes in addition to the pants which make her legs look ridiculously long). Yay for the limited edition photobook! Not much else to say about the single. It's been out for a while, but I just got obsessed with Berryz recently, so just got it now. :)
Tokaikko Junjou!! This song is absolutely fabulous! I wish I could do this dance!! >_< Unforunately, my body is stiff and I can only handle dances of the "Para Para Paradise" variety, with basic arm movements and side stepping. Anything that requires more fluidity makes me look very stupid. Thus, I feel silly trying to dance along with them. I just recently saw a translation of the song, and I hadn't realized that this was basically a love song. A techno-vibed love song. Coolies! :)
Am really getting into C-ute now (but Berryz is still my fave). I watched them on Music Fighter, and their segment was very amusing. I particularly liked Chisato's rollercoaster roleplay. XD
Now that I've watched a little bit of C-ute's stuff, here's my initial feel on member ranking (I'll do it in the opposite order from what I've done before... More suspenseful that way... Or maybe not, since I've given away my favourite member in a previous post... Oh wells):
7. Arihara Kanna
I need some time to see how this girl develops. Right now, she seems very awkward on camera (at least in my eyes). My brother gets a freshly joined Takahashi Ai vibe from her, and I'd say I have to agree with him. I really wasn't a big fan of Ai when she first joined, but now she's one of my favourite H!P members... Maybe Kanna will surprise me in a similar way... But at the same time, I wouldn't put her in the same category vocally, so maybe not. Only time will tell.
6. Hagiwara Mai
She's cute, but I'm not a fan of her voice. And in the lives of Tokaikko Junjou, she's always been delayed in delivering her "Demo ne Demo ne Dakedo" line. I'll give her some time and see how it develops. I mean, she's only 11 years old. I'll let her go through puberty first and see if it matures nicely.
5. Umeda Erika
Also don't like her voice very much. In addition, I don't find her particularly attractive, and haven't been too taken by her live appearances. She just doesn't really catch my attention.
4. Nakajima Saki
She's very pretty. That's the main thing I've got down for her. Her voice is meh... Not one of my favourites.
3. Yajima Maimi
I think I'm becoming a little obessed with Maimi. I was on the road the other day, and there was this delivery truck that said "We deliver from Toronto to Miami", and my first thought was "Maimi? ... Why is Maimi's name on a truck...?" Did a double take and smacked myself for my dyslexia. >_< But really, I like her. I also find her to be very pretty and I like her voice.
2. Okai Chisato
As I said, above, I find her amusing. LOL with the rollercoaster and pretty scenery. :) I think her voice is absolutely fabulous, and she really needs to get some more lines. I hope that a trend starts in her favour, but I won't hold my breath. Talent doesn't seem to be a major factor when it comes to decision making regarding who gets lines in H!P (however unfortunate the truth is). She's also a very attractive girl. She has a subtle pretty, that doesn't jump out at you when you first see her, but there's just something about her.
And #1.... Suzuki Airi
The final 3rd of Aa! I have loved her since I saw that PV. At that point (I think she was 10), she already had a great voice, and she sang well live. That hasn't changed. I'd place her more into the "C-ute" XD pile rather than the pretty/beautiful pile in regards to looks. She's just so darn adorable.
I guess that's all for now, 'cause I have an early morning tomorrow (or should I say today) with lots of driving, so I should get rest...
I ordered this from yesasia way back on Nov 8 or something along those lines, and seeing as I didn't want to pay extra for shipping, I had to wait for "Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi" to release. And for some reason, it took forever to reach me. Usually it only takes 4-5 business days from shipment date. This time it took 7 days.... Hmm... I think I was just really impatient for this shipment, since I ordered it so long ago. It's only 2 days late, now that I think about it...
Anyway, I love them! I've obviously listened to all the songs before, but it just feels so nice to own them and have the wonderful pictures and CDs in one's hands.
I love Berryz's new single. The PV is growing on me, and I so enjoy doing the dance along with the girls as I watch. As for the CW for this single, not a favourite, but it's nice to hear the others get a chance to sing. Miya, Momo and Risako don't get one solo line in the CW. I found that quite fascinating. When I first heard the CW, I immediately thought of a superhero movie... But not I can't recall which superhero I thought of... Oh wells.
As I've said after reviewing the PV, I just love these outfits, and the girls all look so beautiful, with the exception of Momoko, who is still weirding me out with this single. Not to say she looks ugly or anything, just... odd... Which is strange, 'cause while her voice drives me nuts, her appearance doesn't tend to phase me. And I enjoyed her in Buono!'s "Honto no Jibun", even though I didn't like her hairstyle. Oh well.
I <3 Very Beauty! I love Miya's outfit in this song, as well as Yurina's, even though it makes her look even taller than she is (I think it's the vertical stripes in addition to the pants which make her legs look ridiculously long). Yay for the limited edition photobook! Not much else to say about the single. It's been out for a while, but I just got obsessed with Berryz recently, so just got it now. :)
Tokaikko Junjou!! This song is absolutely fabulous! I wish I could do this dance!! >_< Unforunately, my body is stiff and I can only handle dances of the "Para Para Paradise" variety, with basic arm movements and side stepping. Anything that requires more fluidity makes me look very stupid. Thus, I feel silly trying to dance along with them. I just recently saw a translation of the song, and I hadn't realized that this was basically a love song. A techno-vibed love song. Coolies! :)
Am really getting into C-ute now (but Berryz is still my fave). I watched them on Music Fighter, and their segment was very amusing. I particularly liked Chisato's rollercoaster roleplay. XD
Now that I've watched a little bit of C-ute's stuff, here's my initial feel on member ranking (I'll do it in the opposite order from what I've done before... More suspenseful that way... Or maybe not, since I've given away my favourite member in a previous post... Oh wells):
7. Arihara Kanna
I need some time to see how this girl develops. Right now, she seems very awkward on camera (at least in my eyes). My brother gets a freshly joined Takahashi Ai vibe from her, and I'd say I have to agree with him. I really wasn't a big fan of Ai when she first joined, but now she's one of my favourite H!P members... Maybe Kanna will surprise me in a similar way... But at the same time, I wouldn't put her in the same category vocally, so maybe not. Only time will tell.
6. Hagiwara Mai
She's cute, but I'm not a fan of her voice. And in the lives of Tokaikko Junjou, she's always been delayed in delivering her "Demo ne Demo ne Dakedo" line. I'll give her some time and see how it develops. I mean, she's only 11 years old. I'll let her go through puberty first and see if it matures nicely.
5. Umeda Erika
Also don't like her voice very much. In addition, I don't find her particularly attractive, and haven't been too taken by her live appearances. She just doesn't really catch my attention.
4. Nakajima Saki
She's very pretty. That's the main thing I've got down for her. Her voice is meh... Not one of my favourites.
3. Yajima Maimi
I think I'm becoming a little obessed with Maimi. I was on the road the other day, and there was this delivery truck that said "We deliver from Toronto to Miami", and my first thought was "Maimi? ... Why is Maimi's name on a truck...?" Did a double take and smacked myself for my dyslexia. >_< But really, I like her. I also find her to be very pretty and I like her voice.
2. Okai Chisato
As I said, above, I find her amusing. LOL with the rollercoaster and pretty scenery. :) I think her voice is absolutely fabulous, and she really needs to get some more lines. I hope that a trend starts in her favour, but I won't hold my breath. Talent doesn't seem to be a major factor when it comes to decision making regarding who gets lines in H!P (however unfortunate the truth is). She's also a very attractive girl. She has a subtle pretty, that doesn't jump out at you when you first see her, but there's just something about her.
And #1.... Suzuki Airi
The final 3rd of Aa! I have loved her since I saw that PV. At that point (I think she was 10), she already had a great voice, and she sang well live. That hasn't changed. I'd place her more into the "C-ute" XD pile rather than the pretty/beautiful pile in regards to looks. She's just so darn adorable.
I guess that's all for now, 'cause I have an early morning tomorrow (or should I say today) with lots of driving, so I should get rest...
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