Thursday, December 31, 2015

The Official Sayashi Riho Graduation Post

(Originally, this was going to be a "Tsumetai Kaze to Kataomoi / ENDLESS SKY / One and Only" single review, but then I realized I had much more to say about the graduation itself."

Hello, everyone! It's Calli here!

In just some hours, Miss Sayashi Riho is going to graduate from Morning Musume '15.

When Riho joined in 2011, she had stated that she wanted to be leader someday.

But here is the thing: people change. I'm sure she realized her true passions, and being an idol just wasn't allowing her true artistry to shine through, even if she was the center of her respective group.

She didn't look happy anymore, we all saw it on her face.

But for her time in the group, I have to admit, she was a blessing to Morning Musume.

I didn't like her initially, but as her graduation was announced, I had that sinking feeling that the group would be somehow incomplete without her.

It was a much different situation from Sayu, whose time was definitely up, but many people feel like Riho really didn't serve her full time in Morning Musume. Likewise, she didn't even want a proper graduation concert for herself.

It's a bittersweet goodbye, sweet because I look forward to seeing how Morning Musume '16 shapes up, but bitter because a beloved member is leaving the group.

I really surprised myself earlier. I was watching all the MVs from her graduation single, and when "ENDLESS SKY"'s MV came on, it really made me cry hard.

It made me realize that even though Morning Musume is a constantly changing group, when just one member leaves, it leaves a little wound in the group's history. The wound gets better, but never completely heals. It leaves a little scar behind of the past, but over time, the group finds its way with maturity and new members combined.

And it made me realize that for Morning Musume, no matter which member leaves, it would all affect me equally.

Riho doesn't try to fake with other people, she does her own thing. And we know her passion is dancing.

I think it's so sweet that she's staying in Hello! Project. It shows that her love for the company itself hasn't faded, but rather she wants to simply move on from being an idol.

Since she is studying English, it would be really nice if she came to America and went to a professional dance school here as well, maybe in a place like New York.

I look very forward to seeing her future endeavors. She is a beautiful, interesting girl, and she definitely won't be forgotten.

As for Morning Musume '16:

"It starts now! It starts now!"

-Calli


Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Hello! Project Fan Vote 2015 Part 2


here's part 2 of the fan vote! This covers the other cateories included in the poll. 

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Hello! Project Fan Vote 2015 Results! PART 1


You all have voted for your favorites in Hello! Project and now all votes among fans all around the world had been tallied!!!

Are you excited to find out which of the girls have reigned supreme above the rest? Will the addition of new groups stir up the rankings? Find out for yourself!
****drum roll****

[Concert Review] Tamura Meimi birthday event 3rd of December

Good Day everyone.
Todays review is about Tamura Meimi birthday event.

Meimi poster from the event

As you all might know, it is not everyone that is allowed to attend birthday events.
You need to be a Hello!Project (or M-line) fanclub member.

And I am suprised how short it was.
The event was less than 1 hour in total.

Before the concert, I met up with my friend, and some guys I met at ANGERME budokan concert.
And some people was handing out this penlights that we used when Meimi came on stage.

Then it was some talking, and showing when Meimi was a baby up to ~2-3 years old.. Oh she was so cute when she was a baby.

Setlist:

She started with an old song from Matsuura Aya called Watashi no Sugoi Houhou. A song I never heard off, but Meimei sang it perfect.
What to expect when she is an amazing singer, she can sing in all different styles.
And after that it was the talking section, she was really happy and suprised about the glowsticks.
After the talking section, she continued the songs, starting with:
Kiss!Kiss!Kiss by Buono
Which she owned as expected, I don't think there is one song she can't sing, but ye I haven't heard her sing all songs in the world *hihi*
Hajimete wo Keikenchuu by Juice=Juice
Number 4 of the songs was performence varies, but on the event I was on she sang a song by Teresa Teng called Wakare no Yokan (and event 2 was KoiING by Morning Musume) and wow, she really nailed it.
I got goosebumps of her singing it, I don't know why since I never heard it before but wow!
Then came Oujisama to Yuki no Yoru by Tanpopo, oh she looked so happy singing it.
Last but not least Never Forget by Morning Musume. I was a bit suprised over the song choice since it is known as a graduation song. But it is a lovely song anyway, and I am glad to have heard her sing it.

After the event was over, it was wave goodbye to her when we walked out, and wow she looked suprise to see me and my friend (foreigners, even if my friend lives in japan)

If possible, get a fanclub membership and try to attend a birthday event by any member, you wont be disappointed.

10/10

Note:
When I am writing this, Meimi have announced her graduation from Hello!Projet and ANGERME.
I am a bit sad over it, but thanks to that I am extra happy that I attended her birthday event.
So, please if you have the chance to attend your kamioshi's birthday event, don't rethink, do it.
You will regret it otherwise.


Love~
Risa

Monday, December 14, 2015

[Concert Review] Juice=Juice 30th of November 2015

Good Morning Everyone.

Finally I am awake in my mind after my trip to Japan. So now I can continue with the reviews.
Starting with my 3rd concert I attended.
Juice=Juice

It was my first ever live house concert.
For those who don't know what live house concert is, it is where the audiance are close to the artist(s) and after the concert you get to shake the members hands.
There is a female section as well, which is awesome if you are a female, and especially if you are tall, since 90% of the girls are often short in Japan.
I got eyecontact with my favorite Kanazawa Tomoko thanks to that.

When it comes to the setlist.
It was awesome.
The opening act was Next You (if you don't know what Next you is, it is their alto ego for a drama they are staring in)

This was my first time at a Juice=Juice concert, so for me all the songs was awesome.
But the biggest surprise for me was that they performed Hatsukoi Cider (Buono! song)
And Karin blushed during one of the songs, trying to figure out which one, but I think it was Magic of Love, thanks to that all the others said "I love you" to her.

During one of the MCs we also sang Happy Birthday to Karin since it was her birthday on December 1st.

Photo taken by Up-front link (and Aika)

I can tell, that it was an awesome concert, and you really need to experience a live house concert.
Naruchika works too (it is also live house concert) because arena concert and live house concerts are two difference feelings.
And I am happy I have attended all kind of concerts.
And if you get the chance, to attend all kind of venues. You wont regret it at all.

Overall, the concert was awesome.
The setlist was awesome
The audience was awesome
Everything was awesome

10/10, worth going to!

Next up: Tamura Meimi birthday event!

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

[Concert review] ANGERME Fukuda Kanon graduation concert

This is the biggest concert review I write in a while.
Fukuda Kanon graduation concert.
Let's start with saying, I haven't been so stressed like I was that day.
Cheki with C-ute, Handshake with MM'15 (and I GOT LOST GETTING THERE!!!) and then the ANGERME concert.

Let me tell you, the line for the concert goods was LOOOOOOOOOONG, it's impossible to tell you guys how long, but those who attended Berryz Koubou final concert can imagine how long, because it was around the same like it. With most Kanyon stuff sold out (no suprise though) I stood in line before having to give up standing in line due to my back issue (I was in a carcrash last year, and still have issuses after that) so I gave money to a friend, and asked him to buy me some goods.

The doors opened at 5pm, and the queue was long even to get it, so me and a friend of mine decided to wait a while. I mean, we had our seats already decided, and why rush?
We went inside about 5.20-5.30pm and the opening acts (Tsubaki and Kobushi Factory) performed their songs around 5.45-5.50pm, and let me tell you. Tsubaki Factory is so much better than I thought, and ofcourse, no suprise, Kobushi Factory was great as always!

And after a few minutes after Kobushi Factory performed their song, ANGERME  came on stage, I had such a great seat that I could sit (resting my back) yet see them perfectly, so I could sit a few songs and stand a few songs, so I could attend without killing myself.

I have never seen such more beautiful concert, not that I have attended so many concerts with Hello!Project, but still.
I have attended 2 grad concerts, Berryz Koubou and Fukuda Kanons, Berryz Koubous was beautiful yes, but not in the same way that Kanyons was.
During her grad song, she had foam coming down from the ceiling, and it looked so lovely.
And it was also a special kind of graduation, she said her graduation message, but the other girls did not say a goodbye message, well unless you count their last MC as a grad message, because some of the girls said something regarding Kanyon during their speech.
You could think that since they had 6 months to prepare, it would be more a graduation ceremony than it was. It was sad that they didn't have a special ceremony for her, but I think it was good that they didn't because I would probably have cried then, weird enough, I have problem crying during graduations, I didn't cry during berryz graduation nor during Kanyons. Now some people may think "Yes, you did cry during berryz", well yes I did, but not during the sad parts, I cried in the beginning of the concert due to my back killed me, and I couldn't sit because then I couldn't see anything, before me and another one changed seats so I could sit during the concert and still see good.

Anyway, back to ANGERME concert, between opening act and ANGERME, the current acts and some former girls from Hello!Project came and sat where they normally sits during budokan concerts , in grouporder and member order, so we had C-ute in the first row, then it was MM'15 - J=J - CG - KF -TF. Maimi was missing from C-ute, so I was like: "Where is she!?" well we did get the answer later when she came on stage, should have understood that she was gonna come on stage, I mean she is the leader of Hello!Project an C-ute. We also had Captain, Chinami, Yurina and Miyabi (former Berryz Koubou), I think I could see Aika and some other girls, but I don't know, it was hard to see the girls behind berryz even with binoculars (Got to borrow from a wota, to see which girls it was sitting there) and it was great to see them all being there supporting Kanyon at her final concert.
During the first MC, we got to "meet" the new member, Kamiko-chan, and let me tell you, she is so cute in person as well, I can't wait to see her start her activites with ANGERME. And, we also got 2 sub-leaders (which made me think, it wont be long until Ayachoo graduates) and they are Nakanishi Kana and Takeuchi Akari. I think it is most likely Kana who will become the new leader after Ayaka graduates, even if Akari have been in Hello!Project longer, since they have been in ANGERME just as long both of them, but it might be Akari if it will be like when Mikitty (6th gen) became leader over Morning Musume before Takahasi Ai (5th gen) just because she had been in Hello!Project longer, we'll just have to see. And after the final song (Suki-chan) Kanyon came back on stage, to say a special thank you to all the fans.

The setlist was great, only thing of the concert, I missed was Sakitty and Yuuka making a special visit, but they attended the concert, that is was matter :)
The concert was 2½ hour long, started 6pm and ended 8.30pm (ish).

The photo is my view of the big stage, and from the subtage, I got eyecontact with Rikako, and it made me so happy :D
Concert? If I could, I would give it 100000000 of 10, but ye, 10 out of 10 easily! :)

[Concert Review] C-ute concert tour 2015 aki Can't stop Final

Hi everyone, Risa here!
As you all might know, I am currently in Japan, and I have gotten this special assignment to write concert reviews of the concerts I am attending. So lets start!

C-ute Can't Stop!
It's true, they are so awesome, and they are literally so awesome live.
It is hard to see them leaving soon, even though they are soon all over 20 years old (Mai turns 20 in february) which they all made fun off at one of the MCs, that she was the only one under 20.
I had a pretty good seat, first floor (they had only 2 floors) and well, I felt like a giant where I stood, because I had short girls beside me, infront of me and short guys behind me. I now how Yurina (former Berryz Koubou) felt when she stood next to Momoko.

The setlist was like it had been for the entire tour, except 2 songs, special for the final day was Jyounetsu Ecstasy (a Nakky center song) and for the final show (the evening one, that I attended) was Gamusha Life! So they performed 27 songs in total for that show.
The traniees wasn't at the concert, due to having the traniee concerts, so  they had some other girls instead being their backdancers. Which was a bit sad, because I would love to see the traniees too, see how those girls who was suppose to be the opening act was live, but oh well.

It was my first tour final ever that haven't been a graduation concert, and I loved it.
Only thing I didn't like was that during some of the songs, Mai had it difficult with her voice, it was really bad, especially during Iron Hearts, you could all hear it, and you could tell that she needs to get help regarding her voice now.

But over all, I give this concert, 10 out of 10, it was more than I expected, and I recommend you to see them at least once before they decide to go on hiatus.
It will be worth it, I promise you that.