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| Hello! Project 2008 Winter / Kettei! Haropuro Award '08 : 4 of 5 | |
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5.04.2008
7:59 AM | Link |
 After being a little disappointed with Morning Musume's fall concert, I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed this giant winter concert by the full Hello! Project arsenal. This is the kind of show I wanted to see, held in a giant arena overflowing with fans, and the moment all the girls started filling the "race track" stage gave me goosebumps! Seeing old timers like Nacchi and Yuko singing side-by-side with Berryz Koubou is so sweet, and gave the concert a nice sense of history. The camera work was pretty good, and I love the fact that the girls definitely know where the cameras are so they can ham it up! There were lots of earpiece monitors in use, but that sure didn't stop them from lip synching way too much. Of course, Aya and Nacchi completely out-class everyone else by sounding terrific totally on their own, but I still enjoyed everyone else's performances, too. In "news from the past", Biyuden makes a quick apology for their sudden breakup, and Ongaku Gatas announces their new album. The concert is themed as an awards show, so the usual MCs Makoto and Mari go through these goofy announcements for categories like Best Smile and even Best Yay Yay. Morning Musume gives a nice performance of Love and Peace (with plenty of cute kisses), and it's really fun to see Lin Lin and Jun Jun speaking Chinese, since they can really rattle it off. During the finale, I always enjoy seeing the older Musumes get emotional and let a few tears fall - it really reminds me that these performers for the most part really love what they do, give it their best, and are actually thankful to their fans and staff for the opportunity to sing and dance in such a huge show! It's this kind of mutual fan/performer admiration that makes Jpop my favorite form of musical entertainment!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Yo-Yo Girl Cop : 3 of 5 | |
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5.02.2008
7:46 AM | Link |
 Even though I already downloaded and watched Sukeban Deka back in 2006, I was so surprised to see this movie get a US DVD release that I wanted to buy it just to support the cause! In case you don't know, Yo-Yo Girl Cop is an action-adventure about a yo-yo weapon-wielding school girl, staring the Jpop talents of Matsuura Aya and the Biyuden gals. I wasn't overly impressed with the movie the first time, but since then my Jpop fandom has grown and changed a little, so it was really fun to watch it again with new eyes. I also wanted to check out the "official" subtitles, since I thought the translations I had seen before were hilarious with tons of F-bombs, but the Japanese is just as loose this time around. I noticed many more genre techniques (like woosh sound effects for camera zooms!), and I thought Rika was much cooler than before (I guess I'm a bigger fan now!). Of course, I still enjoyed Aya's legs and her action scenes are great, but I was more impressed with Yui's acting - for her first (and maybe only) movie, she does a nice job playing such a sad introverted character! I was a little more moved by the brief dinner scene where Aya has dinner with her father (though she doesn't know he's her dad), so overall my movie watching experience was better this time. It was cool to watch the long Making Of segment with subtitles, and I think it's awesome that Aya did her own stunt work, even the difficult wire flying moves! The best part is watching Aya have a brief conversation with the actress who played the first Sukeban Deka, as they compare yo-yo props and talk about the difference in film making techniques. Yo-Yo Girl Cop isn't a great movie, but I'm glad I gave it a second chance - it's still a fun way to enjoy being a Jpop fan with a tokusatsu flair!
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| Morning Musume Concert Tour 2007 Aki Bon Kyu! Bon Kyu! Bomb : 3 of 5 | |
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4.05.2008
2:25 PM | Link |
 I always look forward to watching new Morning Musume concert DVDs, so even though I had read lots of blah reviews of this show, I figured some fans were just being too negative. Well, now I can agree - this is my least favorite concert since being a serious fan, although it still had some nice moments. I was surprised it was shot in one of the smaller arenas - I didn't think it would make much of a difference, but I guess those quick crowd shots do have an effect on me. This show was just missing "spectacle", and the drab stage with the giant pretzels didn't help either. My eyes were on Sayumi as usual, and I loved the messy way her hair was styled for the opening numbers! Reina was eating up the attention as always, Eri got more singing lines than I've ever seen before, Aika's solo was really sweet, and Koharu was incredibly annoying. In general, the girls all had tons of energy, but I think they need to dial back on all the "Oi" yelling - the fans can handle that alone just fine! The camera work was pretty good this time, with lots of interesting side angle shots, so maybe they were able to try new camera spots since the stage was smaller. I really enjoyed seeing Biyuden perform as well, and even though they were selling sultriness, it didn't overcome the typical positivity of a Morning Musume concert. I have to mention that the intermission video "puppet show" was an incredible waste of time - I can't imagine even the Japanese fans enjoying that junk! Of course, I still had a good time watching this performance, and sang along with glee - I just don't expect this show to be very high on my "watch again" list.Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Music Moments | |
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3.09.2008
7:20 AM | Link |
 Ready for some quick comments on ancient CDs that everyone else has already reviewed? Great, here we go! Way back at my first A-Kon I was lucky enough to see Dream in concert, so I decided to get their 7th Anniversary Best album, especially since it came with a DVD of all of their videos, which I only recently watched all the way through, loving every minute. I really enjoyed their voices and harmonies, so it's too bad they aren't around anymore. Speaking of not being around, I also bought Biyuden's Single Best 9 Vol 1 Omaktsuki with no idea their demise was right around the corner, mainly because I can't resist greatest hits albums. Rika is so cute and sexy that she's alternately attractive and appalling, but it's just fun to listen to someone sing about hamidasu bubun every now and then! Next up is Matsuura Aya's Double Rainbow album, and I have to say that her transformation to adult contemporary is pretty much complete. She really seems to be playing it safe on this CD, but I can't complain too much since I love sappy ballads, and she really sings some great ones here! Back to older stuff, and sticking with my greatest hits addiction, I got Otsuka Ai's Ai am Best compilation - whenever CDs like this come with a DVD of videos, I almost always buy it! Her videos are all fantastic and lovely, and she really shows a wide range of emotions (when she lets a tear fall it's almost unbearable!). Sure, her voice is unmistakably anime-style, but she can make it sound fantastic, so I was completely impressed! Finally, I departed from Jpop for my fifth CD and got Switchfoot's The Beautiful Letdown after hearing one of their songs in church, and I've really enjoyed listening to their brand of "philosophy rock". It's definitely a great album when you want to feel defiant and positive at the same time!
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| Music Moments | |
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12.19.2007
8:46 AM | Link |
 It's time for five more mini music reviews, featuring a little Disney, a little Christmas, and some Jpop, of course! I'll start with Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland, which is an amazing soundtrack re-recording that's only available via iTunes. I never realized that Disney made these studio recreations, but the sound quality and arrangements are fantastic compared to the original movie score. I actually prefer Kathryn Beaumont's cute English voice over Darlene Gillespie's, but she did a fine job (I think she was the most talented classic Mouseketeer)!After finishing up every last episode of Sailor Moon recently, I really wanted to have all the cheesy songs in my collection, so I was happy to discover Sailor Moon Super Best, which includes all the themes and other numbers from all seasons of the show. Some of these are actually cool ballads in a retro kind of way, especially if you appreciate the 70's style horns and strings (so different from anime soundtracks today!). But most importantly, I'll always enjoy singing Moonlight Densetsu! Each year I always buy myself a new holiday album, and this year I was persuaded by an iTunes sale to get Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics, featuring all of the South Park characters butchering classic Christmas carols as well as other songs that simply set a new standard for holiday irreverence! This CD is totally hilarious if you have an extremely open-minded sense of humor, and I have to admit that I love singing along with everyone's favorite magical Christmas poo! Now on to Jpop! I had to buy Morning Musume's All Singles Complete collection, even though I already had all of these songs on other albums, just because the concept and packaging was so cool, and it's worth it to me to have all of these songs in order on a nice CD set (which has been playing in my car for weeks now!). The bonus DVD, where each member chooses their favorite concert performance, has some great older footage that I hadn't seen before, but why did so many of them have to pick Do It Now? Maybe they just like holding the microphones upside down for the rap! Finally, I really like Morning Musume's new single Mikan, even though it's a pretty big jump stylistically from their previous two singles, but I guess it's time for a peppy, anime theme-ish song. I definitely enjoy the lyrics and the cool little piano licks, as well as Reina's lines in the final chorus (I thought it was funny when she mentioned them on Five Stars!). The video is lots of fun, too, but I have to say that I'm not a fan of eye reflection effects, and the little squares on their eyeballs make everyone look like robots! Labels: anime, cds, disney, jpop, morning musume |
| Morning Musume Tanjo 10 Nen Kinentai Concert Tour 2007 Natsu / Thank You My Dearest : 3 of 5 | |
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12.16.2007
10:28 PM | Link |
 I pretty much ordered this DVD as a reflex, and then suddenly remembered that even though I've enjoyed the singles by this special 10th anniversary group, I'm not a total fan of the line-up. I love Nacchi and Gaki-san, but I don't care for Maki and Koharu is just a little too much for me. But I decided to just enjoy the show, and it was pretty enjoyable! I was wondering how a group with only two singles would fill the time, and the answer is by singing lots of old classic Morning Musume tunes (definitely appropriate since they are an anniversary group). They opened with Morning Coffee and continued with several other ancient hits that were all great since the older songs have such nice harmonies and counter-melodies (sung really well by Maki). Everyone took the stage to do solos and duets, and even though Koharu had to do yet another anime tune, at least it was a ballad (she always sings like she's spitting out the words, so it was nice to hear her calm down for once). Risa and Kaori really showed her up with their duet, though, trading harmonies and performing with style. Near the end of the show everyone did a particularly great rendition of Daite Hold On Me (everyone was super-smooth on the rap section), plus a pretty nutty version of Love Machine. It seemed like didn't start having fun together until the end of the show, which says to me that this selection of members really doesn't work chemistry-wise (but at least they sound nice). Overall, seeing a five member group in a small venue was a great change of pace, and if you happen to be a fan of one or more of these gals, you'll definitely enjoy the show.Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Hello! Project 2007 Summer 10th Anniversary Dai Kanshasai - Hello Pro Natsu Matsuri : 4 of 5 | |
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12.09.2007
7:08 AM | Link |
 I used to be a little overwhelmed by these giant concerts that gather the entire Hello! Project arsenal on one stage, but now I look forward to them and enjoy how they combine all the groups in interesting ways (although it is a little crazy when so many performers are out dancing at once - full Jpop sensory overload!). This concert was a blast to watch, since it had some unique Morning Musume moments, such as Jun Jun and Rin Rin's performing debut on Onna Ni Sachi Are, and they were fantastic! Their introduction was super cute, although I'm already starting to groan at the language jokes. Jun Jun seems kind of like a giant when they are all dancing together, but that gives her a nice edge that she doesn't have when they aren't singing. After watching some boring Koharu lip syncing and surviving some ugly butterfly wing costumes, it was awesome to see Yossie and Konkon perform with Ongaku Gatas! All of the "mix and match" numbers were cool, and Reina seemed to be particularly enjoying herself and all the attention. I really enjoyed seeing the under-used but totally cool Ayaka in Dance and Chance, but nothing can top Sayumi's performance of Momoiro Kataomoi, which was hands-down some of the best ultra-cute camera-hamming ever! The entire price of the DVD is worth it just to see Sayu say the opening "Iku yo!" (I just about fell out of my chair), and it's so much fun to see her get some spotlight time! The end of the concert has a nice moment where they bring back former Morning Musume members for a few songs, which is a pretty incredible considering it was the hard work of these gals 10 years ago that made it possible for me to enjoy this concert today! On top of all this entertainment, this is actually a two-DVD set (since the show is so long), so the second DVD had plenty of room for backstage footage. This was definitely an incredible concert experience!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Music Moments | |
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11.19.2007
8:40 PM | Link |
 One of the reasons I like to write WEBmikey is to keep track of the things I watch, read, and hear, but I always seem to forget to write about CDs (or I get too lazy to really say anything interesting). So, I've decided to adopt the same tactic (or cop-out!) that I use in my Manga Mentions series, which means I'll just briefly mention (and slightly review) the previous five CDs that I've been enjoying. So, here's the first Music Moments post! Just to prove how behind I am listening to things, I'll start with GAM's first album Amai Yuwaku (which was released back in May!). Who knows if GAM has a future, but I'm glad they at least got this CD out the door, because I really like it (although I wish the piano-only version of Melodies from the CD single was included). After watching Linda Linda Linda, I did the obvious thing and bought Blue Hearts' Super Best compilation CD, which is fantastic to listen to when I'm in the right mood. They seem so tame compared to what most people call punk, but I love the emotion that pours out through that scratchy voice. Next, after enjoying several Zone videos, I thought I would try out their E - Complete A Side Singles CD, but even though I liked it, I really wanted to hear more tracks like Secret Base, so most of the tracks were too mellow for me. Sticking with Jpop, of course I bought Morning Musume's Onna ni Sachi Are, and I really like it (both the song and the video). Maybe it's because it's easy to sing or because I like melancholy, yet determined lyrics, but I'm definitely a fan of this single! Finally, since I loved the movie, I had to get the Marie Antoinette Soundtrack, which is a fantastic two-CD set. The first CD contains all of the bouncy hits from the film, while the second has the moody, atmospheric pieces (including some opera and other classical selections). This soundtrack has officially become my rainy day music, and it's also done wonders to calm me down on busy days!
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| Morning Musume / Concert Tour 2007 Haru Sexy 8 Beat : 4 of 5 | |
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9.25.2007
7:37 AM | Link |
 Even after reading some not-so-great reviews of this Morning Musume concert, I was still looking forward to sitting down and enjoying it, but dreading being sad during Yossie's graduation! While this show isn't as well-put together as some of their other recent efforts, I definitely enjoyed it and was totally entertained, as usual. The good points include some fantastic stage lighting, around five costume changes (more if you count special costumes for solos and small groups), plenty of cuteness and emotion (I was convinced they were actually enjoying themselves, which is the most important part of a performance for me!), and Shanimuni Paradise was downright amazing! The bad points include a serious change in momentum during the solos section, along with some crazy song choices. I don't minding hearing a few obscure numbers during a concert, but the bizarre food-themed medley came way too early in the show (they needed a few more high-energy singles first)! And now, I could go on and on about Yossie and her incredible graduation. While she's not one of my favorites from an idol standpoint, she's probably the one I most admire, because of her solid career, talent (both musical and comedic), leadership, and of course, coolness. The camera work stayed up in her grill the whole time waiting for some water-works, and although you can see a few moments where she wants to cry, she stands tall and never sheds a tear. The other members, however, totally lose it (and so did I!), with everyone hugging her like their own big sister, mom, or even dad. Ai-chan nearly falls down with emotion, and Gaki-san implies that Morning Musume will disappear without her. Yossie takes it all with kindness, and even makes a few cool jokes. I don't think there will ever be another leader like Yossie - I was sorry to see her go, but happy for this great celebration!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Musical Ribbon no Kishi : 4 of 5 | |
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9.20.2007
7:43 AM | Link |
 It seems like I'm always writing about Jpop ancient history, but I finally watched the complete Morning Musume musical of Ribbon no Kishi, and it was much better than I expected! For this stage version of Osamu Tezuka's classic manga (also known as Princess Knight), Hello! Project got together with the Takarazuka Revue, a super-popular all-women theater group famous for lavish shows with ladies playing men (based in Tezuka's home town, coincidentally). The story is about Princess Sapphire who has to spend her life as a boy to keep other evil folks from getting the throne, and of course involves romance with Prince Franz, witch's spells, and sword-fight action. Takahashi Ai does a wonderful job as Sapphire, but I have to say that Ishikawa Rika steals the show as Franz, which is amazing since poor Rika-chan is only half the singer that Ai-chan is! Rika pulls it off with sheer confidence in her role, and gives an incredible performance of the main love song Anata ni Aitai in her prison scene, punctuated by amazing tears on stage! This three-DVD set includes two other complete versions of the show with Matsuura Aya and Abe Natsumi as Franz, but I still liked Rika's performance the best. All of the other girls get large and small roles (Yossie is pretty cool as the villain), and the story is really easy to get lost in (even with a couple of Morning Musume jokes thrown in out of character). The music itself is definitely show tunes style, performed by a live band just off-stage, so it's fun to hear the girls sing with something other than pre-recorded tracks for a change. At the end of the show, there's a mini concert of the usual hits, as well as a graduation ceremony for Makoto, since this was her last performance with the group. This musical was definitely better than some of the previous shows I've seen. Of course it's cheesy and sentimental, but I love seeing the girls stretch to perform something just beyond their normal reach!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| GAM First Concert Tour 2007 Shoka / Great Aya & Miki : 3 of 5 | |
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9.18.2007
8:03 AM | Link |
 Part of my big DVD catch-up also includes various Jpop DVDs that I'm just getting around to watching, so now I've finally watched the first (and hopefully not the last) GAM concert DVD! I've definitely enjoyed GAM's singles, videos, and full-length album, but I wasn't too sure how they would be live, and as the concert started, I almost thought they weren't going to be able to hold my interest, since the first number had almost no choreography and they seemed to be holding back a little. Thankfully, Ayaya and Mikitty soon loosened up and started having fun, making little faces and kidding each each other (demonstrating the relationship between the two that makes GAM so interesting), and the dance routines got better, too. Their singing performance is really nice, and they can definitely hit the same harmonies they recorded in the studio! Even though Aya has the stronger voice, Miki does a fantastic job on her solo of Shining Itoshiki Anata (from her single with Country Musume, which is such a fantastic song). I counted six costume changes, ranging from gold dresses to red feathery outfits (the silver skirts for the encore were especially nice!), and the stage does the job with a simple light display in the background, but of course it's nothing compared to a Morning Musume set. One of the songs has a multi-angle feature on the DVD, so you can watch only Aya or Miki during the song, which was fun to experiment with. I really enjoyed watching this concert, and it was nice to see Mikitty again since she's been in hiding lately. I really hope GAM continues so there will be more DVDs to enjoy!
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| Matsuura Aya / Concert Tour 2006 Spring Otona no Namida : 4 of 5 | |
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8.16.2007
7:07 AM | Link |
 It's been quite a while since I've enjoyed a Hello! Project concert, and this Ayaya concert from last year was a great way to get back in the swing! I think Aya is probably the most talented H!P performer, combining cuteness, genuine beauty, and an amazing voice into one package (though I could say the same about Abe Natsumi), and she definitely shows it off in this fantastic concert, which took place on her 20th birthday. The show begins with lots of high energy songs (backed up by Country Musume) that look simply exhausting, but the concert soon takes a huge turn - Aya performs several of her hits with solo piano and string quartet, and the results are incredible! She even sings most of Love Namida Iro completely acapella, matching the key perfectly when the instruments join in. I counted five costume changes, ranging from her beautiful blue dress to a simple T-shirt and jeans (but with her spectacular dimples and smile, Aya would look good in anything!). My only complaint with this concert is that the MC segments are much too long - it's good to hear her speak about her birthday and life and everything, but when you combine that with the Country Musume girls chiming in, sometimes you have to wait through 20 minutes of talking to get to the next song! The encore has a really bizarre surprise, when Aya decides to plant her face into her birthday cake and sing the last few songs with icing all over her face. I definitely wasn't expecting that! I really enjoyed this concert, and the beautiful string/piano arrangements make this a performance that I plan on watching again soon!
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| BoA the Live : 4 of 5 | |
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7.04.2007
8:16 AM | Link |
 I've been terrible about keeping up with Jpop DVDs that I've bought in recent months, but I finally took the time to enjoy BoA's latest concert DVD. This is the first BoA concert that I've watched - I've heard that her past concerts were much more focused on dancing, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching BoA let her backup dancers do all the moves while she focused on her singing, which was truly amazing - definitely one of the best voices in my Jpop library! BoA is accompanied by a huge band with multiple percussionists, backup singers, and everything else, and they are all great, especially the keyboardist, who kicks out some really tasty licks that give these familiar songs a wonderfully different live sound. Speaking of sound, the quality of the recording and camera work is fantastic (much better than the usual H!P release, actually), and the stage and lighting is really nice (though the geek in me couldn't stop thinking that the abstract backdrop looked like a bunch of TIE fighter wings!). BoA makes three wardrobe changes, and even though I wasn't too fond of her hat for the opening numbers, she more than makes up for it with the gorgeous fringe on her second outfit! But above all, the best aspect of the show is BoA's performance itself - seeing her really pour on the emotion in songs like Your Color is a real treat, and I don't think I've ever seen a live song better than her rendition of Moon and Sunrise with solo piano. BoA the Live is an incredible concert with a very mature tone, extremely enjoyable by pure music lovers and enthusiastic Jpop fans alike!
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| Hello! Morning Theater Vol 10 : 3 of 5 | |
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6.05.2007
7:16 AM | Link |
 The last Hello! Morning Theater DVD I watched was back in January! I guess I've just been content with music videos and concerts recently. Anyway, I started watching these skit collections with Vol 9 working backwards, but this one is the latest release (which has been sitting on my shelf for months!). This volume was a little disappointing, since there weren't very many laugh-out-loud moments for me, but then again, time seemed to pass quickly through all 15 segments, so it must not have been that boring! The main story plot (if you can call it that) is about fairy tale characters hopping out of their books (making the kids who own the books sad!) and wandering around the Haromoni world. There's a little bit of everything - Jack in the Beanstalk, Pinocchio, Hansel & Gretel, The Little Match Girl (and even a bit of Urashimataro). I don't know the story of The Blue Bird, but it's pretty hilarious when Miki runs by as a giant pigeon dropping golden poop (seriously!), which the characters mistake for golden eggs! It was fun recognizing some other cultural references, such as Gepetto claiming he made Astro Boy or Arale-chan from Dr. Slump, and I enjoyed the pun when the Little Match Girl, who always says "Macchi katte kudasai" (please buy matches), pulls out an Abe Natsumi photobook and switches to "Nacchi katte kudasai" (Nacchi being her nickname, of course!). The two episode Christmas special is also included on this DVD, which has some nice references to old characters and fun versions of Jingle Bells and Rudolph to sing along with. It was fun to enjoy these skits again, but I don't think I'm really desperate to keep buying more.Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Musume Dokyu! Vol 6 : 3 of 5 | |
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7:11 AM | Link |
 It's amazing I watched the previous volume of this series back in February, especially since I bought both of these at the same time! I finally caught up just a little on my DVD stack recently, and it was fun to watch another set of four segments with the Morning Musume girls, each one focusing on some kind of teaching this time. First, Yossie gets advice from some sort of "life expert" that analyzes her daily routine and tells her important things like she shouldn't use a green toothbrush or go to sleep with the TV on - it's a really snoozer segment, with way too much of the expert doing all the talking! Second, Makoto (looking razor thin for some reason) learns to play Furusato on the vibraphone, which is extra interesting to me being a drummer, and after tons of practice she gets it right, playing with two other musicians to make a nice trio. After that, Mikitty has a series of voice lessons primarily in English, and learns to sing Amazing Grace, of all things! It was actually pretty fascinating, watching her try to make sounds like "th" that she's never spoken before in her life (nice revenge for my troubles with "ryo"), and she ends up doing a good rendition of the tune. Finally, Risa gets a Korean lesson, which I'm sure was interesting for her, but pretty boring for me. For bonus material, there are extended segments from the last volume - more Sayumi bento-packing action, plus way too much footage of Reina being a disinterested employee. It's funny watching this volume since Mako-chan has graduated and Mikitty has just resigned, but enjoying history is part of the fun of following Jpop idols!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Hello! Project 2007 Winter / Shuketsu! 10th Anniversary : 4 of 5 | |
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4.26.2007
7:50 AM | Link |
 I always enjoy Morning Musume concerts more than these giant extravaganzas with the entire Hello! Project line up, but it just wouldn't feel right if I didn't see this concert, and it definitely had some great moments. Overall, I enjoyed the variety and the quick transitions from song to song (made possible by the different sub-stages in the huge arena), but I was disappointed that there was more lip-syncing than usual (and when actual singing was going on, I was intrigued by the use of ear monitors, which I don't remember seeing before). There are way too many girls and too many performances to mention, but here are a few highlights. Ayaya and Nacchi both show their talent (meaning real singing voices) and professionalism that kind of blows the baby girls away! Reina still manages to be a camera ham among the crowd, and Goto totally cheapens the entire show with her slut-fest. Seeing Sakura Gumi and Otome Gumi perform again was absolutely incredible - I felt nostalgic even though I wasn't a fan back when they were around! The Country Musume graduations are nice mainly because Konno makes a surprise appearance, and the final huge rendition of All for One & One for All is beautiful with so many of the girls in tears, caught up in the anniversary feeling. This is a nice long show with plenty of entertainment, and I'm looking forward to whatever the next concert release may be!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| BoA Complete Clips 2004-2006 : 5 of 5 | |
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4.22.2007
6:59 AM | Link |
 There's almost nothing better than Jpop music video collections on DVD, and I'm so glad that BoA released this fantastic follow-up to 8 Films & More! This time there are 13 videos to enjoy, and even though I already own half of them from buying her singles, I love having them available on a single disc. The DVD opens with Shine We Are, which I'm pretty sure was the first BoA song I ever heard, because I remember watching the video on a giant TV in a train station during a visit to Japan. BoA looks exceptionally cute in this video (with her perfect dimples), and the dance moves are fun. Double has some interesting dancing on the ceiling effects, followed by Rock With You, where she switches to bad-ass mode and even tries some martial arts action. Quincy is my least favorite video - the floating eyeball robot seems like such a waste of special effects, but Meri Kuri is simply beautiful (and it better be to go with such a heavenly song). I've pretty much commented on all the other videos (from her Outgrow album and later singles), but it's cool to watch them in succession and see how BoA's style matures along with her music. There aren't any additional features on the DVD, but I'm not complaining since 13 videos in a row is definitely a treat!
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| Minimoni Single V Clips Vol 1 : 3 of 5 | |
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6:25 AM | Link |
 Since I'm a relatively new Hello! Project maniac, it's fun traveling back in time to explore all the various groups I've missed. After seeing my first glimpse of Minimoni on an old episode of Utaban, I decided to check out this collection of videos (truthfully, I couldn't get Minimoni Hina Matsuri out of my head, so I had no choice!). Even though I don't really like Tsuji and Aibon, they definitely fit this crazy group and their hilarious videos, which were definitely aimed at kids. In fact, some of these psychedelic images made me feel like I was watching the Teletubbies! Seeing Mika dressed with American flags plastered all over her costume always cracks me up (but I so admire her bilingual-ness!), and later when Ai Takahashi joins the group she looks super cute. There are plenty of songs about food (you have to laugh at a song about strawberry pie), geography (naming the prefectures of Japan) and even counting to ten (combined with the lesson that bathtime is fun!). Then suddenly, Crazy For You is a total departure to hip-hop, which is a pretty good song even if it seems out of place. Of course, the only thing that could follow that is some anime videos featuring the girls as hamsters (since they actually did voices in Hamtaro)! I probably wont be popping in this DVD for background music very often, but it was still a blast to get a Minimoni overview and have a good laugh!
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| Nami Tamaki / Graduation Singles : 4 of 5 | |
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4.12.2007
9:59 PM | Link |
 I've been a fan of Nami Tamaki for quite a while, so of course I bought this CD/DVD set months ago when it was first released, but I forgot to write about it! Lately I've been in the mood for high energy "determination" music, so I've been listening to it again in my car and watching some of my favorite videos again, so now it's finally time to say that I really love this CD. It's a pretty amazing thing to release 12 hit singles before you graduate high school, so I think it's definitely appropriate for Nami to release this collection, and I'm thrilled to have each and every one of her great videos on the accompanying DVD, which comes with the limited edition release (but this is the regular edition cover, because it looks cooler!). The DVD also includes her audition when she was only 13 (though she looks more mature), and even though her voice wasn't as trained back then, her confidence and genuine genki-ness are incredible. There are a few songs and videos here that I didn't know before, and one of my new favorites is Heroine, which has a cool driving feel, plus an inspiring video about a young athlete in training. Heart & Soul has a cool video, too, although it's kind of funny to watch her hanging out with a stereotypical American group of kids. Most of Nami's other videos are dancing only, but her moves are so unique that I can watch them over and over. I've really been enjoying the energetic feeling I get from listening to these songs, so I think this CD is going to stay in my car for a few more days at least!
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| Ayaka no Totsugeki Eikaiwa! | |
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4.11.2007
10:01 PM | Link |
 I just finished watching all four seasons of the famous Ayaka's Surprise English Lessons! No, I didn't watch them all in one sitting - it took several days! In each short episode, Ayaka (who is completely fluent in English from living in Hawaii) surprises a different Morning Musume member each time, teaches them a phrase, and rewards them with food. For the most part, I really enjoyed these, because it was fun to hear the Japanese phrases that correspond to what Ayaka teaches (although these are some really loose, slang expressions!). Ayaka is super cute and sophisticated, and it's interesting seeing the other girls' personalities in this situation. Almost everyone puts up with the lessons pretty well, but I have to say that Tsuji and Aibon were totally brats when these were filmed! Tsuji is so rude and annoying that I could barely stand to watch (and I don't really care for her nowadays, either!). The fifth generation girls are the most fun - Konno is especially sweet and shy. Anyway, it was cool to experience this piece of Hello! Project history. By the way, you can watch them all too, since they are all available on DJ Waffles awesome site!Labels: jpop, morning musume |
| Flickr fun | |
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3.15.2007
7:14 AM | Link |
I can hardly remember life before Flickr. I have thousands of photos still sitting there on Kodak Gallery (which was called Ofoto back when I used it), but Flickr is just a million times more useful. This week they just launched a new feature called Collections, which is basically a way to group Sets. I played around with it a bit and made a few collections, so I guess it's kind of cool. I tend to use tags for mini-categories, so I'm not sure how much I will take advantage of this new grouping, but it was fun to give it a try (and it's always fun to step back and enjoy all the photos I have on Flickr)! While I'm talking about Flickr, I might as well point you to some fun links. My pal Barron uploaded some really old photos recently, and there are a few pics of me from my very first trip to Japan. Nastukashii! I also want to share my favorite source of Hello! Project wallpapers, all created by the extremely talented Hachiro. She is adding new wallpapers all the time, featuring members of Morning Musume as well as other H!P artists, and they are really creative and tasteful. Of course, there are millions of H!P wallpapers all over the web, but I haven't really seen Hachiro's mentioned anywhere, so I hope they become really popular. I only wish she made widescreen versions, now that I'm on my Mac Book with the larger screen. She has a really cute blog, too (also with wallpaper links), so take a look!  View photos: WEBmikey's collections View photos: Barron's WEBmikey pics View photos: Hachiro's Hello! Project wallpapers
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| Momusu no nichiyoubi | |
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3.12.2007
6:28 PM | Link |
 I haven't really written about Jpop for about a month now, so I though I'd take the time to catch up with some recent thoughts on my beloved Morning Musume! Yesterday I realized that I had a lot of bonus DVDs and other things to watch, and it was great to spend the afternoon enjoying them! I started with the video for Bokura Ga Ikiru My Asia (which shows you just how far behind I was!), and I thought it was a nice tribute to the 10-year history of the group. I have to confess that I'm not a Goto Maki fan, but having her as part of the special group didn't spoil it for me. I thought it was fantastic that they actually had a decent budget for this project so they could afford some cool CG effects, and I always love semi-slow motion wind effects, and thanks to the making of segment, I discovered they shoot the video at double speed to accomplish this (a big mystery solved!).Next I watched the video and bonus DVDs for Egao Yes Nude (fantastic song, goofy title), and Mitsui Aika isn't too bad (I was pretty disappointed when she won the audition, but I'm sure she'll grow on me). Her singing is really mature, but her pointy chin really bugs me (I think that's why people say she looks like an old lady even though she's 14). Anyway, even though I'm really tired of sparkle fringe (Hello! Project must have got it on sale), the video for Egao Yes Nude is really cool (and Reina's dancing really stands out). I definitely like the song, and it's a great way to learn three-syllable Japanese words (if you've heard it, you know what I mean!). The making of segment is pretty funny, too (I always like it when Reina says Ostukareina)! I've also been watching tons of Hello! Morning and Utaban episodes, both old and new, and I always end up laughing my head off. It doesn't matter to me if things get a little boring, since I'm always enjoying the Japanese language angle, but usually I'm just glued to the TV! The recent news about Hello! Morning switching to a 30-minute format is a bummer, but I'm glad there are hundreds of episodes I haven't seen floating around on the web. (It's kind of fun to be a relatively new Jpop maniac, because I have years of stuff to watch!) Finally, I just have to say that even though Sayumi and Renia are my favorite members, they seriously need to stop calling themselves by their first name! It was cute when they were younger, but the time has come to move on. Sayumi isn't so brash about it, but Renia just loves to start her sentences with a loud "Renia wa..." Mou ii desu ne! Labels: jpop, morning musume |
| Musume Dokyu! Vol 5 : 3 of 5 | |
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2.15.2007
6:09 PM | Link |
 I've finally started watching the latest round of Musume Dokyu DVDs! It seems like each new season of this series changes the format somewhat, and this time around narration has returned and there are no more letters written from one member to another. This volume has only three episodes: one with Sayumi, one with Reina, and a double-length show about the HP Metro Rabbits, the Hello! Project kickball (or "kickbase", as they call it in Japanese) team. You would think that this DVD, featuring my two favorite Morning Musume gals, would be fantastic, but it's actually kind of ho-hum. Sayumi takes a cooking lesson (since she gagged Eri with her cooking in a previous episode), and learns lots of dishes from a nice teacher. It was interesting to see things like special goggles for chopping onions, and fun to watch Sayumi get excited about cutting apples to look like little bunnies. Reina spends the day working in a ramen restaurant, but she doesn't really do anything interesting! The narrator tries to stir up some suspense when she carries a huge bowl of ramen to a customer, but she doesn't spill anything (which would have been pretty funny!). The HP Metro Rabbits segment includes lots and lots of practice, practically the entire game played in the recent sports festival (which they lost spectacularly 24 to 3!), and then a nice outdoor game, where they do a much better job (and really make kickball look like fun)! This volume was definitely a little more interesting than the prior "conversational" episodes, but not as entertaining as a good dose of Hello! Morning!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| BoA / Made in Twenty : 4 of 5 | |
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2.10.2007
6:53 AM | Link |
 As usual, I have stacks of unreviewed CDs to write about, so let's start with BoA's latest full-length album, celebrating her 20th birthday (I can't believe she is only 20, since her musical ability is so much more mature!). The first track on the CD is Lady Galaxy, and when it started pumping, I was worried that BoA had decided to become Koda Kumi - it's definitely an unconventional start, and sounds even more weird when it's immediately followed by Nanairo No Ashita (Brand New Beat), one of the many previously released singles on this album. Besides the singles, BoA really seems to be experimenting with styles and rhythms, but unfortunately these songs don't let her stretch her amazing voice. My favorite new ballad is Our Love (To My Parents), which shows off her range (including some low notes), even though the song is really screaming for a key change at the end! The bonus DVD that comes with the CD has her recent videos (which I already had), but also a full ten tracks from her upcoming Boa the Live concert DVD! These live performances are incredible, and definitely make me want to buy the whole show. Her band is fantastic, the live arrangements are creative (so different than hearing the same old music recordings again and again for Morning Musume concerts), and her voice is spectacular, especially on Moon & Sunrise, which is one of the best live Jpop performances I've ever seen! Even though the album wasn't as memorable as something like Valenti (which can't be beat), Made in Twenty is still an incredible CD from a truly wonderful voice.
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| Morning Musume Concert Tour 2006 Aki / Odore! Morning Curry : 4 of 5 | |
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1.13.2007
10:51 PM | Link |
 I'm still getting caught up with Jpop DVDs, so today I finally got to watch Morning Musume's fall concert, and I really enjoyed it! While not quite as spectacular as some other concerts I've seen, it's definitely a solid show and super entertaining. Watching a concert with only eight members is actually really cool, since the video editors don't have to cut to another girl every two seconds - it's nice to be able to keep the shot on someone for an entire line of a song! I think this is also easier since the Budokan stage setup seems smaller this time, which is fine with me (though that place echoes way too much during the MC spots). The show opens with Odore! Morning Curry (big surprise), with everyone dressed in an Arabian theme - just as I was thinking it looked like Happy Summer Wedding, they sang it as the third song! After a few opening group numbers (including Sayumi singing most of Namida ga Tomaranai Houkago and looking oh so cute), everyone gets a solo or duet. Reina can definitely captivate everyone all by herself, though I think she should learn to wink her other eye for a change! Of course, everyone is together again for the finale and encore, and I counted about six costume changes (not including several individual outfits). This DVD has more bonus features than the other concerts, including a really funny video for Koi no Dance Site, which was as nice surprise. This is definitely another fun concert that I'll certainly enjoy watching again!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Hello! Project 2006 Summer / Wonderful Hearts Land : 4 of 5 | |
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1.03.2007
10:41 PM | Link |
 It's easy to see how much Jpop catching up I need to do, since I've only just now watched the big summer concert! This was one of my first combined Hello! Project shows to see (including almost all of the current groups), so it was interesting to watch various "team-ups" of girls you would generally never expect to see together, often doing other artists' songs. I liked seeing Reina (along with girls from Berryz Koubou and C-ute) doing Suki Sugite Baka Mitai, and Ai-chan did a great job duplicating Ayaya's Good Bye Natsuo dance. The arena where the show was shot is totally huge, and sometimes there were just too many girls and costume changes to count! Of course, most of the DVD is dedicated to the dual graduation of Konkon and Mako-chan, which is filled with tears. It's amazing how seeing Morning Musume on so many shows really makes you feel like you know them, so you can't help but cry along! This was Koharu's first good-bye, and she couldn't keep it together at all. As always, Yossie seems like such a perfect leader at these occasions, which makes me sad at the latest news of her upcoming graduation (Mikitty should be fine, but she seems a little emotionally detached to me). The finale is a huge number combining The Peace and Sexy Boy (which is a pretty weird combination), ending a really entertaining (and historic for fans) concert!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Hello Morning Theater Vol 7 : 3 of 5 | |
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1.01.2007
9:42 PM | Link |
 Because of all the holiday activities and vacation, I haven't written anything about Jpop recently, but of course I've still been buying things, and now it's time to get reviewing for 2007! Still moving backwards through these comedy sketch DVDs, Volume 7 features several new sets and situations for the Hello! Project girls, including inside the police station, the hospital, and school classroom (as well as the other familiar sets). At first I was a little disappointed, since this DVD starts off a little slow - it just wasn't as funny as the other ones I've watched. But about half-way through I was laughing out loud, so things definitely pick up, especially at the expense of the poor Ganko family! I was rolling on the floor when they first showed the school classroom desks - the rich girl has a huge ornate wood one, the regular students have normal desks, and the poor Ganko kids have wooden crates on the floor! There's also a fun scene where the Ganko family goes to a fancy restaurant - I guess the whole premise is a little mean, but it's still hilarious! Everyone does an amazing job at comedy acting (with a a few moments of cracking up, of course), which made the included Making Of segment really interesting (much better than the bloopers included on the other DVDs) - it was cool to see everyone putting on their crazy costumes backstage. I suppose I'll give Volume 6 a try soon!
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| Morning Musume Sakura Gumi / Hare Ame Nochi Suki : 3 of 5 | |
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12.06.2006
9:40 PM | Link |
 Since I recently enjoyed checking out the second singles from Morning Musume's subgroups of the past, I decided to take a look at the first singles, too. Sakura Gumi definitely was on the mellow side, since Hare Ame Nochi Suki shares a similar tone with Sakura Mankai (though this first single isn't half as good as that magical second single!). The melody is really nice, and I love the super-high notes at the end of the chorus (which means only the best singers get a shot). The video is totally pink-ified and filled with falling cherry blossom petals (I guess it has to be!), and the minimal dance moves aren't very interesting, but the costumes are kind of cool (as long as you ignore the crazy hairdos that some of them had to endure). This single was released while Natsumi Abe was still in the group, so she looks great during the close-up shots. Yossie looks like an entire different person with much softer features - the difference between then and now is really incredible. My favorite shot in the video is the use of rack focus between three girls standing at different distances, so they come into focus just in time to sing "suki suki suki". The DVD also has a close-up version and a really funny making-of segment, which has lots of goofing around scenes (which are always the best part!). I'll be checking out Otome Gumi's first single soon!Labels: cds, dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| BoA / Winter Love : 3 of 5 | |
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12.05.2006
10:21 PM | Link |
 For as long as I've been a BoA fan, I've loved listening to her ballads. I'm sure I've listened to Jewel Song hundreds of times, and the same goes for Everlasting (of course, I've watched the videos for both of these over and over, too). So, it was an easy decision to buy BoA's latest winter-themed single, which came with a DVD. Winter Love is a really pretty song, but I have to put it in third place behind BoA's other ballads. I like the instrumentation, which has just enough bells and other effects to sound like winter, and her singing is fantastic, of course. The video, while not overly impressive, is still beautiful. The whole thing takes place in a kind of igloo with massive ice-block walls and doors, and it really looks cold! Effects have been added so you can see BoA's breath when she sings (I hope they were effects, otherwise it was freezing when they were filming!), and the loose plot has a guy trying to give her gifts or cheer her up who ends up with snow on his face from her refusals (ouch!). BoA looks lovely as usual, and shows some great emotion on the chorus. The end of the video is really cool - BoA blows into the camera to ice up the TV screen. So although it's not spectacular, I'm still glad I got this single while I wait for her new album!
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| Mastuura Aya / X3 : 5 of 5 | |
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11.19.2006
6:29 PM | Link |
 After falling in love with the video for The Last Night on Mastuura Aya's Single V Clips, I absolutely had to buy the song. Rather than getting the CD single, I decided to just buy the whole CD that includes The Last Night, and I've really enjoyed it - I even think it's better overall than her Best 1 CD! So, now I can listen to The Last Night whenever I want, and it's definitely one of my favorite songs now. I just like sad ballads sometimes, and the lyrics and melody are so beautiful - my heart melts everytime I hear "Fuyu ga hajimaru". The rest of the CD includes several other hits like Good Bye Natsuo and Ne-e? (which means now I've bought that song about four times!), but I was also excited to hear a few other familiar tunes that I knew from seeing them performed on shows like Hello Pro Hour. There's something about the way Ayaya sings Kanousei no Michi that I really like - in fact, her voice is becoming one of my favorites more and more each day. Unfortunately, there's a horrific remix of Yeah! Meccha Holiday that is completely out of place, but I can forget about that blunder by looking at the amazing cover photography, featuring three lovely Aya's in various styles. Even though this is kind of an old CD, it's one of my favorite Jpop purchases in quite a while!
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| Morning Musume no Musical / Morning Town : 3 of 5 | |
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11.05.2006
9:38 AM | Link |
 Since I had never scene a Morning Musume musical before, I got this DVD without really knowing what to expect - it was really fun to watch, though! This is a full stage production from 2002, live on stage with a cool rotating set, plenty of costumes, tons of acting and dialogue, and of course, lots and lots of singing (although the songs are strangely short most of the time). There are two acts, each with a different story, although both of them are a little hokey and involve restaurants! The first one is about Abe's dream to have her own cake shop, and her friends help her convince her mean father by means of a crazy bake-off (yes, that's really the plot). The second act is about a burger joint, where Konno is the clumsy employee who wins in the end because of her kindness to strangers. Both of these acts actually have some emotional scenes, and the girls really do perform well - they often have long conversations that really seem natural, considering all the lines they had to learn. I really liked Konno's character the best, and she has a nice love duet with Goto Maki (who is the only girl playing a guy). Overall, the show music isn't that great, but when it's all over there's a bonus Morning Musume concert of the usual hits. There's a quick behind-the-scenes segment that highlights how nervous everyone was - it definitely made me appreciate all the hard work and rehearsal that went into a show like this!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Morning Musume Sakura Gumi & Otome Gumi / Sakura Mankai & Yuujou - Kokoro no Busu niwa Naranee! : 4 of 5 | |
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10.24.2006
9:38 PM | Link |
 Back in 2003 (before I was a diehard fan), Morning Musume was split into two smaller groups called Sakura Gumi and Otome Gumi, and this DVD includes the videos for both subgroups second singles they each released. Besides being interested in seeing Otome Gumi, I had to buy this DVD for Sakura Mankai, which is one of the Morning Musume songs ever. It's just a perfect song with beautiful instrumentation (using traditional-sounding Japanese instruments) and wonderful lyrics, and the video is definitely a masterpiece. Everything about it is breathtaking, from the falling blossoms to the kimono designs, and I could watch it over and over. There's also a close-up version included! Otome Gumi provides a great contrast with their cutsy-punk song, and it's a blast to see Sayumi sing the intro with gusto. Reina gets lots of lines, too, and everyone looks great in their black & white outfits and perfectly messed-up hairdos. Yuujou is a high-energy song, and their dance moves are lots of fun (especially the air guitar strumming). The Making Of segments aren't really extra special, but it's cool to see the pinwheel contraption they built to film some of the scenes. It's nice to have this bit of Morning Musume history to watch when I feel like it!Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Deadly yo-yos | |
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10.16.2006
11:07 PM | Link |
 I recently got to watch the new movie Sukeban Deka: Codename Asamiya Saki, and it was pretty fun! I was surprised at how fast this was fan-subbed (though some of the subs were a little hilarious with non-existent F-bombs), but I'm sure that has to do with the Jpop idols in the staring roles. Until now, I didn't know anything about this series (including several TV shows and movies), which is about a delinquent high school girl who becomes an undercover cop and fights with a deadly yo-yo! It's campy and goofy, but sometimes those kind of stories are the best. In this new movie, Matsuura Aya plays the lead, and she does a fantastic job of looking pissed off (while still looking great, of course) and fighting the bad guys (from the behind-the-scenes clips, it looks like she did a lot of stunts that I sure wouldn't want to attempt!). The main villian is Ishikawa Rika, and although the fan world was excited to see her in her evil leather outfit, she doesn't do so great as a bad guy - there's just too many layers of cute that she can't hide. The other girls of Biyuden make appearances, too, so it was cool to see so many faces I know in a current movie. Still, I was a little disappointed overall - I definitely enjoyed the story, but I think the fighting scenes were kind of lame. There so much build up to the big Aya/Rika yo-yo battle, and when it finally happens, it's over in a minute! Oh well, I'm still hoping it's a success so they might make some more Sukeban Deka movies.
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| Musume Dokyu! Vol 4 : 3 of 5 | |
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10.15.2006
7:40 PM | Link |
 After watching this DVD, I'm caught up with the current Musume Dokyu! releases (at least until Volumes 5 and 6 are released in a few days), and I'm still enjoying the show. I think Volume 4 was just a little better than Volume 3, mainly because a few of the episodes featured things a little more unexpected than just the girls cooking and eating (although there's a little of that this time around as well). First, Koharu works some problems with an abacus (and she's really fast with it), then plays with some other toys and shoots some darts (into the wall). This was my first time to really see Koharu chat with the camera, and she's amazingly relaxed and natural when she's telling a story, but slightly crazy when she's pushing the cute into overdrive. Next, Mikitty has to handle a pet monkey for her entire segment, where she chats with an English teacher and illustrates a story. Miki always seems kind of elegant to me, but when she says a sentence in English, it's shocking how she suddenly seems like any other 20-something girl (I guess my love of Japanese has a transforming power). Finally we get out of the house (so to speak) with Reina as she takes on several different amusement park rides. She definitely plays it cool at first, saying it's no big deal, and then totally freaks out with fear! Next, Mako-chan cooks up some pumpkin stew in an outdoor setting, and finally Yossie gets the embarrassing challenge of dressing up in the frilliest, girliest outfit imaginable (complete with giant teddy bear), which is pretty hilarious considering her cool, boyish style. I'm looking forward to the next DVDs in this series!
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| Ten Cool Tunes 10.2006 | |
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10.14.2006
5:22 PM | Link |
 Well, I've been getting progressively later in putting out a monthly mix, and usually the reason is that I was limiting the amount of Jpop, since I've been creating iMixes of these on the iTunes Store. This month I'm tossing that idea! This month's mix is full of relaxing, mellow stuff - definitely not all ballads, but everything has a laid-back feel. The first track is the best song from an amazing album by Keane (which I heard for the first time at church, believe it or not) - Hopes and Fears is full of fantastic songs like this one. After that, it's all Jpop! Yes, even Heartsdales and Morning Musume can contribute a song to this peaceful mix (actually, there are several down-tempo MoMusu songs I love, but Stay is the only Heartsdales song that I know that fits here). Several of these songs are of the "begins with a solo piano" variety, but I mixed them up with some Koda Kumi jangly guitar and an Anna Tsuchiya power ballad. The last track doesn't even have a name, but it's hidden on Sasuke's single of Eien no Natsu (another great song). It's a nice sentimental love song with easy to understand Japanese, so I listen to it all the time. I've been listening to this mix a lot today, and I really like it!10.2006 Mix (Song / Album / Artist)
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| Hello! Morning Theater Vol 8 : 3 of 5 | |
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10.01.2006
3:19 PM | Link |
 Since I decided to try out this series by watching Volume 9 (which I really enjoyed), I guess I'll be watching these backwards! It's really not a big deal, since these comedy stories seem to run for a few episodes and then move on to something else, but it is kind of interesting to see the introduction of some characters that show up the next volume. Anyway, this is another two hours of goofy sketch comedy featuring the gals of Hello! Project (though without Reina and Sayumi this time), and I had a blast watching it. Most of this DVD focuses on three apartments in Haromoni (the fictional town), and they have some pretty crazy inhabitants, like the messy lady whose place is overflowing with junk, or the backwards girl (Risa wearing all her clothes backwards!). There's also a long segment with the funny monk characters, with the main monk played by Goto Maki, always tapping on her bald head. The Sachi Usue and Sachi Usuko gags are really funny this time, and there are a lot of them - basically, when anyone says something that sounds like those names (such as Shatsu ga usui, which means "thin shirt"), these bizarre starving pilgrim girls show up - you just have to watch it to see the humor. I think I laughed the most at Yaguchi Mari on this disc - she's pretty funny when her character freaks out! I really like watching these sketches, so I'm sure I'll be checking out Volume 7 soon!
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| Nami Tamaki / Specialty DVD : 4 of 5 | |
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9.24.2006
12:51 PM | Link |
 Even though I can't handle Nami Tamaki's hyper-anime style music in large doses, I could watch her videos all day. Her dancing skill is the main reason I was so impressed with her Greeting DVD, so I decided to check out her newest videos, too. This is a really cool, extremely polished DVD, right down to the unique DVD jewel case and artwork. There are four videos included, each with a dance shot version, TV commercials, and a "making of" segment. In all of them, I'm really impressed with Nami - she seems so genuine, like she's not struggling to be overly cute or sexy. She's just herself, and she's a fantastic performer! Get Wild includes some cool dance moves (especially on the chorus) and some nice shots on a fancy motorcycle with side car (with some cool video effects). Her choreography is so fascinating, usually involving really complex arm motions (way more advanced than Morning Musume moves, but of course I love those, too). My Way actually has her leading a cheerleading squad in a school gym, and it's really fun to see those cute yellow uniforms following her moves. Result (my favorite track from the CD) is pretty much all dancing with a black and chrome color scheme - the set is an amazing rotating contraption (there's a quick glance at the blueprints in the behind-the-scenes segment). Sanctuary is the exact opposite (no dancing at all), and had enough budget to film outside in a cool hedge-filled misty garden. As a bonus, there's a track of Nami's choreographer teaching all the moves! This is a really top-notch DVD - it definitely makes me want to buy her last CD/DVD that I missed.
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| Musume Dokyu! Vol 3 : 3 of 5 | |
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9.20.2006
11:18 PM | Link |
 It's nice that Musume Dokyu! DVDs are continuing to be released - I enjoyed watching Volume 2, so I eagerly got Volume 3 to check out more of the same stuff. This DVD is quite different, though - it has shows from what seems to be the second season of the show, which got rid of the narration and typical "news" format. Instead, each episode features one member of Morning Musume one-on-one with the camera, typically just sitting in a youthfully decorated room (so it kind of feels like the viewer is over for a visit!). They start by reading a letter from another member, then do whatever the letter says, goof around and chat for awhile, and finally write a letter with a message for the next member. It's kind of fun seeing how the girls manage to keep the show flowing all by themselves (seeing what they try to be interesting or cute), but sometimes it can get a tiny bit boring if they tell a long story, since I can't pick up all of the Japanese yet (but someday I will!). This volume starts with Risa, who has to shoot some mini-basketball to earn some cake, then she hides a little puppy for Ai to find in the next segment. Ai goes completely nuts for this cute black puppy, which seems completely drugged, since it barely moves, even when she dresses it in a shirt! Konkon has to make takoyaki, then Sayumi has to make a complete bento lunch, which she ends up burning and messing up (but she tries so hard!). Finally, Eri has to eat the lunch, unfortunately declaring it oishikunai (not delicious)! This new format doesn't move as fast as the first season, but I think I like it, so I'm definitely getting Volume 4.Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Nami Tamaki / Specialty : 3 of 5 | |
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9.10.2006
8:52 AM | Link |
 I haven't listened to Nami Tamaki in a while (I missed her last album), but since I enjoyed Greeting so much I decided to get her new album Specialty, especially since it included a special edition DVD. Overall, I really like the CD, but I have to admit that it's hard to take it in all at once - most of the songs have the same feel and tempo (I could really use a ballad in the middle of all this!), but it's definitely true to her anime-theme style (although this album has a little more bite than Greeting). The introduction track is really cool, with it's sudden "electronic takeover", leading into Result, which sets the tone for the whole CD. Nami's voice is pure and always on pitch, even though her melodies often jump large intervals! Almost every track has a cool guitar solo with great harmonies (the solo on New World is my favorite), and most songs are over four minutes, which seems a little long every now and then. The DVD contains live footage from the CD release event (I was hoping for music videos, but it's fun to watch anyway), with Nami singing live to recorded music and groovin' with six dancers on-stage. It's a small crowd, so there's nothing extravagant going on, but it's nice to see that she can hit the notes and steps in a live venue. I'm looking forward to hearing these songs come up randomly on iTunes, but there's not enough variety to listen to this over and over in my car. I'm still a Nami fan, though, and I'm going to check out her new DVD release soon!
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| Kumi Koda / 4 Hot Wave : 3 of 5 | |
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8.30.2006
9:51 PM | Link |
 The latest CD single from Kumi Koda is a really great idea - it's a quadruple single (which is pretty amazing considering all the new material she's released recently) that comes with a DVD of all four videos! The videos are loosely tied together, which makes watching all of them together pretty interesting. The CD has the songs in a different order, but I'll mention each in the order they appear on the DVD. Juicy is a pretty cool R&B track (although it reminds me too much of Candy from Best ~Second Session~) with some cool vocal harmonies on the chorus. The video has Kumi and her pals stealing a treasure map from some guys in a bar, after a totally crazy dance (featuring some nasty beer bottle moves). The map appears in the next video for With Your Smile, where Kumi tracks down pieces of an artifact while being chased. The song is really peppy with lots of horn lines, but it isn't very original (since it sounds a lot like Birthday Eve). After she puts the artifact together, she's kind of transported to a beach setting for the I'll Be There video. This is my favorite song of the bunch, since it's an upbeat ballad with a really live recording sound - the drums are especially good, and the acoustic guitar gives it a genuine feel. The video has lots of scenes of Kumi in a swimsuit against some beautiful scenery. The last transition is a little sketchy - Kumi finds a book floating in the water, which appears in the last video for Ningyo-hime. This song has tons of heavy rock guitar, but it's my least favorite - I like to rock, but it doesn't do much for me. The video has Kumi trying to escape from a weird horror-style doctor. Overall, I think the complete package is great - it's a lot of entertainment for a non-album release!
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| Morning Musume singles | |
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8.29.2006
9:52 PM | Link |
 I've been writing a lot about Jpop DVDs lately, but I've barely talked about all the CDs I've bought over the past few months, too (yikes!). So, it's time to start some quick comments on my growing collection, starting with Morning Musume's past two singles, of course (well, I bought both of these on DVD too, so I guess I'm still talking about DVDs). My recent interest in Morning Musume was just beginning when I first saw the video for Sexy Boy ~Soyokaze ni Yorisotte~, and I was pretty much hooked when Reina fires her finger gun at the camera and winks. As hyper-popish as the song is, I really like it - the minor key and descending melody line are really cool, and the lyrics are actually pretty cool (though for some reason this one is so hard to find a translation for, since even Project Hello doesn't have one!). The DVD is really fun, especially the behind the scenes segment. I pre-ordered the DVD for their 30th single, Ambitious! Yashinteki de Iijan, and I really enjoy it, too. The song took a little while to grow on me, but it definitely has an upbeat, positive feel that I like. The behind the scenes segment isn't very exciting - there's not nearly enough chatting and goofing around that make the Sexy Boy segment so fun. Both of these videos are really simple - pretty much a single set, a semi-complex dance, and plenty of individual close-up shots. But as low budget as they are, they still are well-edited, and I think they showcase the girls' talent really well. As silly as the Jpop industry can sometimes be, I really think it's great entertainment, and I appreciate all the energy (often inspiring to me) that goes into it!Labels: cds, jpop, morning musume |
| Musume Dokyu! Vol 2 : 3 of 5 | |
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8.27.2006
8:12 AM | Link |
 I decided to check out the next volume of Musume Dokyu, since I had a great time watching the first volume, and this one was just as fun (even though Reina isn't featured)! This DVD seems to have a lot of cooking, but it's still interesting to see the girls' reactions to what they cook and how it tastes! The first segment has Asami baking bread (things like heart-shaped rolls with fillings) and rolling up cake with whipped cream and fruit. It's kind of funny seeing her knead dough with those manicured nails (which seem to be essential to being a Jpop idol), but the best part is seeing her taste the results - she enjoys it so much it makes you think she hasn't allowed herself to taste sweets in years! Next, Makoto meets with members of the Japanese Stomp group to make some music with kitchen utensils (funny how both recent graduates are featured on this DVD). Besides banging on pots and pans, there's a dance step to learn that doesn't look easy, but eventually she does a long routine with the guys. Next a couple of the Berryz Koubou girls milk a cow, then make some cookies outside in a beautiful shot with Mt. Fuji in the distance. After that, it's Risa's turn to cook, and after going shopping with her for some ingredients, she makes a couple of yummy looking dishes on-board a boat in Tokyo Bay (even going under the famous Rainbow Bridge). The last segment is about Rika's graduation (also included on their concert DVD), with several nice scenes of a super-young Rika learning her first dance routines with the group. Once again, the DVD wraps up with the "secrets" section, but most of the talking is way to fast for me to follow! Since these shows are a couple years old, I'm looking forward to checking out the more recent Dokyu DVDs that have been released!
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| Morning Musume Concert Tour 2005 Haru / Dai 6 Kan Hit Mankai : 4 of 5 | |
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8.18.2006
7:32 PM | Link |
 Since I enjoyed my first Morning Musume concert DVD so much, I decided to get their Spring 2005 concert video, which includes Rika's graduation. There's a lot of great stuff to say about this show, but the only bad thing is that the sound quality isn't that great. None of the voices are nearly as clear as in the other DVD - they tend to echo too much, which is a shame. Putting that aside, the concert hall is interesting since the audience goes all the way around the stage, and the camera crew is all over. Some of the shots make you feel like you're on-stage with Morning Musume, so the close-ups are fantastic! I counted eight costume changes this time, and that's not including the costumes warn by Country Musume and Biyuden, both of which make guest appearances in the middle of the show. The performances are really fun, leading up to a mega-medley near the end of the concert - they really look exhausted when it finally ends! Since this is Rika's big day, there are plenty of moments for her. Young Koharu shows up wearing Rika's (or Reina's) original outfit from the Ai Araba It's Alright video at the beginning, and at the end Rika reads her long good-bye letter to the fans. After a super emotional version of I Wish, all of the members say their personal sotsugyou omedetou to Rika, and the tears definitely fall. Poor Reina cries her eyes out, so I did, too! Even though the sound bugged me, this is a wonderful concert with plenty of tender moments.Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume |
| Heartsdales / The Legend : 4 of 5 | |
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8.12.2006
6:11 AM | Link |
 On my last trip to Japan I picked up a Heartsdales CD single (plus DVD) that I really enjoyed, so I've been planning on checking out some of their other material someday. Well, it turns out that the band is calling it quits, but to go out with a bang they released an awesome hits compilation CD that includes a DVD with videos for almost every song on the disc! Heartsdales play hip-hop or rap or whatever you want to call it - Rum does most of the complicated rapping and Jewels does the sweet singing on the choruses (gotta love those stage names!). I'm hypnotized by Japanese rapping, because the mixture of Japanese with English is incredible - they even rhyme words between languages! The videos are pretty cool, full of weird sets and high fashion, such as the opening number So Tell Me, which takes place on a submarine, and Rum has a full-size teddy bear hanging off her belt. Candy Poppin' is accented with amazing retro graphics (I really like that kind of stuff), and Angel Eyes has both motorcycles and cheerleaders, which are quite a combination. Foxy Lady has the most outfits - seeing the cool clothes they get away with wearing is half the fun! I'm definitely impressed with CD/DVD combos like this that are overflowing with songs and videos, so I'm really glad I ordered it (but too bad Heartsdales had to break up to get this CD made).
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| Hello! Morning Theater Vol 9 : 4 of 5 | |
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8.04.2006
6:14 PM | Link |
 Hello! Morning is a Japanese TV show that has been on since 2000 featuring the members of Morning Musume, as well as other Hello! Project< |