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Morning Musume Concert Tour 2009 Aki / Nine Smile : 4 of 5
3.04.2010 12:53 PM \| Link 0 comments	This latest Morning Musume concert DVD has been long anticipated since it features the graduation ceremony of Koharu, ending the nine-person line-up that has been together for the past few years (the longest in Morning Musume history). This is actually a two DVD set so every moment could be included, and it's definitely an epic and emotional concert! Truthfully, I would have loved to see a Nine Smile performance on a non-graduation night, since it's obvious that the girls are all a little sad right from the beginning, so I think some of the songs lost a little energy. But it's still a wonderful show! Starting out in those "cow" outfits seems a little weird, but I guess there's no way to top the incredible opening of the Platinum 9 concert! Thankfully, the next outfit change is great, and later on the silver costume (with little bow-ties!) is really cool. The stage design seemed simple at first, but when the platforms and stairs started rotating I was really impressed! Sound-wise I think the vocals were actually too high in the mix, which is nice when you're listening to Ai-chan, but reveals too many mistakes for the rest of the girls. There are some great duets (especially Reina and Ai-chan) and solos (Sayumi's opening to Aruiteru is really cute!), and even a quick "reunion" of Sakura Gumi and Otome Gumi, which is really wonderful since Sakura Mankai is just about the best song ever! There's a long medley of B-sides that is creatively put together and performed with great enthusiasm, and of course, Koharu and Sayumi perform their Rainbow Pink duet for the last time (and the crowd seriously goes wild with the chanting!). Finally, the graduation moment arrives, and although I was never really a Koharu fan, the ceremony is full of tender moments and plenty of tears. Sayumi and Koharu forgive each other for all of their rivalry and hug so long that Ai-chan has to break it up! I thought Lin Lin's words were really heartfelt too, and it was funny that Jun Jun was sad she wouldn't have anyone to fight with now. Since Koharu is so weird and silly, the mood keeps changing from somber to bizarre and back again, but I guess she went out with the same goofiness that she's famous for! For any Morning Musume fan, this is definitely a must-see, must-own concert DVD, and while I know the girls can put on a better show, this performance is still fantastic! Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume
Morning Musume singles 41-42 catch-up
2.18.2010 7:08 AM \| Link 0 comments	This week my copy of Morning Musume's 42nd single arrived from CDJapan, and I realized I had hardly mentioned their 41st single yet! While their 38-40th singles were some of their best yet (especially Shouganai Yume Oibito, one of the most emotional Morning Musume songs ever), Kimagure Princess took a while to get used to, mainly because of the bizarre chipmunk effect used on the verses (I have no idea what the reason was behind that!). The melody is still really cool, though, with built-in yells for concert performances, and the lyrics are some of the most risque in Momusu's catalog, especially since the stated "theme" of the song is oshiri (butt!). I really enjoyed the video, not only because the dance was sexy with lots of movements to illustrate the lyrics, but also because the slow-motion close-ups were fantastic (Sayumi and Risa look spectacular)! Momusu B-sides have been getting better lately (sometimes better than the A-side), and Aishite Aishite Ato Ippun is an awesome song, with much more even line distribution among the girls. Their brand new single, Onna ga Medatte Naze Ikenai, is much better than Kimagure Princess in my opinion, rocking a super-energetic feel with real attitude! The instrumentation is interesting, since the drums (which sound more live than usual) basically play fills through the whole song, and the interlude in the middle is a violin solo (pretty creative)! Unfortunately, lots of the girls got snubbed again on lines, including Sayumi (but at least she gets the "Ah!" solos, which she joked about on her blog!). The video is pretty cool with a fashion model theme, including scenes of everyone doing make-up and strutting down the catwalk (although everyone looks great, Risa and Lin Lin are shockingly beautiful!). The B-side Nakidasu Kamo Shirenai Yo has a fantastic R&B sound with dramatic lyrics, and I love hearing Morning Musume doing something outside of their usual style. I'm going to enjoy listening to this CD single in my car for a long time, but of course the upcoming release of their 10th full-length album can't come soon enough for me! Labels: cds, jpop, morning musume
Sayumi's new blog
2.13.2010 11:12 AM \| Link 0 comments	Being a fan of Jpop idol groups like Morning Musume is so different than the usual fan experience, since the allure of the whole thing is feeling like you actually know and are even friends with the performers (and of course, this is entirely intentional!). Although I'm a fan of lots of people (like Disney animators, for example), I don't care what they had for breakfast or wonder if they're working too hard. Somehow with Morning Musume it's different! For this kind of fandom to thrive, everyday details are pure gold, which is why I've been so addicted to Sayumi Michishige's (my favorite member of Morning Musume) new blog! Sayumi has wanted to write a blog for a long time (she even mentioned it last year in the Anime Expo Q&A panel), but since their management controls their public life so closely, I guess it took a long time for them to approve it. Now that she finally has one, Sayumi has been blogging like mad (usually several long posts every day)! She writes about all the things you would expect a 20-year old girl to talk about (clothes, family, favorite fruits), but I totally love reading it! She takes pictures of herself with her cell phone (like the one shown here), sometimes without make-up and even in her pajamas, so it totally feels like you've got the inside scoop on her everyday life. There's nothing else I can read and think things like "Wow, Sayumi just ate out with her sister a couple hours ago!" or "Oh no, Sayumi ate too much cake on Jun Jun's birthday!" I can follow her Japanese for the most part, but thankfully two US fan sites have already started translating her posts (with great speed)! I know it's completely silly, but I can't help giggling with glee when she writes something new. I'm a happy Sayumi fan! Visit site: Sayumi Michishige blog (Japanese) Visit site: Hyakupa Subs (blog translation) Visit site: Donmai! (blog translation) Labels: jpop, morning musume, sites
Morning Musume Yomiuri Land East Live 2009 : 3 of 5
1.26.2010 6:21 PM \| Link 0 comments	It already seems like forever since the Platinum 9 Disco DVD was released, so I'm glad Morning Musume decided to release this minor concert to tide me over until the Nine Smile DVD comes out! This is a short but sweet event that was held last year in October to commemorate the release of the All Singles Coupling Collection, performed outdoors on a nice sunny day at Yomiuri Land amusement park. It's a unique concert, since all the girls wear cute trendy street clothes (cool baseball caps) and seem really casual and relaxed. Rather than starting off with a song like a normal show, they begin with 20 minutes of introductions and revealing the results of a survey for favorite coupling (B-side) songs. Yowamushi actually took 5th place, so Sayumi and Gaki-san (who sing that particular duet) go nuts and jump around! The concert itself is really fun, although the camera work isn't nearly as good as a typical Morning Musume DVD. It was a hot day, so the girls take a few water breaks and do some sweating! Gaki-san takes the award for "most into it", since she just tears it up with energetic singing and dancing. Sayumi looks cute as ever, plus her shirt keeps slipping off her shoulder which is a nice bonus! Along with several of the favorite coupling songs, Sexy Boy ~Soyokaze ni Yorisotte~ is included, which I loved not only because they seem to leave it out of their more recent shows, but also because that was the single that first drove me to "extreme" Morning Musume fandom. Along with the concert, there are three minutes of bonus footage showing things like rehearsal and a brief fan handshake event. Although I loved the DVD, overall I can't say it's a must buy, unless you are a devoted fan like me who always buys Morning Musume DVDs without hesitation! Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume
Essential Momusu sites
1.14.2010 12:36 PM \| Link 0 comments	Being a serious Morning Musume fan demands a daily intake of Hello! Project news and media, but thankfully there are some incredible sites out there that make it so easy! Any fan will already know all about these sites, but I figured I would mention them out of sincere appreciation, and maybe some newbie fan will discover a new source of addiction! Hello!Online is the mothership of Hello! Project sites, mostly because of their incredible torrent tracker, where the huge fan base makes available just about every Morning Musume TV appearance that hits the air. I also enjoy their news updates and the forums, and especially the Picboard, where you can quickly find thousands of images of your favorite member (I have to admit I check the Sayumi Picboard just about daily!). Hello!SayuNii is an incredibly well-designed site that has quickly become my favorite source of Hello! Project news. It seems they always have the latest info the very instant it becomes available, including everything from new CD/DVD releases to Oricon charts. Sayumin.org is the ultimate source for Hello! Project radio shows, and I use this site constantly to listen to Sayumi's Konya mo Usachan Peace and Reina's Five Stars every week! I love trying to understand the Japanese, hearing their cute voices, and seeing what songs they choose to play. This amazing service fetches all of the radio programs so you can listen to them via simple links, and it was built by a generous fan in Oslo, Norway! Finally, although I don't use it daily, ProjectHello.com is an invaluable source of Japanese lyrics and English translations. They have everything back to the beginning of Hello! Project time, and although it takes a while for new releases to hit the site, I'm sure I've accessed their Morning Musume lyrics at least a thousand times! Labels: jpop, morning musume
Pucchi Best 10 / CD & DVD : 3 of 5
12.28.2009 8:06 AM \| Link 0 comments	When I first became a fan of Morning Musume and Hello! Project, I was so excited to learn about the Pucchi Best (or Petit Best) releases, which give a great overview of all the major songs from the previous year. The CDs are a great way to hear from your favorite artists as well as discover new ones, and the DVDs are filled with music videos, which I love to watch even if I've already seen them. I thought the Pucchi Best series was so cool that I searched out and bought all the past editions, so of course I'm going to keep buying the new ones as they come out. This year's Pucchi Best 10 CD is kind of unique, because along with the previously release songs, there are also lots of new releases from the shuffle groups (introduced on the Chanpuru wedding album). 2009 was an eventful year for Hello! Project due to the mass graduation of some really big names, so it's nice to have the final H!P releases from Nacchi and Ayaya (I hadn't even seen the video for Nacchi's song, and it was really good), plus Yaguchi Mari's "comeback" song. I don't really care about the super-young groups yet, but the tracks from the major groups are all good ones (especially Rival from Berryz Koubou and My Boy from Buono). Of course, Morning Musume's incredible number one single Shouganai Yume Oibito is my favorite, and I never mind listening to it or watching the video one more time (or 100 more times). If you're looking to discover more Hello! Project music, or just like seeing a retrospective of the H!P year, I definitely recommend the Pucchi Best CDs and DVDs, including this 10th edition! Labels: cds, dvds, jpop, morning musume
Hello! Project 2009 Summer Kakumei Gannen / Hello! Chanpuru : 3 of 5
12.09.2009 8:09 AM \| Link 0 comments	Since I really enjoyed the Chanpuru / Happy Marriage Song Collection CD, which shuffled all of the Hello! Project girls into different groups to cover famous pop songs often heard at weddings, I was really looking forward to this concert to see the mixed-up line-ups in action! This two-hour show is set in a smaller venue than usual, but that only makes the stage look more packed with energetic girls. Along with the songs from the CD, there are several other unexpected numbers (possibly older songs from the original shuffle groups), and of course, plenty of Morning Musume, Berryz Koubou, and C-ute hits (often performed by non-group members, which is always fun). A few performers definitely stood out for me in this show, starting with Lin Lin, who can seriously turn on the energy (unfortunately, she didn't perform her solo from the CD, which was so disappointing)! Saki from Berryz Koubou is one of the best dancers in Hello! Project, and I enjoyed watching her make every move perfectly. Risako (also Berryz) is so intense, and regardless of how you feel about her voice, she can definitely belt it, which really works for her! Reina's solo was nice (wonderfully clear, high notes), and Ai-chan's solo was just stunning (although cut way too short). Speaking of Ai-chan, she is literally an actress on stage, making the lyrics come from her heart! I was really excited to see Zoku Biyuuden since Sayumi is part of the group, and I loved their performance of Only You. The costumes were fun overall with High King's being the most stylish by far. Truthfully I was a little bored by Ice Creamusume and the other baby groups, but the finale was huge and cool. I guess overall I was hoping for a better concert, but I still really enjoyed this show and I'm sure I'll watch it again some time! Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume
Music Moments 10.09
10.28.2009 11:09 AM \| Link 0 comments	Morning Musume / All Singles Coupling Collection: I love special CD sets, and this three CD collection of all of Morning Musume's B-sides is fantastic for several reasons! There are lots of songs here that are entirely new to me (since I only have singles starting with Sexy Boy, and sometimes these extra tracks weren't part of their full-length albums), plus many songs that I have enjoyed in concerts but never had on CD until now. I also love having the recent B-sides (many of which are excellent) all together! The limited edition bonus photobook (which is actually hardback and great quality) is filled with cute shots, too! MC Frontalot / Nerdcore Rising: Being an mc chris fan, I'm no stranger to nerdcore (basically hip-hop/rap with geek-inspired lyrics), but until now I hadn't experienced the guy who invented the genre. After watching an excellent documentary about his career, I decided I had to get MC Frontalot's first album, which is hilarious and totally kickin' as well! The production quality is amazing, and while some of the songs are a little out-there, I can listen to this CD over and over and discover new funny references each time. Lee Morgan / The Sidewinder: I was first introduced to the jazz standard The Sidewinder back when I played with Stone Bluff in Tulsa, and recently this song kept popping up on Last.fm, which brought back good memories. I hadn't bought a jazz CD in a while, so I decided I needed this best-selling, must-have jazz classic from 1963. I love listening to these long tunes (some 10 minutes or more) while I'm driving, and they're awesome on my iPhone while I'm walking, too! Sarah Chang / Dvorak Violin Concerto & Piano Quintet: After seeing Sarah Chang play with the Austin Symphony, I wanted to have at least one of her recordings in my collection, so I decided on this CD after listening to some samples. I don't have much Dvorak, but these are wonderful pieces, full of emotion, which Sarah Chang expresses beautifully (I love her extremely controlled high notes!). Metric / Live It Out: I've listened to Metric's Old World Underground album so many times that I figured it was finally time to buy another CD. Live It Out is their next release from 2005, and although it's not quite as good, it still has the same awesome feel with driving guitars and just the right amount of keyboards, as well as interesting and provocative lyrics (Poster of a Girl is pretty shocking!). Labels: cds, jpop, morning musume
Three Small Things 10.9.09
10.09.2009 12:49 PM \| Link 0 comments	Lately it's been a nice time to be a Morning Musume fan! Their 41st single Kimagure Princess is coming out soon, so the song and video are all over the web. While I prefer their last two singles to this one (I don't like the chipmunk voice effects on the verse, but the chorus is nice), the video is full of attitude and glamor and I can't believe how great everyone looks! I can't wait to get their new All Singles Coupling Collection, which has all 40 B-sides (many of which I don't have in my collection), and I'm really excited about receiving my first order from the new HelloStoreUSA. It's so cool to be able to buy Momusu goods that were next to impossible to get before! Of course, I'm not looking forward to Koharu's graduation, but only because of the effect it will have on the current line-up (Koharu is my least-favorite, so that makes it easier on me). I'm seriously dreading the day Ai-chan decides to graduate, but even then Sayumi should be around a few years longer! Although I still study Japanese everyday, I don't spend much time writing Japanese essays like I used to when my pal Kumiko was tutoring me. So since my separate Japanese blog was pretty much stagnant, I've moved those essays into the flow of the main WEBmikey posts, and you can easily find them using the renshuu (Japanese for "practice") label. But speaking of Japanese, I've really been enjoying it lately, and I can kind of feel my vocabulary is substantially growing, so I've decided I want to take the JLPT again in 2010! Next year will be the first year with the new levels, so I'm excited about trying N3 (which is between the old Level 3 and Level 2, meaning it's a nice progression for me). That means I'll be re-focusing my studies next year (under Kumiko's tutelage), and I'm looking forward to it! Finally, I wanted to mention that as of yesterday I've finished with this year's Christmas shopping! That may be a new record for me, but I have to order things early to give them time to ship, so I can wrap them and pass them off to my parents at Thanksgiving. On the subject of buying, using my Amazon Visa for everything (and always paying it off) has really raked in the bonus Amazon dollars for me. I've already earned over $425 bucks this year! Labels: japanese, jpop, morning musume, small things
Music Moments 8.09
8.30.2009 7:50 AM \| Link 0 comments	Morning Musume / Shouganai Yume Oibito & Nanchatte Renai: The recent singles from Morning Musume (their 39th and 40th releases) are some of their absolute best in my opinion, since the group is leaning toward a new mature sound that lines up with my preference for bittersweet lyrics (though of course I love the cute stuff, too!). Both tracks feature out of the ordinary piano and strings with truly dramatic lyrics (I was amazed when I heard "Tears fall on my hand as I iron your clothes"). Shouganai Yume Oibito hit a weekly #1 spot, and Nanchatte Renai hit a daily #1 (on my dad's birthday!), so both of these songs are really signaling a new popularity for Morning Musume! Keane / Under the Iron Sea: After listening to Keane's Hopes and Fears album about a hundred times, I decided I should move on to Under the Iron Sea, which is somewhat of a departure from their original piano pop sound. This time they use distortion pedals on piano to create almost electric guitar sounds, which are still fantastic (yet sometimes creepy). Their lyrics are beautiful and introspective as always, and I really should devote some time to truly listening and enjoying this album. The Best Of Godzilla 1984-1995 / Original Film Soundtracks: I wasn't planning on getting this CD, which is a follow-up to the 1954-1975 soundtracks album, but after completing my Godzilla movie watching quest I couldn't resist having some of these cheesy themes in my collection. There are plenty of awesome Ikufube tracks to round out the ridiculous guitar solo from Godzilla vs Biollante, and I actually like the over-dramatic fanfare from Godzilla vs Space Godzilla! Cake / B Sides & Rarities: I've been a Cake fan since I lived in Tulsa, and when my pal Jonathan and I saw them in concert here in Austin recently, they mentioned this album that I wasn't aware of, which I promptly bought from their website! It has a totally funky version of the Muppets classic Mahna, Mahna, as well as great covers of Strangers in the Night, but I mostly love the goofy country tracks, such as Buck Owens' Excuse Me, I Think I've Got a Heartache! Morning Musume / Platinum 9 Disc: It's embarrassing that I'm only now mentioning this CD, since I've had it for ages and even had it autographed! Morning Musume's 9th full-length album is a fantastic collection of five previously released singles, along with some incredible new songs. There are several unexpected solo tracks from Sayumi (cute and sexy, of course), Eri, and Aika (surprisingly bright and sweet), as well as awesome ballads and dance tunes. Of course, I've played this CD thousands of times in my car by now! Labels: cds, godzilla, jpop, morning musume
Morning Musume Concert Tour 2009 Haru / Platinum 9 Disco : 4 of 5
8.13.2009 12:31 PM \| Link 0 comments	Morning Musume's latest concert CD is completely fantastic, yet leaves me with a few conflicting observations. It's obvious that the current members have grown together into one of the most cohesive line-ups ever (they are so much more at ease with each other, and their singing and dancing is much more precise than a year or so ago), but it's also apparent (at least to this fan) that the transition to a more "serious, mature" Morning Musume hasn't totally gelled for the concert stage. Even though I love emotional, moving songs much more than goofy ones, they seem a little heavy when performed live, but they probably just need to be split-up with a few more happy classics. But that's enough analysis for now, because I had an incredible time watching this awesome two-hour show! I loved the introduction video (using the same cute photos from the Anime Expo concert), and the stage was especially cool with the light-up staircase (which could even flash letters like S-E-X-Y during Sexy Boy!). Technically, the lighting was unique and the camera work was nice (some of the sharpest close-ups ever), and I even enjoyed all of the costumes with a couple exceptions. The Guruguru Jump outfits were horrendous, and there was far too much "giant headgear" for my taste, but on the other hand, the Take Off Is Now costumes were stylish and beautiful! Ai-chan never ceases to amaze me with her solos, but Lin Lin completely blew me away with the "spiritual" arrangement of Aozora ga Itsumademo Tsuzuku You na Mirai de (that girl can really sing!). I was waiting with anticipation for Sayumi's performance of her solo It's You, and it certainly wasn't a disappointment - she definitely cranked up the sexiness, and the silhouette lighting was genius! Risa's Yowamushi (one of my favorite B-sides) was nice, although she didn't seem too comfortable on stage by herself, and Reina totally pulled off Ayaya's song with ease. Watching a concert like this is such a fun experience for me, since I love seeing Morning Musume grow and evolve! Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume
Hello! Project 2009 Winter Kettei! Halo Pro Award 2009 / Elder Club Sotsugyou Kinen Special : 4 of 5
8.10.2009 12:27 PM \| Link 0 comments	Although I had already seen this concert, I just had to buy it on DVD since it's such an important event in the history of Hello! Project. There's never been (and probably will won't be again) a mass graduation like this one! The concert is nearly three hours long and was held in the giant Yokohama arena, and I totally enjoyed the whole thing (maybe even more than the 2009 Winter concert). The show opens on an emotional note with everyone singing Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai Darou, and Nacchi starts crying almost right away! I could do without the silly fake award show format, but Makoto and Yaguchi are fine MCs as always. This concert is just full of amazing moments and "last time ever" appearances that make it so special, showcasing everyone from Ongaku Gatas to Tanpopo (it's so touching to see Mari and Kaori crying to be wearing those plaid outfits again). There are some great solo performances from Ayaya (who really shows how incredibly comfortable and confident she is) and Yuko Nakazawa, who is so moved by the applause that she yanks out her ear monitors to soak up the experience (probably the last time she will sing for a crowd that huge). I really enjoyed the 1st generation trio singing Morning Coffee (they can still get the harmonies just right), and it was so cool to see Saukura Gumi and Otome Gumi do their songs in their classic costumes also! Finally the graduation ceremony itself is held, which is short but really meaningful (the symbolism of Yuko hugging Ai-chan to "pass the torch" is totally moving), and I enjoyed the girls' tearful statements that they read (especially from Saki and Ai). Of course, throughout the show there are a few numbers by the current Morning Musume, Berryz Koubou and C-ute, but this event is all about the graduating members, and I'm glad they gave them such an awesome send off! The DVD also includes over an hour of bonus backstage material which is pretty fun, but mostly I'm just glad to have the concert itself in my collection, since the efforts of these performers paved the way for the current members that I enjoy so much today. Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume
Momusu at Anime Expo Part 4
7.09.2009 11:55 AM \| Link 2 comments	Welcome to the last part of my Morning Musume encounter at Anime Expo, my final chance for autographs (using my priority ticket from the Q&A panel)! The session was scheduled to start at 11:00 AM, so Dae and I decided he would drop me off around 8:00 AM. I actually woke up about 3:30 AM feeling anxious and excited, and drifted in and out of sleep, checking the web on my iPhone the whole time. After I got dressed, at 6:20 AM someone posted on Twitter that the line was starting and 50 people were already there! When Dae jumped out of the shower I told him the news, and he was nice enough to get me to the convention center in record time. The line started outside, and I was really worried that I was too late, but soon as it became more organized and we moved inside, things started looking better and better. Finally we got official line place numbers, and since I was hoping for something lower than 150, I was thrilled to get number 83! All that was left was two more hours of sitting on the floor, playing with my iPhone, talking with Dae (who wasn't waiting in line, but came to visit me), and getting nervous! Finally the magic hour arrived, and they started taking two people at a time from the line - it seemed to move at about two people every minute and a half, so I had lots of time to freak out before they got to 83! Everyone was getting nervous and taking deep breaths, but before I knew it I was entering the room and there was Morning Musume, sitting at a long table in their "official order", wearing a different set of outfits (just like the one Sayumi is wearing in this photo), and waving at me while I waited in line! It was so unreal that the tears started falling right away - totally happy, crazy tears (and believe me, I was not the only one who cried!). I tried to pull it together so I would be able to talk while I waited, getting my Platinum 9 Disc CD booklet ready to go. Before I go on, I have to say that the most amazing part of this experience was how incredibly warm and giving everyone was! I had expected them to be a little timid or overly polite, but they instantly reacted like best friends. The only way to describe it is that they made me feel like they had been waiting all day just to meet me (even though it was the other way around)! Although some of this is playing the part of perfect Jpop idols, I know their appreciation for their fans is genuine, and they were actually having fun meeting everyone! Suddenly it was my turn, and Ai-chan just lit up in front of me! I stepped forward and got a handshake right away. (I had read comments from previous autograph recipients about forgetting to shake hands, so I made a point of shaking everyone's hand twice - once before the signing, and again afterward! All of the girls did that nice two-handed clasp, too!) I was able to say something in Japanese to everyone (there was a translator, but she didn't have to help!), of course starting with a big hello and ending with thank you. I told Ai-chan that I cried when I watched her fantastic performance in Cinderella The Musical. She looked right up at me with the brightest face and said "Oh thank you!" It made me feel like I was the only one who had ever said that, although she has probably heard it a million times - that's how gracious everyone was! Next was Risa, and I told her that I'm a huge Disney fan, too, so she replied "I love Disney", which was cute. Eri was a little quiet but very warm, and she made a point of asking if she should sign over her photo or on top of the lyrics on the next page. Next was Sayumi, who was too cute for words, energetically shaking my hand and saying hello! I wished her a happy birthday, she said thank you and that she was turning 20 and becoming an adult. I replied "But Sayumi will eternally be the cutest!" She knew what I was going to say halfway through my sentence, since she starting giggling and twirling her fingers on her cheeks, looking up at me with those giant eyes! I thought I was going to die, but I had to move on to Reina, who was also full of energy and happily said hello, although while she was signing, she was pretty focused (since her signature is complex!). I told her that I always listen to Five Stars (her radio show) and she thanked me. Next in line was Koharu, who was beautiful and fun, but when she turned the page in my CD booklet and started signing, I somehow looked down and thought she was on the wrong page. I made a kind of gasp and Koharu stopped signing, then I realized I was nuts and said everything was OK! She was a little confused, but it was no big deal. Aika was very polite and has such tiny teeth when she smiles. Only a few minutes had gone by, and I was already up to Jun Jun, who is amazing looking in person, and she reacted like she just couldn't wait for me to get there! In case anyone doesn't know, Jun Jun and Lin Lin are both Chinese and had to learn Japanese when they became members of Morning Musume. Because of my own struggles learning Japanese, I mentioned her Japanese and English were both very good, and she seemed excited about the compliment. Lin Lin was sweet as she signed my booklet, and I had to make a joke and ask if she was bacchiri (back when she didn't know much Japanese she would always say she was bacchiri, or perfect), and that got a nice laugh. For the entire autograph session I was totally focused on the member in front of me - there were assistants and cameramen and once the translator asked me if I was crying, but I was almost oblivious to it all! I left the room feeling on top of the world, looking around at all the other stunned fans, and called Dae to let him know my dream had come true! We had a quick sandwich while I told Dae all of the details (probably over and over again). The rest of the day was spent at a wonderful 4th of July party with Ernesto, but I'll save those details for another post. Although I've been a Morning Musume fan for a long time, I never dreamed I would ever have this opportunity, and I still can't believe the whole thing happened - from the airport, to the concert, to the autographs! Now when I watch them on TV shows and concerts it feels completely new knowing that they actually talked to me and held my hand. I don't care how crazy that sounds, but it was definitely a memory I'll cherish forever, and I'll always be a Morning Musume fan! Labels: jpop, morning musume, trips
Momusu at Anime Expo Part 3
7.08.2009 12:15 PM \| Link 0 comments	At last it was Morning Musume concert day! Even though Dae and I already had our tickets to reserve our row, I still wanted to get there early to try for a good seat in the row (and also because I was so excited that I just wanted to be there waiting). So we showed up to the familiar line-up in the sun for about an hour, talked with several fans we had met on previous days, and watched all of the glowstick trading going on. (Glowsticks are a tradition at Morning Musume concerts, and the color of the glowstick signifies which member you're cheering for. I asked Dae to take me to Party City the night before to buy pink glowsticks for Sayumi!) We were all talking about the autograph situation yesterday, and Dae had decided not to suffer through a long line again (since he was only there to support me, after all), so he mentioned he had a priority ticket that he wasn't going to use. Immediately people started bidding (up to $40, even though the ticket was only a chance at an autograph), but Dae ended up giving it to a young guy who was in the Army, who used his two-week leave just to come see Morning Musume! Soon they let us in for seating, and we ended up only a couple seats from the end of the row (it really didn't matter at all, since the whole row was a great view). It was still two hours until concert time, but we had fun watching everyone get their glowsticks going and chatting with this guy from Seattle who knew all the dances to Morning Musume's songs (he played them on his phone, and both of us sang along while he performed the moves). The time passed really quickly! Finally the lights went out and the crowd went nuts (on their feet for the entire concert, naturally)! I was excited that they began with a special introduction video on the big screens (just like I've seen in all of their Japanese concerts), and then the girls took the stage. They started the show with Mikan, which has the lyric "Life is one time" and the message about living life to the fullest - that was all it took to start my eyes tearing up, since seeing this concert was something I never thought I'd be able to do, and I felt so happy that I was actually there making a dream come true! They did lots of recent songs, some cute introductions, one fast costume change, and an incredible medley of the past 12 years of Morning Musume hits. I sang along with every song, screamed my head off, and kept my arm in the air waving glowsticks the whole time! There's no way to know for sure, but I think one of Sayumi's waves was directed at me! After a solid hour of music, they had to announce the winners of the Morning Musume video contest (which had been going on for a few weeks), so as an added bonus I got to see former Momusu leader Hitomi Yoshizawa and Tsunku, the creator/producer of Morning Musume, on stage! Truthfully, the announcements went a little long and kind of brought down the energy of the concert, but it was still great to see more Jpop personalities. Thankfully, Momusu did a quick reprise at the end, but unfortunately there was no encore (definitely due to Anime Expo time constraints). Even though the concert didn't have the huge sets and lights like the arenas they play in Japan, it was still an incredible show! The girls' energy was at 150% the whole time, and I thought their singing was excellent (usually when I watch a concert DVD there is at least one moment when I realize someone has missed a note, but I didn't notice a single mistake this time)! After the show, Dae and I went for a beer, and a few fans that had been sitting behind us complimented me on knowing all the lyrics, which was cool. Then we headed to Little Tokyo for some great sushi, sashimi and plenty of sake, ending a totally fantastic day! I went to sleep anxious about the possible autographs the next day, which I'll write about tomorrow. Labels: jpop, morning musume, trips
Momusu at Anime Expo Part 2
7.07.2009 7:00 PM \| Link 0 comments	On with more Anime Expo details! The next day was the official start of the convention, so Dae and I arrived early for opening ceremonies, since we knew Morning Musume would be there. At first we thought there was no line at all, but we soon realized that almost all lines at Anime Expo were outside in the sun (because of fire code/traffic reasons inside), so we worked on our T-shirt tans a little. We got pretty good seats (around Row 15), and took a couple naps since it got started 45 minutes late. It was worth the wait, though, since this was my first glimpse of Morning Musume (un-masked) on stage, wearing their frilly outfits from Shouganai Yume Oibito! Non-flash photos were allowed (the only exception for the "no Momusu photos" policy at the convention), so I took a few grainy shots at max zoom. All of the honored guests were extremely impressive and interesting, but truthfully I spent the whole hour looking at Morning Musume and waving if they looked my way! Immediately after opening ceremonies, the next job was to try to get one of only 300 guaranteed autograph tickets from buying Momusu merchandise. We got there as fast as we could, but soon realized the line was already over 500 deep (we later found out it had started at 4:00 AM!). I was a little bummed about missing out, but decided to use the time to start waiting for the Momusu Q&A panel, even though it was three hours away. Of course, there were already lots of people in line! After lots of confusion, the staff eventually decided to move us into the panel room for the previous guest (who was the immensely entertaining Toshiyuki Morikawa - I'll write about him later!), and when he finished, Dae and I were able to jump up to third row for Morning Musume! When they first walked in I couldn't believe how close we were, since I could smile at them all and there was no doubt they were actually smiling back at me! The crowd went crazy, and listening to the girls (in both Japanese and adorable English) was fantastic. My selfish fanboy strategy was to try to get the attention of the members who weren't currently talking, so they could smile and wave back at me (I got the best reactions from Reina, Jun Jun and Lin Lin)! I was totally on the edge of my seat for the whole hour - it was such a great time. After the Q&A, they handed out 500 non-guaranteed "priority" autograph tickets, and since we were up so close, Dae and I got them! Then they announced the location for autographs, so we ran (along with everyone else) to the exhibit hall, only to find the information was incorrect. Fans were wandering around everywhere, asking staff questions, and finally we got the correct answer and made it to the actual location. By that time, other people that solved the mystery first were lined up, but we were still feeling hopeful. Unfortunately, after the hour and a half was up, they closed the door while we were about 100 back in line. That door closing was a depressing sound, but we were told our priority tickets would still be good on Saturday. (Even though I was bummed, I felt better when I met the guy who was only 7th in line when they closed the door!) After using up all of our adrenaline that day, all we could do was get some food (and ice cream!) and crash at Dae's condo. At least we had plenty of rest before the concert the next day! View photos: Anime Expo 2009 Watch video: Morning Musume at AX Opening Ceremonies Labels: jpop, morning musume, photos, trips, videos
Momusu at Anime Expo Part 1
7.06.2009 8:03 PM \| Link 0 comments	It's time to begin my Morning Musume at Anime Expo story! I'd rather write impressions instead of a journal, but I guess chronologically is the only way to tell everything. Right away I discovered that the key to this whole trip was staying up-to-date with my iPhone - without constantly checking Twitter and forums I would have missed so much! The first bombshell happened while I was still in the Austin airport, since someone found out Morning Musume's flight number from Japan, and fans started preparing to meet them at the airport. Although I was worried about being late to the convention center, I decided I had to take the chance, since the airport would be kind of a guaranteed way to see them from 10 feet away. Dae and I hung out in the terminal with about 100 or so other fans (who had a big welcome sign), and after waiting forever for them to get through customs, we finally saw them walking our way! Everyone was screaming, and the girls looked so cute (even though some wore face masks) and waved to us as they walked by. Dae shot a great video, and for some reason Reina appeared to point right at Dae's camera! (Soon my pal Ryan discovered someone else's airport video online and could hear my voice in it.) My first impression of seeing them was that they are much smaller and delicate than I imagined. Of course I was looking for Sayumi, and she seemed so much shorter than she looks on TV! It was fun to see their different reactions - some seemed pumped about being in Los Angeles, some seemed a little timid or scared, and I think some were surprised to see American fans waiting for them. But they were generally bubbly and all smiles, and it was cool to know they had seen us. There's something awesome about knowing that at some level my fandom was now known by the artists themselves - like a small personal connection! After calming down from the awesome airport sighting, we went to the convention center for the first of many huge lines (mostly outside in the sun). After extra waiting because of computer problems, we finally got our badges and immediately went to the concert ticket line, which was huge - I thought for sure we would have bad seats for the show. But when we finally got to the front, they gave us Section C, Row 7 - I couldn't believe it! So the first day was a huge success, and Dae and I celebrated by meeting Ernesto for mohitos, then Mexican food with flaming margaritas. It was a great start to my Jpop adventure! (I only have video posted today, but I'll work on getting photos up tomorrow.) Watch video: Morning Musume at LAX Labels: jpop, morning musume, trips, videos
Shinjirarenai daiseikou
7.05.2009 9:19 PM \| Link 1 comments	I'm home from Los Angeles and Anime Expo, and the trip was better than I ever dreamed! I have so many details that I want to write about, but it's going to take me a few days of posts to get to it all. For now I'll just say that I got to be part of the screaming fans to greet Morning Musume when they arrived at LAX, I got to wave and smile at them from 3rd row seats at their Q&A panel, I had amazing 7th row seats to their first concert ever in America, and then I actually got their autographs (shaking each of their hands twice and saying something to each of them in Japanese)! It took about 20 hours of waiting in lines (over four days), but it was worth it and I would do it again! It was such an emotional, uplifting, dreamlike experience, and now I'm a bigger Morning Musume fan than ever! My pal Dae was the most incredible friend, since he drove me around and waited in all these lines just as a favor to me! It was awesome to see Ernesto again, too - the three of us shared fantastic dinner and drinks, as well as the ritziest July 4th party you can imagine. Enjoy my precious autographs and keep reading this week for more WEBmikey fanboy stories! View photos: Morning Musume autographs Labels: jpop, morning musume, photos, trips
Yume mitai kamo
6.30.2009 6:07 PM \| Link 0 comments	Tomorrow morning I'm flying to Los Angeles for Anime Expo 2009, and I couldn't be more excited! Although I'm a huge anime fan and have been to a couple anime conventions in the past, I'm actually only going this time to see the first Morning Musume concert ever in the continental US! It's going to be a crazy few days of waiting in lots of lines, but I'm up for the challenge (and so is my pal Dae, who is doing me a huge favor by going with me)! Just seeing the concert is going to be amazing, but it would be a dream come true if I can manage to get an autograph (there will be three sessions, but the chances are slim with 40,000 people at the convention). Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to the trip, which includes getting to go to a July 4th party with Dae and Ernesto! I can barely think straight right now, so I'm just going to watch a Morning Musume concert DVD and hit the sack. Stay tuned to Twitter for updates on my adventure and wish me luck! Labels: jpop, morning musume
Hello! Project 2009 Winter: Wonderful Hearts / Elder Club : 4 of 5
6.23.2009 12:24 PM \| Link 0 comments	This two-DVD set contains the last big Hello! Project concerts before the huge mass Elder Club graduation, so I had to get this DVD just for the historical significance. Actually, I thought the actual graduation ceremony would be on this set, but that's another DVD that I have on the way! The first DVD is the Wonderful Hearts concert, which was totally enjoyable. I thought using Resonant Blue as the opening song was a little strange since there are really only two singing parts with about twenty girls on stage, but at least the dance was cool. Mako-chan returns to help out as MC, but unfortunately her voice just isn't near as good as Yaguchi's (who normally does these things). I loved watching Lin Lin and Jun Jun and seeing how their personalities have developed so much lately, and I was impressed with how well Berryz Koubou sings live. But the important part of this set is the second DVD, which is the final (except for the graduation) Elder Club concert. I had a fantastic time watching everyone and thinking about their long careers and everything they've been through. Without them, there would be no Morning Musume for me to enjoy! Yuko is truly the foundation of the whole thing, and you can just see how much she appreciates her fans and really cares about Hello! Project. It was so cool to see little reunions of all the past groups one last time - Tanpopo made me cry, Biyuuden was great (Yui's boobs haven't changed a bit), and I was really psyched to see GAM again. Unfortunately, they wasted a little time with a song from Mano Erina (the exact same thing she sang on Disc One!), but most of the concert was focused on former members of Morning Musume, finishing up with a great melody at the end! Both concerts were really fun to watch, and had plenty of points that made me cheer and cry. Moments like these make it really fun to be a Hello! Project fan! Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume
BoA / BoA : 3 of 5 Utada / This Is The One : 4 of 5
5.23.2009 7:53 AM \| Link 2 comments	Two of my favorite Jpop/Kpop superstars coincidentally both decided they should break into the US market this year with English language albums, so of course I had to support these artists by buying them both (it's pretty nice to be able to pay ten bucks rather than the usual $25 or so!). The first is BoA, the beautiful Korean pop singer that I have been listening to since I bought her CD in Japan (she often releases Japanese language albums), with her US debut CD titled BoA (so original). When I first heard the single Eat You Up, I was a little disappointed since the song didn't showcase her great voice, but I had hoped the album would fix that problem. Unfortunately, that's not the case - BoA's producers made the terrible decision that she needs to sound like every other generic American hip-hop artist, so the album is filled with electronic vocal effects. Let me tell you, BoA does not need to sing through an Auto-Tune! Several of the songs are kind of duets with other ethnic singers, and there are no ballads (which I think are BoA's best songs!). I really wish she would have continued her normal music progression into the US, but now she's just going to blend in with the crowd (I think Lose Your Mind would have been a fantastic hit). However, even after saying all of that, I can't make myself dislike this album - for what it is, it's a totally awesome dance-fest that I can listen to over and over. I don't think the true BoA shines through, but the hip-hop BoA can kick it out. The second artist is Utada Hikaru, who is such a superstar in Japan that her debut album is still the number one selling album ever. Utada actually attempted to break into the US market a few years ago with the album Exodus, which was kind of a disaster (even though I still enjoy the CD) with its embarrassing lyrics (Easy Breezy comes to mind), but now she's ready to try it again with This Is The One. Unlike BoA's complete 180 style change, this Utada album is a natural progression of her musical feel, and the results are totally fantastic (maybe not as good as her previous Heart Station, but still wonderful). The melodies show off her voice, the production is lush, and the mood is perfect - listening to Utada in English feels something like Everything But The Girl crossed with Sade. If you look at the translation of some of Utada's Japanese songs, you quickly realize that she is a talented poet (so much deeper than your average Jpop!), and although her English lyrics are a little more shallow, they are still filled with beautiful metaphors that go far beyond BoA's dance floor urgings (though I have to say Dirty Desire is way beneath her!). This Is The One is a solid album that I'll be listening to a lot. I hope both of these artists accomplish what they want with these US releases, although I have to admit it feels a little cooler to buy import CDs directly from Japan! Labels: boa, cds, jpop
Music Moments 4.09
4.09.2009 5:44 PM \| Link 0 comments	Catalina by Air / Landing on the Rock: I'll start off these quick music reviews with a couple completely biased opinions. My pals Dae and Ernesto got together to form a new music project called Catalina by Air, and their first album is now available on iTunes! Dae and Ernesto have been my friends and band mates since the Day Jobs days, and their new music has a wonderfully relaxed 20s-30s jazz feel. There are original songs by both Dae (who sings and plays guitars, as well as most other instruments) and Ernesto (who blows some sweet sax), as well as classic standards that everyone knows. I love their music, and encourage everyone to check it out! Dave Clupper / Letting Go: When in lived in Tulsa, the Cluppers were like a second family to me, and we always had fun making music together. Dave Clupper has continued to become an incredible songwriter, and now he has two albums available on iTunes! His latest is Letting Go, which features both live and studio cuts, and includes many songs that are very dear to me (since I sung them with the Cluppers so many times). Sunset Train will always be the most uplifting and comforting song about leaving this world that I'll ever hear, and the version on this album is wonderful! If you're in the mood for some Tulsa folk music, you'll love Dave Clupper. Morning Musume / Naichau Kamo: It's time to get back to the usual Jpop that I'm always listening to, which of course includes Morning Musume's latest single Naichau Kamo (which is already available on their recent full album, but I'm saving that for another review). When I first heard this song, I wasn't too happy they used a cut-time feel in a sad song, but now I'm totally into it. Everyone (including Sayumi) gets some good lines, and they all look stylish in the video (not everyone enjoys watching Jpop idols cry, but I think it's moving). I'm also super-psyched about the B-side Yowamushi, which is a Risa and Sayumi duet! Risa sounds effortlessly awesome, and Sayumi tries her best not to sound like a hamster (and mostly succeeds). Berryz Koubou / Special Best Vol 1: I haven't mentioned Berryz Koubou much on WEBmikey, but of course I listen to them (since every Morning Musume fan automatically becomes a semi-fan of all Hello! Project groups), and since I'm a sucker for compilations, I really enjoyed this album. I was excited that their recent singles are included (I love Madayade and yes, even Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance), but I can't believe that my absolute favorite Berryz song, Kokuhaku no Funsui Hiroba, is missing! High School Musical 3 / Original Soundtrack: Finally, I had to complete my High School Musical collection with the third soundtrack (which I was able to get for free as an Amazon promotion), and even though I'd rank it last among all three, I still think it's great. I don't really like the longer tracks (like the full Spring Musical, which gets a little boring), but the duets like Right Here, RIght Now and Zac's solo Scream are pretty cool songs! Labels: cds, disney, jpop, morning musume, pals
Morning Musume Concert Tour 2008 Aki / Resonant Live : 5 of 5
4.02.2009 6:35 PM \| Link 0 comments	I always have a great time watching Morning Musume concert DVDs, but some shows are definitely better than others. From the first few songs of this concert, I somehow knew this was going to be an awesome show! Everyone's energy seemed to be full blast right from the beginning, and I love seeing all of the girls looking so into it, enjoying what they're doing in their own individual way, feeling confident and happy! Seeing them nail their dance moves, smiling and singing like there's nothing else they would rather be doing, is like magic - this performance definitely made me think, "Oh yeah, this is why I love Morning Musume!" This concert features better than average camera work, and I thought the graphics displayed on the big screens on the set were pretty cool, and really accented the look of the show. Speaking of look, this whole event seemed much more stylish and mature than recent concerts, and the costumes were fantastic, with barely a feather in sight (I get tired of all those silly ruffles!). I completely flipped out over the songs from Cover You (Lin Lin's opening on Koi no Dial 6700 was adorable), and I really enjoyed everyone's solo songs, especially Ai-chan and Gaki-san, who definitely know how to inject emotion into their songs. And even though I can't stand Koharu most of the time, I have to say I just about fell out of my chair when she actually sung her song with Milky Way instead of lip syncing like she always does. There are usually moments in concerts where I roll my eyes, but this show just seemed to have everything going for it - even the menus on the DVD look extra cool! Maybe I was just in a good mood (or looking forward to seeing them at Anime Expo!), but Resonant Live is one of the best Morning Musume concerts I've watched in a long time! Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume
Cinderella The Musical / Morning Musume : 4 of 5
2.15.2009 7:57 AM \| Link 0 comments	I was pretty impressed by Morning Musume's previous collaboration with the famous Takarazuka Revue, the musical production of Princess Knight, so I was really interested in this latest production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic production. I bought the official DVD release, but never got around to watching it until Hello!Fansubs released their incredible subbed version, and now I can't believe I waited so long! I seriously didn't expect to enjoy Cinderella so much, but in my opinion, it was simply fantastic! The only reason I'm not giving this a five star review has to do only with the original musical itself, since there are some scenes and songs that are just kind of boring and tend to make the story drag (especially in the first act). However, most of the music is just wonderful, filled with romantic waltz melodies that had my heart soaring, and they are sung so beautifully by Takahashi Ai as Cinderella and Niigaki Risa as the Prince! Their performances are truly incredible - I think their voices and acting ability are far beyond what the average Jpop idol could accomplish. Ai-chan looks as elegant as ever, and Risa is completely convincing playing a male role (her deeper "male" voice is great). The sets are pretty impressive (especially the ballroom staircase), and the other members of Morning Musume do a fine job in their smaller parts (thank goodness they gave Koharu a subdued role so she couldn't spaz out and ruin the show). I have to admit that I totally broke down when Cinderella and the Prince finally get together - they just turned this scene into a romance powerhouse! I really hope Morning Musume continues to make musicals, but it's going to be difficult to top Cinderella. Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume
Three Small Things 2.6.09
2.06.2009 12:24 PM \| Link 0 comments	I finally tried out my DrumDial drum tuner that I got for Christmas, and it was really amazing and interesting to use! I tuned my rack tom and snare to the suggested tensions, and from what I can tell without playing my full kit at home, the results will be awesome (a little lower pitched than I'm used to, but so much more resonant). It was pretty fascinating to see the dial move as I tightened the rods, and it was crazy to see how off my ear-tuning was (but of course, it's tough to hear the differences at each spot on the drum head). I'm looking forward to hearing how the whole kit sounds together at my next gig! For quite a while I was addicted to Sayumi Michishige and Reina Tanaka's (of Morning Musume, of course) individual talk radio shows, and I used to download them and try to keep track of them in iTunes and on my iPhone. I really enjoy the shows, which are great for Japanese listening practice (translated transcripts are often available online), plus they feature some cool music (not to mention that Sayu's cute laugh cheers me up every time!). Anyway, I stopped listening to them since I got tired of managing the downloads, but now the awesome site Sayumin.org (which features nearly all the Hello! Project radio shows) has a special iPhone website with streaming capability! I can listen to Reina or Sayumi anytime I want without downloading a thing, which is awesome and convenient! (In fact, I listened so much during work yesterday that I totally drained my iPhone battery - I'll be more careful next time!) You might remember that I was saving up my Disney Movie Rewards points to get the exclusive Zorro DVD set, and thanks to all the DVDs I got for Christmas, I was able to finally order it! It arrived last week, and it looks like a fantastic six-DVD set - I thought it might be a little cheap since it's not sold in stores, but the artwork quality is really nice, and I'm looking forward to watching the entire series (after I finish the rest of my Christmas sets, of course). I'm sure I'll be singing the Zorro theme song for weeks in the future. Labels: disney, drums, jpop, morning musume, small things
Men-Dol : 3 of 5
1.24.2009 8:26 AM \| Link 0 comments	Although there are several more "serious" Japanese dramas I'd like to watch, I kind of stumbled upon Men-Dol because of my recent AKB48 fandom, since the subbed episodes were available on Hello!Online where I download my other Jpop shows. I was interested in the show since the main characters are three of the most popular AKB48 girls (including Haruna Kojima, who also had a part in Gokusen 3), but I had no idea I was in for the craziest, raciest, silliest series I've seen so far! Men-Dol (which is short for Ikemen Idol, something like "hot guy idol") is about three girls who want to become pop stars, but never make it past their auditions. They accidently get mixed up in a Yakuza crime and dress up as boys to escape, which somehow leads them to a lesbian entertainment agent who decides they should have a career as a boy band. It's just as bizarre as it sounds, but everything is played for light-hearted laughs even though the subject matter is often a little taboo! There are several bizarre romances going on - a cute female singer falls for one of the "boys" (often leading to awkward kisses), and a guy record executive is so confused by his feelings for one of the "boys" that he thinks he's becoming gay. This show makes every effort to tantalize the audience with scenes of the girls in their pajamas or getting spanked by their dominatrix agent, but even though it's a little raunchy, it's all in good fun! Don't worry, the usual Japanese drama morals about friendship and following your dreams are also all over the place. Men-Dol is only a 30-minute show, but each episode has nice production values (not a low budget show) and great theme music (by AKB48, of course). This drama is definitely a wild ride and completely unlike any other show I've watched, but it was a laugh-filled blast! Labels: jdrama, jpop
Value of the mundane
1.11.2009 8:50 AM \| Link 1 comments	I'm only a casual fan of Jpop artist Shoko Nakagawa (or Shokotan to her fans), but I still have lots of her songs in my library, and I like to watch her music videos (I saw her Shiny Gate video many times since the "idol olympics" premise was genius!). Shokotan is kind of a hero to the otaku world since she's open about how much she loves anime, manga, video games, and all kinds of geeky stuff, and I think that's pretty cool. This week I read an article about her and her lifestyle that's been getting attention on several websites, and it ends with a fantastic quote that's surprisingly meaningful: We only have a limited life. You don't know how many more pictures you can draw. You don't know how many more songs you can sing. You don't know how many more times you can play with your cat. You don't know how many video games you can complete while you're alive. Lots of people (myself included) sometimes feel guilty for enjoying "mundane" things, since they think they should always be trying to fulfill some lofty cause. But I think you can also have a full life just by finding things that make you happy and diving into them! Most of WEBmikey is just ramblings about all the media I consume, but I'm not ashamed of it - I love all the things I write about, and experiencing these things makes me happy (and since I think happiness can affect others around you, there's even a kind of purpose to it). For me, if I'm really enjoying something, there's no such thing as wasting time, so I'm going to continue to be like Shokotan and fill my life with things I enjoy! Labels: jpop, life
Morning Musume / Cover You : 4 of 5
12.16.2008 7:46 AM \| Link 0 comments	Normally I would wait until I had some other CDs to review in my usual Music Moments post, but Morning Musume's latest CD is so unique and enjoyable that I thought it deserves a solo review! Cover You is a collection of classic Japanese pop hits by the lyricist Yuu Aku, most famous for writing Pink Lady hits like Pepper Keibu and UFO (both of which are on this CD). I wasn't sure what to expect from an album full of 1970s era music sung by Morning Musume, but I'm totally impressed by the production quality, the awesome Momusu-ized arrangements, and the great variety of styles on this CD! Of course, there's an abundance of Ai-chan's strong singing voice all over the place, but everyone else does an amazing job filling these often cheesy songs with emotion and energy (I always love hearing Sayumi's voice giving it all she's got!). It's really wonderful to listen to a whole CD of practically new material, since only two of these songs were released on the Pepper Keibu single. My favorite tracks are Seishun Jidai, which has some fantastic piano work and sounds just like a tokusatsu theme song to me, and I also love Koi no Dial 6700 with its rock and roll feel. It was fun to recognize many of these songs from watching Japanese music TV shows - I had already heard hits like Watashi no Aoi Tori and Izakaya many times. There's only one track that I keep skipping over, since Koharu's antics make me queasy, but other than that I've really enjoyed hearing this CD over and over in my car! I'm interested in finding out if and how these great songs will be integrated into Morning Musume's future concerts - I really want to see them performed live! Labels: cds, jpop, morning musume
Hello! Project 2008 Summer Wonderful Hearts Koen : 3 of 5
12.02.2008 7:31 PM \| Link 0 comments	It's kind of weird watching Hello! Project's summer concert in the middle of December, but I really enjoyed seeing this big show full of summer-themed songs showcasing Morning Musume, Berryz Koubou, and C-ute! Although this show wasn't as large-scale as previous combined concerts that I've seen (no race track stage this time), the set design and camera work were great, with the girls playing to cameras every chance they could get. Unfortunately, too much of this show was lip-synched for my taste, but when they really did decide to sing, the sound was great (especially C-ute, who had surprisingly mature voices with actual vibrato)! I always enjoy the solo and small group sections the most during these big concerts, so after enduring the usual Koharu crap (sorry, she's just so annoying!) there were plenty of fine performances. Ai-chan came across as a really elegant adult, Lin Lin got to sing Hajimete Kuchibiru wo Kasaneta Yoru (one of my favorite H!P songs), and Sayumi and Risako did a fantastic duet version of Chu! Natsu Party, which was almost as good as their previous Robokiss performance! But by far the best part of the concert is the final song, a really moving tune that everyone sings with a little actual harmony thrown in. There's a moment when Lin Lin and Jun Jun get to sing solo with Chinese lyrics, and the results are incredible! Both of them just light-up with the confidence of singing in their native language, and their voices really shine - it was a definitely a teary-eyed moment for me! Overall, this concert was really hit and miss - some moments were amazing, the MC work was pretty boring, and I really missed the older pros like Nacchi who used to appear in these combined shows. But of course I still enjoyed watching this DVD, and I'm sure I'll continue buying and loving these concerts for a long time! Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume
Music Moments 11.08
11.25.2008 6:18 AM \| Link 0 comments	Morning Musume / Pepper Keibu & Romance: It's always exciting when a new Morning Musume single is released, and I had lots of fun watching the excellent music video over and over! This cover of the classic Pink Lady hit is really cool (especially since Sayumi finally gets a line again, plus the super-cute final "Pepper Keibu yo!"), but I was even more impressed with Romance, which has fantastic emotional lyrics and a heart-wrenching melody! I think this is definitely one of their best singles in a while, and I'm really looking forward to their complete album of cover tunes. The Brilliant Green / Complete Single Collection '97-'08: I first heard The Brilliant Green on a mix MD that my pal Matt made for me years ago, which prompted me to listen to some of their recent singles like Stand By Me and Ash Like Snow. After I heard those, I knew I had to get this CD, since their sound is full of great guitars (so unlike the usual synth-heavy Jpop). Nearly every song here is incredible, with amazing chord progressions (Hello Another Way is one of the best!), and I even bought the DVD with all of the music videos, since Tomoko always looks like she just woke up! mc chris / mc chris is dead: I've been an mc chris fan since the Aqua Teen days - even though Hip Hop and Rap are pretty far off my musical radar, Nerdcore is awesome! His latest CD has some of his coolest music yet with some really mind-blowing rhymes, even though they aren't quite as hilarious as his previous work (it seems like he's traded imaginary sexual bravado for singing about pizza and Reese's Pieces!). The title track is pretty incredible, and Hoodie Ninja is also amazing, so this CD definitely gets lots of play time in my car! Ben Folds / Way to Normal: I've been a Ben Folds fan for a long time, so I bought his latest CD without thinking twice. Although overall it's not one of the best, this is still a solid group of great songs - I'm always impressed with Ben's piano prowess and lyrical genius. Some of the tunes use intentional distortion that I find annoying, but most of the songs are really nice, with a good mix of emotion and hilariously clever lyrics. No matter how goofy it is, Bitch Went Nuts is a blast to sing in the car! High School Musical 2 / Original Soundtrack: Since I really enjoyed the first soundtrack album, I decided to get this CD to get ready for High School Musical 3! This second soundtrack isn't quite as good as the first, but it still has some great moments. I thought Bet On It was an awesome performance in the movie, and the energy still comes across on the CD. Unfortunately some of the other songs aren't so exciting (I Don't Dance is a little boring), and I'm always going to skip Sharpay's crazy Hawaiian song, but generally this CD is fun and uplifting as expected, and now I need to get the third soundtrack! Labels: cds, disney, jpop, morning musume
Morning Musume Concert Tour 2008 Haru Single Sai Shugo! : 4 of 5
9.28.2008 10:17 AM \| Link 0 comments	Once again I'm way behind the times Jpop-wise, since this DVD came out such a long time ago, but I still have to say a few words about this cool concert, which is at least twice as great as Morning Musume's previous disappointing show! The theme for this concert is to perform every single, so this show is wall-to-wall music, with very little talking segments (which is fine with me). I love seeing the current line-up perform older songs like Morning Coffee (which was actually sung with harmony, and the girls look great in their skirts), and squeezing everything in means the arrangers had to get creative with medleys. Sometimes these are awesome - the transition from Namida ga Tomaranai Houkago to Memory Seishun no Hikari was fantastic, but some of the other transitions were absolutely terrible. I really liked the new piano arrangements for a few of the songs (especially Sayumi's unexpected Furusato solo!). The camera work was nice this time around - I liked the long shots (rather than all the usual quick cuts), and the on-stage low angle camera was interesting, too. Jun Jun did a great job with her solo lines, but Lin Lin needs to stop smiling on serious or sad songs. Gaki-san was brimming with confidence, and Koharu was just embarrassing as usual (yuck). Sayumi was sweet and cute (but didn't get enough camera time), and Reina's longer hair looked nice (but I could do without that weird fake shoulder tattoo). Most of the outfits were too frilly, but things got skimpy near the end! I'm glad Morning Musume recovered from their last effort with such an awesome concert - this is definitely one I want to watch again soon! Labels: dvds, jpop, morning musume
Music Moments 9.08
9.20.2008 8:43 AM \| Link 0 comments	Eisley / Room Noises: A long time ago I downloaded a free iTunes track of Telescope Eyes, a truly fantastic song that I've listened to a million times, so I finally bought the complete CD. Eisley has a really unique sound featuring three female voices that blend incredibly well, and the harmonies are so much fun to sing with. The instrumentation is cool, too, although I wish the guitars were a little heavier at times. Most of their songs have a bit of a melancholy to them, but sometimes that fits my mood exactly! Nami Tamaki / Don't Stay: I really didn't like Nami's last single Gokigendaze, but I decided I had to be a loyal fan and buy her latest album, and I'm glad I did - every other track is better than that goofy song! This CD also came with a great DVD with lots of cool videos, though I still like Nami's dance moves from when she was younger better (and has anyone noticed her adult face isn't as cute anymore?). Brightdown is such a cool track - high emotion and high energy! High King / Cinderella Complex: Of course I'm still buying CDs featuring members of Morning Musume, and Cinderella Complex is definitely a cool song with the voices of Ai-chan and Reina. I really like the pseudo-latin feel to this song - it definitely gets my drummer reflexes going! High School Musical Soundtrack: Being the Disney fan that I am, I eventually had to succumb and buy this CD. I was in the mood for some positive, upbeat music, and High School Musical definitely delivers. The production values are great on this CD, and I love the harmonies - Zac is really a pretty awesome singer (and I can say that even as a guy)! The Best Of Godzilla 1954-1975 Original Film Soundtracks: After watching so many Godzilla movies, I had to urge to hear some theme songs in my iTunes mix, so I discovered this amazing collection of all of the best music on one CD! Along with the Akira Ifukube's fantastic theme, there are plenty of sound effect tracks, and of course the awesome original Mothra song! Labels: cds, disney, godzilla, jpop
Burning less time with Apple TV
7.24.2008 7:50 PM \| Link 0 comments	My HDTV just got one more set of inputs filled in this week, since I finally got an Apple TV! I've been thinking about buying one for a long time, and now that I'm enjoying it, I can't believe I waited so long. Even though I think the iTunes Store integration, YouTube and Flickr access features are really cool, my main purpose is to watch all the Jpop video that I download all the time. Until now, this has been my weekly routine: download the latest episodes of Haromoni@, Berikyuu!, lots of music videos and other random stuff, then use VisualHub to create DVD images, burn the DVDs, then watch them on TV when I have the time. Each week I've been spending time burning several DVDs that I typically watch once and then store in a box, but now my video life is a little easier. I'm still using VisualHub to convert everything to Apple TV format, but then iTunes automatically transfers everything so it's only a few clicks of the remote away! The best part for me is each video file maintains its true aspect ratio, which would sometimes get messed up when I would combine different ratios on one DVD. I discovered that I can browse everything on Apple TV easier if I tag everything as a TV show (which I can do easily via AppleScript), so I can categorize video however I like (plus I can remember what I've watched since there's a handy indicator). Using the Apple TV menus and browsing everything is lots of fun, and I love seeing my latest Flickr photos as a screen saver! I'm really happy with Apple TV so far, and I'm enjoying my weekly Jpop fix in style now. Labels: apple, jpop
Biyuden Single V Clips 2 / Arigatou Biyuden Debut Kara no Dai Zenshuu : 4 of 5
6.05.2008 12:38 PM \| Link 0 comments	It's a shame that I really didn't get interested in Biyuden until after they called it quits, but at least they released this great collection of all of their videos to say good bye! I was surprised that I had seen almost all of these videos before (I somehow assumed the Biyuden had a much longer career), but I always enjoy having a full set on DVD, and it was especially fun seeing the videos that were new to me. The videos all seem to have a slightly higher budget than the usual Hello! Project stuff, and it's kind of nice to enjoy a slower editing pace since there are only three girls to focus on. Of course, part of Biyuden's appeal is their sexiness, which certainly can't be mistaken in songs like Aisu Kuriimu to My Purin (I think every outfit should have a belly button peephole!), but I was really impressed with their elegance in Kurenai no Kisetsu, and I love the hilarious cardboard cutout scenes in Issai Gassai Anata ni Ageru (yes, I know they're dancing in slips - is there a problem with that?). Although I'm already a Rika fan, seeing all these videos together made me appreciate Yui and Erika much more. Yui is totally cute and can hit a harmony note every now and then, and Erika can really be beautiful (although her speaking voice is so unappealing to me). I'm glad this DVD included the video for Biyuden's farewell single Nanni mo Iwazu ni I Love You, which is not only a great song, but skillfully shot in just the right way to make you feel sad that you'll never see this group again! Along with the ten official videos, the DVD also includes alternate versions of everything, plus a nice Making Of segment. This DVD is definitely a nice parting gift for Biyuden fans, and it's going to get a lot of repeat viewing from me! Labels: dvds, jpop
Music Moments 6.08
6.02.2008 7:22 AM \| Link 0 comments	My latest music purchases have all been Jpop (surprise!), so here's my quick thoughts on five cool CDs! BoA / The Face: I tend to get so obsessed with Hello! Project artists that I forget about the spectacular BoA, then I see her again and suddenly she's my absolute favorite! Her latest CD is fantastic, filled with beautiful ballads and dance-tastic tracks like Lose Your Mind, and of course I had to get the deluxe version with a DVD of all of the videos (simply breathtaking!) and a second DVD of over an hour of great concert footage, plus a long TV special with lots of interviews and Making Of segments. Kumi Koda / Kingdom: Although I'm not enough of a Ku-chan fan to keep up with all her singles, I'm still devoted enough for full album releases, and just like BoA, this CD came with two DVDs as well! The DVD of videos is great (and includes an interesting genre breakdown menu), and the concert DVD is fantastic. This CD has an incredible production mix (sounds great in my car!) and my favorite track is More, since Kumi's voice can really sink into those bluesy notes. Namie Amuro / 60s70s80s: I had to buy this release after I had already seen the videos, because they're just that good! Each song and video has the style and feel of a particular decade (and samples appropriate songs like Baby Love and What A Feeling), and these are big budget productions that are a blast to watch (especially Rock Steady, with it's hilarious English dialogue and subtitles). Utada Hikaru / Heart Station: I'm always amazed at Hikki-chan's sheer talent and the deep emotion and thought that goes into her songs, and her latest CD is fantastic. The title track is really addictive, and I'm happy that Flavor of Life (from Hana Yori Dango 2) was included (although the non-ballad version isn't so great). I also have to mention that Boku wa Kuma is such a cute tune thats really fun to learn if you're studying Japanese! Morning Musume / Resonant Blue: I'm sure I'm the last fan to express my feelings about this single, but I don't care - I love it! This is the first time I bought both versions of the single to be sure I had all the incarnations of the video, and truthfully, I was totally moved the first time I saw Another Version, thinking about how hard these girls work to make their fans happy (which includes me!). I love songs with this kind of emotion, and even though I hate to see Sayumi pushed to the background, Reina and Ai-chan sound great to me! Labels: boa, cds, jpop, morning musume
I can't stop watching Disney Musume!
5.09.2008 12:40 PM \| Link 0 comments	It's time for some serious fan gushing, because this morning I just discovered the incredible music video of the classic Mickey Mouse March that Morning Musume made for a recent NHK special! It features all the girls dancing around Toontown in Tokyo Disneyland, right along with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Chip & Dale! Since I'm a huge Disney fan, and a huge Morning Musume fan, I just can't get enough of this video (as ridiculous as that sounds) - my favorite things are all here like toppings on an ice cream sundae and I'm overwhelmed by the cute explosion! On the Disney side, Toontown looks great, Mickey's costume is fresh and unique, and the crazy instrumentation of the song definitely has that Disney touch. On the Morning Musume side, their matching costumes are wonderful, the kawaii-experts like Sayumi look so at home in Disneyland, and everyone's little interjections are cool (of course, I love hearing phrases like "Let's dancing!", because it makes it even more adorable!). It even has on-screen Japanese lyrics, which I have pretty much memorized already! After watching the video (over and over) on YouTube, I found some high-quality versions on the Hello!Online tracker, and now I have it on my iPhone so I can get an emergency fix anytime I want! Watch video: Morning Musume / Mickey Mouse March Labels: disney, jpop, morning musume
Hello! Project 2008 Winter / Kettei! Haropuro Award '08 : 4 of 5
5.04.2008 7:59 AM \| Link 0 comments	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
5.02.2008 7:46 AM \| Link 0 comments	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! Labels: dvds, jpop, tokusatsu
Morning Musume Concert Tour 2007 Aki Bon Kyu! Bon Kyu! Bomb : 3 of 5
4.05.2008 2:25 PM \| Link 0 comments	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
3.09.2008 7:20 AM \| Link 0 comments	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! Labels: cds, jpop