What draws you to H!P?

[Farrah]

Both of them are pretty dodgy live, so... I've always HATED Risa's live voice. At least Ai only foghorns on some songs - Risa does these annoying squeals amd RHUGGH noises at the end of like, every line. Eri does great on ballads, I love her Kataomoi no Owari ni performance, but kind of dies on dancing songs. I would honestly rather Eri be in Reina's place, as far as lines, but that seems to be a very unpopular opinion.

[Gerald]

[quote name='Ang' post='76233' date='Feb 24 2010, 04:36 PM']Both of them are pretty dodgy live, so... I've always HATED Risa's live voice. At least Ai only foghorns on some songs - Risa does these annoying squeals amd RHUGGH noises at the end of like, every line.[/quote]

I think we must agree to disagree on this one.



[quote name='Ang' post='76233' date='Feb 24 2010, 04:36 PM']Eri does great on ballads, I love her Kataomoi no Owari ni performance, but kind of dies on dancing songs. I would honestly rather Eri be in Reina's place, as far as lines, but that seems to be a very unpopular opinion.[/quote]

I think we must agree to agree on this one.



I think Eri has really improved a lot in the last couple of years, her voice is still a little weak but she does actually seem to try and interpret the lines and she always looks as if she's having a lot of fun.

[Special Needs Tricycle]

Eri's developing that Ayu-esque fake vibrato recently and it's irritating. That's all I wanted to say. I like H!P in every way. Past and present.

[Infinite Loop]

I wish I could say it was just the music, but I was first introduced/hooked via ASEL, so I don't think that argument would hold water. Certainly the music was a big part and kept me around, as by the time I got into H!P (March 2006) all their best TV appearances had come and gone, but for the first six months or so I probably spent almost as much time watching subbed Utabans as listening to the music. At the time, all of it just made me immensely happy. It was a pretty awesome time, actually.



I haven't been listening or following much at all in the last 6+ months, because the appeal is mostly lost on me. As idols, I don't find them especially attractive anymore - not moreso than than any other pretty girls. Even if they had the personalities, they don't have nearly the same outlets to showcase them. It also doesn't help that I'm getting older and they're all getting younger <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/wink.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' /> And musically, I think there have been some really interesting songs both then and now, and my problem isn't that I find the new stuff to be inferior - I just haven't been getting much out of pop music recently. I still like the songs that I used to, but they aren't the outlet they used to be for me. My frame of reference has changed.

[Gerald]

[quote name='Infinite Loop' post='76264' date='Feb 25 2010, 03:05 PM']My frame of reference has changed.[/quote]

An inevitability of aging I think. There is music that I used to listen to when I was 14/15 that I loved yet I would never dream of listening to it now even though it's the same music, yet there is also other songs/groups that still excites me just as much as they did back then. I've even found music that I didn't like when I was younger that I have rediscovered and that I now really love.



I'm never sure whether all of this is just a sign of growing maturity, although I think many that know me would suggest that maturity and I have never had much contact with each other <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />.



I prefer to think it is more that the older I get the more music I hear and the more it inevitably shapes my musical tastes (I know some might argue that this is a sign of maturity in action). Maybe there will come a day (if they keep going) that I will shrug my shoulders at MM and say "Oh yes, I used to like them a lot". I hope it doesn't happen as (with all the music) it makes me kind of sad to think I have lost something I loved.



OK, I have now depressed myself and will have to go and listen to Koi no Shihatsu Ressha (Album version) repeatedly to cheer myself up again.

[nickyyeong]

I like the songs of H!P regardless of old or current members...The songs are just awesome and I keep listening to them...I love the members of H!P too...they are just so pretty and funny....I guess that would be my answer.....

[writerserenyty]

[quote name='Ap2000' post='76029' date='Feb 21 2010, 10:27 AM']I don't dislike Ai and Reina, nor their voices. They both can sing quite well, but it's just that they are sooo overused after all this years that I want to hear the others more and make it sound fresh again, III JA NAAAAI ?[/quote]

This.



I like their voices, but the songs have become SO formulaic that it lacks the punch of Golden Era MM, to me. I didn't get into H!P in the Golden Era, but I do remember discovering songs and going "Woah, Yossy got lead? And Rika got center here!" Now it's predictable: Ai solo, Reina solo, Eri solo, Niigaki solo and Sayu shout/moan/gasp. Ai leads, next is Reina, and then Eri and Risa get SOME lines but not to the extent of Ai and Reina. It's just much more boring than the variety of Golden Era. Yes, Abe and Goto were the leads, but not to the extent of Current MM. I mean, the only song they really dominated was Do It! Now and even that's debatable, as Ai and KonKon got mini leads, and Mari and Kaori got solos as well. Now, there's a new MM single out, I already know the formula. It's less interesting.



I mean, I definitely prefer Golden Era H!P music for a variety of reasons as well as the PVs. I really like current H!P's music, but it's not much of a question which I prefer.

[Farrah]

I would love to for Linlin to get more lines but I definitely don't want to hear more Aika or Junjun. I'm a huge Junjun fangirl but she's a really weak singer and sounds basically just like Saki/Maasa/Yurina to me.

[writerserenyty]

I just mean that I want more surprises with line distribution. As it currently is, there are none in recent MM, which makes the singles almost formulaic and slightly boring. I'm all for the voices of the current leaders, but I just want variety.

[fpd]

Now? Nothing :/

I haven't really cared about much of anything in H!P for three or four years now tbh, I just like this forum still haha.



Back when I first got into it, I listened to Slipknot and shit, and was a really angry kid, and it was HAPPY AS FUCK lol, so that's mainly what drew me to it. I had met a few people at the Indiana Academy who had kinda helped me change my outlook on life, and my friend Thanh had just gotten into H!P over the summer and I walked in on him watching Kashimashi Monogatari one day and got hooked. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' />



I actually took a walk today and happened to turn on Plat 9 disc on my Zune and was thinking about why exactly I didn't care about that album or anything after it really. I like the album music wise, but as far as wanting to see stuff with them or a concert or w/e I couldn't care less really. I was thinking that maybe it had a little bit to do with having seen most of them "grow up" over the last several years and being a little weirded out at them actually being attractive now lol. When they were younger I kind of had a sort of feeling that they were sisters moreso than any sort of romantic interest or w/e. (That sounds a lot more creepy than it really is in reality lol, hopefully you understand what I mean. Not real sisters or anything, but the same sort of feeling that you'd have toward a sister being cute or w/e) So now that I come back after like 2-3 years of not seeing them and they're all grown up it kinda weirds me out a bit possibly. :/



It's probably moreso though what was already said that they stopped being on tv variety shows and such and seemed to just have no personality anymore/no interest from hosts.

[Geof]

[quote name='writerserenyty' post='76887' date='Mar 9 2010, 09:09 AM'][quote name='Ap2000' post='76029' date='Feb 21 2010, 10:27 AM']I don't dislike Ai and Reina, nor their voices. They both can sing quite well, but it's just that they are sooo overused after all this years that I want to hear the others more and make it sound fresh again, III JA NAAAAI ?[/quote]

This.



I like their voices, but the songs have become SO formulaic that it lacks the punch of Golden Era MM, to me. I didn't get into H!P in the Golden Era, but I do remember discovering songs and going "Woah, Yossy got lead? And Rika got center here!" Now it's predictable: Ai solo, Reina solo, Eri solo, Niigaki solo and Sayu shout/moan/gasp. Ai leads, next is Reina, and then Eri and Risa get SOME lines but not to the extent of Ai and Reina. It's just much more boring than the variety of Golden Era. Yes, Abe and Goto were the leads, but not to the extent of Current MM. I mean, the only song they really dominated was Do It! Now and even that's debatable, as Ai and KonKon got mini leads, and Mari and Kaori got solos as well. Now, there's a new MM single out, I already know the formula. It's less interesting.



I mean, I definitely prefer Golden Era H!P music for a variety of reasons as well as the PVs. I really like current H!P's music, but it's not much of a question which I prefer.

[/quote]

When the other girls lean how to sing, they'll be more than welcome to join in the lead parts.

[Nicky]

I don't mind that 8th gen doesn't get leads, but they should get one or two sololines on an a-side.



What MM really needs is AUDITIONS!



And for once they need to pick a girl with vocal talent AND personality. Not for looks, MM needs serious vocal talent and personality now.



Back on topic:



What draws me to H!P is the music, even though OgMNI was not good.

[cromartiedropout]

[quote name='Special Needs Tricycle' post='76246' date='Feb 24 2010, 11:27 PM']I like H!P in every way. Past and present.[/quote]



This.

[JPope]

Count me in with the "I like Risa's voice more than Reina's voice" crowd. I think it has to do with the fact that Risa has slowly, almost stealthily become a very solid singer with a very nice voice, and Reina has not really changed much since "Shabondama". And I honestly think Takahashi has regressed.

[Gerald]

[quote name='JPope' post='77379' date='Mar 20 2010, 09:09 PM']Count me in with the "I like Risa's voice more than Reina's voice" crowd. I think it has to do with the fact that Risa has slowly, almost stealthily become a very solid singer with a very nice voice, and Reina has not really changed much since "Shabondama".[/quote]

This.



[quote name='JPope' post='77379' date='Mar 20 2010, 09:09 PM']And I honestly think Takahashi has regressed.[/quote]

Not sure I agree with that, I don't think she has regressed so much as being asked to do things that her voice just isn't suited to. I get the feeling that she has been told to put more punch into her vocals and it just doesn't work, if that's what Tsunku wants I would go for Risa or LinLin (I'm sure he will take note of my comments and act on them immediately <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... stling.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />).

[Beecubed]

Rika Ishikawa xD



Well, she isn't it a part of it anymore...



So it's gotta be Morning Musume of course. The girls - their endearing characters. You see, I'm still trying to catch up with the all the variety shows and stuff, so I'm still into them. I wonder what will happen when I finish watching everything...



But still. I have to say H!P music in general is very easy to listen to - as well as uplifting and energetic - makes you want to smile a bit more. ^__^

[Darkolumb]

[quote name='Beecubed' post='77750' date='Mar 27 2010, 09:55 AM']I wonder what will happen when I finish watching everything...[/quote]





You become cynical and bitter, and gradually lose complete and utter interest. Eventually you commit suicide while Chokotto Love plays softly in the background.... <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />





All kidding aside, I think I've loved singing groups since I've been a kid. My first love was the Spice Girls followed briefly by BSB and SClub7. The group formula plus different personalities plays for a dynamic that I've loved following. Since I'm gay, I really don't have any other reason to like H!P (because let's face it the only one I think is hot is Yossie) Other than the music and cute girls being dorky. For the last year though, I've gradually lost complete interest in the music. Idol Jpop is completely unoriginal and has had the same sound since the late 80s. But everywhere else in the world, Pop music at least evolves slightly over time. I know criticizing a genre such as Idol pop music as being unoriginal is rather pointless. But even American pop has evolved over the years from that 90s pop sound with occasional influences of various other genres, to everything hip-hop, to this current trend of everything techno and synthpop (granted the generic pop sound is still there) and that's just in the last decade. Jpop simply doesn't change enough to keep me interested. And H!P's music writers seem to think that putting out garbage is okay because they're "idols" and not "artists". but even the talentless hacks that flood the industry in every other country have composers and writers that strive to be trend seekers and give their singers songs that will at least sound new and fresh even though it may be a stolen trend from some other pop artist. I lose my sanity every time I hear that exact same arrangement formula of Instrumental-->Solo Line-->Group Line--Solo Line-->Group Line-->Group Bridge-->Group Chorus ending with them saying the title of the song-->Instrumental-->Repeat.



The variety side and video content they put out is the only thing that keeps me interested at this point. I love watching new PVs and seeing them slowly progress. Variety shows are my favourite though simply because they get to show off their personalities. It's a shame though that this seems to be a dying trend. Granted, I'm still hooked even though there's little content. Mostly I just follow this BBS and occasionally the other forums out there and see what's new. I think most of my interest comes from seeing Morning Musume do better than it has. I find they've been gaining momentum since they were derailed back in 05. I just hope it's enough to keep them afloat.

[Beecubed]

[quote name='Zaku' post='77761' date='Mar 28 2010, 12:08 AM']All kidding aside, I think I've loved singing groups since I've been a kid. My first love was the Spice Girls followed briefly by BSB and SClub7. The group formula plus different personalities plays for a dynamic that I've loved following. Since I'm gay, I really don't have any other reason to like H!P (because let's face it the only one I think is hot is Yossie) Other than the music and cute girls being dorky. For the last year though, I've gradually lost complete interest in the music. Idol Jpop is completely unoriginal and has had the same sound since the late 80s. But everywhere else in the world, Pop music at least evolves slightly over time. I know criticizing a genre such as Idol pop music as being unoriginal is rather pointless. But even American pop has evolved over the years from that 90s pop sound with occasional influences of various other genres, to everything hip-hop, to this current trend of everything techno and synthpop (granted the generic pop sound is still there) and that's just in the last decade. Jpop simply doesn't change enough to keep me interested. And H!P's music writers seem to think that putting out garbage is okay because they're "idols" and not "artists". but even the talentless hacks that flood the industry in every other country have composers and writers that strive to be trend seekers and give their singers songs that will at least sound new and fresh even though it may be a stolen trend from some other pop artist. I lose my sanity every time I hear that exact same arrangement formula of Instrumental-->Solo Line-->Group Line--Solo Line-->Group Line-->Group Bridge-->Group Chorus ending with them saying the title of the song-->Instrumental-->Repeat.



The variety side and video content they put out is the only thing that keeps me interested at this point. I love watching new PVs and seeing them slowly progress. Variety shows are my favourite though simply because they get to show off their personalities. It's a shame though that this seems to be a dying trend. Granted, I'm still hooked even though there's little content. Mostly I just follow this BBS and occasionally the other forums out there and see what's new. I think most of my interest comes from seeing Morning Musume do better than it has. I find they've been gaining momentum since they were derailed back in 05. I just hope it's enough to keep them afloat.[/quote]





*thumbs up on the great post*



I agree with you for the most part. But the thing is, I've only recently gotten into H!P music xD I was once quite adamant about not getting into 'garbage' music. So it's still quite new to me, and I'm enjoying it while I can.



Honestly, who actually got into the H!P purely through a music standpoint? You either get sucked in by the looks or by attachment to them through variety shows. That's the feeling I get anyway...



If I didn't like these girls as much as I do now, I doubt I'd be listening to the music.



They really need a platform to show off their personalities on a regular basis. Guest appearances on shows every now and then aren't enough to satisfy. It would be awesome if they could partake in shows like the Korean celebrities do - you know, that baby show that SNSD did... that kind of stuff!

[Haru]

Funny, the reason I like Hello! Project is the music...

As usual, I'm the odd one out.



After a while, I picked up on each girl's personalities; but that was after I listened to the music for the way. I was that way with Momusu, then Buono!, then Berryz.

They really need a platform to show off their personalities on a regular basis. Guest appearances on shows every now and then aren't enough to satisfy. It would be awesome if they could partake in shows like the Korean celebrities do - you know, that baby show that SNSD did... that kind of stuff!

That's what Hello! Morning and Haromoni@ were for.

I have no clue why they don't have another show. AKB48 has like eleventyseven million shows (AKBingo! is the first one that comes to mind), but all the Hello! Project girls have are the radio shows. Radio shows are great, but you can pick up on someone's personality better on television; where you can see someone's reaction to something rather than hear it.

[Darkolumb]

Funny, the reason I like Hello! Project is the music...

As usual, I'm the odd one out.

Oh don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those self-hating fans that despises everything about H!P. A lot of H!P's older singles and album work is amazing. Some of the best Jpop comes from early H!P. What confounds me is the fact that singles today are nothing but crappy rehashes of a sound that never sold well (Go Girl comes to mind) Even album songs and b-sides are better than singles these days because they're different.

That's what Hello! Morning and Haromoni@ were for.

I have no clue why they don't have another show. AKB48 has like eleventyseven million shows (AKBingo! is the first one that comes to mind), but all the Hello! Project girls have are the radio shows. Radio shows are great, but you can pick up on someone's personality better on television; where you can see someone's reaction to something rather than hear it.

Correction, That's what Hello! Morning WAS for Until it derailed into riding Roller-coasters and playing childrens' games until it was dead and buried. I honestly don't even know what Haromoni@ was. Like, did the TV producers get their ideas from grade school kids? It was like they didn't care enough to make an actual show so they tried to make the most boring television program to get the show canned. Budget may have been an issue, but then again, The best episodes of Hello! Morning had a total budget of 50$ for rope and things to dangle in front of the girls >_>

[JPope]

[quote name='Haru' post='77831' date='Mar 29 2010, 11:13 AM']That's what Hello! Morning and Haromoni@ were for.

I have no clue why they don't have another show.[/quote]

Probably because no network cares to devote valuable air time to a has-been idol group that very few viewers care about.

[neshcom]

[quote name='JPope' post='77866' date='Mar 29 2010, 11:50 PM'][quote name='Haru' post='77831' date='Mar 29 2010, 11:13 AM']That's what Hello! Morning and Haromoni@ were for.

I have no clue why they don't have another show.[/quote]

Probably because no network cares to devote valuable air time to a has-been idol group that very few viewers care about.

[/quote]

If H!P really wanted to have some sort of periodic show, they would probably start some sort of internet, new-media show. I mean, I bet they've got an empty room in their offices where X number of girls can sit and talk about food and pimp things for 5/10 minutes a week. Hell, it'd be Hello Pro Hour, but interesting and candid and cheaper.

[al kusanagi]

HP does have several shows going on now. The problem is that none of them really involve MM in any way, other than guest appearances on Esper Mano.

[Milly]

[quote name='JPope' post='77866' date='Mar 30 2010, 05:50 AM'][quote name='Haru' post='77831' date='Mar 29 2010, 11:13 AM']That's what Hello! Morning and Haromoni@ were for.

I have no clue why they don't have another show.[/quote]

Probably because no network cares to devote valuable air time to a has-been idol group that very few viewers care about.

[/quote]

When AKBingo (or AKB 1ji59fun) started, AKB48 had lower single sales than Berryz Koubou. The time slot it aired was late at night but the show was/is more entertaining than Haromoni@ ever was. I think their rise in popularity is partly because of this show.



H!P has a late night slot as well but they keep filling it with boring stuff like Bijo Houdan and the new Bijo Gaku. They should use the time slot for something that is just mindless fun.

[Ap2000]

[quote name='Milly' post='77892' date='Mar 30 2010, 08:22 PM'][quote name='JPope' post='77866' date='Mar 30 2010, 05:50 AM'][quote name='Haru' post='77831' date='Mar 29 2010, 11:13 AM']That's what Hello! Morning and Haromoni@ were for.

I have no clue why they don't have another show.[/quote]

Probably because no network cares to devote valuable air time to a has-been idol group that very few viewers care about.

[/quote]

When AKBingo (or AKB 1ji59fun) started, AKB48 had lower single sales than Berryz Koubou. The time slot it aired was late at night but the show was/is more entertaining than Haromoni@ ever was. I think their rise in popularity is partly because of this show.



H!P has a late night slot as well but they keep filling it with boring stuff like Bijo Houdan and the new Bijo Gaku. They should use the time slot for something that is just mindless fun.

[/quote]



I think it's different wether a producer tries something new (akbingo) or something has become stale and had really bad ratings for quite a long time (haromoni and that yorosen crap).



Also, just because they have a series with a few girls in them, doesn't mean they can show whatever they want instead of it.

[eri]

I really enjoyed reading all of the responses in the thread...



I have some pretty complicated reasons for first liking mm, but maybe it can boil down to identity confusions and being fascinated by the entire idol package (songs, pretty girls, cute clothes, high entertainment value of the girls themselves). It might be useful to note that I also liked them BEFORE the golden era, but my fandom probably really solidified by the time the 4th generation came around. Like others, my frame of reference has completely changed. 11 years, 3 degrees, and a marriage sit between my high-school self watching HeyHeyHey! and the current me yet, I'm still listening to the music churned out by the H!P empire.



I'm not sure why because the girls don't particularly impress me anymore per se and I find the fakeness of idols generally grating now (though others still find idols charming). I also find it odd that people insist the girls really are secret entertainment gems and just need some platform to show it off. To me, their personalities now are just as constructed and synthetic as the music they make. I don't want another tv show so they can interchangeably put on the cutesy-one, the sexy-one, or the tsundere-one and run around like morons playing kindergarten games for "mindless fun." Bijo Houdan is actually a leap-frog up in trying to legitimize the potential of various H!P girls by individualizing them and juxtaposing them with other famous, established people.



[quote name='TnB' post='75986' date='Feb 20 2010, 02:59 PM']What I REALLY would like to know is, what makes people who find current H!P terrible and boring stick around.[/quote]

I'm sure its partly nostalgia, partly attachment to the forum, and genuine interest for the few great songs they still put out. It is also because of those rare moments of confessional insight that make the girls interesting again (ie. Takahashi's insecurities, Sayumi's self-aware comedy). Also, Buono and Berryz revitalized interest for me. Buono takes care of its image, sound, PVs, and the balance of different and appealing girls.



And Em-El got me on the Mano bandwagon <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' /> I can't help liking her! Logic be damned.

[Rinnie]

I got hooked on HP waaay back in... I don't even know when xD I was into Jrock, wouldn't even dream of touching something so non-hardcore, and then I heard Mini Moni's Strawberry Pie and fell in love. After that came a deep and intense fascination with C-ute and Berryz before I stumbled upon the real deal, MM, with the song Shabondama.



When I became a fan, the Golden Era was well over and MM was releasing such utter bullshit (ahem, chart-topping hits!) as Iroppoi Jirettai (Koharu... -shakes head in shame-) and Chokkan 2 (like we needed a second one). But there was still plenty of real music for me to enjoy between small doses of this fluffy crap (back when gen.5 were young'uns is my favorite time, MR.MOONLIGHT~) and while I eventually came to enjoy every single Morning Musume A-side at least to some extent, it's these songs I'll always love the best.



So, why do I stick around? When I know there will never be another Renai Revolution or Yoshizawa Hitomi? I suppose it's a mix of the current girls and the songs that we have now, awful as some of them are... if they're catchy, I'll still listen, and while Kimagure Princess is so far below Golden Era singles that I'm ashamed to admit that I listen to some of this stuff, no one can deny that it has a catchy melody that gets embedded in your head until you burst out into "mukidashi no mama no iro SEXY PRINCESS" in the middle of the school hallways, complete with the little ass-rubbing movement. And all my original favorites have moved on, but there are girls I stick around specifically for: I know it'll never happen, but I'm rooting for JunJun, Chisato and Nakky, and Shimizu Saki to take the lead in their respective units. Actually, the only girl I've ever rooted for that made it to a respectable position is Niigaki Risa...



I can't help it. I hear about a new release, listen to it, and something hooks me. Therefore, I keep caring.



BUT!!! For the record, Berryz has not had a good release since Dakishimete Dakishimete so I have been ignoring them. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':popper:' />