H!P predictions for 2009!

[kuhaiyaazi]

The main reason that Reina was the only one with a solo is because they needed equal line distribution and someone had to do the solo.

This is a fallacious argument for the following reasons:



1) There didn't have to be a solo. Nine is evenly divisible by three, for example. (Yes, I know, Pink Lady tribute blah blah.)

2) Even if you chose to have pairs + solos as they currently do, the solo lines could be distributed among different members instead of being monopolized by one of them. This would involve shuffling up the other pairs, but there is no particular problem with that.

3) Since when have they ever needed equal line distribution?

You're taking my argument out of context, you must be dead set on proving me wrong. That statement is only an introduction to my argument with my deductions written afterward, did you not read my entire post? If they wanted to create a song with those specific parameters, there would have to be some form of equality lines-wise and there would have to be a solo. The statement itself isn't intended as an absolute, but the arrangement of the song is, hence why I said:

So basically [Reina] gets to sing about as much as Ai or Risa does, maybe even less since she misses out on two choruses. If it wasn't Reina with the solo, it would be someone else, but the distribution wouldn't change.

My point was, if not Reina, it would have been anyone. This is assuming that the parameters for the song are absolute and not adjusted based upon who needs to be where/sing what, which is also a possibility.



Again, this is pretty off topic. If you intend to reply please message me instead.

[sadude]

Anyway, I think there is actually a good reason to oppose adding "a Korean" to MM, and that is if it is merely done as part of a deliberate program to expand the exhibits at the diversity zoo that H!P is half-heartedly (or quarter-heartedly) groping toward. They've already hit mainland China and Taiwan. Next on their Pokemon list they can catch a Korean before moving on to Indochina? Some might call it pan-Asian outreach, but I would call it a particularly clumsy form of pandering. Advocating "adding a Korean" in the abstract frames nationality as the primary consideration, betraying an underlying attitude of diversity fetishism. I happen to find this almost as repugnant as more usual forms of racial fetishism. I don't think idol groups have any particular need to resemble Benetton ads, nor are they necessarily made better by doing so. But if the best prospect available happens to be Korean -- if a BoA clone comes forth and wants to join H!P for some strange reason -- then sure, bring her on board.

I don't know about that. In a way I do agree with you: putting a Korean member in MM itself would be awkward, but I don't think wanting that is necessarily what you said, being an attitude of diversity fetishism. Wanting a foreign member isn't wanting it to be diverse for the hell of it, just wanting to see it expand in a certain direction with a specific nationality because that's what they like or are familiar with (Kpop).



If UFA can expand H!P successfully, making more money and reaching more people, why shouldn't they pander?

I think Takahashi is going to leave really soon. Maybe along with Risa, though Risa doesn't seem like she has any safety net when they boot her out.

Sometimes I wonder if UFA should be more conscientious about steering out members who clearly have no future in entertainment before their prospects of leading a normal life are totally wrecked.

Why should they? It's a business, so their main concern is to make money. As long as they make a half-hearted effort to give them a basic elementary school education (and the option for high school?), then it's the girls' and their parents' decision to spend their ~teenage years trying to make it as an entertainer with little to no security in the future.

She doesn't sing AT ALL in two choruses. If you watch the PV, for those segments where the girls are doing that revolving thing (coming up from the back to the front, sing, then going to the back of the line again) that they do at the beginning and then after the group chorus, Reina's in the back just chilling. So basically she gets to sing about as much as Ai or Risa does, maybe even less since she misses out on two choruses. If it wasn't Reina with the solo, it would be someone else, but the distribution wouldn't change.



If you think about it Reina kind of gets the short end of the stick. For the other girls, if you sing slightly out of tune, the other girl sort of covers you until you get back in tune since whenever they sing it's always with someone else or with the group. If you're singing alone, it's twice as obvious when you mess up, especially if you're the only one in the entire song that sings alone.



So they didn't make Reina have a solo line just because it's REINA, they did it because someone has to sing by themselves in order for their to be almost equal line distribution. I agree with you about everything else about Reina (even the camera whore part, which I love about her anyway - what's so wrong about self promoting? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/wink.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> ) but she doesn't deserve the flak for getting a solo part in PK especially since line distribution isn't the fault of any of the girls.

She doesn't deserve flak for it, but saying that they could've easily given it to anyone isn't true. They didn't make her have a solo line because it's her, but they made it her because the solo line was available. They favor her and have for a while when it comes to being leads in songs, but that's because she's one of the better singers.



Also, solo lines get more weight than shared lines, so you can't compare those two in saying that they sang about the same. She gets more attention and no one would really care if she messed up, so trying to paint solo lines as a negative is quite a stretch you got there. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Again, this is pretty off topic. If you intend to reply please message me instead.

Nah, it's fine, it's not too off-topic. Line distribution is related to the topic and came from someone bringing it up.

[kuhaiyaazi]

^Haha, maybe I am romanticizing it a smidgen. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/wink.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> But my point is it's not the girl's fault if she gets lines, which is why I think it's a little ridiculous that people start to dislike a girl just because she's featured, may it seem unfair or not.



It's not off-topic? Maybe since I'm a little new here I feel like I have to walk on eggshells about some things... You guys do seem a little more inclined towards actual discussion which can be considered a little different than other forums where a dissenter can be cast out. I'm glad that is not the case with this forum. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... joyful.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[yiersansi]

-a joint concert (like the BK and C-ute one but I was thinking MM and H!S!JUMP!)

-a song on the next MM album being all in Chinese

-a commercial with MM in it

-return of the Shuffles!!

-return of Suprise English Lesson but intsead of English, Chinese!!!

-a new Sukeban movie

[Kago]

[quote name='YiErSanSi' post='58576' date='Feb 1 2009, 03:24 AM']-a joint concert (like the BK and C-ute one but I was thinking MM and H!S!JUMP!)[/quote]



With.. a Johnny's group far younger than MM's average age?

[eri]

[quote name='moralar' post='58465' date='Jan 30 2009, 11:11 PM']Anyway, I think there is actually a good reason to oppose adding "a Korean" to MM, and that is if it is merely done as part of a deliberate program to expand the exhibits at the diversity zoo that H!P is half-heartedly (or quarter-heartedly) groping toward. They've already hit mainland China and Taiwan. Next on their Pokemon list they can catch a Korean before moving on to Indochina? Some might call it pan-Asian outreach, but I would call it a particularly clumsy form of pandering. Advocating "adding a Korean" in the abstract frames nationality as the primary consideration, betraying an underlying attitude of diversity fetishism. I happen to find this almost as repugnant as more usual forms of racial fetishism. I don't think idol groups have any particular need to resemble Benetton ads, nor are they necessarily made better by doing so. But if the best prospect available happens to be Korean -- if a BoA clone comes forth and wants to join H!P for some strange reason -- then sure, bring her on board.[/quote]



Under other circumstances, I would agree. However, adding Chinese, Taiwanese, etc girls has nothing to do with appealing to a "multi-cultural" aesthetic in Japan. They have never tried to pass of the Chinese girls as "the non-Japanese girls next door in multi-racial Japan." And they also did not go the route of "Japanese people should listen to us because we have added two exotic Chinese girls!" In fact, I was pretty surprised that the two Chinese girls' difference were not highlighted significantly in their tenure in H!P. This is not a "pan-Asian outreach" either, with all the euphemistic wording of a humanitarian project. In the end, adding the two girls was a concentrated move to directly target mm's Chinese language fan base in the larger Asian region. This move is repeated with the Taiwanese copy-cat group -- they are not marketed to Japanese listeners but to the overseas wota.





So, while "diversity fetishism" is a huge problem (Benetton hits the stop), this is not an example of that.

[dscharles]

+ Ai-chan graduation

A have a theory about that... (I called it "I transfer you all my popularity before I graduate"). Ai-chan is sharing her screen time with reina because reina will be the next lead singer in the near future.

If you see the singles near a important graduation, you will see that the line distribution is irregular (too much solos for 2 or 3), and after the graduation it returns to normality.

I didn't count Onna ni Sachi are (I think it was too near the leave of Fujimoto). Mikan - Normal. (Hey! What if Ai-chan graduate?) Resonant Blue - Aichan & Reina festival; Pepper Keibu - Reina's solo; Naichau Kamo - Reina & Aichan.

For example, before Hitomi graduation

Ambitious! - Normal; Aruiteru - Fujimoto + Aichan + Koharu; Egao YES Nude - Fujimoto, Aichan, Niigaki and Hitomi; Kanashimi Twilight - Fujimoto + Aichan festival

So... 1 album and maybe a single, and then aichan will graduate.

+ Nobody joins MM (They have announced they will do a Korean audition, if they find a real good girl, maybe they will put her in MM. But I don't think they are doing it for MM)

+ More one-shot units featuring eggs. A unit with the ongaku eggs.

+ A MM blog (where all the girls can post). And a Berryz / C-ute blog too <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':omgwtf:' />

+ Please, a new web for H!P

[yiersansi]

[quote name='Pi Kago' post='58577' date='Feb 1 2009, 03:49 AM'][quote name='YiErSanSi' post='58576' date='Feb 1 2009, 03:24 AM']-a joint concert (like the BK and C-ute one but I was thinking MM and H!S!JUMP!)[/quote]



With.. a Johnny's group far younger than MM's average age?

[/quote]

Yeah that could be a problem, how about Berryz Koubou then?

[alita87]

Well after 2 very long concerts at Yokohama, which I will detail about later in my blog and post a link here if people would like, I can confirm one of the predictions.



There will be auditions in Korea.

However they do not appear to be for Morning Musume. They are going to be like the Taiwanese with an audition program broadcast on Korean cable television starting sometime this year.



Got to do a handshake with Ice Creamusume, they are all completely adorable. But also really short. I'm only 157 and non of the girls were taller than me, or if one was it was by maybe a couple of centimeters.

[Madara]

[quote name='alita87' post='58645' date='Feb 2 2009, 08:03 AM']Well after 2 very long concerts at Yokohama, which I will detail about later in my blog and post a link here if people would like, I can confirm one of the predictions.



There will be auditions in Korea.

However they do not appear to be for Morning Musume. They are going to be like the Taiwanese with an audition program broadcast on Korean cable television starting sometime this year.



Got to do a handshake with Ice Creamusume, they are all completely adorable. But also really short. I'm only 157 and non of the girls were taller than me, or if one was it was by maybe a couple of centimeters.[/quote]





I'd love to hear your report on the concerts. Can you start a thread on it? And include a link to your blog?



Thanks.



Also, can you tell me who Ice Creamusume are? I realize there's a whole thread devoted to them, but none of the posts there explains who they are. And since you actually saw them, who better to ask?



Thanks.

[Hana]

[quote name='Madara' post='58649' date='Feb 1 2009, 02:23 PM']Also, can you tell me who Ice Creamusume are? I realize there's a whole thread devoted to them, but none of the posts there explains who they are. And since you actually saw them, who better to ask?[/quote]

I know I'm not Alita, but I can answer this now since I don't see her on at the moment.



Ice Creamusume is the new Taiwanese H!P group. They held auditions in summer last year, but Tsunku was fairly un-involved with the whole process, and only appeared on the finale (someone can clear up if he had the final say or if he was just there to announce the winners, I'm a little confused on that). 6 girls were chosen, and they released their debut album this month. 5 of the 7 songs are in Chinese, and 2 are in Japanese.



1) Lian Ai Deng Chang (original song, Chinese ver.)

2) Morning Coffee (Chinese ver., different arrangement)

3) Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai Darou (Chinese ver., new arrangement from Japanese ver. [which is un-released but has been performed previously in concert])

4) Renai Revolution 21 (Chinese ver.)

5) Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~ (Chinese ver.)

6) Debut! ~Koi Suru Kado ni wa Fuku Kitaru~ (Japanese ver. of track 1)

7) Morning Coffee (Japanese ver., uses same arrangement from track 2)



Since that's all they've done so far, it's unclear if they're going to be mostly a cover group or if they'll start doing original songs later on. Most of the songs seem to feature new lyrics (although I don't know Chinese), so they're not 100% carbon-copy covers

[JoshuaHallto]

My Prediction (more like wishes) for H!P 2009 is (these are all Berryz and C-ute predictions)



1) that (hopefully) Maiha (OMG I LOVE HER) or Megumi (I want Maiha to come back more then Megumi) to come back to H!P

2) Risako will not take the lead role in Berryz Koubou

3) Airi and Maimi will step down so Chisato, Erika, and Kanna gets the lead!

4) Chinami or Captain Will take the lead role in Berryz Koubou

5) Berikyuu will come back

6) Everyone will realize that Buono! is a perm. Group within H!P

7) CHINAMI OR CAPTAIN WILL TAKE THE LEAD ROLE IN BERRYZ KOUBOU AND RISAKO WILL STEP DOWN!





if only....I want number 1 to happen the most though.

[Special Needs Tricycle]

Hopeful newbies are so cute. ;_;

[JoshuaHallto]

^ Hey now! Those ideas are amazing! Dont deny it! Everyone would love to see Maiha come back and Risako step down.

[Special Needs Tricycle]

Actually, no. Especially not to Chinami or Captain Eyebrows.

[JoshuaHallto]

wow do you even realize how rude that was? and apparently your a Airi Fan. Airi also needs to step down and let others take the lead.

[Hana]

It's not like the girls really get a say about who leads or doesn't lead, though.

[Special Needs Tricycle]

[quote name='JoshuaHallto' post='58674' date='Feb 1 2009, 08:10 PM']wow do you even realize how rude that was? and apparently your a Airi Fan. Airi also needs to step down and let other take the lead.[/quote]

Hahahahaha sit the fuck down.

[tsukinobyouin]

[quote name='JoshuaHallto' post='58674' date='Feb 1 2009, 08:10 PM']wow do you even realize how rude that was?[/quote]



<img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /lmfao.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' />



Oh boy. I can already see you're going to have a fabulous time here.

[JoshuaHallto]

*ignoring Special Needs Tricycle for extensive rudeness*



Hana I know but it just bothers me that everyone C-ute song and ever Berryz Koubou is the same. Lead By Risako/Airi/Maimi with a few lines by Mai/Saki/Miya/Momo/Chii/Kumai-chan and Maasa-chan

[Prinny Squad]

[quote name='JoshuaHallto' post='58674' date='Feb 2 2009, 01:10 AM']wow do you even realize how rude that was? and apparently your a Airi Fan. Airi also needs to step down and let other take the lead.[/quote]





Here are my predictions!



- Korean auditions are for another Musume group.



- At least one old group will be revived. I don't know why, but with the theme of global domination lately I'm scared to think that Coconuts Musume may rise again in the US <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hawhaw.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' /> Or maybe even T&C Bomber, with the way they've been promoting their return lately?



- No graduations, but maybe auditions.



- Morning Musume members start having solo careers without graduating?



- MM Subgroups return. Please god in heaven, let Gaki and Junjun do something together.



- C-ute and Berryz continue their rise.



- Mano Erina's solo concert tanks, is relegated to Yuki Maeda status.



- At the most, one scandal will happen, but I kinda doubt that one.

[sadude]

[quote name='JoshuaHallto' post='58674' date='Feb 1 2009, 08:10 PM']wow do you even realize how rude that was? and apparently your a Airi Fan. Airi also needs to step down and let other take the lead.[/quote]

Calm down, Sparky, and get in line. There's a lot of blind and quite frankly dumb hope in your list and in your follow-up, so don't complain when someone calls you on it. Trike's replies, while succinct, were not that bad and not particularly rude.



Write in full sentences and preview your posts, also. If you can't bother putting thought and care into your posts then don't bother posting at all.

[JoshuaHallto]

^

captain-eyebrows...thats pretty rude



and explain these dumb hopes in my list. AND IN MY FOLLOW UP? oh wow. Dumb hope?





And another thing. "If you can't bother putting thought AND CARE into your posts then don't bother posting at all."



Of all people, your telling that to me?



"Sit the fuck down"



uncalled for.

[Pflaume]

Iiinterjections! Interjections!



While I understand (on some level) your finding that comment rude, you are on the wroooong board if that sort of thing bugs you. Joking jabs at members, songs, board members, and everything else are what we do here, and I mean... "Captain Eyebrows"? It's not like he called her "Slutty McCokewhore." <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/huh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' />



As for the "sit the fuck down"... that's Trike, man. He's a little sassafrass. He tells me to get the AIDS every time we braid each other's hair.

[Special Needs Tricycle]

Don't make me take my earrings off.

[Special Needs Tricycle]

Alright, I'll explain myself instead of leaving you in the dark.



Welcome to MM-BBS. First of all, you really need to read the rules. Especially 2 and 4. This place really isn't like any of the other H!P forums that are usually huge hugboxes. We're usually pretty snarky, and really, if I didn't poke fun at your list of "predictions," someone else was definitely going to. Telling you to sit the fuck down was probably a bit overboard, but calling Saki "Captain Eyebrows" is really low-key for a lot of the names that get thrown around here. I suggest you lurk a bit if you seriously want to start posting here, bro.



Also, none of the girls have even a slight say in their positions in the group. Suggesting that a girl might "step down" to let another girl be the front girl is one of the most ridiculous things that could be said about H!P.

[sadude]

[quote name='JoshuaHallto' post='58688' date='Feb 1 2009, 09:07 PM']^

captain-eyebrows...thats pretty rude[/quote]

That wasn't that rude, really. Saki's eyebrows are a pretty defining feature of her face, and nicknaming her as such was pretty mild and falling in line with the sense of humor common on this board.

[quote name='JoshuaHallto' post='58688' date='Feb 1 2009, 09:07 PM']and explain these dumb hopes in my list. AND IN MY FOLLOW UP? oh wow. Dumb hope?[/quote]

Blind, yes. Dumb, no, sorry about that. But realize that you got really indignant in your replies and came across a certain way because of it, especially in being offended at "Captain Eyebrows".

[quote name='JoshuaHallto' post='58688' date='Feb 1 2009, 09:07 PM']And another thing. "If you can't bother putting thought AND CARE into your posts then don't bother posting at all."



Of all people, your telling that to me?[/quote]

Yes, I was telling that to you because some of your posts were a bit careless in terms of grammar, spelling, and even word usage ("it just bothers me that everyone C-ute song and ever Berryz Koubou is the same"). Some of it is minor, yes, (apostrophes, "your" and "you're", CAPS, using -chan and such, etc.), but it gets on people's nerves and doesn't help your case in a conflict.

Basically, check the rules, ok? A lot of this could've been avoided because some of this is addressed there, including taking stuff too seriously.

[quote name='JoshuaHallto' post='58688' date='Feb 1 2009, 09:07 PM']"Sit the fuck down"



uncalled for.[/quote]

It was. I talked to him, see post above.

[alita87]

[quote name='Hana' post='58652' date='Feb 2 2009, 07:45 AM'][quote name='Madara' post='58649' date='Feb 1 2009, 02:23 PM']Also, can you tell me who Ice Creamusume are? I realize there's a whole thread devoted to them, but none of the posts there explains who they are. And since you actually saw them, who better to ask?[/quote]

I know I'm not Alita, but I can answer this now since I don't see her on at the moment.



Ice Creamusume is the new Taiwanese H!P group. They held auditions in summer last year, but Tsunku was fairly un-involved with the whole process, and only appeared on the finale (someone can clear up if he had the final say or if he was just there to announce the winners, I'm a little confused on that). 6 girls were chosen, and they released their debut album this month. 5 of the 7 songs are in Chinese, and 2 are in Japanese.



1) Lian Ai Deng Chang (original song, Chinese ver.)

2) Morning Coffee (Chinese ver., different arrangement)

3) Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai Darou (Chinese ver., new arrangement from Japanese ver. [which is un-released but has been performed previously in concert])

4) Renai Revolution 21 (Chinese ver.)

5) Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~ (Chinese ver.)

6) Debut! ~Koi Suru Kado ni wa Fuku Kitaru~ (Japanese ver. of track 1)

7) Morning Coffee (Japanese ver., uses same arrangement from track 2)



Since that's all they've done so far, it's unclear if they're going to be mostly a cover group or if they'll start doing original songs later on. Most of the songs seem to feature new lyrics (although I don't know Chinese), so they're not 100% carbon-copy covers

[/quote]



// Ignoring the drama going on in part of the thread.



Thanks for replying for me, I had to sleep sometime <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... joyful.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whatthe:' /> I did sleep on the night bus ride back but it was more of a passed out from exhaustion sleep than just sleeping to rest.



I think Tsunku did have a big say in the Taiwan auditions, about halfway through the show they sometimes had times where they showed him watching and commenting on tapes of the show sent to him in Japan. Which is why he then brought those two girls back on, but they were kicked off again and yet Tsunku still put them　in the final group. They are really short and their Japanese is bad but their live singing was pretty good and even though I hate the dressing them alike thing I do like their personalities, especially Youko.



As a preview to my report (which I will write after I get home from work tonight) the two special award winners Aiko and　Francis were also there as dancers during the Kirarin song.

[Madara]

Thanks for the info, Hana and Alita. Much appreciated. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />





Anyway, back to the frontline combat...



I love Saki.

I love her eyebrows.

"Captain Eyebrows" has a nice ring to it.



Maybe it's time to remake the "Hyokkori Hyoutanjima" pirate ship video with Berryz and cast Saki as...Captain Eyebrows! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... pirate.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':pirate:' /> I can see her with a pirate hat on, standing on deck, waving a cutlass, shouting orders and giving Risako a few lashes for forgetting to batten down the mizzenmast or something. I'd pay to see that.

[vanillacat]

1. I'm going to disagree with the "adding a Korean" prediction because of the Pandas and Ice Creamusume; right now, I think H!P's concentrating very heavily on China/Taiwan and the potentials there.

To the best of my knowledge, China doesn't currently have a girl group that defines the nation (like MM used to be the defining group of Japan), and if properly executed, MM could have a lot of success there. UFA has questionable business tactics at times, but I think they're smart enough to realize they can't devote time promoting MM in three+ nations at a time.



Plus, 8th gen is incredibly underutilized as is. I'm hoping they'll figure out how to use the 8th gen before adding a 9th.



Plus plus, there is a HUGE market for girl groups in Korea right now with the way the k-pop scene is rolling, so I'm not entirely sure many Korean girls would want to run off and join a foreign pop group on the decline when there's ample opportunity in their home country.



2. Seriously, they better figure out what they're going to do with 8th gen, because if I was Sir Not Appearing In This Film, Tall Panda, or That New Girl Who's Actually Not Really New At All, I'd be pretty pissed at my lack of promotion and would want to leave..



3. Brain-bleedingly bad Kirari single that'll put Panananapanpancake to shame.



4. Berryz vs. C-ute cage match, fo' srs'. Ok, it's a wishlist item, but still. That thread was epic.



5. Another RAWK MM single a la Kanashimi Twilight, but hopefully airing more on the side of Bonkyuu Bomb? I'm HOPING for fun stuff, but I predict it'll suck.



6. Too bored to come up with more.