The Official H!P Question Thread

[Madara]

I recently watched the Summer 2007 H!P concert for the first time (one of the best I've seen and I'll do a blog entry on it this week) and I particularly enjoyed the work of the Eggs, esp. in the very beginning when they perform "Say Hello" and warm up the crowd before the main acts come out.



There's one Egg in particular who stands out and I thought she might be a member of the Possible since she's grouped with them in the backstage footage. But when I tried to pick her out from the Possible members during their number, I couldn't find her unless she was the one they disguised in hat and glasses. And when I looked up the group on Jpopstop.com, I couldn't find one who looked like her, unless she's changed a lot in 3 years (always possible). So, can anyone identify this Egg for me and confirm whether she is or is not a member of The Possible?



Thanks.

[Juju]

^ I'm pretty sure that's Hashimoto Aina! (She's my favourite member of THE Possible. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /heart.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />)

[Madara]

[quote name='Juju' post='79930' date='May 19 2010, 05:53 AM']^ I'm pretty sure that's Hashimoto Aina! (She's my favourite member of THE Possible. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /heart.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />)[/quote]



Thanks, I'll take your word for it. It's just that the glasses and hat she put on for the Possible threw me way off.



BTW, I've got my first blog entry up on the Summer 2007 concert. One of the best H!P concerts ever and it was completely new to me!

[Madara]

While updating my blog this morning, I listened to Country Musume's second album, the one with Miuna, Mai Satoda and Asami Kimura on the cover. The album has 12 tracks and a number of them have Rika Ishikawa headlining them, while others have Miki Fujimoto, Asami Konno and Rinne Toda on them. Yet not a word about Rika, Miki, et al on the album cover or the track list. Their names only appear in tiny letters in the booklet under the heading "Vocals" for each song, under the printed lyrics.



Why don't they make a big deal about Rika's and Miki's participation? Don't you think that would have been a selling point? Why wouldn't the managers of the affected performers demand some kind of on-the-case credit? In the U.S., any name performer who contributes even so much as a grunt on another record is billed on the DVD cover.



Just wondering.



BTW, the second part of my coverage of one of H!P's greatest concerts is up on my blog.

Here's a preview:







Pt. 3 will be up within a day.

[al kusanagi]

When it came to the promotion, PVs, live performances, etc. the Rika/Miki/Konno versions of CM were all about them and the CM girls were completely secondary. If you check out the single covers you'll find them at the front and center. It's good they made the album all about the CM girls rather than the "support members" that pretty much took over the group.

[Madara]

[quote name='Al Kusanagi' post='80123' date='May 24 2010, 12:47 AM']When it came to the promotion, PVs, live performances, etc. the Rika/Miki/Konno versions of CM were all about them and the CM girls were completely secondary. If you check out the single covers you'll find them at the front and center. It's good they made the album all about the CM girls rather than the "support members" that pretty much took over the group.[/quote]



Ah, so it all balances out. Thanks, that's good to know.



(Of course, if I was in charge, I'd play up Rika and Miki's participation every chance I got, from every angle I could. No offense to the CM girls, who are perfectly competent and enjoyable performers, but none of them are stars--or ever could be--in the way that Rika and Miki are.)



P.S. Pt. 3 is up.

[Madara]

[quote name='Al Kusanagi' post='80123' date='May 24 2010, 01:47 AM']When it came to the promotion, PVs, live performances, etc. the Rika/Miki/Konno versions of CM were all about them and the CM girls were completely secondary. If you check out the single covers you'll find them at the front and center. It's good they made the album all about the CM girls rather than the "support members" that pretty much took over the group.[/quote]





Okay, I've had some time to think about this and there's an ethic at work here that seems kind of strange to me but may be rather commendable--if I'm reading it correctly. The idea seems to be to "make the album all about the CM girls rather than the 'support members'" as a way of compensating the CM girls because Rika/Miki/Konno got all the attention in the promos, PVs, live performances, etc. If that was done to make nice to the CM girls, I can't argue with it at all from an ethical standpoint. It's good when management does anything helpful for the girls. But from a business standpoint, it doesn't really make much sense, given what I presume is the greater popularity of Rika and Miki. And since Country Musume is no more, maybe it wasn't such a good strategy after all. (Although it probably made no difference whatsoever in the long run.)



Sorry to mull over ancient promotional strategies for a long-forgotten album. I'm just trying to understand the philosophy behind decisions made by the powers-that-be in that organization.

[Pucchi-Mo]

Because the last CM+K&F single was 2004, and the album didn't come out until 2006, the MM girls technically were not in the group any longer. Regular studio H!P CD covers rarely include girls who are not in the group when it is released.



The 2nd album was really a compilation of Country Musume songs, with 1 new track sung by the 3 remaining girls.

I guess since the only new content had those 3, and they tried to pass it as a 2nd album rather than a best album, they decided to show the current members. I don't think it was to make peace, as much as it was the fact that these 3 were still in the group.



They did use your idea eventually. The MM girls return to the cover when they released the Mega Best album.

...Even though both CDs are the same thing plus a CM/Rika B-side (which was just a cover of another single that is already on the CD) & the Mai single. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

[Madara]

[quote name='TightWetPucchi' post='80153' date='May 25 2010, 01:12 AM']Because the last CM+K&F single was 2004, and the album didn't come out until 2006, the MM girls technically were not in the group any longer. Regular studio H!P CD covers rarely include girls who are not in the group when it is released.



The 2nd album was really a compilation of Country Musume songs, with 1 new track sung by the 3 remaining girls.

I guess since the only new content had those 3, and they tried to pass it as a 2nd album rather than a best album, they decided to show the current members. I don't think it was to make peace, as much as it was the fact that these 3 were still in the group.



They did use your idea eventually. The MM girls return to the cover when they released the Mega Best album.

...Even though both CDs are the same thing plus a CM/Rika B-side (which was just a cover of another single that is already on the CD) & the Mai single. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />[/quote]



Ah, it all starts to get clearer now. Thanks.

[Madara]

Every so often I come across DVDs on CDJapan featuring Morning Musume in TV shows other than "Hello Morning."



What are "Yorosen" and "Musume Doukyou"?



Thanks.

[EmEl]

[quote name='Madara' post='81834' date='Jul 15 2010, 04:31 PM']Every so often I come across DVDs on CDJapan featuring Morning Musume in TV shows other than "Hello Morning."



What are "Yorosen" and "Musume Doukyou"?



Thanks.[/quote]

I would guess Doukyou is Dokyu.



Yorosen was the show that replaced BeriKyu, and each girl had a week of 4 minute episodes to teach their group something in a classroom setting: http://www.veoh.com/collection/yoroshiku-s...6363778jhPmKD7F

[Madara]

[quote name='Em-El' post='81835' date='Jul 16 2010, 07:13 AM'][quote name='Madara' post='81834' date='Jul 15 2010, 04:31 PM']Every so often I come across DVDs on CDJapan featuring Morning Musume in TV shows other than "Hello Morning."



What are "Yorosen" and "Musume Doukyou"?



Thanks.[/quote]

I would guess Doukyou is Dokyu.



Yorosen was the show that replaced BeriKyu, and each girl had a week of 4 minute episodes to teach their group something in a classroom setting: http://www.veoh.com/collection/yoroshiku-s...6363778jhPmKD7F

[/quote]



Thanks. I'd forgotten I'd already asked that question. My long-term memory is so clogged with stuff that short-term just doesn't have a chance.

[eri]

Is Risako still considered the most popular of the Berryz? I noticed that she's still front and center in many group photos despite the complaint that she's gotten...funny looking.



For every lovely photo like this,



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

or



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we'll get some of this,



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



I don't understand.

[Noa]

I'm fairly certain she is because she is center and still generally gets the most lines. Plus she's perfect.

Though I think Momoko is catching up. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/sick.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />

[Haru]

Nah, I think right now the chain of command is Risako -> Miyabi -> Momoko -> Yurina? Miyabi seems to get a fair share of solo lines as well.

[Noa]

Yeah Miyabi's finally getting her spotlight back after her temporary knock down.

[freezingkiss]

Where do H!P (mainly Berryz Koubou) buy their clothes? Or are they specially made for them? I absolutely love the look that Berryz have been sporting recently.

[eri]

[quote name='freezingkiss' post='84436' date='Sep 3 2010, 12:21 AM']Where do H!P (mainly Berryz Koubou) buy their clothes? Or are they specially made for them? I absolutely love the look that Berryz have been sporting recently.[/quote]



Do you mean costumes on stage? Which clothes are you looking at?

[freezingkiss]

Like the ones they are wearing in this pic > here - that's so awesome. I love the grey/black thing they've got going on.

[Madara]

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=PCCA-3245



THE BEST BUONO - great 2-disc album, except for one thing. Where's "Co.No.Mo.Chi"???? My favorite Buono song and it's not on the "Best" album.



Does anyone know why this song was omitted?





Thanks.

[sadude]

[quote name='Madara' post='86990' date='Nov 3 2010, 11:52 AM']http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=PCCA-3245



THE BEST BUONO - great 2-disc album, except for one thing. Where's "Co.No.Mo.Chi"???? My favorite Buono song and it's not on the "Best" album.



Does anyone know why this song was omitted?





Thanks.[/quote]

<img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ek3run.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wheely:' />



Actually, I don't know. I hadn't noticed that it and Gachinko de Ikou! were missing from this album, hmm.

[Madara]

Question about Erina Mano's single, "Genkimono de Ikou!"



I watched the video for it on the Petit Best 11 DVD and I was wondering if it was designed as a a commercial tie-in. The video seems to be a commercial for some kind of energy drink or supplement that comes in a small bottle. There are a lot of actors playing what I assume are ad agency execs and they congregate in an office conference room. Erina comes in bringing a guy in a red suit (like a devil suit without the horns) with the product name written on it. What's the significance of all this?



Thanks.

[Madara]

I have a DVD, probably a Douyou Pops thing, with five videos on it including the H!P version of "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer." The second video on it is a snowflaked-theme song, with Nono, Nacchi, Asami Konno, Mika Todd and Rinne Toda performing, all dressed as snowflakes. Anyone know the name of the song?



Thanks.

[sadude]

[quote name='Madara' post='89890' date='Dec 25 2010, 09:55 AM']I have a DVD, probably a Douyou Pops thing, with five videos on it including the H!P version of "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer." The second video on it is a snowflaked-theme song, with Nono, Nacchi, Asami Konno, Mika Todd and Rinne Toda performing, all dressed as snowflakes. Anyone know the name of the song?



Thanks.[/quote]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQWTk3Tyd2E



It's called Yuki, which simply means "snow".

[freezingkiss]

TT - I have a feeling it is because the entire thing was lip synched. No live performances. Not sure if that's the only thing but that's what I've heard.

[Madara]

The latest Buono concert DVD, "Rock 'n Buono 3," includes a 33-minute extra showing the three Buono girls on vacation somewhere. They do a go-kart/bumper car race, a ping pong match and a session throwing darts in a bar. They're someplace where the signs are all in English. If they say where they are, I didn't pick it up. For all I know, they're on an American military base in Okinawa. Is it Hawaii? Australia? New Zealand? Guam?



Here are pictures:

The one outdoor shot:



The Go-kart track:



The bar they play darts in:





Anyone recognize this place?



Thanks.

[Tsujiji]

[quote name='Madara' post='90141' date='Dec 30 2010, 07:41 AM']Anyone recognize this place?[/quote]



Dave and Busters~~

I am still waiting on my DVD to come~ I'll check it out when it gets here.

[Ap2000]

I wanted to ask this before, but I always forgot to since I don't care about concerts and it seems to have to do with it...



What's a "fankora" ?

[Tsujiji]

Fan collaboration

The fans got to vote for the setlist~ ♥

[Ap2000]

[quote name='Usako' post='90239' date='Dec 31 2010, 06:50 PM']Fan collaboration

The fans got to vote for the setlist~ ♥[/quote]



Thanks for the info !