Ai no Morning Musume's 54th Single Thread!

[momoirosaya]

Woo! Sales are climbing!

[showraniy]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="yuzuriha" data-cid="162009" data-time="1378218687">
Guys, they got their <a href="http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/music/2028249/">third</a> weekly number one in a row!</blockquote>


I am so happy about this. Go, girls, go!


Now I'll be a greedy fan and want more TV performances and maybe even variety? Something to showcase the girls' personalities please.

[JPope]

Their best first week since "Do it! Now". They're gonna surpass "Go Girl..." pretty easily -- sometime today -- and if recent history is anything to go by they should beat "Shabondama" and "The Stupid Fucking Puppet Song," as well. Which would make this their best selling singe since "Koko ni Iruzee!"


What's ironic is that the first week sales for "Wagamama..." has actually surpassed "Koko ni Iruzee!" by 5,000, but I don't see them moving the requisite 90K to match its overall sales.
 
Amazing what good music and proper promotion will get you. They should've tried this formula a long time ago.

[Haru]

Enlighten me, what's "The Stupid Fucking Puppet Song" more commonly known as?

[yuzuriha]

I can't tell if you're being serious or not...so Morning Musume no Hyokkori Hyoutan Jima.
 
....and if you're not being seriously then LOL OH MY GOD HWUGIHIERHgio

[Haru]

No I honestly didn't know! But it makes sense.

[Elpis]

The Stupid Fucking Puppet Song. What a good name for it.

[JPope]

Also, when is Japan gonna get with the 21st century and get a Top Sales chart that includes overseas and digital sales? It's not like it would be hard to track.

[Anderei]

I think RIAJ has general figures if songs sell enough to be certified.

[Cyrene]

This single deserves all those #1's too. It has been a LONG time since all the tracks have been spot on. 

[ShiroiChanUK]

I'm so happy for the girls, the fans, the staff and everyone else who's involved :)
 
MoMusu are going to hold an event to thank all their fans :)
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
promotion
 

on 9/7, Morning Musume will have a special mini live and handshake event to celebrate the 3 consecutive #1's "Triple ii koto ga atta" (Triple good things happened) and to thank everyone. the place will be Lazona Kawasaki Plaza Square Grand Stage in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

 
<a href="http://www.helloproject.com/event/13090 ... ki.html</a>
<a href="http://www.lazona-kawasaki.com/en/">htt ... com/en/</a>

 

one of the biggest outdoor squares. the last time Morning Musume performed there was in 2012 for One Two Three, it was a huge success.



 

no closed train stations this time.</blockquote>
Credits go to Hello!Online

[MejraThea]

Sakura's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83jC6EVjEdY">Solo Event!</a> (or just a song from it)

[Estrea]

<a href="http://blog-project.net/special-transla ... /153854</a>
 
Guys, this article. It struck me right in the feels. 

[sayu1991]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Estrea" data-cid="162121" data-time="1378302808"><a href="http://blog-project.net/special-transla ... /153854</a>


Guys, this article. It struck me right in the feels. </blockquote>


Thank you for translating. It's definitely a beautifully written article.

[Shoujo Q]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Estrea" data-cid="162121" data-time="1378302808"><a href="http://blog-project.net/special-transla ... /153854</a>


Guys, this article. It struck me right in the feels. </blockquote>


I shouldn't be crying at work guys!! TuT

[Anderei]

I read it but I don't know why you all are crying. Is it supposed to make me feel sad?

[arcobaleno]

[quote="Anderei"]
I read it but I don't know why you all are crying. Is it supposed to make me feel sad?
[/quote]
 
^
 
But I think it's just because it talks about the frustration and behind-the-scenes drama that got the group so far.
 
I think everyone's crying because it's finally paid off?

[al kusanagi]

It's pride. Some of us watched them go from the top of the entertainment world into the Dark Ages, and now they're busting their asses and getting recognition again.

[Shoujo Q]

Not crying in a sad way, crying in the, I feel so much pride for them. Maybe it's an age thing? When you've been a fan for a single group for so long and you've been with them through the ups and downs, I guess it just gets emotional?

[aine]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Al Kusanagi" data-cid="162169" data-time="1378319203">It's pride. Some of us watched them go from the top of the entertainment world into the Dark Ages, and now they're busting their asses and getting recognition again.</blockquote>

Feels everywhere. Thanks Estrea!

[arcobaleno]

[quote="Shoujo Q"]
Not crying in a sad way, crying in the, I feel so much pride for them. Maybe it's an age thing? When you've been a fan for a single group for so long and you've been with them through the ups and downs, I guess it just gets emotional?
[/quote]
 
That's probably why I don't understand it that much.
 
As much as I love them now, I've only been a fan of Morning Musume (and H!P to that extent) for about a year and a half, so I haven't experienced the frustration the fans must've felt during times like the Platinum Era.

[yuzuriha]

SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO CRIES OVER THINGS LIKE THIS

[showraniy]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="arcobaleno" data-cid="162172" data-time="1378321275"><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Shoujo Q" data-cid="162170" data-time="1378319256">

Not crying in a sad way, crying in the, I feel so much pride for them. Maybe it's an age thing? When you've been a fan for a single group for so long and you've been with them through the ups and downs, I guess it just gets emotional?</blockquote>


That's probably why I don't understand it that much.


As much as I love them now, I've only been a fan of Morning Musume (and H!P to that extent) for about a year and a half, so I haven't experienced the frustration the fans must've felt during times like the Platinum Era.</blockquote>


Platinum era is when I became a fan, and I think the biggest issue I had was line distribution...


Is the platinum era when things went on the decline? I always thought it was before then.

[Kaworu]

Here's to praying for a good variety show featuring the girls again.


GO MM GO! (screams the 17 year old Kaworu in me)

[eri]

[quote="showraniy"]
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="arcobaleno" data-cid="162172" data-time="1378321275">
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Shoujo Q" data-cid="162170" data-time="1378319256">
Not crying in a sad way, crying in the, I feel so much pride for them. Maybe it's an age thing? When you've been a fan for a single group for so long and you've been with them through the ups and downs, I guess it just gets emotional?
</blockquote>


That's probably why I don't understand it that much.


As much as I love them now, I've only been a fan of Morning Musume (and H!P to that extent) for about a year and a half, so I haven't experienced the frustration the fans must've felt during times like the Platinum Era.</blockquote>


Platinum era is when I became a fan, and I think the biggest issue I had was line distribution...


Is the platinum era when things went on the decline? I always thought it was before then.
 
[/quote]
 
Platinum era is not "went on the decline" but more like the lowest point.
 
People usually say MM's low point generally spanned generations 5-8.  With the exception MAYBE of Takahashi, fifth generation was soo lackluster in every way compared to the first four and even the ultra heavy handed marketing of 6th generation could not bring back public interest.  Then we had Koharu. Then, Morning Musume jumped the shark by importing 2 Chinese girls as a gimmick and bringing on Aika, who never seemed to be very popular.
 
After almost annual auditions at this point, the 8th gen-era Morning Musume did not even bother changing their line up for essentially 5-6 YEARS until the 9th generation in 2011.  9th generation is the Morning Musume renaissance. 

[Shoujo Q]

For me, the decline happened in 2004 when they lost Nacchi, Tsuji and Kago all in the same year. Then early in 2005 they lost Rika and then Mari to scandal. And then to replace all that (including Kei), you got Koharu. And then a string of lackluster songs from Tsunku. By late 2006 it seemed to start picking up when they went into their rockish phase but by then it was too late. People were moving on to the newer, fresher idol groups like AKB48.

[yuzuriha]

Q you forgot losing KAORI >:O

[Anderei]

[quote="showraniy"]
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="arcobaleno" data-cid="162172" data-time="1378321275">
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Shoujo Q" data-cid="162170" data-time="1378319256">

Not crying in a sad way, crying in the, I feel so much pride for them. Maybe it's an age thing? When you've been a fan for a single group for so long and you've been with them through the ups and downs, I guess it just gets emotional?
</blockquote>


That's probably why I don't understand it that much.


As much as I love them now, I've only been a fan of Morning Musume (and H!P to that extent) for about a year and a half, so I haven't experienced the frustration the fans must've felt during times like the Platinum Era.</blockquote>


Platinum era is when I became a fan, and I think the biggest issue I had was line distribution...


Is the platinum era when things went on the decline? I always thought it was before then.
 
[/quote]
 
I've always thought Platinum is when it kind of stabled out because they managed to stay in the same general range for 3+ years. The fact that it didn't get worse during the Platinum era is what is most surprising. They had the lowest debut week, but Mikan isn't even the worst selling MM single of all time.

[Estrea]

I only became a fan around the time of Aika joining/Yossie leaving, so in a way I wasn't there for the beginning of the decline, but man it's been a long 7 years as a fan. I went and picked up Japanese in college because I really wanted to know what they were saying, and got mocked mercilessly by my teacher for being a fan of MM. Yes, mocked by my Japanese teacher for being a fan of a group that "wasn't cool anymore". And then the rise of alternative idol groups that got everyone else interested and watching MM just tough it out and keep going despite the general public forgetting they exist. If you had told them during that time that you're a fan of MM, the average person would be like "oh they're still around?". It almost made you ashamed of declaring your fandom, but I'm glad I stuck with them throughout to see them being vindicated again.
 
After translating that article I was listening to the older songs and had such a tumult of emotions. That sense of history is something that makes it special for us as fans. Not belittling new fans or anything (the more fans the better), but I bet fans who have been around longer than I have would feel this pride even more strongly. There's just something about "we watched the rise, we survived the crash, and now we're back in the game.". Kind of like Japan itself, innit? Not to say that MM can challenge the mindboggling sales numbers of the 48 groups yet, but reclaiming some of that lost ground would be a good start. I'm quite invested in their future and can't wait to see what it will bring to us. :D

[yuzuriha]

When I went to Japan in 2005 and my host family asked what music I liked and I said Morning Musume my host sister was like oh no, you're not allowed to like Morning Musume.  Girls don't like Morning Musume.  Yet when I went to the H!P shop in Osaka the first time there were girls everywhere so whatever.
 
When I went back for JET there was a total ex WOTA working at my school and he lent me so many singles I never was able to afford.  And then they'd put on the obigatory MM medley at karaoke.