2 posts tagged “concert review”

Finally, a second H!P Egg concert released on DVD! I can't skip this chance to write another review on my favourite fandom topic, H!P Eggs. I'll try to both write some general things about the concert and look into the members one by one, by taking also my old opinions into consideration. I'm curious to find out how my opinions have changed, the girls have improved, or if I've made any predictions back in the day that now make sense (or the opposite!).

First of all, the setlist for this concert was pretty damn good:

1. ＪＵＭＰ   全員
2. ラブ＆ピ～ス！ＨＥＲＯがやって来たっ。    能登・田中・仙石・吉川・古川・森・北原・古峰・和田・前田（ゆ）・福田・佐保・岡井・関根・小川・前田（い）・新井
3. 印象派ルノアールのように   能登・吉川・関根・小川
4. ＳＨＡＬＬ　ＷＥ　ＬＯＶＥ？   田中・仙石・北原
5. デート日和   古川・佐保
6. 行く！ZYX FLY HIGH   古峰・和田・岡井・前田（い）・新井  
7. 恋はひっぱりだこ   森・福田
8. １００回のＫＩＳＳ   前田（ゆ）
9. ＥＶＥＲＹＤＡＹ　ＹＥＡＨ！片思い   岡井・前田（い）・新井
10. 色っぽい女～ＳＥＸＹＢＡＢＹ～   田中・北原・古峰
11. ロマンチック浮かれモード   吉川・関根
12. 大阪　恋の歌    古川・森・前田（ゆ）・福田・佐保・小川
13. １７の夏   和田
14. 手を握って歩きたい   能登・仙石・譜久村・金子・竹内
15. 浮気なハニーパイ
16. ザ☆ピ～ス！
17. BYE BYE またね

JUMP and Love&Peace! are both high energy songs that will get the crowd going, followed by two 'sexy' songs. Most notably there's only one ballad, which is great news to me as a bit of a ballad hater (I just prefer songs with energy and some beat). Romantic Ukare Mode is a H!P concert classic that never fails, and BYE BYE Mata Ne a great ending song, since it brings a tear to my eye, and I hear I'm not the only one. There are quite a few cute, fun songs to boot. Nothing wrong with the setlist, really.

Generally speaking the Eggs have improved vocally and as performers significantly since the first H!P Egg concert. Most noticeable are "the little ones" who seemed to be a bit lost on stage still at the first concert. But they are by no means the only ones who have got better. Honestly, there were times when these girls didn't seem any less talented than the current Morning Musume. Egg fans have a reason to be proud and non-Egg fans have a reason to be worried, since they may get utterly charmed by some of these girls in the near future.

Time to finally start the member by member babble. Man, taking these screencaps took way too much time. Let's start with the newbies, aka FRESH MEAT! 

(Always from left to right)

Takeuchi Akari
I thought that there was no way that H!P Eggs could get cuter once I'd seen the likes of Fukuda Kanon and Maeda Yuuka. And then little Takechan came along. She really is too adorable! I was surprised to see in the concert backstage videos how relaxed and at ease she already seems to be around other Eggs. Heck, she doesn't mind if others play with her cheeks. (Seems like I'm not the only who finds her adorable, huh?) The cameras also seem to interest her, since whenever one was around and she noticed it, she'd approach it or at least curiously look at it - like a little puppy learning her surroundings.

Kaneko Rie
For some reason, Ricchan makes me giggle. During the concert she sometimes has the funniest expressions. Based only on her picture I thought that she wouldn't be someone I'd notice easily, but on the contrary, she stood out to me instantly. There's just something very funny about her. She'll make a great source for gifs and screencaps...

Fukumura Mizuki
I find this girl very, very pretty. I also find it adorable that she cried after the Shiba concert (I believe this clip is only on dohhhup, not the bonus video that came with the concert). Somehow the teary eyes made her even prettier. But that's all for now, I don't really know her all that well yet.

All in all, these three new members are a great addition to H!P Eggs. They're quite different from each other, and all likeable in their own way. They also seem to have settled in nicely. Hopefully little Miyamoto Karin has received as warm a welcome. And now onto more experienced Eggs...

Saho Akari
Previously I had commented on her nice 'clear' singing voice and how I had liked her for no obvious reason. Well, I still like her (although possibly less than before, for no obvious reason), and her voice turned out to be even better in the Shiba concert. It was funny how Akari was paired with Konatsu in a Date Biyori performance. It was like watching two opposites: Akari with her mild expressions and Konatsu with her over-the-top faces. But I think she did well enough. Overall, she doesn't seem to stand out too much, though. I wish her luck with Shugo Chara Egg - it's likely that she'll be the least popular one of the four.

Tanaka Anri
The previous time I was impressed with her performance skills. I'm afraid to say that this time, while she did as well as in the first concert DVD, the other Eggs have been working hard and reached her level or even surpassed her. However, she seems to have a very likeable personality, both big sister-like and goofy. I have to admit that a lot of the time I'm unable to concentrate on anything else that she does because I've noticed that her teeth are so off-focus that it looks like she only has one front tooth, right in the middle. It's really distracting. I'm not usually an ass about teeth but this one really bothers me... Ok, time to move on to the next person.

Noto Arisa

I've only ever had good things to say about Nocchi and the same continues. Cute, energetic, good voice. I don't think more needs to be said.

Okai Asuna
I've said earlier that Asuna doesn't seem to be a natural idol, and that still holds true. I think she might be the only Egg that hasn't improved noticeably since the first concert DVD. She still dances with a serious expression on her face and doesn't seem to be 100% into the performance. At least her voice seems to be nice, just like her sister's, but not as strong. In the end, she's not very memorable compared to other Eggs.

Wada Ayaka
Dawa is one of my new top favourites, although I've always liked her. Her physical awkwardness, ditzy personality and cute face result in one adorably loveable package. Her solo performance in the concert was too cute, her angry expression in the backstage video too awesome for mere mortals. And her voice isn't bad, either. If she one day grows out of her awkward phase, I might actually feel a bit sad for a little while. Until I get used to it.

Sekine Azusa
Sekkii surprised me last time with her stage presence and she certainly didn't let me down this time, either. Moreover, it was not only her stage presence that was good, but her singing, as well! I'd say she is easily one of the best Eggs vocally. It's hard to believe that she's only 12 years old. She's such a natural on stage and also looks older than her age. This girl is really quite awesome.

Maeda Irori
Irorin continues to be radient and cute. In addition, her singing voice is quite good. I was surprised. (I feel like I'm praising everyone's singing, but they really were better than I'd expected!) She really seems to have been born to do this - it was almost scary how she was able to put on a mature expression during Iku! ZYX FLY HIGH. Young promise indeed.

Fukuda Kanon
Kanon was great vocally and with her stage presence, as usual. I'm looking forward to seeing her in Shugo Chara Egg, should be fun to see her in a proper unit (I'm aware that there is already some footage of this, but I need more). The performance with Kanon and Morisaki was pretty awesome: it was the two H!P fangirls/bloggers representing. Singing Berryz, too (Morisaki is a huge Momoko fan). Good times!

Furukawa Konatsu

Konatsu can be really over-the-top in energetic songs, which is both good and bad. Good because she stands out, bad because she's too OTT to my liking. I prefer her in more serious songs like Osaka Koi no Uta where she can calm down a bit but still show her dancing and performing skills. She used to be one of my favourites, but because I feel that she sometimes even tries too hard, I've lost some interest in her... But I still love to see her dance because that is her strength.

Arai Manami
Manami has definitely changed from the first new face concert. She used to look completely lost on stage, forget to smile and such. Now she's cheerful, cute, and can sing well enough. One of my favourite bits from the backstage bonus video was by her, a weird little dance (with Konatsu standing behind her). She's still a bit quiet and there's room to improve, but I was really impressed by her nevertheless.

Sengoku Minami
Sengoku in SHALL WE LOVE? = death! As my friend Stryfe said, "she could seduce a rock". She's a very attractive performer: she moves well, she has a great smile and sparkling eyes, and she sings well enough (even if she might be one of the weaker vocalists in Eggs. It's hard to tell sometimes). Her hair is great, too, and adds to her attractiveness. She has definitely become one of my favourite Eggs. Very charismatic.

Komine Momoka

Last time I wasn't that impressed with her on stage, but I think she has improved and, at least, is trying her best. She seems like such a normal girl that it's really easy to like her. Her tone of voice doesn't stand out that much, but she sings well enough. I don't find her particularly charismatic, but she still caught my attention now and then in the Shiba concert. So I suppose that she's still a member whom I like for no obvious reason...

Mori Saki
She might be one of my least favourite vocalists among the Eggs (just because it doesn't sound like her voice flows freely - I don't really know how to explain, but it sounds weird). However, I like her personality. She's still a weirdo who tries hard to be a good idol, just like I've previously thought. She didn't stand out to me that much this time, though. Maybe when I watch the concert for the 3rd time.

Ogawa Saki
Little Sakichy is still an impressive performer for someone her age (12), but sometimes the push she gets feels a bit redundant. I guess I'm just bothered that she got pretty much the same lines in Osaka Koi no Uta as last time when they could've shuffled it or even had another song. Osaka Koi no Uta was one of the best performances in the first new face concert. In this one, at least during the first viewing, it was one of the least exciting ones (but I did like it better watching it for the 2nd time). It's a bit horrible, but I feel like I'm already getting bored of her. I guess still, after over a year, I don't understand why she is the one being promoted so hard... I think I will only understand why once she is actually put into a group or turned into a solo act. Seeing her in that different kind of context, promoting her own songs, might do the trick.

Kitahara Sayaka
I feel like I've made some wrong predictions when I've called Saya one of the 'beauty Eggs' in the past. Maybe it's the teeth, maybe it's the shorter hair, but her looks aren't that special to me right now. However, her character has impressed me - she seems to have a gutsy, tomboyish personality, also evident in her role in Kirarin. Her voice stands out a lot. It's quite "raw" and strong and you can usually distinguish it even if there were several people singing. I think her singing needs more control, but if she succeeds in that, she'll be fun to listen to in the future. Oh, and she has killer abs.

Kikkawa Yuu
Definitely one of the best singers among Eggs who has improved her performing in general, too. Earlier I've felt a bit iffy about her, but I think I'm finally starting to like her and notice her presence. She's not really a 'happy happy joy joy' girl like most of the rest, which should be taken into consideration. Strangely enough, she has felt a bit like an outsider to me when it comes to Eggs. Maybe it's because she auditioned for Morning Musume, I don't know. But it helped to see her smile and perform with Sekine in this concert. I'm also grateful for every Egg who's over 16 years old, HEH.

Maeda Yuuka

I was wondering what would be the best way to write about this concert, and ended up choosing the member-by-member system again. This is going to be a long day...

First, some general impressions! I've watched the concert twice now, and the 2nd time around I was more critical than the first. But the concert was still at it's best very energetic and a lot of fun. I was impressed! I was fearing for a lot of bad vocals, but the Eggs generally aren't too bad vocally. I don't think I heard any absolute trainwreck singing (like Sayumi when she debuted).

The performance I liked the best was Osaka koi no uta: everyone performing it was contributing 100%, the energy and presence were there, the vocals were pretty good, and even if little Saki Ogawa got a huge part of the lines, everyone got at least one good line where you could hear their voice well. Definitely the highlight of the concert for me.

Other performances I liked the best were GET UP! Rapper (it's only a bit forgettable because it's at the beginning of the concert), Chokotto Love (a lot of fun) and LOVE & PEACE! Hero ga yattekita (for all the energy; these performers also all had presence).

In sum, the concert was entertaining and I was impressed by the raw idol talent portrayed in it. Of course they still have a lot of room to improve, but for their first concert, this was pretty damn well done.

Short member-by-member reviews:

Linlin: Awesome energy and presence, dancing stood out to me in a good way. Her never-fading smile is definite win. I think her voice is the kind that you either like or hate, I choose to like it because it definitely stands out and that's a good thing. One of the most professional performers in this concert, and I can't wait to see her in a Morning Musume concert.

Junjun: Remember when people saw her audition for some Chinese singing show, and everyone was panicking that Tsunku chose another girl who can't sing? Rubbish, Junjun is actually pretty decent live, and her voice is the kind that would fit a lot of different songs. Junjun was also surprisingly good on stage. She didn't stand out to me as much as Linlin, but then again I was probably being biased. Next time I'll pay more attention to Junjun, promise.

Kanna Arihara: Kanna shows how experience can make all the difference. Kanna joined H!P at the same time as most of these girls, but working in C-ute has turned her into a total pro compared to the rest of the Eggs. Great presence and energy on stage, a lot of fun to watch, and her vocals have improved tons since that HPH where she sang I WISH. I'm glad Kanna was in this concert, not just because I love her, but because it showed how great the other Eggs can become, too, if they just become more experienced.

Aika Mitsui: For someone who's been in H!P for two years less than most of the Eggs she did a great job! I have to say that Aika's eyes are adorable little things. And her smile is so genuine. Her vocals weren't much better than most of the H!P Eggs, but at this point she was just about as inexperienced, so it's understandable.

THE Possible: These girls' previous experience on stage also showed. Akkyan got tons of lines, so she is obviously someone that the company wants to push - I can't really see why, because to me she isn't the best singer, the best looking, the one with best charisma or personality in THE Possible; but I guess Tsunku still knows best, and Akkyan will prove me wrong. I already feel bad saying these things about her, because I do like her... But I just don't understand why she's the one getting the major push. Akkyan's dancing is pretty funny, by the way. So clumsy! As for the other members, they did a good job. Mororin stood out to me with a 'sexy' vibe, and she also seemed to me more natural and cheerful on stage than before (which made her more beautiful). I loved seeing this improvement in her.

Alright. I'll attach pics of the rest of the Eggs so that people will know who I'm talking about, but because I'm not on my own computer, I'll have to use the pictures I already used in the previous Egg entries... Sorry about being boring!

Irori Maeda: When I reviewed the concert at JPH!P forum, I said some members seemed 'too young' to be there. Irori didn't seem too young, even if she's the 2nd youngest at 10 years old; she was genuinely trying her best and not looking like a lost child. She didn't stand out to me a lot because she didn't have a huge role in the concert, but when I did notice her, she was smiling and seemed to be having fun. Her 'cat paws' during the MCs were cute. She was exactly how I expected her to be: adorable and genki. Irori did a good job for someone so young.

Azusa Sekine: I didn't expect her to stand out to me, but she did. During the introduction MC she did the 'ganbarimasu' fist and I thought "ah, finally someone does more than just wave". Hehe! During another MC she was asked which CD she would like to have, and she answered "Sharan Q", which got a loud reaction from the audience (and Makoto said 'thank you'). That was so unexpected and brilliant! I also spotted her dancing with a smile on her face and showing some aight stage presence. What a lovely surprise.

Manami Arai: Born in the same year as Irori, but much less idol-oriented. Manami is one of the Eggs that I felt was 'too young'. She sometimes looked like she wasn't even in this world, looking kind of lost in thought/bored/confused. But I do think it's mostly because she's such a little child. I just wonder if she knows what she's got herself into, probably not. Funny though, she was excatly what I expected her to be like.

Asuna Okai: Assu still seems grave and serious to me! Seemed 'too young', just like Manami. She's not naturally idol-like ("born to be an idol"), so she'll need a lot more experience.

Saki Ogawa: Company's golden egg. Got tons of lines. I've been wondering why she's getting such a push, but to think about it - this girl is only 10 (turning 11 in November), and for her age she's doing one heck of a job! Her singing isn't great, well, nothing about her is great yet, but maybe it will be. And she is cute. I think the company is taking a risk putting so much spotlight on someone so young, but I guess they have been right before, so why wouldn't they be now. But the major push does seem weird. Oh well, I shall support this little girl.

Yuuka Maeda: She didn't actually stand out to me a lot in the concert. I can only remember her singing a line in Osaka koi no uta and looking exhausted in Zettai Tokeru Mondai X= ♥. She's still cute and has a cute voice.
 
Momoka Komine: I was slightly disappointed by her because she didn't look like she was always giving 100%, but she wasn't bad, either. I'm still interested in her, but her inexperience shows.

Sayaka Kitahara: A pleasant surprise! I liked her singing voice (good in Osaka koi no uta), and she seemed quite natural on stage. Looked good, too. I wasn't expecting a lot from her (I kind of forgot to, I mean it's 30+ girls), but she did give quite a bit. The Go Girl! hotpants outfit fit her really well. Also, she had nice cute expressions during the MC before Osaka koi no uta.

Akari0044

Akari Saho: I have to write about her separately because her pic is the only one on page 3 *stabs vox pic system*. Anyway, I wasn't expecting a lot from her because she's just one of the Eggs I like for no apparent reason, but she turned out to have a lovely, 'clear' singing voice, and she was all pretty and sparkly on stage. Adorable Akarin!

Mia Sainen: A disappointment... I was hoping for her to convince me (because she hadn't before), but instead I saw her barely lifting her legs or do pretty much anything during Yeah! Meccha Holiday. She just seemed to be making no effort and it was so frustrating. This girl has a lot of work to do if she wants to be a good idol. Weird how I could predict this, too.

Saki Mori: Morisaki IS weird. But I love her! When everyone was standing still during the MC, you could see her making all kinds of weird expressions, trying to catch her breath and smile at the same time. But she's so likeable. She dances well and sings well and stands out from the others (well, at least to me). A lovely goof.
 
Yuri Sawada: Sawachan showed some of the same presence and energy that was to be seen in Nari hajimeta koi no BELL PV (but not as strong). She didn't seem like a great singer, but that little squeal she accidentally let out during some song, (Strawberry Pie, I think) was adorable... Hehe. The pout she did during Pucchimoni performance was mad cute, too.

Mika Mutou: Kind of awkward and not idol-like, but cute. Didn't notice her a lot, but at least her attitude in performances was better than of some who seemed to forget what they were doing. She's not really someone I see making it as a singing and dancing idol, but her being so different from others is refreshing.

Konatsu Furukawa: In my opinion one of the best dancers in the whole concert. Very energetic, great presence, always reacting to things and looking like she's having the time of her life... Seemed quite professional to me. Her voice seemed alright, too. I've expected a lot from her, and she's lived up to my expectations. Can't wait to see more of her.

Anri Tanaka: Probably the biggest surprise of the concert for me! Very good performance skills and singing was good, too. Such a shame that she won't be in the second Egg concert (she was absent because of school). I wasn't expecting anything from this girl, but she turned out to be one of the most skilled Eggs on stage. Good job.

Erina Aoki: Enna put some good feeling into her performances, with the 'sekushii' line in GET UP! Rapper, for example. She's one of the Eggs who really looked happy to be there. She has some stage presence going for her, and she was slightly better than I expected.

Miki Korenaga: Invisible in the concert for most parts, and I do feel she belongs to the Gatas field more than singing and dancing in a concert. But the MC where she said she was a 4th year university student and the audience cheered was funny. It's somewhat bizarre but delightful that one of the least cute Eggs gets the loudest cheers.