15 posts tagged “h!p eggs”
A blog post outta nowhere!
I went to the dentist today and that reminded me to make this entry. I think this post is going to make me look like a freak who's always staring at people's teeth, but that's not really the case. There were only a few Eggs whose teeth stood out to me instantly, and the rest of the inspiration for the entry came as I went through a bunch of pics.
I was going to call this entry the best and worst teeth, but that's not really the point here! I don't want any of these girls to change their teeth unless they need to do it for health reasons, or it's something they really personally want to do.
None of the pictures have been resized, only cropped, so click for full pleasure (or pain).
Dental Dreams
The Classic Fang
Ayaka Wada is a good example of the Classic Fang. Many girls in Japan and even in H!P seem to have this one tooth poking out into the wild, including Morning Musume's Eri Kamei. Sometimes it's hidden way at the back of the mouth and can only be seen when the girl smiles extra widely, but Ayaka's is of the clearly visible, "sometimes pokes out between the lips" type. I think it adds to a charming, cute smile.
Aside from the Classic Fang, Ayaka's teeth are somewhat big and cartoon-like (not to the extent of Risako's, though). So I'd say that she has quite adorable teeth.
The Chihuahuas
Why did I call Saki Ogawa's teeth the Chihuahuas? Well, because when I think of Chihuahuas I think of dogs that are small but fierce. And that's kind of what Saki's teeth are like. In addition to her teeth being small, she has these two sharp spikes on both sides of her mouth. It's weird because one wouldn't necessarily think that this set of teeth would instantly stand out, but I think Saki's teeth are quite recognizable. I always remember those two sharp teeth that could possibly do some harsh damage. Hmmm piranha teeth? Yeah, that sounds good...
The Bunny Lite
Yuuka Maeda's teeth are pretty much perfect for her. They're not a perfectly straight Pepsodent row of teeth, but they're not all over the place, either. They're just unique enough to add to her character. The bunny name comes from the two front teeth that stand out from the rest of the teeth. However, Yuuka's bunny teeth aren't as obvious as, say, Arisa Noto's, so her teeth shall be called the Bunny Lite. So why am I posting Yuuka if she's only the Lite version? Well, because her teeth really compliment her overall soft look where there's absolutely nothing harsh or offensive. If her teeth were more obviously bunnyfied, it would break the harmony. I guess one could say that Yuuka has the perfect face for cuteness... That lucky bitch.
The Unfortunate Pigmentation
For the record, I have no idea whether Asuna brushes her teeth or not. But I'm assuming that she does, and that she is the victim of unfortunate pigmentation. It's not visible in every pic where she smiles, but sometimes her teeth just look plain dirty. I actually kind of feel for her because my teeth have looked yellow ever since I was a kid, so if it's a result of genetics it's just too bad, eh?
Other than that she also has a case of a hiding tooth. (It's the one there behind one of her front teeth.) But it's not really that much of a stand-out feature.
And now for more intense stuff...
The Teeth of Attitude
Sayaka Kitahara has one of the most stand out sets of teeth among the H!P Eggs. She not only has the Classic Fang, but she sometimes smiles with a lot of gum (see the bottom picture) and many of her teeth are a bit all over the place.
But what is totally awesome about Sayaka and her teeth is that while some people, at least in the western hemisphere, might be embarrassed or discouraged to smile because of teeth like this, she almost seems to be flaunting at times. Well, maybe that's a bit exaggerated, but she does love to smile and laugh openly and it's really beautiful to see such confidence and attitude, especially in a teenager like her.
So yes, her teeth may look a bit scary at times, but because of her attitude they become a cool and cute part of her look and character.
The Secret Teeth
Kanon never really smiles 'normally'; she always either smiles with her lips closed or with her mouth open like pictured on the left. See, when you smile with your mouth open like this, you actually show less of your teeth than when you smile widely (see all of the pics above for comparison). The best moment to see Kanon's teeth is when she's talking, but even then it's almost like she's trying to open her mouth as little as possible. When she laughs, she closes her mouth and it looks like she's trying to supress the laughter.
So Kanon does have some weird stuff going on with her top teeth, but it's her own attitude that makes it bad or sad for me. I mean I'm not an expert on body language, but to me it seems that she has some confidence issues when it comes to her teeth. If I'm right about this, I'm hoping that she does get a chance to have them straightened eventually (like Risako Sugaya, Maki Goto and Nozomi Tsuji to name a few).
Wtf
Manami Arai's teeth are definitely one of a kind. Her set of teeth is kind of like a summary of wacky teeth stuff that may go on in the mouths of Japanese idols. Fang? Check. Overbite? Check. Hidden tooth? Check. Just plain what-the-fuckery? Check. When her mouth is closed, you can see that her teeth are just waiting to grace us with their presence again. But would we really have her any other way? ..Well, I suppose we would, but without these teeth I think she might actually be more forgettable. They kind of fit her, if that makes sense!
The One-Toothed Miracle
Would I find her prettier if she had straighter teeth? Yeah, I probably would. But would I really notice her as much if her teeth were 'perfect'? Nah, I probably wouldn't. There are tons of gravure idols, actresses and the like with her look in Japan, only with straighter teeth, and I don't give a damn about them. So sure, Anri is a H!P Egg and that instantly makes her worthy of my interest, but even then I think the teeth add a little bit of extra something to make her more interesting to me (lookswise, of course. Anri also has voice and other good qualities going for her).
Something to end with...
My Favourite Smile
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:
- ＪＵＭＰ 全員
- 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
- 印象派ルノアールのように 能登・吉川・関根・小川
- ＳＨＡＬＬ ＷＥ ＬＯＶＥ？ 田中・仙石・北原
- デート日和 古川・佐保
- 行く！ZYX FLY HIGH 古峰・和田・岡井・前田（い）・新井
- 恋はひっぱりだこ 森・福田
- １００回のＫＩＳＳ 前田（ゆ）
- ＥＶＥＲＹＤＡＹ ＹＥＡＨ！片思い 岡井・前田（い）・新井
- 色っぽい女～ＳＥＸＹＢＡＢＹ～ 田中・北原・古峰
- ロマンチック浮かれモード 吉川・関根
- 大阪 恋の歌 古川・森・前田（ゆ）・福田・佐保・小川
- １７の夏 和田
- 手を握って歩きたい 能登・仙石・譜久村・金子・竹内
- 浮気なハニーパイ
- ザ☆ピ～ス！
- 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!
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...
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 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.
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
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
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.
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 would write a nice conclusion here, but this post has already taken way too much time (why do I feel like I always end my posts like this). So instead I'll just tell everyone to go watch this DVD if they haven't already. It's really quite enjoyable and everyone is really cute. So go go go!
I've been so uninspired to write about anything, but now there are some things I'd like to discuss. It's going to be a random entry, so bear with me!
First of all, there were the news of now ex-H!P Egg Erina Mano graduating from Ongaku Gatas and finishing her training in H!P Eggs, to pursue a solo career. I was naturally thrilled by this piece of news, not really as a Manoeri fan but as an Egg fan (since Manoeri wasn't one of my favourite Eggs personally, but I can see the potential in her). Well, it's way too early in my opinion to guess what her future career will be like, since we don't even know for sure if she's going to be a singing idol or perhaps go for acting instead. It would be a first, eh? A bit farfetched perhaps, but we really don't know, do we. Every time I see her do the opening for Berikyuu I can't help but think how much she looks like an actress from some drama series, which is why I brought up the idea of her going for acting, but looks aren't - - well, actually looks ARE everything in this business. But nevermind.
Out of curiousity, I dug up the first comment of mine on Manoeri that I could find. And it said "I think she's really cute..." I think that must have been most fans' initial reaction, since she seemed to become so popular (relatively, we are talking about Eggs you know) in such a short span of time. The picture above on the left has the first picture of Manoeri that was ever available to us (and also what I commented on as being 'really cute'), and on the right Manoeri now. But let's move on to our next topic.
So, our next topic is Sayaka Kitahara as Noeru on Kirarin Revolution - well, mainly in the live action clips on Oha Star, since I don't watch the anime. Her character is a tomboy sporty girl, which I had no idea about before I started watching, so I was very pleasantly surprised. The role seems to fit her perfectly and makes her seem very cool. I'm surprised I haven't seen that many screencaps of her around (I took these ones myself), and it makes me fear that fanboys (who usually take the caps) aren't that excited about her tomboyish role. But I think girls are very open and even inclined to like this kind of image (just look at Yossi's success... and hell, I'm buying it) so maybe Sayaka has a chance to gain more female fans. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it. Either way I think everyone who's curious should head towards Hello! Online and grab at least one of these clips to hear Sayaka's tomboy voice and see her tough girl attitude!
Pictures from top to bottom:
1. Simply Sayaka as Noeru
2. Noeru is too cool to shake hands with random dudes. (Who knows where that hand has been)
3. Noeru meets tambourine
Her character's story seems to be that Kirari is determined to have Noeru join her as an idol, but Noeru isn't as excited about the idea. But in the end she gives in to it, after noticing that being an idol is also hard work (like sports).
I guess that's enough about Sayaka...
Then for something a little different. About a month ago, at JPH!P (the forum I go to and moderate) we started a "girl of the week" feature in the H!P Girls Threads section. Now it's not a huge feature thing, just that a certain member's thread gets stickified for a week and people are encouraged to post special comments and such in her thread. And especially visit threads they usually don't. So anyway, I actually noticed that this little feature has helped me to start paying special attention to certain members, even after their week is over. I'm mainly talking about Reina Tanaka and Risa Niigaki here.
To a smaller extent the same thing happened with Risa; during her week there was a conversation in her thread about her difficult early days in Morning Musume and current leader potential, which me notice her a bit more than usual, too. (There wasn't much new information for me in the conversation, but sometimes a mere reminder works wonders.)
I really haven't been paying attention individually to several H!P members, so I'm really looking forward to more "girls of the week" who I might end up appreciating in a whole new way. I realize that fans who are only interested in supporting a few particular members aren't going to benefit from something like this, but to anyone who wants to be a fan of the whole Hello!Project, it is beneficial to sometimes take the time to pay attention to each and every girl separately.
I'm going to end this post with one random wish: I want H!P Sports Festival back!!
I'm rising back from the dead with a little fan post about Ongaku Gatas! I was going to make a post about the Ongaku Gatas DVD Pamphlet in particular, however, I'm visiting my parents so I don't currently have access to it (much like I don't have access to all my pictures), and I've only watched it once. So I'll just try to come up with some general stuff, instead.
Speking of the mix of members, there's Asami Konno who is the ultimate underdog in Momusu's history (she was officially given that role by Tsunku in the 5th generation audition - maybe she never would've been as popular had she not been marketed that way since day 1). She's the intelligent and adorable one. Then there's Mai Satoda, the Country Musume girl who seems to have gained some popularity for herself with regular TV appearances. The best vocalist in the group and has a funny, outgoing personality as well. Then there's a past Momusu lead member, Rika Ishikawa. A charming, pink-loving girl with a body to die for and one of the most unique voices you'll hear. And, of course, the captain, (ex?)tomboy Hitomi Yoshizawa, with a great sense of humour, a low voice, and lots of confidence. Of course these members were basically chosen because they are all in Gatas Brilhantes H.P., but taking into account their character and fanbase, what a great range of members, and a lot of experience for the Eggs to learn from!
Of course, as a H!P Egg fan, I'd like to take a bit closer look at them. Miki Korenaga has now been promoted to an official H!P member, so she's no longer an Egg, but since this is her first time in a unit that releases music, I'll include her here anyway.
Korekore is not very idol-like, you see. Even now that she's more experienced with all the girly idol stuff, she comes off as a very "normal", awkward girl, not as someone who sings and dances as a part of her job. I think it's understandable that she hasn't been given solo lines in the singles so far, and I think she's happy with it, as well. In a TV interview she mentioned it being unnerving to have her solo lines recorded for the Ongaku Gatas album (you can hear her in Koi uranai doori ni wa naranai wa). Before that, she had been asked if she thought being in the recording studio was fun, and a thoughtful silence followed. Hehe~ Koretty fans shouldn't be that upset if she doesn't get to lead in this group, because I doubt it's something she'd even want herself. But it's definitely good that she has been chosen to be in this group, to represent someone who is really good at futsal, but also very down-to-earth and easy to relate to those of us who weren't born to be J-pop idols...
And Mucchi also has quite a cute nose. Well, all of her face is cute, but her nose in particular. Actually nearly all Eggs in Ongaku Gatas have brilliant noses, so round and cute (Mucchi, Manoeri, Nocchi). But the point is that thanks to her personality and looks, she is quite adorable and likeable. I don't expect her to wow me with talent in performing and all the usual idol stuff, but she's great for the underdog fans. I'm glad this unit has people like Mucchi and Korekore.
Lookswise, I find her beautiful. I think she has adorable eyes and I've never seen dimples like hers before. I'm a bit surprised that she doesn't seem that popular among the Japanese wota. Maybe her personality doesn't interest them? It's all speculation.
When it comes to personality, I think she might be the most "normal" in the whole unit. That means lacking the awkwardness of Mucchi and Korekore, but also lacking the humour of Yossi, and hyperness of Nocchi. Because of this she doesn't stand out too much, but I think it's fine. I'm very curious to see her on stage again (DVD, I still haven't been to Japan) because I love her smile. Her tone of voice seems cute, too.
Random info: on 2ch, someone said she was 'ero' which stands for 'erotic', so at least I'm not the only one who thinks she has some special attractiveness about her...
Manoeri is not the strongest singer, and perhaps not the strongest performer, but there is something charming about her. Is it just the clumsiness? I don't know, I doubt it. I think she also has a genuine sparkle in her eye that makes her enjoyable to watch. Genuine effort. She hasn't completely brainwashed me yet, but I can see why people like her, and I look forward to being convinced by her in the future.
So to me, Nocchi has a winning personality, and it also shows on stage. I'm very curious to see her in Ongaku Gatas concert, whenever that gets released on DVD. Her singing voice seems so cute, too. In any case, this girl is doing a great job.
So that concludes my fandom post full of praise! Now let's see how many months it'll take for my next post to be made.
Firstly, I need to give props to the younger members of H!P, especially Eggs and especially little Saki Ogawa. Why?
Well, last week I watched some old Tenavatähti videos on Youtube. Tenavatähti was a Finnish singing competition for kids in the early 90's. And oh boy... When I saw how awkward those children on stage were (and most of their singing was nothing special, either), I realized how talented our little H!P darlings are. People like Mai Hagiwara (not an Egg, but very very young and talented), Saki Ogawa, Kanon Fukuda and many others, are pretty damn awesome for their age.
Of course a whole other story are extraordinarily talented children, like the 11-year-old girl who participated in America's Got Talent and blew people away with her vocals. H!P members aren't this kind of people so it's unfair to compare them to them. However, compared to "normal" singing kids who have maybe sung a few solos in a choir and taken part in some local singing competition, the young H!P members to me show much more natural talent in stage charisma and things like that. Heck, I remember the girls who sang solos in my choir when I was a kid, and their singing wasn't that much better than the H!P kids, yet they were considered "good singers" by our teachers and other people. So it just seems like I've forgotten what is considered "good singing" for children after watching too many western idol singing competitions.
And Saki Ogawa hasn't even turned 11, but is doing a pretty convincing job on stage. Of course you can tell that she's still young and there's a lot of room for improvement, but man. Earlier I didn't understand why Saki was getting the push that she is, because I guess in my mind I was comparing her to people it was unfair to compare her to (such as previous and current Momusu aces). But watching those old Tenavatähti videos really put things into perspective for me. I see her in a completely different light now, and look forward to everything she'll do in the future!
Then for the second part of this post:
H!P fans have always said how Hello! Project is going downhill, blah blah yadiyada. But has anyone actually noticed that 2007 has been a pretty fucking awesome year so far? (Sorry for the swear word, but I felt it was appropriate here)
Some reasons why this year has rocked:
- Junjun and Linlin joined Morning Musume. Don't know about you guys, but I love them
- Ongaku Gatas was formed. This unit is like a dream come true, not just to me as a H!P Egg and Rika fan, but also to anyone who wanted to see Konno back, and Yossi have a singing career after graduating from MM
- Morning Musume has released three good singles in a row this year: Egao YES! Nude, Kanashimi Twilight and Onna ni sachi are. I also like the preview of Mikan I've heard, so for me it will be 4 good singles in a row. (But I understand that because Mikan is a joyful song, not everyone might like it as much as the "cool" and mature previous songs)
- Buono! was formed. I haven't paid a lot of attention to this unit, but after watching their PV I realize how awesome it is. It's basically the three aces of the younger generation. And hey, I love Miyabi and Momoko
- C-ute has been selling pretty darn well, and released (to me) their best major single so far, which is Tokaikko Junjou
- Koharu has continued to sell well
- To me personally, the fact that H!P Eggs have been able to do much more and have their own concerts has been very important, very rewarding, and an endless source of joy
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.
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.
Ayaka Wada: An awkward little child, but still not 'too young'. Something in her eyes was likeable to me, and her singing was surprisingly good, too (for those one or two lines that she got). She looked awkward, but cute, and I think with more experience she'll be quite enjoyable to watch on stage. Adorable little thing.
Ayumi Yutoku: I liked her a lot in the Pucchimoni performance. Good voice and presence on stage. It was touching that she cried at the end of the concert. A bit older members will realize the importance of their first concert. I was expecting her to convince me a bit as a performer, and I think she did. Not awesome, but good.
Yuu Kikkawa: I was actually surprised at how invisible she was to me in this concert. I tried to pay attention to her because of the praise I had read about her, but... Nah, it just wasn't happening. I think she'll have a bigger role in the next Egg concerts and only then we'll be able to get a better picture of her. I mean she had what, one solo line in this concert?
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.
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.
Arisa Noto: A very energetic performer, and absolutely adorable during Strawberry Pie. I don't think her voice was the best for Strawberry Pie, but whatever, she was cute. Her dancing stood out to me. She was definitely trying her best, and the tears at the end of the concert showed how much this meant for her. I just can't help but be happy for her.
Erina Mano: I don't think Manoeri was very amazing in this concert, but you have to remember that she's a 2nd generation Egg and has had even less experience than most other Eggs. She was cute, as always, but didn't stand out to me too much otherwise.
Then the Eggs who have left - Manami Ogura (aka my beloved vomit girl): not a great loss. Mirei Hashida: she was fricking awesome in the concert, but I'm not going to praise her more because she's GONE. Grr.
Well, that's it. That didn't luckily take the whole day. Yay.
Last one! The previous parts are right below this one.
Oh Nocchi... I think I have a soft spot for her, too. I like it how she is so energetic whenever she talks to the camera, and has a wide smile on her face. I'm not sure if she will ever have a huge part in H!P, but I'm sure that whatever she's given she will do with enthusiasm. Her voice is one of the most easily recognizeable among the Eggs (or maybe the easiest): a ducky-duck voice. She seemed so happy to be in Ongaku Gatas PV that I can't help but really feel for her. I know she's done some idol-related work before joining H!P Eggs, so this seems to be what she really wants to do. And finally she had her first PV shooting at age 18! That just makes me happy.
Saki Ogawa
Sakitty has got such a huge push recently, getting more parts than others at Egg concerts and such. A tiny 10-year-old turning 11 in November. She's cute, but I do wonder why out of all the Eggs she's the one who's getting a push. I don't mind it, I just wonder out of curiousity because I don't know her that well, so I don't know what hidden talent she might have. I'm curious to see her perform because of it, anyway. Both in the press conference for Ciao.TV and the C-ute DVD Magazine she didn't seem very relaxed, so at least she's not being pushed because of an immediate ability to be natural in front of camera. Oh well, she's a very cute little girl, and I hope she can handle the pressure of being the agency's current golden egg.
Robin Shoko Okada (why can't they just shorten it to Robin Okada?)
Robin's points just keep going up for me. I'm constantly impressed by her vibrant, fun personality, and I look forward to all THE Possible backstage videos to see her do something cute and funny. Her reactions to other people's behaviour are golden - it's like she has great chemistry with everyone. So I really, really love her character. Besides that she also looks cute. She's just thoroughly adorable, and seems to be able to make a decent lead for a single when needed, too (Kaze no Uwasa). Robin is just awesome. I hope she lives giggly ever after. One of the top Eggs by far, and I don't mean in a personal favourite list, but in an overall idol potential list.
Saki Mori
In a way Morisaki seems weird to me... I can't explain it, but she does. But hey, that's alright, because I like her. Reasons why Morisaki is cool: she is a Momoko Tsugunaga fan, she has a cute singing voice, she has really thick hair (look at her pigtails!), and I've read that she's quite a decent performer. We'll see about that whenever the Egg concerts come out. Anyway, I like Saki for some unexplainable reason. Like Momoko, she seems to have a special kind of posture or way of moving... I haven't seen a lot so I'm not going to bet on it, but yeah. She seems like a 'good girl', not that that makes any sense. Ah... I just get the feeling that she's weird, but in a really good way because I keep being so interested in her even if I've barely seen her do anything. She's just fascinating in some bizarre way. And I shall stop writing before everyone will think I'm crazy.
Sayaka Kitahara
Sayaka is one of the beauty Eggs, though still very raw looking because she's only 13 going 14. But she's going to be so pretty you won't believe it. I have to say she has a very freaky way of doing the peace sign, though. I tried to make my hand look the same, but I just couldn't! Anyway, I haven't got too much to say about her because I don't know her well, but even just because of her cuteness I'd be willing to see more of her in the future. But there's no rush for her to be put into a unit in my mind, unless she has the talent for it. If not, let her practice in Eggs for some more time and then debut as a beauty princess. And the casual H!P fans will think, "where the hell did SHE come from?" And the mother hen will say, "right here, bitches".
Minami is a short, sort of chubby girl, I think? I'm just mentioning it because there aren't many short girls with meat on their bones in H!P, Nacchi springs to mind but that's probably it. I welcome Minami with open arms. I'm not sure how short Minami is, but she looked short in some picture compared to other Ongaku Gatas members. Anyway, I think she's very pretty and did a good job in the Ongaku Gatas PV. I must admit that for some reason I didn't expect a lot from her, but I was pleasantly surprised both by her beauty and performance in it. I also really liked her part in the History of Eggs DVD (I know that's not the official name, but it's the easiest name) where she did the split and then giggled looking like she didn't know what else to do. It was so cute. Minami is probably one of the most likeable Eggs to me.
One of my early favourites and still one of my favourites, Yuki is a real cutie. I really like her look and find her as cute as a button. But recently I've been paying attention to other Eggs more, so she's slipping a bit. I don't think that her personality stands out a lot, instead it's like everything she does is cute, because she is cute. So does that mean that she has a cute personality? Who knows, I'm getting tired. I just know I'll never get bored of her face. I think that by H!P standards she is an ok singer and performer, but I'd like to see her do something else, too, to see if she could stand out more. It's weird to think how much more I've seen of her than of Eggs who aren't in THE Possible, yet I still feel like I don't know that much more about her. She's a bit like a shadow. I like her, but there's just something weird going on there.
Yurika is another Egg that I don't feel like I really connect with, but I must say I like her better now than I did before. I actually tend to like her in THE Possible's backstage videos. She usually does something funny or pulls some cute expression (unplanned). I'm glad she has fixed her front teeth, since she looks so much better in general. I don't mind slightly wonky front teeth (like Kaede's), but hers were a mess. I think she has a likeable character, she just hasn't stood out to me that much yet. But maybe one day she'll surprise me and become one of my favourites. She just might. Perhaps it's just all about waiting for the connection to happen.
I've been actually looking forward to writing about Yuri all this time! And she's second last! That's just my luck. Anyway, I've liked Yuri since I saw her backdancing for Ami Tokito at a concert, then even more after I saw her in that silly Gyao drama with Ai Takahashi (and later Maki Goto). But Ongaku Gatas PV, that was it. Official love. Yuri pwns me, she really does. I was so impressed by her in that video! She has passion burning in her eyes throughout the video. I don't doubt for one second that this is what she wants to do, loves to do, aches to do. I think out of all the Eggs in Ongaku Gatas, she did the most convincing job. I was trying to pay attention to everyone, but she kept stealing my attention. That was a moment when I felt so proud. I really hope that she keeps getting more work to do (I'd love Ongaku Gatas to keep releasing singles the most). It's also funny that when I was watching the Ongaku Gatas making of, it reminded me of how she's said that she's good at "killing the mood". And I couldn't get that out of my head whenever she was talking. I can forgive her killing the mood as long as she keeps performing as fiercely. I love Yuri.
One of the little cuties (except not that little, because I think she's quite tall). Yuuka is adorable and has an adorable voice. Definitely one of the Eggs to watch in the future, even if I keep forgetting about her sometimes. Her blog is worth checking for Irori, Manami etc. fans, because Yuuka is awesome enough to post many pictures of other Eggs. Not sure about her having special idol potential, but a cute voice and face are a good start, and she's got some stage experience from being in plays. Maybe she will surprise me when I see her in an Egg concert. She had a part in a drama once, but I still haven't seen her acting, which is a shame. Oh well, I like her, but she tends to fade in the background a bit for me.
That's it! All done! Sorry if these last ones don't make a whole lot of sense. I've been writing all day and it started to show.
See part 1 just below this one!
One of my instant favourite Eggs, Kaede still remains close to the top (to be honest, I haven't got a #1 favourite Egg; but if I did, Kaede would be battling for that spot). I like her look... Her smile can look awkward, but I just think it's adorable. I love her eyes and eyebrows (really!), especially when she has a serious expression on her face. She's got such a silly, fun personality, too, but I've mentioned that before. I guess she doesn't have what it takes to be the lead performer of a group, but I like her very much all the same. I kind of hope that THE Possible will continue the way it has until now, with each single either not having an obvious lead, or the lead changing, so that no member will feel like a underdog. I fear that Kaede would be one of them.
Mororin didn't really grab my attention for quite a while. But then I saw her sing a solo song and her singing was so poor, but she was so adorable, that I couldn't help but start to really like her that very moment. I feel like I've told this story so many times before... Anyway, she is a good kind of 'quiet' addition to a group, because she may be quiet, but she's not boring. Her clumsiness in talking and such is quite cute. I just kind of feel like I want to give her a hug whenever I see her say something funny or sing pretty much anything. Like Kaede, she's not really lead potential, but very likeable to me. And for some reason, I want to hear another Kanami solo song, even if she can't sing to save her life... Or perhaps because she can't sing to save her life?
Kanon is the Egg of Eggs. She's this absolutely adorable, tiny little thing, who has already had quite a bit of work on stage, and already seems noticeably more professional than the other little ones. She still seems a bit nervous on camera sometimes, but for the most part she is much more confident than the others already. I think she has a lot of things going for her: she's cute as a button, she stands out and is memorable, she has a really cute little chipmunk voice, and she is a huge H!P fan, which means she's motivated to work for the company. The massive effort she puts into updating her blog (with all the fun graphics and such) also shows that when she gets into something, she really gets into it and does it well. I think it's remarkable for someone who's only 12 years old. So in sum, I find Kanon quite admireable and think that she is a great kid. I have high expectations for her, but I will totally forgive her even if she doesn't live up to them.
It was a lot of fun to see someone from a Morning Musume audition to join the H!P Eggs, and I'll welcome any help to get more attention to Eggs from casual H!P fans. Kikkawa does, however, belong to Eggs in my opinion: I haven't seen any convincing material that she should've joined Momusu instead of Aika. Everyone else seems to feel the opposite, but oh well. I thought that Kikkawa's singing was alright in her audition, so that's what I look forward to hearing from her the most. Personality-wise she seems like your ordinary sweet next-door girl. She's quite pretty, but hasn't really stood out to me so far among the Eggs in that area. I really look forward to seeing her in the Egg concerts to find out what all the fuss is about. It's a bit of a shame that I expect more from her because of comments that fans have made about her ("she should've been in 8th gen instead of Aika!"), because I don't honestly think she will make me find her as wonderful as these fans do. But I do hope that she does well in whatever's given to her.
Also one of the Eggs I liked instantly, then forgot about for a while, and now like a lot again. I watched the C-ute DVD magazine with five Eggs, and I felt that she was the most natural out of all the Eggs there. Her smile and reactions, all so natural (and I loved her expression after she had done the bending over part). She's also one of the Eggs that I've read good comments about when it comes to her performance on stage, so that's something I look forward to seeing, as well. I've always had a soft spot for her looks, especially her eyes. I'd love to see her with a Koharu-style make-over (either the big curls or Kirari pigtails). She is pretty cool.
Oh Koretty, Koretty. Why do I like her so much even if I've never really seen her do anything? (I haven't watched Gatas matches) I don't think she is idol-like at all, so I don't think it's wrong that she didn't get any solo lines in Ongaku Gatas single. But I do think it's cool that they included her in the group. It's just weird how likeable she is even if I don't really know anything about her. Maybe I just feel for her because she's my age and in an idol company even if she's not idol-like, and her looks aren't all that great, either (even if she looks pretty good these days, but still not like someone I'd hire if I ran an idol company). I guess a lot of fans just have a soft spot for her, and I do, too.
The moment I first saw her face I knew that she would become popular (relatively speaking, we are discussing Eggs, you know). And lo behold, she gets put into Ongaku Gatas and suddenly more and more people are loving Manoeri! I can't blame them. She is quite adorable and did a great job in the PV. It was her first one so I could still see rawness in her, but she did the best that she could with her experience (which is close to none; she's a 2nd gen Egg so she hasn't even got as much backdancing experience as the rest!). I think that she has potential and definitely the looks to go far, if given the chance. Now it's up to the agency if they will make proper use of her. I don't think the talent I've seen from her so far is amazing, but with a proper push she could be a real cash maker (at first with her cute looks, and with more experience her talent, as well).
I haven't been able to really understand why Mia is a H!P Egg, but I still like her and all. When I look at her I see a kind of clumsy, nervous, maybe even a shy girl, but that's all about her appearance. I don't know what she's like behind that smile at all. But yeah, not the kind of girl I'd instantly see as an idol. I don't really mind her being there, though, because at least she's different from the other Eggs in some way. And she seems quite genuine and down-to-earth, if that can be said about a mere Egg. Seems like a sweet girl, but that's it for now.
Another Egg I like for no particular reason! When I first saw Momoka, I didn't think she was anything special (at least compared to Manoeri, who's also a 2nd gen egg), but now I really like her, especially her look. She's not exceptionally cute or anything, but pretty in any case. She has a very likeable look, and I like the hairstyle she has in this picture on her in particular. She seems to have a sort of quiet personality - nothing that really stands out (at least so far). I'd like to see more of her just because.
Mucchi has always been sort of weird and not very idol-like, but at the same time quite likeable to me because of it. I find her face very cute, and I think she has a unique style (compared to the rest of Eggs). This girl's blog is difficult to read even for the Japanese because of her gal way of writing (and that's something I've read Japanese fans say themselves, I'm not making it up!). Mucchi seems like a bit of a tomboy, even if she looks quite girly in Ongaku Gatas. I like her. She's so different from the others, even in the whole H!P. She'll never be my favourite, but I'll always have a soft spot for her.
20 done! To be continued...
I still haven't made a proper post about what I really think about each and every Egg, so it's about time I do. I'll post 10 members in each post just to make sure there's less to type again if something goes wrong when I click "save" (eek). Random order again.
Aina Hashimoto
It's not too long since I wrote about THE Possible members, so I'll try to keep these short and simple. Aina seems very professional, kind of older than her age (turns 15 next month) both in her looks and her personality. I like her voice, cuteness, and how pro she seems, but she isn't very 'fascinating' to me. I find her a valuable member of THE Possible and I think she has a long career ahead of her if she just doesn't quit. A lot of idol potential. But yes, as of now I just don't feel a special connection with her. But that's ok, I only have that special connection with a select few.
Akari Saho
Akari is one of the little ones I really like for no good reason. I just think her name fits her very well (Akari has the kanji for akarui, 'bright'). I think she's quite pretty. Also, I love it how the corners of her mouth kind of curve upwards; it makes her mouth look funnily cute. I think you can even see it in this picture, even if I think it shows the best in videos. She does karate, which is cool, too. Not sure about her idol potential because to me she hasn't got a stand-out presence on camera, but that's okay. She's only twelve.
Anri Tanaka
Well, I don't know a lot about her, so it will be difficult to find a lot to say here. She hasn't been doing too much even in Gatas, even if she joined as a Gatas Brilhantes trainee in 2004. I wonder what her position in H!P will be like if she's not really in Gatas, but not really doing any of the more idol-like things, either... Mucchi (Mika Mutou) who also joined as a Gatas trainee has done plays since, and now Ongaku Gatas. Anri wasn't even in the latest Egg concert because of school, so compared to Mucchi she's doing much less work in H!P. Maybe she won't stay in Hello! Project for very long... I have to admit I haven't got too attached to her because I haven't seen that much of her. It's a bit frustrating not to know what the heck she is even doing in H!P Eggs, if she's not... doing anything.
A little one who seems to be wearing glasses quite often. She's been quite unnoticeable and hasn't done a lot, but then again she's only 9 (turning 10 in November). She'd be only working at this age if she had some kind of special idol potential (like Risako Sugaya, who always had a face that stands out and cute awkwardness going for her... I remember her having some acting work before Berryz). Nah, Manami is cute, but just a cute 9-year-old as of now.
Asuna seems like a serious little girl! She's Chisato Okai's (C-ute) little sister, so when I saw my first clips with her, it was weird to see how she didn't really smile at all. Chisato has always seemed so playful and cheerful. But hey, at least Asuna stands out from the others by being so quiet and grave. Just not sure how idol-like she is... She didn't do too well in the press conference for Ciao.TV, either. Well, it will still be fun to see her in the future, to see if she really is that serious or if it was just because of nerves, and so on. Her speaking voice is also quite similar to Chisato's, so it will be interesting to (hopefully) hear her sing. She's quite cute, too.
Aww, how cute is Ayaka? I think it's no wonder that wota had given her the nickname "Beauty-chan". So cute and pretty. I think she looks younger than her age, though (she is 13). This girl didn't stand out to me a lot instantly, but I like her now. She seems a bit nervous and stiff in front of camera, which is probably one of the reasons why she seems younger than her age to me (the stiffness is so child-like). But yeah, like Akari, Ayaka is just someone I like for no special reason. And definitely one of the kids I want to see again in five years to see how gorgeous they've become!
Ayumi seems to be one of the Eggs that are somewhat popular among wota. Maybe she's good on stage - I've read a couple of favouring reviews. I think her look is quite good, especially for her eyes. Hmm... I feel like I should have a lot to say about her, but I don't, really. It's funny that she seems to stand out to a lot of Japanese Egg fans, but to me, not really. I'm pretty sure I'd like her more if I saw and heard more of her, though. I do think she has potential and all. Maybe I should've made this post only after seeing the first Egg concert... But on the other hand, maybe it will be fun to then write down new opinions after watching it and compare them with the old ones...
When I first saw Azusa, I thought "wow, she's obviously the least cute Egg" (how cruel!). Now I'm not that certain about that. I mean sure, she's very 'unpolished' as of now, but that's because she's only 11. Looking at her facial features, she might turn out to look quite good. I rather like her wide nose! There's something very soft and 'friendly' about her look that I like. Too bad she wasn't in the latest Egg concert. I haven't seen much of her at all, but she seems likeable enough, so I hope being absent from the concert isn't a sign of her soon quitting H!P for school. Oh yeah, and I like her name.
Erina was one of the Eggs I liked the most when I first got into H!P Eggs, probably mostly because she was born in 1990 (nobody else in H!P is) and was one of the first Eggs to get a blog. Then I forgot about her for a while, being busy with other Eggs. Now I seem to be liking her more again because she's getting prettier, at least in my opinion. (I wish I could say there was a less superficial opinion, but how could I when I haven't seen the girl really do anything in a while!) I love it that she plays drums, no matter how little. I like her facial features because they're a bit weird, but cute. Reminds me of Konno (not her looks, but the whole 'weird, but cute' factor). I'm curious to see her on stage because for some reason I think she could be better than an average Egg. At least she has some stage experience from plays.
AWW!! Irori is such a tiny little cutie cutie. I wouldn't be surprised if people around her were constantly charmed by her. I've read other Eggs say in their blogs that Irori has a special kind of aura. I've also heard Japanese fans' comments that in the future H!P's success will rely on the shoulders of members like Irori. Well, I think such comments are a bit too much when the girl has barely done anything, but to get such compliments at the age of 10 is pretty cool. What I can say that she does make me smile when I see her, even just in pics. She's just so adorable. Wonder what she will be like when she gets older. Right now she is young and radiant, as opposed to young and awkward/uncomfortable/unnoticeable.
Alright, first 10 Eggs done! To be continued...
It's funny how random personality traits can have a huge impact on your fandom experience. The ones that I've discovered influencing my Hello! Project fandoms are possessiveness and jealousy in particular. I am an incredibly possessive/jealous person, and this post will take a look at how these qualities have effected my fandom...
Most fans I know actually like spending time with people who share the same favourite member as them. However, that has never been the case with me. I've never really had other Nacchi fans as friends and even now if I talk to one, I feel like I've been put into a competition that I don't want to participate in. I'm not really competitive at all, so having to constantly try to keep up with the other fans might actually make me want to give up altogether and not even try to be a "good" fan. It's just too much pressure. Additionally, I just simply cannot share. Nothing annoys me more than if some other fan starts the "____ is mine!!" "___ steals ____ from shirenu!!" kind of argument with me, even if only as a joke. I guess you could say that I have no sense of humour when it comes to this. I think I fear that someone might actually take my precious idol away from me, even if there is no way that could possibly happen. It's an illogical way of thinking, but I can't really help it.
I get along the best with people who like the same members as I do, but whose top favourite is not the same as mine.
I'd like to say something about my H!P Egg fandom, too. When I first got into Eggs, it was so refreshing that nobody seemed to know a thing about them and I felt like I was the only person on earth (well, outside of Japan) who cared. For a little while they were all mine, my own, my precioussss. But my actions that followed this seemed to contradict the possessive side of my personality. I kept trying to tell people more about the Eggs, post their pictures, share information. I've made a fansite to them, a gallery; I've put lots of effort into making people notice them more than before. Basically, I wanted the Eggs to become more known, more popular... And I still do. However, there have been times when someone has posted some Egg-related picture or piece of news before me and I've felt like crap because of it - I've felt like I'm not doing my job properly or that I'm "losing power" if someone posts something before I do. This is NOT the kind of fan I want to be - I want to be the kind of person who can smile and think "wow, I'm so lucky that I don't have to juggle these Eggs all by myself anymore". I want to be able to appreciate and respect the work of others instead of feeling like "these strangers are trying to take over my territory". I am going to be an absolute mess if I keep feeling this way because a.) there are over 20 Eggs, I will really need help in the future to keep up with everyone's career, and b.) more Eggs ARE going to debut and become more popular, which means I will have to learn to share.
So my jealous & possessive personality effects my H!P Egg fandom, but I really want that to change. Luckily I already feel incredibly happy when I see random people say good things about Eggs, like "oh that Egg in Ongaku Gatas is really cute", or "could you post more pics of Sayaka? She's my favourite". These kinds of comments are why I do what I do in the end. It's not because I want to be The Ultimate Best Egg Fan. It's because I want others to become The Ultimate Best Fans of different Eggs. Because I'm daredemodaisuki when it comes to Eggs (which means that I love them all), I want others to choose their favourite Egg and treasure her. I can't give each girl the special attention she deserves because I'm too busy loving 20 other girls at the same time.
Perhaps I have got into Eggs so much because being a daredemodaisuki type of fan suits me the best. If I don't have a #1 favourite member, I won't have to compete with anyone. (I only need to learn that I can't always be the fastest to post something.) It makes me so happy to see someone declare they now have a favourite Egg, or pretty much say anything remotely positive about them. I hope they will become more popular soon. Ongaku Gatas is a good start.
Well, I think that was as brutally honest as I could make it... Heh.
