CK's H!P Blog

 

A couple of days ago I posted this review of Ketchup Mania's first full-length CD AND their newest single/PV.  Yesterday I e-mailed the link to the article to KM's site, this is the response I received...

After looking at Celestia's post of Morning Musume and the Disney special, I went and found the Matsuura Aya portion of the program  A medley of Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, Bippity Boppity Boo, and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, now there's a triple mouthful!  Ayaya is simply amazing, what a wonderful talent...

 

Oh boy, I wish my head would've appeared behind her during this!!!

CK in California

When Radicalpatriot invited me to Japan Nite in San Francisco last March, the only band that really interested me was SCANDAL.  And why not?  AKB48 rocking out with guitars?  How hot is that?  SCANDAL was pretty cool, but what I didn't know was that I would leave the concert as a huge fan of another group all together.  And that band is Ketchup Mania!

Like Henkka, I can also be described as somewhat of a "metalhead"  The list of groups I have seen live includes Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Ozzy, Motorhead, Van Halen, Dokken, Twisted Sister, Guns n' Roses, Dio, and W.A.S.P..  Outside of J-pop and Hello! Project, My all time favorite artists are The Ramones, The Surf Punks, X, The Pixies, and 311.  I'm also a huge fan of The Smiths (I know, pretty random for this list)  I've now received my first of hopefully many Ketchup Mania purchases, their first full-length CD...

 Greetings From Tokyo - 2006

This is an unbelievably great album!  Every track is fast, furious, and features the amazing voice of the ultra-sexy HIRO.  There are many groups in the J-rock universe that have a punk/thrash sound with an Anime-styled lead singer.  Berry Roll is one I've heard, The Soap is another.  But no singer has the command of HIRO, and her sound is so unique.  The musicianship is ultra tight.  DAI's guitar work and WANI's drumming are lightning quick, but very crisp.  And they sound great live too!

 

The CD is a set of twelve under-2 minute songs in rapid succession.  In a way, their style could be described as repetitive.  But I love their style, so it doesn't bother me at all.  The CD in many ways reminds me of The Ramones first album.  Pretty much every song is great!  My favorite tracks...

Track 2 ~ BES-POSI  They go into a reggae style on the bridge, which is a great variation!  Like an amped up version of The Specials.  HIRO goes very high in her vocal range on the chorus. 

Track 3 ~ NAMIDA VACUUM SOUND  The guitar solo is a great variation of Wipeout by the Ventures.  Their second PV...

Track 7 ~ SUN FLOWER  This is my favorite song on the CD.  On almost every track, HIRO harmonizes with herself.  I'm pretty sure it's an overlapped track.  Twice the HIRO, twice the fun!  Many songs on this CD are just fast, but this one is one of the most melodic.  I wish I could find a video of this!

Track 8 ~ YOUR WORLD  For some reason, the guitar work on the chorus reminds me of the 80's alternative sound.  BTW, The sound on the PV is kinda low...

Track 9 ~ CANDLE ON THE BIRTHDAY CAKE  This song is so reminiscent of Bow Wow Wow, especially the intro guitar.  It's very melodic, with a caribbean rhythm to it.  My Japanese is weak at best, but I've never heard so many phrases end with the sound "lu"  What does that mean???

Track 10 ~  JINGLE BERRY  is my other favorite song, and just might be the best Christmas song ever made!!!  Sorry Bing!  Although it's slightly more "Christmas-y" than Spinal Tap's "Christmas with the Devil" and Dread Zeppelin's "Christmas in Las Vegas"  I'll be alternating between this and Sayumi and Koharu's "Merry Pinku Kurisumasu" this holiday season.  To me this is their best PV, simply because it is almost exclusively closeups of HIRO...

I love just about every song on this CD.  I highly recommend it.  I found it for a very reasonable price (new) on EBay, and YesAsia has a CD/DVD version.

You can hear Ketchup Mania every Monday night (10 eastern/7pacific) on the Japan Files channel on live 365.com.  There's a link posted on their MySpace page.  By the way, here is their brand new PV, Please! Marry Me!!!  Oh HIRO, if only...

I was surprised by the comparative "softness" in the beginning, but the song "rocks out" more as it progresses.  It sounds A LOT more polished and produced than "Greetings From Tokyo".  I believe they might be grooming them for a more mass market appeal!  The purists might not like it as much, but it is a step forward in their career.  When they become huge stars, I'll always have the memory of hanging out with them and having a smoke on Divisadero Ave. in San Francisco!  DAI's "Wedding March" guitar solo in the middle is awesome!  I just love when guitarists do "classical favorites" as solos.  The video is a continuation of the theme from their previous PV, BAD BAD BAD.  And I love the R. Crumb-styled animation!  Ya know, after listening to this song a few times, it's really starting to grow on me, very cool!

 

And by the way, did I mention HIRO is too friggin' HOT?  Even if she does deserve a Hall of Fame spot on my "Great Orthodontist Adventure"!!! 

CK in California

 

 

I'd say I made the right choice when deciding to see the Hello! Project 2008 Winter concert.  First, I'm barely discernable on the inside jacket cover of the DVD, then Radicalpatriot sends a picture of Momoko with me in the background.  And now Rad has found the best picture yet!

 

 

Yes, that's my head just to the left of the lovely Ayaya during "Yeah Meccha Holiday"!  I can just imagine what I must have been thinking at the moment.  I feel like the guy I saw at the show with a t-shirt print of himself in a tuxedo and Momoko in a wedding dress!  It had to be the funniest outfit I saw my entire trip!

It's things like this that get me excited about returning to Japan to re-live the experience.  I am solidly committed to returning next January, but I do have a week of vacation at my disposal this year.  I could use it for the summer show, but more likely if I go, it will be for the fall tours.  We shall see.  It was worth every penny to invest in this trip, and to spend a little extra for the great seats!

Now that I know where I am (around 2:29), I can see myself bouncing around behind her on the DVD.  Thank you Rad for all of your hard work!

CK in California

Ever since I truly discovered THE Possible, I have been looking forward to April 2008.  According to the Wiki web site, NGP was to be beginning "full time activites" for THE Possible and Canaria Club.  Well, April has come and gone...

 

 

THE Possible started the month with two shows at Yokohama Blitz.  Actually it was the end of March, but I won't be too picky.  I really like the setlist of this concert.  They did 20 songs, including most of their hits.  And the "Blitz" is a respectable place to perform.  C-ute performed there as recently as last year.  As of this posting there is no news on whether or not a DVD will be released.  But I'd really like to see this show.

They ended the month with what is being called their first major release, Kazuko e no Tegami...

This PV misses the mark for so many reasons.  First of all, I have no interest in watching my favorite idols covered in dirt and grease!  It's not cute or sexy at all, which is a major reason why I watch and listen in the first place.  And speaking of "Grease", this song sounds like a reject from the "Grease" soundtrack.  It's another 50's-esque song like GOHAN no Uta, just not nearly as cute or catchy.  And at 4:50 it is far too long and repetitive. The "instrument" shots seem like such an afterthought...there are no cool shots of Ohse Kaede jamming on the drum set.  After the sensational releases of Happy 15 and Love Message, to me this is a disappointment.  Worst of all, half of the hairstyles look like a tribute to Allen Iverson!

 

 

Canaria Club: I am personally in a "discovery phase" for this group.  I know they are split into "Can's" and "A-rias", but have no idea what the heck that means.  Unless Yui is joining Canaria Club on the "Can's" team, I am still confused.  Unlike THE Possible, they have never appeared with Hello! Project, so we haven't had any access to them that way.  But they also had a concert in Yokohama, at Sunphonix Hall in Yokohama Arena.  What I can't believe is that tiny place under Yokohama Arena is actually able to hold a concert!  I swear I thought it was a gift shop of some sort when I was there in January.  I've searched around the internet to see if I could find more information on it, but could only find pictures of their recording studios.  I wonder how many it seats?  It couldn't be more than 100...it makes The AKB48 Theater look like the Tokyo Dome.  Their 17-song setlist featured all of their singles, including the latest...

This PV far exceeds my expectations!  This song sounds like a classic "golden age" Morning Musume tune.  It's a simple PV, but those cute green plaid shorts and belly shirts kept my interest throughout the PV.  It has also put two new idols on my radar...My favorite "Can" Takada Ayumi looks totally hot in those glasses, and "A~rias" Ooura Ikuko looks like a cross between Maasa Sudou and Kikkawa Yuu.

 

Also appearing in both concerts were TNX's Peach, Cherry, and GTT Club.  Have any of these artists produced a single yet???

So there is your first month of "full activity"  I was disappointed in THE Possible's new single, but it seems that NGP is making an effort to build an image for Canaria Club, based on the fact that the members are all primarily known on Wiki by their nicknames...what is the significance of that???  It wasn't an earth-shattering beginning by any means but...

 

Rome wasn't built in a day.

CK in California

 

This has been an interesting six months...

October 2007:  Goto Maki suddenly graduates from Hello! Project.  Reasons:  Exhaustion and creative differences with UFA.  Dubious sub-reason:  The arrest of Goto Yuuki "Corleone"  This, along with Iida Kaori's pregnancy also contributes to the unceremonious disappearance of Morning Musume Tanjou 10nen Kinentai after a fairly promising start.

 

January 2008:  v-u-den announces their coming disbandment this summer.  Reason:  None given.  Dubious sub-reason:  Latest album doesn't break 8,000 copies sold?

February 2008:  The cancellation of Uta Doki! Pop Classics  Reason:  To make room for Berikyuu.  Dubious sub-reason:  Was anyone watching?

March 2008:  Mano Erina graduates from H!P Eggs and more importantly Ongaku Gatas.  Reason: To pursue a solo career and be the best part of Berikyuu!  Dubious sub-reason:  Unsubstantiated rumours of friction within the Gatas.  By the way, I don't buy into that rumour for one second.  There is NO possible way Yossie and Rika would let some kid get away with being a Diva in that group!

 

 April 2008:  The graduation of Mutou Mika from Ongaku Gatas and Hello! Project.  Reason:  To focus on her education.  Dubious sub-reason:  She just wasn't cute or popular.  If this is true, I feel really badly for her.  It doesn't seem as if she got much of a shot beyond the Eggs.  She was merely a glorified backup dancer for Gatas who never (as far as I've seen) got a chance to prove her talent.  Whatever the "real" reason, I am sorry to see Mika go.

 

 April 2008:  The sudden graduation of Kimura Ayaka.  Reason:  To focus on her acting.  Dubious sub-reason:  What has she done lately other than one song per year every winter?  This one hits me the hardest because 1) Ayaka is such a huge part of the history of Hello! Project.  Not because of Coconuts Musume, but of her Surprise English Lessons.  And 2) Unlike Maki, who we now know and always suspected would resurface, this may be the last we hear from Ayaka for a long time.  What bothers me the most is how unceremonious her departure is.  Ayaka deserves SO MUCH better than this! (Friday edit: well this theory already seems to have been proven incorrect, as Ayaka "Nagate" has already signed with a new agency.  Awesome for her!!!  I never said I was related to Nostradamus.)

 

Question:  What do all of these events have in common???

 

Answer:  They all happened to and affected members of the Elder Club.

 

Obviously sales are not what they used to be.  And I've always wondered how UFA can afford to pay all of these artists to be associated with H!P when they seem to be generating limited revenue for the organization.  What I have long suspected is that UFA is beginning to "prune away" the excess baggage, and it is starting with most of the Elders.  But can you really blame them?  Based on current trends, it is obviously the right time for UFA to take a good, hard look at where they are, and where they want to be.  As hard as it is to say goodbye to people they surely care about as human beings.  It simply makes sense for them to evaluate what is going to keep them profitable and contemporary.  After all, nobody wants them to become a "nostalgia" act!

So now we have seen the first of some major changes.  Could the rest of the Elders be far behind???

 

 

Melon Kinen-bi:  As much as I hate to say it, their days must be numbered with H!P.  Their last single and album barely sold a copy.  There has been no tour in 2008, and they are usually good for 2-3 club tours per year.  I don't think they are going to survive the year.

Maeda Yuki:  She is a tremendous talent, but is being promoted to the wrong demographic.  Yuki in H!P is like a "fish on a bicycle".  I think she is going to move on.

 

Inaba Atsuko:  Now that Ayaka is gone, could Atsuko be too far behind?  They both currenly play the same role within Hello! Project, with the exception of her backing vocal work.  I still say I'd rather watch the H!P shows with she and Mari hosting, and instead be talking about the graduation of MC Makoto!!!

Yui and Erika:  I have no clue what they could possibly have in store for these two.  And I'll bet UFA doesn't have a clue either. 

 

This leaves us with...

Matsuura Aya:  She is still one of the best talents currently in Hello! Project, but I could see her eventually pulling a "Gomaki" and bolting for greener pastures.  Whatever she does, I will still adore her!

Ongaku Gatas:  Despite losing two members, I don't think Gatas is falling apart at all.  Mika was underutilized and expendable.  Manoeri, as popular as she is, wasn't the cornerstone of the group.  Si*Na is an unknown commodity, so we have no idea what Nocchi's future is yet.  I'm interested to see what the Gatas' next move is.

 

And then you have...

All of the Momusu graduates:  This is the hardest for me to predict.  How do you tell the likes of Yuko, Nacchi, Kaorin, Nono, Kei-chan, Yaguchi, and Mikitty "see ya later"?  I don't think you do.  And even if I believe that last January was the last we'll hear of the "Elder" concept, it doesn't mean I think UFA will show every last one of them "the door".  Next to Ayaya, Morning Musume "OG" is the best part of the Elders' show, AND was the best part of the ENTIRE Summer 2007 concert!  Could some of them eventually say goodbye?  Yes, but it would be on their own terms.  I have to believe that H!P would always leave an open door for any of them.

 

Now what is working???

 

Berryz Koubou:  Dschinghis Khan is their best selling single...ever!

C-ute:  Namida no Iro...ditto!!!

Morning Musume:  Resonant Blue, Tsunku and Momusu do a retooling of style and BAM!  We have one of their best selling singles in over two years!

Buono!:  Is a resounding success!

 

Koharu Kusumi:  Every single and album sells well!  Great buzz around Milky Way.  Which begs the question...  What do Koharu and Pornography have in common???

 

Nobody claims to be a fan of either one, but they both generate monstrous revenue! 

CK in California

   

I love the way everyone gets so excited whenever a Hello! Project artist puts out a new PV.  And if Buono! gets any better, they are going to be due their own headline tour...You know what?  They are already there!!!

This is yet another stellar song from Pony Canyon and the tremendous trio of Airi, Miyabi and Momoko!  How much do I love thee?  Let me count the ways...

1) They are sticking to the musical genre that endeared me to them in the first place.  Yes it's pop, but make no mistake.  Buono! has a heavy rock flavor.

2) These are the hottest outfits they have worn for a PV.  Pedolicious schoolgirl attire...and that hat Airi is wearing...Prrrrrr!

3) Taking a cue from THE Possible and fooling around with musical instruments.  What is up with Momo's drumsticks?  Is she channeling the spirit of Cozy Powell?  But I'm still trying to figure out if Airi's guitar is from the Rick Nielsen collection or the Fisher Price collection.

4) Momoko, no matter how hard you blow your drumsticks, they aren't a harmonica!

5) The scene where they are sleeping together near the end is Uber-Kawaii!  And we got kisses!!!  Well, at least two kisses.

Bottom line, this is another amazing song from this unit.  The chorus of the song is what catches my attention, upbeat in their higher ranges.  Once again it has Pony Canyon written all over it and Tsunku nowhere to be found.  Not that I don't like Tsunku, he's listed as one of my heroes on my MySpace page (along with Howard Stern, but that's another story)  It is just nice to have some fresh blood producing material for the girls around H!P.  It keeps things from getting too formulaic.  I'd say the chances of me puchasing this Cd are very good.

CK in California   

In the world of female attraction, many men declare their fondness for certain parts of the body.  I'm sure you've heard the terms "leg man", "butt man", "breast man" "eye man" etc.  Everyone has their individual reasons for being attracted to the opposite sex...or in some cases, the common sex!  One of the biggest attractions for me is a girl's smile.  So I guess you could say I'm a "teeth man"  The greatest thing about having this attraction AND being a fan of Hello! Project is that there is a smorgasbord of dental variety in the UFA stable.

I was watching the "Milky Way" PV for about the seven-thousandth time this morning, and I couldn't stop thinking about the oral attributes of Yuu and Sayaka.  Kikkawa Yuu is my favorite member of Milky Way, and it is because she has a beautiful smile.  On the other hand, Sayaka, as "hot" as she is, needs some serious orthodontal care.  Koharu's teeth are far from perfect as well, but I still love the way she bites her lower lip with her buck front-teeth.

In the world of H!P, sometimes the dental imperfections work, sometimes they "scream" for a retainer.  I understand part of the Japanese idol phenomenon is the image that they are all "girls next door"  Bute seriously, a little dental repair could do so much for many of their images.  Let's take a look at some of the standouts, Sergio Leone style!

The Good!

(The prettiest smiles in H!P)

Morning Musume:  Takahashi Ai ~ Perfect teeth equals many many photobooks!

 

C-ute:  Yajima Maimi ~  Just something else to add to the list of great things about "Miss Perfect".  I personally think she has the most beautiful smile in the history of H!P!

 

Berryz Koubou:  Natsuyaki Miyabi ~ Miyabi has definitely had some dental work done.  Risako has too.  In fact, except for their "graduated" member, there isn't a really bad set of teeth in the whole group.  Although no one in Berryz has exceptionally wonderful teeth either.  Miyabi gets the mention by being "most improved"

 

Milky Way:  Kikkawa Yuu ~  Her smile rivals Maimi's

 

v-u-den:  Erika Miyoshi ~  Erika never gets enough props, so for what it's worth...

 

Honorable mentions go to Mitsui Aika, Iida Kaori, Miki Fujimoto, Abe Natsumi and Matsuura Aya, all beautiful smiles!  Ayaya might've even made the top list if she ever opened her mouth while being photographed!

 

The "Bucktooth" Babes!!!

Now their smiles may not be perfect, but I love them as much as just about any smile on the "good" list.  In fact, I find it even hotter!

 

Ongaku Gatas:  Noto Arisa ~  Look at those teeth, and everyone adores her...see what I mean?

 

Berryz Koubou:  Sudou Maasa ~  Not only does the beautiful Maasa have awesome front teeth, but I think she might have a slight case of "wonky-eye" as well...totally hot!

 

C-ute:  Nakajima Saki ~  Until Nocchi arrived on the scene, Saki had the best front teeth in H!P

 

Morning Musume:  Niigaki Risa ~  As Risa has gotten older, she has developed a much more mature look.  That is until she puts on her "Athena" uniform.  But her front teeth aren't nearly as pronounced as they used to be.

 

Berryz Koubou:  Tokunaga Chinami ~  I love when Chinami does that "golf shot-sailor salute" in Khan.  She is always smiling, which is a good thing!

 

Honorable mention:  Melon Kinen-bi's Shibata Ayumi.  Has the "bunny look", which was totally evident in the Kokuhaku Kinenbi PV!

 

The Bad!

Perhaps "bad" is too harsh a term.  These are smiles that have the "potential" to be beautiful, but just need a little work!  A couple of trips to the orthodontist should do the trick!  

 

Kago Ai ~  As much as I adore Kago, I've always felt that the glaring "hole" on the left side of her mouth took away from her overall attractiveness.  But lo and behold...it looks like she also got her teeth done while in Los Angeles!  It's not enough of an improvement to make the "best smile" list, but it's an improvement nonetheless!  So I'll call her the "graduated" member of this category.

 

Morning Musume:  Kamei Eri ~  Kamei is as gorgeous as anyone in H!P, but that one "messed up" left canine does not look good at all. It seems like such an easy "fix" as well.  A lot of girls in H!P have that same problem.  C'mon Eri!  You are so close to being perfect.  And Eri has one of the best of my "other" favorite body parts too!

 

C-ute:  Arihara Kanna ~  Why does it look as if all of the teeth on the left side of her mouth are longer than the teeth on the right side?  The first time I saw "Ookina Ai de Motenashite" I thought she was adorable...and then she smiled.  Yikes!!!  I'm sure there is an easy procedure to "even out" her smile.

 

Milky Way:  Kitahara Sayaka ~  Watching the PV for Anataboshi, it looks like both of Sayaka's canine teeth are sticking out her mouth, much like Megumi Murakami's front tooth did when she was in C-ute.  I had to go back a ways to find a picture of her with her mouth open.  But her smile still looks kinda sexy!

 

v-u-den:  Okada Yui ~  I'm not sure what advice to give Yui.  Her teeth look too big for her mouth.  I'm sure there is some sort of procedure to fix that, but other than me who's looking at her teeth anyway?  So I guess Dr. CK recommends more bikini shots!

 

And a "not-so" honorable mention to Murakami Megumi, like Eri, it's just one tooth out of place, such an easy repair!

 

The.....Really Bad!!!

Sorry Mr. Leone!  I will never use the term "ugly" to describe any member of Hello! Project.  That said, here are some sets of choppers that are in serious need of major help.  As strange as it seems, sometimes an extremely crooked set of teeth can be a "charm point".  My two favorite members of AKB48 are Ohe Tomomi and Ohori Megumi, both of whom would definitely rank on one of these two lists!  The following are the members of my "Mondo Teeth Hall of Fame"!  To quote Harold Fine in I Love You Alice B. Toklas, "What a concept!  Teeth, teeth, and yet more teeth!"

 

Sugiura (Tsuji) Nozomi ~  The "Queen" of H!P bad teeth.  Tsuji's fangs were a serious detriment to her overall looks.  I mean you know your teeth are bad when you are famous for it!  I had major oral surgery when I was eleven years old.  My mouth looked exactly like Tsuji's when I first came out of the hospital.  The funny thing is now that she has gotten her teeth fixed, I'm not sure if I like the result any better...they look too perfect!

 

Country Musume:  Kimura Asami ~  If Tsuji is the leader of this "team", then Asami is the sub-leader.  Now Asami is one of my favorite members of Hello! Project.  Horrible teeth and all, I still think she is adorable.  She is the one member of this list who I pray doesn't have any orthodontal work done!  She's perfect just the way she is!

 

Berryz Koubou:  Ishimura Maiha ~  I will give little Maiha a break because 1) she was still very young when she left Berryz, and 2) evidently she was the sweetest little gal in the whole group.  But man, that smile was scary!  Unlike Asami, I hope she's grown out of it and had them fixed!

 

C-ute:  Erika Umeda ~  Once you get beyond Maimi beautiful smile and Saki's perfect buckteeth, the "Cutie Rangers" have some serious dental issues!  In fact, I can't believe Airi isn't mentioned anywhere on this list!  Erika was really pretty in ZYX.  I hate to say it, but the older she has gotten, the more "rodent-like" her teeth have become.

 

Like "Hermie the Elf" from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, I should've become a dentist!

CK in California

 

P.S.  Tomorrow I am heading to Cabo San Lucas for a week.  Tonight's post was going to be the best "latin flavored" songs from H!P.  But I could really only find one, and C-ute's new single hasn't come out on CD yet.  Oh well... Between the Beach, Lobster, and Tequila, I won't have much time for blogging.  So I'll see you all in a week or so!

The fact that I have a picture of Kago Ai from "The MiniMoni Movie" as my ID photo on Vox is no accident.  Ever since the "six part interview", I've felt the need to put an "exclamation point" on my feelings about the idol known as Aibon! 

As I have stated many times, I would never have discovered Hello! Project if were not for Kago Ai and the "Robokiss" PV.  But when I first fell into the J-pop idol trap, it was shortly before Kago-chan was dismissed from UFA for, as I call it, "conduct unbecoming an idol".  I had gotten used to my experience of J-pop and Hello! Project as something Kago used to be a member of.  I found other "active" idols in the H!P stable to follow and idolize, like Ayaya, Tanakacchi and Nacchi.  I had resigned myself to the "fact" that Kago will be yet another idol who will fade away, never to be heard from again.  But her recent reemergence has really thrown me for a loop.  Having Ai (as she currently refers to herself) presently in the public eye one way or another is extremely foreign to me.  As a result...

I find myself falling in love with her all over again!

Thinking back to over a year ago, after discovering Robokiss on YouTube I quickly searched the names of the two singers (Kago and Tsuji) that caught my attention and found there was a plethora of videos of the two of them.  The first ones I clicked on were Ayaka's now famous English Lessons.  Searching through these also caused my adoration of Abe Natsumi (but I'll save that tribute for another post)  The two "lessons" that I loved the most were "I think I'm buzzing" and "What is your image of summer?"  I just loved when Kago chased Ayaka around the room for the Choux Cream!

 

What I really noticed about these PV's was Kago's confidence.  Yes she was barely a teenager.  And yes, she was very "kid-like".  But despite all of that, she was a natural "star"!  I was so impressed, and I continued to search. I discovered that Kago-chan was not only in "W"...not only in the famous "Morning Musume", but also in what was in my opinion, her best project of all...MiniMoni!

Yes, in the beginning of my Hello! Project fandom, MiniMoni was the best thing about it.  This is why the MiniMoni full-length CD's were the first two J-pop items I ever purchased.  I must've watched MiniMoni Telephone Rin Rin Rin! about 500 times.  I think "The Great Cake Adventure" is one of the greatest films ever!  I also remember visiting my brother's house in Newport Beach, and introducing my then 4 year old neice to one of my all-time favorite PV's...

My neice loved it...and so did I!

I continued to search through the internet for more info on the J-pop phenomenon.  I began collecting Morning Musume CD's.  I enjoyed discovering the Utaban interviews, and the infamous tests from Mecha Mecha Iketeru!  By this time I had discovered websites like Hello!Online, International Wota, and Hello!Blog.  I found the entire experience quite "exotic".  What I mean by that is that Japan was an entire world away for me.  Other than "Battle Royale" and "Takeshi's Castle"., I had no experience of Japanese culture at all.  I could feel my connection to this experience, but there was a lot missing for me...I can't really explain it...

This is why I felt such an urge to go to Japan and experience Hello! Project in person.  I wanted to be more closely connected.  I began buying Japanese language books and software.  I started watching Japanese television.  And if a Japanese person ever came to my desk at work, watch out!  There were going to get a big dose of "Kurisu desu", "Yoroshiku ne" and "Morningu Musume" whether they liked it or not!

In the meantime I have enjoyed watching old H!P concerts DVD's.  I have recently purchased the first Berryz/W concert, and H!P Summer 2004, which was Tsuji and Kago's graduation from Morning Musume.  Seeing the many girls crying backstage on the DVD extras was a true testament to how powerful Tsuji and Kago were, even back then.

My two favorite "W" PV's are "Ai no Imi wo Oshiete" and "Shiroi Iro wa Koibito no Iro"  I love "Oshiete" because they were so cute, but "Shiroi" because they were so beautiful.  I remember imagining playing "Shiroi" at my mother's funeral, and how beautiful that would've been.  I can't tell you how many times I have cried listening to this song...

Kago's absence forced her image to fade way from me spiritually.  I began to adore the amazing talent of Matsuura Aya after discovering the Ne~e PV.  I loved Natsumi Abe in "Pinch Runner"  My first Photobooks were Kamei's "17 Sai" and Reina's "AloHello!"  So I had new idols to follow and adore.  But I have to admit, when I went to Japan last January there was a lingering thought in the back of my mind...

How much more amazing would it be if I were going to see Kago and Tsuji tonight too?  Obviously nothing like that happened.  Regardless, I had an amazing time experiencing Japan and Hello! Project for the first time.  And then...And then...

To "semi-quote" Ray Stevens...and then along came Ai!  I have to admit, I got butterflies in my stomach when I first read that Kago was doing a six-part interview for "OhMyNews"  I was excited and terrified at the same time.  As weird as it sounds, it was like seeing an ex-girlfriend who you still hold a "torch" for for the first time in years!  What is she like?  Is she still as cute as she used to be?  What is going on in her life?

It wasn't until tonight that I finally got a chance to read any transcripts from the interview, although the biggest bombshells were set off early on.  Mainly the suicide attempts, and her thoughts about being fired from UFA.

She has repeatedly said in these interviews that she is sorry for her betrayal to her fans.  But as far as I'm concerned, Kago-san has nothing to apologize for.  She was a young girl in an adult world, and for a long time she did a great job in that universe.  She is extremely special, an amazing star.  It is something that Tsunku and UFA saw in her a long time ago.  I think this picture says it all...

What a natural!

So for now we have the "Biscuit Club" , which I think is totally adorable!!!  I've wondered if it is truly Ai posting these entries, and I choose to believe it is.  They are so cute!  I know she is supposed to be a maturing Kago, but there is such an innocence to these entries so far.  Some dinner she made, an American movie she liked (she seems to be into Led Zep, very cool!), and all the while an unspoken "plea" for all of us to love her again.  Well I have news for you Ai...

You had me at hello...

CK in California