Hello! Project Retro Review #1

Now that I've started this blog, what the heck am I going to do with it.  Ranking members?  Covered.  All-Time favorite songs?  Not too original.  Then I remembered my new toy!

I had been thinking of buying an all-region DVD player for a long time now.  After the concert in January, there was no way I was going to wait for a Hong Kong bootleg of Haru Pro Award '08 to cross my path, so I made the purchase.  Now I have a plethora of old Morning Musume/Aya/Hello! Project/Berryz DVD's with more on the way, including Bonkyu Bomb.  Why don't I start a "Classic Review" series?  So without further adieu...

Hello! Project 2002 ~Kotoshi mo Sugoizo!~

Kotoshi mo Sugoizo

The opening begins with english subtitles.  Starting in space?  I thought I had put in my Densha Otoko DVD in by mistake!  One by one they introduce all of the participants in a montage reminiscent of the celebrity gag portion of "Dick and Ed's Bloopers and Practical Jokes"  I didn't smell the 70's theme coming until they introduced Atsuko wearing a disco-era Donna Summer wig.

Cute opening with the newest members, Ishii Rika, Fujimoto Miki and Sotoda Mai "looking" for Atsuko.  Atsuko makes her appearance and does a pretty good 70's disco club-dj impression.  If you translate her monologue, it must have been something like "10-4 good buddy, 10nin Matsuri delivering a whole convoy of sexy!"

First set, 2001 summer shuffles.  Summer Reggae Rainbow! is much better live than on CD, but my favorite thing here was the crowd reaction.  The moment 7nin Matsuri finished the wotas went crazy because they knew what was coming...Chu! Natsu Party.  Someone once said that half of the audience leaves to "go to the bathroom" after 3nin Matsuri...funny.

On every concert, there as at least one part I would classify as "special".  For me the next song, "Hana" was that moment... 

The beginning when they warm up their voices is cut off, but you get the idea.  I thought this was fabulous.

Next up is Heike and Yuki.  Yuki's usual enka material.  But I've never given Michiyo-san a good listen before.  I like "Propose", and she's cute too.  I discovered it on "Morning Cop", and again on (The soon to be reviewed) Aya Matsuura 2002 "First Date" DVD.  Great (sigh), more to add the the "CD want" list.  Onto Country Musume...

I've never mentioned it, but I think Country Musume is the cutest H!P group ever, and I'm secretly in love with Kimura Asami.  I like every performance I've ever seen, and have worn out my Daizenshuu 2 CD.  I'm sorry I missed them.  Koibito wa Kokoro no Ouendan w/Charmy, great.

You could tell Maki was early in her solo career, she didn't have the confidence I've seen more recently.  I love MiniMoni, just not Hinamatsuri.  The Rika/Miki/Mai/Atsuko tune was kind of like "Hana" above, I wish I had found this video.  Very cute...liked it alot.  At this point I'm thinking Atsuko is a great MC!  Why can't we "ix-ne" "akoto-me" and have Atsuko co-host the big shows with Mari?  It would give Atsuko more to do.

Fujimoto does her B-side, but I can see why Tsunku thought she could go straight to soloist like Ayaya, she has a great voice, with great control.  Yuko next, wota nap-time.  The Coconuts answer the question "Why don't I have any Coconuts CD's?"  I jest, the song is alright.  Then two strong performances Pucchimoni "Pittari Shitai X'mas!" and Tanpopo "Ouijisama"  The next MC is very cute, sort of like "school time" and Atsuko is the teacher.

Now one of the biggest reasons I bought this DVD was because of MK's, or rather Hello! Project's performance of "This is Unmei" on 05' Selection! Collection!  I like Melon Kinenbi. Pretty good, but this song can kick some serious butt, and this performance came up a little short.  In all fairness, 2005 was a chorus version, but I like it a lot more... 

We finish the show with an Ayaya medley.  She's incredible...as usual.  And I don't think she was even 15 yet...even more incredible.  Then about 15 minutes of Morning Musume classics.  All good, but nothing we haven't seen before.  Although  this "Mr. Moonlight" is Gaki-san's favorite peformance on "All-Singles Complete".  

What caught my attention throughout the show were the "gokkies".  Risa seemed to be the most confident, KonKon looked thrilled to be there, Ogawa....well she had the same expression on her face as always, so I don't know.  But Ai-chan looked so "lost" out there.  I swear you almost never saw her throughout the show, until she almost ran over the cameraman at the very end.  She should try that for Mou Tube!

Overall I would recommend this concert as one of the better choices of this period.  One DVD extra, Yuko and Morning Musume thanking me for purchasing their DVD, and introducing the backstage footage.  Cool backstage stuff, the highlight being Country Musume "barking" at the camera.  See what I mean?  Cute!