Revisiting My First H!P Love

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...

Young Kago

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