9 posts tagged “kago ai”

I have a huge-ass package scheduled to arrive from HMV in about a week.  Among the items in the package are two books from members of CK's Dream Team.  But today I am going to talk about my original fave idol...

To say I was hugely disappointed with the low sales of Kago's debut single "No Hesitation" is an understatement.  It is a great CD.  The songs, the mini PB...everything.  Top notch.  If you didn't check it out, Morning Berryz has a great post the single with samples of the music.  I highly recommend it.  But back to the good news...

From what I have seen, this book promises to continue from where Kago last left us with her Super Cargo PB.  But judging from the sample pics on Hello! Online, this looks to be a much higher quality release.  But enough of my yappin', let's boogie!!!

Just enough to whet our appetite.  I will report back when the book arrives.

CK in California
(thanks to H!O for the pics)

I am guessing Sigmund Freud might have something to say about this too...

Everyone has their favorite idols.  I certainly do.  And I adore the girls I choose to fanboy over.  Whenever I see a J-pop concert live, be it Morning Musume, AKB48 or any of my other fave acts, there is always one particular girl that I seem to fixate on.  And that's the way it should be.  At least that is what the Japanese fans tell me.  You need to pick an idol and support her 100%.  

There is a little joke that has gone around the idol chatrooms regarding my idols of choice.  Believe me, it has never been lost on me that my girls all seem to share a similar persona.  I have even hinted about it on my many blogs.  But the way I see it, all idols need love.  And that can especially be said about my little "Dream Team".  Apparently I have an "eye" for a certain kind of personality.  It is probably the same quality I subliminally look for in my girlfriends.  That is the little joke going around wotachat.  It makes me wonder...

What would a group comprised of all of my favorite idols be like?  With that spirit in mind here is my dream lineup, comprised of my #1 favorite member from each of my favorite idol groups, and probably a good look into my own psyche.

In fact, that is a great idea!  Since my good friend Ray Mescallado, founder of Cult of Pop, American Wota and International Wota has tirelessly poked fun at me for my choice of idol, why not have him analyze me?  Let's see what he really thinks about my idol fandom.  This should be right up his alley.  That is coming up at the end of the post.  But first I present...
 

Meetan is my obvious choice for leader since I am head over heels in love with her,  and she actually knows who I am IRL!  Meetan came to my attention at the first idol concert I ever went to, AKB48 live at Shibuya AX in 2008.  When Ohori ripped her clothes off in the middle of "Blue Rose" I was completely captivated.  Couple that with her well-known sweet persona...all of her groupmates adore her and think of her as a team mom.  Ohori loves to get naked, or at least close to it.  She has done that multiple times on AKB48's television program, as well as in her pre-AKB gravure career.  She shamelessly oozes sex all of the time and loves the attention it affords her, although in person she sometimes comes off as quite shy.  It makes her unique as an idol and our perfect group leader.
 

When I first started liking SNSD I couldn't settle on a favorite since they mesh very well as a group.  But then I started reading a little more about them, and TaeYeon immediately rose from the proverbial pack.  It's no accident that she always tops the lists of K-pop stars that the fans want to marry, date etc.  She is smokin hawt!  Now add the "foot in mouth" factor.  TaeYeon has an affinity for getting herself into hot water by saying stupid crap.  Let's see...she once outraged the nurses of the world by collectively chastising them when she couldn't get immediate treatment at a local hospital.  And for her encore, who could forget her "Alicia Keys is pretty for a black girl" moment?  One prerequisite for my dream team is the possibility of controversy at any given time.  With TaeYeon as our co-spokesperson, we have that covered.

Tanaka is the perfect H!P girl.  She is amazingly cute, but all the while gives off a very sexy aura.  She is a master at playing both personas at the same time.  She is H!P's queen of fashion, and also puts out some of the sexiest photobooks, which she has been doing consistently since she was 15.  Along with our other co-front girl, she is also very playful.  Reina will play with the audience, she will toy with her bandmates, treating us to plenty of sexy winking and peace signs.  That is her trademark "come-hither!"  Although some people feel it gives off a "loose" quality.  The streetwalker scene in the Resonant Blue PV didn't help either.  But it's the wink that made me fall in love with her the first time I watched the closeup PV of "Chokkan 2"  Reina loves to be the center of attention.  Like Tsunku, I will be happy to give her the lionshare of the solo lines.  

My first ever favorite idol.  I discovered her amidst her infamous smoking controversy, and it was all downhill from there.  Even at age twelve Kago had a bit of a rebellious streak to her, and she has always been mischevious.  But as she has grown into an adult her mischief has turned into a series of national controversies.  She seems to have an affection for older guys, and like our leader she aspires to do more gravure.  Kago has no trouble getting (almost) naked in front of the camera.  But aside from all of that, she is a great singer and performer.  Her angelic voice will keep the CD's selling while the most hardcore Wota continue to dream of "something more".  Kago's antics along with her newfound appreciation for all of her fans makes every Wota think they might have a shot!

If you take a good look at Idoling!!! there is one member who always stands out from the rest, and that is Yazawa.  It is for good reason too, as there are very few pop-idols built like her.  That is all the more surprising considering how petite she is.  At 16, and before Erika was ever a singer she was doing gravure.  BTW, gravure experience is always a plus when I check through an idol resume (hehe!)  She is by far the most playful girl in her group.  If you ever watch an episode of Idoling!!! you will always find her causing trouble and mixing it up.  She also happens to have an angelic face.  Yazawa exists within our group to be the ultimate eyecandy, along with her partner in crime...
 

ZOMG!!!  Transforming from J-cup gravure idol Harada Ourei to "slightly less busty singing idol" Maeda Eiko...The powers that be over at AKS must have been laughing their asses off when they decided to hire this girl to be in SKE48 Team KII.  They made an age exception to hire her as well, so what does that tell you?  I have no idea what kind of singer or dancer she is.  But look at her....just look at her.  I will forgive her for committing the ultimate crime (removing her implants).  The moment I heard she was one of SKE48's newest members, I knew she would be my favorite.  I am sort of going on faith with Eiko.  But judging by her past she is a good bet.  I just hope she doesn't give Erika a complex, or any of the other girls for that matter.  Heaven knows they don't need any more insecurities!
 

Our last member is more of a "Dream Team" idol in training.  She just turned 17, so I figure in a year she will be ready for the "Big Show".  I have always adored Maasa.  At first it was because she has the most adorable face and cutest cheeks.  But what really got me was the way she acted during the release of her first photobook.  It was the first time I had seen an idol act "insecure" in public.  During one particular promotion Momo and Chinami were ogling her book.  Maasa was so antsy, you could tell she really wanted them to like it, but wasn't sure they would.  I am positive the rest of our members share a similar insecurity, but usually do a better job of hiding it.  But that is what makes "Awesome Maasa" the perfect trainee.  Her need for approval is evident, and she is probably willing to do whatever it takes to make it as an idol.  It is that quality that makes me want to root for her.  Oh, and she's a great actress!

BTW, I am not joking.  If you have read this blog for the past 2 years you'll know that those ARE really my favorite idols.  Oh, and the Dream Team is looking for a good group name.  Some suggested names include "JAV48", "ATM48", "The Reverse Cowgirls"...Any other suggestions?

The AKB48 Theater will soon be presenting a new show called SDN48, which is being touted as an adult-oriented idol show.  Needless to say I am looking forward to the debut, as the dream team would fit that bill perfectly.  When I look at my favorite idol collective I have to laugh, but I am proud that these are my favorite girls.  And I will unconditionally support them despite whatever scandal might befall them in the future.

The "real point of this article is what does this say about me as an idol fan?  As I said earlier I have asked Ray for his "expert" opinion. 

Oh Ray...

For CK...

CK thinks I've been teasing him for his ability to single out - and champion - the most emotionally vulnerable member of an idol group. In actuality, I am in awe of this incredible gift he possesses.

Spider-Man has his spider-senses which tingle when trouble is imminent. In Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita, Humbert Humbert writes of how the true nymphophile is able to pick out the true nymphette in a group of girls, and not just the one adults find the prettiest. There is gaydar, which is when one is able to tell who is homosexual and who is not. 

CK's gift falls along these lines, and should have a name of its own. I'm going to go with "preydar". (As opposed to praydar, which is in the urban dictionary as the ability to detect Bible thumpers.)
 
What does it say about CK that he possesses such gifts? Should we chase after him with pitchforks and rakes and declare him a foul creature of the night? Should we tie CK to a stake and beat him mercilessly in the groinal area until he moans for mercy, sweet sweet mercy, while we all stand and laugh and pass around the tire irons and lead pipes and vibrating plastic phallic toys?

Well, sure. For sport. But before we do that, we should also praise him for his unique generosity of spirit.

Look at it this way: when you boil her down to her core - metaphorically, that is, as opposed to disposing of a body with industrial-strength acid - a pop idol is nothing more than a young person wanting to be loved by as many strangers as possible. An idol wants to be worshiped, and on the flimsiest basis possible: the ability to look cute, the ability to sing half-decently, the ability to dance with a modicum of skill. In short, the pop idol wants to be loved for being charming, really, and little else.

But what if you're part of a pack of idols? And what if there are more charming girls in the pack, leaving you the runt of the litter? Or what if you're doing well enough as an idol but really really want more attention because you're a filthy attention whore who can't stop winking at the audience? Or what if you started at the top of the idol heap, only to plummet to the very dregs for placing certain objects in one's mouth and being caught by the tabloids for doing so?

Is it fair, then, to go ignored by the general wota crowd, who pine for the Nacchis and Acchans and Yuris of the idol world? Is it fair to be deemed "damaged goods" or lacking in idol skillz because you're at the bottom of the totem pole of idol hawtness and desirability?

Of course not! When placed in that position, a true idol - in spirit, if not in popularity - will over-extend herself in order to get noticed. She can allow herself to get slapped around (or at least pummeled by a dodgeball) and treated like a worthless bitch by the hosts of Utaban. She can die her hair a frightening blonde and cut it fugly short. She can offer to hug people who'll buy her solo recording - and in doing so, distill the whole idol-wota relationship to its purest, most creepy form yet. She can keep winking at the audience until people start wondering if she's a neurologically damaged cousin of Frankenhooker. She can get breast implants that make each boob the same size as her head. She can pose as a worthless whore in a poorly-lit poorly-shot poorly-posed photobook and hope nobody mistakes her as a real whore in the process.

What CK does is respect the effort of these poor, misbegotten creatures, these idols seeking attention and feeling they haven't gotten their fair share yet. CK is motivated, not just by a willingness to root for these girls, but to encourage these girls to continue doing what they do to try to earn extra attention. The triumph of the idol will in his selected dream team is stirring in that it crosses all hurdles of common sense and self-awareness in favor of blind adulation and the encouragement of predatory impulses.

One could even say that CK is willing to over-extend himself - or at least a part of his anatomy - for the sake of such idols, knowing full well that these idols would probably be more willing to accept this over-extensions than somebody with, you know, dignity and a conscience.

Oh, if only more of us were as strongly gifted with preydar as CK is. In such a world, the relationship between idol and wota would deepen - by inches upon inches - as the most desperate of idols will at least feel loved in the Sally Fields-ian sense of wonderment. They would show their appreciation with an intimacy and flagrancy that the current top idols would never dare attempt, and wota-dom would be richer for it.

I know I have been slowing down a little bit on this site.  To be honest I just haven't been overly excited about the latest H!P goings-on lately.  I really liked the Guardians 4 single, and I am sure I will have plenty to talk about after heading down to Anime Expo in Los Angeles with the IW gang.  But for now I have been doing a lot more work on my two AKB48 sites, My Sweet Meetan and Chuo Dori.  So please click on over to those sites to check out what's up with the lovely girls from Akihabara.  Oh, and my Meetan site is getting tons of hits every day!  So if you are already visiting it, arigatou gozaimasu!

Now with that out of the way...

Buy Site price check time, Yayyyyyy!  It was time for me to make another J-music purchase.  And like last time I set up the same three CDs on the three buy sites I usually use to see who was giving me the best deal.  I have always been partial to HMV since they usually have the best overall price, and I like that my merchandise is coming directly from Tokyo.  And you can't really say this is a "GETS" post, since I don't have any of the CDs yet...

I usually never buy the AKB48 singles.  The truth is that I usually wait until I get to Japan, and then ask all of my AKB48 fan buddies if they have any extra copies of the "theater version" since everyone usually has 5-10 copies from all of the handshake events.  Hell, I'll probably do that this time around too.  But this is the version that comes with the Senbatsu election ballot.  And I am going to do my damndest to get my vote for Meetan in before the deadline.  As far as the CD itself?  I love the song, and Ono Erena's solo b-side "First Love" is really pretty!

I really love SCANDAL, although I didn't buy their last single because I just didn't care for it.  But this song is a lot more fun, and the PV is cute.  I have no idea what the different versions have other than the covers being different.  I chose this version for the full-body poses as opposed to the upper-body pose on the other LE version.

I actually bought this before I ever heard the song.  Believe it or not, I still adore Kago.  I realize she has done much to alienate her fans.  But personally I would rather feel badly for her than condemn her.  She has been in the idol world for so long, and I think sometimes we forget that she is still very young.  I have the feeling she didn't have the easiest upbringing, and is still a bit "lost" in life.  And I can never forget that Kago was the one who brought me to Hello! Project.  If it wasn't for that fateful day that I stumbled upon that video of her, I may never have become the fan that I am today.  I would never have gone to Japan...Etcetera etcetera.  I owe a lot to Kago, and I still support her 100%.  And I did catch her PV today and really enjoyed the song.  So I am doubly glad I bought it.

Oh yeah, this is supposed to be about price comparing, right?  Let's see...

HMV: 4,842 Yen, including EMS express shipping.  Not bad considering the shipping cost.  I also had a 200 Yen coupon to drop the price to 4,642 Yen.

YesAsia:  4,549 Yen, including their free shipping.  The slower shipping takes about a week longer, sometimes more.  YesAsia also offers express shipping for an idditional 1,600 Yen.

CD Japan:  6,045 Yen, including EMS express shipping.  CD Japan does offer a slower shipping option which would have dropped around 1,000 Yen off of the price.  Throw in a 500 Yen coupon and it is about the same as Yes Asia.

So once again I think HMV is the best deal when you consider that you are getting the merchandise much faster.  CD Japan does seem a lot more expensive at first.  But it is just that they charge so much for shipping.  If it weren't for that, they would be a lot more competitive.  And just to be fair, I did the test again with Morning Musume's upcoming concert DVD for their Spring "Platinum 9 Disco" Tour.  That is obviously on my "must buy" list since I was in the audience.  Keep in mind that I used the same shipping methods.  Express for HMV and CD Japan, and "Free Regular" for Yes Asia...

HMV:  4,202 Yen
Yes Asia:  4,275 Yen
CD Japan:  5,300 Yen.

Once again HMV comes out the best.  This J-pop collecting can be an expensive hobby, so it is always good to see where you can get the best bang for your buck.  And for my next purchase you can be sure I will do the same exercise again.  A good shopper is a smart shopper... 

At least that's what my Mom used to tell me!

CK in California

I have said it before, I will say it again.  I love Kago!  She was my first favorite member of Hello! Project.  When I first got into H!P it was during her first suspension as a result of her first smoking scandal.  But I had always seen her for what she was...a spunky kid with great wit and star-like qualities.  Long before her return to the national spotlight there were rumors a while back that she was going to do a nude photo-shoot.  I really didn't know what to think of that news at the time.  Would this type of modeling pigeonhole her for the rest of her career?

So now we have her new "gravure plus" photobook and upcoming DVD.  Obviously the maturity of her new material is causing quite a stir in the wota community.  While I understand it, I find it quite comical at the same time.  I talk to people and know what gets said among friends.  J-pop idols get talked about by their fans in a sexual way endlessly.  In fact, I guarantee that a majority of the fans have thought of their favorite idol in a "less than wholesome" way.  That is why I find it so laughable that people would react negatively when one of them does an overtly racy photobook.  It is true Wota Behavior...  "I can think of her that way, but no one else can.", right?  And all of this silliness about how she has blown her image she created when she joined Morning Musume is utter nonsense.  By the way, that is precisely the image she is trying to shed!

I received Kago's new PB in the mail this morning along with Maeda Atsuko's photobook, which I reviewed over at Chuo Dori.  First off, all of the most shocking photos have already been plastered all over the internet.  So you aren't going to see anything too revalational here.  While I love that I have the book, I am honestly a bit disappointed with the quality of photography.  I think this book could have come out a lot better.  And it's not because of the model.  Kago is awesome!  But a lot of the shots are grainy and quite blurry.  I took a few shots of some of the pages, and uploaded them.  There is no nudity here, nor is there any nudity anywhere in the PB.  But the subject matter is on the mature side.  Consider that your warning.  And I am not uploading the whole book.  If you want to see the entire collection, support Ai by buying her PB!

That said, here are a few samples...

I can't tell if that is underwear or shorts.  But it's obvious she has nothing on underneath.

Most of the "hot" bed shots have already been all over the internet.  But I love the caption at the top.  I found it interesting that all of the narration in the book was done in English.

This is a really hot picture.  It's too bad the crease sort of spoils it in this photo.

I love Kago in the nerdy glasses!  Not all of the pictures have a sexual connotation.  There are quite a few cute pictures.

I don't know why they put the pic of her lifting her skirt upside down.  But those tiger-print undies are very hot!

The infamous "rain shots"...

I have been studying these pics (wink wink!)  She is obviously wearing bottoms underneath the shirt.  But I don't see a top.  And that thing she's wearing (what is that?) is really transparent.  I have a feeling her full breasts were showing in the pic, and they photoshopped it to make the photo more "acceptable".

You can't see it well.  But in the photo she is wearing fishnets, and from this angle it is fairly obvious she isn't wearing any underwear underneath.  Yowza!

I believe that statement!  Kago's expression is really cute!

Overall it isn't the greatest photobook in the world.  There just seems to be a lack of professionalism in the photography and production.  And the advertisements for watches and sunglasses on the inside jacket were a "nice" touch too.  But I applaud Kago for having the guts to do a book like this.  I would love to see her do it again later on.  Hell, I wouldn't have a problem if she went full nude!  I will always support Kago Ai!  But next time hopefully she will be a little more selective with who she hires to photograph her.

I have no illusions about the sexuality of idols.  Sorry to disappoint you, but how can someone be totally non-sexual when thousands of fans want to sleep with them?  You don't think they are totally aware of that?

CK in California

 

Fan Club Exclusive merchandise is sort of a "double edged" sword.  If I were a fan club member, I would be happy that I have access to items that nobody else can get their hands on.  It makes it more valuable.  But being that I am an American fan, it is next to impossible for me to become a member.  Why is that?  I managed to become a member of the Manchester United FC fan club without much difficulty.  Whatever...the rules are what they are.  Maybe someday they will change.  Maybe one day I will be living in Japan, who knows?

That being said, I have no reservations about downloading the "lost" 2006 Hello! Project Winter DVD.  It has been three years since this show was performed.  But the release of it couldn't be more timely!  This was a time when the H!P Kids were still fledgling groups, and the stars of the show were the members who are now known as the Elder Club.  You know, the gals that will be saying goodbye to H!P in about four weeks time?  This is a great showcase of the tremendous talent H!P is about to lose...

I'm not going into a full TBT review of this show.  Instead I thought I would upload a few screencaps and reminisce about units of the past, and how great they were.  What really came up for me is 1) this concert could easily be the setlist to the February 2009 show.  It has so many classic songs and performers in it.  And 2) I think I may have made a mistake by opting not to go to the Elder Club graduation.  It is still four weeks away.  It isn't too late for me to change my mind, is it?

After an opening set of Morning Musume favorites came Ai ~Suite Room~ by v-u-den.  I know they graduated less than a year ago.  But they were such a sexy group.  I loved the acting work they did in Sukeban Deka,  And Erika Miyoshi is so irresistably hot!  I would love to see them perform one last time.  And Ai ~Suite Room~ would be a cool song to do.  Although my guess is they'll do their last single.

Now this moment really touched my heart.  Here is W performing just before the scandal that would end their run.  And it's really too bad.  Tsuji and Kago were so wonderful together.  But like Martin and Lewis before them, I doubt we will ever see them performing together again.  At least no time in the near future...but never say never!  I doubt this will really happen, but wouldn't it be amazing if Kago made a surprise appearance in Yokohama next month?  By the way, Juushichi no Natsu is one of my favorite W songs.  I didn't know they had ever done this live!

After W we get a Pucchi Moni All-Star team.  This concert was in 2006, and even a year ago we were talking about the Elder Club being washed up?  Underutilized is more like it.  This performance of Baby! Koi ni Knockout! is top notch!  And this is an excellent example of what a sensational performer Yasuda Kei is!  It's annoying that people give her crap about not being cute.  Whatever, Kei-chan is awesome!  Hell, I would date her!!!

Nacchi's performance of Koi no Hana is the moment that got me thinking about going back to Japan for this show.  I thought of never seeing Abe Natsumi perform live ever again really hurts.  She is absolutely beautiful, and so elegant!  And she is even more gorgeous now than when she was the "face" of Morning Musume.  I thought Nacchi would be in H!P forever.  Or, at least until she decided to leave.

One of my favorite performances of the show is Good Morning done by past and present members of Momusu.  If you have ever seen the DVD extras of Morning Cop, you probably remember this song being played as the girls are frolicking on the beach.  And that was in the days of Ishiguru Aya and Fukuda Asuka!  It was so bittersweet to hear.  I would love to hear them perform it again!

Ayaya, you are so amazing.  But I know your career will still be going strong long after you say goodbye to Hello! Project.  By the way, Aya was "all over" this concert!

The H!P Kids were so great in this show.  Ishimura Maiha had already left Berryz Kobo.  But it was really touching to watch Murakami Megumi and C-ute perform Wakkyanai (Z)  I really wonder what C-ute would be like if Megumi was still with them.  And I wonder what she looks like now?  And look how cute Airi was when she was younger (and shorter!)

Be All Right! is one of my favorite shuffle unit songs.  The song and PV were so much fun!  And everyone who was in it will be gone from H!P in a few weeks' time!  I am really going to miss Inaba Atsuko.  To me she was the best concert MC H!P ever had.  I'll always remember the "fro".

Hello Kimura Asami!  I wish I could have seen Country Musume perform.  Two of their songs were done on this night, Marui Taiyou and Uwaki na Honey Pie, which is the song they said farewell with exactly a year later.  By the way, if you don't have their "Mega Best", I highly recommend it.  Not only were they the "cutest" H!P unit ever, they have a really strong catalog of songs.  Especially in the early days when Toda Rinne was still there!

DEF DIVA.  Here is another amazing, albeit short-lived H!P Unit.  Wow, what a "supergroup" they were!  And this performance of Suke Sugite Baka Mitai was simply awesome!  Why did they only have one single?  Well, two if you count the best Rakuten Eagles song ever done!

ZYX's Shiroi Tokyo might be one of my favorite H!P songs.  And W's performance of Miss Love Tantai was probably their last time ever singing in public together, so sad.

And then you have Gocchin.  She and Fujimoto Miki had the foresight to know it was time to break from H!P.  Neither were my favorite performers.  But I will always remember Goto Maki and her wonderful performance in Pinch Runner.  And who could forget Mikitty and her "parents" in the Mechaike Sports Special?

In usual H!P concert fashion, the show ends with a series of Morning Musume numbers.  Beginning with a great version of Koi no Dance Site.  Well, great, except that Melon Kinenbi's Murata Megumi slaughtered Mari's famous "sexy beam" line!  And the semaphore version of Souda! We're Alive! is great.  I love when idols dance with flags!

This is one of the best H!P concerts I have ever seen.  And with the omnipresence of so many soon to be graduates it really made me long to see them perform live with Hello! Project one last time.  And, I would love to get my hands on a copy of this DVD.

I guess Yahoo! Japan Auctions is calling me...

CK in California

This video showed up on You Tube yesterday, posted by Aetas 3000.  It features Kago's comeback event in Osaka from a couple of weeks ago... 

The only big revelations here are the announcement of her new book release this Monday and the fact that she still occasionally smokes.  I'm sure many people will start squawking about that announcement, but as I also smoke I have nothing to say.  Actually it makes her my perfect match!  As I have said is past posts, Kago is my original favorite J-pop idol.  So I really feel emotionally invested in her comeback, and sincerely hope she is a success.  In fact, the moment in the video that she cries while singing really made my heart wrench.  It was really great to see her perform in front of a crowd again.

The bottom line, Kago Ai is a sweet and beautiful young lady who has endured much public ridicule and embarassment.  The resulting punishment for her "crimes" was a lot more severe than she deserved.  And she still has the courage to stand up and aim for her dreams again.  I for one appreciate her effort, and am routing for her to realize those dreams.

Go Kago Go!!!

CK in California 

Here is another survey from the IW Blogosphere.  This is from Celestia of Bikkuri Project, who is lucky enough to be teaching English in Japan this year.  I am green with envy!  Well, here goes!

 

1. You have found a magical J-pop genie who will grant you one J-pop related wish (so no wishing for a million dollars or world peace or anything like that). It can be virtually anything as long as it’s directly related to J-pop, and don’t worry, because this is the nice sort of genie, not the kind who will try to find a loop-hole and screw up your wish. So, what do you wish for???

I would love to have the ability to attend every Hello! Project concert and event.  Perhaps even work for H!P, maybe I could be their accountant!!!

2. Is there any J-pop artist or group who seriously pisses you off? If yes, who, and why?

I can't think of anyone who "pisses me off".  Granted, there are some artists I don't particularly care for, but that's as bad as it gets.  Now if you asked me about American artists who annoy me, I'd need many pages for that list!

3. Who do you think is the sexiest japanese singer out there?

After watching those recent episodes of AKB０じ５９ふん, it has to be Team K's Ohori Megumi.  Koda Kumi is pretty hot too, but I am not a big fan of her material, so Megumi wins!

4. How about the cutest?

Tanaka Reina with a bullet!  And she almost wins the "sexy" category too!

5. Best personality?

Niigaki Risa, she has the most cheerful disposition!  And she is another "sexy" candidate!

6. If given the opportunity, would you rather date person 3, person 4, or person 5?

Total package-wise, if I could date any J-pop singer I would probably choose Abe Natsumi or Matsuura Aya.  But of the three choices above, I would pick #3, Ohori Megumi from AKB48 because 1) she's the oldest of the three, and 2) With Megumi I would probably have the best chance of getting to "first base"!  And yes, I am re-embedding the video from my last post because it was too damn sexy/funny!

7. You work for a Japanese music magazine, and you have the opportunity to interview your favorite artist or group. What are a couple of the questions you want to ask them?

I had almost abandoned the idea of going to Japan next month (for various reasons), then I read that Kago Ai is having some sort of interview/event in Osaka on August 10th!  And the tickets are for sale to the public???  Wow, I could attend that!!!  But Kago's life has been an open book lately, so I wouldn't know what to ask her that we don't seem to already know!  But I guess I would ask any idol "If you had the chance to go back in time, would you do it all again?"  "What would you do differently?"  And "If your own daughter came to you and said that she wanted to try and become an idol, what would you say and do"?  

8. What’s the best (J-pop) song to listen to when you are really sad?

W's "Shiroi Iro wa Koibito no Iro" is so beautiful, and it reminds me of the passing of my mother.

9. When you’re really happy?

W sweeps the category with Ai no Imi wo Oshiete!  Although ironically the first time I saw the PV and heard the song, I loved it so much I almost cried!

10. Do you often sing along to your favorite songs?

Sure, it helps me with my learning of the language!

11. How about dance?

If I am drinking while I am watching a DVD, I will practice my Wota-gei!!!

12. Artistic integrity question!! If someone offerrered to pay you for blogging, but they were allowed to censor some of your opinions or veto some of your blogging ideas, would you do it?

That depends on who is asking, and how much they are paying me.  If someone wanted to pay me as a writer, but wanted to have creative input on the content, I would probably do it.  But it also depends on the extent of the control.  Writing is a creative expression.  If I felt I was being suppressed too much, I would probably abandon it!

And Celestia, I would be happy to see a show with you when I (eventually) get to Japan, and that might be in October/November.

CK in California

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  

Boy do I feel out of the loop, I haven't posted anything here in a week!  Maybe it was a bit of writer's block.  But to tell you the truth, my internet time has been, shall we say, monopolized lately? 

The weekend began with the "earth-shattering" news of the resurfacing of Kago Ai!  Now to a lot of people, including myself, Kago is one of, if not THE biggest idol ever.  I have posted a few times how she singlehandedly drew me into the J-pop world after stumbling through You Tube..."Who is the adorable girl in this strange (Robokiss) video?"

My first reaction to the Kago news was relief that she is doing okay.  But I've had a thirst for more information.  What has she been up to for the past two years?  Well, we have six interviews to get through, so I'm sure many revelations will come soon enough...

Tuesday was going to be a fun day, despite the fact I had a dentist appointment sandwiched in the middle.  My plan was to head to San Francisco's Japantown, find all sorts of cool J-pop merchandise, maybe even find a Japanese newspaper with the Kago story in it, and...and...

Japantown is quite lame!  It's pretty much ALL restaurants.  The video and bookstores sell virtually Anime-only.  Damn, I couldn't even find any C.C. Lemon!!!  You would barely know that J-pop existed, save for the $70 copy of Berryz Koubou's "Switch On" DVD.  I should have been "clued in" when I found plenty of parking!  Japantown...whatever.

 

I got home that afternoon...No new news on Kago's interview, but I did find something on International Wota that caught my interest.  One of my favorite things about IW are the recommendations I get of things that I may never have otherwise noticed.

Maize singlehandedly helped me discover "Ribbon no Kishi", which I thought was a wonderful play.  I hope "Cinderella" is as good.

MorningBerryz turned me onto the latest Ayaya DVD, AND the adorable girl in the cosplay pictures for IW's birthday!

And he may not realize it, but H!P Metalhead is completely responsible for me now being a fan of Perfume!  (It's a long story!)

So now I have another contributor to thank for assisting me in spending far too much time at my PC, and that person is...

Old Fart Who Loves Japanese Culture!!!

Yes, thanks to Kevin, I am totally engrossed in the "Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon" series!  Oh what a great diversion from the harsh realities of Kago's life!  First and foremost, Sawai Miyuu was (and still is) absolutely adorable as Sailor Moon/Usagi-chan.  She was the perfect combination of dorky and cute.  And come to think of it, now it all makes sense why Kusumi Koharu was deemed the "Miracle Girl" by Tsunku when she debuted for Morning Musume (not long after this show originally aired).  Koha is the spitting image of Usagi-chan!  And she has a similar personality to boot! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second thing I love so much is the song "Romance" by Aino Minako (Sailor Venus).  I have been singing it all week...

Now I do realize that this show is kind of childish.  For some reason it reminds me of some of the "live action" stuff Sid & Marty Krofft used to produce (anyone remember H.R. PufnStuf? The Bugaloos??)  Those were shows I loved when I was little.  It goes without saying the actresses in PGSM are adorable!  And like every Japanese Dorama I have watched, it has a great storyline.  What I love about these series is that they all have a "starting point" and an "ending point".  Most American series just go on indefinitely.  By the time the "ending" comes, most people have completely lost interest!

I began watching the series on Tuesday, as of Friday morning I am up to episode 40...Jeez I need to get a life!!!  BTW, don't tell me how it ends!

So now it is Friday and I haven't heard much about the Kago interview since the second installment on Monday.  I wonder why that is?  What I have read are the many opinions about Kago which I find quite interesting...

I have always felt that I have done a good job as seeing idols as "human beings with a career in show business".  They have lives "off-camera" that are probably much different to the persona we see on screen.  Kago has grown up as an idol and has experienced her formative years quite differently from what any of us can imagine.  When I read people saying they are "disappointed" in the life choices she has made for herself it....well...pisses me off!

Who are we, her fans, to cast aspersions on her personal life choices?  Do we really know Kago Ai, the person?  Isn't she allowed to have the same life experiences and doesn't she get to make some of the same mistakes growing up many of us did?  How dare anyone scorn her for smoking or dating an older man?  Has anyone been to Japan lately?  The place is a virtual "chimney" of cigarette smoke.  And so what if she might've had an abortion as a teen?  How many millions of teens get pregnant every year?  Let's all take a look in the mirror, I'll start...

CK...began smoking at 16 years old!

CK...used illicit drugs as a teenager!

CK...became sexually active in High School, and even got his girlfriend pregnant!

CK...dated a 35 year old woman at the age of 21! (Yeah, that was pretty cool!)

I doubt I am the only person around the J-pop posting universe with this kind of resume.  When I read the first translations of the early interviews I was happy, and sad at the same time.  I was sad to hear about the despair and depression she went through enough to slit her wrists.  But I was also happy to hear that she made it through, and seems a lot stronger because of the experience.  What I was most happy about was the "in your face" realization that she is just like the rest of us, with hopes, dreams, triumphs, failures, happiness, sadness...yes, a human being!  Some people hypothesize that she is doing this for the money.  I'm sure that fits into part of the equation, but so what if it does?  Can you blame her for wanting to return to show business?  It is something that she knows, and obviously loves to do.  And it isn't all for the money.  No one looks too cool going on TV and admitting that they were so depressed and humiliated that they tried to end their own life.  But it all makes me wonder what's really going on in the heads of all of these idols we scrutinize so closely.

So Kago Ai is still great as far as I'm concerned!  I like her new, more mature look.  I look forward to Buscuit Club, and anything else Kago-san chooses to do for us, the fans!

If you are going to support your idol, support him/her unconditionally!!!

So there's a boatload of reality for ya.  Now back to my new "fantasy" love, Sawai Miyuu and the other PGSM "cutie-girls"!

CK in California