45 posts tagged “kohachan”

Here are the accompanying photos...in order♥:

Koha♥chan's is my favorite♥ in this set as she's so *adorable* here showing which smiley♥ is hers~! (￣▽￣)

...and Koha♥chan's set:

Fighto~ pose~♥!!

...and Manoeri's set:

(Fighto~! pose♥!)

Minna *kawaii* ne~♥!

＾　＾。

Just watching the 20 minute making of DVD which is included with Kohachan's 4th shashinshuu which will be her last as a member of H!P reminds me so much of how in so many ways she'll be missed when she graduates on December 6th of this year~. While in comparison to some of Kohachan's earlier photo shoots...this one may seem a touch subdued at times but it's just her growing maturity making its presence known on the surface as that very familiar glittering of unmatched idol energy~ is just below the surface waiting to bubble* at any moment~. (￣▽￣)

Much like "Koharu Nikki", "Sugar Doll" blends Kohachan's incomparable playful side~ along with a sizzling sexiness and I'm so so impressed by so many of the wardrobe choices which go from casual to mizugi to really fantasy like~ all the while remaining very much in tune with Koha's personality and natural physique~. And each location choice adds a very down to earth ambiance throughout which is never overpowering..further enhancing Koha's perfect facial features and figure allowing her to shine front and center~.....is it okay to say that I'm so shamelessly envious~! (*´艸`)！From the indoors of "home" to beach to bay to pool to the greenery of outdoors there's a very natural transition in photography from cover to cover and indeed if this is Kohachan's final photography collection for Momusu/H!P fans.....she's left us with a perfect *gem*~.

Kusumi Koharu's "Sugar Doll" can be ordered here at Amazon Japan.

Kusumi Koharu's "Sugar Doll" can be ordered here at YesAsia.

If a future career in modeling is truly what Kohachan aspires to this shashinshuu presents itself as a *perfect* launching board~ and perhaps acts as an "audition" of sorts?

Everything's just so *beautiful* and stylish here and beginning with "Sugar Doll"'s (under dust jacket) cover which temps the label of "gravure" photography~ just a bit..the gate fold style photo half of which is below is just the first of 43 scans which I chose to present here as my favorites♥~....







 

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セクシーな小春ちゃん♥が。。。。。楽しみ下さい！＾　＾

This past Saturday night I was up a bit late and chatting* in IW's #wotachat room when I was told this most unexpected and devastating news....that Morning Musume's Kohachan was announced to be graduating from not only Momusu, but also from Hello! Project completely (;´□｀). Her graduation is set to happen on December 6th at the conclusion of Momusu's 2009 Autumn "Nine Smile" concert tour which will be held at Tokyo Kouseinen Kinkaiken.

The initial details mention modeling as Kohachan's possible post H!P career of choice but with this announcement's abruptness coupled with the fact that Kohachan is no where near to be a so called "next in line" to graduate member with her time in the group not being very long just yet and with numerous fellow members ahead of her in this regard, this really gives me a feeling that she's being in a sense forced out? Further there have been sources saying that her mood as of late hasn't been much of her genki self~ (;_;).

However much like Erikachan's recent decision to pursue modeling as her career choice and thus leave H!P perhaps this is much in the same....I'm just feeling a bit uneasy about this announcement though....and while Erikachan's decision was clearly of her own doing, this has much more the feeling of an offiicial UFI decision and just the manner in which it was announced by Tsunku seems so different. Surely Kohachan could pursue modeling outside of H!P while still being in it I would think?...but more importantly and regardless of what may have brought about this decision, it's truly much more about what will be missed and lost when Kohachan♥ departs from H!P on December 6th~.

Being labeled right from the very beginning by Tsunku as the *miracle* girl~ surely has caused rifts amongst fans and really during this past now decade + of me growing up along with Momusu I've just never witnessed any other member in H!P being on such opposite ends of the spectrum as viewed through H!P fans eyes. In large there seems to be an either overwhelming love of Kohachan or overwhelming dislike of Kohachan but very little middle of the fence sentiments. Truly every individual has every right to be very passionate about groups/artists they love and one such passion surely could lead to there being much *adored* artists and that those members that fans just don't connect to for various reasons....and in that light Kohachan has spent so much of her time in Momusu/H!P being deeply scrutinized. Again I think Tsunku's labeling of Kohachan with such a title as the "miracle" girl really set a flame to create such disparity and I think even a few personal conceptions may have been different had she just been Gen. 7~ as this surely set expectations so much higher for Kohachan.

During these past four years in Hello! Project Kohachan really did live up to much of Tsunku's hype though with her being at one point H!P's youngest soloist to debut, all of her accomplishments as a seiyuu♥ as well as her much busy schedule as I can only imagine must have been so hectic with Kohachan being active in so many other group releases outside of her work in Momusu~. Through it all I think Kohachan *shined* so much and while she may not have been one of H!P's stronger vocalists.....I don't think anyone can question her 110% effort which is always evident whether it be in live performances, her in studio seiyuu work, appearances on variety programs or fan events~. And in the end that's all one really can do if they're dedicated enough....is to give it their all~ and Kohachan always did just that....give it her all~. I think back to being able to watch Momusu appearing at her school for the special announcement...that she had just won the Gen.7 audition as was was now the new sole member of that generation.....how *amazing* it was to see her expression and reaction o(*´∀｀)o゛ on that day~ and to have it occur in front of her fellow classmates just so heartwarming♥~. How Tsunku personally visited her home and met with her parents and followed up with a personal tutoring in voice lessons all done to Momusu's *beloved* classic "Furusato".....time goes by so quickly~(´⌒｀。)....I think now I'll rewatch some of this....just to remember the beginnings of what she brought to Momusu and H!P.

And what will be missed?....and lost?..when Kohachan does leave on December 6th? An irreplaceable uniqueness, energy and genkiness♥ that's truly unmatched in the whole of H!P at this moment.....which leads to group dynamics and how Momusu will be weaker for this in her absence~. Kohachan always brought a higher level of joy to whatever the occassion and it never really mattered, it's just her natural glow and *personality* which always beams so much that you can't but help notice her always~. And this is just the surface of what will be lost on that day. (;_;).

I just try to imagine what it would be like to have such a *wonderful* opportunity to be an idol..a member of such an amazing group! (*´∀｀*)♪♪~ And think of how you would be there while so nervous and full of butterflies and yet always trying to do your very best...wanting to be *endeared* by fans and wanting to accomplish so much~. I imagine that anyone in this very opportunity would be so subceptible to outside criticism or worse...words that can be hurtful. It may be that with how the world's ability to instantly communicate...through various avenues like twitter...facebook somehow we've become much too desensitized with our words at just how easy it is to reach anyone~. But truly words can and always will have the ability to be so very hurtful (;´□｀) no matter the means in which they're presented and in this sense I feel Kohachan has endured so much over these four years spent in the spotlight with so many awful comments aimed at her from what I've seen.....and in a sense sometimes when there's nothing nice to say about a person maybe it would be nicer for those words to be left unsaid...at least not in a public forum as we're all human and capable of one thing for sure, and that is hurt. And you just never know who may be reading (　┰_┰).

(.....now watching Momusu's "Aruiteru" pv...I've just always thought that Kohachan♥ was so *genki* in her solo parts while walking and her enthusiasm so *cute* and lively......I just need to watch something to help *cheer* me up (+_+).)

I'll miss you so much Kohachan♥.....I *wish* for you the very best as you so deserve it~.＾　＾

At 560 yen Kindai's monthly publication stands as one of the most affordable.....(lol I say affordable as I usually end up paying anywhere from $21-$25 for a single issue after shipping charges have been added on)...as well as one of the more diverse idol/entertainment publications out there. What I mean by diverse is that when I first came across this magazine I was quite puzzled by its format initially as I couldn't really tell whom they were catering to.....fangirls?....male wota?......but after considering the approach that Kindai has taken in making themselves attractive to both aforementioned groups it's simply pure genius on their part that they have managed to snag a greater audience by um...confusing me at first!…(^q^)

Kindai also presents its readers with everything from male/female eyecandy to interviews, drama previews, in depth interviews with your favorite idols, general idol news, glossy pull outs, occasional stickers!....and lots of more content!!

For the May issue I scanned the features for C-ute, Momusu, Kohachan, Berryz Koubou, Manoeri, cute Nino♥!, gorgeous Matsujun♥!, always adorable Ueto Aya, Aibakun! and Ishihara Satoko.

The Johnny's boys are featured in articles presenting their new spring dramas with Nino in TBS's "DOOR TO DOOR"....Matsujun in TBS's "Smile".....and Aibakun in "Green Fingers"....hmm here we call it having a green thumb. =) Seeing C-ute with a 6 member lineup reminds me sadly of Kannachan's hiatus from the group due to bunion......omg that looks so awfully painful (´⌒｀。). Get well soon Kannachan~! C-ute just isn't C-ute without you~! I wanted to include a partial translation of Manoeri's question & answer and I may have that up a bit later time allowing. Ueto Aya always looks so amazing and I love her CM spot being highlighted in her pictorial........but really next to Matsujun always looking so handsome in "Smile" I'm really liking C-ute in their feature....so adorable as they continue to grow into young ladies........Maimichan is already there! But then I'm sad again thinking of Kannachan's absence.....(;´□｀). Get well soon Kannachan.....I'm sure all C-ute fans miss you so much~. ＾　＾

Kohachan's releases outside of Momusu for her "Kirarin Revolution" series have truly been hit or miss amongst fans but from purely a music standpoint I sensed a bit of a turn to a more mainstream sound stemming from her MilkyWay releases all the while still maintaining an anime "aura" about them. And whether you love, dislike or just aren't yet sure about her vocals one thing is for sure.....no other member in Momusu would be so well equiped as Kohachan is to embody an anime character in such a lifelike sense.

A large part of her *charm* I find lies in her ever so overly amped up personality which has you imagining that she just never could sit still for very long in one place! If only Red Bull, Monster or Amp Energy Drink executives in marketing had any idea of her existence! XD

Kusumi Koharu's "Happy Happy Sunday!" LE CD single can be ordered here at Cdjapan.

Kusumi Koharu's "Happy Happy Sunday!" RE CD single can be ordered here at Cdjapan.

Kusumi Koharu's "Happy Happy Sunday!" pv DVD single can be ordered here at Cdjapan.

"Happy Happy Sunday!" opens with a slippery "peanut butter across warm toast" brand of unique rap (smudgey like however effective :P ) but once the song's verse follows, its constantly driving rhythm is layered with the cutest of sugary melodies. Kohachan's sometimes exaggerated vocals are wonderous throughout and I can't stress enough the cute factor that her vocals deliver here♪♪! Kohachan is such the perfect fit for anime stylings and she delivers her unique brand of genki overload to a point at which even its producers or songwriter probably couldn't have imagined themselves. =)

Coupled with a radiantly shot pv..."Happy Happy Sunday!" along with its lively set presents some of the most adorable dance choreography~!.....beginning with what is described as ningyou ("doll") steps which leads into what has become Kirarin's wonderfully simplistic trademark of steps for these releases. Her wardrobe rack adds a sweet touch as it includes a very familiar old favorite!

"Happy's"'s coupling with track "HattenXJoy" while favoring a very repetitive style chorus delves into a most delicious recipe of "Kohachan hip hop" like never heard before! ^ ^ I can already envision Maimai flashing cute underground signs as she acts as Kohachan's back up dancer during a most hyper live performance. XD If only there were more rap lines for Kohachan to spring upon us as in its verses………(゜∀゜)………。♥ And for such a short composition "HattenXJoy" sure packs a lot of variety and punch into it's many musical changes making for one of Kohachan's most diverse and interesting tracks to date.........I imagine UFA will be selling an assortment of Kohachan beanies and clocks to wear at her very next gig~! XD Also something tells me that the songwriter is a nostalgic fan of an old 80's funk group Morris Day & and the Time as a very distinct tribute of sorts can be heard more than once in this song! ^ ^

I love that her releases have begun including these cute little dance lesson pointers in between the pvs! There's simply no one else on earth quite as genki and animated as Kohachan!!....just a few seconds of the clip above and I'm sure you'll be convinced too~! ^o^

And last but not least above is the "Dance Shot Ver." for "Happy Happy Sunday!".....a "close up ver." just wouldn't have done justice to this release. ^ ^♪♪

A~h....almost forgot, here's just a peek into the DVD's brief making of footage which includes behind the scenes of the pv's production as well as jacket shooting.....

This year sure seemed to fly past so quickly and yet I'm already a year older...unfortunately not any brighter I'm afraid! lol :P The end of the year means time to reflect on important life stuff such as family, friendships, ♥ relationships, career opportunities, hairstyles, clothes, and of course all of the great new music you were able to experience over the past 12 months!!! Okay not all of those are quite qualified to be titled as "important" but....hm you do get a gist of just what goes on in my mind come this time of year (*´∀｀*) ♪♪.

And while I'm sure there may be a hint of intrigue into knowing just what one will wear for tonight's final farewell to 2008, I'm sure most are busy already celebrating, preparing to celebrate or perhaps are already in the next day recovery stages......kidding about that first part of course! :P But living here has me really wondering something that I never considered seriously before, that being are we the last to ring in the new year each year?!!

I was trying to think of something additional to add to this year's year end post in addition to the song list and while a few ideas did pop into my head...I thought it better to keep things simple as surely you have something better to be doing than listen to me ramble on endlessly which I seemed to have done plenty of already this year. :P So.....I thought how about choosing the post in which I had the most fun writing over this past year....not necessarily one of importance in any way but rather one that was a joy to type and put together as when it comes to blogging in general I think you have to find enough happiness and fun in order to continue on. That's what a blog should be ne~...something fun and enjoyable where you can escape the pressures of life for just a bit and be giddy! ^o^ So when was I happiest while at my laptop this year? I think it would have to be while writing "Berikyuu! Idol the second week: Idol goes bowling with the stars" ...I just had such a wonderful time being silly there even if it was just for a portion of the day. =)

Okay enough of my senseless rambling and this is the last time you'll have to listen to it for the rest of this year I promise!!! :P Before I get to my H!P favorite song list, I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe celebration for bringing in the New Year and with that...best wishes for a wonderful and prosperous upcoming 2009 and beyond! ^o^♥

Creating lists of all sorts has been a longtime favorite activity of mine whether it be songs, artists, movies, dramas or just about anything else so before posting 2008's H!P favorites here are links to two previous favorite Momusu song lists which were done in 2002 & 2005. I used to create a much more involved song list back then at least once a year as I would add to the original list each year keeping the previous entries in their relative spots for the most part...well unless an older song suddenly caught my fancy so much more that it merited a move up higher in the listing. Also note a few simple rules that I used in creating these past song lists as although they are being titled as "Momusu best" there is an allowance for any other artist in H!P as long as they were at one time a member of Momusu past or present.

Kyaaa~! this is getting much longer than I originally anticipated...seems it's true as someone recently told me..."you talk too much!" >_<

Here are my top 10 favorite H!P songs for 2008 and it really was difficult narrowing it down to just 10 as you know I'd probably otherwise end up with a top 14, top 27, top 39 or something equally wacky and strange! :P So many songs could have made this top ten and surely a lot of your favorites won't be included here but I really did try and try to find those most beloved songs of 2008................I could write another paragraph just to cover all of the songs that I wanted to include in this top 10 but..........that would be so not good as this post is running longer and longer as I continue to ramble here....okay...here's my top 10 favorite H!P songs of 2008:



10. "BE"


9. "Manopiano"


8. "Tan Tan Taan!"


7. "Hitori" (single version)


Technically "Hitori" was originally released in November of 2006 on Ayaya's outstanding album "Naked Songs" but as it was included as the coupling with song to 2008's "Kizuna" single as a "single version", I sort of sneaked it in here! :P

6. "Johnny e no dengon"


5. "Janakyamottainai!"


4. "Wasuretakunai natsu"


3. "San San  GOGO"


2. "FOREVER LOVE"


1. ..............And for a second year in a row Berryz Koubou released my favorite song for the year with "Maji Good Chance Summer!" ^ ^
This song just makes me so incredibly happy...it's difficult to explain, well just imagine Kohachan after 1 Red Bull and some green tea~!....lol well that's....um sort of an exaggeration so let's just say this song is ♥♥♥!!! And "Maji Good Chance Summer" definitely receives the.......


...Maochan music knockout!! seal of approval! ^o^♪♪

And lastly, no doubt there will be lots of fireworks wherever you happen to be on this final day of 2008....so I thought it would be appropriate to include just a few of my favorite "hanabi" songs including Mr.Children's "Hanabi", Kohachan's "Koi Hanabi" along with Sayu's version of "Senkou Hanabi.". ^ ^



Hmm...this song would be a perfect choice for Mr.Children's very first performance at this year's Kouhaku. ^-^

I thought that MilkyWay's "Anataboshi" was a fun song but "Tan Tan Taan! I find so much better and the more I listen to it the better it gets!! Right from the start this song just sounds so appropriate for an anime with it's glittery opening which really has a fantasy aura to it and vocally the arrangement is just so much more complimentary to this cute trio...the chorus in particular is so catchy! Most notable is how the vocal distribution in MilkyWay is truly an equal affair and although no doubt it's Kohachan as the star here her presence in no way overshadows her fellow members which is really great as Kikkawa Yuu and Kitahara Sayaka in no way are relegated to back up standards."Tan Tan Taan!" also really showcases each member's unique vocals and they sound really sweet harmonizing together during those ensemble parts.

One thing is for sure though...you have to ♥ how Kohachan always sings with reckless abandon no matter what the occasion! That's part of why she's so awesome! ^o^

And how can you not adore their outifts! Each a perfect splitting image of their animated counterparts and those star tambourines are the best! I wonder if they sell these at concerts...just trying to imagine a sea of wota with illuminated star tambourines filling the audience! =D Their tambourines also play a major role in the really playful dance choreography and thank goodness for headsets as an abbreviated dance in live performaces would do this song no justice at all. Like how "The Manpower!!!" was performed with mics...just not the same at all without the freedom of both hands at all times. They're just soooooooooo adorable together! The little stage which has become a trademark look for "Kirarin Revolution" pvs is as cute here as in past releases and even the blue screen scenes added a nice varied look the the pv overall with its mesmerizing backgrounds. Interestingly MilkyWay's pv DVD singles have been substantially shorter than other H!P releases with neither having a running time over 20 minutes but the inclusion of those little "One point dance lesson" clips more than makes up for that! It's really short but it's so fun that they include these dance lesson clips. Kohachan is funny and hyper all the time, even during dance instruction it seems! I'm really beginning to believe that she is an anime character...and I mean that in the best sense. ^-^ I love when dance shot versions are shot all the way through without all of the editing and piecing of parts together and I'm so glad that its a "dance" version rather than a "close up version." Fun and imaginative dance choreography deserves to be showcased and seen in entirety! The limited editon CD single includes a Kirarin super collaboration card with one side showing images of the actual H!P members and its reverse side displaying their anime characters. The card includes a separate clear plastic overlay which when layed over the original card enhances Kohachan's outfit as well as the outer borders of the card. I scanned the card with the overlay in place above.
The coupling with track "Gamusharara" does grow on you but I think it fairs by far in comparison to the ending theme song from their earlier single "Anataboshi"..... ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
...as I find "Sansan GOGO" to be a much much much much much superior song, especially in the catchy category. This song is just so amazingly addictive and I'm thinking that it's one of my top 10 H!P faves for this year so far, maybe top 5. It's got such an inspirational driving melody and the bassline and guitar just make this song so perfect! And the verses build up so well heading into the chorus which is just pure ♥!!! I can listen to this song over and over on repeat which I'm doing right now as I type. ^ ^ LOL this is my favorite MilkyWay song and it's a b-side?

MilkyWay's "Tan Tan Taan!" LE CD single can be ordered here at Cdjapan.


MilkyWay's "Tan Tan Taan!" pv DVD single can be ordered here at Cdjapan.

Just a few shots from the making of...

Up-Front Works continues to be rather creative with their Event V DVD releases which are sold during special release events and Momusu's latest features in addition to a "ANOTHER VER.-" which is a nice alternative to the original version, 3 separate versions which feature three members each. The trios include a "Takahashi, Kamei, and Linlin" version...a "Niigaki, Kusumi, and Mitsui" version...and a "Michishige, Tanaka, and Junjun" version. One thing to love about the Event V's cover/inner jacket artwork is that they're wearing the outfits which appear in the pvs versus the alternate outfits being worn on the other release editions for this single...love the black and silver a lot though but it's still nice to have the outer packaging represent what's inside. The groupings really do spread out the wealth of appeal and talent in Momusu in a most even way I think but I can't lie, the first trio of Aichan, Kamei and Linlin kills me the most!!! Just hard not be biased here :P...Aichan + Kamei = ♥ no matter what. ^o^ But truly each pv of a favorite trio has the charismatic dynamics of Momusu divided up in a perfect way making each version just as fun to watch as the next! And what's great about getting to see the group broken down this way is the longer amount of screen time in which each member enjoys with less members in each close up ver. pv to share with and it's always fun to see the choreography going on at times when members are void of any vocal lines...and that lends itself to some further discoveries such as.................


...the special award which must be given to Sayu for her rendition of the best "Jiggly dance" (you know when the keyboard calls for it and each member stands in place bouncing up and down in a most entertaining sense.) without question...she just puts the "J" in "Jiggly" by far the best for whatever reason as I'm still not sure why but up close and personal and for a greater duration of time she wins. :P And speaking of up close and personal, a second award must be given to Reinachan for being the closest to the camera when it counts!....like through the entire pv. The director may have been asking Reinachan to take a step back from the camera to give them some room for the shot but Reinachan clearly was having none of that...she's right up in your face the entire time, ♥ that!! I was kind of hoping that with her being so close to the camera that at some point she would either kiss it or slap it but unfortunately for fans neither occurred although my fingers were crossed the whole time. :P An award must go to Aichan for her amazing kick!!!! Not since Mikitty has a member of Momusu kicked butt so well in a pv! And a lot of that flexibility must be attributed to her years of previous classic dance training! She Mikitty and Rikachan should have a "kick off" one day or perhaps just one of those cheerleader line dances..that would be amazing! What am I talking about? :P


And here's the alternate "ANOTHER VER.-" pv:
And being that I never got around to a separate post regarding the original pv DVD single...just a few thoughts here.


While UFA has generally been aiming at even more extensive coverage in their pv DVD singles it's interesting for whatever reason that "Pepper Keibu" has a much shorter running time of 17 minutes while most group pv singles have exceeded the 20 minute mark as of late. But with this shorter running time the producers did employ a much different approach to the "making of segment" as the editors used a much less "formatted" sense in putting the footage together. It's without a doubt much more candid in its structure as the chronological order of cover shoots to dance shoots are pretty much jumbled up with lots of cute and fun footage intertwined between them in a spontaneous sense. I really loved watching the "making of" in this style as it keeps things lively and unpredictable and it's perhaps much more entertaining for fans when done in this fashion rather than being so "structured" and specific. ^-^ And I'm yet again reminded while watching the extra footage that despite all of the Kohachan bashing that goes on, Momusu would be a much less fun group without her without doubt....she always reminds me of just how much character and "AMP" energy she brings to the table each and every time no matter the circumstances or event....now that's indispensable. ^-^ The camera loves Reinachan and Reinachan loves the spotlight...they just go hand in hand so well and in a much welcome way. :) The producers did a wonderful job of transitioning the pv from a 70's look with the slightly "grainy" appearance, going to today's slick resolution working it seamlessly with the songs' feel...I thought that was brilliant. The staff in charge of the designs used for the stage backing, lighting, and member outfits captured the sheek 70's with a wonderfully simplistic and yet effective aura and the pv direction itself in all of its simplicity made the overall production that much more profound in this very sense. Ahh...the aurua of ABBA lives on.....sorry for babbling...owari.

Thoughts on "Pepper Keibu" the song, can be found here. ^-^

I don't know why but it feels like I haven't been this excited about a new J-Pop release in ages!...and you've all heard me swoon over releases time and time again but bear with me...I'm just on another cloud with this one! ^o^ Groovy!, Right On!, Afro!, Righteous! Okay now that I've got the lingo out of the way I can begin. :) If you're like me you pretty much missed that entire 70's era but luckily through our parents listening habits you may have become enlightened in the wondrous sound that is the 70's....and one day I do promise to watch "Saturday Night Fever" on DVD. :) The 70's were a glitter with outspoken fashion and coming out of the decade of "love" the remnants did linger on as heard in many songs and personalities of the decade. The styling and outfits on all 3 editions are heavily reminiscent here with a loud and sharp approach to the decade and it looks like all of our favorite Musume's have undergone a makeover of sorts as they all sport new looks....well that is all except for some reason Reinachan looks exactly the same. :/ Hmm....maybe she knocked out the hairstylist and told them where to go! :P Either that or the hairstylist(s) ate the very last of the meat at the company all you can eat H!P lunch buffet before Reina had a chance to pick! :O And we all know what happens to those that dare mess with Reinachan's meat! =) SEXY looks for all here and with Reinachan standing at the center of it all on all 3 editions it gave me the initial impression that perhaps this was her "feature" single of sorts.........I'm not hearing that in the recording but having not viewed the pv(s) just yet the visuals may tell another story but for that I'll  just have to wait as I'm holding out watching the pvs until the actual DVD release is delivered mid next month. Kamei has regained that Egyptian Queen appearance along with Linlin......not sure I'm acutally liking Linlin's look here as much though. Hot awards go to Gakisan, Aichan and Reinachan...they just appear to scorch the most in the visuals of this release thus far. Okay now that you've got your brand new disco ball hung high on the ceiling and your lava lamp plugged back in we can continue....(by the way what is the purpose of the lava lamp?) :/


Something fascinating about music in general is how its defining moments and changes have all come in decades. Music fans speak of the 50's, the 60's, the 70's, the 80's, the 90's and now...all in increments of 10 years isn't that funny how things have just worked out that way thus far? :) So when someone says: "That's so 80's..." you know exactly what they mean albeit its abstract sense.


Momusu has effectively brought back to life in an all new era the 1976 release by Pink Lady and while apprehension may have at first filled me up prior to its arrival...that's all evaporated now. Perhaps a retroactive nostalgic period has hit H!P......or maybe it's just that Tsunku has gone lazy...just kidding!...but it's quite something not seeing the always familiar Tsunku name in the lyrics and music writing credits but what it does offer to fans is something outside and fresh. Presenting to a younger audience a piece of work that is so far back in memory that no doubt the majority of fans today may not have even been born during its original release can present a challenge I imagine. But the production behind "Pepper Keibu" does so with flying colors gaining a perspective of the now with the infusion of the past seamlessly and oh so effectively. And while Aku Yuu's composition may have been given the treatment and nuances of today's stylings it for the most part has seemingly been kept to a discreet level, allowing the original song composition to shine through without losing any of its original appeal. Awhile back I was treated to a visual and musical introduction to the 70's mega hit group ABBA by Zdorama and having only known very few of their songs beforehand it was quite an eye/ear opening experience putting it lightly! ABBA released some of the most catchy music of the decade and although I don't know of any ties here, "Pepper Keibu" whole heartedly seems to capture that ABBA magic in it's uber catchy melodic sense and hooks which hopefully are filling your room at this moment if you clicked play above. ^-^ The vocal arrangements specifically are channeling ABBA in the layers of harmonies and phrasing used most notably during the pre-chorus and chorus itself. I'm talking pure ♥ here!! Not to be outdone by its sister track "Romance" in its own right should have made this a double A-side outright. Also penned by Aku Yuu, "Romance" is an equally well written groove fest with a bit of a more even temperament but in no way is it any way less alluring musically or vocally. At just 3:40 long this track is rather short but it makes the best of it during this duration and in particular I find Aichan's vocals to lead the way here rather poetically. Disco Queen? Perhaps! ^-^ Well I'm off to watch the 20 minute jacket making of and interview segments which are all part of the bonus DVD accompanying the LE jacket A version so from here the rest will be the visuals captured from this momentous release. LE jacket B brings back the much yearned for extra photo booklet collectible with outer slip case!!...a most welcome return would be putting it mildly for sure as I think most fans would prefer this over DVD extras in general so hopefully there will be more of this to come in future releases as well. ^-^ All three editions came with those serial numbered event cards which are only useful if you happen to live in Japan, and that being the only extra accompanying the Regular Edition...well that and the alternate cover art as well. :) Best looking jacket? Well I have to go with LE jacket B by far due to the member full profile images which sets it apart from the other two versions. In closing, what an amazing release for Momusu coming off the success and mature impact of "Resonant Blue"...surely the future looks and sounds bright whether it be original or cover tunes. :)  
And now for a look inside the much anticipated photo booklet... ...I've scanned it front to back. Enjoy! ^-^ Aichan & Gakisan so beautiful here!!! I have a feeling Reinachan's upcoming pb will eclipse all her previous releases!
Such incredibly styling throughout! Groovy!