40 posts tagged “suzuki airi”

Released on June 25th, Airiin has released her already fourth shashinshuu! The weather in Taiwan met her with rainy circumstances throughout but nothing could cloud her genki side and that of so quirkiness that we ~♥~!

The reading of her pb's title is a kanji compound which could be read in a few different ways and at first I went with "Aoshoku"...but now I'm thinking "Aoiro" may be more common...any corrections of course are most welcome. ＾　＾

Whether or not it was the photographer's intention or not the overcast skies give "Aoiro" moodier undertones and your really have to love the architecture which can be seen in both modern and classic scenery throughout~. The older buildings speak volumes of history and much of their insides are both cozy and beautiful......what I really adore the most though is that gigantic red bird cage structure which sits between two main streets. ………(゜∀゜)………。 It's something that I'd imagine to see sitting in the middle of a park rather but it makes such an impressionable sight and perhaps even more so being in that chosen spot. In any case it's really *adorable* and at first I thought.....is that a rubber chicken beside her in the background but upon seeing the much closer photo it appears to be rather ceramic? LOL and I don't think it's a chicken anymore!…(^q^) Of course it's a yellow canary or rather something similar ne~! :P

Please help to support Airiin by purchasing her latest photo book! ＾　＾

Suzuki Airi's "Aoiro" shashinshuu can be ordered here at Amazon Japan.

Suzuki Airi's "Aoiro" shashinshuu can be ordered here at YesAsia.

Suzuki Airi's "Aoiro" shahshinshuu can be ordered here at HMV Japan.


"Aoiro" has a nice balance of elegance, casual to mizugi of course!...and while the skirt style bikini is so so pretty my favorite Airiin outfit has to be......

........this black dress!!..which suits Airiin so well!! And at any given moment as C-ute fans know, Airiin is so known to break into mini spurts of ♥quirkiness♥...always so funny and totally amusing she just cracks me up being ♥herself♥. (￣▽￣) So adorable!!

The accompanying making of DVD runs just over 10 minutes and it's here that you can count the number of random instances of ♥quirkiness♥ which occur~. Air drums anyone?…(^q^)


I scanned 52 favorite♥ pages from Airiin's shashinshuu below....and lastly entry information to win a copy of this pb is just below ↓ ↓ ↓..............

2nd copy to be a part of a giveaway to be posted soon!

Although it's about twice the cost of an issue of Kindai, UTB really proves its worth not only in its beautiful photography...but also in the magazine's aesthetics as well which is printed on thicker stock glossy pages (note: a small portion of news and some features are in black & white in each issue), features a flat spine design and UTB has also long offered special extras with each issue. =)

The current extra being the inclusion and return of the photo trading cards~! UTB & Bomb! magazine really revolutionized the idol trading card/ magazine relationship back in the mid to late nineties and along the way UTB through it's numerous restructurings has offered extras such as clear files, posters and one of their most ingenious to date still remains their special DVDs which really brought to *life* each issue through "up♥dates", gravure photo shoots, idol games, etc...which featured the idols included in each issue~. Also notable are how extended each of the main photo features have become as they're now 8-10 pages in length!

And for any AKB48 fans...they've now appeared regularly for the past few issues....and in this issue alone AKB48 have five features including four of them being solo~.  ＾　＾

Subscriptions to UTB which is published bi-monthly can be purchased here at Cdjapan.

UTB's trading cards are randomly included between 3 possible sets of five cards per issue.......one great thing for all H!P fans is that the trend so far has been separating H!P member cards between the three sets....so matter which set your issue includes you can rest assured to receive at least one of them! =) My issue included "set C" or the "Airiin" set~.

Manoeri, Airiin and Maimichan are featured in photo shoots for this issue....here are the scans...


Manoeri continues to be an UTB favorite~♥....her photogenic personality and natural *adorableness* surely great reasons!





Manoeri's debut shashinshuu & major label music release is also covered...what's so awesome about these events is not only how close up fans get to their favorite idols but there are also usually signing opportunities as well~.

Berryz Koubou's Riichan shares a timeline from her birth up to her recent 15th birthday and it's cutely presented in a board game like format~. =)

Whew~!....for a moment there I was so worried that Momo had somehow lost or perhaps misplaced her *heliumness*~♥~...luckily though all is well and in place as Buono!'s latest single release continues to make them H!P's and in a larger sense J-Idol's most rocking trio~!..."My Boy" is simply *sensational* in every way~!

I haven't watched any of Shugo Chara! just yet and it being the associated anime, just the sheer aggressiveness of "My Boy"makes me quite curious as to what this anime entails...

The *soul* of "My Boy"'s composition hits like a....thrash metal composition for the lack of a better description at the moment but in any case it's definitely at least of the "heavy metal" genre I think.~ "Janakya Mottainai!" remains yet as my most favorite Buono! metal release =) and the aggressive unison of instruments♪♪ is reminiscent of many past hard rock ♥'z of mine! But what's so awesome and unique about J-music is how even with such a hard driven composition, when the vocals hit you it then all becomes soooo *cute* all over again~! And another wonderful surprise is that while he didn't write the lyrics, Tsunku did write the music♪♪ for the title track "My Boy" and compositions like these just continue to validate Tsunku's amazing versatility as he's truly capable of writing so many style and genres of music as he's shown and proven time and time again~! =)

Buono!'s "My Boy" LE CD single can be ordered here at Cdjapan.

Buono!'s "My Boy" RE CD single can be ordered here at Cdjapan.

Buono!'s "My Boy" pv DVD single can be ordered here at Cdjapan. (to be released on May 13th)

Buono!'s "My Boy" LE CD single can be ordered here at YesAsia.

Buono!'s "My Boy" RE CD single can be ordered here at YesAsia.

Buono!'s "My Boy" pv DVD single can be ordered here at YesAsia. (to be released on May13th)

"My Boy" also seems to have a bit of a new wave identity going on as those keyboard riffs which occur during the song's intro and during its breaks throws yet another variable into what otherwise would be pure metal track....although there would absolutely be nothing wrong with that!! =)

The coupling with track "Warp" is much more tame for sure all the while still hinting at making this a true double a-side keeping with a well driven rock sound...and while being no where near as striking as the title track in terms of overall impact...."Warp" is actually a bit more of a melodic♪ track as it showcases each member's vocals somewhat more~. Somehow the vocal arrangement has a way of creating the aura of a mid tempo feel with its more smoothly flowing lines, while the instrumentation in contrast tries to keep up with its predecessor~. 

The LE CD single release includes both a photo card (right) and a bonus DVD which includes a look into the making/shooting of each edition's jacket. The DVD runs approximately 7:16 and primarily highlights each member's thoughts on their incredibly *adorable* outfits as well as some of their thoughts on the single's style~.

Although I would so have loved if they'd included an alternate version of the title track's pv as has occurred in past H!P LE releases....it's still a very nice look into a bit of the behind the scenes of a fun and lively photo shoot.........and as always is the case with Buono!...you can be sure to count of Airrin to *ham* it up for the camera with the cutest of expressions...she's just so spontaneously funny!…(^q^)!

.....and now for a few *moments* with H!P's resident ♥~ham~♥.......all from the "jacket making of" DVD........

Hmmm...my (VOX neighborhood) *cuddle* post is just below but doesn't this photo of Ume above make you so want to *cuddle*?!!! o(*´∀｀)o゛♥ While as fans we each are privileged to watch our favorite idols grow in the spotlight.....and now more than ever in a very gradual state as between commercial releases, FC releases, event footage, and a barrage of seemingly non stop photographs which document their lives with a seamless blanket of visuals, there are still poignant moments when you have to stop and say to yourself how stunning they've grown...."they're really growing up aren't they." =)

Just the aesthetics of C-ute's latest single (just released on April 15th) gives a striking vision of youth's eventual turn to maturity as every member.....I'm not quite sure of how to describe it but they all appear so much more mature somehow since the last time I saw them in a recent Kindai photo shoot. In particular Chisa, Maimai and Ume have my eyes seeing them in such a different light as I opened up this release and viewed their photographs within. Nakki seemed to leap out quite early in this sense awhile back while both Maimichan and Airiin whether it be a product of their up front presentation which has been C-ute's formula for awhile now, it's a much more subtle change.

The six member lineup does bring a sadness to me and while Kannachan's absence was announced awhile back, here I find the reality of its impact setting in as something just doesn't look right seeing a "much" smaller member lineup here.....C-ute truly isn't complete without her presence. I *hope* for her speedy recovery and return to occur as soon as possible.

Cute's "Bye Bye Bye!" LE w/DVD single can be ordered here at Cdjapan.

Cute's "Bye Bye Bye!" RE single can be ordered here from Cdjapan.

C-ute's "Bye Bye Bye!" pv DVD single can be ordered here from Cdjapan. (to be released on April 22nd)

C-ute's "Bye Bye Bye!" LE can be ordered here at YesAsia.

C-ute's "Bye Bye Bye!" RE can be ordered here at YesAsia.

C=ute's "Bye Bye Bye!" pv DVD single can be ordered here at YesAsia. (to be released on April 22nd)


The LE includes a bonus DVD containing the "Dance Shot Version" of the pv while the both LE & RE first press releases include serial numbered even cards....valid only in Japan. While the accompanying pv DVD single is still a few days away.....a "dance shot version" will nearly almost always win over a "close up version" so I'm thankful for its inclusion here~! =)

The creamy pink colors of "Bye Bye Bye!" give the impression of a "softer" release however as one should never judge and interior by its exterior the title track is much to the contrary as Tsunku has penned for C-ute a stong mid tempo R&B track.


Like the song itself the pv's atmosphere is most definitely heavily flavored with a distinct retro feel down to the lighting and simplistic set design. "Bye Bye Bye!" is channeling a funky 70's groove while the prominent keyboard riffs give the song a bit of an 80's twist. What's impressive about much of C-ute's latter catalog is how much their individual releases show musical/member growth coming in leaps and bounds from one to the next....here though "Bye Bye Bye!" in this sense is much more of a lateral move in musical terms as the song itself is complimentary to their already establised catalog while not necessary adding anything remarkably new. For several reasons....their earlier single "LA LA LA shiawase no uta" comes to mind.......that's not to say though that "Bye Bye Bye!" isn't an attractive track in its own right as I do find it to be quite the catchy *boogie wonderland*~. ＾　＾

As always with C-ute their dance choreography is top notch as even Momusu has nothing on them in this aspect I think at this point....and each member's accomplished state lends to what I imagine to be a choreographer *dream*~ as difficulty or very complex routines create no barriers for C-ute as individuals or as a whole~.

The coupling with track "Go Go Go!" creates a sort of irony in the very sense of musical♪♪ growth as I while it may not have the same type of "bright" and readily visible impact of the title track which suits singles......I think it's by far a superior composition, it being rich with harmonies and vocal layers showcasing C-ute's vocal range and *feel* which are for the most part absent in "Bye Bye Bye!" it being a much more straight forward composition~...although not to fault the title track as it is was it is for a reason. =)

And the song♪♪ itself ("Go Go Go!") is much more in the vein of showcasing Tsunku's diverse creativity and ability to write music which transcends musical eras as he merges together the old and new in his always masterful craft~.

May '98 marked the first appearance of Momusu/H!P on the cover of an issue of UTB (every H!P cover appearance is above) and over the next few years H!P would continue to dominate with numerous cover appearances which towards 2005 & 2006 would find their peak as H!P artists would appear exclusively as covergirls over that two year period leaving perhaps much of the rest of the idol world a bit shunned. While all streaks must inevitably meet their end at some point that run of consecutive cover appearances remains as one of the most rare feats for any artist(s) in terms of dominating a single publication where the magazine is no way exclusive to said artist.

After this impressive streak though came a long drought in which H!P while still appearing prominently in UTB (as Wani Books is the parent publisher of most H!P shashinshuu releases) didn't appear on another single cover dating back to the December 2006 issue which featured Aichan as their cover girl......in hindsight I imagine that no regular subscriber could have imagined that that particular issue would be H!P's last cover appearance for more than two years.

The April 2009 issue features one of the most beautiful H!P/UTB covers over their long history as Manoeri ends the over two year drought in dazzling fashion~! And while UTB seemingly continues their current restructuring of their presentation which has seen more facelifts than Joan Rivers (Gomen! XD) this issue in particular is showing definite signs of looking more like UTB's past in general as much of the format is quite reminiscent here. ^ ^

Manoeri doesn't only grace the front cover as she also is given back cover honors, here promoting her upcoming major debut release single.....shashinshuu scans can be found here.......and release information here.

UTB also returns to including trading cards with their issues with the first three sets of five being randomly included.....my issue included set 3 including Maimichan's debut trading card in UTB. As the trading cards are once again being numbered I imagine that this sequential offering will continue in the next issues to come which is a nice return to the extras which UTB was so popular for offering in the past. =)

The trading cards had quite a run as they numbered enough to fill nearly an entire binder on their own! Bomb! magazine would also follow suit shortly after UTB debuted their trading cards as theirs offered randomly inserted cards which like UTB were two sided with photos but also included occasional card sets which would be smaller pieces to a larger picture when all cards were layed side by side in order on their reverse side. UTB Vol. 190 includes an impressive amount of H!P coverage and the gravure idol pictorials have also increased in page count which is also representative of their past...all of which gives this issue a retro feeling and quite a welcome one at that! Now if only we can get that DVD magazine back! ^ ^

The following pictorials that I've scanned include: Manoeri supporting her debut shashinshuu & major music release debut with off shots from her pb as well  as an event memorial shot, Suzuki Airi pictorial, Manoeri major debut special which includes a "growing up" documentary & an "A to Z" personal look at all which is manoeri......watch for her so so so adorable baby pictures too!!! ^o^, a flower dance (Hula) lesson with Tokunaga Chinami where hula's beautiful language is revealed with specific dance points which translate into this dance form's unique way of expression, Hagiwara Mai & Okai Chisato show their photography skills  where only two will be named "best shot!", Takahashi Ai's pictorial poses the question of whether her image here can pass her as being 17 years old?...as she portrays her character in ther drama "Q.E.D." (currently watching! ^ ^ ), and lastly Yajima Maimi returns with her third installment of picturesque beauty! She is so beautiful!! ^ ^

But first, Mr.Children's song "Kurumi" has had me wondering for years now if perhaps a girl could be named "Kurumi" somewhere in Japan as Sakurai is addressing a woman named Kurumi in the song's lyrics.......alas Shimizu Kurumi ends all questions! "くるみ" means "walnut"....so I've just always wondered.........I think it's a cute name~!

Below is the mp3 for "Kurumi".....please enjoy listening along with the scans. ^ ^

I feel like I haven't purchased an new H!P concert shirt in ages but when I saw that C-ute's latest one would be in bright and radiant red!...I so had to pre-order one through Ohta! Up till now my favorite bright red shirts have been Risakochan's "heart" design along with Manoeri's "Gatas" numbered shirt. ^ ^

And when I say bright bright red!!!..it surely is bright!! ＼(^o^)／☆ I may only love gray, black, pink and blue equally.....wait I've mentioned too many favorite colors! :P

This set was sold as a part of C-ute's 2009 Winter Wonderful Hearts concerts and includes a set of 7 individual member photos as well as the ever present wrist band. In the past I mentioned John McEnroe but now I think I'd give it to Roger Federer instead as it would go perfectly with one of his red Nike shirts I think! (*´∀｀*) And maybe with the inspiration of C-ute with him on court....he could then defeat Nadal in his next final meeting. XD Usually the photos which accompany H!P T-shirt sets have each member posing in the included shirt but in this case their outfits are so beautiful that even this departure from the norm is pure ♥!

On the upper right front is the concert's theme logo but at first glance I originally thought it to be some sort of intricate design until I took a closer look realizing that it's actually the kanji for "Kakumei/Kakumee Gannen" written quite fancy~! The theme of their tour is quite a powerful statement as "革命元年" means "first year revoltion of an imperial era"...literally! \(^o^)/

The statement of "Kakumei gannen" is really fitting too with "Wonderful Hearts" now solely representing all of H!P on their own in light of the Elder's Club's departure, and this being the first year of their....well "rule." ^o^ The "imperial" part is a sweet touch too~! ♪♪

The back of the shirt has sort of an angelic ribbon look to it (sorry if that makes no sense at all :P ) with each C-ute member's name being listed according to age in descending order in a beautiful font script~!

I've pondered on what my current C-ute favorite members would be like in order as I haven't considered it too recently and...じゃじゃんっっ I've scanned them here in order from this set's photographs:

I just have to mention how beautiful and glamorous their outfits are in this set!!!! ^o^ C-ute are truly H!P's little ladies! And more and more they're becoming the very face of Hello! Project as their overtaking of their two senpai groups is no doubt arguable on both sides but as of late in general C-ute has seemingly been given overall better songs to perform (although both Momusu & Berryz Koubou have been on Tsunku's Santa song wish list recently =) ) as when coupled with the very strength of every single member's vocals what C-ute presents is a rather imposing force for the rest of the cute idol world to take note of for years to come. I really feel that if you layed all three H!P flagship groups next to one another at this very moment.....C-ute would come out on top in terms of pure vocal talent as they really have no weaker vocalists in their group whereas Momusu & BK arguably have some still developing voices. ^ ^ And I mean that in the best of ways for all three groups.....please don't throw any tomatoes at me!! :P

Maimichan is just pure beauty~! I can never say enough about her naturally beautiful facial features and overall physique to do her any justice I'm afraid! She's just so perfect in every way! (*´∀｀*)♪♪

Mature beyond her years! Maimai never ceases to impress me with her composure and talent at such a young age. And when you're this adorable how could a fan not fall in ♥ with her! She just has the most uniquely somewhat "oddly interesting" voice that I find to be so cute!!!!!! ^ ^

I  just thought of something.....these recent photos are now marked as "Up-Front International"...and while this may have really no significance to speak of it does somewhat hint at UFA's recognition of their ever growing and significant fan base outside of Japan....and hopefully for the rest of us, outside of Asia as well! =)

Airiin...just by her resemblance to a past classmate of mine has her always way up for me! (*´∀｀*) But truly in addition to her vocal prowess and great dancing ability,...Airiin is the most wonderfully offbeat and cutely quirky member in C-ute by far. ＼(^o^)／☆ The group's resident ham is always up for any occasion and she represents an irreplacable aspect of C-ute. ^ ^

Nakki represents a very vital part of my dream of H!P's 歯-モニ unit ever coming to fruition~! XD Seriously though, I just adore her looks and personality so much! Dare I say that she's underused too in their releases...*sigh*).

It could be argued heavily that Ume could easily have been C-ute's leader although don't get me started about how much I love Maimichan in that role. ^ ^ Still she possesses all of the same qualities that would make her seamless in that role and Ume's also the perfect blend of role model and maturity as a definite mentor for the groups' younger members. ^ ^ One of my favorite episodes was seeing Ume act as lead narrator for C-ute's scary storytelling which was so well done that it had multiple other members such as Kannachan♥ and Nakki shrieking in fear~! :o LOL..if I recall correctly, Maimichan in particular had the most amusing expressions on her face the entire time. =)

An idol with the sweetest♪♪ of demeanors....Kannachan will always hold a special place in my ♥~. One of my favorite Kannachan moments has to be her appearance with Gakisan on Hello Pro Hour where they went head to head in a battle of chalkboard speed writing! She was so adorable afterward that she just melts me! ………(゜∀゜)………。♥

Truly this is just an order as numbers 1~7 are all on an upper tier of endearment for me so there are no low number rankings in C-ute and the reason that I say this is because Chisa is not only one of the groups' strongest vocalists but she's also one of their most humorous and adorable members as well. If she's around Airiin for much longer they may be able to take their comedy duo team on the road~! =) There's also a very special competitive and fiery aspect to her personality which C-ute really benefits from....and thank you H!P hairstylists you finally got it right! ^ ^

With my ever growing excitement of the Daytona 500 and the start of the new race season getting nearer and nearer I thought that a checkered background would be appropriate here....just hoping that the either the #48, #24 or the #88 crosses it first! ＼(^o^)／☆

Buono! is plain and simple just one of the most shining groups to ever grace the H!P landscape and their J-Pop utopia train continues to roar through the music scene with their latest single release "co no mi chi."

Group dynamics are so essential when the hopes of longevity are at stake and Pony Canyon's brainchild of a group continues to excel with a group chemistry that is truly second to none in our idol fansphere.....as Airiin, Momo & Miya have forged such a solid image, sound, and close knit aura that even the casual fan at this point I think would find it very difficult to deny that Buono! is firmly set to be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come in the idol music industry where a soar or sink reality has long been in place.

Buono!'s "co no mi chi" LE (CD+DVD) can be ordered here.

Buono!'s "co no mi chi" RE CD can be ordered here.

Buono!' "co no mi chi" pv DVD single can be ordered here.

Even with a debut release as impressive as "Honto no jibun", all dreams and hopes of Buono!'s continued success have exceeded what I imagined initially and the stellar mixing of such endeared members from two high profile groups in H!P have produced a blueprint of sorts for which the next generation of artists/idols can truly take note of in hopes of succeeding as well. Buono! is made outstanding by the means of having 3 very distinct voices, 3 developed and talented voices, 3 very diversified personalities and amazing song writing to present it all.

Tsunku makes a collaborative appearance as he penned the music for the title track "co no mi chi" and the CD + DVD release includes a Shugo Chara/Buono! photo card as well as making of footage which runs just over 10 minutes.

Buono!'s "live band" sound has become trademark and the title track "co mo mi chi" doesn't waste any time getting into a frenzied rock-a-pa-looza feel but a great and notable aspect of their heavy hitting sound is no matter how wonderfully powerful the musical exterior is......the core of each great Buono! song is filled with the sweetest of melodies♪♪ and layers of simple but effective harmonies which immediately validates how all great groups which endure follow one simple mainstay, hook the audience where it's most likely successful. In the case of idol groups in particular not only are the hardcore wota but also the more casual fan succeptible to the combination of anything of substance and that which is undeniably catchy/cute! Buono! works this to perfection time and time again and the only bold step left would be to either participate in the music compositions or the instrumentation directly...either of which I don't see as too much of a stretch judging by what idols in the past have achieved as well as what these 3 stellar members embody and have already shown. That may be pushing the envelope somewhat but truly if UFA wants to further excel their family of artists then it must allow for them to grow individually as all of these girls possess untapped talent without any doubt. ^ ^ In the parallel world of JE, Tackey's latest release emphatically shows these possibilities....if, only there are allowed and surely encouraged. ^ ^

The coupling with track "Muteki no power" is no slouch to the title track by any stretch of the imagination and it's actually a bit more groove driven with an almost punk-R sound to it. The chorus does fair in direct comparison to "co no mi chi" but it's a small price to pay for such a cutely frenzied release! Something else that I've also come to realize about Buono!'s songs is that they seemingly never overstay their welcome as in drag on in any way as the musical compositions themselves are always so full of rhythm changes and interludes that they grace us in such a fashion which leaves the listener possibly always longing for more. =)


Once again I'm lobbying for UFA to once again release their CD singles and pv DVD singles on the same release date as they once did long ago....it still puzzles me as to why they stagger coinciding releases with latter dates as wouldn't any fan want to be able to watch both the pv and enjoy the single release in an adjacent moment? I'm often tempted to watch the pre-uploaded pvs (and I've caved on occasion! :P ) which always appear weeks before even the single is released but somehow that for me defeats the extra excitement of receiving the actual DVD release and subsequently watching it for the very first time. Funny I guess I'm sort of "old" fashioned in this way.......lol you're allowed to tease! XD 

LE bonus DVD have now clearly moved away from sharing an alternate pv version as they have in the past (leaving those to FC event DVDs ^ ^ ) but with such awesomely cute footage of behind the scenes I'm finding these two part making of segments most enjoyable! ^o^♪♪ There's just over 10 minutes here and the promise of more with the pv DVD single's release! ………(゜∀゜)………。

We're treated to the jacket shooting footage and you have to love just the sight of Airiin, Momo & Miya mouthing syllables which appear on the RE cover! They're so cute with their expressions~!♥ But when it comes to hamming it up for the camera at any time...any given moment....any time she's awake........it's all about Airiin by far in this dynamic! o(*´∀｀)o゛

Buono!'s resident ham is warming up and getting ready to go to work on your emotions! =)

.....it's so true~!! and a somewhat long running joke that even dates back to one of BK's pv making of clips.....I'm trying to remember which pv DVD single it was from but I can't be sure without checking first so a guess would be maybe "Special Generation???"....lol I'm probably way off though just guessing off the top of my head. I bet Zush would know for sure! ^ ^ Miya was imitating Momo's running "♥technique♥" in one of BK's pv making of clips and OMG don't get me started with Momo at the running events at H!P's Sports Festival!!!!!!!!! It's so cute I may pass out~! XD I think I may have posted that somewhere here before.....mmmm she's so adorable! And I'm also "magnetically" :P attracted to Airiin even more as she really really really resembles one of my classmates from high school! ♥ Hm...I wish I could post their photos side by side but I don't think she'd let me. ^ ^

Cute's "FOREVER LOVE" LE w/DVD can be ordered here from Cdjapan.

Cute's "FOREVER LOVE" RE can be ordered here from Cdjapan.

C-ute's "FOREVER LOVE" pv DVD single can be ordered here from Cdjapan.

The year's not over quite yet and indeed there are a few more single releases on the horizon but if it ended today there is no doubt that C-ute's latest single "FOREVER LOVE" would be my #1 H!P song of 2008. Beginning with the aesthetics alone, C-ute is looking incredibly sharp~! Both editions have simply stunning covers with the LE I think holding an edge as there's quite a bit more impact with them standing rather than sitting and the chic office jacket & tie look is absolutely picturesque! I actually caved and watched the pv too this time as I just realized that I won't be receiving the pv DVD single until the middle of next week as I have it combined with a few more items with some of them bearing a December 10th release date. >_<;

"FOREVER LOVE" is purely a Maimichan & Airiin ♥fest as they command the song in perhaps an even more absolute way verses C-ute's singles of the past and while the case for equality of vocal lines is always something to long for...and particularly with C-ute as they in my opinion have the best vocalists when looked at as a whole verses the other two main H!P group mainstays Momusu and Berryz Koubou, still the formula which the producers have followed thus far in large works wonders here in an almost "Furusato" way in that the structure of the songs' vocal arrangement seemingly would've lost most of it's charm and aura had the "dueling" vocal lines of Maimichan and Airiin been dispersed amongst more members (sorry about the long and incredibly flawed run on sentence that I've just popped out....get's a glare from the teacher & CK! O_o ). Gomen...inside joke! :P I've also been reading quite a few fans mentioning how C-ute should be given something a bit more mature to sing and this is really two fold in that while no doubt their image is rapidly escalating towards leaving adolescence behind (the image & styling of "FOREVER LOVE" speaks volumes here!) I think if it's "lost" too soon the consensus may then take a stance similar to what has been said of Ayaya's career with the longing for a return of her more upbeat and cute songs to return. This analogy however ends there sharply as I really believe that Ayaya's career in terms of her music and image have evolved perfectly to match not only her age but also where she should be as a performer at this stage. C-ute however shouldn't be too hasty to transition just yet to a full blown mature sound as there's still much time for that to occur and considering their fairly brief release record so far surely we'd miss out on so much of the fun "idol" type compositions that I hope they're yet to shower upon us.

Oh and on a side note I wouldn't trade a single one of those CUTE "My darlin'" or "I ♥ You's" for anything! I haven't checked to see what's coming with their pv DVD single but I'm really hoping for a "Dance Ver." this time around because 1. "Close Up Versions" usually don't do justice to upbeat songs and 2. The charming dance choreography demands it! While in the alternate cut-away scenes we see C-ute in a cyber room no doubt continuing their plans for world domination, the dance portions are really what you love to watch here and while we've steadily been witnessing much more intricate dance choreography being implemented into their routines with "FOREVER LOVE" being most impressive in that regard, it seems that C-ute really started off with such a high standard of intricate ability going back to even their indies releaese as seen in those early pvs and performances. Such a high standard being set by themselves and "FOREVER LOVE" delivers on all accounts. I imagine that it may not be the most comfortable attire to perform in but I truly hope that C-ute takes the stage dressed as they are here...how stunning and amazing that would be! ^ ^
The coupling with song "Seventeen's VOW" fairs in comparison to the title track but Tsunku really has penned two great songs for C-ute here and while I find it mostly to be a standard type pop song the chorus in particular is quite sweeping with a sweet hook and I love how the vocals "slow" a bit over the rhythm which remains quick and driving giving the chorus a nice dynamic. This song with all of it's energy will be a great live track as its transition to the stage will surely have the audience in a frenzy...let's hope there's ♥ for b-sides too! =) Also noticeable is the much more widespread vocal ♥ distribution. :)

The limited edition comes with a bonus DVD containing approximately 13 minutes of photo shoot making of footage and happily even the extras are being produced in 16:9 widescreen...now if only H!P would make the leap to Bluray as other notable J-Pop artists have already made this offerering available and particularly with concerts as those are best seen in HD of the highest quality!

Airiin is such the resident ♥ham♥ in C-ute and it doesn't really matter what she's doing at all as all you need is a camera running to catch all of the zany and animated moments! Thank goodness she's in Buono! \(^o^)//! Those strange noises she was making while passing by the camera a couple of times cracked me up so much...I had to rewind~! ♥

Ah sweet Kannachan got a shorter hairstyle and it really suits her well! She has such a sweet demeanor about her and there just wasn't enough Kannachan charm in the making of footage to satisfy!

Chisa's looks are really blossoming and she being one of C-ute's grossly underused singers perhaps one day C-ute will embrace a growth to a trio of "lead" vocalist which will include Chisa....she has my vote~!

Maimichan! OMG! Could she look any more model like! She's just so blessed with beauty perfection and truly with her work ethic and talent the world is her peach!...as a venture into modeling or acting or pretty much anything she desires should be within her reach easily! ^o^ Everytime that I see her it's like she gets more beautiful each time...and I know my eyes don't deceive me!

Nakki still holds my favorite "smile" factor in the group and I'm still dreaming of "HA-MONI" to surface one day~!  I adore her strong facial features and her ever growing longer hairstyle really adds to her cuteness. ^ ^

Erikachan or "Ume" has really grown on my favorites list and she has such a genuine sweetness to her personality which sometime comes across as a bit shy but nonetheless she's a dynamic part of C-ute's overall aura and I'm thinking at the rate in which C-ute is progressing, both BK & Momusu better be on full alert or else be passed by!

 

美しい！

^ ^

Buono!'s "Rottara Rottara" LE can be ordered here from Cdjapan.

Buono!'s "Rottara Rottara" pv DVD single can be ordered here from Cdjapan.

"Rottara Rottara" has such a "garage" band feel to it and while I'm not familiar with mic techniques or mixing for that matter it must surely have something to do with one or both as even with some of their previous songs this type of sound has been achieved in a most up front way. So with power chords and a toe thumping rhythm Buono! once again declares their supremacy in J-"idol" girl groups! I had this thought once before but is it just me or do those "rottara...rottara's...." remind anyone of Puffy? LOL I don't know but they just do...the sound of those harmonized lyrics...and I'm thinking Puffy for those instances! :P Granted Puffy is definitely 60's inspired in their style but still....! Okay it's probably just me. :P The coupling with track "My Love" is a much more straight forward rockin' track and one may just be able to imagine a cute mosh pit forming in front of them while on stage performing this one....also love the horns which add a sweet sort of ska flavor. ^-^ I just can't say enough about how well Miya, Airiin and Momo harmonize together and they create such a sweet sound together during their ensemble vocal parts. Still though they're so unique vocally and UFA couldn't have chosen a better trio to present their wonderful and powerfully produced music...they surely got this one right! ^ ^

Okay they specifically put a bit in here with the "sour" faces or quirky expressions is perhaps a better description but in either case Airrin is sooooooooooooooo much the ham!!! And many probably already know of this through previous C-ute or Buono! appearances but she's just too adorable! While Momo may hold the Ace of Adorableness in Buono! and most of H!P for that matter (besides Kamei of course!) in Buono! it's Airiin sporting the most outwardly quirky and ♥dorky♥ aura. I think you could hand Airiin the phone book and she'd keep most wota entertained.....okay make that her female fan base too as wota may be too easily entertained by idols in general! :P But Airiin has proven time and time again just how fun she is no matter what the circumstances and her facial expressions are truly second to none! Plus Airiin resembling former schoolmate = bonus points! They're such the perfect trio with Miya bringing the powerful presence and strongest vocals, Momo the adorable sniper and then with Airiin's quirkyness and attention to  um detail it all just fits together like a perfect J-Idol wet dream...erm puzzle come true.....lol I mean that in a sweet way though! :P You just watch her though and Airiin is the best in front of a camera...just so naturally natural...lol. ^ ^
So the LE includes in addition to the bonus DVD a Buono! photo card which has the members pictured on one side with "Shugo Chara!" animation on the opposite side...I really wish for more Momusu photo cards too.....pray with me! =) OMG! isn't that freeze frame of Airiin above so freaky?!! :o But anyway above is the pv and jacket making of part 1 which is included with the LE CD release. Sorry that I had to turn down the resolution so much but VOX only accepts files up to 50mb in size and with a running time of approximately 12 minutes the file was coming out way too large with better resolution. :/ Still Momo rules adorable land with an iron fist!!! And instead of saying "OH CRAP!!" :P....she always handles embarrassing moments of failure in the sweetest and cutest temperament!! \(^o^)/ Goofing up in her solo scene above and below Momo is sooo much ♥! Momo is the supreme leader of "Adorable Land" just to the left of "NeverNever" and I think even Tinkerbell fled her domain after not being able to out-cute her in any way sense shape or form whatsoever...just a hunch though. ^-^ Kawaii deshou ne? She looks so cute in 70's attire too~! And there's so much more Momo on the release horizon with her upcoming............... ....shashinshuu release!....and... ...solo DVD! It's going to be a Momo Christmas, don't miss out! ^ ^