Ijiwaru Crazy Love - This preview looks and sounds awesome to me. Aside from Yurika’s hairstyle that I’m just not that fond of, the girls look hot, and about a million times cooler and more mature and stylish than the H!P groups their age have ever looked in a PV. (And seriously, check the single covers, too.) (C-ute did look damn cool for Tokaikko and Namida no Iro, though. This is just a different style from those outfits. More…dare I say it, Gocchin?) While the PV does look cheap, at least it’s a cool-looking cheap backdrop. That may not make the most sense, but it’s just more stylish than a lot of other stuff from the Tsunku camp. And that goes for the song, too. You can’t really hear it too well yet, but I like what I can hear of it, and especially the whispering parts. Whispering parts are cool! Why hasn’t this been done more? It sounds like they’re whispering “anata”, but you still can’t hear it all that well. In any case, I’m really excited to see the full PV and hear the full song. Plus, based on the way their sales have been increasing with every single, they’re scheduled to pass the 10k mark for the first time with this one. I’m hoping that my saying that won’t jinx it, but if this single follows their pattern, that’s what’s going to happen. But hey, it might even pass the 11k mark if we’re lucky. It looks like a good single, they’re releasing major singles now, and for the last few singles they’ve increased in sales by closer to 2k than 1k. I’m excited to see what will happen! And hopeful, so let’s really hope I didn’t jinx it, ne?

Edo no Temari Uta II - Having zero expectations for H!P releases means I can’t really be particularly disappointed by them; it can only go up from here. That said, I think I actually like this song in its own terms. I actually like it, and I’m not trying to force myself to. It’s crackish, but it’s not retarded, like German monkeys. It’s actually cool crack, in my opinion. I want to listen to it! Plus, this sorta-enka style should be played around with in H!P more often. I always enjoy traditional twists in my J-music, like Momusu’s “Sukiyaki”, for example. Plus, I like the look of the costumes from the pictures I’ve seen of them, and I really like the regular edition single cover. And hi, Chisato, I love your voice. Love it. <3 It’s nice hearing all those solo lines, too. Anyway, I’m actually looking forward to this release, which is great. I’m not complaining about it not being cool like Tokaikko and Namida no Iro, because I actually like it enough that I’m willing to accept it as a C-ute single…whereas I just like to try and forget that Lalala ever happened. Well, this is a nice development!

Oh, while I’m at it, there’s the Shugo Chara ED version of Buono!’s new single. It bores me somewhat, but less than “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” did. It’s an okay song, but I’m hoping for a seriously awesome B-side, just because that would be nice. At least cool outfits and an enjoyable PV will make me happy, so let’s hope for that much.

By the way, I never blogged here on Heechul’s birthday, but a belated happy 25th to him. <3 I’m still thinking about trying to make a fanvid of him, but I have no idea where to get the video clips. Any help, anyone?

I’m done now. じゃあね。

AKB48’s Shibuya AX concert is being released on a three-disc set…for $160. I was so excited when I heard about the DVD release of this concert, because I was waiting for some info on it for quite awhile. It’s AKB’s first big concert (as opposed to a stage) to feature Team B, Labu-tan is in Hone Hone Waltz, and Meetan is randomly performing Blue Rose in a bikini. How could I resist? Well, now I can. 16800 yen. That’s actually more like $180 when you consider that that’s roughly $168 and you add in shipping. What the fuck is going on here??? The worst part is that they perform virtually every song they had up until March of this year, from Team A stages 1-4, K stages 1-3, and both Himawari stages. This goes beyond my beloved Kinjirareta Futari; this has Rio no Kakumei, for the love of god. And SEISHUN GIRLS. My heart weeps with happiness at the idea of these songs being performed in a big concert, and yet it also weeps with the knowledge that I will never be able to feel okay with myself after spending that kind of money on an idol concert boxed set, so I’m obviously not going to be buying it anytime soon. This sucks, man. Yeah, I can download the concert online, but it still sucks.

Super Junior are releasing a Japanese version of U. I saw Japanese releases coming when a Japanese official site was set up for them; didn’t we all? The fact that it’s U isn’t really a huge surprise. There’s no real word on the release itself yet, other than that it’s U in Japanese. There’s a short preview up on Tudou, just of the course, and it sounds pretty cool. I’ll be interested to hear more, and to see what the release itself will look like. And who knows, maybe LSM is planning on shipping Suju over to Japan next after their current subgroup activities die down, or something. Though for one reason or another, it feels a little unlikely to me. But I wonder what ELF thinks about this, in any case. I might actually be amused if they DO NOT APPROVE OMG!!11 Seriously, though? I wouldn’t mind Suju in Japan, and especially if it meant Dong Bang back in Korea. Suju already have that event in Japan, so who knows what’s next.

THE Possible’s new single looks like it has some real potential. It’s called “Ijiwaru Crazy Love”, which wiki.theppn translates as “Malicious Crazy Love” and I’m reading as “Mean Crazy Love” or some such thing, but which sounds like a cool title no matter what. And seriously, look at the covers. They are pretty damn hot. I have hope.

Without trying to take a break from H!P, I’ve been doing it anyway. So there you go. My interest has just not been there recently. Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance? Nope. Papancake? God, Koharu, what the FUCK happened to actually TRYING to sing okay? Last Biyuuden single? Ignored it…like all of their other singles, frankly. I’ve been listening to lots of High-King, but that’s it. And they only have two songs. I have had a growing appreciation for Namida no Iro ever since it came out, but it’s not all that recent anymore. I haven’t even been listening to the older stuff that I do like very much. I’ve just been in the mood for other stuff lately.

What other stuff, you ask? DJ Sharpnel, IOSYS, Hey! Say! JUMP, Super Junior M, Epik High, High-King, and a bunch of assorted random songs. The latest is Kpop boy band Battle’s new song Step by Step, but there are lots more, including the themes from Tantei Gakuen Q, Flow’s Answer and the brilliant green’s Stand by me. Oh, and DBSK’s latest.

Loving Doushite kimi wo suki ni natte shimattan darou. It’s pretty hard for DBSK to disappoint me musically. Their new Japanese song is pretty simple - not a lot of changes all the way through, nothing too new or innovative - but still a really nice song that I’ve been enjoying listening to quite a bit. I’ve had it on repeat over and over again on a few occasions. I’ve seen a “drama version” PV on Youtube, but I hope they are indeed going to have an actual PV for it soon.

It sucks that I took so long to get Super Junior M’s album, because I love it. It’s kind of like a best-of compilation of Suju songs, only in Chinese and with a different lineup of singers. Miracle, U, Haengbok, Don’t Don, Marry U, and Galjeung have never all been on an album together - the last three, at most. It’s a pretty damn awesome combination. Add in some great new songs like In My Arms and The Moment and…well, all of the new songs on it, and this is a pretty awesome album. The other night I got wrapped up in reading a fanfic for three hours, and I was playing this album the whole time. It works for me. =) And now I have a huge Suju M poster on my bedroom door. Oh yes, it’s sexy.

But yeah, seriously, the retardation of Berryz Koubou is really sad for me. A year ago I was just totally in love with them and excited for the bright future ahead of them. What have they gotten since last summer? A string of singles that I dislike. And next up, Dschinghis Khan remix. And then an album! Oh yeah, high hopes for this one. -_- I’m really frustrated that this is being done to a group of idols who I love so much, and I can only hope that maybe 2008 will see the last of this crap and they can move on after this, and start going in the right direction again. Everyone may not agree with me on this, but it’s how I feel. I want my good Berryz back.

Despite my current feelings on H!P, I need to see some scans of Airi’s new photobook. From what I’ve seen of it, it looks like it lives up to the expectations I had after her first PB, which weren’t met by her second for me. Come on, scanners, work faster! Meanwhile, I’m also really looking forward to Koharu’s third, because neither of her first two photobooks disappointed me and I have lots of hope that this one won’t, either. I’ll just pretend that Papancake never happened and go on loving her.

Speaking of Airi, I’m so excited for her for having made it into that Pink Lady movie! Takitty and Gaki getting into such a movie doesn’t seem entirely surprising (though it is pretty exciting, too), but Airi getting into it is a huge deal. Congratulations, Airi! I really can’t wait to see this, now, because this is a seriously cool job for Airi and it’s probably going to be entertaining, too. I can’t wait.

I’m iffy on Love the world, but I love Perfume’s latest B-side. I feel bad that I’m the only one who doesn’t seem to like Love the world - the song or the PV - but hey, at least I’m feeling the B-side, Edge! It sounds really awesome, so I’m excited for that much, at least. Perfume can never really disappoint me. <3

Your Seed, meanwhile, has my love. Now I’m just anxiously waiting for the PV to be released, but in the meantime, the mp3 is great. Not a cute happy song like past Hey! Say! JUMP singles, and I’m happy for that change. It’s pretty catchy in my opinion, and I’m just quite into the song overall. And Chinen’s line in the last chorus sounds great! I get the feeling I am going to love the PV when it comes out, and I can’t wait for performances, too.

Speaking of HSJ, how about that upcoming Shounen Club, huh? Apparently Yamada’s performing Asia no Yoru again, which makes me die inside a little. And without backup dancers. This is just going to be part of a medley, so it won’t be long, but oh how sweet it will be. Yama on stage alone, singing and dancing to THAT song. Especially the dancing. Oh man. But aside from all this, Daiki doing a solo of Seishun Amigo? On the one hand, random song choice much?, but on the other hand, DAIKI SOLO. And the medley starts with this and goes right into the Asia no Yoru. These Daiki/Yama combinations lately…someone knows that I’m out there and is specifically targetting me, I swear it. Those two kill me so much that the combination is just…damn.

That Berryz/C-ute concert both tempts me and depresses the fuck out of me. Yes, there is a ton of potential for some awesome performances there. But I can’t help but look at it this way: this is the dream concert that all of the H!P Kids were likely waiting for from the time they all joined H!P together. The whole group of them together. They’ve finally made it to the dream, but Megu didn’t. I realize that I’m obsessing and I shouldn’t be, but I can’t help it, and I feel like I need to right now, for whatever reason. The whole thing becomes a depressing affair to me, because Megu should be there. Yeah, Maiha’s gone too, but at least she got a fucking graduation. It was totally different. Upsetting, yeah, but totally fucking different. (Though I admit I wasn’t there while Maiha was around, so I can’t say from experience that the Megu situation was more upsetting. But come on, Maiha made a choice and got a graduation concert and was sent off the right way, while Megu got nothing. She was just gone, never to be heard from again, and under messed up circumstances.)

I need more Kamiki Ryunosuke now, please. I am going to further my idol masochism by watching his most recent movie even though I know that his character dies in it - I mean, the trailer tells you that he dies and gives away the whole movie, like the trailers for Penelope - just because I want to see him in it. You know me, I never watch movies or dramas with sad endings. I can’t stand them. But okay, I’m ready for him to be in a new project now. Drama, movie, whatever. Something to add to 2008 in his filmography, please. I go into panic mode when I don’t hear anything from an actor for awhile, but come on, this is Kamiki. He won’t disappear, but my panic mode continues. So come on, new announcement please! I’ll be waiting…anxiously…

I really do get the feeling that I’m on the verge of becoming a fan of more Johnny’s groups. Yopo’s been pimping Kanjani 8 to me and I think it’s working…seriously, it’s only a matter of time now, right? The thing is, I think I actually WANT it to happen, now. Damn, 2008 truly is a year of changes. On a related note, I want to watch that drama with Birdman (Ohno Satoshi) in it, because it sounds cool! Yay cool Birdman drama!

As for everything else, I don’t like 9nine’s latest at all, Harenchi Punch’s latest is just…bad, and Manopiano doesn’t do much for me, though I still give her props for being able to play piano and all. Her voice isn’t good, though. So, news on Gocchin’s first Avex single, please?

And Heechul’s birthday is in three days. I have nothing planned. I don’t know if I’ll wind up doing anything, because my brain is tired, and Vox loads slowly now. But I think if I just try to get into his fan cafe and leave him a comment or send him a short letter, that’s enough. So, hopefully I’ll try to do one of those things. I just want him to know that he has fans out there who really respect him as a person, like me. He’s no less special to me than he was last year, I’m just not in fangirl mode over him. And I think that’s perfectly okay. Rella is definitely still special to me.

And that’s all I’ve got for now. I feel like there’s something I’m forgetting, but I don’t know what it is right now, so I’ll have to move on. I will now go back to waiting for the Your Seed PV to surface while my brain turns into mush. Ttyl, guys.

The seasons have changed seven times now since Megukami left Hello! Project. One more season and it’ll be two years since she left, which is CRAZY. It still feels like just the other day that I was trying to write an entry on the one year anniversary of her departure, and eventually gave up for one reason or another. Even the time last summer when I scanned a bunch of An Cafe pictures and compared Bou’s departure from the band to Megukami’s situation feels pretty recent. Time seems to pass more and more quickly as I get older. I still remember crying when I found out she’d left, how I ranted to my best friend when we went dog walking that night, how it felt to open up my copy of Cutie Queen Vol. 1 when it arrived a week or so later and see “C-ute is” and think, “More like ‘C-ute was’.” It really took the first entire year after she left to get over the initial bitterness and hurt; now, while it bothers me less on a regular basis, it still leaves me with a feeling of sadness whenever I think about her and what may have been. And I still don’t quite enjoy C-ute the same way I did before. I don’t think I ever will.

Moving on is something that you kind of have to do in the H!P fandom, and I was able to move on at least enough to enjoy C-ute’s releases, but I’m never really going to get over what happened to Megumi. She was this close to success, to the major debut she’d been waiting for and working so hard for for four years, and then it all just came to an end. She did have her shining time as an H!P idol, and she was lucky for that, but she never really got to enter the public eye, never got the kind of exposure that the rest of C-ute are getting now, and it’s just not fair. I was reading a lot last night about Ya-Ya-yah, the Johnny’s Junior unit that wound up disbanding upon the debut of Hey! Say! JUMP (which features two former members of Ya-Ya-yah), and member Ayukawa Taiyou, who left Johnny’s shortly after, and I thought to myself that at least he got his chance to be an idol, even if he never had a major debut. This is true for Megukami, as well, but I think it’s safe to say that Taiyou had a lot more exposure in the public during his time as a Johnny than Megu got in H!P. Johnny’s is good for that stuff, I guess. I’m not going to say that one situation was harder to deal with than the other, though, because I know that Ya-Ya-yah and Taiyou fans must have been hurting this past fall just the same way I was hurting when Megukami left.

Another thing, though, is that there’s more info on Taiyou now than there is on Megukami. We know that Taiyou is his student council president and we’ve seen a picture of him on a class trip (along with Hikaru of HSJ/formerly Ya-Ya-yah, who’s in his class), whereas we’ve seen what MAY be some stalker wota pictures of Megu from within the last year…and that’s it. Plus, as much as I want to see Megu, she really doesn’t deserve to have pictures like that taken without her permission after what happened when she left in the first place. Come on, that’s just low.

C-ute for me just isn’t quite the same. At least in the past there was the chance that there’d be a rivarly between C-ute and Berryz in my head, but C-ute lost all chances after Megu left. I’ve enjoyed C-ute releases since she left, but I haven’t been half as sentimental about C-ute as Berryz, and just haven’t spent as much time on them. I’ve become somewhat from detached from C-ute. Even my fondness for Airi isn’t strong enough to create that attachment anymore; I’m always open to the idea of liking her as much as I used to, but I just don’t right now. Megu’s departure left the group primarily Airi-centric, with Airi and Maimi generally the co-leads, MaiMai occasionally getting a solo line here and there, and Nakky being to C-ute as Chinami is to Berryz with the occasional solo line thrown in (though that’s a more recent development and may not continue forever). While this is all fine, what ever happened to Erika’s chance at solo lines? “Massara Blue Jeans” hinted at Erika having a chance, but nothing ever came of that. And I still adore Chisato’s voice, but it’s not like we get to hear it all that often.

Recently I watched the live action drama version of Tantei Gakuen Q, a show about a group of kids who attend a detective academy. My main reason for watching the show was Hey! Say! JUMP’s Yamada Ryosuke (though actor Kamiki Ryunosuke was also a factor), and Ray pointed out months ago that Yama bears some resemblance to Megukami, which I do really see sometimes. But what was interesting is that yet another Megukami lookalike was in this show, and one who looks even more like her: actress Shida Mirai, who many may know for having been in the drama 14sai no haha (14-year-old Mother). At first I thought that I was just making it up because her character’s name is Megu (and actually Megumi, but they only call her Megu). But as time went by, I realized that it really wasn’t just the name, and she really does look a whole hell of a lot like Megukami. You can even find a picture of her if you Google image search “Murakami Megumi”, since someone on Hello! Online brought up the resemblance, too, and shared a picture of her where I almost couldn’t tell which girl I was looking at. To top it all off, there’s H!P Egg/Milky Way member Kikkawa Yuu. I noticed her resemblance to Megukami shortly after she failed the Momusu 8th gen auditions, and it made me wish she’d made it even more (so I was very happy that she became an Egg; besides, I did come to love Aika very quickly).

I guess having all of these Megukami lookalikes around is nice since I’ve realized that Megu is probably the closest I’ve got to an idol girlcrush. Yama I don’t really look at as a Megukami lookalike so much, but as Yama, and that’s really the way it should be, but I think I’m on my way to developing a bias towards Shida Mirai for her resemblance to Megu. Seriously, it’s a major resemblance. She even has messed up teeth. It makes me want to see a whole lot more of her. And as for Kikkawa, she doesn’t look as much like Megu as Shida, either, but the resemblance is still one that I very much appreciate. Do they make me feel like Megukami is still around in the idol world? Not exactly, but perhaps they provide some sort of aesthetic comfort that a part of me appreciates After all, I did just spend two paragraphs going on about them. And I did just realize that I would actually spend money on a Shida Mirai photobook if she were to release one, almost entirely because of the resemblance. (She is very pretty and cute and girlcrush-worthy in her own right, too, so I can’t just ignore that and all her the second coming of Megu all the time.)

Speaking of spending money on girl eyecandy, I’d actually be willing to spend money on official Megukami photos if anyone could point me in the direction of some. Seriously, I don’t care how much of a Jpop masochist I am with the time I’m spending on Megu right now (and how much I’m letting myself enjoy Ayukawa Taiyou’s pictures), I will spend money on pictures of her if given the opportunity. And I’d really really appreciate it if somebody gave me the opportunity, so…anyone? Just point me in the direction, and I’ll be very grateful.

There’s no real conclusion I’m working towards in this entry, I guess. I just wanted to express some thoughts on all this after looking at her pictures…and what got me started on that, anyway? I can’t even remember now. But yup, I still miss the girl a lot, though I can just enjoy looking at her pictures and not go hysterical over them, now. I haven’t tried videos, though. That might be hard. I do kind of regret not buying Takaramono when I found it last year, but there were too many other things I wanted that day. Still, maybe it’d be a worthwhile investment someday. No, it definitely would be. Someday. For now, I’ll just be watching her online, and hoping that she’s doing well and living happily right now.

Sometimes I wonder if she still wants to be in the idol business, and I wonder how she feels when she watches new C-ute videos, and if she knows the words to their newer songs. I’ll likely never know any of this, because I probably will never meet her and I think she’s unlikely to go public for any reason later on. I can wish, though. I’d love to be able to encounter her again someday, one way or another.

And the kanji for her first name is the same as the one for “ai”. Love. Oh, Megu. <3

I am entirely leaving Jrockers out of this, because including Jrockers and idols in the same category makes it impossible to make any decisions, and really doesn’t give the idols a fair chance, in my book. I think I will try to answer this survey again keeping specifically to Jrockers, over at WHAT IS PILLOW FIGHT! Let’s hope I actually do that.

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???

This one is easy for me: I’d wish to be given the opportunity to become an idol. Nope, I haven’t given up on this dream, and I don’t see myself doing so anytime soon. It’s too important to me; I’ve invested too many hopes in it. I want it more than almost anything.

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

This one, however, is tricky. Hmm. Actually, this is funny, but my answer is going to have to be all of Hello! Project. As much of an H!P fan that I’ve been, the way I’ve been throttled around by the fandom recently has just been too much. Now I’m not even trying to keep myself on an H!P break, and yet I’m barely looking up any H!P at all, or even listening to much, because I’m fed up to the point that I really genuinely want to spend my time on new things. I’ve been needing to branch out for a long time, so that much is a good thing, but H!P has really pissed me off. Monkey Dance and the Dschinghis remix would have me up in arms right now if I still had the energy to care, but I actually don’t. I’m barely even disappointed, because I just don’t care.

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

This is the question that made me realize that I had to leave Jrockers out of this, because it becomes too hard that way. Anyway, keeping it to just idols, my answer has to be someone who isn’t even Japanese, but oh well: DBSK’s Jaejoong. Part of me doubted this answer at first since more importantly than being sexy, Jaejoong is absolutely beautiful. He is one of very few people on a very short list of people I find unbelievably beautiful; I look at his face and I’m just in awe, sometimes. But he truly is a sexy man, too. There is a downright sensual beauty to him, and it makes him very sexy. He looks amazing with his shirt off, yes, but all it takes is a facial expression for him to be intensely sexy. And there’s the voice, and just…everything about him. Even the fact that he can’t dance. What he can do in that department is sexy enough for me.
4. How about the cutest?

I’m surprising myself here, but I’m wanting to say Momusu’s Aika. In addition to having an adorable face, she also remains adorably innocent and genuinely happy in her personality, and it makes her completely endearing and lovable. That should be the definition of a cute idol, not a girl who specifically tries to use a high pitched voice and does ten million cutesy gestures every day for the sake of looking cute, not because they’re how she really acts.

5. Best personality?

Once again, I will cheat and use a Korean idol instead, but this is the only possible answer for me: Super Junior’s Kim Heechul. You all know how much I love him by now, so you could say it’s just a bias, and well, it probably is. But I’m biased towards him for a reason. The reason why I’m such a big fan of Heechul isn’t because of his looks alone; there are plenty of idols who I’m attracted to. Heechul would not mean half of what he means to me now if I only ever saw pictures of him and knew nothing of his personality. It is largely because of the fact that I relate to him that I like him so much. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve seen different aspects of his personality in different places, forming an idea of who Kim Heechul really is, and I really like that person. As much as I may fangirl over him, I’d love just having the opportunity to talk to him, or be friends with him. Though I’ve never met him, I think I would trust him enough to talk to him honestly about my feelings, and I think he would understand me. Hell, I even feel like I understand him, to some extent. I’d love it if he could even just respect me.

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

That would have to be person 5. I love Jaejoong’s personality a lot, as well, but based on all of the things that I love Heechul for, I’d have to say Heechul.

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 think I’d especially like to ask them about what they do in their spare time, whether they’re involved in extra-curricular activities at school at all, and what they do at school in general. Other questions would depend on the idols. For example, Johnny’s idols seem to talk a lot about their friendships with each other in interviews (based on what I’ve seen, anyway), but H!P doesn’t seem to do that so much anymore. Those old Futarigoto shows were great, but we don’t get that kind of look into H!P friendships anymore. I’d want to ask H!P girls more about that, but I’d probably have other questions for Hey! Say! JUMP members, for example. Asking about friends who are outside of the idol industry would also probably be interesting.

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

Hmm, this is tricky. The first song that comes to mind, honestly, is a Kpop song, so…sorry. XD But that song is DBSK’s “Tonight”, off their second album. It’s a beautiful, powerful, emotional song, and it moves me to tears virtually every time I listen to it. I’m not necessarily sure that it makes me feel better when I’m sad; I tend to listen to unhappy music when I’m unhappy, music that fits with my unhappy mood and keeps me there, in my strange way of angsting. In Tonight’s case, I think it cheers me up a bit in how beautiful it is, but also makes me face the fact that I’m upset more, as I cry from the emotions in the song. I can recall having this sort of feeling as I listened to it after something upsetting happened regarding the guy I liked in grade 10.

SweetS’s “Nijiiro no Eien ~sweet light wave mix~” also comes to mind, because I remember taking comfort in it when I was stressed over school stuff in grade 10. I really love that song, and it helped me to feel better.

While I’m on the topic of music I listen to when I’m upset, I really do tend to wallow in angst in my listening habits when I’m angsting in real life. For example, while feeling left out and wanting people to like me in grade 10, I listened to SweetS’s “Tear Lemon Drop” a lot, and that didn’t exactly make me feel much better, though it does sing of finding the strength to go on and hold onto one’s dreams. It’s mostly a lot of Jrock that I use for angst wallowing, though, so that belongs in my Jrock entry.

Songs that offer comfort are definitely important, though. In this past winter, for example, I fell for Perfume’s “Computer City”, because the lyrics gave me hope that I’d be able to get past everything I was going through.

9. When you’re really happy?

Again, I’m not quite sure. I have a tendency to cry over songs that make me happy, so I’m thinking about the songs that make me think about my dreams and having them come true some day, and make me cry at the thought of making it. AKB48’s “Seishun Girls” is a good example; it’s happy, energetic, and great to dance around to, but it also awakens that wonderful feeling within me. Then, there’s another Korean song. XD Suju’s cover of the H.O.T. song “Haengbok” (Happiness). I always find myself swaying back and forth (or even bouncing around) and happily singing along to it and smiling when I listen to it. But yeah, a lot of those inspiring Jpop songs are good for me when I’m happy, as cliche as it may be. So SweetS’s “Nijirio no Eien ~sweet light wave mix~” appears on this list, as well, along with songs like Momusu’s “Mikan” and Hey! Say! JUMP’s “Ultra Music Power”. Then there’s Berryz Koubou’s “Berry Fields”, which gives me the same feeling as songs like Seishun Girls, only with happiness for Berryz thrown in there. It makes me feel proud of them and how far they’ve come, and thus brings me to tears pretty easily…though I’m not doing too well with Berryz right now, so that may be changing. Finally, I’ve recently been listening to AKB48’s Team B’s themesong, “Wasshoi B!”, a lot, because it’s just got such a feel-good melody and it makes me feel pumped an enthusiastic, and it makes me smile.

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

Constantly. I am always singing. One particular thing that I have a tendency to do is sing the same song constantly on a daily basis for months on end, once I’ve really fallen for it. In grade 10, Berryz’s “Munasawagi Scarlet” was that song, and C-ute’s “Tokaikko Junjou” took its place for much of this school year. They’re the two songs that I’ve most notably found myself singing when I hadn’t even realized I was starting to sing, months after the songs’ initial releases, and having been singing them every day for months before that, too. But yeah, I’m constantly singing everything. Recently it’s been High-King’s “Kioku no Meiro”, which I love for the euro, but which has been stuck in my head like FUCK for the last couple of days, and I really want it out of my head now since the voices are starting to annoy me. I keep singing it, though. I can’t stop!

11. How about dance?

Plenty. I dance around like an idiot a lot, and then there are dance routines that I actually learn, which I will dance on a regular basis for a fair amount of time as I’m learning them. The one dance I’ve spent the longest time dancing every day, so far, has been Tokaikko, because I just love doing that dance and I love the song, too. More recently I’ve spent a lot of time dancing to AKB48’s “Fushidara na Natsu”, which I know bits and pieces of the dance of. And most recently I’ve been on High-King’s “C/C (Cinderella Complex)”, though I don’t know much of the dance yet. That song has made me want to move my hips since the first time I heard it. That beat, man, I love it.

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?

Nah, it’s not like I’d need the money. I could find some other job any day.

That’s all for now. I’ll attempt to do this with Jrock, too, some time soon. Hopefully.

So, short preview clips of the new Perfume and Hey! Say! JUMP singles are now out, Perfume with “Love the World” and Heisei with “Your Seed” for the Japanese release of Kung Fu Panda. Thank god for the deliciously misinterpretable title of the latter, because that is going to amuse me for months. But anyway, there isn’t a whole lot to judge the strength of either single on yet, but here are my first impressions.

Love the World: The part that we’re hearing in this preview clip sounds so much like the chorus melody of “Polyrhythm” that I just keep expecting to hear “kono poririzumu” in the next line, and that kind of bothers me, just because I seriously expect to hear it. But this song sounds like more of a happy song than Polyrhythm. As I just talked about the other day, I’m very picky when it comes to happy songs, and I’m just not feeling this one yet from the preview. At the very end of the preview it starts to sound good to me, but then it cuts off. This, at least, gives me hope that I will enjoy the full song. Why must it cut off there? Gah.

Your Seed: This, on the other hand, is Hey Say’s first single that isn’t total happy music. This is definitely sounding like the kind of pop that appeals to me. I like the instrumental a lot and the tempo, melody, rhythm, and of course vocals all sound good, so I’m thinking I’m going to really enjoy this. I’m happy that they’re not making yet another happy song, because as much as I do like “Dreams come true”, “Ultra Music Power”, and “Hey! Say!” despite their being such happy songs, I don’t know how much tolerance I’d have for yet another happy song. Not that this song is unhappy, but I’m defining “happy music” as a genre here, and from the sound of it, this doesn’t fit into that particular drama. It’s like the more normal idol pop that isn’t specifically super happy, and I look forward to hearing more, because it sounds like a great song in and of itself.

I’m sure “Love the World” is great too and I just haven’t been able to hear enough of it yet, but what I’m hearing so far just isn’t doing it for me. This frustrates me, since the quality of Perfume’s releases is something it feels like one can always rely on, but I really do think I will develop an appreciation for the song when I hear it all in HQ, because I really don’t think Perfume can truly go wrong.

While I’m on the topic of Perfume, let me state how much I’ve been enjoying their collaboration with Porno Graffitti, “Itai Tachiichi”. It’s a damn catchy song, and I can’t stop listening to it. It even has more rockishness to its instrumental that I didn’t notice before listening to it with bassy headphones, and it’s great. And yes, Perfume are awesome in the PV. It’s kickass, and they’re really moving up, what with getting to collaborate with another artist like this. Go Perfume!

So that’s all for now. Both PVs should be coming out soon, so I eagerly await them both, and will likely have a lot to say when they are released. And I don’t think the PVs will disappoint me, either. =)

I am SO glad that the Gocchin Avex rumors became the truth. Before there were even rumors, my immediate reaction to her leaving H!P was that I hoped she’d sign with Avex, so I’ve wanted this for a long time. I am absolutely thrilled for her, and so excited to hear her first Avex release.And look at her. She looks gorgeous. I mean, this isn’t exactly my favourite style for my idols, but you know what? It works for Gocchin. I don’t really want her to be the next Koda Kumi (please, never sing a song like “Ima sugu hoshii”…), but I didn’t mind the route she was going towards the end of her H!P career, and Avex can only take what she was doing then and make it ten times better. Based on how much I liked her final H!P releases, that can only be mind-blowingly great, in my opinion.

Gocchin was really the only H!P artist to start seeming…really not H!P, the way I see it anyway. “Glass no Pumps” just looked so AVEX, and she continued that way from then on. Despite all the boob-groping, I found her kind of sexy quite classy. “Secret” was the epitome of that. She was beautiful in that, and the whole PV was beautiful and the song was wonderful, and it was just so under-appreciated for reasons I could not understand, because it was seriously good. And her last H!P album, How to use Sexy, was just so different from what the rest of H!P was putting out, and so great. You would have never expected to hear something like the song “How to use Loneliness” from an H!P artist, and “Give Me Love” was just such great, mature pop, and “City Wind” was so calm, and she had that jazzy track (was it “Daybreak”? Didn’t listen to that one as much), and “Life” was pretty powerful. And “WOW Suteki” should be recognized by far more H!P fans, because it is just a fucking terrific happy but not in an obnoxiously cutesy way pop song. This was a more mature pop album, and it showcased her talents to terrific effect. Gocchin is talented, and I would have been seriously disappointed if she didn’t return to the spotlight.

I’d be spazzing over this a lot more right now if I had the mental capacity to do so today, but I’ve had so much thrown at me today that it just isn’t happening. However, when I look at these new pictures of her, I feel proud. I feel proud of her and her decision to leave H!P and pursue a different career path. And I feel confident that I am going to like that career path. I don’t believe that her new music will let me down. I am so ready for the new Gocchin, I can’t wait for her new release, and I will support her all the way.

WELCOME BACK, GOCCHIN! <3

And then, there’s “Miracle”, the classic Super Junior song from before Kyuhyun was even a member of the group. Now, I love “Haengbok” (”Happiness”), the cover of an old H.O.T. song (as well as the original), and I’m kind of indifferent to Super Junior Happy (so far) but I definitely don’t dislike them). But Miracle is the happy song that I really just can’t listen to very often, and it’s all because of that one English line that they repeat over and over again in every chorus: “Life couldn’t get better.” I don’t usually want to hear that, because usually, my life could get better. Super Junior are be successful idols with talent and looks and friends and fans; sure, their lives aren’t perfect, but they can’t be that bad. I’m a teenager who could know if I’m going to pass that hard course in school, could have a job, could have more trustworthy friends, could be a bit skinnier. So usually, when I hear them singing “life couldn’t get better,” I want to yell “FUCK YOU, SPEAK FOR YOURSELF!” Hence my not listening to Miracle very often. XD I don’t hate my life, but I guess the things that really stress me out are sensitive topics. Heh.

All of that said, there is plenty of happy music that I do enjoy. Haengbok is just one example; I love both of Hey! Say! JUMP’s first two singles, “Ultra Music Power” and “Dreams come true”, and they’re both happy songs. And Arashi’s “Kitto Daijoubu”, Momusu’s “Mikan”, the eternally nostalgic “Berry Fields”, even “Meguru Koi no Kisetsu”, Hellogoodbye’s “Touchdown Turnaround” if you want to get into English music, Perfume’s self-titled song…there are plenty of examples. Hyper songs like Touchdown Turnaround and “Perfume” are great for moments of celebration, when you just want to dance around and be happy and excited. AKB48’s “Seishun Girls” is great for that, too, and has been getting lots of plays on my iPod. Happy music feels the very best when you’re excited and happy and wanting to celebrate. And that’s how I’m feeling today.

This morning, I got two pieces of great news that I’d been hoping for: I passed computer engineering, a course that I was really stressed about the entire year and worried about failing, and I’ve got my very first job, a summer job organizing activities for youth in my neighbourhood. This is all such good news that I’m actually a whole lot less worried about the math exam I have in two days, which could determine whether I pass or fail grade 11 math. If I fail, I can just make it up next year and it won’t be that big of a deal, but I was still feeling really stressed about it when I didn’t know if I would pass computers, either. Now that I’ve passed that other course and I have a great-paying job in place for the summer - AND I’m going to music camp, a rock camp, to sing, for sixish days in August - I don’t feel like I need to be all that worried about it anymore. I’m relieved, I’m happy, and I’m EXCITED. So it’s definitely a moment for happy music, for me.

On the way to school this morning (to show my computers teacher my final assignment), I was listening to that Epik High song I quoted the other day, with the line “One day soon it will be my time to shine.” Listening to it again after getting all of that good news, it made me that much happier. After months of stress over school and things I shouldn’t have stressed so much over, things are finally working out really well for me, and I feel great. I’ve had some success, and proved that I can do things when I put my mind to them. I really feel like I can believe in myself, right now. My time to shine is coming, and stuff like this is just the beginning. Then there’s “Ultra Music Power”, with lyrics that send the message “You’re not alone.” While that’s not a message I really need to hear right now for any particular reason - I’m feeling pretty good about my friends, right now - it’s still a very encouraging message to hear, and makes me feel happy. 「独りじゃないさ。」 And that whole song just radiates an exuberance similar to what I’m feeling right now, except even better; the feeling I’m aiming for; the feeling of having made it. I haven’t made it yet, I haven’t seen my biggest dreams come true, but I’ve had some important successes that are making me feel great.

And of course there’s AKB48’s Team B’s theme song, “Wasshoi B!” It’s crazy feel-good and catchy as hell, so I find myself listening to it all the time. And today, I couldn’t help but want to alter the lyrics to fit my own current happiness (Lyrics and translation from here, and I’m leaving “wasshoi” as is because “heave ho” just doesn’t have the same ring to it, but you get the idea):

愛嬌　度胸で　状況　盛況
JU！JU！JU！ワッショイ！
反響　実況　最強ジュちゃんは
JU！JU！JU！ワッショイ！

最強ジュちゃんは
JU！JU！JU！JU！
最強ジュちゃんは
JU！JU！JU！JU！
最強ジュちゃんは
JU！JU！JU！JU！
最強ジュちゃんは
JU！JU！JU！JU！ 　最強！

Translation:

With love, respect, and bravery, I’m succeeding
JU! JU! JU!  WASSHOI!
Echo out that really the best Juchan is
JU! JU! JU! WASSHOI!

The best Juchan is
JU! JU! JU! JU!
The best Juchan is
JU! JU! JU! JU!
The best Juchan is
JU! JU! JU! JU!
The best Juchan is
JU! JU! JU! JU! THE BEST!

I am happy, to the point that I don’t even mind Miracle today. Because for today, life couldn’t get better, and really, it’s pretty awesome all the time, anyway.

Anyway, I feel pretty great and encouraged when I listen to Epik High, because I can feel that they really mean what they’re saying, and because I’ve heard Tablo tell the story of all of the hard work it took for them to get to this point. If things could work out for them, they can work out for me too, right? I have to believe that. Dreams really can come true, and stories like Epik High’s are proof of that. They managed to overcome getting scammed by someone who worked with them on their first album and losing all of the money made from that album, and go on to become the success they are today. Thinking about Tablo’s journey to becoming a professional musician is also encouraging; he took the time to try out different things and figure out where he was going with his life (I’ll admit that I don’t know what circumstances led to his time at Stanford University, but he definitely had a journey to find his own path), and didn’t have to become famous right away at a young age in order to find that success. I still have time, and I can take the time right now to finish high school, go to university in the city I live in and love, and find my way, one way or another.

“One” is a great song. It’s reaching out to try to comfort those who are hurting, and doing so in a very eloquent way. It’s telling those people that they understand. “Are you hurt? Are you scarred? Are you stumbling in the dark? You’re still beautiful to me.” Like a fool, even I found myself doubting this line. I thought to myself, “The girl in the video is so pretty, and skinny. Would Tablo ever want to call me beautiful, too?” It’s frustrating when I realize that my self-esteem is still much lower than it should be, but I’m working on it. Still, I know that it was foolish to think that. The pain I was feeling at the time that I had that thought is exactly what they were trying to make better with this song. And I know that I am beautiful, inside and out, and it doesn’t matter if some people can’t agree. And, I know that Tablo isn’t some shallow person. This song proves that. He understands. Maybe he even understands the things I go through better than I do; after all, he’s significantly older than I am, and he’s been through and experienced a lot more than I have.

I’m a kid sitting in front of my computer in Canada, listening to Korean (and Japanese) music and saving ten million pictures of Kim Heechul. Heechul doesn’t know me; Epik High don’t know me; none of my idols have any idea who I am. But that’s okay, for now. Sometimes I look at Jpop idols and think that 17 is way too old, that it might be too late for me. But really, 17 isn’t that old, even in terms of the entertainment industry. I’ve got plenty of time. And one day, I can become successful, and be able to meet my idols. It’s not my motivation for working to become a performer, but it is something that I daydream about. Who knows what my future might hold? I’m 17, and I’m awesome. There are a million opportunities ahead of me, just waiting for me to reach for them. It feels like a good time to quote AKB48’s “Kimi ga hoshi ni naru made” (”Until you become a star”), right about now (from here):

Until you become a star,
Have the strength to not let go of the dream!
You should see the chance to shine
You can try, you know,
For just that sky’s expanse
Aim for the future!
Like the feeling of the distant universe,
One day, they’ll come true
Those days when you’ll shine

I will have the strength to keep holding on to these dreams, working towards them, and believing in them. And every day I will try to believe in myself a little bit more than before. To return to Epik High:

One day soon it will be my time to shine.

Until then, I’ll be here, listening to Epik High and AKB48 and reading translations of Heechul’s Cyworld entries, and not giving up on my dreams.

Anyway, Wonder Girls’ newest release is being called a “comeback” (though they weren’t really gone for that long, but that’s just the way Kpop uses that term), while Shinee’s is their debut. Wonder Girls I’ve liked for awhile and I own their album, while Shinee are brand new to me, and thus I had no real expectations for them, whereas I was expecting a good WG release. Now that I’ve had the chance to absorb them both, there is only one winner in my book (though others may not necessarily agree with me).

Wonder Girls - So Hot

[will attempt to edit in a WORKING video embed later. -_-]

Back in the winter, I was quite sure that Wonder Girls’ next MV was going to be for the song “Eebabo”, because they had outfits for the song (a selection of basically the same outfits but in different colours for each performance, actually) and were performing it regularly on all the big Korean music shows. But for some reason, it never did happen. They performed Eebabo for awhile, they went to New York City with JYP, and then they went on a break. Not a long break, considering this was just February, but a nice little one that any idol group would be thankful for. And now they’re back with a brand new song, and an MV for that. Go figure.

Sadly, it just doesn’t deliver, for me anyway. I like Wonder Girls a lot, and I was really excited when I thought Eebabo was getting an MV, because I instantly loved the song. I loved “Irony” and “Tell Me” too, and there were some great, impressive tracks on their album. But “So Hot”? I’m not impressed. For one thing, the instrumental sounds like a midi file, and considering how much I’ve loved their instrumentals in the past, that’s a disappointment. Then there’s the singing. Because they’re trying to be sexy, they all kind of wind up sounding like So Hee when they sing. I don’t know why they think that’s sexy, but whatever. So Hee’s singing needs a lot of improvement, because she tends to sound totally devoid of energy all the time, so the others sounding like her isn’t particularly impressive. And the subject matter. I don’t care if this is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, because the MV does come across that way (in some parts, at least), but the song just doesn’t. It sounds stuck-up and annoying. Like the American hip hop I don’t like. And the English in Yoo Bin’s rap…just ugh. And the name-dropping! Even the melody isn’t catchy to me. It’s just not an appealing song, in my opinion.

I don’t like the video much, either. The dance goes back and forth between sexy and cute too much. Come on, make up your mind already? It works in some cases, but I don’t like it here. Also, what’s with the leopard print? I don’t like leopard print much, to be honest. And while I’m on the subject of looks, can they PLEASE let Sun Mi go back to how she looked around Irony? She’s looked like she’s wearing a wig since Eebabo, and it’s bugging me. She could also stand to get rid of the pale lipstick. Anyway, the video isn’t amusing for me (other than “So Hot for JYP”, as pointed out by Chi-chan) until Ye Eun gets ditched by the guys worshipping her for some other chick, but one fanatical guy sticks around. Actually, I like Ye Eun’s whole part, because she looks like she’s having so much fun dancing around and waving her pom-poms, not trying to be some snobby bitch like the vibe So Hee’s giving off. Yoo Bin’s part is a bit fun, too, but Ye Eun’s is the only part that can actually make me smile a little. The rest of the video, for the most part, just feels obnoxious. (Though I have to mention that Sun Ye just can’t come across as obnoxious, because she’s too friggin sweet and adorable. Able to be sexy too, yes, but not obnoxious. I love Sun Ye. <3)

If I have to pick who’s hottest in this, my vote is Yoo Bin, because look at the girl. No explanation is required. Still, this is just not a favourite of mine. I am not a happy WG fan. Sigh.

SHINee - Nunan Neomu Yeoppo (Replay)

[will attempt to edit in a WORKING video embed later. -_-]

Shinee’s debut was only recently announced, and their debut mini-album was released soon after, featuring five tracks. The first picture of them was pretty exciting, considering Taemin, the youngest member at age 14 (until later this year), really looked like Heechul there. And I still think he does tend to look like Heechul quite often, so he has a good chance at making me swoon someday…you know, if his hair ever looks good like it did in that first picture, again.

Anyway, the preview of their debut MV didn’t look like anything I’d be too interested in, so I was pleasantly surprised when I watched the whole thing and found myself liking it a fair bit. The song’s quite catchy, and the boys’ talent is undeniable. These guys can sing and dance, and can they ever. The dance routine is so cool, and I wouldn’t even be able to do it justice in trying to describe it, but I watch it and just think, “Damn, they can dance!” And with the exception of Taemin (but he’s in the front for much of the dance so he still gets a lot of spotlight), they all get solo lines, and they sound awesome. Jonghyun seems to be the lead singer, as of now, and with good reason. He can sing. But they all sound great.

Their style in the video is pretty good, too, and for the most part they look great. Onew kind of looks dwarfed by his bling and clothes a little, but I think that actually turned out kind of adorably, personally. May not have been the intention, but works for me! The only real style problem that I have with anyone here is Taemin’s hair. That bowl cut has got to go. Unless your name is Yukke, don’t try to pull that off, please. I know that’s actually a style that some people like in SK, but ugh, why? When he gets a new haircut, then I can pedo over him as a teenage Heechul lookalike. Until then, it’s a bit difficult to get past the awful hair. I do like the kid, though. He comes across as kind of shy, but happy to be there, and talented too. I want to hear his singing, though. He looks shy as if he’s about to start blushing if you give him a compliment, or something, and it’s pretty cute. Onew is the oldest member of the group and the leader, but he’s absolutely adorable, Minho is ‘91 born (REPRESENTIN’!) and cute in a kind of different way, with a very expressive face and eyes, and Key is also ‘91 born and quite pretty, but pretty in a masculine way. And then, there’s Jonghyun. He honestly does not look Korean, so he has to be mixed, because I have never seen a Korean guy who looks like that. And he’s HOT. Especially here (second from the left) in this outfit, where he looks like a member of some English language rock band I might have listened to when I was into a lot of that music. (Also, note Taemin’s Heechulness there. And better hair. This was that first promo picture.) He can sing like nobody’s business, and he’s hot. And not a whole lot older than me, either. Fuck yes I’m going to be keeping an eye on him.

They can sing live well, I’ve discovered, and while doing that dance routine. So really, they’re starting out rather impressively. I like the other tracks on their mini-album, too, especially the “boom track” version of Replay. I am really looking forward to see how this group progresses, and…well, yes, how pedo!Heechul progresses. But also Jonghyun. And a group with two ‘91 borns! It’s like a dream come true! I think. Whatever, I like it.

So, the winner here, for me? Easy, Shinee and their debut. I don’t like So Hot at all, but Replay’s been replayed plenty on my iTunes and cell phone since it came out. I think that a lot of people actually like So Hot, so go figure. Also, I heard that there were SM fans who were making fun of Shinee and their dancing, and that’s just laughable, because they can DANCE. So whatever. Shinee are getting quite a bit of attention, in any case, and I think they’ll be able to become popular easily. And Wonder Girls will make something that I’ll like again, I’m sure. They have a lot of potential (and already developed talent) that this song is just not doing anything for, but it will be utilized again soon enough.

And so, that’s my conclusion. Okay, who should I take on next? This vs. thing is pretty fun, actually.

I put my new blogs on Blogger because I feel like I’m making less of a commitment to them that way. If I put them on Wordpress and decided not to keep going with them in the end, it would feel like a total failure, but I feel like it’s less of a big deal if I have a blog on Blogger, so if I decide to stop on either of them, it’s okay. But I think I’m actually going to stick with both of these blogs. Perhaps I’ll move them to Wordpress eventually if I feel like I’m really definitely going to stick with them. But for now, I’m making good use of my Blogger account, where Jounetsu no Kotoba sits dormant and waits to be updated again someday.

So, that’s about it. Go check out my new blogs! *Pimps* And expect some Kpopness here later. (I usually don’t actually post things that I say I’m going to post, but I actually mean it this time. Seriously. XD)