The H!P Musings/Rants Thread

[Tobo_Junny135]

She got her solo song in the recent album I think, it’s basically the same song but using Fukuda’s melody instead of what H!P came up with.

[Amped]

with Arashi going on hiatus after 21 years, Morning Musume. (23 years) aka "Morning" (not called Momusu anymore by fans.) and V6, Kinki Kids are the remaining longest tenured idol groups still standing.

[koregaboku]

While true... I feel like Morning gets an asterisk next to their name due to cycles of new members and graduations.

Arashi and Kinki Kids are definitely standouts for how long they've lasted with the same line up for so long.

The longest idol group afaik is SMAP at 28 years (1988-2016)- I can certainly see Morning exceeding this record.

[Amped]

In the latest CDJournal magazine, Imaizumi Rikiya, the director of the "Ano Koro." movie is interviewed about casting BEYOOOOONDS Yamazaki Yuhane to play Matsuura Aya.

--The casting of Yamazaki Yuhane as Matsuura Aya was also a surprise.

Imaizumi "We decided that Yuhane would be a good choice not only because of her looks but also because of her position and character, and when we agreed that she would do the role, there was one big problem.
We were wondering if Yuhane would be in the poster and music video for "Momoiro Kataomoi" that appears in the movie.

--What were you going to do about that?

Imaizumi "I was selfishly saying that if Yuhane made a music video, it would be a big hit, but when she asked me if I wanted to do all the posters and jackets, I thought it would be a bit difficult. I thought I was going to be in trouble the moment I was asked that question.

And when I saw the music video for "Momoiro Kataomoi" again, I realized that I would never be able to make this (laughs). I thought I was talking in a dream (laughs).
(laughs) So we decided to mix it up.
That's crazy, too!

--That's so amazing, isn't it? In addition, Yamazaki-san doesn't look that out of place.

Imaizumi "But I was still unsure about it when I was editing. Right after the scene where Yamazaki-san appears, there's a direct shot of Aya's poster in the room where the summit is being held. One of the staff said, "Are you sure you want to show it directly?"
It might look like her, but if you look at her calmly, she's not the same person. I didn't pay any attention to it until I was told. I thought.
I was so scared that I told the editor about it, and he said that if I was going to do it, I should do it openly. He said, "If you're going to do it, let's do it openly. I mixed it with confidence (laughs).

--While being careful not to spoil it, I like how the bridge scene at the end is connected to the present. It's not just in the past it's universal.

Imaizumi "Like the existence of BEYOOOOONDS or Michishige Sayumi's numbingly cool statement.
Using specific proper nouns and words, like current events, can make the film feel old, but using real words gives it a different intensity.
Also, when you watch the film five or ten years from now, you'll know when the "present" was when the film was made."

I believe that Morning Musume and Hello Pro will continue to shine even then.
Movies are made, but I make them with the awareness that they are connected to reality.

A shot of Matsuura's (Yuhane) head meeting the wota

[Amped]

Another State of Emergency is called for Tokyo and will last until February 7th. People aren't to be out after 8pm.
The number of people at live events will be limited to half of the available seats and not exceed 5,000.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210107_46/

We may have to see H!P doing remote work at home again :S

[Amped]

Morning Musume. '21 and other Japanese celebrities sent in their New Year 2021 Greeting cards (Nengajo) to various news media for the Year of the Ox / Cow. They wrote "MOOu~rning Musume. 21 Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu" as in cows go "MOO!"

かわいさが“モー”止まらない (The cuteness of "Moo" never stops)

"Junjou Evidence / Gyuusaretai Dake na no ni" released in December 2020 was the group's 69th single and it got off to a fast start, selling about 110,000 copies in the first three days of its release. The picture and design of this New Year's Greeting card was done by Ishida Ayumi."

https://www.news-postseven.com/archives ... 563.html/3

[Amped]

Today is Seijin no Hi Coming of Age day (2nd Monday of January) and we have 7 H!P members celebrating adulthood (Members who are 20 years or turning 20). Congrats to all of them. This year's ceremonies have been scaled back or won't be held since it brings big crowds.

Morning Musume. '21 Makino Maria, Yokoyama Reina (Both born in year 2001, turning 20 in February 2021)
Tsubaki Factory Asakura Kiki and Ono Mizuho, BEYOOOOONDS Shimakura Rika, Kobayashi Honoka, and Satoyoshi Utano (All born in year 2000, all of them 20 years old)


https://twitter.com/TOWER_Shibuya/statu ... 7134526466

[JonCC]

I've been trying to create order in the chaos that is my H!P media files.
As such I've been enjoying sorting them all in Plex.

My 'Shows' library.


'Concerts'


One of the big challenges is the artwork. Not every show or concert has a cover that fits in Plex' ideal 680*1000 dimensions.
Have to get creative with modifying logo's, screenshots, using the goods tour poster instead of DVD cover.



I know I'll never get everything in there, the breadth of content is just too big. It's an eternal work in progress.
But by doing things like adding DVD magazines as extra videos within a concert or PB making of's as extras within the corresponding Image video, one can go a long way.



Big thanks to the H!P Wiki without which this would have been impossible.
Episode dates, descriptions, even the Omake videos have all been categorized to an insane amount of detail on there.
The tinyMediaManager application has been invaluable as usual.

[Tobo_Junny135]

I know platinum era was over 10 years ago and before I even knew Morning Musume existed (I was around 8-11 during the platinum era), but I’ve been recently watching the old concerts and whilst it’s understandable Junjun vocals aren’t stable at all times, why didn’t Linlin get more lines in the main A singles? Her vocals were good >.>

[Celedam]

^ The management added Chinese members in order to appeal to the Chinese market. That was at a time when the Japanese market for female idols was in sharp decline, before AKB48 and MomoClo revitalized it.

Jujnjun and Linlin were never popular with H!P's existing fanbase in Japan, however, because Japan is a homogenous culture and more than a little racist. Especially towards other East Asian ethnicities, with whom Japan has been in conflict for most of its history. Anything less than pure Yamato is (or at least was) seen as "dirty". Which is why it's always bewildered me that K-pop has been so popular in Japan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_issues_in_Japan