[8/19] Morning Musume。'15 59th single - Oh my wish!/Sukatto My Heart/Ima Sugu Tobikomu Yuuki

[Zunu]

It's pretty much a lock that they're not going to get weekly #1 at this point but the important thing is that they maintain momentum on their own terms. This is a group that has passed a few vital post-Michishige tests. First, they've maintained relevance with the public when not only are there no more original golden era members, but there are no members left who had even worked with golden era members. Their ties to the past have been severed. Second, they have successfully welcomed and integrated a new generation without relying on Michishige's unifying talents. (Note the subversive Sukatto PV intro where the generations are being introduced completely out of order). Third, with Miki's English, Kanon's body changes and now Eripon's acrobatic skills they're really starting to reinforce the notion that this is a very diverse group of young women with various traits, interests and talents, not just a front girl and a bunch of backup singers/dancers that only hardcore fans know anything about. Sayumi got the Morning Musume. brand back on its feet but now, without her, the group is emerging even stronger. And they've achieved this despite the added tragedy of Tsunku no longer being able to vocally promote the group. So too bad about Oricon's weekly #1, but I know who my weekly #1 is.

[b229b24k]

I'm pretty sure they already beat Tiki Bun's 1st week, a graduation single, no less.

Oh and ^

Spoiler: show

I have mixed feelings about this single's success. It's great that MM '15 continue to be successful even without Sayu
but on the other hand, it feels like, at least for me, even without her reign as MM's leader they are already on their way up.
Or in another word, Sayu or no Sayu, the MM from after Gaki-san had graduated were already on the rise.
I can't really explain this well though blame it on my non-nativeness

[Zunu]

Sounds like you're saying that you have mixed feelings about the real importance of Michishige-san to their revival, that maybe it's been somewhat overrated? We can't actually re-run the experiment of the past few years without her, but I suppose since they HAVEN'T collapsed in the wake of her retirement, there's a case to be made in the abstract at least.

[esm]

Sayu was legendary and all that, but the highlight of the group since One Two Three has been the quality of the songs and the formation dances, which is not all Sayu. Like I would listen to the songs regularly and every now and then I watch the videos again just to see the dances.

Also vocally they are better on average than in previous line-ups where you had a few girls that could sing but then the rest were quite awful. Nowadays everyone keeps improving.

[Amped]

news dwango interviews the leader of Morning Musume. '15, Fukumura Mizuki
http://news.dwango.jp/?itemid=24843

radio promotion

Kumamoto RKK radio Masayan no radio desu masu 8.23.15 - guests Eripon, Harunan, Kudo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCFLSFKj3ro

RFC - Odore! Live Mania 8.23.15 - Mizuki, Ayumi, Maria, Akane promo comment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0yseQD5CCM

[otaku_blue]

^^

yeah I always thought it was a big mistake when Matsukko Deluxe attributed their success to Sayu on music station.

I mean on variety when Sayu took a back seat, the other girls shone. That Riho and Ayumi dance battle with Fairies is legendary.

[Zunu]

^^

yeah I always thought it was a big mistake when Matsukko Deluxe attributed their success to Sayu on music station.

I think that whether or not she in fact helped bring them back from the brink, there's the perception that she did, and that's what MM'15 needed to overcome, both to the public and large and within themselves. And now we know, and they know, and Japan knows. EVERYBODY KNOWS.

That Riho and Ayumi dance battle with Fairies is legendary.

Speaking of overrated.

[Amped]

today on Music Japan, Morning Musume. '15 performed Oh my wish! They had a short chat with Yusuke before the performance. They didn't say much and Mizuki was doing the talking. Yusuke just wanted to hurry and do the "Ganbatte Ikimasshoi!" with them.

Morning Musume. '15 performed almost at the very end of the show. They got loud cheers. The Music Japan cameras did a very good job of capturing both the vocal team and dance team. They included the Ogata/Akane dialogue too.

subtitle reads "MJ loves Morning"

Morning Musume. '15 performance sort of spoiled that SKE48 member's last Music Japan appearance.

[Zunu]

Morning Musume. '15 performance sort of spoiled that SKE48 member's last Music Japan appearance.

Oh Amped.

[AyuHikaru]

Sayumi's goal was never to have Morning Musume be popular with her then be popular without her, her goal was ALWAYS to make sure that MM would be successful once she graduated. To her, it wasn't about her, it was about the legacy of the group, and I think in that way - looking at the current sales - she succeeded. It wasn't all her obviously, the current girls are really amazing - probably some of the best MM has EVER seen, but she really did help bring out what was amazing about them and trained them for this moment - a Morning Musume without her.

I'm sure she's really proud right now. They are right on target to surpass her era and I really hope they do.