Morning Musume. '17 13th Generation : Kaga Kaede & Yokoyama Reina

[forgetmenots]

Yeah, Reina-wise, I'd think that the rest of MM probably think of her just like Nonaka or Haachin, as someone who passed the audition fresh rather than a KSS, but ever since they first started taking in KSS for new Gens there has been that kind of thing, so I don't think it will be awkward at all to be honest. They've been very careful to introduce Reina before Kaede, knowing that Reina wouldn't be able to follow after the Kaede reaction, and Kaede has been very excited/accepting towards Reina as well. I think the fact that Reina was not super young will make them seem like a pair despite the experience difference. The reaction when she saw that Reina was the other 13th Gen was one of happiness and relief so I think that she was really worried about having a eleven year old as her gen mate.

Also watching all the reaction and announcement stuff, I didn't realize how much some of the MM girls cared for/were friends with Kaede. Masaki in particular reacted so strongly to everything and was so excited to have her announced at the concert.

This is going to be a star-power of a generation. I don't see them being shafted for their first single like 12th did (I still like to think of The Vision as their true debut song). Reina is just too adorable not to focus on and Kaede is too popular.

[Starra]

Kaede's been part of the KSS act for several MM。tours (and H!P ones) so it makes sense that the others would know her, I think. Maimi said on H!S that even she was super happy for Kaede and knows how much of a hard worker she is etc. I know Maimi's kind of a different case since she's the current H!P leader and all, but still. She wouldn't have maybe noticed Kaede as much if she hadn't kept being in the tours . Also the musicals and stage plays probably have something to do with it.

Not counting KSS-only concerts, Kaede has performed as part of 23 different H!P concerts, musicals, events and stage plays. In her 4 years as a KSS, she's appeared at about 255 live H!P events in total.

Spoiler: show

1. ℃-ute 2013 spring: 21 cons
2. ℃-ute 2013 autumn: 20 cons
3. ℃-ute 2014 autumn: 11 cons
4. ℃-ute 2015 spring: 15 cons
5. ℃-ute 2015 autumn: 19 cons
6. ℃-ute 2016 autumn: 11 cons
7. H!P 15th anniversary live: 2 cons
8. H!P 2015 winter con: 2 cons
9. H!P 2015 summer cons: 20 cons
10. H!P countdown con 2015: 1 con
11. H!P 2016 winter con: 21 cons
12. H!P 2016 summer con: 20 cons
13. Hinafes 2016: 4 cons
14. MM。2013 autumn: 15 cons
15. MM。’14 spring: 6 cons
16. MM。'16 spring: 6 cons
17. Bokura Karin na Shounen Gasshoudan play: 19 perfs
18. LILIUMU musical: 19 perfs
19. Neganega Posiposi musical: 8 cons
20. J=J LIVE MISSION 220～Code3 Special→Growing Up!～: 7 cons
21. H!P New Fes! II: 4 cons
22. H!P ANNEX Kobushi×Tsubaki: 2 cons
23. ℃-Fes! Part 2: 2 cons

So... yeah. It's no wonder everyone knows who she is, lol.

(Source is her Wikipedia page, total number could be off by a few because I can't math but it's somewhere around 250.)

EDIT: Lol, 12th gen only hit their 100th MM。concert performance earlier this year. Which means I think Kaede may have performed more times than 12th gen if one includes all the KSS cons/events.

[Jessi]

that research tho... lol

thanks so much for looking that up starra~!

I can't wait to see how Kaede is going to be utilized within the group.

[Starra]

Most of it was already on her Wiki page, I just did quick Google searches to find out how many cons some of the tours were .

[Amped]

Wota on twitter feel bad for 13th gen because their first song participation is going be on AKB's album from Akimoto instead of Tsunku and H!P.
http://helloprohealing.blog.jp/50306986.html

[Nayoko-Kihara]

That's probably the biggest downer about the whole thing.

[Starra]

Eh, they'll probably be doing nothing in the song and it is only an album song rather than like, a collaboration single (which could've happened, AKB did a collab single with Idoling!!! many years ago) or something similar.

Besides, it seems like this is 100% Sasshi wanting to do it and since Kaede (and Yokoyama?) have been huge fans or MM。for ages like she has I feel like they'd understand.

It's not that bad of a thing, really. Better than waiting almost 7 months for any kind of debut release anyway if you ask me . (Although that was when Tsunku was recovering from the cancer so it's not quite the same, but still...)

[Zunu]

Lol @ wota finding dumb stuff to be upset about.

[Jessi]

First off I thought this collab was a weird dream I had and now I woke up and it turns out it is true. Second, regardless of what you think of AKB, and whether you are one of those salty people who hate AKB just because they are rivals to MM and not because you actually dislike them, this is a great opportunity for the group including 13th gen. It may even bring them some new casual fans. I'm excited. Who cares if they do the collab before releasing their first single with the group? 13ki first single with MM isn't going to be any less awesome or less special.

And considering that Kaga spent four years working towards joining the group I am sure she doesn't care what her first activities are so long as she's doing them as a member of Morning Musume. I doubt Reina is losing any sleep over it either.

[Shoujo Q]

Hah! I'm just imagining all those girls that decided to audition for AKB48 instead of Morning Musume and now the new gen's basically getting the best of both worlds in a way.