[7/04] Morning Musume 50th: One・Two・Three/ The Matenrou Show

[Panic Nancy]

What was her personality? I was a fan back then, but I never watched them talk on shows and stuff. She was always ... interesting to watch during the concerts, but that's all I know.

[Parhelion69]

It's an insult to Riho to compare her with Koharu, who is the worst singer and one of the worst dancers MM ever had. Koharu was really hyper and cute, so it was understandable they were pushing her, since she was very idol-ish, but she didn't fully deserve it, she never proved herself. She never even tried to improve, and took everything for granted.

Riho, on the other hand, is working very hard, and will keep improving. Her voice has improved a lot, you can tell on the Stacy musical, on Silver no Udedokei live, Baby Koi ni Knockout, and the recent Ultra Smart USB concert.

And about Riho's "boring character", she was very shy at the beginning, but now she's changed a lot, is more outgoing and hyper (specially the last 6-8 months, it's just a matter of following her). She's changed the most since the 10th gen annoucement, and will show us more of her personality and talent in the near future for sure. Also, she's incredibly cute and one of the best dancers MM ever had (if not the best).

She's working hard to keep her ace status, and won't slack off, that's for sure.

[DARC1993]

^
That. Is. All
Riho FTW!!

[AyuHikaru]

What was her personality? I was a fan back then, but I never watched them talk on shows and stuff. She was always ... interesting to watch during the concerts, but that's all I know.

Koharu was very "My Pace" mixed with a bit of Diva. She was extremely energetic and did things when SHE felt like doing them and screw everyone else for telling her what to do! .
She really had kind of an ADD rattled brain and was easily distracted.

I have a great story about her from AX. While everyone was running around trying to find the Autograph session line (They told everyone the wrong place, resulting in THOUSANDS of MM fans running around the building trying to find the right one ) We managed to find it early with like 2 other people in line, so we were right up front and waiting to get in. Above us was the catwalk, lined with glass, that the girls would use to get to the autograph room. So we got to see them walk passed us and we got to wave to them and it was cool.

Koharu was one of the last to walk across and when she did, she stopped and smiled and waved (The rest of the girls kept moving when they waved), then she PUT HER BUTT ON THE GLASS AND SHOOK IT. She was wearing her SYO outfit and... well she wasn't wearing bloomers, so we all caught a glimpse of her pink underpants.

SHE thought this was HILARIOUS. Her handler DID NOT. Her handler gets really mad and she looks at everyone, waves, and takes off running the other direction while the handler is fuming at her.

So I always say Koharu is just the kind of girl who does what she wants, damn the consequences.

[Mirai]

I actually really disliked Koharu until I saw her at AX. Then I started to like her Whereas with Riho, I liked her right away, during the auditions.

[Chatin]

Koharu may have been limited as far as vocal talent goes, and may not have had Aichan's talent for dance (she definitely was not anywhere near the worst of MM, though. It's always revisionist history with you guys), but she was an ace performer. She had command of the stage in concerts, and she worked the camera in PVs. She definitely proved herself worthy of being a front girl. You guys are so silly.

[Jessi]

What was her personality? I was a fan back then, but I never watched them talk on shows and stuff. She was always ... interesting to watch during the concerts, but that's all I know.

Koharu was very "My Pace" mixed with a bit of Diva. She was extremely energetic and did things when SHE felt like doing them and screw everyone else for telling her what to do! .
She really had kind of an ADD rattled brain and was easily distracted.

I have a great story about her from AX. While everyone was running around trying to find the Autograph session line (They told everyone the wrong place, resulting in THOUSANDS of MM fans running around the building trying to find the right one ) We managed to find it early with like 2 other people in line, so we were right up front and waiting to get in. Above us was the catwalk, lined with glass, that the girls would use to get to the autograph room. So we got to see them walk passed us and we got to wave to them and it was cool.

Koharu was one of the last to walk across and when she did, she stopped and smiled and waved (The rest of the girls kept moving when they waved), then she PUT HER BUTT ON THE GLASS AND SHOOK IT. She was wearing her SYO outfit and... well she wasn't wearing bloomers, so we all caught a glimpse of her pink underpants.

SHE thought this was HILARIOUS. Her handler DID NOT. Her handler gets really mad and she looks at everyone, waves, and takes off running the other direction while the handler is fuming at her.

So I always say Koharu is just the kind of girl who does what she wants, damn the consequences.

This is a great story and I think it really explains her well! If you watch Koharu's graduation you can see how the other girls in Morning Musume really had a hard time with her. She was a controversial figure even for the girls within the group and I think the fans or at least the international fans could feel that. Part of the problem i felt was that she was a 1 person generation and dubbed Miracle at the start without any real proof to show it (at least initially). She was also marketed that way as well by having a solo career and doing the voice for Kirarin Revolution. I never minded though. She is hyper cutesy which matched the image of those songs in a way the other girl's personalities wouldn't have fit. (and I really liked those songs too) When you come into the group with other girls in your generation you immediately have a group within the group that helps you fit in and keep you in check. Its very Japanese to have that group mentality and with the older girls being senpai you wouldn't feel equal to them so you need other girls that you are equal to in order to feel really comfortable. Koharu didn't have that which helped her develop her independent personality but at the same time made her kind of lonely and feel that she didn't get along with the other girls in the group. Maki had the same issue... although unlike Koharu you can argue that she really was an Ace... I think they tried somewhat unsuccessfully to recreate that with Koharu. Although Koharu wasn't a complete failure. Her song Bararaika was the highest selling single of H!P the year it came out i believe. But still both girls left the group pretty early rather than say Ai-chan and Gaki who in part stayed so long I believe because they had each other for support. I understand everyones anger with Koharu, but I do wish people had some sympathy for her. Even Aika had a difficult time because even though shes from a 3 nin generation she probably felt more like a 1 nin without the miracle status and that Lin Lin and Jun Jun were more a 8.5 2 nin gen. She often said she felt lonely and that no one would talk to her, but when Jun Lin arrived everyone was interested in them and it made her jealous.

Might I add that I really hope the 11th gen is not a 1 person gen. That would once again be a disaster.

[Sohee]

I'm not hating on Koharu. I loved her. Her stage presence came to be amazing and she was a completely acceptable dancer. Her singing was definitely not good (but she's not the only bad singer the group ever had) but her charisma and personality were A+. Her dancing got really good eventually as well.
It was in the singing and manners department that she lacked a lot.

[Zunu]

I didn't like her at first but by the end of her run I thought she was awesome. More of a miracle in my eyes than Gocchin.

[Rm88]

Definitely. Koharu was more than worth a generation by herself, one of my absolute favorite H!P girls ever. And I kind of enjoyed her singing, she was very slowly becoming better too.