Honey is back for her second week! Highlights this week are the premiere of S/mileage’s “Yattaruchan” (which I really like) and a metric ton of backstage footage from the Hello! Project concerts. Let’s get started!
C-ute live performance of “Kanashiki Amefuri” from their forthcoming double-A side (with “Adam to Eve no Dilemma”). Song doesn’t really do it for me on my first listen. There’s more Tsunku wacky synthesizer sounds. Cute still perform the best of all current H!P groups, but this song .. I might take a pass if my opinion doesn’t improve after a couple of listens. I did like their outfits. They looked like they were going to have cocktails- classy. It was also weird to see little MaiMai in a strappy top. I feel like I’ve gone from seeing her in diapers to seeing her all grown up. This is probably why it’s difficult for anyone to recognize her appeal.
Morning Musume event for “Help Me!” in Osaka. There’s a small amount of live coverage followed by the girls in small groups. More specifically, we have Sayu, Fuku-hime, Kanon, Ayumi, and Masakissu at a Tower Records event on 1/27. They show off some drawings, but I have no idea what they are saying. Then we have the balance of the girls (Reina, Eripon, Riho, Harunan, Kudo, and Sakura) at a handshake event. The report skips to 2/12 where Sayu and Mizuki makes and eat some Sayudon.
Premiere of the PV for S/mileage’s “Yattaruchan”. I’m really liking this song and PV, so I will write up a long form review. Can I just point out Kanana with a megaphone?
LOTS of Hello! Project backstage footage from Honey’s cam. We immediately get Chisa eating a donut. There is plenty of off-shot footage of the girls wearing their new single outfits including the green C-ute outfits, the white S/mileage outfits and the striped Berryz outfits. The Juice=Juice girls are there. Remember before how I was all “KARIN KARIN KARIN”? It’s starting to turn into “AKARI TOMOKO AKARI”. I dunno anymore. Berryz are back there sitting together at a table. I always wondered whether if the Berryz girls pal around like this backstage. Maybe this is one the new rules imposed by subleader Miyabi? There’s a funny bit with Captain and Harunan trying to say “yellow”. Harunan next targets Oda Sakura watching and dancing along to a monitor showing C-ute’s “Massara Blue Jeans”. Some Aika footage is then followed by Masaki clinging to Reina and Sayumi- adorable. PonPon are together backstage, and Haruka shows off her Hello! Kitty doll (I’m not making that up).
