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Shinozaki Ai –“A-G-A-I-N
Sometimes, a release comes along that demands my attention. The latest of these comes from Shinozaki Ai, and I cannot believe it myself. I do not know where to begin with Shinozaki Ai. Mind you, I...
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Tsugunaga Momoko in Weekly Playboy 2015 No. 23
Everyone has an opinion on Tsugunaga Momoko … or at least everyone has an opinion on Momochi. With all of her attention grabbing tactics, I think we lose sight of a couple of facts. Firstly, is a...
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SCANDAL at The House of Blues 2015-05-22 & 23 [live]
My summer concert series kicked off last weekend with a pair of concerts from the highly regarded SCANDAL. The band once touted themselves as the “most powerful Japanese girlie rock” band. You may...
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Awesome City Club –“Shigatsu no March” [PV]
Awesome City Club – Shigatsu no March (Preface: It’s been a while since I’ve written with any regularity. I’m hoping to correct that a bit now that summer beats me down with its rays. My personal...
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The End of the Shimamura Uta Chronicles
Let’s lay down the facts first: Shimamura Uta parted ways with the Country Girls and with Hello! Project. Her official end date with the company is June 12, 2015. Now, Uta-chan didn’t die. If all of...
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Callme –“To Shine”
If you strip nature to its barest composition, reduce all of its glorious curves and angles to perpendicular black, and simplify hues to primary colors, you would probably produce something that looks...
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Q’ulle –“Heartbeat” [PV]
How is it possible that an beach scene with blue skies, crystal water, and pretty girls became the backdrop of an identity crisis for one of the most promising young idol groups? I can’t deny that I...
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Team Syachihoko “Tensai Bakabon” [PV]
Before I start on Team Syachihoko’s “Tensai Bakabon”, I should mention that I have no particular bloodlust for the group. Nor were any syachihoko harmed in the making of the PV (that I know). Team...
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Uemura Akari and Ogata Haruna in BOMB (July 2015)
Earlier this month, Juice=Juice’s Uemura Akari and Morning Musume 15’s Ogata Haruna got together for a pictorial guide to happiness. If this feature provides any indication, Aarii and Haachin lead the...
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Watanabe Mayu –“Deai no Tsuzuki” [PV]
Don’t you dare. I’ve been listening to music too long for you to give me problems about writing about an AKB48 release. If you follow me on Twitter, you probably had an inkling that I take a fancy to...
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Playing Catch Up with Cheeky Parade –“Cheeky Dreamer”
Who the hell is Cheeky Parade, and why am I devoting so much time to them? As of writing, I still do not possess a great understanding of the group. When I originally began looking into the...
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ANGERME “Nanakorobi Yaoki” [PV]
ANGERME come roaring out of the gate for the next round of Hello! Project releases with their effort “Nanakorobi Yaoki (Ups and Downs)”. When ANGERME was still S/mileage and the group cut their hair...
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Juice=Juice “Tsuzuiteiku STORY” PV
What happens when an idol promotional video strips bare? Will the lack of props, costumes, and setting unsettle you? Or, will it focus your gaze? The recently released “Tsuzuiteiku STORY (Everlasting...
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Country Girls –“Wakatteiru no ni Gomen ne” PV
Let’s get the elephant out of the room first: Shimamura Uta would have been perfect in this release. Now that I have exorcised the demons, or at least the adorable former H!P idol, we can talk about...
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AyumiKurikaMaki –“Honey Honey Honey” PV
If you keep tabs on my Twitter you probably saw my growing fondness for AyumiKurikaMaki over the last few months. With the release of “Honey Honey Honey”, I find myself unable to control it any...
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Juice=Juice “CHOICE & CHANCE” [PV]
Pushing things to the max, Juice=Juice release a second promotional video for their “First Squeeze” album barely days after “Tsuzuiteiku STORY“. With “CHOICE & CHANCE”, Miyazaki Yuka, Kanazawa...
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ANGERME “Gashin Shotan” [PV]
ANGERME sends off one its original members with a song that tries to encapsulate the essence of the group’s first six years of work. Fun and funky blends equal parts with Smileage’s “Shortcut” and...
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Country Girls “Tamerai Summer” [PV]
For the of their second single, Country Girls present “a special summer I wouldn’t forget brilliantly swaying and shining”. As should be apparent by now, the girls are on a mission to present the...
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Morning Musume ’15 –“Oh My Wish!” [PV]
Before you get anything accomplished with this song, you need to scream out loud “Damn! This is Suzuki Kanon and Kudo Haruka’s song!” The lead track from Morning Musume 59th single immediately hits...
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Morning Musume ’15 –“Sukatto My Heart” [PV]
I don’t know if just the Hello! Project fandom that does this, but the subject of cheaply made promotional videos seems fascinate. I’m personally from the camp where spendthrift videos are welcome and...
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