2013: A Year Gone By, A Year to Recap

It's time to stick on some inspiration music, relax and get ready to do this thing, because Gurt Damn, a year is going to be over and done with in less than a day! I know, I can't believe it either! It's as if the year has flashed by, like a Ninja or a ghost, and is now replacing itself with a New Year, a New Start. But before we head into that, isn't it time for my Year End Recap?

Ah, the Recaps... I swear, I am not prepared yet. I'm still happily sitting here, in the last few dregs of 2013, whilst everyone else started their Recaps or Mega-Posts like, what? a Month ago or something? Anyway, I think it is kind of time for me to start this now... so, we'll be taking a look back at 2013 today, A Year that has gone by, a Year to look back on. Are you ready to reminisce and remember?

So another year, another chapter huh? It's been rather quick, and honestly, I wonder how the days passed me by so quickly... really, it's been a bit like a whirlwind for me, it's as if New Year's: 2013 was only yesterday... but let me ask you all this, just as I did last year: Has 2013 been a good year for you? I will let you all think about that as you take your own look back at 2013 and what it had to offer.

Answering my own question, I think that in terms of J-pop, this year has been amazing; it has offered me so much and allowed me to listen to and open up to so many groups and experience different types of music. In terms of personal? It was so-so I guess. But we shall get more into that when I actually start this post properly, I suppose.

... Which kinda actually starts now.

So what were the highlights of the year? The Ups and Down's of 2013? Has my year been a good one, or will it end in tears? Well, let's take a look and see in my Recap, shall we...?

The Personal Perks of 2013

Really now, in terms of my personal life, I don't think that much amazing happened to me... actually, scratch that, I think I grew. A lot. And it's weird to think that in 2013, I actually did more in my life than previous years beforehand.

One of the things that I did this year that I really didn't do beforehand was socialise; I really got out there, and I have basically been going out more and meeting up with friends. One of those socialising highlights was that I got to return to where I used to live and see my friends again for a week and just spend time with them, and enjoy it all. I adore my friends and love them dearly, they are the people who make me feel truly happy (other than my Idols, my baby niece, family and your lovely selves) and it was just great to see them again.

I also got to see an old friend, and we meet up frequently now, as she recently moved down my way for University, and so I have been going out to see her more and have been talking to a lot of new people and basically becoming a bit more of a social butterfly, and less of a hermit.

I have also been meeting two former college friends a lot recently, too. Which reminds me... this year, I finished College! My two year degree in Media ended, and I passed with a Distinction/Merit/Merit! These were the grades I wanted, and I was really happy to receive them. It really made me happy to know that I had passed, especially since the University I applied for had these grades set as the target for acception, so to meet that target grade was amazing.

Also, yes, I got into the University I wanted to go to! Hopefully in September of 2014, I will be going on to study Creative Writing and Journalism... when I saw that I was accepted, I cried my eyes out and was so happy! I still remember the happiness at reading that e-mail, and it still makes me want to cry with sheer joy!

Of course, my niece was also a huge part of my 2013! This year I enjoyed watching her grow more, and honestly, she has turned into a right little spirit! The Little One is growing everyday, and she has a keen interest in plenty of things, from Thomas the Tank Engine (she loves him... a lot!) to cars and Peppa Pig. She is also a little sweetheart, and if something happens, like she trips, she will say sorry to the floor or wall, or whoever she thinks that she has hurt! But, when she wants something, she will demand it... she really is getting spoilt, and I can't say no to her so I really am not helping, but still. She's a beautiful, clever little thing, and she is starting to form sentences more now. When I hear her speak like a little grown up, it makes me cry!

Other than watching my niece grow this year, we also had the news that my older sister is pregnant again. She lost her second son in August of 2011, and then in early 2012, she lost her third son. She is now trying for a third, and final, time, and recently found out the gender of her future child. She will, once again, be having a baby boy! We were obviously hoping for a turtle or a unicorn, but clearly we are not in favour of Lord Gaki, so a boy we shall settle with!

 But seriously, we are all happy. We just have to wait and see if this baby is, to put it delicately, to be.

And if you are wondering what the Wedding picture is for, no, I did not get married! In fact, one of my (many) cousins did! She married her love of a long time (since they were teens, I believe) and it was a beautiful party! I didn't go to the actual ceremony itself which is saddening, but it was great to see my cousin after so many years. We used to spend our childhood together a lot, so to see her grown up and married was rather overwhelming. She was so beautiful and happy though, and it was amazing to see her again!

And of course, how could I forget about this blog? Really, I have loved writing for this blog so much! I am constantly reminded of just how blessed I am to have Okay! Musume Time everyday, and whilst I do feel that this year I have lacked greatly in my writing, I am so happy that I have written and had the supportive and wonderful readers here. This year, I really felt like I was communicating with everyone more and that we bonded. You guys really helped me to keep on my toes, and with each of your comments, I smiled and felt so thankful that you were a part of this with me.

 I was also greatly blessed with the surprise of hitting 150,000, and then 200,000, pageviews! I cried when I saw both of these counts, and I am still overwhelmed that people have sat to read my posts or even looked at my blog! I really am blessed with such beautiful and good readers. You are all wonderful!

This year, I also had another good year with Selective Hearing and Idolminded. I do feel I slacked with those blogs too a bit, and I hated myself for it and want to try and make it up to both blogs with more writings and dedication in the New Year. But also, I did start writing for Pure Idol Heart and NekoPop this year too, meaning that yes, I have more to dedicate myself to, and more to write. And I have found out that it isn't easy... oops.

Of course I want to work hard at it, and I am thankful to Ray, Greg, Gaki and Dave for taking me on. But yes, I need to actually start writing for those blogs, especially Pure Idol Heart, which I have stopped writing for because I just needed to figure stuff out. So... let's hope that the New Year brings more promise in my writing, aye? Or maybe I am getting too ambitious?

Ah... speaking of ambition, I did get too ambitious with my videos, but I recently stopped that. I really did get way too over my head with that, and whilst I honestly want to start again, I can't; my laptop is kind of giving up right now, meaning that if I dare try to save a video, it just turns itself off right away. Overheating is never fun! So for now, my Videos will have to wait. It's sad, but I really can't make videos with a laptop that does not do as I say, can I?

... And yeah, I think that is my personal highlights done so far. I don't think that I really did much this year, especially in writing, but I do feel that as a person, I have grown and become a lot more sociable and confident in myself. Confidence is a great thing, as now I am less paranoid around people. But also, you guys have given me more confidence in my writing, and it has greatly helped me, so thank you. Thank you for once again supporting me through another year, and for reading this blog! I love you all.

But now it's tie for the main part; the part that made 2013 what it was; the Idols, and what they gave us. What has 2013 left behind for us all?

Idols of 2013: Tears, Joy & Cuteness Edition!

The Tears of Graduations and Disbandments

2013 brought heartache. A lot of it, especially in July. This year, we had graduations that we did not expect, and graduations that we would have been glad to wait for... for a few years, that is. Needless to say, I shed many tears this year.

One of biggest shock announcements in terms of Graduations and Disbandments though was Sea*A's; they were the group that I least expected to announce that they would cease all activity together, and so when it happened, I broke down crying and really did not want to believe it. Sadly it happened, and the girls have since parted ways, but to come to the realisation that such an amazing group with the talent they had and the promising future that could have been... it was hard to accept it, and even now I am saddened by the fact that they are no longer a group.

 Maybe this was why they had auditions, to try and salvage the group, but they knew nothing could compare... still, my heart aches for Sea*A, and I miss them terribly.

Another shocking graduation announcement, and one that we all remember with heavy hearts, was the sudden departure of Otsuka Aina from Juice=Juice... and no one saw it coming, much like no one saw the disbandment of Sea*A coming. Really, who would expect this? Juice=Juice seemed perfectly fine; they were loved by the Wota, the foreign fans were over the moon that Aina and Karin were together in a group, and the music was great, so to suddenly hear this... well, it was basically like losing Saki from S/mileage all over again. Except this time, we got the notice that she was going on the day she went.

... Yeah, I am still a bitter mess about it, and by far, this was one of the worst departures for me. It left me in a mess for a long time, and I didn't even like Aina in J=J! But it had a huge impact on me, and I was sad for days. I just... I couldn't accept it, and whilst I love J=J now, I do wish Aina was still there, in all of her squeaky, annoying glory.

Aina, I miss you.

Of course, the biggest shock graduation for me was that of Fudanjuku's Ruhara Renji, otherwise known as Harada Mariru; when reading the blog post about Ruhara's condition, my heart broke, and I think then I knew that he/she would be leaving... but when it was announced, my heart just broke more. I think expecting it didn't help, so when Ruhara did announce it, I just couldn't stop crying at all. My heart broke, but I knew that Ruhara was in no condition to perform any longer, and all I could do was hope for the best and wish her well. It was the most heartbreaking moment of 2013 for me, other than the loss of Sea*A that is, and I really felt like I had lost the Idol I loved then...

Of course, we also had our fair share of graduations from the bigger groups this year; Akimoto Sayaka, Shinoda Mariko and Itano Tomomi all graduated from AKB48 this year pretty close to each other, and for many it was emotional. Whilst I myself have little attachment to the 48's in general, knowing that Mariko had graduated the group was overwhelming for me. She was my first true favourite, and I cherished her as a member. When I watched the live Senbatsu elections, and when I heard her announce her graduation with tears in her eyes, I cried myself. (Good lord, I was a cry baby this year!) It was weird, to not see Mariko and her beautiful face in the PV's after this. What was weirder was not seeing Tomochin, too.

But yeah... the 48's lost many members this year, but these three were the big ones, and it was an emotional roller coaster for us all.

... And then there were these two, the girls who fled H!P for better pastures, or at least, a better acting career, and a smaller group so that Winky could get more lines.

I loved Mano, so when she graduated I was of course sad, but not as sad as I would have been if it was anyone else I liked a lot. I knew that Mano was a grown up and that she needed o fly the nest, so to her flourish and become an actress this year was great for me! She's been getting different acting spots so far, and really, that's all I could ask for. In a way, I am happy she graduated as she can now focus on her acting, but I am still sad, because now there is kind of no soloist in H!P... Oh well~

Then there is Winky... yeah, I wasn't sad. In fact, I am happy she's gone, but I am also glad she has her mind set on her group right now and on trying to just be... er, well, her? Either way, it was nice that she got out of Morning Musume, because finally the group has started to look more promising. It's nice to not see her face there, you know? She had a good run, but... it was her time.

Of course we can not forget the smaller groups; once again, Houkago Princess fell victim to the Graduation bug and lost quite a few members, some to an actual graduation, and some to a scandal of sorts, such as Hitomi's love affair with a fan. Both the graduation of Sakipyon and then the announcement that Hitomi would be dismissed was shocking and rather overwhelming for me, especially since Sakipyon was one of the more prominent members, and Hitomin was my favourite. That said, I was actually not that sad by it... and in the end, it seems to have strengthened HouPri a bit. That, and both members have now moved on to their new group, READY TO KISS.

Aside from HouPri though, we also lost members of BiS, including Yufu who, despite not following the group closely, was one of the few members I liked, especially in the looks department. Luckily she is going to debut as a soloist soon, so that's something to look forward to! With another group, Love La Doll, we lost two members, taking the group down to one; Kana, who is now basically a soloist. Finding that news out was a pretty big blow for me!

 There was also the graduation announcement of YuiKaori from StylipS, which rather un-rattled me! Luckily, YuiKaori are still going strong, but the fact that they left StylipS, whom I adore, was rather unsettling... it was deeply saddening, and a rather sudden announcement. I didn't know what to make of it!

There have of course been more graduations, from big and small groups, including the surprising graduations of Afilia Saga members Aria and Emiu (who I loved, so I had a good weep when I found that out). Honestly, in terms of graduations, this one has been an emotional roller-coaster of a year. I think that this year, my heart has been broken enough...

... And it will keep breaking in 2014. Damnit!

The Rediscoveries

It truly seems like this year, I have rediscovered certain groups, and that has honestly made me so happy! It's nice when you can just go back, and remember why you fell in love with a group.

I do love Sexy Zone as you all know, but this year was the kind of year where I lost interest in them, and then rediscovered it... and so I love them once again!

But honestly, when Marius and Sou started being pushed away and only the Big 3 were promoted, I lost complete interest in the group and seriously thought about boycotting them. It wasn't until I heard By Bye Dubai See You Again~ that I realised just how much of a fool I was! I love this group, they are so catchy, fun and cute, and I doubt I will ever hate them or boycott them... damn their music!!! ;w;

I think that this year, aside from H!P, Houkago Princess has been the most talked about group on this blog, and why not? I have rediscovered them, our love has been ignited once again, and I adore them! I am so happy I looked for them again when I did, or else I may have just given up on them like I wanted to...

Seriously, 2012 was a dark year, and so was 2013 for a bit until I found out that these girls would be releasing again! Those dark moments were then almost immediately wiped away, and I fell in love again. I think that falling for HouPri once more, that was a true highlight of 2013. It really made me happy again, and now I feel like I have found a group that I truly do love.

Sorry, MoMusu. I kinda found someone else... >o>

... And that was a rather short category, but seriously. THEY NEEDED IT! I love my rediscoveries <3

The Rise of New Idols

But with every graduation announcement or disbandment, there is sure to be a new Idol on the block to cheer us up! This year was, of course, no exception as we saw new Idols rise, whether they be a part of existing or new Units. They truly did wipe away my tears, didn't they?

Of course when it comes to debuts, I am going to have to mention my precious Yuuka Ueno, the girl who brought light to my life and made my world go round. Really, how is she so perfect? That voice, that face, that pure talent... upon first listen, I fell in love, and I let you all know about it. Her smile makes me melt, and her songs make me cry... and yes, she is one of the new debuts that truly made my year and allowed me to listen to that exquisite voice of hers and realise what talent truly was.

My heart beats for you... <3

And really, how could we forget the debut of H!P's latest group? Seriously, Juice=Juice is very promising, and they really wiped Berryz to floor with their amazing song. I say Berryz because, as you know, I was highly underwhelmed with them for a good part of this year, but in general J=J are very strong and could beat out all the other groups if it wasn't for the fact that every one of these groups has a history within H!P, MoMusu with their stellar past, Berryz and C-ute as the H!P Kids... but yeah, this group has talent, whether it is in looks (Akari), talent (Tomoko, Karin and Sayuki) or sheer cuteness and determination for the group she loves (Yuka). They are a strong group, and they had a very strong debut this year. Sure, they had a hitch (bye bye, Aina) that upset many of us, but regardless of that they picked themselves up, and they got on with it, and I love them even more now.

 Still, I miss Aina... we all do!

We also had the spectacular, beautiful debut of Tasaki Asahi! I really wish that this year, she had released more than the two singles she did, because towards the end of the year it felt empty without her beautiful voice and talented piano skills to soothe me. But yeah, Asahi was one of my favourite soloists aside from the beautiful Yuuka Ueno and the amazing Ono Erena. She had me hooked, and her talent and breath of fresh air vocals are still leaving me in awe... if only she released me!!!

 Luckily next year, she is starting a new unit, Bitter&Sweet, which should be fun! Here's to hoping they actually release stuff regularly!!! Fingers crossed!

To be brutally honest with you all, I actually forgot that this group had debuted this year until the last minute! Then again, HKT48 as a whole are terribly forgettable unless I remember that Sasshi was deducted and put in there as a member for her scandal last year (I am so cruel~). But yeah... this group really do nothing for me so far, other than just being cute. But I like decent music sometimes, and so far, their music has just not appealed to me. Oops~

So just like last year, we had quite a few debuts, especially when it came to H!P, who brought us new Units in the form of the SatoUmi lot. Of course, that did mean that the Satoyama girls were left unwanted (which is annoying) and had nothing to do, but still, it was fun to see H!P play around with the groups once gain and shuffle around the populars and pretties to see who did well with who.

We also got to see the debut of the cute little fishing group, Tsuribit! The girls came into our lives for the first time this year with a sweet, generic Idol song, and then came out with a few more to keep us gazing at them for 2013! Hopefully they give us more next year, but what they did give us really ached my sweet tooth! It was too cute!

And of course, we also had the debut of new HouPri members! Sakurai Riho, Fukuhara Kyoka and Nagasawa Marina all made up the current 5th Generation Candidates, whilst the surprise edition of Michishige Sayumi's second cousin, Michishige Saho, came along as the new Apprentice member who may become the 6th generation Cadet if she manages to stay in the group! So this year, it's been pretty good for the new debuting groups and members. It's kept the year interesting, at least~

Of Happiness and Disappointments in Idoldom

Of course this year would not be a true one without its Happy times, and of course its disappointments when it comes to our Idols. There have been s many surprising moments, but pleny of eyebrow-raising ones that make me question a group I enjoy, too. I wonder what elated my mood or brought it crashing down this year?

Two of my greatest joys this year actually came from both Houkago Princess and Nogizaka46, with both originally being two of the great disappointments of 2012... yeah, it has changed that much! After a bad year in 2012 of doing nothing within the public eye, HouPri actually came back and turned everything around! They did concerts, they went to Tokyo Idol Festival 2013, they released two singles and they released good songs! Sure, they lost a few members, but they also gained some and have, in my opinion, turned themselves around and started doing better. It was amazing to see that!

With Nogizaka46, it's undeniable that in 2012, I hated them. I thought that they were a horrible group, one that should have never debuted at the time they did, and a group who had no talent or group chemistry whatsoever. This year, they proved me wrong, and they showed me what they were truly made of. Their PV's got better, they have nicer costumes, and they just... they amazed me, and I think I really like them now... oh wow, that's hard to say. But still! hey have caught my attention, and if they keep it up, I will become a fan of them in 2013.

Needless to say, both Morning Musume and S/mileage took an upward spiral this year as well, and proved that they were really amazing; Morning Musume's music and PV production picked up this year, and S/mileage... well, they learnt what the heck group chemistry was, and finally found their sound(s)! It was like inspiration hit Tsunku in the head like a brick, and he figured out what worked for these girls all together, and gave it to them. It's like S/mileage are now a completely different group (Nyon and Dawa finally woke the hell up and accepted 2ki) and Morning Musume have just become... well, they've become a dance machine, and you know they love it!

Thankfully, promotion has also gone up - for H!P in general, not just MoMusu. It's as if UFP cares about them again, and it's great! I am deliriously happy that H!P has improved nicely this year and just started to take notice of what the girls need to sell... so yeah, deliriously happy here!

Actually, in general H!P has just become better! Berryz have a good sound (but a shit look, sorry), MoMusu look the best they have in a long time, S/mileage sound good again, and C-ute are doing all right... and then the promotion. Now that has gotten better! Nothing more promising than TV spots and such, right?

Well of course, there's also the fact that the Kenshuusei are also being promoted and shown off a lot more, too. THAT is damn ace, right!?

So yeah, this year, it has been brilliant for H!P in general, and each new TV slot or appearance has made me a happy, crying bunny. I am delighted!

Sadly, I really can't say the same for AKB48, who once again disappointed me greatly this year... except, last year they had good songs in the form of UZA and Manatsu no Sounds GOOD!, but this year? Well, they sucked. Big time. And yes, I am mostly referring to their A-sides songs, because those are generally the songs that have to sell the single.

 Hell, even the PV's were pretty shitty this year, too!

Whilst I generally enjoy the songs that the groups have, I actually really only cared for Koisuru Fortune Cookie properly. Sayonara Crawl is a guilty pleasure, but KFC is the one song I happily chirp about. The rest? I dislike them. A lot. It really feels like this year was the year that Aki-P said "Fuck it! AKB make money either way, so here, have some shit!" and laughed his way to the bank. It was a money-grabbing year, not a year of great music for this group... what a sad time.

Luckily enough the 48's have a saving grace in the form of NMB48; not only have their PV's been strong this year, but so have their songs, and as an entire group they are amazing and entertaining... and yes, I have finally seen the light! I do like them now, though I don't follow them as closely as I want to. D'oh!

But still, NMB48 was the saving grace of the 48's for me. I seem to have lost absolute interest in SKE48, and AKB48 are so dull and fucking bland now, and HKT... Yeah, they're just a bunch of kids squealing about. It's all about the NMB for me!!!

When it comes to Juliet, I think I truly discovered a group that I wholeheartedly enjoyed; I must have found them in either the end of 2012 or the beginning of 2013, but it wasn't until the middle of the year that I truly started to realise I liked them. Seriously, they are amazing, and they have truly grabbed my full attention! I love them, I adore their beautiful voices and amazing songs, and these girls are just so talented! It's amazing! They aren't an Idol group, but I needed to just talk about them, even a little bit... they really just took my attention this year, and made sure that I noticed them! They are wonderful!

Sadly I am going to have to admit that this year, my love and admiration for 9nine has gone down quite a lot. I really have not paid attention to them this year, and that is because I have truly become bored with them. Not to say they aren't talented, because they are, but it's just... well, I got bored. And that is all it is. You can't help that, can you?

Amazingly enough, C-ute were neither here-nor-there for me this year, and ultimately... they became boring because of that. Yup. Okay sure, they had some jazzy sounds and some good PV's, but nothing about them this year stood out to me, except for maybe Crazy Kanzen na Otona, which showed off that sexy side to the group.

In terms of releases though, they had nothing amazing to offer. At least Berryz had some amazing songs!

Oh wait... C-ute got to Budokan! YAY!!! There's a positive!

On a positive note, to hear that Ai-butt was finally getting married after months and months or rumours was absolutely wonderful! Even though her ex has slept around and married many, to know that she has fallen for someone and finally settling down is promising and hopeful for us all! And look, the guys cheerful too! YAY!!!

Of course, no news of happiness could beat the fact that Kaori Iida delivered a healthy baby boy into the world. It was amazing news to hear that Iida and her husband were able to have a child together again, and that she was happy and healthy herself. The news was so hopeful and beautiful for me, and Kaorin is so lucky to have the support and strength of her family and friends around her! Hopefully in 2014, the baby will grow with the warmth, love and kindness of his beautiful and mother. I was so happy for her!!!

Of course, what would this year be without some scandals? Especially controversial ones, at that.

By controversial, I do of course mean Minegishi Minami's shaving-of-the-head scandal. Wow, that got everyone talking, and I mean everyone. Even people who knew nothing of AKB48 were talking about because it was so... well, so cruel! Why management even decided it would be a good idea to put that video up was beyond me, but the video showing Minami's freshly shaved head as she apologises for what is done... it's saddening, and it makes you realise just how deep these girls are in the entertainment world, and what they will do to show you they are sorry. Seeing this video was upsetting for a lot of us, and it shows us just how bad this no boyfriend system, and the act of it being a scandal to be in love and share feelings with someone (yep, it's a crime now) truly is... it's shocking, and I hope that no other Idol, AKB or not, has to go through it!

Moving on... swiftly, at that, there was of course the scandal of Mari Yaguchi, you know, the one where she slept with a model everyone called ugly, and then she went on an indefinite Hiatus because she pretty much had no more work left as everyone shunned her. I mean, I get it; it's her fault, you reap what you sow blah blah blah... but this is Yagu's personal life, and she is a grown woman, for fucks sake. Then again, Japan has a different way with dealing with punishments for those who sleep with others; it is not just your personal life, but your work life too, which seems to suffer. It deeply upset me to see that Yagu was ridiculed this way... and I hope that eventually, she returns to the world of work, whether or not it is in entertainment, and gets back on her feet.

... Good lord, the scandals were rough this year!

Let's get to some positivity, shall we!?

The Shining Stars of 2013

There will always be someone who stands out to me in 2013, someone who has caught my eye and basically made me gush over them... like, Eripon was a star of my 2012, right? Well she still is now, but there are other girls who stood out, people who just captured my attention... well, here they are!

... I think that Harunan just got damn hot this year! Seriously, this girl is smoking! Also, you can see she's been working hard and that she loves MoMusu despite her lack of talent or skill... she's also been doing really well on the talk shows she has appeared on, too, and is just an all around babe I think.

Now, WHERE is my photobook!?

... Yeah, do we even need an explanation to as how much I adore her!?

I didn't think so~

Once again, Dream5 have amazed me this year! Sure, they had that one weak release, but then they picked themselves right back up again, and then they released an album, their first one actually! I was so amazed and in love with Dream5 this year, and honestly, I hope that they continue their amazing streak! They have been such a strong group, one who deserve so much more acknowledgement and love than what they already have, and... yeah, that's about it.

LOVE THEEEEM!!!

If no one saw this group coming, then you may have not read my blog properly... but yeah, I sear hands down, this is the group of the year here! They are the group that just... I fell in love with them all over again, and I want to continue supporting them whole-heartedly from here on out. Or at least, until something drastic happens to make me dislike them.
 Seriously though... I have updated myself on them religiously this year, and I even made a website! That is love, my dears. LOVE!!!

From my Group of the Year, there comes Saorin, who is like, the light of my life right now. When Hitomin as dismissed, I had no HouPri Love to go to, and then I started to just notice her... sometimes I do that, and because of Hitomin's departure, I really started to find Saorin appealing, and I basically fell for her. I now follow this cutie pie on twitter, and sometimes tweet her! Ahhh, she makes me smile! What a darling! <3

... No, I did not make a mistake. PUT DOWN THAT TASER!!!

Seriously, Riho did capture my attention, and she really pulled me in this year. I think it helps that, this year, she finally learnt how to control that mess of a voice she has, and now has some decent pitch. Sure, she isn't perfect, but she's better, and both her dancing and her ever-changing expressions have caught hold of me and made me stay. She stood out a lot... and yeah, she made me like and appreciate her more.

But her moves still got nuthin' on Ayumi!!!

... I think that's all for my shining lights of the year! Which can only mean we have neared the end of the post! YIPEE!!!

Or is that a naaay I hear? ;w;

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... Yeah. That's pretty much the Year of 2013. In terms of Idols, I think that it has been very eventful; H!P got their act together, and I fell in love with a new artist, and rekindled my love for HouPri. Of course we had a few sad parts as well, such as graduations and disbandments, but those things can't be helped, which is the sad thing... however we can live through it and smile, and just hope to find other Idols to ease that pain for us, right?

Regardless of withdrawals, graduations and dismissals, this year has been a positive and good one! The Idols have, once again brought us joy (except you, AKB) and happiness, and I think that certain groups have grown. Next year, I can't wait to see them grow more, and I also hope to embrace many more groups in 2014. Let's hope that it's a good year as well, aye?

And with that, the 2013 Recap is finished, BUT!!! Before I can let you escape, to dance around in the light of day and scream with thanks that this misery is over and done with, I want to go over some of my predictions that came true from last year. Shall we take a looksy?

Don't worry my pet, it's won't take long... you hope~ Mufufufu~

(Original Predictions post is HERE!!!)

Predictions Come True:

• C-ute sell over 50,000 Singles
• Hello! Project introduce a new group
• S/mileage bring out better singles
• Katsuta Rina gets a PUSH!
• Morning Musume (and S/mileage) get better, simpler PV's
• Auditions (which ultimately flopped XD LOL)
• Miyamato Karin débuts and becomes H!P's new Face
• Morning Musume's Line Distribution improves
• Suzuki Airi does not graduate
• Bump.y release one more single and STAY in the public eye
• The 48 family have less graduations/misfortune (not so many grads, YAY!)
• Paruru gets less hate from '48 Nazi's' (kinda came true xD)
• Nogizaka46 get a decent single + PV + Costumes and sell on the SAME DAY as AKB48 (Meh, most of it came true! XD)
• Ono Erena releases a good A-side and not a rehashed version of her first 3 singles
• HouPri start releasing PV's again (HOLY CRAP YES!!!)
• I get into Dream5 more
• NMB48 win me over

Holy cow, that list of achievements... it looks pretty nice! I am especially pleased by the NMB and HouPri ones, they make me smile!

And now... YOU ARE FREE, MY LITTLE BUTTERFLIES! Fly away! HATSUKOI BUTTERFLY 8U

... Well, until I (eventually) upload my Hopes, Dreams, Wishes and the Like for 2014... which means I have to think, and thinking hurts... Oh good lord, NEW YEAR IS SOON!!!

Welp, until then! Happy New Year! Don't sleep through it ;)

Chiima~