[Another] Break from Writing/Blogging

This is sudden, but today I felt an overwhelming desire to write a post saying that, for now, I want to take a break from blogging; I don't know what brought on this desire at all, but the overwhelming feeling that I need the break is something I really can't shake off right now, so I am writing this to let you all know that, once again this year, I will be taking a break from blogging here, at least.

I realise I have not written for a week, which is bad, and it's been niggling at me, but my inspiration is at 0. I hate writing without the desire, pull or inspiration, and so I know right now that I need a break away from writing, not only to regain desire, but also to think about things, because next month (September), I start University.

I've become stressed because of it, my emotions are at a low point, and I've felt really useless as of late. I know you hate hearing that, but it's the truth; I'm at such a low-point, I just want to cry sometimes and I bully myself over little things. Right now, I'm vulnerable emotionally and I know it, and I think stressing over writing my blog won't help me at all.

I hope for the break to be, at most 1-2 weeks, though I do go off to my friends in August so even then I may not blog so much. Either way, I need this, and I apologise that it's so sudden after a week of nothing, not even a Digest.

I feel like I am failing every single one of you, the people I adore, the blog I love so much, but I know I can't write right now, not when I'm pretty much falling apart over leaving home and going somewhere else. I hope you all understand, and know that I really treasure you all.

Please wait for my return, because I will miss you all.

Chiiima

Me, My Blog & Idols Q&A (Vol. 2)

Thank you all for sending in your Questions once again! I am immensely happy that you have taken an interest in this Q&A session I am undertaking, even if it is still a little surprising that you've wanted to query me on certain things! I'm feeling a lot more positive about myself right now thanks to this Q&A series, I don't know why. It's possibly because, when I set out to do it, I thought that no one would want to ask anything. I've been proven wrong, so I think it's made me feel a lot happier that I have realised you guys are interested in what I have to say, so... thank you, thank you very much <3

So, with that all said, I will take on Vol. 2 of my Questions and Answers session that I have decided to take on! I had a tough question in here, one which I really did have to think about and it took a few days to finish answering completely, but they were all fun to read and then talk about! Actually I had a few tough questions, but one of them... yeah, it was a nightmare in a sense, but I loved that it got me thinking and made me sit down and tackle the question properly, rather than just... saying what was on my mind at the time. It's hurdles like this that I appreciate, because it allows me to evaluate my original answer and thoughts, and finally think things over properly.

Okay, talking and typing and all that mumbo-jumbo over with, let's tackle this Q&A session once again! Today's set of Questions have been submitted by SophieShiori, AimxAim and thenumber244! Thank you for submitting your Questions, I hope I have given you decent answers! So, please do enjoy, and read on...~

The following Question has been submitted by SophieShiori:

Q: If you could choose to be any idol, who would it be? AND on which day would you be that particular idol? Eg a graduation day, special concert...

A: Oh gosh, way to give me a hard question! XD I've never really thought about which Idol I would like to be, really; I've always been happy enough sitting here, at my computer, watching over them and basically enjoying what the give during performances. Still, when I thought about which Idol I would choose to become, I took into account who I think I would like to get to know the most, or at least figure out what goes on inside their head...

It's a toss up between Paruru and Masakins, if I'm honest with you xD With the both of them, their characters are quite intriguing. Paruru seems to be someone who hates human interaction from what people have said to her, whilst Masakins is the exact opposite! I want to get into their heads and basically get a look at what they're thinking of, especially Masaki, because she's... something else XD

On the given day I would want to experience how they work, it would probably be a Handshake event for Paruru, because that's a lot of human interaction, isn't it? It would be fun to see how she prepares herself for it, and then how she acts backstage once the event is over. It would be interesting, to say the least!

With Masakins, I would probably want to experience how she acts during a typical day at home. I want to see how she relaxes, what she does and how she interacts with her family rather than the fans. We all know she's a bit of a nut-ball, so many fans have expressed how they view her eccentricities, so I want to see her in her natural habitat. That, and I kind of want to meet her parents too, see which parent she takes after. xD

The following Questions have been submitted by AimxAim of Janakya Mottainai:

Q: If you could be the producer for any Idol group/agency who would you chose, and what would you change?

A: ... What's with these difficult questions? XD I have so many groups I like, though admittedly I wouldn't swoop in to manage or produce any of them if I could help it because, truthfully speaking, I suck at that kind of thing. Still, if I had to choose one, then I'm going to say Sexy Zone and Johnny's Entertainment.

If I had done this Q&A around a year or two ago, I would have actually answered with Morning Musume, because I feel that UFP sucked in general with everything they did for the group. Thing is, they're fine now, but some of the groups in JE aren't, and even if I'm not an avid fan of the groups there, I think that some of those groups need saving from the clutches of Iijima.

After posting my rant on the group above, I was told a little more about Julie and Iijima, and how the groups are basically split between the two, with Julia being the fairer of the Teams. So, as a producer, the first thing I would do is kick Iijima out, period xD That, or just give Iijima a lower rank within the company. I can't say for certain what I would to be honest, I don't know JE that well, but I would probably try to promote all of the groups fairly and give them a lot more evenly shared screen time. I know for groups like Arashi and Kanjani8 this isn't a problem at all, but I would like to attempt to make things better for the groups of Johnny's Entertainment so that they're all given their fair cut, rather than being handed an unfair amount of what they were promised so to speak.

... I hope I answered that one well enough!

Q: Do you think once you hit a certain age you'll stop liking idols? And if so, what age?

A: I've asked myself this question before, and I try to ignore it a lot as well because the idea of hitting a certain age and suddenly thinking 'yeah I want to quit liking Idols now' is pretty damn sad if you think about it. I mean, that's like me suddenly deciding that Fairies aren't real (which they are, of course) or that reading Fantasy books is a childish notion. It's hard to think about, and really, you don't cross that bridge until you get to it.

See, the future is a fickle thing. We can never be sure when our passion for something comes to an end. Like, I'm no longer a hardcore fan of Anime and Manga, but I still read and watch it when I'm in the mood for it. I've not abandoned my love for that aspect of Japanese culture, and I hope I never do, and it's the same with Idols I think; slowly I may stop following it as actively as I used to, but I highly doubt I will ever stop liking or loving it. It will always be there, no matter what, and unless I suddenly get amnesia or an idol does something to me in my personal life that jeopardizes how I view them, I really do doubt I'll ever 'stop' liking them completely.

Q: What is the aspect of the Idol business that you dislike the most?

A: Favouritism, sexualising under-age girls, making money out of an Idols humiliation... I really hate things like that. When it comes to the whole idea of favouring certain girls over others or sexualising a girl under the age of 16, the reason I dislike it is down to my own upbringing and how my own country works regarding morals and how we view anyone who is a minor here. I know it's the same for other countries within the Western community, and Japan is on a whole other level to us when it comes to the Entertainment industry, but I do find it wrong and immoral for a girl under the age of 16 to be doing bikini photoshoots or dancing around on a beach for the sake of appeasing the fans. Thing is, that's normal for Japan, and whilst I'm sure others agree with me to a certain degree about how we see this sort of thing, we can't do anything about it.

Favouritism is nothing new, much like sexualising girls regardless of their age isn't, but I disagree with it still; I don't like seeing certain Idols overshadowed for the sake of another Idol who the company thinks is better or will generate more money. And with humiliation, it's pretty much the same thing for me. I dislike seeing any Idols, popular or not, used as a tool for the sake of humiliation and to create a reaction from the audience or to up views. It's downright horrible to the Idols involved! Yes, fun and games is fine, we have games that are used to humiliate people here too on TV sometimes like throwing goo on them or something, but humiliation like kicking someone in the face or dragging them across the floor because it's funny to 'punish' the annoying girl is really horrible to watch! I feel sorry for the members of the group who have to go through this just for the sake of trying to be noticed more and to get their group name out there. It's one of the reasons why I don't watch Japanese shows a great deal, actually.

But, like U-15 Idols and favouring the popular girls over the ones who are likable but not as well received by the fans as others, it's all quite common in Japan; I don't like it, but it's something I can't stop either. Still, I really dislike these aspects of the Idol business.

Q: What is your main hobby outside of Idols?

A: It's actually writing, sometimes reading. I really love stories and the written word, it's a great escape when I'm stressed as well, and I've always enjoyed doing both of these things since I was about 6 or 7 years old. I like how an imagination can grow through reading a book and the adventures it basically takes you on, and with writing I like how you can expand your story into whatever you want. Both writing and reading are, if you haven't guessed, really important in my everyday life.

Is it any surprise that my desired profession is to become a writer? Like, a story book writer XD

Q: Which Idol concert do you want to attend the most?

A: No competition, it has to be...

HouPri! I threw in a rhyme there, so I feel clever right now! XD

Seriously though, I do want to attend one of their lives the most. If I had been asked this question a year ago, it would have actually been Morning Musume, and whilst I desire to see them desperately, I have a less likely chance to see HouPri perform live than I do MoMusu in a way, so therefore I am going with HouPri. (I love the group to death too, so that helps)

When I watched their concert DVD, I was overwhelmed by their performance as a viewer. It made my desire to one day see them perform live grow, more than the desire to see Morning Musume in concert actually. I suppose it's because I've invested a lot more time into the group than others in a way, because I'm always finding things out about them and constantly trying to spread the word about this group I adore, but it is also because I actually genuinely enjoyed their performance when I watched it; the girls are fun to watch, like most groups are, but also I really liked how their fans seemed to interact with the songs. I kind of want to be a part of that crowed, and I want to experience the true feeling of a Houkago Princess live!

The following Questions have been submitted by thenumber244 from the number 244:

Q: I'm interested in the differences between fandoms and the ways in which each gender interface and interact with their fandom.

What do you think are the differences in the ways that men and women engage with Male Idols? Female Idols?

A: Okay, this question is difficult, I really think this is my most complicated Question so far. I have a feeling I will get this answer really damn wrong but, whoo, here goes...

It's difficult to express how each fandom engages with either Male or Female Idols, because for one, I am not male, so I can't exactly express how my mind works in that field. Also, despite being a female fan, I don't have the desire for Male Idols like other girls do sometimes, which is quite perplexing in a way because when I do look at Male Idols, the only thing I see them as is eyecandy more than anything, which I admit is a bit degrading, but there we go.

... Well, that's how I view a group like Arashi, at least.

Not to say I don't enjoy their music, because I do, but... yeah. Yummy xD

Back to the question at hand though... I think with women, when it comes to Male Idols, we see them either as men we want to date, or boys we want to become mothers to; our maternal instincts actively kick in, though that does not ring true to all women! It's just what I, as a fan, have experienced. We also like their music and their performances, don't get me wrong, but I do think their looks or how they portray their personalities are about 90% of the reason why we follow them. In groups like Arashi or SMAP, even AAA to a degree, we look for the men we eventually want to date, or the men we desire. With a group like Sexy Zone or DISH///, we probably look for a brother/son type of personality. Basically, these guys are here to fulfill a desire we have... well, that's what it seems like to me.

With female Idols, it's probably a little different; I find as a person, I follow the girls that I think are cute and awkward, someone to cheer on as they try to make their way to the top. Others may have maternal instincts towards certain girls, wanting a daughter like the Idol they support wholeheartedly, whilst some girls aspire to be like these girls, or they want a girl like that as a sister or best friend, maybe a potential lover. In a nutshell, we want someone to look up to, or like I said about male groups, we want someone who can fulfill a desire of a future daughter, sibling or even a wife... you get my drift, I hope!

When it comes to men, this is a tad more difficult for me, because I'm more a third party viewer than anything. From the fans I have interacted with who are male, I think how they view female Idols can go either way; they are either seen as sexy, ideal girlfriends, or they are viewed as potential daughters or even daughter-in-laws. Basically, paternal instinct can kick in, especially with the younger Idols.
 With older male fans, I actually think how energetic a female Idol or a group is becomes a great factor in how much they like them, it's really something that they enjoy greatly I think. Well, this is from the fans I have talked to at least, but there is no denying that appreciation and joy for a young girls ambition and energy is there. I think that's something older male fans probably appreciate more than female fans sometimes, the fact that if a group has energy, they really want to support them. If they're quite young, fine, that just means a few more nut-balls added to the fan radar! So I feel like, with men, they can be attracted to the girls in a way that they want her to be a potential girlfriend, or they look at them and feel like their youth is really energizing and special, something to continue following because they want to support their happiness and energy.

With boy groups, I feel like I can't say much... I know barely anyone, if no one at all, who follows Male Idols that are male fans! I suppose male Idols can be seen as a threat sometimes, given that they cater to teenagers or young adult women a good chunk of the time, but really, I have no clue... I think it could become the same case with women towards female groups, though, seeing the boys in a group as potential brothers or even good friends, maybe even friendly rivals for affection with Idols, who knows? It's difficult though, trying to decipher how male fans feel about male Idols... I may need to talk to some of my friends about it!


Q: In the personal department: tell us about your favorite desserts?

A: When I saw this question I was like '... Okay, do I go savoury or sweet?' because I'm half/half with savoury and sweet foods, I kind of love both! But honestly, I have to answer with...

Froyo!!! Actually, I love most cold desserts like Mint Choc Chip ice cream and also sorbet, but I really do adore Frozen Yoghurt! When I was in Holland, there was a Froyo and Ice Cream store near to my friend Sarah's house where I was staying, so I insisted on going there a lot whilst I was with her. I think she got annoyed with me, because I was always wanting Froyo XD I kinda have an addiction for it, though I can't find it near my own hometown easily... -cries-

Q: If personal wealth and family were a non-issue, where would you like to live? Reasons?

A: Ah, now, here's the clincher; my family is my life, and I don't ever want to leave them (even if that's exactly what I am doing in order to go to University... Oh my xD) but if personal wealth and my family weren't an issue, then I guess I would want to live in...

Well, there we go XD Aye~

Now, I've never been to Canada, nor have I been anywhere else aside from my own country and now Holland, but I've always wanted to go to Canada and live there. I don't know why, but the desire has always been there. That, and I want to see Niagara Falls, too. Also. MAPLE. SYRUP.

'Nuff said (stereotypical tourist, here!)

But honestly, I think I would like the people and culture, but if Canada wasn't in the cards, then probably Holland XD It's so economical and clean in Holland, and the people are nice as well... but given I've barely gone anywhere, I don't think I can properly answer this question yet!

______________________________________

So, this about wraps things up for Vol. 2! I didn't want to go overboard on how many questions were answered once again, because long posts, especially those by me, can become dull! I know I typically do long posts anyway, but I really want to try and distribute everything for a more convenient, easy-to-read format with this Q&A session.

... It's also easier to do it this way as well, actually!

I want to thank everyone who has asked questions so far, it has really made me happy to see that you're all interested in what I have to say! I've also been given difficult questions which really make me think, but I am delighted to answer them for you all. I really hope that I have answered them well enough (or at least the ones I have answered so far).

If you want to send in any Questions, please feel free to do so through the comment section, or via THIS post here, where I originally asked for your Questions to answer.

Thank you very much for reading, and I hope to see you all in the next session, which will be Vol. 3!

Much Love,

Chiima~

Digest Weekly #105

DISCLAIMER:
This Digest may not contain an Idol group that you like, or that you follow. If this post does not contain an Idol group you yourself actively follow, then my deepest apologies, but I cannot follow each and every Idol group on the planet. I am one person, and whilst I do post about groups that I like as well as groups that I barely even follow (read: BABYMETAL) that does not mean I will also actively look for news on the Idols you may follow. If I do not have the resources, I will not be able to post much or anything about them. Please respect this, as I don't have the time to go scouring across the internet for Idols that I know next to nothing about, or that I have little to no resources to. Again, I am ONE person; if I had a team behind me it would be a lot easier, however this is something that I do for me, in my own free time, because I want to. I could just as easily not do this, however I do it because I want to, and I find it fun. Thank you.

DA-DA-LA-LA~ DIGEST, POWER!!! Are you ready to Digest!?

This week, in Digested Idol News... (ew)

Hagiwara Mai solo DVD! FC events! Kikkawa Yuu's sexy PB cover! Delayed single releases, YAAAY! French Kiss return! Graduation announcements courtesy of the 48's! S/mileage Budokan footage! ANDA TAD BIT MORE! Are you ready to DIGEST with ME!?

Me, My Blog & Idols Q&A (Vol. 1)

When I updated my blog with a post regarding the desire to do a Q&A, believe me when I say that I didn't exactly expect anyone to send in questions! I'm the type of person with a negative outlook on how others view me, so I was surprised when, barely within 15 minutes since posting the article, I received two sets of questions! A little later on, I gained a third set of questions to Answer, and then even more after that, and I was really happy and buzzing that I was actually going to do a Q&A! 

My first Question & Answers session, guys! And seriously, they're some amazing Questions! Thank you ;___________________;

I'm really excited actually, I've always wanted to do this sort of thing! I think it was a personal wish of mine when I started blogging, to see if anyone really was interested in what I had to say about... well, whatever you have asked! So I'm really pleased that those who have sent in questions decided to ask me something they had on their mind, whether it was about myself, my own blog or regarding the Idols I talk about.

Now, given that I have more than three sets of questions thanks to my post asking you all to submit anything you may want to ask (you can still ask, by the way! Just Read or comment on the original post or right here!) I have decided to separate the posts a bit so that it doesn't get too long, because I have a few long answers here. That, and I didn't anticipate more than three questions XD

So my blathering over and done with, I will get to the Q&A! Today's Questions have been asked by an Anonymous commenter, Thennary Nak and Shayna. Please enjoy! Well, enjoy as much as you can... XD 

The following Questions have been submitted by Anonymous:

Q: Who's your favourite Idol or Idol group and why?

A: So difficult! This is a pretty tough question for me, because it's a split between Morning Musume '14 and Houkago Princess. So here, two for the price of one!

I don't know what it is about these two groups, but I really do like them. With Morning Musume, it's to do with their music and the girls in general. I didn't really intend to get into them at all when I first started following Idols, but as I watched more of their stage plays like Cinderella and Ribbon no Kishi, I really started to like them and felt like I could follow them more. I then became more invested in their music and videos, and whilst I don't like everything they do musically or visually, I think the group itself is charming and very endearing.

I do like the girls' personalities too, and I actually really like reading interviews that have been translated, mostly Kudo's and Masaki's. The girls have different personalities, and that's interesting to look at. Also, when I watch them perform it's really great because you see how hard they're working; that's a thing I do love about Morning Musume in live performances, that you can see how hard some or all of the girls are working, even if they aren't necessarily singing or dancing that well. It's fun to watch!

Houkago Princess is a group I've been a fan of since the start of their Idol debut, basically. When they came into the public eye in 2011 I just wanted to follow them because they were intriguing. A group that was made up of girls who would 'dress up' for their lives was interesting enough, and even in their awkward stages I really wanted to support them fully. I've had a few ups and downs with them, mostly when they went into major obscurity and only released Limited Venue singles (sad times), but the more I have persevered in learning about them, the more I like and love them, and I think that is what makes me favour them so much; that I have to work for information on them.

That, and their music is great to listen to for my ears. I really like some of their recent stuff, because musically they have grown, and to hear that improvement is wonderful. There! Another reason why I like them! xD

Basically, I like watching HouPri grow. I guess that's what happens when you start liking a group from the get-go, and I feel totally attached to them.

Q: What got you into Idols?

A: Anime. Kirarin Revolution, to be exact xD

I was really into Anime from the age of 13 until I was 16, going on 17, and at the time I found out about Idols I was really into shoujo Anime that included musical numbers like Mermaid Melody or Full Moon wo Sagashite, which eventually lead me to watch Kirarin Revolution. I fell in love with it, especially the lead character Kirari, and decided to investigate her voice actress. Even then, I was heavily into research xD

Well, guess where that lead me?

I became a fan of Kusumi Koharu and basically watched every solo video she was in until I found out that she was a part of MoMusu, and then I watched those videos. Soon me and my sister realised that Buono!, a group who sang for Shugo Chara, were under Hello! Project, which housed MoMusu and Koha, so I started to research the other groups under that umbrella.

... And that is how I got into Idols xD

Q: Why do you even like Idols?

A: That's a damn good question, and I really have no clue how to answer it. But here's to trying!

I like Idols because they make me really happy, basically. I like watching them perform, I like the music and how cheerful or cool it can be, and I like how a different Idol group can contrast to another group so differently. With Idols, it feels like some of the possibilities are endless when it comes to their direction and image.

Aside from bringing great joy though, Idols also bring a lot of hope to fans like me. A singer like Ono Erena has often made me feel like I can do anything if I put my mind to it, whilst someone like Yoshizawa Hitomi encourages me to act the way I want even if it doesn't fit with the image people think I should take on. The way Idols act or look can be powerful, and the messages they send to their fans through the lyrics of songs or how they portray themselves on a show can be very strong, so when I see an Idol who gives off such a strong message, I really want to support them or their group and enjoy them fully.

All that, plus their music is catchy!

Q: Anything about Idol fandom you would like to change?

Note: I don't know if this question is leaning towards the actual fandom we're a part of, or just Idols and what they do to cater towards the fandom. I am answering about the actual fandom and what I would change, however if I've read the Question wrong, feel free to correct me Anonymous. Thank you~
 P.S. I take this sort of Question quite seriously, and I doubt I can say anything here that won't offend someone, even if the offence is unintended.

A: The Idol fandom itself? Well, that's difficult because we're all individuals, and no matter what, we'll fight or disagree on things... that said, I would like to change how people act towards each other. Sometimes, we can be downright rude to another person just because we don't like their opinion or because we think they're too 'jaded' in how they think or feel towards a specific group or Idol. Not everyone is like this, but it's something that is prominent in this sort of fandom.

As you may know, this fandom keeps getting younger, just like the Idols are; there are still plenty of older fans out there, don't get me wrong, but it's hard to deny that the newer fans who are a lot younger are multiplying within the international fandom for Idols and Japanese culture, and this is great, in fact it's fabulous, but it isn't without its own problems. A lot of the younger fans love these groups, to the point where they dislike and even deny negativity from the older fans. This isn't a good thing! We need to be more open at the prospect of criticism, negativity... things like that. Even if what a person says isn't good, we shouldn't forgo their opinion due to a difference in opinions. I've experienced this, and it's annoying, but also very rude as well. We don't have to agree, I just think that as a fandom in general we need to be less ignorant of what others say. We need to start respecting each other and we need to learn that just because we share the same fandom, we don't always share the same mindset towards the things we see; we're entitled to our opinion at the end of the day, so don't try and make a person change their views because they don't think the way you would like them to.

I would also like to try and get people to stop thinking that, just because a person is older and likes Idols, it is wrong; it isn't. Not every fan is a pervert like some people believe they are, and they aren't always looking at Idols in 'that way'. Some are, yes, but so are some younger fans - basically, you'll get a person who does that, but you shouldn't believe all older fans are like that either. It isn't fair on them, to judge why they are following a group who is really young when they themselves are older. That's like bullying them, actually. I've seen a few cases where someone has said 'you shouldn't say that, aren't you old enough to be their parent?' to an older fan who has been around a while, and it's annoying if I'm completely honest with you.

We're fans together, we appreciate and love a group together, and whilst I don't expect us to get along all the time, I do think we should put our prejudices regarding age and gender aside. It's unfair to try and call someone out for something you think is perverted or 'disgusting'. I'm pretty sure that if I did it to someone my age, they would have a bitch and a whine about it, so don't do it to others. We're entitled to speak our minds.

Believe me when I say this Answer went under a lot more revision than I thought it would @.@

The following Questions have been submitted by Thennary Nak of Never Ending Music Power:

Q: If you could manage Sexy Zone what would you do with the group?

A: This obviously stems from the sudden new single controversy a lot of us SZ fans (and JE fans in general, I would like to believe) are facing, what with the two youngest members being pulled out of the release for no good reason. And yes, it does annoy me, as I made clear on Twitter xD

Anyway, if I was a Manager for Sexy Zone, I would probably make distribution in lines and solo shots for PV's a lot more even; I'm one of those fans who is pretty big on decent distribution, and given that neither Sou or Marius are really given a good deal of lines or screen time a good deal of the time, I would want to start with that. I would probably also give Marius and Sou a solo career each, just because I could xD I'm majorly biased towards Marius though, which is the main reason why I would give him a solo career...

And Sou would get one because, honestly, I feel like he has that potential; the real management of SZ seem to not see that, though. Idiots.

Q: As I go through my Morning Musume PV reaction video project on Youtube, what PVs do you think I should be excited to watch? Which ones should I dread?

Oh gosh, this is kind of a difficult Question to answer, mostly because how a person feels about a PV is vastly different from another persons opinion xD Still, I will answer as much as I can...

Personally, I feel like the videos you could be excited to watch are, if you haven't seen them yet, Happy Summer Wedding, Morning Musume no Hyokkori Hyoutan-jimi, Koko ni Iruzee!, Roman My Dear Boy, Naichau Kamo, Kono Chikyuu no Heiwa (etc), Bainstorming... PV's like that, not for the visuals at times, but for the performance aspect too. Like, Happy Summer Wedding and Hyokkori are really fun videos, so I think you would find them enjoyable to watch, same with Koko ni Iruzee!. For videos like Naichau Kamo, Roman My Dear Boy and Brainstorming, I really love the performance aspect for them. Kono Chikyuu is just pretty, so I think you might enjoy how pretty it is...

For videos to (possibly) dread, I can only think of One Two Three, but that's because I'm so against that song and video as a whole XD I find it so cheap and tacky as a video in general, but yeah, I would probably say to dread that one, and maybe Wakuteka Take a chance, only for how cheap those two are. Still, I think you should be excited for all the videos regardless of what I say, because you go in without knowing what my happen, and that's always exciting in my mind!

The following Questions have been submitted by Shayna:

Q: Who is your favorite Idol of all time?

A: This one's a no-brainer for me:

Gaki is magical. Gaki is Divine. Gaki is my Lord and Prince, and as Prince Christopher, I seriously fell in love with her and found someone to basically worship in Morning Musume. I fell for her acting and just how passionate she was as a member of Morning Musume. Seriously, she's my Ultimate Idol, and I will love her forever because she was the reason I continued to follow Morning Musume, the group she loved so dearly. Her love made me want to love the group, and she just brought me great joy.

Also, I want to marry her. She was one of my true girl-crushes... Aside from Koha, of course.

Q: Why do you blog?

A: To vent, rave and basically share my opinion xD Though I never wanted to blog, it just... happened. Most of my blogs that I have ever created were formed out of rage, an opinion I wanted to express angrily through my own words, and this blog was no exception, but continuing the blog was not something I expected... my original reasons for blogging, to rant and hate on things, well that all changed over a period of time. I fell in love with blogging, and it's that love for blogging, the love for the people who read it, my love for the Idols I follow, all these reasons are the things that make me blog now.

That, and I just love writing in general. Still, it's my desire to write, my love for Idols and their music, to share my thoughts and basically to talk to all of you through the written word that makes me blog now. I love sharing things with you, and I just love spilling things out onto these pages. It's fun!

Q: What Idol song do you listen to the most?

A: Koi ING!

When I first got into Morning Musume, I had a few friends in the Dubbing community who all expressed how good this song was, but I never listened to it. When I finally heard it, I wondered why I was so stupid to pass it over xD I love Koi ING so much, it's one of those songs that I listen to when I want to feel a lot of emotions; it makes me happy, sad, feel loved... so many varying emotions in one song. It's passionate and just so beautifully crafted, and thanks to the gorgeous lead vocals, it's really just a tremendous song.

It's my top song, actually. I don't think I could ever get tired of it! I love it so much, I can't even comprehend the love I have for Koi ING!

Q: What non-Idol artists do you like?

A: AAA for Japanese artists, and the group Busted for any acts outside of Asia. I don't actually have 'favourite' acts outside of my interest in Japanese Idols, I basically like what I like. I was like this even as a kid, I was rarely ever fixated on a group like my friends were, with Busted as the only exception in my pre-teen days. I basically just listened to music and enjoyed it, free to listen to whoever the heck I wanted. That said, I did have some kind of love for S Club 7, but they were everywhere when I was a kid, so that was to be expected.

Still, Busted are a group I listen to constantly, despite the fact they disbanded way back when and broke my heart. I still regard them as one of my favourite non-Idol acts though.

This is Busted, for reference to those who care about a boy group from the era that was the early 2000's. They recently reformed (minus Charlie, that dude in the middle) and teamed up with McFly to become the mega-group that is now McBusted, which makes me think of McDonald's burgers. I was highly disappointed when McDiddly's didn't take this chance to create a burger for the sake of money and pawning off of the name McBusted. Shame, really.

Q: If you could create a Hello! Project unit, what would you call it and who would be in it?

A: Oh, the possibilities! What terrible name would I bestow upon these poor girls, and who would I shove in it? There will be no limits!!!

Knowing me, I would make a group based on Belly-Buttons and Ears, because I'm weird like that xD

That said, I would rather like a group made up of the *bigger* girls in Hello! Project (what Japan calls big, mind), and also a group with the bigger voices. Coincidentally, Maasa, Zukki and Risako all fall into either one of those categories, or even both. Surprisingly, I don't like either Risako's or Maasa's singing voices, but they're in here, which shows I'm not being a biased twit XD Zukki was gonna end up in whatever group I formed, however. Just CAUSE!

As for their group name, it's difficult XD Marshmallow and Pocchari Girls have entered my mind as those typical sorts of group names for a group like this, though I wouldn't want that for them because... well, I find it downright rude. And I won't give these girls that name, but I also have no clue what else to call them, so regarding the name of the group, let's just call them the uninspired 3-4-GO! for the time being, kay? Why this sort of weird name? Because Maasa was born on the 3rd of her birth month, Risako the 4th and Zukki the 5th, with GO! obviously meaning 5 in Japanese. Amazingly enough, their birth dates are in the order of their ages, so it works. HURRAH!

I feel like a genius right now! HAHA! I'm useless with group names though

Q: Do you still like AOA? ;)

A: Sadly I don't actually follow them any more, so I can't really say! That said, I actually really still love Get Out and showed it to a few people back when I was in College, because I had a few curious onlookers wondering what I was watching XD Because we were all film students, they found it interesting to see the Film references... that, and a few boys like the girls!

But no, sadly I don't follow them now, though I like Get Out still.

Q: Do you realize just how awesome you are?

A: Because you say it, I have to realise it, don't I? XD Thing is, as you know, I have those times where I feel so down and less-than-awesome, so I don't realise how people feel about me. But if I dare mention that I'm feeling useless or anything like that, I've had some people swoop in to tell me otherwise, and it makes me feel awesome again.

In short; I know I'm awesome because I have amazing, fantastic, spectacular readers who tell me I'm awesome and remind me that I'm loved. I feel blessed to have you guys, and guess what?

YOU'RE AWESOME! Every single one of you!

______________________________________

For Vol. 1, this about wraps it all up in a nice Idol-like bow! I thought that for the first Q&A post, I would keep it down to the first three comments I received (I actually answered them all immediately, because I was still awake and raring to go!) but I will be getting onto the newest comments as soon as I can! Thank you for sending in your Questions, and I hope I answered them well enough! XD

I will see you all in the next Q&A post, which will be Vol. 2!

Much Love and hugs and all that cute stuff!

Chiima~

Because Management like to F*** Things Up... [Sexy Zone Rant Time!]

THIS IS A RANT! ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK! CAST AWAY ALL RATIONALITY, FOR THIS. IS. SPARTA!!!! Thanks~

Fuck you, JE. FUUUUUCK YOU!

Promising start already, I see

Hello everyone. Today, I want you all to meet Sexy Zone, one of the few boy groups that I actually follow and like, possibly even love to a certain degree. They are a rather fun group, very young and energetic and cheesy to a T. Basically, they are all lovable fools who charmed me. I rather like them.

What I don't like is what management does with these five kids. I mean, I know it's commonplace in Idol groups for some members to be left in the dark in favour of others (look at AKB48, Morning Musume, Houkago Princess... you catch my drift) but sometimes, JE management really takes the cake with Sexy Zone. As in, they take it then eat it in front of starving children.

Simply put, they are dicks.

Thing is I can usually forgive shoddy management because I know this is how it generally works in the world of Idols and entertainment, it even happens here sometimes if you have a big enough group; the popular members are the ones they push, after all, and I completely get that. I suck it up and accept it. Well, I can't accept the bullshit that's been pulled this time, because, for fucks sake, Management have really fucking done it now.

For the groups up-coming single, Marius Yo and Matsushima Sou will not be a part of the lineup.

They have not graduated. No, they are simply 'sitting this one out', and the three Leading Ladies, the ones Management care about basically, because some stupid twit thinks it will help the group in a way. Something idiotic like that, I suspect.

And yes, I am fucking pissed. I mean, why the fuckity fuck would you DO this?

Do you know how much it fucking KILLED ME to edit this image? I almost cried, but apparently this is a fucking accurate image for JE's management; this is what they want, those fuck wits.

Okay, we know I like SZ. We know I see Marius as my son for some reason, and that I just genuinely like this group despite all the shit about it that could make me hate it, most of that shit being the Management basically treating Sou and Marius as the Damsels in Distress who can't do anything except be saved by the Big Three. I'm not the biggest fan of them, but I am a fan no matter what, so I am rather annoyed by what is happening here. In fact, even a few none-fans of the group are probably shocked by this sudden turn of events, it's so... stupid.

It honestly makes me wish that Marius and Sou would just leave the group, because they don't deserve the crap they get in Sexy Zone. Yes, favour certain members over others, that's nothing new, but don't just take the members you don't care about out because it will make for some giggles on your behalf. Don't you realise that we, the fans, even the fans who don't always buy the singles me are not going to let this fucking fly?

WE DON'T LIKE THIS SHIT, YO.

It's crap like this that makes me want to boycott SZ, and believe me, there have been many other times I felt like boycotting the group because of the Damsel in Distress treatment Marius and Sou have gone through beforehand, but fuck, I really want to boycott them this time. In fact, I mentioned on Twitter that this treatment of Sexy Zone's two toddlers makes me want to boycott the whole of JE in general, though I won't do that; I'm mad but I'm not that bitchy to do that. Arashi or Kiss-My-Feet don't deserve that, even if I don't follow them that much. Still.

FUCK YOU, JE MANAGEMENT!!!

Obviously I'm hell-bent on hating people right now, more specifically some witch named Iijima who is apparently behind this, but really... why do this to two boys who are barely featured anyway unless it's backstage or in a drama? Marius and Sou don't deserve this!

I love Sexy Zone, but stuff like this... well, it makes me want to boycott them because I feel like I'm just in a constant spiral of PAIN! And yeah, I'm not the only one. I've just finished up reading Airi's own rant on Genki Pika Pika!, which pretty much mirrors my feels on the whole debacle with SZ right now... so I'm not the only one, gladly. And as Airi mentioned in her post, I've talked about it on Facebook, and a girly rant was conducted with many annoyed Fangirls... okay, three annoyed fangirls, BUT STILL!!!!

Okay, I'm done. I'm going to eat some cheese and relax, or something. I just need... to keep away from Sexy Zone for a while.

But yeah, ripping my hair out here, blowing up like a Volcano as I do so.

CHIIMA OUT! -swoops away-

Me, My Blog & I(dols) Q&A - Send in Your Questions!

I have thought about this for a while, and eventually went to Twitter to ask about it, and I would like to do a Questions & Answers type post.

Basically, you ask me Questions, I answer them. And it can pretty much be about whatever you want, whatever makes you curious about Okay! Musume Time, myself or my thoughts on Idols. Y'know, stuff like that... so long as it doesn't go into anything personal like my address, measurements, blood type so you can clone me... anything, aside from what I stated really (haha!).

I will answer the questions here on my blog, so feel free to ask away! I have no clue if people will even ask me anything, but all I can do is try and see if this peaks interest, right? RIGHT!!!

I have a few ways you can contact me, such as via This Blog through the comments section at the end (where you can keep anonymity), or even my e-mail address (kmmatt92@hotmail.co.uk) and, if you know of my official Blog Facebook page, you can try and send a message or a comment there if you wish (Found HERE).

So, all that needs to be done now is for someone to ask away! Really though, I doubt anyone's intrigued by this sort of thing, but... ya never know!

I will patiently wait for a few questions, or none at all! Until the next post though, toodle pip!

Chiima~

Digest Weekly #104

DISCLAIMER:
This Digest may not contain an Idol group that you like, or that you follow. If this post does not contain an Idol group you yourself actively follow, then my deepest apologies, but I cannot follow each and every Idol group on the planet. I am one person, and whilst I do post about groups that I like as well as groups that I barely even follow (read: BABYMETAL) that does not mean I will also actively look for news on the Idols you may follow. If I do not have the resources, I will not be able to post much or anything about them. Please respect this, as I don't have the time to go scouring across the internet for Idols that I know next to nothing about, or that I have little to no resources to. Again, I am ONE person; if I had a team behind me it would be a lot easier, however this is something that I do for me, in my own free time, because I want to. I could just as easily not do this, however I do it because I want to, and I find it fun. Thank you.

Da-da-da DIGEST! Are you ready for this weeks dose of news?

This week, in the world of Idols and News...

Morning Musume '14's and Country Musume's 2nd rounds of auditions have FINALLY ENDED! HURRAH! S/mileage are annoyed, but why!? Koharu to appear in a drama with Johnny's WEST members, huh? Bye Bye Bye to an SKE member, and another NMB girl bites the dust! MomoClo to be the opening act for Lady Gaga! Hashimoto Kana to appear in a Drama with some JE boys! Which popular game series is having an inspired film? AND MORE! ARE YOU READY TO DIGEST!!!!

The Bouncey, Energetic, Happy and Fun Houkago Princess One-Man Live Experience! 'Houkago Princess @Shibuya O-EAST Live' DVD Review!

All opinions within this post are strictly my own. If you do not like what I like, then you don't have to read it. If you dislike my writing, but want to read it to fuel your anger towards me, feel free to read then! Just don't post unnecessary hate to my blog because you feel like I should think the way you want me to. Kay, thanks, bye.

Random Note: I don't typically do DVD reviews, probably because I barely buy DVD's, so if this is a bit bleeeh/bad, my apologies, it's because this is actually a first for me XD Thanks!

PS: This is gonna be a long-ass post, so grab some coffee, tea or whatever it is you drink and probably a cupcake. Heck, start making dinner, this may take some time.

A while ago, back in May actually, I received a package from Japan that contained something I had really really wanted the moment I knew it was available. Now it wasn't the easiest to get, considering it was only available in Japan and probably purchasable at venues, so I did have the help of a third-party person to get this, and boy, I do not regret buying this one bit!

If you haven't guessed yet, which you may have given the title of the post and all that jazz, I purchased the Houkago Princess LIVE @Shibuya O-EAST, performed on February 18th of this year! And yes, I am really happy to have it and excited to share this post with you because, as everyone and their figurative and/or real cat knows, I just LOVE Houkago Princess! I'm obsessed, actually, but whatever!

I actually have the lovely Nozomi to thank for this, because without her I wouldn't have been able to purchase this item! It was on Yahoo Japan, and I wanted it pretty badly, so when my friend suggested Nozomi as a potential third party to buy and send this to me, I talked to her a bit and got to know her, and she happily accepted to help me with my bid for an item I so dearly wanted! Talking to her and buying the item was quick and easy, she is very efficient and swift, so I was really happy! The package arrived safely and quickly too, and she even put in a little note which made me smile and feel so fortunate! Also, she speaks beautiful English, so speaking to her through Facebook was easy as well. To say I recommend Nozomi is an understatement, because it truly was a pleasure doing business with her!

With that said, today I will be taking a look at the very first DVD release for my beloved Houkago Princess, sharing with you my thoughts and feelings, and of course, screen captions! Are you ready to fangirl with me? No? Well buckle your seat-belts, cos I don't care! OFF WE GO, ON THE HOUPRI TRAIN! CHOO CHOO!!!!

The concert starts with your typical opening VTR, introducing the members who are performing on the day. Now, given this is HouPri, an indies group who are still getting their name out there, the VTR isn't that great, so don't expect anything like AKB48 or Hello! Project's standards of editing for the members. Actually, wait. The VTR is probably better than what H!P's are, because I've seen the chunks of shoe missing on some of their VTR's. At least the HouPri staff had the decency not to cut up the images to a stupid CGI background. So er, yeah... their imagery is probably better than H!P's is right now... weirdly enough o-O

Anyways... the concert opener is was the current newest song at the time, Atsu wa Natsui, which was their summer song that they released back in November. Makes sense, I know. Still, this was a pretty damn strong opening song thanks to those opening guitar rifts it has that sound oh-so delightful! That, and it actually sounds a lot better in concert than it does as a studio recording because there is a lot more energy and cheering going on thanks to the fans as well as the girls themselves, giving it their all. Also, it's really jumpy, so that just adds to the excitement of it all.

Always in need of some jumpin' when it comes to our Idols! Also, those costumes are so freakin' cute it may just be a little bit criminal.

When I first watched this concert, I actually thought that this was the perfect starter song not just because of how fun it is, but because of how it seems to bring both the crowd and HouPri together; both the energy and the chants from both parties just brought everything together perfectly, and the song truly came to life. It's an amazing concert song, so to use it as a starter for the entire set-list was the best thing to do because it really got the crowd pumped and set the girls' adrenaline pumping too, I bet! I just loved it, and even now I get really excited when I listen to this song mixed with the chants and cheers of the crowd. It's just wonderful!

Once the wonder that was Atsu wa Natsui finished up, the girls introduced themselves to the crowd, starting with the adorable Sahochi!

Saho is a cutie pie, and I really fell in love with her catchphrase, which goes a little like this; "Over there? Here? Which one? -crowd and members cry- Sahochi!" so it's a bit of a shame that she doesn't really get much spotlight in the concert, or any solo lines, due to the fact that she was, and still is, a Cadet, which pretty much equals her to a background dancer and nothing more. Again, a real shame, because she looks too cute to be true!

Next up was Marina, or Marichu, another Cadet at the time and the cry-baby chairman of the bunch. She's adorable, with lovely big ears and a sweet face that just crinkles up whenever she smiles! Seriously, she's adorable, and her introduction was filled with energy, even if I have no clue what the heck she is saying! She speaks quite fast too, so I guess that caters to her energy!

Sadly, once again Marichu is another case of a member barely being seen or heard, due to the fact that her status puts her in the back, keeping her solely as backing vocals and a backing dancer. BOO!!!!!

Part of the Sanki (3rd) generation, Miran! She's one of the girls who impressed me to no end here, simply because she has a bundle of energy and a derpy smile to boot in this concert! She's just infectiously happy, she makes me smile, and I just really like her. Though she isn't a prominent focus in vocals (though more-so than most), she seems to be a bit of a focus in dancing here, which pleases me greatly. She's eye-catching, that's for sure, and a delight to watch in this concert!

Part 2 of the Sanki generation, it's Miho-tan! Soft-spoken and just plain adorable, she's a sweetie pie. I really don't have much to say about Miho-tan other than she's just rather cute and fun to watch in the concert, but she didn't stand out either like other girls did. Still, a cute girl, just a bit too demure for my tastes!

Centre President, Nananyan! The leader of HouPri and probably the most popular member for good reasons, she takes most of the solo lines in songs, sometimes all the solo lines if the song only has one solo in it. She's rather prominent in the concert, though it's obvious why; this one-man live was filmed on her birthday, February 18th, so of course she would take the focus in certain songs! Okay, so she generally takes on the focus in most songs, but she is the longest-serving member of the group currently (if you include Miyashita Mayuka's graduation and then sudden re-emergence in the group) and their leader, so I don't blame them for focusing on her a lot. That said, I like Nananyan, she's a fun girl and she owns her solo lines, always smiling and looking adorable as she does what she does best: being an Idol!

Okay, my cutie-patootie is coming up, and that is Saorin! Ah, Saorin, you genki little thing! I seriously love you in this, and not just because you sometimes look like a really happy granny, but because you're a ball of mad energy and happiness and all things cute! You are just... ahhh! I love Saorin, she's wonderful in this. Watching the concert, she was one of the few girls aside from Rin and Miran to really catch my eye and keep a watch on her, because she is simply one giant ball of happiness and sugar! Seriously, I think this girl took a bag of sugar and doused herself in it before walking on stage, because she is just nuts with her jumping sometimes! If there is any contender for happiness and energy here, it's this girl here! She's a sack of cuteness and buzz, I swear! Also, it makes me happy that, despite not singing a whole lot of solo lines, she does seem to announce quite a bit, so her cute voice is heard in a way! WHOOPEE!!!

2.5 Dimensional Chairman, Mayukyandi! She's a damn cutie, and whilst she looks a little dead-eyed and soulless a good deal of the time, I can look past that because she is just adorable! Much like Miho-tan, I'm not crazy on her in the concert, but she does have a solo song and takes on a few important duo lines with Nananyan, so she does have some focus in the concert and a bit more of a prominent role, and she takes on her role well! She's a good performer, but again, not someone I focused on really.

Finally, it's Rin! Recently graduated now, this was the last concert Rin performed in before suspending her activities in order to focus on acting, I believe, so there is actually a lot of focus on Rin during this performance, which pleased me a lot, but also saddened me a great deal because, damnit, I realised just how much I loved Rin! She's a fantastic performer, the best of the bunch actually, so it's a shame she left. Still, at least she had a pretty big role here, with some solo lines and centre positions too! So her last hurrah was a good one, at least, and it was not in vain! YATTA!

So, now that the introductions are all over and done with, it's time for the next song! MUSICU STARTO!

Watashi no migite anata no Hidarite ~Gyutteshitai~ is the second song to officially get this party started, and who better to centre the dance of the song in the beginning than my own personal bundle of happiness and joy, Saorin? Seriously, she just looks so damn happy doing this, and I can't blame her; it's a cute song! It's jumpy, energetic and sweet as sugar... kind of like Saorin, actually! So yeah, perfect person to start off the dance, really!

Okay, so admittedly this isn't exactly a chant-driven song like Atsu wa Natsui is, and it wasn't as good as what the concert opener was, but it still delivers energy and a bit of bounce and it did liven the crowd up some more, but it wasn't my favourite performance of the whole DVD at all. Still, I enjoyed it immensely regardless because of how cute and fun it seemed. I find myself singing along to it a lot too, though that's true for most of the songs on this DVD, so yeah... cute song, but it's not the best performance on here!

DERP <3

One of many screenshots you will see of the lovely Yamaguchi Miran!

Still, I do love the amount of cute screenshots Watashi no migite anata no Hidarite ~Gyutteshitai~ provided me!

Okay, so this is a completely new song, one I didn't know existed, though that can be said for a good majority of the HouPri songs I suppose; not a lot of their discography is released to the public, like Housoubu Please or even Kojiki Shika!, two songs that were solely limited venue-only releases, and some of their known songs like CHOU Happy Birthday have never even made it onto a CD yet, so when I heard this song for the first time, I wasn't surprised to hear it, but I do wish it was on a CD as well. Why? Well, it's freaking good, that's why!

Smile×3 ~egao zutto sai ta mama de~ is a song I really hope is on the groups new single, because I do like it. I know it may be music to my ears and everyone else may just hate it, but seriously, I like it a lot. It's energetic, fun, memorable and catchy and just a really great tune! The opening is pretty good and promises a fun song, and it delivers in my opinion. Yes, I think that about most HouPri songs, but I still think it's a song that delivers well, especially to the crowd.

I especially love the chorus of Smile×3 ~egao zutto sai ta mama de~. It's bouncy and, combined with the clapping and cheering of the crowd, it sounds so happy and enjoyable! Also, given the title of the song, it should be no surprise to anyone that it does actually bring a smile to my face when I listen to it!

Because Rin-sama is just so beautiful, especially when she sings with passion and warmth! Also, she has a solo line in this song, and I just squeed when I heard her voice! Definitely the best singer of the lot here!

Miran, don't eat the microphone! We need that for future performances!

Miran: "Om nom nom..." -points finger to Chiima and shoots her-

It's a great song, a strong one at that, and I am glad it was added to the DVD. (because some songs weren't, believe me, the bonus DVD proved that XD) I just kinda wish that this new song, one that I had never heard before until I watched this concert performance, was on a CD for me to enjoy in the studio version! Oh well, for now I will relish in the beauty of its concert performance until it's released... eventually!

Okay, so the next performance is probably one of my favourite performances in the setlist, simply because Rin. Rin, Rin, Rin. Where would I be without you here, aye? Not just Rin, either, but also Miran and Nana and also PURE HEART being the song. Basically, everything about this song rocks in my opinion. Then again, I do have a deep, mysterious love for PURE HEART that I can not really explain, it's just that deep and mysterious. My Pure Heart loves it. YUR!!!

Okay, So PURE HEART is actually one of my favourite HouPri songs from their early days, period. It was originally one of the few songs I refused to listen to because, at first, I didn't get it. I didn't get why it sounded the way it did, I didn't get my feelings for it. Then I listened to it about a year or two later, and I realised I was wrong to judge it. So wrong. Oh Gosh, I was stupid. It's a song that, like much of HouPri's discography, seems to have two beats to it; something cool and a bit mature, and then suddenly its cute and a little more upbeat than it was supposed to be. Thing is, that's what's good about it, and seeing it performed live by Rin, an amazing freakin' singer for an Idol, Nana, who has so much charisma and sweetness, and Miran, who actually centres the song dance wise and adds a bit of rawness to PURE HEART with her vocals, is wonderful! I loved these three together, they made the song with their varying tones in voice and it just worked so well!

If y'all haven't guessed yet, I'm in love with this song, this performance... EVERYTHING! How they do it without Rin now is beyond me, because damn, she cannot be replaced! Unless Maika has replaced her, then I kinda accept that.

Definitely one of my top performances from the entire concert here, simply because it combines three different vocals, and just because I love the song too. Also, Miran as a centre focus is great! It makes up for her lack of solo lines in this song, which Rin and Nana did dominate, because she brought this sense of roughness to the dance. And yes, I am saying she is less graceful than the other girls are when it comes to dancing, but that's what makes Miran work with HouPri! We need someone who's a little bit less dainty!

Okay. Here we go. The Squeaky-Lolita song, Auau→Kyururun! This was one of my favourite songs from the Samu wa Fuyui single, and a song where I actually know a good chunk of the lyrics actually, I know quite a few lyrics to most HouPri songs >o< BRAG TIME because it is so. God. Damn. CATCHY! It's also filled with sugar and rainbows and Unicorns, just like Mayukyandi, who sings the song! Have I failed to mention that this is her solo song? I have failed to do just that? Well, guess what? This is the only solo song in the entire set-list, so there we go!

To say this song is adorable is an understatement, because it's just so sweet! Okay, so Mayuka isn't the best singer in the world, but hey, at least she sounds the same live as she does on her recording, albeit a little more out of breath due to bouncing around a bit on stage, and her pitch is pretty good, so she gets many points for that in my eyes. Also, she's just too lovely! I loved the costume she came out in and the energy she delivered! Not the most energetic performance, granted, but she was a joy to watch and I was happy to finally see a full live demonstration of this song and actually hear that Mayuka sounds that way in real life when singing.

... Actually, she kinda sounds that way even when speaking, so there we go! She's just this squeaky, cute little ball of high-pitched adorableness!

All that said, the only disappointment for this performance of Auau→Kyururun was the lack of dancing in it. It was more like bounce-shuffle-bounce. Then again, I did make up an entire dance in my head for this song when listening to the CD track, so I was pretty much setting myself up for nothing but sadness and dashed hopes. Oh well, c'est la vie, as they say! ONTO THE NEXT PERFORMANCE, MAESTRO!

Oh gosh, Sanki Very Much. I use this song as a reference with my Idol friends when I want to be funny/punny, only to realise they have no clue what I'm on about. Damn it! Anyway, aside from using this song as a pun/reference, it is also another one of my favourite songs from HouPri's discography, and one of those songs that was never released publicly, only as a limited venue release with the Housoubu Please single, which is annoying. I mean, come one! This is a fantastic song, so why keep it from us!? It's great!

As you may guess from the title, Sanki Very Much is a generation song for the, drum roll please... Third generation! Originally it was written to introduce the seven members of that generation, though now only three (Sakuragi Nene is on hiatus) currently remain, so of course the song is sung by the only two members of said generation performing, Miho-tan and Miran! And boy, is it a fun performance! It's super cute, the dance is very energetic and fits to the beat of the song wonderfully, and I really love the costumes! It seems to combine the girlyness of Miho-tan with the boyish feel of Miran thanks to the wrist bands, trainers and the sports socks. It just combines these two together well, and they pull it off!

I just love the crowd in this song too, I really do think that one of the great things about this concert is how the crowd interacts with the songs and really brings them to life through the use of clapping, chants and cheers. I swear, the crowd for this performance were so invested, and that is one of the strong points of this entire DVD, in my opinion; despite the fact that this is a smaller crowd than what H!P, AKB or Perfume have, I feel like the crowd truly does participate, and it brings the more upbeat, chant-driven songs lik Sanki Very Much to life. Add in the energetic loudness that is Miran, and you have one upbeat song that is so fun and jumpy, you just want to join in!

And yes, on a few occassions, I have kind of joined in. Sadly bouncing around my room is not classed as dancing XD

Also, the faces Miran pulls here! I absolutely love how cheerful she looks, and then cute and a bit derpy the next. She is love!

And a bit of Miho-tan, because yes, we are lacking in Miho-tan in here!

Another one of my favourite performances, and one of my favourite songs from the HouPri discography in general, Sanki Very Much is just amazing in my eyes and to my ears! It's at the top there with PURE HEART, probably in a tie with that performance actually, because it's just so full of spirit and love! The smiles on the girls is amazing, the dance is fun to watch (aside from a few awkward arm movements, like making boxes?) and the crowd participation is great, too! It's just a well-done song, and one I adore! I am so glad this performance was included in the DVD, you have no idea!

Okay, so after one great performance, there comes... another great performance? Oh, yeah, baby! It's time for some Itoshikute Balloon, which can only mean one thing; Another generation song! WHOOP WHOOP!

Rin: "Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more..."

Saorin: "Yadda, Yadda, Yadda!!!"

Itoshikute Balloon is the 4th generation's song, hence the use of the character ４ in the Japanese Kanji for the song. This is another favourite of mine from the Samu wa Fuyui single that was released last November, mostly because it is one of the best-produced songs this group has released, period, and also because it sounds like the song has come from a really cool anime opening title. Basically it's just all forms of awesome, and it combines one of the best voices of the 4th generation, one miss Hayamizu Rin, with the cutest sagging brow chariman around, my darling Kizuki Saori! So yeah, I'm pretty stoked for this performance!

Rin: "Bye bye, HouPri fans. I'm off to the Theatre!"

Okay, so this isn't one of the strongest performances vocals wise because, hey, it includes Saori and she is all squeak, no pitch control, though Rin makes up for what Saori lacks in the vocals department. In fact, when the song first started to play and the girls started singing, Saorin did sound pretty rough, but she got better as the song went on and became cuter as a result, which was a good thing for my ears. Dance wise, however, this is a pretty good performance; there's a lot going on in the dance in regards to actually moving around, and not bouncing their way through the song, though bouncing does occur. I feel like this song has a few more complex dance movements for Houkago Princesses standards as opposed to their other songs, but I put that down to this being a cooler, more mature sounding number, and the dance does work with it. That said, it isn't the most intricate or complicated dance I have ever seen, I suppose it's fairly simple actually, but for HouPri it looks rather cool to watch.

Enough of the dance though, let's just say something regarding an important factor in this performance number:

Them Costumes.

Okay, so they raided Hard Gay's wardrobe. I swear, most Idols have been doing that a lot lately, mostly Miyabi and Airi, but really, those costumes are nice and, this surprised me when I first saw what they were wearing, rather sexy. Not that HouPri can't be sexy, I'm just saying I've never really seen them wear something that included stockings. I'm used to cuteness and fluff, if anything, so to see them wearing something that was mature in how it looks was different, but rather welcoming. In fact, I love these costumes! They're probably my favourite outfits of the whole set, actually, because they're gorgeous!

Okay, so maybe you think 'sexy clothes' are a little more revealing, but honestly, I find the entire look of Itoshikute Balloon's outfit design rather alluring on both Rin and Saori, especially those gloves and the stockings they wear. They look good, it suits them, and it's pretty damn nice to look at these to Princesses in something less cutesy and a little more ooh-la-la!

So yeah, another brilliant performance, one with some of the best costumes designed for the group. Luckily this is't the last we have seen of the costumes because, with Saorin being the last 4th generation member standing, the song will now be performed as a group song, and all of the members who are Cadets or Regular members get to wear this gorgeous outfit, so it's a win win here!

God damn, Saorin in this stockings, Rin in that hat! Nom!

A rare Nananyan shot appears, quick! CATCH IT!!!

Okay, irony song incoming. Why irony? Because it's Sotsugyoushiki, and even though this concert is a sort-of send off for Rin, she was only on suspension before she graduated, so to sing this graduation song at what was her final performance... well, that's irony in my eyes, and yes, it does make me sad when I watch this certain performance and realise that Rin sang in this, with solo's and all, and it was pretty much her graduation song.

Let the feels flow ;______;

By the way, I feel obligated to mention just how pretty Miran looks in this. Dat hair!

God damn, she is purty!

Also, look! Marina in the background! Hi, Marichu!!!

It's a beautiful performance of Stosugyoushiki, actually, I really liked how it was done. The few dance moves that were included fit with the pace and tone of the song, the atmosphere was quite pleasant and the girls all sounded pretty good. It wasn't one of my favourite performances, but it was a performance that I enjoyed watching due to how sentimental it felt. Then again, I guess that's down mostly to the sound of the song more than anything.

Also, this was one of the few times where I caught a solo shot, a real-life solo shot, of the elusive Michishige Saho! Seriously, the amount of times I tried getting a Close-up of the girl was many, and it is a very difficult feat to achieve, but hey! I got one! Finally!

This was a sweet performance, one which showcased how good Rin's vocals are thanks to the softness of the song, but it's a sad performance when I watch it because I remember that Rin is now gone, her vocal talent no longer a part of HouPri, her loveliness now a part of the theater... in a way, it's a bittersweet performance to watch because it's something I do watch and enjoy, but a song that reminds me that Rin is no longer a part of this group. Sad times, my friends, sad times ;________;

Okay, no time to mope, because HouPri's group anthem is starting! Yes, that's right, Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~ is here! My God, has it really been 3 years or so since the debut of this group, with this very song as their first single? Man! I remember when they debuted, the group was a bunch of awkward-looking girls with no rhythm or vocal talent to speak of, and terrible make-up to boot! Okay, so Nananyan is still a tad awkward, but the group has come a long way! I mean, watching this performance of the song proves just how far they've come along in the past three years!

Two of my favourite stand-out girls, together! Rin smiles <3 ;w; -pats tears with handkerchief-

For one, the dance has improved. Like, it's improved for the better. Remember the awkward shuffles and half-assed hand movements the girls had in the PV? Well, there's more jumping, something HouPri does well right now it seems, and the dance moves have become more refined and better executed. I suppose they fired their original choreographer, because I doubt the person who taught them how to shuffle-step in the original ~Oshiete Kudasai~ taught them this energetic bundle of jumping and leg-kicking! It's a step-up, and I really like it. Finally, this song has been brought to life, and the girls actually seem to be enjoying it! Woohoo for upgrades!

I think that, with the upgraded dance and the excessive bouncing, this song actually sounds a lot more lively than what it used to; it feels like the energy is real here, as opposed to forced or fake, and I feel like the girls have truly become invested in the song rather than simply singing it because it's their groups debut song, a song that was meant to define them during their debut into the Japanese entertainment industry. Whilst it was weak and lacking in 2011, now it feels like the girls have truly brought the song to life thanks to the improvement in the choreography and their energy during performances. I really like how it sounds now, I love the way the dance looks, and above all I enjoy the energy the girls bring to the performance and how much they seem to enjoy it. If you were disappointed with the groups original debut PV, then I actually suggest you watch the performance of Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~ from this concert to see if it sways your view on the song at all, because it did change my opinion about it, even if that PV was originally the reason why I wanted to start following the group.

I loved old HouPri, but damn, they sure have improved, and I am glad! They were an awkward mess, and now they are an energetic ball of happiness! Delightful!

Captain Miran, reporting for duty!

Okay, Housoubu Please, another one of those pesky songs that never made it to the public stands! What a shame too, because I really like this song, even if it's generic and one of the weaker songs. I personally find it fun and catchy, but that's just me. What irks me, however, is that this is currently the only A-side song to never have a PV released for it. WHHHY? I love it, in all its generic glory!

Ah, well, at least I have a performance to cater to those needs of visual glory now, right? RIGHT!!!

Once again this performance includes a lot of bouncing, especially from Saori, because yes, it is yet another energetic song that requires sugar and happiness galore! And can you blame the girls for doing it? I can't! I actually rather enjoy seeing the group this energetic, given how unenthusiastic they were during their debut and all. It's so nice to see them acting all lively! So yeah, right now I am enjoying just how genki everyone is and absolutely loving the bouncing around like lunatics!

Also, this is probably one of my favourite solo's from Nana in this entire concert. She nailed this solo line in Housoubu Please!

Okay, so I know I say this about pretty much all the performances on here, but honestly, it is fun to watch purely due to the energy exuded and how much fun the girls seem to be having! I liked this performance, even if it wasn't a winner like PURE HEART, Sanki Very much and Itoshikute Balloon were, but it was still a ball of fun to watch! The girls were gems in it, and this song is just enjoyable to listen to in general, so add the performance experience to a song I already like, plus the chanting crowd, and you have a winning combination of ingredients here!

Okay, so after lots of bouncing around (I swear, that is one of the key phrases of this entire post!) there is a bit of an MC break, though I'm pretty sure there were more than about three MC's throughout the entire concert if it hadn't been edited down to an hours worth of footage, but this one focuses on Hayamizu Rin and the fact that this was her last concert before her suspension came into effect. Also, through this MC, I learned that the members have colours! Turns out, Rin's is was yellow. I know Miran's is red, Saho's is light blue thanks to what Twitter tells me, and I have a feeling Miho-tan's is dark blue. The rest? No clue!

Anyway, now that Rin has her flowers, it's time for some more singing, jumping around and yelling at the crowd! Basically, what HouPri do best!

So this is one of HouPri's main chant songs, and it's Kojiki Shika!, which was written as a cheer song for a wrestler the group supported back in 2012. Another venue-only song, which is actually getting released on CD with their new single in August, (I'm full of plugs today!) Rin takes centre position for this song and, of course, the hall fills with penlights in the colour yellow! And yes, I find that sweet, though I know it's rather common for all Wota to tote more than one colour penlight to support various Idols, but still! It's also nice to see the hall filled with a different colour other than red, you know?

Anyway, Kojiki Shika! is a really good song to sing for a concert, mostly because it's the sort of song that really brings the crowd and the group together through the use of chants and fist pumps. That, and it's energetic but also a really cool, mature sound that's different to what we usually hear from HouPri, which is typically cute and sweet. It's more of a soft-rock song, though once the chants die down from the intervals, it becomes a rather cute, upbeat song... and yet, it's still fun to listen to! At first I really could not get my head around how it changed drastically from a soft-rock chant song to this really cute, rather upbeat sound that didn't fit with the tone. Well, I'm used to it now, and I find it endearing and it seems to fit quite well, despite how much the sounds seem to contrast with each other.

No matter what though, it's a good chant song, a real crowd pleaser if anything, and it gives the girls a chance to run around the stage and wave to the fans, which they do in the concert, much to my delight! Also, I'm rather happy that Miran is the crowd leader here; she may not be the best singer, but she does seem to do well at getting the crowd going!

Awww yeah, look at those hands!

Also, when fans just jump up or stand on each others shoulders; I love it! Just some random guy waving his arms and then suddenly, he's gone again! I don't know why but it seems to amuse me quite a bit.

I do love Saorin, even when she seems to be sweating buckets! Either way, she looks happy! Cheerful Saorin! <3

Okay, so we're done with Kojiki Shika!, meaning it's time to grab our towels, wipe off our sweat... no, wait, swing them around? AWWW, YEAH! It's a towel swinging song, meaning that we're going back to a classic oldie, Ichigo Ichie, which is actually from the groups first single and one of the better tracks on the disc. This is a really fun song actually, one of those songs that you sort of cheer to as you sing along. It's pretty infectious actually, really fun and, whilst not the most energetic of HouPri's track list, one of those songs that you can't help but sing along to and chant during certain parts.

It helps that the crowd is chanting here too, so of course, I chant as well. It makes me feel like I'm a part of it all, really!

I actually want one of those towels, because y'know, I'm obsessed with this group and a towel would totally complete me!

To be honest, whilst this isn't the strongest performance on this DVD, in fact its the one I like the least despite the fact that I enjoy the song, I do enjoy Saorin in this because she is damn hyper! That girl is on fire in the energy department, constantly jumping around and screaming down her microphone like a little chipmunk, pumping up the crowd and delivering spirit for the song. I really loved just listening to her screech 'HAI HAI HAI' to the crowd whilst everyone else sang. I mean, that's weird to like something like that about a performance, but her crazy cheerful spark is rubbing off on me here and making a better impression than the song itself.

Weird, I know, but it's Saorin, and I love her so there we go!

And thus, Ichigo Ichie comes to an end, which ultimately means that the group has ended their run for the concert! So with a few bows, curtseys and goodbyes, it seems that we have finally completed our run of HouPri for the day.

... Or have we? Of course not! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I tricked you all into false security, HAH!

Okay, so it's not really the end as you know, because obviously there's an encore, or a Nyancore in Houkago Princess terms... well, Nananyan terms, given it is her Birthday and all. So, out they come again wearin Nananyan Birthday shirts, and what better song to sing in a Birthday shirt than Happy Birthday?

Actually, CHOU Happy Birthday! WOOHOO, FINALLY!!!

CHOU Happy Birthday, one of those songs that really needs a CD release (because it actually has yet to have one) is the designated Birthday song of HouPri and, obviously, a Nananyan lead because it's her Birthday. Amazingly enough, Saorin gets a bit of a lead in this as she has the Omedetou solo lines to sing, with everyone else as the chorus. I was really surprised by that and extremely pleased because, in all her squeaky glory, Saorin! I love her! So yeah, of course I'm happy, though it would have been nice to see Sahochi or Marichu have a go at even a five syllable solo line, but still! SAORIN!!!

The dance for this song actually hasn't changed much from the original dance in the PV, if at all, though it looks less crowded here. It's rather cute and simplistic in execution and, once again, stupidly bouncy! How these girls actually manage to catch any breath throughout this entire concert is beyond me, let alone sing, they bounce so much! Well whatever, it makes everything look more energetic, doesn't it, and who doesn't like energy?

It's a fun performance, like every other performance on this DVD clearly (I repeat myself too much) and I love that they left CHOU Happy Birthday to the near-end of the set-list to celebrate Nananyan, rather than hold it in the middle or beginning of the concert. It's a fitting way of ending the concert if you ask me, to celebrate the birthday girl and allow everyone to join in and remember that they are not just holding a concert, but also participating in a Birthday event, too. It's quite sweet, actually.

I do love this song, and I love that they performed it at the concert in celebration of Nana's 24th birthday. I feel like it completed the concert.

But wait! The concert isn't complete yet, what about the last song? What will the group sing for the grand Finale!? Well, there's only one song, and it's gotta be...

STREAMERS!!!!!!!!! HAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

Okay, not streamers, but it's Juliet ~Kimi wo Suki na 100 no Riyuu~, and this song is pretty damn popular for the group, given it reached #1 on the Indies Oricon chart last year when they re-released it. And yeah, I love the song. I also love the dance to this song.

I also loved that STREAMERS HAPPENED for this song. Holy crap, you don't know how excited I was when I saw the streamers come out of the canisters and float down, I was like some kid on Halloween rolling around in sweeties. That feeling, and I wasn't even at the concert! Somehow, it excites me, I don't know why!

Gawd, I'm dumb XD

Anyway, aside from Streamer excitement (new kink discovered, muahaha!) this is one of the songs that really got the crowd pumped I believe, but why wouldn't it? This is the groups signature song now, the song that has defined them and brought them back into the public eye when they went into hiding for a while and only released limited venue songs. This is the song that the fans probably think about when they think of Houkago Princess. I'm not saying all fans think of it, but it's their strongest song so far in terms of how much people like it, and yeah, I do enjoy it. In fact, I love it, and I love this performance of it. It's super lively, the girls are giving it their all for their final song in this performance and they all look amazing performing Juliet ~Kimi wo Suki na 100 no Riyuu~. It's a great end to a wonderful set, and I love that they left this one till last.

The concert started off strong with Atsu wa Natsui, a song which really pumps up the crowd and gets everyone going, and then HouPri ends with a song that every one of their fans knows and loves, and yet again it is a song that is strong, energetic and gets the crowd going with cheers and yells of appreciation. They started how they wanted to end, with a fun, lively mood where the crowd can join in and become a part of the song, and this end performance was amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

So, with the concert complete, what are my final thoughts?

THE VERDICT

Okay, so I may not have had the best use of vocabulary in this entire post, a good chunk of it including the words or various forms of the phrases; bounce, energy and happy, but that really does pretty much sum up this entire DVD in a nutshell; it's bouncy, energetic and one bundle of happiness and joy. That's because it's filled with fun songs that define the sweet joy and cheer that is Houkago Princess, a group that has very few cool, mature or sad songs, and whilst those sorts of songs are featured here, there really is no denying that a good majority of the songs used here express how HouPri want to be seen, which is energetic and cheerful. They aren't a serious group, no, but that's why we love them, and the few serious, mature or cool songs we do get are the songs we really appreciate and cherish because they are rare gems with this happy-go-lucky group.

I had an amazing time watching this concert the first time, and when I watched it for a second, third, fourth, fifth time, I still had a wonderful time viewing it. I wasn't a part of the crowd myself, no, but seeing it from my own screen and finally experiencing the joy of a concert on DVD, a DVD I myself own, was something that made me seriously happy. Heck, I cried when I first viewed the concert, I still cry when I watch it on my own, but that's because I love it so much and enjoy every moment of it. I don't think I can fully explain my feelings into words, but for anyone who has ever owned their first concert DVD of a group they love, you may know what I mean; it's an overwhelming feeling, one that I continuously experience when I watch this group as I support them from afar, and it is amazing to know that I feel that way about them. It just makes me realise that my love for them is real.

This is the first almost-full performance I have seen from Houkago Princess, one with a full set-list of songs that are delivered with such spark and liveliness, and I am really going to cherish it. We all know how much I adore this group and how I try my hardest to support them as an overseas fan, despite how obscure they are to others, but I am truly happy that I was able to experience this DVD for myself finally and see how Houkago Princess interacted with the crowd, how the crowd received them and how they performed, and I am really glad that I took the chance to buy this DVD in order to experience this part of Houkago Princess that I had never seen before now, and really, for me it was just amazing.

The set-list of songs was amazing, I loved the energy the girls delivered, and whilst the choreography for each song seemed to borrow from other songs they have, I did enjoy how upbeat and jumpy everything was. It added to that energetic, lively look HouPri seem to have taken on, allowing them to bring a quality performance to a song that, once upon a time, sounded duller than it was because of the lack-luster quality of their dance moves. The girls are each charming in their own way, and they all performed amazingly well.

Yes, I wish certain girls such as Saho and Marina were shown more, but what can I expect when they are currently Cadets? Regardless of that, I did enjoy everything about this concert. I am possibly pulling wool over my eyes to see only what I want to see, but seriously, I loved every bit of it until the very end. It was a wonderful performance from HouPri, imperfect indeed, but wonderful all the same.

So as you may have guessed, I just adored this DVD. It was simply amazing in my eyes, from the crowd participation in chants, clapping and cheers, to the imperfect singing courtesy of Saorin and Miran and the wonderful vocals of the recently graduated Hayamizu Rin. It is great, and I will enjoy for as long as I can.

Before I end this post, I will leave you all with  a link to the full full playlist of the concert HERE on Dailymotion if you wish to view it at all. For now though I will simply leave you all a helpful video of the first part of the concert to view if you decide to watch it. If you do, then I hope you enjoy the concert as much as I did.

To everyone who has read this post until the end, thank you very much. I really appreciate that you have read it and managed to hold on until the very end with me through this post! It really means a lot to me, so thank you.

Until next time, dear readers, please take care, have fun and keep smiling as you love your Idols fully. Tata, Ja ne and Bye bye~

Chiima~