Bring on the Golden Girls! Meet Morning Musume '14's Latest Legesis Generation!

Hoo boy, it's been a while... so long, that I don't even know where to begin! EEP! It's scary, getting back into writing!

Okay, let's just GO! Break me in by jumping into the deep end, as per usual. Sounds about right...

Holy Heck New Generations Batman! Who expected four new toddlers to join the ever-growing collective that is Morning Musume!? Not a lot of us, that's for sure. In fact, I think a good chunk of us were praying for two girls, possibly three, but four? NOPE!

Well, they've gone from a one generation member to four... One Four... haha, get it, MoMusu '14... yeeeeeah okay, time to shut up now ¬.¬ I can't tell jokes...

But yeah! Four new girls!? Seriously, I'm happy with this number, though I didn't expect it really. It seemed like Tsunku would never really go over the number 12 at all, but once Sayu leaves the MoMusu ship, we're left with 13 members. Wow. Odd number, indeed. Good thing I like the number 13. For others, it is seriously unlucky! Hopefully 13 will be a good number for MoMusu, however!

Also, yes, I am indeed looking forward to what these kids have to offer towards Morning Musume in terms of performance, personality or just plain cuteness. Who knows? Maybe we have a hidden talent who can finally knock Riho off her pedastool, and actually give us good vocals in the front line in terms of high pitched songs! Seriously... we need someone who can sing those terrible high notes well. Leave the low songs to Riho, she actually can sing those ones.

Enough bitching about current members though! Let's take a looksy at the Nooblets! You know, the ones y'all have been fawning over since they were announced?

I am so late to this party...

FIRST UP!!!

Ogata Haruna

Name: Ogata Haruna

Age: 15

D.O.B: February 15th, 1999

Intriguing Facts: She competed in the 2013 Skating competition. She is the first member to come from Osaka.

I am not ashamed to say that, already, I feel like this one will become a favourite of me. Why? Firstly; Haruna. Duh. That name is a given, if anything, though I was surprised to see another Haruna come along into Morning Musume. Still, whatever. HARUNA! Now I have a Harunan and a Haruru. And, secondly; there is no second. She's just grown on me like a tree.

And just sayin', I may get confused with nicknames from now on. We're back to the Ai x Aibon thing in MM here, but with two Haruna's... yaaaay!

Anyways... Damn, this one is gorgeous! I'm surprised at how lovely this one looks, actually. Though truthfully speaking, I didn't actually care much for Haruna at first; I thought she was plain looking, a tad boring even, but I didn't dismiss her. I just preferred... well, someone else. And then Haruna grew on me like a surprise. That, I did not anticipate.

Then again, I never anticipated liking Zukki at all, either. She was my least favourite of the 9ki originally. I always thought I would be a Riho fan. Look at how well that turned out... These things surprise us, don't they?

But yeah. Haruna. She really has something about her. She looks so demure and sweet, plain and... well, bland, like Mizuki, but I can see the growing beauty of this girl! Also, them legs. Damn them legs!

Actually, whilst I'm on the leggy but of this topic, I must confess that I have a feeling this generation is the gen of Legs! Legesis! It's like S/mileage and their leggyness, but now in MoMusu! FINALLY!

But yeah... Haruna. I like her. She's kinda my favourite right now. Cute. Legs. Pretty smile. Potential to look less bored in the long run. That amazing name.

Also apparently she's fucking nuts. She has a Twitter. She's funny, trust me.

Ogata Haruna. The girl I imagine to have the colour peach. I will cry if she is not given peach as a colour.

Nonaka Miki

Name: Nonaka Miki
Age: 14
D.O.B: October 7th, 1999
Intriguing Facts: Miki lived in the United States for 8 years, and speaks both English and Japanese. She is the first member to come from the Shizuoka Prefecture.

This kid. This kid. I swear, she is the one the foreign fans, including myself here, are going to absolutely bloody adore because, gert damn, she speaks ENGLISH! We haven't had an English-speaking Hello! Project member for yonks, so this comes as a wonderful surprise to many of us, I am sure! Also, she's pretty darned cute, and I know that already quite a few people I talk to absolutely adore this girl. Yeah, I can see why.

Admittedly, at first, I thought 'meh'. I was a total sucker for Maria, but honestly? I think Miki could grow on me. She looks like she's going to be damn beautiful once she's properly polished with that Hello! Project magic. She's cute now, don't get me wrong, in fact she's the prettiest member so far of the Golden Generation, but damn, I think she's going to grow into something more and really shine when the time comes. Seriously. She's. Bloody. Gorgeous.

End of. Yeah right.

But yeah, this kid, she has charm to her, and the lovely perk that she can speak English. I think this brings a lot of hope to the foreign fans, because it means we have less of a barrier in a way now! I swear, this girl will become a fan favourite to the Western part of the fandom for obvious reasons, but also because she seems seriously endearing. I am excited for Miki, if anything, and I want to see what she can do!

Also; HI, LEGS!

Miki, the English Speaking one. The kid I want to harness the Power of the colour that is Light Blue. I like her.

Makino Maria

Name: Makino Maria
Age: 13
D.O.B: February 2nd, 2001
Intriguing Facts: She is one of the first MoMusu members to be born in the 21st century, along with Haga Akane. She wants to become an Idol like Michishige Sayumi.

Can I just say that I am seriously surprised that this kid is only 13? Like, seriously? 13, and already, you have legs like a sunflower stem! WOW! Once again, this reinforces the whole 'Legesis' Generation that is the 12ki.

Ahem... Maria, that chick that Shige seems to pine after from the trainees, or formerly of the training programme, now in Morning Musume. The kid who seems to be the 'pretty' one of her generation, and originally the girl I actually liked! She sure is cute, isn't she? And given that she is in the Kenshuusei, I am wondering what she's like as a performer, in both singing and dancing. Admittedly I have yet to hear her, but honestly, I hope she (or Akane) is good, or even one of the two Unknowns, because we need some more talent in Morning Musume, singing wise... well, we need more talent that is pushed, and I sure hope Maria is pushed, one way or another.

In fact, I hope they are all pushed but Miki is my bet for the one being pushed most.

But yeah, I can't say much else about Maria. She's adorable, her legs are long, and I look forward to what she brings to the plate! I just hope she isn't as boring as she is cute, like Mizuki. I would like some more intriguing members, thanks.

Maria, the girl waiting in line for Sayumi's Pink colour. I believe we are all hoping that she inherits it, to be honest.

Haga Akane

Name: Haga Akane
Age: 12
D.O.B: March 7th, 2002
Intriguing Facts: She is one of the first MoMusu members to be born in the 21st century, along with Makino Maria. She is the first MoMusu member to come from Nagano.

Now, Akane. The second Kenshuusei member to come into the Golden Generation, which is pretty surprising, if you ask me; we usually get one Kenshuusei member, not two, so Akane is a pleasant surprise because obviously, Tsunku saw promise in both her and Maria. Maybe he wanted them to grow in the group, who knows? Either way, I'm glad he's using the trainees. These girls kinda need to be shaped in groups, not the programme most seem to drop out of.

Anyway, back to Akane; she's the one I peg to be the boring one, the girl I won't look at. All the more reason to find her intriguing, because honestly, I thought that Masaki was someone to ignore, but she turned out rather intriguing. Same with Eripon, and Sakura actually. So yeah, because I want to overlook her, and from past experience with dull looking members, I'm probably going to have to watch out for this one, whether it is in personality or her talent, or how endearing she is. You never know; this girl could seriously be the diamond in the rough, the one who comes out on top in personality, looks or talent later on down the line. She could be the Masaki of the 12ki generation.
 Not that we need another Masaki, because Christ, we do not!

Anyway, Akane... she actually seems interesting, from her Trivia that is around the internet! She seems rather mature for a 12 year old (it's weird knowing that, for sure, Duu is no longer the baby of the group! GAH!) and she seems to be pretty level-headed from what I have read on the Hello! Project wikia. Seriously, this girl seems to know what she wants in her future; we need some maturity in the group, because whether you like it or not, I don't think that MoMusu actually has a true mature figure anywhere in the group mind-wise outside of Sayumi, and she graduates soon! So, if she is as mature as she seems to be, I actually look forward to seeing what Akane brings to the plate for MoMusu and its future!

She looks boring and plain, a little like the Underdog actually, but boy Akane could become an intriguing member!

Haga Akane, the member who I think would suit Dark Purple as an image colour! And also; LEGS!

These kids have better legs than I do... (cries)

Honestly, I am really excited for this new generation! I wasn't that excited when I first saw the news, but I put that down to the fact that I was still settling into University life at the time, but a day or so later, I really did feel like it was real. I felt happy for the group, and I was really delighted with the results; the girls they have picked, they were chosen for a reason. Every MoMusu member in the groups History has been fantastic, one way or another, and I have no doubt in my mind or my heart that the 12ki will also be amazing.

It's weird to think that the group will soon be at a magnificent 13, though right now it is at 14 (hello, MoMusu '14! I see what you did there, Tsunku!) but I honestly do look forward to the future these girls have with Morning Musume '15 next year when they debut (eep!), and I honestly can't wait to see them in action! It's great that we now have four new members to fawn over, fresh faces to become attached to and the like. It really does feel great, and whilst I am still getting over the fact that the group is creeping into bigger territory again, I am really... well, elated! Four new members! EEEEEEEEEP!!!

With our new members secured, Shige's graduation looming, and the end of 2014 nearing, a new era of Morning Musume is truly dawning! This is the Golden Generation, and it is time for a brand new chapter in the Morning Musume Legacy! Are you prepared for it, because I sure am! The group is refreshed, and they are raring to go! Bring on 2015, bring on the Golden Girls! I am ready for them, and yes, I am bloody excited!

 Now, let me ask you this; ARE YOU EXCITED, WORLD?

Until next time~ (and hopefully it won't be for too long, because, y'know... this was too long!)

Much Love,
Chiima~

Make Way for the Golden Generation! Morning Musume '14 Announce Auditions (Again!)

... Welp! Looks like one of my 2014 Predictions came true! CHECK!!!

Okay, so this was announced quite a while back, buuuut given that I was away at the time it was announced, and clearly ignoring my blog as well I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I really didn't comment on it, and honestly, as long as I'm not a year late in talking about this, I think I am okay to write about it now, regardless of how late it may seem. Right? RIGHT!!!

That said, did you guys hear? MORNING MUSUME ARE HOLDING AUDITIONS!!! I KNOW!!!! AMAZING!!!

I WANT TO CRY WITH HAPPY TEARS!!! YAAAAAY!!!

... Okay, so maybe that wasn't my reaction. In fact, my reaction was more along the lines of 'EEEEP Auditions! Yaaaaay!!!... Yeah, I had a feeling that would happen again' because let's be honest; it was expected, it was predictable, and it was going to happen regardless. If it didn't happen now, it would happen next year I'm sure. Maybe if I was a bit younger or rather new to Morning Musume, I would be a lot more ecstatic at the thought of auditions again (gasp!) however I've grown used to it now... STILL though, it is really freakin' exciting to think about, isn't it!?

I mean, what is there not to be excited about this time around? Sure, we had the 12ki auditions last year, and thankfully that resulted in no one being chosen (I breathed a sigh of relief, I really did) because at that time, Morning Musume didn't need anyone new to drag along. The girls were great as they were and Sakura was still finding her footing in the group. Thanks to the fact that no one new came in, the girls are all comfortable with each other and mesh together really well - but now is a different time, and things need to be shaken up a bit. The girls are stronger and their bond is greater as a result of no new additions, yes, but I think that the challenge of a new girl or three will help to keep the current members in form and watching their backs; they will work hard and strive to prove to their peers that, despite the new girls coming in, they are still there and ready to fight to keep the positions they have created for themselves.

Yes, these auditions were predictable - it was obvious that Tsunku would announce a new round after a year, but it seems to be helping the current line-up as well in a way, and it has also helped to create build-up - build-up that will really help the recognition of Morning Musume, I think.

Think about it; during last years auditions, however unwarranted and premature they were, helped Morning Musume out before, during and after the process - girls wanted to join the group with these cool formation dances that were the talk of the town, figuratively speaking, and when it came to light that no one had made it despite the apparent high level (read: five year olds) talent involved, it caused on giant stir in the fandom - if no one had made it then, then how good did you have to be to get into Morning Musume the next time? What did you have to require to be able to become a member of this group, where the girls look cool during their dance formations?

For the girls auditioning, I think that this only made them more determined to try and get into Morning Musume as a 12ki member, and it has also caused Morning Musume to gain a bit more recognition; if they could get in, then they beat out the first set of hopefuls and succeeded in becoming a coveted 12ki member - they joined a troupe of girls known for their dance style. Who wouldn't want that? For once, deciding not to add a bunch of squeaking children to the line-up proved to be Tsunku's smartest move for Morning Musume, as it not only scared the group into working harder at first, but also made girls realise that they could become a part of it, but only if they could prove themselves. In a way the stakes have been raised for these auditions, and in the process Morning Musume has become a holy grail of sorts; get through the auditions and become a part of the group, and you basically beat the system.

Who else loved Tsunku's superb trolling by having Sayu give the announcement letter to Haruna?

But what makes this entire audition intriguing is not just the hype behind it thanks to some clever scheme by Tsunku or the UFP staff, but the idea behind it; instead of simply choosing a girl and placing her into Morning Musume for the next single, they are (for once) going to train the potential winners and then debut them in 2015 - 2015!!!

For once, it seems like the Heads of Hello! Project are using their heads, and I am actually really excited for this audition now! If anything, this is the most exciting prospect about the entire audition process. It seems like they actually care about the girls being even slightly talented in dancing or singing for the current vibe of Morning Musume (in this case, it will be dancing. Vocals can wait!) so I am rather hopeful that, when the girls do eventually debut, they will actually look like they fit with Morning Musume in terms of skill and capability.

That, and they would have probably had around 6 months of not just training, but also spending time with the other Morning Musume members, so they would possibly look like they are comfortable with the group too, as opposed to sticking out awkwardly or feeling like they have no clue what they are doing in PV's (hi, Sakura).

Yes, Tsunku has mentioned that he might not choose anyone and that they could possibly go to the Kenshuusei, but he would be a bit of an idiot to do that - it has worked this once, and that is mostly due to the fact that Morning Musume is currently on the up-rise instead of a decline, but to do it again would basically be stepping on hot coals; people will think that he is playing silly beggars with them and will not be happy, so I truly do think that this time around he will choose someone - in a way, I do think that it will only be one girl. But right now, who knows?

With the auditions open to 10-17 year olds, and open worldwide for that matter, I do find this to be one of the more interesting set of auditions for Morning Musume since 10ki came along. Hopefully Tsunku won't make any rash decisions and spoil the element of surprise with this one, though - when he announced Sakura without so much of a beat I was rather disappointed, so yeah... keep the element of surprise there, Tsunky!

Morning Musume auditions are predictable, yes, but you can't deny that this time the planned out process for the new 12ki generation is enticing to think about - its clever, the move is smart and it seems that Tsunku has realised he simply just can't stick a girl in the group and hope for the best; they need to be trained, and they need to have time to grow.

It's nice to know that, for the first time in a while, these auditions are being done right.

Chiima~