Hello! Pro Time Episode 21 - Part 2: Tears, Songs and Choices

You know the drill - my opinions = my own. If you don't like them, you don't have to read them, okay? ;D


This post is later than I thought - but I will blame college, cleaning and Drama groups for now, so bear with me, kay?

Anyway, to start off this post, I will say that it might be a short one - and by short, I mean it won't be as long as part one, because that one was way over half the video whilst this is pretty much towards the last 10 minutes or so, but even if there isn't much left, it's still an important part of the auditions. The girls are being judged, and we see how they grow from comments and towards the final judging process.

And as we now know, it is by how much they have grown that matters, not by how good they are at dancing or singing. So, which girls have improved?

Day 2 - probably the scariest day of these girls' lives right now, if you think about it. They're going to be judged and criticised. Who wouldn't be knocking their knees together in fear? I know I would - then again, I'm a coward...

We only see about three of the girls perform in front of Marron-sensei to begin with, and one of them is Sara, the strongest singer out of all of them (barring Haruka, of course). Of course, what would the judging process be without criticism and tears?

I have to say, Marron-sensei, you look scarily pretty. I like you :D

Anyway, Marron-sensei makes Sara cry - but she did it to make Sara realise that she needs to project her voice to the world and not for herself, so yeah, I think Sara needed to be told that - if she doesn't want to improve herself at all, then really, what is the point in her wanting to dream about being in Morning Musume? The girl may have awesome vocals that will get better and better in time with practice and hard work, but if she isn't ready to improve herself to become an idol, then she will just fall. However, I think that Sara sees this as serious business.

I like this girl, by the way ;o I just wish we saw more of her personality reflected.

Next is the rather adorable Haruka, and from this clip, it sounds like there is something different about her voice, but even if anything is wrong with it, she sounds pretty damned good as she sings, with that husky voice  she is known for. I don't really follow the Eggs, but Haruka is adorable and I can see why she is a fan favourite.

Oh, and of course she cries, which makes me want to cry. But she still looks cute even when crying - yay, cute crying Idols! Anyway, Marron-sensei criticised Haruka on how she always looks around and doesn't focus on one person, which I guess could be problematic - you've really gotta focus in concert, and of course, this gets to Haruka - she even claims that she should know how to do this better, because she has more experience than the other 9 auditionees and has worked longer and harder than any of them, so to be criticised, I guess she doesn't know what to do.

Are the Eggs not criticised as much as the other members? I guess not, considering Fukumura hadn't done much strenuous stuff until she joined Morning Musume.

Next up is one of my favourites, the pretty and AKB-looking Haruna. Haruna doesn't have the best voice, and she lacks a good amount of confidence in her singing, but none-the-less, she is really cute when she sings, and has an idol-like appearance about her. Of course, Marron-sensei picks up on Haruna's lack of confidence, and Haruna asks to sing the song again. I guess she was denied, considering we don't see anything else about her singing after that.

Poor Haruna ;( I wanna cry with her ;O;

However, outside Haruna explains that she practiced a lot but in the end it didn't work out, however she wants to change that. Good for you, Haruna! Think positive and keep working hard for your future, wherever it may be!

By the way, who else loves her awkward smile?

So after that scene, we're shown some clips of certain girls practicing - mostly Sara and Haruna, who were both told their bad points for their singing. Meruru is also shown briefly, working on the dance, and just from that clip you can see that she has improved.

All of the girls are obviously working hard to achieve their dream, but what will the final outcome be like?

We're soon shown a clip of the girls dancing together after practicing so hard, and from it we can really see how much all of the girls have improved in their dancing and memorising it, especially Meruru and Sato. Though Miwa has also improved, her lack of energy disappoints me, and Sato's lack of emotion really bugs me too.

Meruru all the waaaaaay!!!

Nerves, nerves~

We then get to see a few select girls sing the song - Haruka is first, and really does have an impressive voice - however, she looks like she's nomming on the microphone as she sings, and that is not an attractive look on stage. Other people have to use those mics!!!....

I think ._.

Anyway, we then see Ayumi Ishida singing, and also Haruna, Sato and Sara. Ishida has quite a bit of power to her voice, but I think that her dancing is far far superior to her voice. After is Haruna, and it's quite sad to watch her in a way because her voice seems to have become weaker and less confident, and she forgot some of the words. However, her expression shows a deeper meaning, like she does want this, but she doesn't know how to approach it.

Now, Sato on the other hand pretty much mumbles the song and looks like she doesn't want to be there full stop. But maybe that's just me.

Sara has a lot of emotion though, and her voice sounds a bit smaller and girlier, but she really brings across the emotions in her voice and her face. I like her expressions, and she seems to have quite a bit of confidence when she sings the song - BONUS POINTS!

After the examination process has ended for the girls, we're cut to Haruka, Sara and Ayumi, who give their thoughts on what has happened, with Haruka and Ayumi both being really positive about the outcome of the judging process.

Sara would have liked to do it once more, though. I guess to improve herself more, though her natural talent seems to really shine. I doubt she would have to redo it, because she's already left a pretty strong impression on the fans.

And now, we see the man himself, H!P's Big Daddy - TSUNKU!!!

Tsunku watches the footage, and when we previously heard him say that he was considering taking all of the girls, but now he may shrink the girls down to a certain degree - does that mean about 5 or something? You never know with Tsunku, considering he said that he would take 2 energetic girls for 10th Gen and then suddenly said 'I may add them all!'

We also need to remember that there could be a surprise involved - the return of Kamei Eri, anyone? Jang Daeyon? LinLin and JunJun duo?

Koharu?

All possibilities xD

And then we see the Tsunku troll face.

So, who will get in, and what will happen in the next Hello! Pro  Time?

Dancing, I think - the individual kind, I mean. I think it would be nice to see how all the girls fare with an individual dance, and to also see more footage of them all singing.

SO with this episode finished, I will give my thoughts on who I think will make it through, based on my love for them (haha) or by their performances or simply by how the look.

Anyway, from this episode I have tried my hardest not to grow attached to a certain participant - the last time that happened, I cried because I really wanted Mogi in - it was my first 'audition' with Morning Musume, and I didn't really know what to do - so whatever happens, I'm going to accept whoever Tsunku man chooses - unless it's Sato. I'll go ape shit if she gets in somehow.

Anyway, here's who I think will get in:

1. Iikubo Haruna. I think that she has this certain Morning Musume look about her, and though she lacks confidence in her voice, I think that she is someone that Tsunku would want to work on, you know, polish off this diamond a bit more. Also, I feel that if an older member was added into Morning Musume right now, it would work well - there would be a mature element in the 10th Gen, plus she's gorgeous - I think she would look great in PB's and would rock a smoky eye and some random sexy costume.

Tsunku, you perv - you want her, you know you do!

2. Meruru, aka, Tashima Meru. Why, you ask? Because of her vast improvement, that's why! Though Meruru is actually the weakest candidate out of ALL the finalists, with her terrible voice and her lack of dancing skills, she has shown the most improvement out of everyone - you can see that she is a hard worker and wants this, and her smile is also really adorable. She is a cute girl, and the fact that she smiles through everything just adds to her charm - even if she is put to the back of Morning Musume, I wouldn't mind, because I think that Meruru would make a good idol.

3. Murakami Sara. Well, Tsunku, if you don't put this one in and give Morning Musume a tomboyish, kind of girly, element, then you suck - in fact, you will suck Akimoto's AKB balls if you don't add her in.

 Anyway, I think that Sara will be added in because of her natural talent, and the fact that he wants a voice to replace Takahashi's also helps. Sara oozes talent and confidence, and she is pretty much Morning Musume in a package I guess. Again, if Tsunku doesn't add her, he's gonna be sucking Akimoto's balls.

4. Tanaka Fuuka. Now, if you're wondering 'Whaaaat?' simply because she was barely shown, I kinda understand. Even though we don't see much of her, you can't deny that she has more of a Morning Musume look than the rest who I haven't picked out - she's also a pretty good dancer. I think if she was shown more in the video, we would get a chance to see how she shines and if she is worth it. I'm actually putting her here on the basis of looks, how good she is at dancing, and that Yankii last name. That is all.

NOW if you're thinking 'BITCH WHERE'S HARUKA?', don't fret... Ii will get there...

For Kudou Haruka and Satsuki Miwa, I see them more as possibilities for the group - but remember, this is my speculation - Tsunku has a whole different brain to me. Anyway, I can see them as either going into Morning Musume, or doing something else within Hello! Project. Miwa will probably become an Egg and improve on her lack of emotional expression and fix the slouch a bit (also, doesn't she look a bit like Mogi?), but for Haruka, I can see her forming a new group or maybe a soloist? I don't know - Tsunku has a weird way of working things out. We will have to wait and see.

But just to let you know: I am probably one of the few who don't particularly care if she gets in or not. I can see her in Morning Musume, and I also can't - She might be the Ishikawa Rika to my 10th Gen - aka I can't even remember that she was a part of a generation.

For these two, I can see either one of these two options: Egg or just a simple NO and then a kick in the butt. Though Sato is shown quite a bit, I can't see her in Morning Musume - she's boring, has zero emotion in both dancing and singing, and mumbles too much. She looks nervous a lot throughout the judging process, and is neither a good singer or a good dancer. Yeah, she may be able to improve in time, but I don't think that she is cut out for Morning Musume.

 Now, onto Ohgami Hinako. She wasn't shown much in the footage, and unlike Fuuka, I actually can't remember her at all. I don't remember her name or how good she is at singing or dancing - she is really forgettable, which is quite sad in a way. Before, as I look back at my previous post on the auditions, I liked her, but now I can't even picture her in Morning Musume. Maybe she could be an Egg or Akimoto bait?

Coincidentally, I put the two Ayumi's together as AKB Bait xD Anyway, I think this is based solely on me barely seeing Ayumi M so little in the video, but for Ayumi I, I just don't think that she looks like she would fit into Morning Musume - I actually would prefer her in AKB. She's a fierce dancer, and there is a lot of power in her voice, but I just don't think that she looks like someone who would go for Morning Musume.

Go to AKB, girl! And Ayumi M would do well in there, too I think.

ANYWAY that's that - what I want you all to remember is that this is what I think about the auditionees, and these are the girls that I think fit the Morning Musume type. Overall, it is Tsunku's decision, and in the end one of our favourit es will get in, whilst another won't. We all have our different opinions, and this one is mine.

Let's wait until the 29th to find out - Next freain' week, people! OMG YAY!

Anyway... who would you put in 10th Gen? Any you agree on out of my picks?

Don't kill me for the lack of Haruka love - I really like her, I just don't see her in Morning Musume right now. Later on, I may change my mind.

...

Anticipate the post where I cry when one of my favourites doesn't get in! XD

Chiima~

S/mileage Disappoint - Tachiagaaru MV & Song Review

As always, all of my opinions and views are my own - if you don't agree with them then I happily accept that, but please accept my thoughts and feelings. Thank you~

S/mileage's latest single, titled Tachiagaaru, has had its Music Video released to the public that is the Youtube community/Wotasphere, and I have a feeling a lot of fangirls and boys were going 'YAAAAY' when they saw it in their inbox subscription - but believe me, I wasn't. I was fucking dreading this video, and for a semi-good reason - I already thought the song was poor, so if the PV was just as poor as the song was, then there was a good chance that I wouldn't like it.

Guess what?

...

This is one of those rare posts where I hate the video ^_^ So enjoy~

This is actually going to be one of those rare occasions where I won't be spamming this post with just pictures and random text to support it - I'm actually going to write a lot, which I only usually do for songs that I think deserve my extra time and effort (not that Morning Musume don't... I just love to pic spam the hell out of their videos cos I love them so god damned much) or because I just want to put my view forward a bit more, and this is definitely one of those times.

First off, I started this video with no high hopes of a good outcome - and I ended it with disappointment and a sad sigh. The video kind of lacks, and we see so little of the sub-members on their own that we can't see their capability when it comes to solo shots. Oh, and they get no solo lines. That pissed me off, but I was kind of expecting it.

What? They're sub-members. Let their one time solo shot make up your mind about them. They need no lines OR solo time in any way shape or form!

So, getting into the video, you can really tell that this is more about the OG members (that's what they are now) than the sub-members, but boy do they look good - I have really found Yuukarin rather appealing as of late, and as I said to my sister, it took Saki's graduation for me to finally notice how gorgeous she is. She really appealed to me in this video, and was pretty much my shining light throughout it all - and Fuu-chan. But it made me want to cry when I remembered she was going to be an Egg and not a S/mileage member any more :/

Anyway, other than my drooling over Yuukarin and sobbing at the loss of the beautiful Fuu-chan, there is a lot of OG S/mileage shoved in there, and so little of the sub-members who are trying to wiggle their way into the group. There are quite a few group shots of the girls, but that's really it of them, so if you're a fan of any of them, prepare to be majorly disappointed, because I sure as hell was. Where the fuck were they for the entirety of this video!? Oh yeah... back up dancers!

But apart from the sub-members being shown as little as possible, they look adorable - even Meimi, who's forehead scares the shit out of me, was really cute in this and somehow captivated me with that 3 second shot of solo stardom. Her excitement when dancing was also really nice to watch, and it makes me want to root for her, despite her being my least favourite of all the sub-members. I really love her enthusiasm for the group and this song - she looks like an absolute spazz, but an adorable one at that! Good for Meimi!

Moving swiftly on from my sudden bout of Meimi adoration, I have to say I'm not digging the CG background - if Morning Musume wasn't enough with two videos that blinded us all with cool effects and absolute hyped up scenes, then obviously we needed more. Sadly, unlike Morning Musume's recent single, the CG that S/mileage has is a lot shitter, and looks like it has been stolen from Mini Moni's Jankenpyon!!!, but upgraded a little to keep up with the times. Se~riously? I know S/mileage are covering some old songs, but you don't have to turn them into either Pucchimoni or Mini Moni.

Oh, and who saw the connection between Shortcut and this MV the minute you realised there were bloody space ships?

It just proves that S/mileage are freakin' ALIENS!!!

Speaking of cute aliens...

I guess another disappointment for the video is the group shots you can get - we get these really boring and overly bland backgrounds with the girls all together. Sometimes the sub-members are pushed to the back and blurred out, or they are jumping up and down with glow sticks - either way, those scenes were a big disappointment due to a lack of colour. The only redeeming quality was Dawa's perv smile (see above picture) and the randomness that the OG's have going on there. Other than that, I lost interest in this sort of group shot.

Yaay for blandness >.> This totally goes against my 'simplicity is best!' saying...

Okay, moving on towards the dance, which is also pretty disappointing. Even though S/mileage always have a fun and quirky dance, this one disappointed me, despite how cute it is. Yes, there are really cute parts added into the dance, and it can become really energetic, and the sub-members look extremely adorable dancing like that (especially the mad Meimi), but it really isn't that impressive - I mean, they added the funky fucking chicken into it! What the Hell!? Tsunku has gone bonkers - Bonkers I say!

So yeah... there really isn't much going on this PV for me to really say anything else about it other than that it sucks. I know that we rarely get a story within a video that comes from Up Front, but even Uchoten Love had a sort of formula that worked well with the girls and showed you the fun of it all - here, we pretty much have the focus of the OG's and how well they work together and their friendship, but that's it. We don't see how the sub-members act around each other or if they're even connected as friends/loving members. They're shown far too briefly for us to really catch a glimpse of how much they support each other or how much they love doing this. I think that if only the sub-members were shown more with each other as well as their senpai's, we would have caught a glimpse of what a new S/mileage would be like, other than just simple back-up dancers that are barely seen and then the OG's who are pushed right to the front.

Oh, my ideal MV is so far away... >.>

BY THE WAY, if you haven't watched the PV yet - there are some nice leg/skirt shots of the OG members. Short skirts FTW, right?

Anyways, moving onto the song itself - I first heard this as a good quality radio rip, and from the get-go I said 'This song is weak when compared to their other songs', and even though I have listened to it enough for it to become ingrained into my brain and fester there long enough for me to begin liking it, I still see it as a weak song, and if it doesn't sell well, I honestly won't be surprised.

It's not that the song isn't good - it's just not up to par with what S/mileage have been releasing. Though fun and entertaining, it lacks something (maybe a Saki?) and isn't strong enough for a 'debut' with the sub-members. Yes, it is catchy, and yes, it is a decent song that will quickly implant itself into your head and stay there for a good hour, but it isn't good enough for me to actually want to go out and buy the single to support S/mileage. This is something that I would definitely miss - and with a song like Uchoten Love as its rival  in the charts, I am sure that this will lose. In comparison to the greatness that is the dance-beat called Uchoten LOVE, this song is already beaten.

So overall, this video has left me disappointed - the song is poor when compared to the other S/mileage singles, the video itself is poor in comparison to the other great videos that S/mileage has and when paired together, they only make me like it a little bit more. If you really think about it, you generally begin to like a song more either if you have listened to it a good few times, or if the PV itself is of a good standard and makes you want to watch it over and over again - I don't want to watch this video over and over again, and I have replayed the song so many damned times that I am starting to hate it. I may like it a little more, but it gets annoying quite quickly, but that's just me - you might like this embedded into your brain 24/7, but I'm not so keen, y'see.

With the PV, I find that it seriously lacks - we get the normal formula of close-up and dance shots, but with the sub-members appearing in their first video, I seriously thought that we would see them a lot more. Alas, that was not the case, and they were shunned to the back - I actually saw them less than I saw Fukumura in Kono Chikyuu blah blah, and that's bad, if you didn't know. The girls weren't allowed to shine in their own way by showing us their cute faces in close-up shots, and the OG's hogged the spotlight - Yes, you can banter with me about how the are sub-members and that they shouldn't expect a lot of screen time, but you need to remember; The fans want to see how they perform, because one or more of these girls will be in S/mileage due to how well they perform as a member of S/mileage - so they should at least get some more screen time to show off what they have through their solo shots. This isn't fucking Mano Erina and her back-up Egg dancers - this is S/mileage and potential members. Whole different thing.

Lord, her big mouth is scary, just like her forehead...

I would say one of the biggest things that made me continue to watch this PV was the dance - even though it isn't that great or difficult, it's a rather interesting dance - even with the Funky Chicken added in there. The sub-members really stand out during these shots, and show their full potential and how much they want this, especially Meimi. The amount of energy and liveliness she puts into the dance is amazing, and has really impressed me. Scary forehead or not, this girl wants to be in the group, and I will be disappointed if she doesn't get in. She's a fan favourite, and her voice is a horrible squeak that I hate, so she'll get in, because S/mileage is all about the squeak, right?

So, what are the redeeming qualities and the cons of this video?

Redeeming Qualities:

- The Dance

- Meimi Dancing
- Dark sky and OG's close-up with awesomely pretty graphics
- Dawa's Perv face

The Cons:

- OG member solo hog time

- Not so many Sub-members D;

- Overly crap CG

- Weak song

- Unreadable video/shit group shots with bland background

Kanyon's face says it all when she see's the cons

So yes, I don't like this PV at all - but there is room for change, because initially I despised the video to Shortcut, and that is one of my favourite songs. I really like the video now, but I think that is because the song is so great that I started to care about the video. Sadly, I can't say the same for this song and video. They are both weak, and though extremely bright and happy, don't really stand out to me.

What'd I say? Funky Fuckin' CHICKEN!

I honestly think that this might be the biggest downfall for S/mileage right now - losing Saki must have taken a blow to Tsunku's head, because this song isn't that great, and the PV really doesn't do anything for me. Mayb e that is just me, though - maybe a lot of you guys think that the video is one of the best that S/mileage has had, and maybe you really dig the tune that is Tachiagaaru, but for me it is a big fat disappointment that fell flat on its skinny ass when trying to impress me with the colours, the CG and the Funky Chicken.

Whilst the graphics and cute outfits and overall tune will appeal to kids, I am sorry to say that it may not appeal to adults - unless you really love the Loli, then you're set here - or teenagers like myself who, despite loving S/mileage, can't help but find that this may be one of the worst videos in S/mileage history.

Okay, tell me that you can look at this picture and not think something perverted?

Also: Dawa's Perv Smile!

I adore S/mileage, and I think that they are one of H!P's greatest groups, but all great groups have a downfall at some point, and after being together for a year, it is this song. Saki's graduation might have played a small part in it, who knows, or maybe it is just that I find no appeal in this video other than the dance, Yuukarin and Dawa's perv smiles. Either way, this video = fail.

S/mileage, you're great - but what the fuck did you give us this time!? I ORDERED AWESOMENESS, not Half-assed CG and the funky Chicken.

Come back when you get the order right.

And on a last note: Did anyone see the random cow being beamed up by the spaceship the first time you watched this? I did, and it was the first time I laughed and felt that there was something truly good about the video.

Sadly, that was where my impressed state began and left. In the end of it all, I didn't feel excited or amazed like I usually am - this is how I feel with AKB PV's, so yeah, this isn't good, S/mileage...

Can their B-side save them? Will their next single be better?

Here's to hoping... >.>

Chiima~

Ping! International Wota: Noteworthy Posts

Thanks Ray for typing this up! It was a real good read! ^o^

Hello! Pro Time Episode 21 - Part 1: Comments, Sweat and a Few Tears

All opinions are my own~ Your opinions are YOUR own, so if we differ... sorry ;)

I was happy to find that today, a subbed version of Hello! Pro Time's 21st episode had been released by one of my favourite subbing groups, Twilight Paradise, who have subbed a good number of these episodes so that the International English speaking and/or reading Wota who don't speak or know Japanese enough to grasp a good amount of what is being said.

Aka, me.

So, thank you to Twilight Paradise for subbing it! It really helps me a lot, and I am happy to understand what has been said to these girls!

One of the things that I was actually anticipating the most from this episode was the comments that Tsunku gave about the 10 finalists of the 10th Generation Auditions - it gives us an insight to what Tsunku thinks about them, and we realise just why he let that girl go through to the final round.

Surprisingly, though, we also find out that he aims to bring in a new main vocalist to replace Takitty, which isn't all that surprising. I don't think that I could handle a Reina dominant single without a deeper voice to fall back on. I wish Gaki would get a lead, but I'm her fangirl, so of course I would want that. It doesn't mean it won't happen though, right?

We're also surprised with the notion of all 10 of these girls being added! Now, if Tsunku did that, I would be deliriously happy, but I also need to remember that a lot of people won't, either. There are those who are all for it, and those who are against it, and I can kind of understand that. 10 members would be over-whelming enough, and they would definitely trample the Kyuukies. We also need to remember that the AKB fans would start a lovely trolling fight - Oh, of course! Tsunku is totally copying them all! Considering he had Morning Musume, Melon Kinenbi, Coconuts Musume, Country Musume, H!P Kids/Berryz/C-ute and probably some more, making it larger than a 48-nin family at one point before AKB was made, he is totally copying the AKB style...

Oh look, I vented and made zero sense >.>

Okay, venting over - First up is Kudou Haruka for the comments, and Tsunku comments on her 'husky' singing. Tsunku wants her to show that she really wants this, and it will put her in a good position if she shows it strongly. As an Egg, she is already above the rest in both singing and dancing and over all presentation, and is obviously one of the most popular auditionees out of the 10 girls that have made it so far. I have to agree with Tsunku on his comments. Haruka has a dazzling presence about her that is very noticeable, and her cuteness makes you squeee!!!


Okay, just me...

Next up is the girl who became one of my favourites upon seeing her, and that is Iikubo Haruna, the oldest auditionee out of all the girls. From what Tsunku says, she was chosen via her fashion sense and not her voice or how well she dances. Tsunku, you're already contradicting yourself! Didn't you say that you were looking for a voice??? Oh well... whatever. I want Haruna's booty in Morning Musume! Her smile is quite beautiful, and reminds me of the demented Koharu Kusumi (whom I miss dearly), but I want to know what her personality is like overall because her singing and dancing is average right now, and we need personality.

Next up is the girl who I think is quite tomboyish with a girlish flare, and that is the very pretty Sato Masaki. Tsunku chose her for a 'sense of certainty that he can not criticize', and he has an unknown sense of expectation from this 'uncomplete' girl. Well Tsunku, we've found your project for this Gen! Add her - ADD HER NOW, DAMNIT!!!

Next up is Tashima Meru, or as I will now know her 'Project Girl Numero 1!', because that's what she will become if she's put into Morning Musume. Tsunku claims to have put her in for her face, and that is where all of his interest lies. He even says 'I wonder what she can do...' so you can tell he sees her as a 'Project' to work on and make over or whatever, but he also feels that she can grow very fast. Okay Tsunku, I am game, as long as you give her bangs (they might suit her!)

We now have Ohgami Hinako, and though Tsunku says that she lacks sharpness in her rhythm, she has an expressive power in her voice that he thinks he would like in Morning Musume. I already like tis girl - she sings nicely, and as Tsunku said, she has an expressive power about her (she sang Ame no Furanai blah blah!), and she's a H!P fan - what more isn't there to love? She also has some nice legs.

OH, and her Jazz dancing and Karate experience will help with dancing. Yaaay!!!

The 6th girl is Miyagi Ayumi, a really cute looking girl who is (yaaay!) tan! Tsunku values her for her voice, and feels that it could transform. I have to say Tsunku, I agree - her expression is great, there is a lot of power and she sounds confident. I like this girl! Good one, Tsunku!!!! <3

Miwa Satsuki follows closely behind, and Tsunku chose her for spirit or courage, and has a feeling that she will be completed beautifully if she joins. Yeah, if. My only problem with this girl, Tsunku my man, is her overall lack of expression through the training process. However, her already being a finalist in the 9th Gen audition the last time... doesn't that give her a bit of a leg up!? If it does, good for her :o It also proves that she's strong enough to go through the pain of rejection again if she gets rejected...

Next, we have another one of my automatic favourites, the cute Ishida Ayumi, who has charmed people with her dancing skillz and that predator-like smile. Ttsunku feels that her dancing ability has immediate potential, however it is her personality that he can't see clearly - does this hinder her chances in any way? Probably, because he says that if he can see her personality and how much she wants this through the interview process, there is a chance she could make it into the final group of girls who will be the 10th generation.

Don't fuck this up, Ayumi! I WANT YOOOOU! Beat out Riho with your dancing skillz!

Now it's time for the Yankee Parade cute and sweet looking Tanaka Fuuka. She has a pretty smile, doesn't she? I like it... Anyway! Tsunku claims that she can dance to a certain degree, and that she has high expectations - so, he expects a lot from her? I would, considering she's had 6 years of dance training and has bloody beautiful legs. Even though I'm not all that hyped about her name, cos we don't need two Tanaka's in there, I think that if Fuuka was chosen, she would be a good addition.

Am I the only one who thinks her eyes are too small? ._.

And last, but certainly not least, the popular Murakami Sara, who all the International Wota are loving! (Bala ba ba ba, I'm  Lovin' It~) Her expressive and powerful singing voice have not jsut caught Tsunku's attention, but also the wota's, and Tsunku wants this sort of voice in MoMosu! He states that after Takahashi leaves Morning Musume, it is important what type of singing voice will be used, and thinks that Sara will sing good songs. I think that she will sing good songs too, Tsunku.

Add her.

Now.

Pretty please?

She has natural talent. ADD HER!!!

Seriously Tsunku, if you fucking reject her, that AKB van will come flying down the road, you know? They will - they've done it before, and they sure as hell will do it again.

And finally, the training camp starts! At the beginning, most of the girls are happily getting along and talking with each other, making friends and laughing. It's nice to see how comfortable they are with the atmosphere, however it's kind of weird how Sara is the only one who isn't talking or making friends - she's obviously the most serious out of them all at this stage, and just looks on. This is a good thing, and a bad thing.

I like social peoples...

Anyway, everything's all Happy Doodles until...

Shit just got serious!

Yeah, the sensei walks in. A lot of Wotas know Natsu-Sensei, but some of the newer Wota don't (raise your hands with me, people), but she is apparently renowned for creating the dance to Love Machine, Morning Musume's first number 1 hit single. So yeah, she's some serious dancer, so you'd expect a lot from her, and she would expect a lot from you, and as you know, she's there to scare those girls silly, to criticise their techniques and to overall help them to improve themselves in dancing so that they can show how serious they are for Morning Musume, and to ultimately prove how much they can change throughout this final process so that Tsunku can finally pick them and say 'I want that one!'.

We quickly move into the practice - the girls have to all work as a group, so the flow and timing of the dance is important for all of them. Later on, we see how all of the girls fare when dancing together and who obviously stands out and who fails.

You can clearly see the determination on everyone's face, and the look of 'I'm so BOSS' on Haruka's face xD

We're then cut to a short clip of all the girls singing Takahashi Ai's solo song '02 Jishin Motto Yume wo Motte Tobitatsu Kara' together, and they all sound really good as a group. If Tsunku adds all 10 of these girls in, they won't have a problem with blending their voices at all.

I really like this song, and they sound so good together! Tsunku, gimme them all <3

We're then cut to the full dance lesson, where we see the girls skills come out - of course, there are thos who are downright awesome, and those who aren't, and that is where the screen time is - for some of the girls who are in the middle, aka average, there isn't much screen time dancing wise as all the focus on Haruka, Ayumi Ishida and Hinako Ogami, who are quite blatantly the best dancers out of the 10 girls there.

Show them how its done, girls! Rock dem bodies!

And what would a training camp be without footage of the girls who aren't as good as the others? Yeah, it would be boring.

So whilst we know the top three dancers are, we soon find out the tree worst dancers in the form of Meruru, or 'Project Girl' (I like Meruru as a nickname now xD), Miwa and Sato, who have either forgotten the dance routine or have really bad timing and are slower than the rest. Either way, they're all bad at it and you can see their struggle.

And Sensei notices this, so she questions why they can't remember the routine even though they practised it, and criticises the girls for doing so. This is when everyone realises the harshness of the audition finals and the strictness that comes with being a professional singer/dancer/Idol. The girls are put under a lot of pressure just by this, and they have a pretty short amount of time to perfect both their singing and dancing skills and to ultimately improve themselves.

After Sensei has her say, the girls go back to the group dance before Natsu-sensei calls out two of the best dancers in the room to show everyone how it's done.

Ayumi I and Hinako are selected, and show off their sharp and precise dancing skills in their dance. These two really impress me and look absolutely amazing when they dance. Tsunku, please don't pass up the opportunity to add either of these girls - their technique is pretty much flawless, and you'd be a fool to pass up such gifted girls.

And then we cut to all three of the worst dancers in the group of 10 - Miwa, Meruru and Sato, who all quickly forget the dance moves and stop to think about it. If I had to get up and dance in front of everyone, I would probably be overly nervous, just like these girls, but the fact that Meruru started with a smile makes me really like her, but that smile soon faltered when she forgot the dance moves, and it makes me a little sad to see her like that.

Once they've finished the dance, Natsu-sensei asks them if they have anything to say. Only Miwa speaks up and asks to try the dance one more time, but that is pretty much denied when Natsu-sensei asks if their dancing will change if they do it again.

Meru is the one who comes forward and says that she will learn the dance perfectly by herself, showing her determination to improve herself in an area that she isn't very good in, even though she isn't sure of whether or not she will be able to perform it for the judging that happens the next day, but she is confident in the fact that she will do the best to her ability. It's this character that makes me want to root for Meruru, who I am sure puts 100% into everything she does. Even though I initially didn't like this girl when I first saw all the audition finalists, I have really started to see how much she shines as a candidate for Morning Musume, and I am going to safely say that I want her in and that she is now one of my favourites, purely because of how much determination she puts into everything she does, and her smile as she does it.

Sato is obviously very nervous when Sensei asks her if she will practice until she fully knows the dance, and Natsu even calls her own on how nervous she is. I feel bad for poor Sato, but this is the harsh reality of being an Idol, and she needs to overcome it. Meruru has already grown through the training process by showing how willing she is to change and become better just to be considered as one of the final girls, but Sato still seems unsure of herself right now, which can be bad for where her future lies.

As Natsu-sensei says, she is not there to pick out the best dancers. She is there to see how the girls develop and to find who is the most willing to better themselves at the things that they can't do, to see who is the most serious about pursuing the Idol dream. She criticises the girls for wanting to be in Morning Musume, but not putting in the effort to reach for it.

Even though Sensei's words may seem harsh, a lot of us know that her words are actually just encouraging the girls more. Okay, they may be hurt that they're being told to go home and that it is impossible for them to get into Morning Musume at this stage, but it's just making the girls think about how they can better themselves and to get them to work harder in order to show the judges how much they want to be in the group.

And then the girls give a final group dance practice for the day before we cut to...

Crying! Out of the three girls who got the most criticism, Miwa is the only one that cries, but despite finding ti vexing, she wants to try harder than everyone when it comes to the judging process to show her worth as a potential member to Morning Musume.

Meruru, even though she was also heavily criticised for her poor dancing skills, shows her smile and explains that she thinks she was the only one who was completely bad, but that she wants to do it a little better and improve herself and that she will give her all in doing the dance and learning it perfectly.

Meruru, I love you TT^TT

Sato also doesn't cry, but finds that it is a big problem if she doesn't remember the dance. Sadly, she has the shortest dialogue of the three, so that's as much as I can get from her.

The girls then retire to their roosm for the night, where they are sure to practice until the early hours of the morning until they have ingrained the dance moves and the lyrics to the song they are singing in their head. We get glimpses of the girls practising either together in small groups or on their own, showing their hard work and determination for their goal.

Even those who are better dancers than most forget certain moves to the dance.

And as they prepare for the examination, their nerves obviously pile up...

End of Part 1

Chiima~


Source: Airii~n Deshou?