Morning Musume to change their name!

[Noa]

Original blog post: http://ameblo.jp/tsunku-blog/entry-11718884960.html
Translation by Gabby Saladin from the Hello!Fandom group on FB
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
 
From the bottom of my heart, I have to thank you very much for always supporting Morning Musume。 and Hello! Project.

Without delay, I have an information concerning Morning Musume。.

There will be a modification concerning the group's name Morning Musume。.
From the 1st of January 2014, the name of the group Morning Musume。 will be "Morning Musume。'14" (モーニング娘。’14 in Japanese). The way of reading the group's name is "Morning Musume One Four".
On 2014, Morning Musume。 kept this group's name for 17 years. From now on, to leave no doubt like "About when has this single song "XXX" been released!?" or "During which period did the member "XXX" take part of Morning Musume。?", the year will be displayed and the group can continue its activity after this for 10 years, 20 years, 30 years.
Therefore, the 1st January 2015, the group's name will become "Morning Musume。’15" (Morning Musume。 One Five).

Well, it might become confusing and you might give up lol, but at any rate, from the New Year's Day, please support those girls who will become "Morning Musume。’14"!

6th December 2013
Morning Musume。's Producer
Tsunku♂ </blockquote>

[star]

I understand the idea, but I really see no point to that.

[al kusanagi]

Dear god... MM has become an EA franchise...

[Haru]

is tsunku drunk

[Elpis]

Changing the name every year will leave people confused. They will be like "is this a new group?" or what. But at least they aren't calling them Morning Musume 17 (even though they've been around for 17 years in 2014), But still. Tsunku just made a horrible decision.
 
[tinytext]I haven't been in this much shock since Otsuka Aina leaving juice=Juice.[/tinytext]

[cadmonkey]

I've had a few minutes to process this news and consider the pros and cons of such a radical move, and I can consolidate my findings into one sentence.
 
This is fucking stupid.

[aine]

It's Saint Nicholas Day today, not freaking April Fools.

[aisasami]

 
 
At least it's nothing too drastic. 

[Mugi]

 Whatever they are still Morning Musume who cares what numbers are attached.

[kira]

Why Tsunku why. You've turned Morning Musume into one of your album naming gimmicks.
 
I'm reminded of that brief period where the Korean group Super Junior, back when they first debuted, went by Super Junior '05.

[yuzuriha]

This is so stupid.

[Mukuro]

All I can think about is "graduating class of '14"


Now if they release end of the year "yearbook" themed photo books this would all go well. But still, bad name change.

[sayu1991]

What the hell?! No....Just No. This is such a stupid idea. "Changing" the name by adding the current year isn't going to help anything and just looks ridiculous. Besides, I highly doubt that anyone is actually going to call them anything but Morning Musume or MoMusu so what's the point?

[smtmissin]

This is just so retarded I can't even....

[Kalle]

I was seriously hoping this was a troll post. I WAS HOPING WITH ALL MY HEART.
 
I mean yeah it's a minor change overall but it's such a dumb, dumb, DUMB minor change that I can't help but be stupefied over it.

[momoirosaya]

This is really stupid. I don't think it will catch on anyways. Hopefully it will be forgotten about...
We already can differentiate between the singles with the era's so changing the group name is only confusing and unnecessary.

[eri]

Dragon Ball Z
Sailor Moon S
14 Morning Musume
 
I don't know. I hate these stupid gimmicks. 

[ddnn]

this is really a stupid decision..
 
Why Tsunku.. Why did you do this thing?

[aine]

Ok, so is there any rational explanation for this, other than "Tsunku"? I know we blame the man for all the evil in the world, but this change had to be accepted by UF execs way above Tsunku.

If they are bothered by the whole MM legacy, this "change" won't help them shake it off. It's still Morning Musume. The MM/10 campaign was also successful in establishing the current lineup I thought. And as I said in my concert report, speaking of the Updated song versions, I did feel that the current members did live up well to the burden of the legacy.

I just don't see any justification from the marketing/commercial point of view. It will upset the current fans. It will confuse and discourage the mainstream audience. It will dilute the brand they just re-built with such effort. If retailers, especially online ones, play along with it, it will make searching more difficult. It will very likely affect the charts performance too, if only by making any "X consecutive Y" feats impossible - because lol it's new year and we're a different group now.

I hope someone in the company will have enough balls to slap the person responsible stupid and overrule it. There's just no fucking point.


EDIT: Berry says: 34 years until Morning Musume'48.

[zlilzlilzlil]

I don't get it... so I should call morning musume at debut morning musume 97?
 
This is a horrible idea...

[emily]

If he wants to change the name he should bring back the gumis.

[ShiroiChanUK]

I think the look on my face right now expresses the feelings of everyone on this board Honestly, I was expecting something more drastic but this is so stupid.
 
[quote="Al Kusanagi"]
Dear god... MM has become an EA franchise...
[/quote]
I've lost all hope now
 
[quote="Haru"]
is tsunku drunk
[/quote]
Probably. Either that or he's just being his usual troll self
 
[quote="aine"]
EDIT: Berry says: 34 years until Morning Musume'48.
[/quote]
No, just no 
 
On a side note MoMusu"'14's" 55th single was announced in the same blog post.
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
モーニング娘。'14の通算55枚目のシングルは、

2014年1月29日に発売となります。
</blockquote>
 

[Shoujo Q]

Can you imagine the mp3 tags this is going to wreck havoc on iTunes.

[ShiroiChanUK]

^ Oh crap! I didn't even think of that... *starts crying in a corner*

[Ap2000]

It's really fucking stupid.
You don't change your shit all the time, just to try and stay relevant.

[AquaChan]

Worst marketing decision ever. My god.
(Please, I still hope this is a joke)

[neshcom]

I think it'll stick around maybe a year or two and then get dropped. I'd have felt okay with just a new permanent name, but this yearly thing is such a crazy way to screw up whatever legacy the group will make. "Yeah, I was in Morning Musume 14 and 15 which are the exact same thing." The only way this could make a lot of sense is if each year (by calendar year), the group dynamic or mood changed dramatically to the point where they may as well be a new group. It'd be a clever way to explore new sounds each year and practically guarantee continued record deals. You can't have Morning Musume 14 songs on a Morning Musume 15 album!
 
But that makes too much sense, so obvs it'll be a jumbled, half-assed mess.

[MejraThea]

You all have mostly expressed my feeling already. Hopefully it'll die out within the first few months, and the Execs. will realize how horrible an idea it was, and never attempt it again.
 
Edit: Haha, Morning Musume '∞ BBS. Priceless.

[arcobaleno]

Oh my god, this is just stupid.
 
I get the whole idea behind the concept, but really. What a dumb idea! Stay relevant by beating the crap out of AKB with better songs, singing and dancing skills, not changing your name each year.
 
But hey, at least a new single is coming.

[Arichii]

[quote="Thea"]
Edit: Haha, Morning Musume '∞ BBS. Priceless.
[/quote]
 
I was wondering what that was for, it all makes sense now. And yeah well stupid decision is stupid. Also besides the main reasons for why this name change is so utterly crap, can you imagine how unattractive it would look on covers and stuff?