Maji desu ka SUKA! : The Thread!

[rob]

It's a new era that's all, the cookies will grow up and become mature musume again and the process starts again.



Not everyone likes the start of a roller coaster some even say it's the boring part, but for me it's the part where you get all excited and can't wait for the ride to start.



Roller coaster = Morning Musume.

[momoirosaya]

[quote name='rob' timestamp='1301456706' post='96243']

It's a new era that's all, the cookies will grow up and become mature musume again and the process starts again.



Not everyone likes the start of a roller coaster some even say it's the boring part, but for me it's the part where you get all excited and can't wait for the ride to start.



Roller coaster = Morning Musume.

[/quote]

Then wouldn't that mean that this is that last part before the end? When the most thrilling part of the ride is over? If you mean MM since the beginning...

[rob]

oh no, I mean that with each generation begins a new ride.



New members come in and old members go out, the whole dynamic of the group changes and it becomes a slightly different ride to the one before.

[al kusanagi]

Finally watched the actual PV and, dammit, this is the best freakin' MM single since Roman ~My Dear Boy~!



This is the exact kind of song/performance/PV that made me fall in love with the group.

[Melon]

OH HEY INTERRUPTING YOUR GEN TALK TIME TIME FOR MY OPINIONZ~



1. Kanon. GAH! I want a gif of her second verse looped over and over and over it HNNNGGGSSSSS me with the cuteness everytime! Her expressions are so adorable! This part was the best of the new girls' solo shots.

2. I love Sayu's "SU" punch with the "toughness". Very cute.

3. Erina, GURL, learn to SMIZE. We need to import some Tyra and make her SMIZE until her eyes BLEED. She spends the video personifying the (O_O) emoticon.

4. Riho is so fierce. I gravitate towards her in the dance shots like I did Kamei. Give her a solo dance segment for the concerts, please! (Eri deserved at least one, she was so great hmmph)

5. Mizuki didn't really leave an impression on me. I hope her and Erina will make stronger impressions from now on. Even in the appearences they're being overshadowed by Kanon and Riho.

6. I liked the random Grandpa Aika, but now I can't look at her without thinking "OLD"

7. I also liked the energy. And I would like a cactus in the corner of my room decorated with sunflowers, because....it would oddly fit with my decor?



[quote name='Al Kusanagi' timestamp='1301531546' post='96288']

This is the exact kind of song/performance/PV that made me fall in love with the group.

[/quote]



YES!

[Anderei]

It is pretty adorable. Erina's shots would've been really cute too if she was smiling like you said. It was all there, except for the smile. I understand why she doesn't want to smile, but I'd love her all the more if she would.

[Noa]

Kanon's second solo was my favorite part, but I loved the whole thing.

[rob]

[quote name='Anderei' timestamp='1301534668' post='96294']







It is pretty adorable. Erina's shots would've been really cute too if she was smiling like you said. It was all there, except for the smile. I understand why she doesn't want to smile, but I'd love her all the more if she would.

[/quote]







She's so awesome, about time we had members who were actually fun instead of the "I'm cute BUT USELESS" members we've had for a while.



Kanon for Leader!

[Ap2000]

I guess Mitsui's old guy character has a deeper meaning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wK94gD6-mI&t=2m24s

[Pucchi-Mo]

B-side in full, the other preview cut off at a kind of seemingly ended spot, but the song is 4mins+. Better quality too.



I feel like MM has consistently had some REALLY good coupling tracks for the past 2 years.

[Ap2000]

[quote name='CO2 Blasted Idols' timestamp='1301601762' post='96329']

B-side in full, the other preview cut off at a kind of seemingly ended spot, but the song is 4mins+. Better quality too.



I feel like MM has consistently had some REALLY good coupling tracks for the past 2 years.

[/quote]



I hate that overly-high pitched SHWUNG SHWUNG.

As mostly I'll just stay with the actual single and ignore the b-side. (I'm somewhat the opposite of you in this case)

[AquaChan]

[quote name='CO2 Blasted Idols' timestamp='1301601762' post='96329']

I feel like MM has consistently had some REALLY good coupling tracks for the past 2 years.

[/quote]



I think it's about time that they work on the A-side now.

[freezingkiss]

Back on topic



Performance of Maji de, Riho is definitely not lip synching but the other 3 are. I can understand Erina and Kanon, but why is Mizuki lip synching? Hasn't she had plenty of practice?

[Ap2000]

[quote name='freezingkiss' timestamp='1301679051' post='96383']

Back on topic



Performance of Maji de, Riho is definitely not lip synching but the other 3 are. I can understand Erina and Kanon, but why is Mizuki lip synching? Hasn't she had plenty of practice?

[/quote]



Mizukis singing sounds different than the studio recording, I think she's not lip synching.

Kanon is obviously lip synching. But better have her not actually singing than have her crank like kusumi.

I don't really look at Erina at all.



Riho's such an ace.

[Pucchi-Mo]

[quote name='freezingkiss' timestamp='1301679051' post='96383']

Stop talking about Mari, current MM is doing high kicks in designer stockings <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... pyeyes.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':puppyeyes:' />

[/quote]



fixed.



I'm glad this new performance has the cactuar dance move. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... umbsup.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Anderei]

Sounds like all of 9th gen sans Riho lipsynched again. Which I still don't understand since she's hardly a strong singer. They've never kept a bad singer from singing live before, why now?

[Gerald]

[quote name='rob' timestamp='1301684411' post='96391']

You seem to be misunderstanding.



My favourite members so far have been Mari, Sayumi and Junjun.



With Kanon however she brings a side to MM we haven't seen since kago and tsuji.



I accept my fandom of MM fully but I'm not blinded by it.



Every Mari video that was posted showed ZERO of her real personality, Kanon has shown more of herself in 5 minutes than Mari, Makoto, Asami did in 5 years.

[/quote]

As you say it's all down to personal opinion, I think Kanon is like a overactive puppy, cute but gets on your nerves after a while whereas Mari, Makoto and Asami were brilliant in Hello! Morning as well as a lot of the backstage stuff shown on the concert DVDs.



Kanon has a very long way to go before she is even vaguely close to those three*.



*My personal opinion

[Haru]

[quote name='Anderei' timestamp='1301712940' post='96411']

Sounds like all of 9th gen sans Riho lipsynched again. Which I still don't understand since she's hardly a strong singer. They've never kept a bad singer from singing live before, why now?

[/quote]



There's either one of two things:



- Erina, Mizuki and Zukki aren't comfortable singing live.

- Tsunku thought Koha was good enough to have live.

[Anderei]

First closeup + Mizuki interview



Closeup on the regular set. Cute, but I've never been a big fan of closeups.



First dance shot + Erina interview



The view is nice. Allows you to see everyone. Props to Ai for doing that dance in those heels. I bet Aika is secretly glad she never has to dance in heels.



Also, Erina looks cuuuute. She's so endearing, I think she's my runner up to Kanon. Is her hair dyed or has it always been that shade?



Second close up + Riho interview



Closeup with the colored backgrounds. Don't really like this one, because the colored backgrounds look cheap.



Second dance shot + Kanon interview



Same set, but at a different angle than Erina's dance shot. This is more like the regular MV, so I think I like Erina's more because you can see everyone.









They'll also be on Music Japan on the 10th with another performance.

[Shoujo Q]

The single came in at #5 for first day sales. No surprise that SDN48 and Kara took #1 and #2.

[tsukinobyouin]

The interviews are a little disappointing. I've only watched Riho's so far, but I imagine the rest will be the same. It's pretty clear she wrote out all the answers beforehand and then memorized them (or is looking at cue cards). She sounds exactly like a student giving a presentation before a classroom - you can hear where she pauses to remember, or corrects a part she left out of the sentence. I wish they'd been more relaxed and just answered the questions naturally on the spot. I guess the producers were afraid the girls wouldn't be able to come up with interesting comments on the fly just yet, but I'd rather see them naturally be a little boring than stiffly read rehearsed lines. =/

[Shoujo Q]

Riho is great at everything but she falters when it comes to camera and talking time. She'll get over it quick though and then she'll be just great at everything. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... lesson.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lesson:' />

[tsukinobyouin]

[quote name='PKyu' timestamp='1302113162' post='96666']

Riho is great at everything but she falters when it comes to camera and talking time. She'll get over it quick though and then she'll be just great at everything. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... lesson.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lesson:' />

[/quote]



She did great during PON - and that was live! I think these interviews were probably recorded a while ago though, before they'd had any real practice.

[showraniy]

Hm.... I really like Mizuki's close-up and Kanon's dance-shot versions of the PV. Riho's energy in the first proves to me she's a natural at this stuff and she'll be a star in no time. Also, she looks like a member of S/mileage in that outfit, haha.



As an aside: Damn you, Mizuki and Erina for going brunette so you can blend even more into the background of Morning Musume's all brunette-except-Sayumi ensemble. Why do the Japanese seem so fascinated with being brunettes? The obvious answer seems to be that no one wants to have the same hair color his or her whole life (which, for Japanese, tends to be black), but why is it always some dull, poopy shade of brown?

[eri]

[quote name='Ap2000' timestamp='1301574546' post='96313']

I guess Mitsui's old guy character has a deeper meaning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wK94gD6-mI&t=2m24s

[/quote]



Probably a reference to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanasaka_Jiisan



Just want to say that Riho has amazing hair - that glassy, watery, perfect hair. I'm a bit sad they cut it for that PON interview. I hope she never ever dyes it and ruins it.



And re:showraniy - no one dyed their hair yet, right? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hatthe.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whatthe:' /> I don't know what you're talking about. Ikuta and Mizuki have black/dark brown natural hair.

[Haru]

[quote name='showraniy' timestamp='1302129935' post='96682']As an aside: Damn you, Mizuki and Erina for going brunette so you can blend even more into the background of Morning Musume's all brunette-except-Sayumi ensemble. Why do the Japanese seem so fascinated with being brunettes? The obvious answer seems to be that no one wants to have the same hair color his or her whole life (which, for Japanese, tends to be black), but why is it always some dull, poopy shade of brown?

[/quote]



You're exactly right, Raniy. That's atleast what I've picked up anyway. Problem is; women don't want to be typically Japanese with black hair, they all die it brown; then everyone Japanese blends in with the crowd anyway.

As for why it's all the same shade; it might be just a gradual dyeing, that way it doesn't burn as much? Either that, or everyone just likes that colour.

[strawberryjam]

[quote name='showraniy' timestamp='1302129935' post='96682']

As an aside: Damn you, Mizuki and Erina for going brunette so you can blend even more into the background of Morning Musume's all brunette-except-Sayumi ensemble. Why do the Japanese seem so fascinated with being brunettes? The obvious answer seems to be that no one wants to have the same hair color his or her whole life (which, for Japanese, tends to be black), but why is it always some dull, poopy shade of brown?

[/quote]

I thought it was so funny you pointed that out. I've encountered people that thought Asians naturally had brown hair as well. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... R#>/XD.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':XD:' />



Also, after listening to this song more, I've decided this song sounds like a song Koharu would sing. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... mellow.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':mellow:' /> Except she'd need serious backup at the chorus. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hahaha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hahaha:' /> Yeah, this song reminds me of Guru Guru Jump. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... mellow.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':mellow:' />

[eri]

[quote name='strawberryjam' timestamp='1302163382' post='96707']

[quote name='showraniy' timestamp='1302129935' post='96682']

As an aside: Damn you, Mizuki and Erina for going brunette so you can blend even more into the background of Morning Musume's all brunette-except-Sayumi ensemble. Why do the Japanese seem so fascinated with being brunettes? The obvious answer seems to be that no one wants to have the same hair color his or her whole life (which, for Japanese, tends to be black), but why is it always some dull, poopy shade of brown?

[/quote]

I thought it was so funny you pointed that out. I've encountered people that thought Asians naturally had brown hair as well. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... R#>/XD.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':XD:' />



[/quote]



Ummm what the hell are you guys talking about? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hatthe.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whatthe:' />



Asians do not all have jet black (or even straight) hair. Most East Asians have hair in various shades of black-dark brown that naturally lighten in the sun. In fact, jet black hair was an aesthetic ideal that was RARE in classical Japan. My husband has jet black hair (blue undertones). My sister has regular "black" hair that gets brown under sunlight. And though my Dr. License says I have "black hair," if I sit next to either of them it is really obvious my hair is much lighter and I have red undertones.



Anyway, as far as I can tell, neither girl's hair is significantly lighter than when they auditioned. Edit: it looks like studio lighting is making their hair seem lighter, imo.

[Ap2000]

Well, undertones are undertones, but many Japanese have black hair.

[eri]

[quote name='Ap2000' timestamp='1302189163' post='96726']

Well, undertones are undertones, but many Japanese have black hair.

[/quote]



And my point is that color and color perceptions are culturally constructed. My hair looks like Mizuki's hair in that video and it is in between jet black and dark brown -- but it isn't dyed.



And furthermore, "dull and poopy" is pretty wtf.