Elder Club Finally Graduates

[neshcom]

H!O has an article with translated news clippings. Here are a few interesting new facts:



- 78 members performed at the concert and 56 left as H!P members.

- The graduating members simultaneously read a formal goodbye.

- Tsuji perfomed as well (I wasn't aware that she would <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hahaha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';/' /> )

- The average age of H!P is now down to 15.1 from 18.0.

- The H!O article says their performance of LOVE Machine "retired" the song. Does this mean no more LOVE Machine performances? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hawhaw.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' />

- "Original-minus-one" Tanpopo performed.

- "Current" Pucchimoni performed.

- Goto Maki sent congratulation flowers.

- Ishiguro Aya was present in some capacity.

- Takahashi is now H!P's leader (from Nakazawa). I say they should've lined up every member by seniority and passed the leadership down like an assembly line. Kaori deserved some (more) leadership time <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /noway.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';/' />



Now that the Elder's Club is gone, where do we go from here? Are you jumping ship? Lowering the anchor? Re-opening the masts? Swabbing the poop deck?

[that.person]

[quote name='neshcom' post='58705' date='Feb 1 2009, 10:36 PM']- The H!O article says their performance of LOVE Machine "retired" the song. Does this mean no more LOVE Machine performances? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hawhaw.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';/' />[/quote]



THANK GOD. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' />

[alita87]

Copied my comment from H!O over to here: (where I'm sure it will get much more intelligent responses)



***



It was actually a pretty lame graduation. Yes they did the letter reading and passing of responsibility (though I'm not sure how it'll work with Takahashi still being in Morning Musume, as Yuko wasn't called leader til after she graduated.



But besides the letter reading and everyone in the stands tearing up then, nothing. Fans during the letter reading were taking out and cracking their white glowsticks, and then there was no opportunity to use them. All for One and all the other numbers were exactly the same as the afternoon concert (which I had first row center seats to, my fanclub luck amazes even me) and there was no encore. Which at the large concerts there normally isn't, but there was when Mako and Konkon graduated Morning Musume. Although by the time the concert ended it was exactly 9pm (and hence the girls under 18 would HAVE to be off stage) to the calls of encore the graduating members did come out for a bow, but that was it.



Everyone was expecting atleast an extra ending performance of "Never Forget" but nothing. As far as graduations go it was just disappointing that it ended without the white glowstick waving.



Edit: As to where I am on the ship, I'm just buying another. So HP will be my older established vessel and M-Line/Melon Kinenbu will be the two new speed boats in town.

[Cyrene]

I'm basically done with H!P now, sadly. Being a fan for so long and having most of who I care about leave kind of just makes my interest disappear. I hope that H!P does well without them but...I don't know. This truly is the end, in my opinion.



(More later, break is up.)

[tsukinobyouin]

Since they're not really going anywhere, it doesn't seem like that big of a deal. Really the only thing we lose are the big everyone together concerts, which aren't as fun as they used to be anyway since there are too many people. Although, I hadn't thought of this before - do they lose their H!P catalogues with the movie? They're still under UFA so I assume rights wouldn't be an issue, but I'm wondering if they're so set on making a clear separation between H!P and non-H!P that the girls have to retire all of their songs to the people still in H!P. That would actually be worth being sad about. Though Ayaya would probably be elated. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':weeeh:' />

[Vikitty]

Yossi cried, people.



THIS IS EPIC.







I am done with H!P though.

[Special Needs Tricycle]

[quote name='Cyrene' post='58710' date='Feb 1 2009, 11:44 PM']I'm basically done with H!P now, sadly. Being a fan for so long and having most of who I care about leave kind of just makes my interest disappear. I hope that H!P does well without them but...I don't know. This truly is the end, in my opinion.



(More later, break is up.)[/quote]

You do realize that they're all still under UFA and Tsunku, right? They just have a new logo slapped on them instead of H!P and they won't be doing joint concerts anymore. It's really not a big deal at all.



EDIT: I also really hope to never ever see another performance of LOVE Machine ever again. Yeesh.

[Cyrene]

[quote name='Special Needs Tricycle' post='58715' date='Feb 1 2009, 09:10 PM'][quote name='Cyrene' post='58710' date='Feb 1 2009, 11:44 PM']I'm basically done with H!P now, sadly. Being a fan for so long and having most of who I care about leave kind of just makes my interest disappear. I hope that H!P does well without them but...I don't know. This truly is the end, in my opinion.



(More later, break is up.)[/quote]

You do realize that they're all still under UFA and Tsunku, right? They just have a new logo slapped on them instead of H!P and they won't be doing joint concerts anymore. It's really not a big deal at all.



EDIT: I also really hope to never ever see another performance of LOVE Machine ever again. Yeesh.

[/quote]



Oh, I meant in general. I don't really care about any of them, regardless of the label. And that's really sad because I was a pretty big fan for a long time.

[Special Needs Tricycle]

[quote name='Cyrene' post='58716' date='Feb 2 2009, 12:12 AM']I don't really care about any of them, regardless of the label.[/quote]

Then why was this the last straw? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hatthe.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whatthe:' />

[Kago]

Hi I am an older fan and I too am here to be melodramatic about a non-event.

I am done with H!P though.

Oh sit down, Yossi isn't going anywhere.

[Vikitty]

I know, she has another H&A single coming out. But I'm finished with the H!P side.



Unless Saki goes solo or something. ♥Saki♥

[Cyrene]

[quote name='Special Needs Tricycle' post='58717' date='Feb 1 2009, 09:14 PM'][quote name='Cyrene' post='58716' date='Feb 2 2009, 12:12 AM']I don't really care about any of them, regardless of the label.[/quote]

Then why was this the last straw? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hatthe.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whatthe:' />

[/quote]



Because I finally caught up on everything and was just like 'meh'.



@Pi:

[21:18] namidagyaru: Yossui is going somewhere alright.

[21:18] namidagyaru: IN MY PANTS

[Kago]

I hear AKB48 is a great fandom for ex-HP fans, all you disgruntled children of the world.

[Vikitty]

I don't mind AKB48.



I'd convert to Buono if I didn't hate Momoko so much.

[AEUGNewtype]

I hear AKB48 is a great fandom for ex-HP fans, all you disgruntled children of the world.

You heard wrong. The way they are managed is very different from H!P and their music is pretty atrocious.

Hi I am an older fan and I too am here to be melodramatic about a non-event.

That's a good description. This is such an...uneventful "event." Nothing really happened, so much, besides maybe them kinda admitting that most of their older artists are going to get treated like shit from now on instead of doing it without saying anything in the past.

I don't mind AKB48.



I'd convert to Buono if I didn't hate Momoko so much.

I don't like AKB, but the Momoko thing was pretty funny. I still love Buono even though she's probably the most annoying person in H!P.

[Special Needs Tricycle]

I want to ask, have we ever gotten reasoning from UFA as to why they're doing this? It really completely boggles my mind. The only thing I can really think of is milking the fans with separate fan clubs, but even then, they lose out on the huge venues they fill with the joint concerts. It all seems really pointless. Maybe they can do more merchandising now, though?



Also, I guess it should be noted that 2 of the liiiittle little girls from the Taiwan auditions (Not in Ice Creamusume) back-danced for Koharu during Happy Happy Sunday.

[eri]

Oh I am not even sad - I'm already used to it. They were already long gone before the official boot. And besides, Buono is still keeping me chained to the UFA H!P ship so take that AKB48 <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... dammit.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whatthe:' /> .



But it must have been nice to have one last go at it, all together. I hope someone will upload the concert in the future. Yossi is doing that bug-eye thing when you are about to cry but don't want to <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />

I want to ask, have we ever gotten reasoning from UFA as to why they're doing this? It really completely boggles my mind. The only thing I can really think of is milking the fans with separate fan clubs, but even then, they lose out on the huge venues they fill with the joint concerts. It all seems really pointless. Maybe they can do more merchandising now, though?

. But have joint concerts really been so lucrative? I think it is to keep the branding clean and identifiable by legions of interchangeable teenagers. This is a long-term strategy to keep themselves financially successful. And all those OLD people in their 20s forced to sing enka just bring the house down <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/sigh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' /> .

[Special Needs Tricycle]

AND FOR ANYONE WHO IS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR NEW IDOL GROUPS, IDOLING WELCOMES YOU WITH OPEN ARMS!

[Vikitty]

[quote name='eri' post='58728' date='Feb 1 2009, 10:28 PM']Yossi is doing that bug-eye thing when you are about to cry but don't want to <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whatthe:' />[/quote]

There's a tear on her cheek. Proof that she's not a robot, y'all!

[ozu]

[quote name='eri' post='58728' date='Feb 2 2009, 01:28 AM']I think it is to keep the branding clean and identifiable by legions of interchangeable teenagers. This is a long-term strategy to keep themselves financially successful.[/quote]



It's all about branding and long-term marketing. Probably would've been best to move in this direction a few years back.



Still not a bad idea, but we'll have to wait and see how it works.

[loli-tan]

....They don't actually graduate until March 31st, you guys.





Chocolate Damashii? Kenchana ~Daijoubu~? Seishun Boku (that Mari Hexagon single)?

[yuzuriha]

Well now I feel a little better about not getting tickets.



Except not really because after all these years I still have never been to an H!P concert. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whatthe:' /> I thought this would be a good one to start/end with.

[Solitudity]

I don't know if I can watch this concert. I'll cry. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whatthe:' />



I love the older members, but I'm happy. It felt like something they needed to do. Berryz/C-ute have started to become more then just H!P Kids and Morning Musume is going through some kind of identity crisis that I think will make them a different group from the MM we knew from the past.

[freezingkiss]

[quote name='Pi Kago' post='58721' date='Feb 2 2009, 03:26 PM']I hear AKB48 is a great fandom for ex-HP fans, all you disgruntled children of the world.[/quote]



I'm so not done with H!P. Berryz are my favourite H!P group now and have been for a while. I'm definately not obsessed as I was a few years ago but I still like them. Anyone who says they are done with H!P now will come back in a few months time after a really good Buono single with their tail between their legs, haha.

[alita87]

Too long to post on here but here's a link to the promised concert report. And I am seriously tired, that was way too much typing, and I don't think I even captured half of what I had going through my head on Sunday.

Long-ass Concert Post



Posts relating to the other concerts/events I have been to are mostly tagged under Morning musume, hello project, and concerts. Not everything is tagged, but it's there.



And now I need to sleep, can't wait til the DVD comes out but that'll be months from now.

[Madara]

[quote name='alita87' post='58759' date='Feb 3 2009, 12:48 AM']Too long to post on here but here's a link to the promised concert report. And I am seriously tired, that was way too much typing, and I don't think I even captured half of what I had going through my head on Sunday.

Long-ass Concert Post



Posts relating to the other concerts/events I have been to are mostly tagged under Morning musume, hello project, and concerts. Not everything is tagged, but it's there.



And now I need to sleep, can't wait til the DVD comes out but that'll be months from now.[/quote]





Thanks for the link, Alita. I printed out your writeup and will read it when I get a chance (I'm at my office and I'm actually expected to get some work done--the nerve of these people).



I'm bummed out because I was waiting for a special event concert to finally motivate a trip to Japan and this one sounds like it was the last best chance, esp. since Nono performed. If I had known she'd be there (and who did know that?) I might have made the effort. Oh well, I didn't. Too late now. Besides, last year was a bad year for making plans like this, with various health problems and a hard-hitting death in the family in December and subsequent family business that might have forced me to cancel the trip anyway. But still, I feel like I missed something... <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':pirate:' /> Esp. after looking at the pix on the H!O link. And Aya Ishiguro backstage and all.



Well, at least I'll be able to buy the DVD set.

[BeForJess]

As long as everyone continues to put out material through M-Line I don't think things will change much. It's more like a restructuring of the company than kicking everyone out as I originally thought it would be. The next few months will be what really tells us what is happening - whether people will still be releasing material, or what. It could be an opportunity for some of the artists on the back burner to come out with new things again because they won't have so much competition from MM, or Berryz... Who knows. I will just consider myself a "UFA fan" instead of just Hello! Project now.

[mia-p]

I seriously thought they were graduating in March, am I going mad?



[quote name='yuzuriha' post='58745' date='Feb 2 2009, 07:20 PM']Well now I feel a little better about not getting tickets.



Except not really because after all these years I still have never been to an H!P concert. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':pirate:' /> I thought this would be a good one to start/end with.[/quote]



I feel the same way, I should of made the effort to go when I had the chance <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[alita87]

[quote name='Madara' post='58770' date='Feb 3 2009, 03:36 AM'][quote name='alita87' post='58759' date='Feb 3 2009, 12:48 AM']Too long to post on here but here's a link to the promised concert report. And I am seriously tired, that was way too much typing, and I don't think I even captured half of what I had going through my head on Sunday.

Long-ass Concert Post



Posts relating to the other concerts/events I have been to are mostly tagged under Morning musume, hello project, and concerts. Not everything is tagged, but it's there.



And now I need to sleep, can't wait til the DVD comes out but that'll be months from now.[/quote]





Thanks for the link, Alita. I printed out your writeup and will read it when I get a chance (I'm at my office and I'm actually expected to get some work done--the nerve of these people).



I'm bummed out because I was waiting for a special event concert to finally motivate a trip to Japan and this one sounds like it was the last best chance, esp. since Nono performed. If I had known she'd be there (and who did know that?) I might have made the effort. Oh well, I didn't. Too late now. Besides, last year was a bad year for making plans like this, with various health problems and a hard-hitting death in the family in December and subsequent family business that might have forced me to cancel the trip anyway. But still, I feel like I missed something... <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':pirate:' /> Esp. after looking at the pix on the H!O link. And Aya Ishiguro backstage and all.



Well, at least I'll be able to buy the DVD set.

[/quote]



Yeah Nono's (and Icecream's) appearances weren't announced until middle of January so it was definitely a last minute thing. Nono wasn't even on any of the trading cards pics, and the pic in the Elder club set was her not in the same fluffy white costumes as everyone else. So it makes me wonder if she'll be active or not in M-line. I actually hope she is, because she was great on stage and still has the same cuteness and energy she always had.





[quote name='mia-p' post='58789' date='Feb 3 2009, 09:41 AM']I seriously thought they were graduating in March, am I going mad?



[quote name='yuzuriha' post='58745' date='Feb 2 2009, 07:20 PM']Well now I feel a little better about not getting tickets.



Except not really because after all these years I still have never been to an H!P concert. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> I thought this would be a good one to start/end with.[/quote]



I feel the same way, I should of made the effort to go when I had the chance <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':ph34r:' />

[/quote]



They are technically graduating in March, but that's just for tax reasons. The end of March is the end of the fiscal year as far as I'm aware (though for some reason you get tax returns in January as I found out) so that's when they will be switched over into whatever new management or organization. But since end of march is when Morning and Berryz and all them are in the middle of their concert tours, this was the yearly huge joint concert and the best timing for doing the ceremonial part of the graduation.



Totally off topic, but please someone convince me that I do not need to go to Yuko's Okinawa event... it's in my budget if I max out credit card. But I don't need to go. It's more the trip to Okinawa that I want than just seeing Yuko, but having special dinners with Yuko would be fun too.

[MoMusumefan21]

Older fan here as well. It is the end of a era, and the mood has changed. Have not been following the new H!P and Morning Musume in quite sometime, but still follow and check up on the older ex-members for nostalgia's sake.



If a good song comes out by Morning Musume or Hello Project in the future, I will add it to my play list. But as for being a fan that listens and loves everything about them... those days were over in the early 2000s for me. Personally I think they should have ended the Morning Musume "brand name" years ago(maybe circa 2003-2004). I just hope that Morning Musume does not go down in popular memory as being the wota bait that is has become these days instead of the great, popular and fun music group it used to be back in the hey days.



The new generation of new version of Morning Musume and H!P in general the last few years really seemed to be......<img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... unsure.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':ssh:' />



OH yeah...No more LOVE MACHINE in concerts! How is this Morning Musume?! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... dammit.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='-_-' /> Maybe I am in the minority of people here that love that song and feel that song is what defined Morning Musume. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':sad:' />



As for the Ship...