Best of 2017: Hello!Project

This year a lot happened in Hello!Project. From °C-ute disbanding to Kudo Haruka's graduation, Tsubaki Factories major debut and some other graduation and promotions. There have been a lot of single and album releases, concerts and events, even I could attend some of these.
So let's talk about all the groups individually, starting with the one group that doesn't exist anymore:

°C-ute

With this group having their last activities together it has been a quite nostalgic and sad beginning of the year. They released one last Best-Of album and their last single. Especially Final Squall has been a really bittersweet goodbye song. I managed to go to two concerts, including their last concert, which ahs been awesome and sad at the same time. But I am really really happy I got the chance to see them live. I also went to Suzuki Airi's birthday event together with a friend who is Airi fan as well. I have some beautiful memories of this group and I'm so happy to see them all going their own way!
Forever °C-ute!!

Morning Musume '17

Momusu had an awesome year. With 13th gen finally participating in promotions and Chisaki (14th gen) being added in summer there have been a few new faces.They released two singles and an album with soem awesome music! I especially liked BRAND NEW MORNING, Jealousy Jealousy, Wakaindashi and some tracks from the album like CHO DAI. One downside was Maachan being sick in the beginning of this year and not participating in single and concert promotions until march. Still, she came back as energetic as ever and the whole groups performance level was pretty high! The biggest shock was Kudo Haruka's graduation announcement and her actual graduation this month. That was really hard for me at first but now I just want her to be happy on her own. I'm just so glad I got to meet her in person and also see this group's concerts. Since I met almost every member at handshake events I feel really happy to be a fan of this group and despite my favourite member leaving, I'm looking forward to what they will be doing soon.

Angerme

Angerme released only two singles this year, both have been pretty solid with my favourite song being Ai sae areba nan ni mo iranai. They had succesfull live tours and two members, Kawamura Aano and Funaki Musubu, were added to the group in summer. I also got to see them live in concert and they have been really amazing! After °C-ute disbanding, Angerme's leader Wada Ayaka has also been promoted to H!P leader. I think she is an awesome leader and I wish her all of luck for that and hope she won't be graduating soon. The only downside this year was not hearing about Aikawa Maho. She was one of my favourite members and I would be happy to see her back but of course her health is more important and I just hope she will be healthy and happy again.
Update: Maho now left the project and while I'm really sad about that I wish her all the best for her future!

Juice=Juice

This group made quite a big impact this year. Releasing their 9th single, some digital songs and their first digital single Fiesta Fiesta, which is my absolute favourite of them, they have been doing quite weel. Danbara Ruru and Yanagawa Nanami were both added to this group and even though I didn't expect that at all, they make a great addition. Starting from September they also went on a World Tour and I got to see them live in Germany. That was a really nice experience and they are a really strong performance group. I got to like Danbara Ruru a lot this year, starting from her still being in Kenshuusei so I am looking forward to her growth in this group.

Country Girls

So Country Girls has been kinda confusing this year. Until Momochi's graduation in June they released only one single and I especially liked Peanut Butter Jelly Love from it. The graduation was sad and togetehr with °C-ute she has been the last member of the Hello Project kids. From summer on, Country Girls have kind of been on anhiatus though, with Morito, Yanagawa and Funaki being added to other groups as well and Yamaki and Ozeki concentrating more on their school life. They still appeared on some concerts and released digital songs but haven't been active that much since summer.

Kobushi Factory

Unfortunately this group released only one single this year and had three members leaving, making it not a really good year for them. Fuji, Ogawa and Taguchi all kind of had scandals and the whole thing only happaned in the span of a few months so I feel like it's really strange. The remaining 5 members are giving their best though and it can only go up from now on and I'm looking forward to their next activities.

Tsubaki Factory

Tsubaki had the best year of all the groups in my opinion. they have been a rising group from the beginning of this year. With the major debut and awesome first single with all three songs being simply prefect to their second, also strong single and a lot of live performances and events. They even got to win two Best Newcomer awards with rounds up such a successfull year for this group. I couldn't be more happy and proud of them and I just hope they will continue like this!


Hello!Project Kenshuusei

With some promotions and the annoucement of a new group it has also been a good year for the Kenshuusei's. They got featured more in Hello Project Station, in concerts etc. The highlight of this year was definitely Inaba Manaka returning to the Kenshuusei's, being leader of The Hello Project Kenshuusei Hokkaido group. I'm really happy she's back! :D

As you can see this has been a roller-coaster year for the project with so many things going on. With a new year starting soon I'm excited for what's going to happen in the future.


Top 10 songs

10. Gobaku ~We can't go back~

Performed by Ichioka Reina, Danbara Ruru, Kawamura Ayano, Takase Kurumi and Kiyono Momohima. This song was first performed at H!P's Sumemr concert Tour and later released digitally. I really like this song and it's all about sending messages to the wrong person which is hilarious! I would love to see this line-up again even though it's unlikely since they are added to different groups.


9. Seishun Say A-HA

Another concert song which was then released on Morning Musume's 15th album. This song is literally pumping up the audience and I'm really happy I could listen to it live three times and now it's released. It's also special as it has no solo lines but that makes it sounds really different and I love the dance.


8. Peanuts Butter Jelly Love

My favourite Country Girls song because it's just so lovely and it's kind of like Momochi's goodbye song. I love the cutesy Idol sound of this group so much.


7. Uruwashi no Camellia

Part of Tsubaki Factory's first single, this song has a really nostalgic sound and I'm simply in love with it. The members are so charming and I also love the style of the video.


6. BRAND NEW MORNING

This is such a badass song and I'm just so happy about this epic debut song for Kaedy and Yokoyan. Everyone sounds and looks so cool, definitely a song to remember!


5. Final Squall

My favourite song of °C-ute's last single. This sond is really good and I love how they used different dances of their old songs for Final Squall. I also tried to dance it and even though it's quite hard it's still so much fun.


4. Hatsukoi Sunrise

Tsubaki's debut also had this amazing song that just makes every concert reall exciting!


3. Jealousy Jealousy

Most fun song of Momusu, a nice mix of a beautiful song with nice vocals and a fun rap part. Also my favourite Karaoke song!


2. Fiesta Fiesta

Best Juice=Juice song of the year! I'm so happy to see this live too, because this song is full of energy and amazing performance skills, topped by the best vocals of everyone.


1. Wakaindashi

Duu's graduation sing is also my favourite song of 2017. It's just such a happy and upbeat song and I simply love Duu's solo parts and the members all just having fun and loving each other. It warms my heart to listen to this song



Top 8 members

8. Makino Maria

Maria has really impressed me the last two years. She is getting better and better in singing, dancing and her energy in performances is top quality. It is just so nice to see her having fun and I also think has a great personality and great humour! Adding to that she is really tall and beautiful.

7. Danbara Ruru

Ever since the beginning of this year Ruru has caught my eye. When she was still a Kenshuusei she had awesome performance skills and seeing her with Juice=Juice just exceeded my expectations. She is so talented and fun to watch and on top of that she is an absolute cutie!

6. Kaga Kaede

Kaedy has been in Momusu only one year but I was already following her when she was still a Kenshuusei, and she was my favourite. She has a great voice, really fierce dancing and acting skills and I like my tall&short haired girls!!

5. Kishimoto Yumeno

Another short haired-beauty! Kishimon has also improved so much over this year. With Tsubaki's major debut and her getting more confidence it already feels like she is a real star!!

4. Oda Sakura

Queen of singing and performance. When she's on stage she is shining like a star and is an absolute diva. Off stage she is the sweetest and nicest human being possible and needs to be protected at all costs!

3. Wada Ayaka 

Leader of H!P, leader of Angerme. Queen of Arts! Wada Ayaka herself is a piece of art and looking at her having fun on stage it just really makes me happy. She is also such a sweet person, being nice and welcoming to every member ad having simply a great personality.

2. Sato Masaki

Maachan is crazy.. but at the same time she is just normal, she has her own kind of system and she is really clever. I really like how she changed over the years, she not only improved her singing and performance skills.. she also created her own kind of style and it's so amazing to watch!

1. Kudo Haruka

Last time I will be able to include her in something like this. But I wanted to tell you again that Kudo Haruka is/ was my favourite Idol of H!P! She may have graduated now but she brought me so much joy over last few years and loved her as a performer, a singer and definitely as an actress. I really only wish the best for her!!


Special Mention:

Suzuki Airi

Maybe I told you how it was always hard for me to pick a favourite in °C-ute.. it always felt like the all belong together. But Suzuki Airi is just simply amazing and to me she was something like the perfect Idol.. maybe even more than that, because she really has everything: the voice, the performance skilly, the looks and the personality. She's so funny yet so fierce on stage and I really need to honour her for that.


So that's it for my Hello Pro rewind post! All the groups have been doing pretty good and even though there have been some sad events too, I'm really looking forward to 2018!!
Bye bye for now :)

Tsugunaga Momoko's graduation - Arigatou Otomomochi

As of June 30th, Tsugunaga Momoko has graduated from Country Girls, Hello!Project and from being an Idol. Adding to that, with her the last member of Hello!Project Kids has graduated. June 30th is also the 15th anniversary of Momochi passing the audition - together with 14 other kids in 2002.

This is really sad and now it really feels like an era has ended. With no Hello pro Kids members left, the Hello!Project I got to love is changing more and more. Fans from now on won't be able to experience anyone of Berryz Koubo and °C-ute being active in H!P and that does sound quite unbelievable for me.

Tsugunaga Momoko a.k.a Momochi has been active for 15 years and she loved being an Idol. That's why I think it's perfect for her to be the last one of the Kids. I was a bit worried her graduation would be overshadowed by °C-ute and all the things happening in Hello!Project right now, but that wasn't the case. Her graduation was perfect! (I sadly didn't go in person though.)

I still remember when I got into H!P and Berryz and I at first thought Momochi was funny but weird. Her Momochi character can be a bit annoying to a lot of people but I got to love it over time. I'm still using Yurushite Nyan from time to time and that makes most Japanese people laugh. Even though not everyone loves her, a lot of people respect Momochi and I am definitely one of them. Having such a character, being hard working as an Idol and seeing her promoting Country Girls over the last two years made me love her even more!!

I have been listening to Berryz songs lately and it made me realize how important that group and all the members are to me. And Momochi plays a big part of that even though she wasn't my favourite member of the group! Comparing it to two years ago, I respect her even more and I feel it was a really good decision of her to be in Country Girls for two years. Of course I feel sad about her graduating but rather than that I feel happy for everything she did as an Idol, everything she gave us.
With her graduating from Country Girls there will be other changes to the groups of Hello!Project so I'm also excited for that!!
And I also hope she will be happy in the future, being a teacher or everthing else she wants to do!!




Thank you for everything Momochi!!
You are the cutest Idolof them all!

Yurushite Nyan!!

2017.06.12 pm 9:10 - °C-ute has officially disbanded

That's it, °C-ute had officially disbanded.

I still can't believe it, but °C-ute is no more. I write about my feelings about that, but it is still a bit confusing and I still don't really know what to think.. After all, this group has been existing for 12 years and they are full of history. They had such a big impact on me and on thousand other fans!

°C-ute's formation was announced in 2005, after they were chosen for Hello!Project Kids together with the former Berryz Koubou members in 2002. Since Berryz Koubou was formed in 2004, °C-ute was formed of the remaining Hello!Project kids: Umeda Erika, Murakami Megumi, Yajima Maimi, Nakajima Saki, Suzuki Airi, Okai Chisato and Hagiwara Mai. Later, Arihara Kanna was added to the group. Murakami Megumi left the group quite early so the group had 7 members until in 2009, both Arihara Kanna and later Umeda Erika left the group. With that, °C-ute has been going through a lot of member changes, even though they only existed for 4 years.
After they changed to 5 members, °C-ute started to get more and more famous. They changed to a more cool and sexy style after all of them grew up a it more. And they became a really professional and talented group!!

I started to like °C-ute in 2012, when I really got into Hello!Project. They are one of the main reasons why I started to like Idols. It was mainly Morning Musume, Berryz Koubo and C-ute.. With Berryz being on an indefinite hiatus, °C-ute disbanding and ,my favourite Morning Musume member graduating, I feel like this is the end of an Era, also for me as an Idol fan. I won't stop liking H!P and Idols, but a lot has changed in these 5 years. Maybe it doesn't feel as long, since it's not even half of their activities, but °C-ute became a really special part of me!! Around the time Aitai Aitai Aitai na was released, I started hyping °C-ute a lot. I watched a lot of their videos and live performances and I was really impressed by their talent. Another one was Adam to Eve no Dilemma, I was hyping it a lot and it was the first °C-ute single I actually preordered from Japan! They had quite a few cool dance songs, but I also really liked their older cute songs. One of them is Sekai ichi Happy na Onna no Ko. For me it is such a happy song and it feels really nostalgic! I really, really love how they could do everything from cute, cool, sexy, mature, funny and their dance and performance always being top notch. All of them are really talented and I always wanted to go to their concerts. I was quite lucky to be able to go to their last concert, but also to their Chiba concert in May.


I love them all as a group so much, together they are like a family. But individually they are also really awesome Idols, so I thought to right about everyone seperated.

Yajima Maimi

First up is Maimi, current leader of °C-ute and Hello!Project and the oldest of the group. I always admired her a lot, because she is a super strong woman and a great leader. and with strong I do not only mean confident, no she is really physically strong as well! Her muscles are no joke! Adding to that she is so super nice and friendly and I would love to talk to her about so many things. She's the purest beauty and I really like how she never changed her hair colour xD
Being the leader or not only her group but also the whole franchise, especially in such a time of change must have been really hard so I do respect her so much.
After this, Maimi said she wants to become an actress. I quite like her as an actress and I would like to see a drama or movie with her as the heroine.

Nakajima Saki

Next up is Nakky. I always had a soft spot for Nakajima. She changed from a shy little girl to a strong confident woman and I really like that about her!! In my opinion, she is the best dancer, and she has so much charisma as a performer on stage. I always felt really sad to see her more in the back but at least she was having more front time over the last few years. I was also cherishing on Nakky and I'm so happy to see many blue penlights at concerts!
Nakky also wants to be an actress and I hope she will succeed.

Suzuki Airi

Then we have the main singer, Suzuki Airi. Airi seimply has an angel voice and so much talent, I admire her a lot. She is also really, really beautiful, has been a model for Ray and she is simply stylish! Not only that, she has such a funny character. I really think she is one of the funniest people and I could listen to her forever xD That's why I think she is a perfect all round talent.. a perfect Idol? She got pushed the most to the front and even though I do see why, I can also understand why some fans and also her felt kind of bad for that.. especially if we look at Shock! But Airi being a professional continued through hardships while staying true to herself!
She also wants to be a singer in the future, so of course I'm gonna support her!!

Okai Chisato

Chisato is really special for me. Even more than Airi, she is one of the biggest reasons of why I fell in love with °C-ute. Of course it's everyone, but Chissa has been simply awesome from the beginning. She is a power woman, has a really nice deep voice and is simply amazing on stage. And she is the funniest girls ever. No wonder she is in variety, her personality is the best.
I also really like her trendy short hair, but she always looks so beautiful!
Aa Chissa is really good in variety, I'm so happy she decided to go further in that area. I really hope to see her on more shows in the future!!

Hagiwara Mai

Last but not least is Hagiwara Mai (aka Maichan). She is the youngest and has always been the cutest, especially with her sunglasses in the early days. Lately, she has been lacking a bit vocal wise, but she is not giving up and still giving her best!! Even though at first I didn't like her that much, I got to like her more and more after time and got to understand her more. And honestly, I think she is really funny, an honest person and really beautiful inside and outside.
I expected so, but MaiMai decided to indefenitely stop her entertainment carreer. Adding to that she wants to study abroad, so I wish her the best of luck for that. I hope she can take a good rest after she was an Idol for most of her life!




Seeing them all growing up is something really beautiful. °C-ute has gone through some member changes, they tried a lot of different music styles, and were able to make everything possible from cute to sexy to funny to mature. To me, they are the perfect Idol, they are part of my life and of that of so many fans all over the world. °C-ute's legacy won't be forgotten and we will always love them. Even though I was a fan only for 5 years of their 12th years as a group and 15 years of the members being in Hello!Project,I feel like I've known them for my whole life and they are so important to me!
I love them all so much and I am really going to miss them! But of course I want them all to be happy on their own, going their own ways. I'm also really excited to see their individual futures - and to see a new Hello!Project that continues the legacy of °C-ute!


Thank you °C-ute
Thank you Maimi
Thank you Nakky
Thank you Airi
Thank you Chissa
Thank you MaiMai
Thank you Team °C-ute!!!!!!!

Forever °C-ute <3

°C-ute Spring Tour °Celebration ~Chiba, 2017.05.21 14:00~

I went to °C-ute's Spring Tour °Celebration in Chiba.
This was first time going to a °C-ute CONCERT!!!
Since I am in the Hello!Project fanclub I tried to apply for some concerts, also some of °C-ute's last tour.. I also got a ticket for their last concert in Saitama Super Arena, but I was also happy to get another ticket for their Chiba concert in May. Trough this I will see them closer and in a smaller venue.  After all, Saitama Super Arena is quite big hahaha.

So  this day I went to Chiba to see °C-ute. It actually took me like 1 1/2 hours, which is okay. The Chiba Bunka Kaikan was actually quite easy to find so I went there and lined up for goods first. I bought the Himawari of Airi, and her Tour T-shirt and one of the set of all the members, to have some memories of this tour. The T-shirt I can wear again at Saitama Super Arena and I quite like the design, even though it is simple.
After the goods I still had some time, so I went through the park around that place. Chiba Castle was also really really close, so I sat down close to it and ate something. The weather was really nice and I walked a bit. Entrance was a bit late but then everything went quite fast. The venue is really really beautiful, I quite like halls with that size.
Actually, I was quite in the front in row 13. That made me really excited. A funny thing: I had some crazy Otaku next to me. He new ALL THE DANCES and has like three lightsticks. It was a lot of fun though hahaha.

Amai Wana - Kenshuusei


1. Dance Performance
2. Aitai Aitai Aitai na
3. Love take it all
4. Aitte Motto Zanshin
5. Kanashiki Amefuri
MC
6. The Curtain Rises
7. The Middle Management ~Josei Chuukan Kanrishoku~
8. Midnight Temptation
9. ENDLESS LOVE ~I Love You More~
MC
10. VTR: Retrospective of Past Tours
11. Solo Medley

• Natsu DOKI Lipstick - Yajima Maimi (with Hello Pro Kenshuusei as backdancers)
• Yuke! Genki-kun - Hagiwara Mai (with Hello Pro Kenshuusei as backdancers)
• Tokai no Neon ga Odoroku Kurai no Utsukushisa ga Hoshii - Okai Chisato
• Kagayake! Houkago - Nakajima Saki (with Hello Pro Kenshuusei as backdancers)
• Tsuugaku Vector - Suzuki Airi (with Hello Pro Kenshuusei as backdancers)

12. Bagel ni Ham & Cheese
13. Watashi ga Honki wo Dasu Yoru
14. Time Capsule
MC
15. Ai wa Itsumo Itsumo
16. ★Akogare My STAR★ (with Hello Pro Kenshuusei as backdancers)
17. FOREVER LOVE
18. Hitorijime Shitakatta Dake na no ni
MC
19. Final Squall
20. Arashi wo Okosunda Exciting Fight!
21. Dance de Bakoon! (with Hello Pro Kenshuusei as backdancers)
22. Chou WONDERFUL! (with Hello Pro Kenshuusei as backdancers)
23. Iron Heart (with Hello Pro Kenshuusei as backdancers)
Encore
24. Dare ni mo Naisho no Koishiteiru no
25. Rin 
MC
26. To Tomorrow

Amai Wana is a really ncie song, especially for a concert opening. The three Kenkyuusei performed. I actually knew all three of them, so I was quite happy. Danbara is really cute!! *-*

Then °C-ute came in and I already almost started crying x'D It's just that I saw them for the first time and I was actually quite close, so it was really great for me to finally see them in real life!!
And I think they were really awesome life. They had so much fun and their performance skills are so top! Having only 5 members, I could also look at all of them and ALL of them were shining so much!! They were so beautiful and I really liked their dances a lot. they actually started with some kind of dance performance.
About the songs, I really liked the setlist and the songs were a lot of fun. Starting with Aitai Aitai Aitai na was like a dream for me, since this is the song that was released when I became a fan. So I always watched it on YouTube and I was hyping it a lot. Seeing it live was definitely a highlight and made me excited. The following cool dance songs were also really awesome and created a nice atmosphere. Especially Midnight Temptation is a song that's just so awesome at concert, I think it makes everyone excited. The Restrospective of past tours was cool, because they showed tours like Monster that I always watched in Germany! Then we had solo performances of everyone and tehy were all great. MaiMai wanted the fans to interact at some part of Yuke! Genki-kun, that was fun to see!! And I really like Tsuugaku Vector and Suzuki Airi is such a lovely singer!
Bagel ni Ham & Cheese is a lot of fun live, I think I like it even more than the studio recording. Watashi ga Honki wo Dasu Yoru was also a lot of fun, but in the middle of the performance Maimi left the stage. I could see some of the members looking a bit confused so I thought something was wrong.. But the members still had fun haha. Then, Maimi came back for the next song and at the MC they talked about that. Apparently her outfit ripped, because she is too strong. HAHAHA. That was really funny and the other members 'scolded' her a bit. They continued talking about this at later points too and it just showed how much fun they have together and that they are like a family!!
★Akogare My STAR★ and Hitorijime Shitakatta Dake na no ni are two songs that I love a lot so I was really happy to see them performed!! Seeing Final Squall live was quite sad and made me remember that this group will split up (I almost forgot over the last songs). The songs after that were all really cool to see live and they made everyone jump around, especially Dance de Bacoon.
To Tomorrow being the last song was really really sad.


Everyone was really fan of their oshi, which was interesting for me to see. It was more hardcore than for example with Momusu. But still, the fans and the group were like a family and that's what I liked the most!!
I had a lot of fun and I love °C-ute so much. This was such a nice concert and I am so happy I got to see them live like this, up close and in a smaller hall.
Now it's Saitama Super Arena next! I'm kind of looking forward to it but it's also gonna be so sad!
Forever °C-ute!

I bought Airi's Himawari!!

°C-ute - To Tomorrow/ Final Squall/ The Curtain Rises (regular C) ~unboxing~

And lastly, here is my unboxing of type C of °C-ute's last single To Tomorrow/ Final Squall/ The Curtain Rises. 

In the music video clothes of The Curtain rises. This cover looks really cool and for once it is all the members in one picture and not little ones of all of them.

Obi

This is what the inside looks like

I love the gray design of the CD!!

The cover is so nice. The members look really good in black

Lyrics da yooo

Ooooh thus picture looks awesome. I like the laser thingies.

And this time I got Maimi again, hahaha.
It's not even funny, it's just really cool how I got her in every version!!! She's the best xD


1. To Tomorrow
2. Final Squall
3. The Curtain Rises
4. To Tomorrow (instrumental)
5. Final Squall (instrumental)
6. The Curtain Rises (instrumental)

I still love all the songs. Singing them in Karaoke makes me quite sad though..
Only 4 days left *cries*

°C-ute - To Tomorrow/ Final Squall/ The Curtain Rises (regular B) ~unboxing~

Next up is the regular B version of °C-ute's last single To Tomorrow/ Final Squall/ The Curtain Rises. This one is in the style of Final Squall.

I really like the red outfits of Final Squall. The members look really beautiful and I quite like this cover, even though the design could be better

I love red!

The inside

The CD looks really cool, I like this colour!

The cover again

Lyrics of the three songs

Now THIS is a really beautifulpicture. Damn, why don't they take the inside pictures as covers? *sigh*

And my photocard is.... Maimi again. WTF I got her again hahahaha xD
She looks so stunning though *-*

Tracklist:

1. To Tomorrow
2. Final Squall
3. The Curtain Rises
4. To Tomorrow (instrumental)
5. Final Squall (instrumental)
6. The Curtain Rises (instrumental)

I wrote about the songs already, and I quite like all of them a lot. For Final Squall I have to say it has been growin on me a lot :)