A few nights ago I found out that Johnny’s is bad for my health. Every time I see them I turn into a pile of squeeling fangirl goo.

There have been a few Johnny’s releases lately and a couple dramas that I’ve been wanting to review badly, but every time I try, I just end up making a fangirl post. I mean… it might scare you. Which is why I haven’t done it. However, I do want to get my opinion out on a few things, so I’m going to make one big JE review of everything I’ve wanted to review lately and keep everything short and sweet. I can’t completely keep myself from fangirling, but I’ll try to limit it.

First is the PV to Hey! Say! JUMP’s new single, Your Seed. It’s the theme song for the Japanese version of the movie Kung Fu Panda (which has Jack Black in it, so I want to see it really bad). I’m surprised they’re already doing movie theme songs after only two other singles. But, putting into perspective, they are Johnny’s. And their sales rival those of the top Johnny’s groups (ARASHI, NEWS, KAT-TUN).

I feel really bad for my friend Shiori. She originally linked me to the video when it first came out, and thus had to endure my extreme fangirling (which was mainly screaming Yamada Ryosuke, Takaki Yuya, Yabu Kota, and Chinen Yuuri’s names every time I saw them).

I think the song is really catchy and the lyrics fit the movie (or at least what I can tell from the previews and guessing the plot). I really like the dance, they incorporated a lot of kung fu stances into it. Whoever choreographed that was really creative, even their formations were pretty cool. Also, while the PV was simple, I really liked how they had shots of just Hey! Say! BEST and Hey! Say! 7, and then combined shots as well.

And how Ryo and Yuya were the leads. They just… they just… I’ll spare you the fangirling.

Next is KAT-TUN’s third album, QUEEN OF PIRATES. I think the title’s rather amusing. Seeing as they’re all “male”. The cover is pretty amusing too. Koki looks like he’s trying to be Goku from DBZ. Junno looks like he’s trying to be Moses. Maru looks like he’s salsa dancing. And Jin looks like he’s try to be God. Kame and Ueda look pretty dang hot, though. Although, I think a pimp hat on Kame would have looked even better. But maybe that’s just me. And my fettish for pimp hats.

I really like this album overall. The only song I don’t like is MOTHER/FATHER (as opposed to Cartoon KAT-TUN II where I only liked a few songs), because it’s a ballad, and you all know I don’t like ballads. I was expecting HELL, NO to be really kick-ass, but it was just mediocre. Not bad, but not WOW! either. I’d have to say my favorite songs are TABOO, SHOT!, and SIX SENSES (which, if I’m not mistaken, is just by Kame, Koki, and Maru, yes?).

I really like the album overall, though, and I’m considering buying it. Mainly just to oggle at the jacket art.

Third is Tegomass’ third single, Aiaigasa. I really can’t say much about this because Tegoshi Yuya and Masuda Takahisa just blow my brains out the window. I love this pair to DEATH. However, I absolutely love this song, they have amazing voices, and the PV is adorable. Okay? Okay. Next.

Then we have ARASHI’s latest single, One Love, which is the theme for the movie Hana Yori Dango: FINAL. I think more than the single itself I just love the fact that’s it’s for Hana Yori Dango, which I adore. I own both seasons of the drama on DVD (the only drama I’ve liked enough to buy) and am highly anticipating the movie getting subbed.

As for the PV, Ohno and MatsuJun are love, and the concept of the PV is love (wedding theme! ARASHI IS MARRIED TO ITSELF. POLYGAMY.), but I’m not a big fan of the song itself. I could definitely go without the bagpipes. But apparently fangirls don’t care with or without bagpipes, because according to Celestia, this is ARASHI’s fourth best-selling single ever. Huh.

…

I’ve also been watching a lot of dramas lately that I’ve been wanting to review, but again, can’t properly without turning into a pile of extreme fangirl goo.

LOOK AT THAT. LOOK AT IT. YOU CANNOT TELL ME THAT YAMAPI IS NOT LIKE ONE OF THE SEXIEST BEINGS TO EVER WALK THIS EARTH.

Ahem. First is Yamashita Tomohisa’s 2006 drama Kurosagi. I’ve been debating whether or not to watch this for about half a year. Just a few months ago I became a fangirl of NEWS, and it wasn’t until I watched this that I became a fangirl of Yamapi, so I saw no real reason to. But I got bored. And I couldn’t bring myself to watch Liar Game (because of the creepy doll thing that reminds me of Saw), so I settled on this instead.

Yamapi’s amazing in this drama. As is Horikita Maki (who I’m a huge fan of). I love all of Yamapi’s characters. And I really like the plot. It’s really interesting. And the love triangle. Aaah, you have to love love triangles.

The movie didn’t seem like it should have been a movie. I was sure he would defeat Mikimoto, but it was just like another episode. So I’m assuming there’s gonna be another season as the story is not complete (Mikimoto and Kasturagi are still alive, Kurosaki and Tsurara aren’t together yet, Satoshi hasn’t returned, etc).

Aah, speaking of Satoshi, because of this, I semi-like Koyama now. I hated him until the episode he guest-starred in. He’s a pretty good actor, it makes him really likeable. Granted, he’ll never be a favorite, but I can stand him now.

I think, above everything else, even Yamapi’s sexiness, that I loved about this drama was Katsuragi. Or really, his actor, Yamazaki Tsutomu. He reminds me so much of my late grandfather it isn’t even funny. The looks, the way he acts, everything. It was hard to watch at some points, but overall it brought back a lot of good memories… and I’m getting really sentimental here, which isn’t something I normally do. So… NEXT.

Next is Horikita Maki’s 2007 drama Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (aka Hana Kimi). This only semi-counts as JE because Ikuta Toma is only semi-JE (he’s a junior, surprisingly, which I never knew before I started to look into him during this drama). I mainly watched it because of Oguri Shun. Who, if I were to review this fully, would be the main object of my fangirling (with a little bit of Tomapi, Mizushima Hiro, and yup, Horikita Maki).

Horikita Maki really shines in this. She’s an amazing actress. She made a really convincing boy most of the time. Really convincing. Shun’s pretty good, but way outshined by his costars. I also started to like Ikuta Toma because of this drama (I’ve seen him in a few dramas before but never really liked him). His character provided a lot of comic relief which was pretty entertaining.

I’m looking forward to the special for this drama, which is apparently coming out sometime this year. More Oguri Shun. Yay! *drool*

I’m currently watching this, so I don’t know about all the episodes, but since it’s Gokusen, I can pretty much predict everything that’s going to happen now that we’re on the third season. Yup, it’s the third season of Nakama Yukie’s school drama, Gokusen. They really need new screen writers for this drama. There is absolutely no variety between the seasons. None. It’s all the same plot. And then every episode has the same plot, so it gets really dull. But the lure of smexy JE boys is too strong to resist watching it, even if it does get old.

There’s one main reason that I love the Gokusen series. Season One: MatsuJun and Oguri Shun. Season Two: Akame. Season Three: Takaki Yuya.

WHAT IS THERE NOT TO LOVE?!

As a bonus, season one had Nakazawa Yuko. Which made me squee to no end. I’m not even kidding. If I properly reviewed season one, I’d probably be fangirling Yuko more than MatsuJun or Shun. Seriously.

Anyway, this season is full of hot boys yet again (and that one guy that’s been in almost every drama I’ve ever seen, including one of my favorites, Princess Princess D). I’ve been predicting what’s going to happen in every episode. It gives me something to do and so far, I’ve been spot on. In some cases, I can even predict what they’re going to say. It makes me wonder what the hell they’re going to do for season four.

The fighting seems a lot more fake in this season than the other two. The only one that really convinced me was Yamato and Ren’s one-on-one fight. That was brilliant. But the rest are… barely par. I hope it gets better as the drama goes on.

…

I’m really, really, really looking forward to Code Blue and Maou. The first has Yamapi and Toda Erika (seriously, what could be better? My two favorite actors in the same drama~), and the second has Ohno Satoshi. Forget Ikuta Toma. Ohno Satoshi. Ohno!! Yay~!!

Word to the wise: don’t piss of mommy.

Hello! Project's Leader Nakazawa Yuko

Or face the consequences.

I was browsing the Hello!Online Picboard and found a rather humorous image of the “Golden Age” Morning Musume lineup. I thought it was really cute when I clicked on it, and it’s just priceless. And then I began looking at all their faces and I couldn’t stop laughing. Here, let me share.

Konno: Just take the damn picture already, my mouth is starting to hurt!
Takahashi: I can’t believe they’re making us wear this…
Kago: [to Tsuji] So then I blahblahblah…
Abe: Just smile and nod… smile and nod…
Yasuda: *trying to prove that glares can kill*
Yoshizawa: It’s so early… *yawn*
Iida: I wonder how you beat that boss on that video game…
Tsuji: [to Kago] Orly?? Then what happened??
Yaguchi: Look at my pouting face! Doesn’t it make you want to let us go for the day??
Ishikawa: Teehee! I love cameras~
Ogawa: That’s a camera….?
Niigaki: My face is a different colour than my neck…. sigh….

I don’t know how many of you realize this, but today is the last day Hello! Project trio v-u-den will be together.  In fact, considering the time changes, they’re probably already disbanded.  While they were never really successful, they tried hard and stayed really active.  It never seemed to get them down until this year. 

I always loved their music, too.  If only the public would have realized it before they called it quits.  Too bad.  I’m not an extremely sentimental person, but I thought I would at least give a small tribute post to them as we will never see them together again.  That’s a sad thought. 

Out of the three of them, I dislike Ishikawa Rika the most.  I’ve always disliked Rika, ever since I became an H!P fan.  I hated her at one point, but I got over it eventually and now I can tolerate her if I have to.  Which happens a lot because I love the other people of all the units she’s been in, so it’s a win-lose situation for me. 

Also out of the three girls of v-u-den, Rika has the most solid future.  Who knows what they’ll do to Erika and Okada, they might make more Yaguchi Mari’s out of them, but we know for sure that Rika will always be in the spotlight some way or another.  She has Gatas right now, and another rumored unit?  We’ll see about that. 

Miyoshi Erika was without doubt the best vocalist in Biyuuden.  I’d go as far to say she’s one of the best in H!P right now period.  It’s a real shame that all they’ll probably do is stick her in that same box that they stuck Ayaka and Marippe and all those other “soloists” (who never released any solo work) so she can do nothing for the rest of her career.  I wish she would switch to Avex, too, because she has such a good voice that she could make it far. 

Or put her in a permanent duo with Takahashi Ai.  They both have amazing voices and would make such a good pair.  And then Gaki-san would be leader~! 

Life sucks for Okada Yui.  I don’t see her doing anything else in Hello! Project.  She can’t sing very well, but she has a pretty face and the biggest boobs in H!P.  She’ll probably get thrown into that box with Erika and maybe release a few photobooks, but that’s it.  I can see her leaving H!P to become an AV idol. 

Anyway, Yui has and always will be my favorite member of v-u-den.  I love her to death and I really wish she would get put into another unit (because there’s no way she’s going solo).  One can always hope, right? 

I wish v-u-den the best in whatever Tsunku decides to do with them. 

Uhm… I just watched two very… interesting PVs.  The first was Berryz Koubou’s Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance and the second was Kuroki Meisa’s Like This.  Neither were very good, to be honest, but I’ve seen much worse, too. 

Kuroki Meisa - Like This

Okay.  This is just.  Weird.  I cannot look at KuroMei without thinking nun.  As soon as I heard her voice on the PV, I thought of her character from 1 Pound Gospel singing “Bounce bounce so do you like this?”  It kind of scared me, honestly.  But once I got past that, I thought what a bad idea it was for her to start singing.  Actors act, singers sing.  Sometimes the lines can be crossed, but usually not with anything close to good results.  KuroMei’s no exception. 

-What Works-

KuroMei’s hot.  She’s seriously like really sexy in some of those shots.  And while I didn’t think she would be able to pull it off, she dances really well, too.  And I like her lips. 

-What… Doesn’t-

Kuroki Meisa cannot sing.  She can act very well, but not sing.  She has a very soft voice, as anyone who’s doesn’t have natural talent would.  She also has a really small vocal range.  Those high notes were really obviously strained, it didn’t sound good.  She doesn’t have a vibrato, so the long notes, even the semi-long ones, didn’t sound good at all.  She tried doing a song like Koda or Namie, only they have the voices for it, and KuroMei doesn’t.  I’d suggest that if she must sing, that she should sing pop like early Ayaya or mihimaru GT (sans rapping). 

-Overall-

Meisa, stick to acting.  Singing isn’t one of your talents.  Stay with what you know. 

Berryz Koubou - Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance

I was dreading watching this after I learned that they actually wore monkey suits.  I remember a bit of the song from the radio rip, and it was all Risako, it pretty much is, just everyone else gets little bits to cover it up.  God, Risako, please get into some really horrible scandal and leave H!P forever.  PLEASE. 

-What Works-

Everyone got a nice ammount solo lines.  They gave Saki and Chinami Yurina’s usual lead.  That really makes me mad for Yurina, because she so deserves it, but Chinami and Saki are good singers, too.  I guess High-King did some good for Saki, as she never gets attention in Berryz.  The outfits they started out in were really cute, and so was the banana backdrop.  Chinami and Saki really shined in this.  I find myself liking Saki more now than her eyebrows don’t scare me so much. 

-What… Doesn’t-

Monkey outfits?  Seriously?  Not only is the song about monkies, but they’re dressed like monkies and dance like monkies.  Boy are they ever milking that for all it’s worth.  And why the hell are they raising their legs up that high in miniskirts??  Risako’s fucking twelve years old.  I don’t care how pedofiliac wotas are, that’s just wrong on so many levels. 

Speaking of Risako, I don’t even think I need to voice it for most of you to guess how I feel about her on this.  I absolutely loathe that she gets so many solos and is the center of all of it.  I mean, seriously, center.  The girls are bending over dancing around her while she stands up, hand on her hip, arm in the air.  It disgusts me, to be honest.  But I won’t go into any more detail on Risako.  It’s pissing me off just talking about her. 

-Overall-

Please, Tsunku, start taking these girls seriously.  It’s not fair that you dump all your shit work on them.  Captain’s turning 17 this year, it’s absolutely humiliating for her to be dancing around like a monkey in a monkey suit singing songs about monkies.  While they do pull it off, let’s face it: this song would have been cute around Happiness or Fighting Pose, but now it’s just a little ridiculous.   Berryz deserves a more mature image, like C-ute, who only debuted last year, while Berryz has been working their asses off for four years.  Don’t get me wrong, I love C-ute to death, but I just don’t think that’s right. 

Whatever.  H!P’s been fucked up since Aibon’s scandal(s) anyway.  But that’s another opinion for another day. 

This is becoming a trend now, isn’t it?  Blogger surveys?  Just like the top ____ was for a while.  Now Celestia of Bikkuri Project has a survey.  Fun times~

1. You have found a magical J-pop genie who will grant you one J-pop related wish (so no wishing for a million dollars or world peace or anything like that). It can be virtually anything as long as it’s directly related to J-pop, and don’t worry, because this is the nice sort of genie, not the kind who will try to find a loop-hole and screw up your wish. So, what do you wish for???

Definitely to join Hello! Project.  It’s been my dream since I’ve been a fan, as absurd as it is.  That would just… make my life. 

2. Is there any J-pop artist or group who seriously pisses you off? If yes, who, and why?

Yeah, there are.  Such as Tanaka Reina because she’s so fake and such an attention whore.  Well, a whore in general.  Don’t post hate comments, I could care less how much you disagree with me.  I know some people worship her.  I don’t.  Get over it. 

And Kanjani8.  I dunno why, but they just tick me off for some reason. 

3. Who do you think is the sexiest japanese singer out there?

Kamenashi Kazuya ftw kthxbai

4. How about the cutest?

Hagiwara Mai, Masuda Takahisa, and Chinen Yuuri. 

5. Best personality?

Junjun, Shimizu Saki, Yamashita Tomohisa, and Kamenashi Kazuya. 

6. If given the opportunity, would you rather date person 3, person 4, or person 5?

Three.  Threethreethreethreethreethreethreethree!!!!! 

7. You work for a Japanese music magazine, and you have the opportunity to interview your favorite artist or group. What are a couple of the questions you want to ask them?

I’d interview Berryz Koubou.  They’re not my absolute favorite, but I’d love to interview them.  I’d ask them how you deal with growing up as a young girl in the idol industry, not being allowed to date or have boyfriends.  And how they deal with creepy wota.  And how they can put up their demanding schedule while their hormones are raging and body is changing so much. 

8. What’s the best (J-pop) song to listen to when you are really sad?

Planetarium by Otsuka Ai

9. When you’re really happy?

Love so Sweet by ARASHI

10. Do you often sing along to your favorite songs?

Haha.  All the time.  All.  The time. 

11. How about dance?

Yes.  All the time for that, too.  :3

12. Artistic integrity question!! If someone offerrered to pay you for blogging, but they were allowed to censor some of your opinions or veto some of your blogging ideas, would you do it?

Yeah, probably.  Money is more important than calling Tanaka Reina a whore.  Lulz.

…

I cheated on some of them, didn’t I?  I think that was my favorite survey so far, I liked it.  8D

I’m on a roll tonight with these posts.  ANYWAY.  Following in the footsteps of groups such as ARASHI, KAT-TUN’S Ueda Tatsuya will be holding a solo concert in September.  This surprises me, as Tat-chan’s one of the lesser popular members.  You would think Kame or Jin would get the first KAT-TUN solo concert.  But nope!  It’s the ever talented Ueda Tatsuya (who I was fangirling just a few posts ago). 

In addition, he’s going to be composing and writing all the music for the concert.  It won’t only be his previously written music, but new ones as well, totally to 13 songs over a 90 minute period.  The music won’t be just the ballads that we’re used to Tat-chan composing, rather a mix of all different kinds of genres.  I bet you he’ll play guitar for a nice portion of it as well. 

Also!  He’ll be showing us his special talent!  He’s going to be the first artist to ever box on stage!  Yup~!  Tat-chan’s known for being a very good boxer, and now he’s going to show us all!  Yay! 

The “special venue” will be at Johnny’s Theatre in Aomi, Tokyo, which can hold up to 3,300 people.  Dang, Ueda!! 

If this isn’t trying to get him some fans, then I dunno what is.  Best of luck to Ueda Tatsuya in preparing for this!!! 

And Kuri, don’t die from spazzing. 

Source: Sanpo
Credits:
Translations: kioko_u @ LJ
Yuu @ Bww2 Forums

Tegomass ftw

pouting!Massu + supersexy!Tego + pole = SO MUCH WIN but nobody cares about Shige

I’m spamming you with sexy NEWS eyecandy.  I’m sure none of you mind.  Anyway, this is TegoMassu gettin all cozy with a red string…. hmmmm…. IMPLICATIONS, ANYONE?!?!?!?  TEGOMASS FTW! 

*dies of spazzy fangirlism*

credit: someone over at bww2

PS- This one I won’t take down.  It’s safe.  8D

Okay, uhm, why have I never seen that before?  It’s really (and I mean really, really) hot.  More so that KAT-TUN normally is. 

I knew Jin and Ueda could both play guitar.  But I thought that meant a few chords on an acoustic.  I never thought they would play electric guitars live in front of thousands of screaming fangirls.  While singing.  And while a lot of people can do that, you wouldn’t expect KAT-TUN to be able to. 

And damn.  Don’t kill me Kuri, but I never knew Ueda could be so damn sexy.  It got a little hard to breathe for a minute there.  He was concentrating so hard on the guitar it was just…. yeah. 

And Jin with his do-rag.  Lulz.  He looked pretty funny.  And I didn’t like how cocky he was.  Jin, you’re not a rockstar.  Get over yourself.  Ueda pwns you to no end at life.  He even stole your selling point on this song–the high vocal range. 

That isn’t to say that I dislike Jin, because it’s very much so the opposite–he’s usually obscenely sexy, too, just not in this clip. 

Anyway.  Yay old!KAT-TUN!  And yes, this post was just so I could fangirl Ueda.  kthxbai.

Today best-selling Hello! Project solo artist of all time, Matsuura Aya, turns 22!  Happy Birthday Ayaya!

To celebrate, here’s a clip of Ayaya getting a cake from Melon Kinenbi and Nono from two years ago today! 

…and I just realized Ayaya’s only a few months younger than my older sister, who I’m very close to and who’s currently in the hospital.  I always thought of Ayaya as so mature, but now that I know she’s so close in age to my sister…. it really changes my views on her.  Like, what if Ayaya was anything like her?  That’s a frightening thought there. 

Anyway! 

Omedetou otanjoubi!!  Bring GAM back this year, nee, Ayaya?!?!?