Slasha’s Tatami Mat

There's been a good bit of events lately. But instead of making 4 or 5 posts about it, I'll just mix it up.

1. V-U-Den ends - Well they had a good run. I'm sad to see them go. I hope Miyoshi and Yui's careers don't fade off. I would love to see them as solo artists (Or maybe they'll make a new group with a bunch of eggs.) I already know that Rika won't be affected because she has Gatas to fall back on.

2. Takahashi Ai and Niigaki Risa to play Pink Lady in TV drama - Sounds interesting. I've never heard a Pink Lady song but I have read about them before. They are legends in the J-music industry from what I've heard. The drama isn't completely about Pink Lady though. It's about their songwriter Aku Yuu, who died last year around this time. I think Gaki and Aichan's wigs look pretty funny though :D.

3. Berryz Koubou's Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance - Nice PV. Awesome monkey suits. Didn't think they would actually do something like that. The bananas remind me of loveable Jun (Maybe she was near the set :D) I invented a new game when I watch new Berryz PVs. It called "Captain Sightings". Just look for Captain during every group shot in the video. Trust me, it's challenging. It's kind of like finding Waldo in a way. Anyway, I'm getting that song.

4. Kusumi Koharu's Papancake - To tell the truth...I couldn't watch this PV. I know that Koha-fans are sad but I just couldn't make it. Maybe it was the weird shade of yellow in the back or the odd looking pancakes, but I had a weird feeling in my stomach watching this PV.

5. Mano Erina's Manopiano - Haven't gotten around to listening to the song but I bet it's good if she's actually playing the piano. Good luck in your career, Mano!

6. Sudou "Maa" Maasa's 16th birthday - Happy birthday Maa! You may not be my favorite Berryz member but I still like you. Plus your cheeks are awesome. Sadly, I don't have a cake but take these words as food for thought XD. Keep being cool and sexy Maa. Continue singing and making fans happy. Also do what makes you happy.

7. That Berryz/C-ute concert DVD - I'm definitely getting that DVD. I made up my mind around when they first announced the tour. I hope it has plenty of backstage performances.

Ok in unrelated news, I saw a video just about a hour ago. It was Berryz/C-ute on Gintama (Look it up on wiki if you've never heard over it.) I definitely gotta get that manga later (Yes I know I won't see Ume in the manga). Also, I think that everyone in H!P should get more sleep. I always feel bad for the girls when they have rings around their eyes, Maybe they should have a week or so off from work to catch up on R&R. The Kids should get at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep. I think I remember Ume saying that she gets about 3 hours of sleep. That's just pitiful, don't you think?. Anyway, I'm done rambling.

I'm doing another survey. This one's from Bikkuri Project. Ok let's get to it. Survey...staato!

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???

World Peace and a million dollars...just kidding. Permanent backstage access to any concert I want.

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

None currently.Although I used to hate Ishikawa Rika and Yajima Maimi a long time ago. But now I like both them.

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

Sugaya Risako but she's sexy in a weird pedo way. Yajima Maimi in a non pedo way.

4. How about the cutest?

My beloved Umeda Erika.

5. Best personality?

Junjun, the girl's awesome.

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

Obivously 4.

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?

"What's the hardest dance you ever had to learn?" or "If I gave you a list of cities, would you perform at them."

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

C-ute's Namida no Iro

9. When you’re really happy?

Any song from C-ute's 3rd album. (Yeah, I'm a C-ute fan.Sorry)

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

All the time except in public places. In public, I usually just mumble.

11. How about dance?

Only in private. I come with some of my best dances when dancing to J-Pop.

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?

No, free speech is too cool to give up.

I was looking at the archives over at True Life Seek, I saw a rankings post from a few months ago when Hello! Blog asked everyone posted their favorite and least favorite members of the three main groups (That was before I had my own blog but still read a lot of them.) I decided to do one too (even at the risk of being a few months late.) Let's start with Morning Musume.

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1. Junjun - The newest one in MM but my favorite member. She never ceases to amaze me. Everytime I watch Haromoni@, she always does something to stick out. Even in the episodes where she didn't show up that much, she still gained my attention. And plus, for her first few months of being in MM, she looked like a 13 yr old and that alone makes me smile.

2. Tanaka Reina - She's all kinds of awesome. She gets tons of singing lines. She's as skinny as a stick but she doesn't seem to notice. Also, she has a pose for every occaison.

3. Linlin - Jun is MM's Mario. Lin is MM's Luigi. Wherever you see one, you see the other. (I actually considered saying Lin was like Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog but Tails is kinda annoying) When Gaki retires, Lin will be the new reaction queen, I bet.

4. Kamei Eri - I used to think that she was mean because she kinda looked mean but she proved me wrong. She looks like the nicest person ever.

5. Michishige Sayumi - Sayu is a cyborg created by UFA to outcute everyone in Japan. Well...not really. But she is too cute to be human.

6. Takahashi Ai - I can't say anything bad about Aichan except lately she can't stop touching her face in PVs. Also, we need more Fukui-ben.

7. Niigaki Risa - Gaki-san's face hasn't changed since she joined H!P. I'm serious. She looks just like she did in '01. Really.

8. Kusumi Koharu - I don't that anime she voices (Except that episode where C-ute popped up.) Her PBs are ok. I just wish she wouldn't hog so much attention in PVs, though.

9. Mitsui Aika - She made Jun cry, boo. But she's cute and has a good memory, yay.

Now for Berryz Koubou

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1. Tsugunaga Momoko - Momo's cute. Momo gains attention. Momo's has a high voice.

2. Shimizu Saki - Captain's cool. Captain's sorta cute at times. Captain's plain looking. Captain get's almost no lines but is sorta loveable. Her semi-deep voice is refreshing.

3. Kumai Yurina - Yuri's tall. Yuri knows how to use the camera to her advantage. I like her voice too.

4. Tokunaga Chinami - She only recently became my #4. She's energetic. Also her English is pretty good (Look that video up to see what I mean.)

5. Natsuyaki Miyabi - She has a nice voice too. She's also very pretty (I, unlike others, think that her long chin makes her prettier.). My #2 in Buono.

6. Sudo Maasa - I have only one thing to say: Her cheeks are awesome (especially when she smiles)

7. Sugaya Risako - My former #3. I don't hate her like Yoshimi from Yossha yossha yossha does. But then again I don't have a crush on her either. She's pretty and cute. But I will never admit to buying her PBs (I might be arrested...)

Now for C-ute

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1. Umeda Erika - She's amazingly cute. She ultra-pretty. She's has a cute smile. She's also the person I want to see in a PB most. Not only my favorite in C-ute but H!P overall (even if she barely gets lines not counting that solo song) Everytime someone says that she looks like a ugly duckling, it makes me love her more.

2. Yajima Maimi - I used to dislike Maimi...a lot. I have no idea why but I hated her for some reason. But I like her now. I just noticed, my top 2 are former ZYX members (I love/miss that group so much.Why didn't you release more singles?!?) She looks hot in a bikini (But then again, don't most idols?)

3. Nakajima Saki - It's true. Nakki gets prettier every year. She's changed a lot from '06 hasn't she. After Ume, I want her in a PB next. When she was in Athena, she won me over in Shouri no Big Wave's PV.

4. Okai Chisato - Chisa's a boy. Well, she's actually the most boyish looking girl I've ever seen. Her voice is pretty nice too. She's one of C-ute's reaction queens. Also, her sister's my favorite Egg.

5. Arihara Kanna - Kanna's awesome. She always finds time to grope her fellow C-ute members and that's what makes me love her. Plus she has a nice voice too. Also, she's a only child like me and I respect her for that.

6. Hagiwara Mai - Maimai's cute, period. I bet she'll be a serial killer when she gets older. But she'll be the most loveable serial killer ever. Plus she's tall for her age. That's kinda cool.

7. Suzuki Airi - Just because she's at the bottom doesn't mean I don't like her. Her singing voice is epic. Her speaking voice is kinda awkward IMO. But I would gladly buy her PBs. I already have one of them.

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Goto Maki joined Avex. She will be part if the sublabel Rhythm Zone along with m-flo and Koda Kumi (her and Gocchin were in the same H!P auditions in '99 BTW) I have only two words to say: Knew it. I mean the signs were there. After you leave an agency, you don't practice dancing and voice lessons without planning to do something with it. So I wonder what her music will be like from now on. It will probably be like her later H!P works (Glass no Pumps, Some Boys! Touch, Secret for example) Without the restrictions of being a idol, imagine those songs but multiplied 10x. Also, maybe she'll open her blog again (Don't let a header like that waste away) maybe she'll be an actress again (Remember Pinch Runner or Koinu Dan no Monogatari which reminds me, H!P needs to start making movies again...) Anyway, good luck Gocchin.

I'll be on vacation soon. Don't expect a lot of updates for the next few months.

I just read the news about Makochan coming back to show business. Hello! Online has the story here

http://www.hello-online.org/index.php?act=helloonline&CODE=article&topic=463

Here's a picture of her with her fellow Gokkies.

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Let me be the first to say: Welcome Back Mako!!! What's it been...2 years since she's left to study English. Well now she's back to confuse all the other members with (New Zealand accented) English conversations. Well, she actually won't be back until the June 15th Haromoni@ and it will be announced officially on the June 8th Haromoni@. Maybe she'll be back as a solo singer or maybe as a actress or maybe as a MC (aka the easiest H!P job ever). Personally, I hope she has more jobs involving her speaking English now. The possibilities for her career are endless!

I just noticed something. With her back in H!P, that means that my favorite MM generation is whole again. Gokkies FTW.

Oh yeah about Miya and her 'scandal'. I have thought about addressing the elephant in the room here on the Tatami Mat since I first heard but I kept putting it off until now. Everyone, calm down and wait for UFA to say something about this instead of panicking. I've seen other blog posts about her leaving and already obsessive wota are breaking CDs and ripping pictures. But the one good thing to come out of this scandal is the show of support for Miya lately. I've seen several fan banners from Chile, France, Thailand, Brazil and more. You guys who made banners and showed your support make me proud to call myself a wota. But still, calm down and wait for UFA to react first. 

I've been meaning to review this album for some time. C-ute released 3rd ~Love Escalation~ about 2 or 3 months ago. I have this album on my computer so...I'm gonna review every song on it. So let's get started, shall we?

First before I review the songs I just want to say. This is one of the best C-ute costume sets IMO.

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I like everything about these outfits...except Airi's hat. I can't even look at it straight without laughing so hard. This is probably because I had never seen a white top hat on a girl before maybe. But enough off-topicness, let's get to the songs.

1. Tokkaiko Junjou - This is C-ute's Love Machine IMO. It's the highest selling single currently and was their groundbreaking single. Great way to start the album.

2. Image Color - A very upbeat song. Osuzu and Yajima did a good job on this song. Probably because when they sing at the same time,  they sound similar (Which is hard to do with Maimi's deep voice)

3. Otome Cocoro - The main singers in this song are Maimai and Chisa although this is a group song. This would have been a great c/w. Nice guitar solo.

4. LALALA Shiawase no Uta - What's said about this song that hasn't been said. It's the most addictive but annoying C-ute major single. Outfits were fugly but still pretty nice.

5. Homerare Nobiko no Theme Song - It sounds like Danceman but isn't. Weird. This a song you can dance to. Maybe this could be a c/w too. But I don't think it would make it as a A side.

6. Meguru Koi no Kitetsu - A great summer song. A good PV too because...well...Ume's in glasses. Everyone can dance to this song.

7. Sweeeets->->->Live - First of all, why in every other blog I've read, they say that this song is horrible? This is one of my favorite songs from this album. I don't why I love it. In short, I think that Chisa and Kanna did good.

8. Sakura Chirari - The first major single. Pretty song. Great Maimai part near the end. Pretty cute PV. Duo lines work out well for this song.

9. Hare no Platinum Doori - Also one of my favorites off this album. Nakki and Maimai have just the right squeak in their voices to make this song work. 

10. Don Don Ga Don Ondo - Finally the last song. My #1 favorite song off this album for obivous reasons. It's Ume and she pumps this song full of pure, grade-A, lemony-fresh, win . I wonder how the other girls felt being backup singers...Anyway, expertly done, Erika. Next album, we need another solo Ume song (We also need a PB).  

And there you have it. My review for 3rd ~Love Escalation~ is over. So many quality songs. Oh yeah, I forgot to say that I was reviewing some of these songs as I listened to them. Also, my birthday was yesterday and it my first birthday as a H!P fan. But I didn't get any H!P-related gifts... 

Well if you have seen it yet (which I know you probably have) here's High-King debut single, C/C Cinderella Complex.

C/C Cinderella Complex

First before I discuss the PV, let me discuss the group in general. To me, this group is a group of #2s. Shimizu Saki (I hate calling her Saki so I call her Captain) is my #2 favorite of Berryz (Behind Momo). If I had a list of favorites #2s, she would be the #1 of #2s (Confused yet?) Anyway, Maimi is my #2 C-ute member (Behind you-know-who). Reina is my #2 Momusu member (Behind Jun) Aichan and Yuuka, I haven't ranked yet (Up until not too long ago, I had never heard of Yuuka [But she's really cute though]) Now to discuss the PV. First the outfits, wow that's sorta, kinda, maybe, sexy (But I do love Yuuka's hat though [The one in the PV, not on the cover]). The song itself is ok. It's kinda hip-hopish but still maintains its J-Pop appeal. I guess it's Tsunku's way of keeping up with the times XD. The PV itself was good. Not too much, not too little (But still needed more close-ups though). The dancing was pretty good. It's filled with pelvic thrusts (Although it can never come close to the amount of pelvic thrusts in "Massara Blue Jeans"). I'm definitely getting this single. Here's the cover so you can recognize it.

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Looks like a "Rolling Stone" cover, doesn't it?

Today is Umeda Erika's 17th birthday!! I'm so happy because it lets me know that my birthday's right around the corner!! :D Time to post some of my favorite Erika pics.

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Now time the part where I say good things about Erika. Well, she's my favorite member of C-ute (and H!P...period). She's been my top favorite member since the time I first became a H!P fan and no one has ever pushed her out of that spot. I think that she deserves more than she gets in H!P as the oldest kid. She had to endure 2 or 3 years of be a giant (compared to the other kids as the time) I think she's still the 2nd tallest kid, right? (She's shorter than Yuri from Berryz) But aside from her giant status, she was ultra shy during her first couple of years (The pre-ZYX [aka best pre-Berryz/C-ute kids group ever] era) She always looked like she was scared of the camera. But she overcame it and became one of the lesser-known but loveable kids. Now that that's over, on with the videos.

Now maybe, just maybe I'll see an Erika PB in the near future. (Please be in the near future)

Almost there guys. I'm so excited I can barely post...

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I can't wait to see everyone's U-Day (or as we say on H!O, the Feast of Umeda day) displays.

I decided to fill out the survey from True Life Seek (One of my favorite H!P blogs). All answers are 100% truth.

Goals:

• Why do you blog? To express myself.
• What long-term goals do you hope to accomplish, if any at all? I hope to gain a good fan base.
• Where does your blog fail to meet your goals? I really need to self-promote more
• If you do have goals, what will accomplishing them do for yourself? I'll probably encourage me to blog more.
• What do you want to gain out of blogging? A place to write my true thoughts
• Do you feel that your blog should meet a requirement for amount of entries? No not really
• For any particular entry, what motivates you to start and finish blog posts? When I start something, I don't like to leave it undone.
• Do you actively consider long term goals for each individual post? No

Subject Material:

• What do you blog about? Hello!Project and J-Pop
• Would you be keep a blog even if it wasn’t about the subjects you tend to cover? Probably not
• Do you write about the material to promote it to others? Sometimes

Readership:

• How much do you care about readership? A lot
• Does it satisfy you to know people are reading, even if they don’t comment? It always satisfies me to know someone stopped by. 
• What effect does receiving a comment have on you? I inspires me to write some more. 
• Do you write with a particular audience in mind or an unspecified general audience? Just a general audience
• If you write for a particular audience, is it International Wota? Most of the time, yes

Community: (The International Wota section)

• If International Wota didn’t exist, would you blog? Yeah
• When IW covers an entry of yours, are you encouraged to blog more or less? more 
• When IW does not cover an entry, are you encouraged to blog more or less? more
• How often do you read other blogs? All the time
• How often do you comment on other blogs? I have just recently started to comment
• If another blog covers a topic that you wanted or wished to cover, do you still blog about that specific topic? I would probably wait a while before I covered it.

Commitment:

• How serious is your attitude towards blogging? Do you consider it just as something to do for fun? It's not something I see as fun, at least not anymore.
• How often do you blog? Every couple of days How often would you like to blog? Every couple of days is good enough 
• What priorities do you or have you put aside in order to blog? None, I just have to find the time
• Do you see yourself blogging in 6 months? If H!P is still around and making noise, yes.

Personal:

• Would you say you blog for yourself? Yeah, I guess you could say that
• What is your feeling after posting an entry? "I hope someone comments..." 
• What needs does blogging fulfill? The need to post my true thoughts
• Do you consider yourself a writer? Nope
• Do you consider yourself good at writing? I'm ok at writing reports and stuff like that
• How much of your personal life do you share on your blog? None so far. But I'll share some later...maybe.

And there you go. I filled it out.

And 6 Days to U-Day.