11 posts tagged “erika”
Yes the last day of C-ute's fall tour has come and passed and Ume has finally graduated. My all time favorite member is leaving with a nice ceremony but I'll talk about that in a bit.
You're probably saying "Slasha, why didn't you post the day of her graduation?" Well, I wanted to get all the information before I made a post so I could tell you guys what happened.
Now let me tell you what happened. C-ute did their show as normal. When it came time for Erika to graduate, the other members said nice things about her. That was it. No expensive special effects. No bouquet of flowers. No singing to the guest of honor. Nothing.
I'm a little displeased with the graduation and apparently so are the fans who were there. Maybe UFA didn't want to spend a lot of money. Maybe Ume did want a ceremony. Whatever the reason, I'm glad she actually graduated and didn't just leave. Good luck with modelling, Ume!
Now for family pictures.
And so ends an era...
Yes it's true. Ume announced that she would be leaving C-ute on October 25th, the last day of C-ute's current tour. She says that she wants to become a model and is graduating to further her studies in this area.
http://www.hello-online.org/index.php?act=helloonline&CODE=article&topic=898 (H!O article)
http://www.helloproject.com/news/0908012000_cute.html (H!P article)
Although Ume, who's my all-time favorite H!P member, is graduating, I'm not that sad. This is probably because I've known for a long time that everyone in H!P will graduate someday. Plus, she's following her dream of being a model, which is something I think she can accomplish. She has the right figure to be a model (In My Biased Opinion) and she has the look of a model (also IMBO). If the modeling thing doesn't work, she always has singing to go back to. I'm also glad that someone in C-ute gets a graduation ceremony (Megu and Kanna never got one. The only H!P Kid who actually graduated was Maiha from Berryz back in 2005)
Now for the question of "What's gonna happen to C-ute now that two members are leaving?) Most people will tell you that Kanna and Erika never had that many lines and never had much presence. What they lacked in solos they made up for in harmony. WIthout those two, I feel that the remaining members will have to rely on Maimi and Airi's solo lines rather than the whole group singing.
Although the one member who I love more than everyone else is graduating, I will following C-ute to see how they progress with this big loss.
After reading that title, you probably think "What's this have to do with H!P, Slasha?" Well, most of my Miis are based on Hello! Project members. So anyway let me tell you a story.
-A few days before this post was written-
I started playing Wii Sports and decided to play Baseball against the computer's team. So I started batting with my personalized Mii (Who looks EXACTLY like me). I managed to get to 2nd base.
Next was Lil' Reina (Based off of Tanaka Reina) who managed to get my team's only home run of the game (Which boosted my confidence a bit. I was just about to switch to boxing, which I'm a king at) .
So next was Lil' Ume (Based off of Umeda Erika) who got two strikes. On the third swing, I was determined to get to at least 1st base. I swung with all my might and the ball sail into foul territory. Now I'm thinking, "Great a foul. Now I have another chance" But out of NOWHERE, some guy speeds towards the ball and it lands in his glove. "Out!" the announcer said and I had the most most appropriate look for the situation (Something like 8O).
That's part one of my story. I'll continue the rest of the tale later.
Happy Cake Day to all of my friends from IW. If I'm late, then I'm so sorry.
Since I can't upload my cake picture (Maybe some technical problem), I'll use this one from a previous article (Just ignore all the Kanna pictures)
Two years of International Wota...it feels like just yesterday we were celebrating the first Cake Day (The Tatami Mat wasn't up then. I was just a lurker) But when I started up this blog, I knew recommending it to IW was a good idea. It was a good idea to link up with other bloggers who also like to blog about J-pop music. Well I dont think you want to hear me ramble so I'll end by saying "Happy Birthday IW! Here's to another great year!" Time for picspam.
Santa Ume wants to wish IW a happy birthday!
Kanna (in exile) wishes IW a happy birthday!
Peipei wishes IW a happy birthday too!
Happy Cake Day to all of my friends from IW. If I'm late, then I'm so sorry.
Since I can't upload my cake picture (Maybe some technical problem), I'll use this one from a previous article (Just ignore all the Kanna pictures)
Two years of International Wota...it feels like just yesterday we were celebrating the first Cake Day (The Tatami Mat wasn't up then. I was just a lurker) But when I started up this blog, I knew recommending it to IW was a good idea. It was a good idea to link up with other bloggers who also like to blog about J-pop music. Well I dont think you want to hear me ramble so I'll end by saying "Happy Birthday IW! Here's to another great year!" Time for picspam.
Santa Ume wants to wish IW a happy birthday!
Kanna (in exile) wishes IW a happy birthday!
Peipei wishes IW a happy birthday too!
Here's more C-ute fanart I picked up from my internet travels. No pervy pics here...although that doesn't mean I haven't seen any lol
The Mai/Erika alliance is stronger than ever it seems
I think most of you have already seen this very well done drawing of an actual Berryz/C-ute photo
Don't have a clue what the writing says but a cute picture anyway
In my time as a C-ute fan, I have seen my fair share of awesome art from their loyal followers. I have decided to share some of it for you today. (Warning: Most features Chisato so if you hate her, don't look)
Shogun Ume. If you've seen the latest C-ute tour, then you know where this outfit comes from.
Chisato in: The Healer
Zero Suit Chisa
Over at Midori's J-Pop Overanalyzations, Midori has made a list of what makes one a wota. I decided to see how much of this applies to me.
That's the last one. I guess 11 out of 20 is pretty good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKe0d2B1tKk
This is a video of C-ute's performance of Berryz Koubou's Piriri to Yukou from way back in 2005. If you're expecting Kanna to pop up somewhere, you're out of luck. She doesn't get here until early 2006. No, my friends, this is the original C-ute. These are the H!P Kids who didn't get picked to be in Berryz. This video is one of the only videos that I've seen of pre-Kanna, Megumi-era C-ute. They're kind of hard to find. Anyway back to the subject. I can't find high quality images for the performance to post here but I'm still gonna try to review the video of my favorite H!P group performing my favorite Berryz song anyway.
Umeda Erika: She did perfect on here. Her voice blends pretty nicely with this song especially on the bridge. About her outfit, she got a skirt, which is awesome because she has amazing legs.
Yajima Maimi: Her unique voice actually melded well with this song. She did really well whoa-whoa-whoa part on the chorus. Her outfit was awesome too. She looked pretty as always.
Murakami Megumi: Megu looked kinda boyish on this performance. Maybe it was the mix of her hairstyle and her (Stylish) plaid pants. Her voice was wonderful and it made me miss her even more.
Nakajima Saki: Nakki was really cute in this performance. But her voice was kinda annoying. It's super high piched and squeaky. Now her voice was ok but her voice back then scared me a bit.
Suzuki Airi: Airi did very well in this song. This is before the cute/sexy Suzuki that we know today. This is just cute Airi doing a great performance.
Okai Chisato: She did ok here. She wasn't as awesome as she was on Suiiitsu---Live 3 years later but she was ok. I just can't believe she looked like a boy back then too lol.
Hagiwara Mai: Maimai was cute as always on here. Her voice also went very well with the song. Sometimes though, it seemed like little Mai was that into the performance.
I thought that the overall performance gets an B from me. It wasn't the best C-ute can do but it's pretty good.
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.
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
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
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.
