Miya is awesome

Lately, I have started liking Miyabi a lot again. Last year, before I could even call myself a Berryz fan, my favourite H!P Kid member was Miya. Then the scandal happened and for some reason I choosed not to trust her anymore. I just stopped paying attention to the kids until I got into Berryz for real after attending their fall concert tour. Since I had told myself that Miya was not a good idol, I put my focus elsewhere and Saki was the one catching my attention. Actually this dislike towards Miyabi kept on all the way until this year's spring tour. Then I asked myself why I really didn't like her.

I believe that last year Miyabi lost her hope. Many of her fans abandoned her, no one believed that it actually wasn't her in the pictures. She lost her motivation and didn't enjoy her job as an idol anymore. However, after a while, she realized that this couldn't go on if she wanted to continue as one.

I believe that we've got to see a completely different Miyabi this year. She's showing a lot of appreciation to the fans and seem to enjoy herself much more on stage. With that she also got my trust back and lately I've been loving how she's been acting on stage and towards the fans. She is so warm and nice nowadays. It's impossible to not like her anymore.

Last week, I went to Berryz fanclub bus tour. Then I was going to tell Miya that I started liking her a lot more lately, but I totally forgot what I was going to say to her when I met her at the handshake event, then she just smiled and asked me to do my best to be able to communicate with her and the other girls. After that I felt pretty bad over what had happened and even started on writing a fan letter to send her, telling her what I wanted to say at the bus tour. Then this week it was announced that she would be at a handshake event together with the group T-Pistonz in Saitama. I decided that I just had to go there and even loop the handshake event and express my appreciation to her in person.


I got accompanied by sswishbone from H!O to this event. He's here for just a couple of days to watch the MM concerts this weekend and thought it would be cool to get to meet Miyabi in person. After getting our handshake event tickets we went for coffee and a chat before heading out to watch the mini live with T-Pistonz.

In the middle of the event I realized I had to go to the toilet and went looking for it. While walking inside along the small corridor, looking for the toilet, I saw this staff guy who's usually working at the handshake events, wondering what he was doing in there. I was looking up reading the signs and saw that the toilet was just to the right and was just heading in there, then when I looked down I noticed that Miyabi was walking with the staff, just going to pass by, staring at me a bit nervously, lol. I got surprised as hell but waved to her and she started laughing and waved back. If I had been like two seconds faster I would've missed her even walking along the corridor! I would've liked to see her face if that would have happened. Me walking there all confused trying to find the toilet and not even noticing her just passing by like a couple of meters away. Would've been a pretty epic fail!

Moving on to the actual handshake event. At the first turn I told her literally that I like the recent Miyabi a lot, with her for some reason started laughing at me but replying with a thank you. Next turn I told her that I believe her personality is really great, with her shouting out "hontou desu ka?!" and having a pretty delighted smile on her face after me confirming it and her being grateful for it. Third time I just told her that I've had a lot of fun of fun at all Berryz and Buono events and concerts this year and thanking her for it. At the fourth loop I said that I will be going back home to Sweden next week and asking her to keep doing her best and telling her that she has my support, with her reacting on me coming from Sweden and telling me that she would keep doing her best.

Then at my fifth and last loop I asked her to play jankenpon with me. Both of us choosed scissors, then the staff grabbed me and tried to pull me away, but I shouted out "aiko deshou!" and managed to beat Miyabi with scissors over paper and her laughing a lot. I shouted "yatta!!" and made a fistpump for then getting scolded by the staff guy who was walking with her up at the corridor when she arrived earlier, telling me that I shouldn't do janken at handshake events hahaha. I better avoid it next time he's working at an event I'm attending, but it was so much fun so I might try it again. I don't think he can really do much else then just not letting me attend that specific event anymore anyway. I've been playing janken with the girls before and I always see other wota doing it. It's just this staff guy who is an ass not letting us do it.


So, yeah, right now I just love everything about Miyabi. However, Saki-chan is still my favourite member, that won't change. But I'm sure Miya will keep fighting to get me to support her full time instead. At least I can cheer for her at Buono! events.

オマリー

Risa's birthday concerts

Yesterday, I took a Shinkansen trip out to Shizuoka, to celebrate Risa's birthday at the Musume concerts.

When I got there I got to see the plans of how it should be celebrated properly by the fans. We were instructed to, as always, use green glowsticks while shouting for the encore ("encore" call changed to a "Gaki-san" call). Some people also thought that it would be a good idea if everyone copied Risa's dance moves during Resonant Blue. This most people laughed at and it did of course not happen, lol.

I wrote a birthday letter to Risa, half in Japanese and half in English. Since her English skills are terrible, I also wrote letters to JunJun and LinLin, asking them to help Risa with translating my letter. To Risa I said that she should ask them as well and not Aichan, who's English really is pretty bad (lol). I of course wrote some nice stuff to the pandas as well. I've always wanted to write them letter because they don't have as many fans as the other members so they probably don't receive that many. The timing was good for doing it this time.

When entering the hall, I tried to get hold of Risa's daily photo set, which of course was sold out already. I didn't get my hands on the birthday T-shirt either. Because, really, the design is horrible. There's a text in English on the back saying this:

"The member of Morning Musume。
Birthday Girl!"

The overall design is pretty meh as well, and I don't really feel like buying shirts that don't have the girl's color if the design ain't neat. Otherwise I won't be using it anyway.

Already at the beginning of the day concert, at the first MC, Aichan thought it was time to sing Happy Birthday to Risa, lol. I've never been aware of this happening at the first MC already before. Damn KY-Aichan, haha.

At the last MC, Koharu hade come up with some sort of catchphrase or something that we were supposed to copy, going something like "Yoroshiku~chuuzu~". It was after she had been talking about her leaving MM and H!P this year and asking us to keep supporting her. During the night show, she however dedicated this part to Risa, for some reason. We did the peace sign while shouting it out and pointing at Risa, who was by then on her knees, crying of laughter. Damn random Koharu!

After the final show was over, Ai and Koha forced Risa to stay on the stage and she thanked us once again. Then when she left everyone kept shouting her name and she came back after a minute or two, having another speech.

The picture in the top is before the encore during the night show. Credit goes to whoever posted it on 2ch, or wherever it was.

オマリー

Next flu victim: Nakki - C-ute 5-nin at Erika's last appearance in Tokyo area

Another H!P girl has caught the flu, Nakajima Saki. C-ute had to do without her today at their concerts in Nakano Sun Plaza, Tokyo.

Now of course the rumours have begun about whether the rest of the members might have been infected by being in close contact with Nakki, since they performed together with her yesterday. There was luckily no signs of weakness from any of the other members today.

What's making people most worried is the fact that next weekend is the big final of C-ute's fall tour, with Erika's graduation. Even if no other member will be reported with also have caught the flu, will it it be enough of a reason to move the concert with Nakki's absence? Taking in consideration that it's such an important show, where Erika officially is leaving C-ute and H!P and all members would definitely want to be there. Usually you're supposed to stay in bed for a week when you get the flu.

For me this is even more worrying than for the Japanese wota, because I will be going back home at November 11th and it seems like it will be hard for me to come back again this year. I of course already spent a lot on a ticket for the final show with no guarantee of being able to get much of that back by re-selling it to someone else.

Let's hope that the rest of the girls got vaccinated against this type of flu and that Nakki will recover fast.

With Nakki's absence today, the big difference was that Erika got to sing "Time Capsule" solo. Something that I of course didn't mind. Earlier this year I got the same kind of luck when Miyabi became ill and missed a Berryz concert, where Saki got to sing their duo song solo as well (Sakura wa Raku Sa). As a fan of the least popular members, you don't get to see your favourites in the spotlight that much, so I've feel good about have been there when they finally got their chance to shine.

According to some wota, apparently four members of Morning Musume went to today's concert. I didn't get to hear it from someone who actually saw them, but I sure hope that Risa wasn't there to see me cheering on another girl, lol.

Since this was Erika's last time to be on stage with C-ute in Kanto area, all fans kept shouting her name for more than five minutes after the concert was over. We didn't get her back on stage, but it was still touching and the tears were close to fall for me. Next weekend I will probably be weaker than Aichan at a Musume graduation...

オマリー

FIVE of the Berryz members knocked out with the flu

Today it was reported on the official H!P site that Saki also has caught the flu, being the 5th out of 7 members within a just two days time span. The Sendai concerts this weekend were already postponed to 12/30, making it a new date for the final of this tour. Now the H!P shop events in Sendai with Saki also is rescheduled to a not yet announced date.

Personally, I believe that it's good that many of the girls got sick at the same time. I actually hope that Yurina and Chinami got it too. Them just not announcing it, because there's no need to do it really and make the fans worried when the concerts already have been moved. If all of the girls get this at the same time, then they won't get it later. I'm no doctor, but usually the flu that comes each spring and fall is the same bacterium that is getting spread and once you've had it you're body is immune against it.

Luckily, there's no concerts scheduled for next weekend. The next live event on the girls schedules is the fanclub bus tour at 10/31-11/1. I'm going to this, so of course I'm a bit worried, but all the girls should be fine by then.

It's kind of somewhat funny that Miyabi now has been so sick that she has had to take a rest from concerts three times this year already. I'm no expert here either, but maybe she should start take better care of herself after this, so it doesn't have to happen again.

Another point that is somewhat funny is that when they earlier this year cancelled/moved tons of events just to prevent that the girls or even the fans would get sick, no members of H!P was reported becoming ill. It was all because of medias hype about the H1N1 (swine flu)...

All you really have to know when there's big climate changes, particularly from hot to cold, you should watch out and make sure you have enough clothes, eat well, take a hot shower asap when you've been working out and etc.

I always thought that the Japanese people were good at this. You see people walking around outside with masks and shit at any time of the year. Personally I'm usually doing fine during the times of the year when most people fall ill. Maybe it's my Viking genes? Hehe. Cold climate sure never has been an issue for me.

This time however, with the clear sign from the Berryz member how easily this can spread, I will take more precautions. I sure don't wanna get knocked out when I only have a couple of weeks left to stay in Japan.


Saki, Momoko, Maasa, Miyabi & Risako; get well soon, please!

オマリー

The day Buono! was a one girl act

Because I didn't win a ticket for Mano's "premium live" release event today, I decided to go to the MELON GREETING show hosted by Melon Kinenbi and where Buono! were supposed to be guests. Unfortunately though, both Momoko and Miyabi had caught influenza, so Airi had to be alone. Which made it very interesting though!

The show started with Melon performing four of their songs, for then today's other guest, Tsutsumi Kayoto, joining the stage (I have no idea who she is). She had a MC with the Melon girls then performed a song in English, "Desperado" by The Eagles. Then she performed one more song by herself and one together with Melon ("Doukoku"? Never heard it before), before leaving. A pretty decent singer, but no one who caught my interest really.

After that Airi joined the stage. The first song she performed was "Take it easy!". To be honest, to me it became a little bit boring just hearing Airi, after getting used to all the girls performing it together. It's a nice song though and I sure enjoyed it. Her second song was from Buono!'s first album, "Hoshi no Hitsuji Tachi". This is one of my least favourite Buono! songs and I don't get why it got picked when it's so boring live and there's so many other awesome Buono! songs and she only would perform a couple of them. Finally to make it easy for Airi, she got to perform her own C-ute solo song, "Tsuugaku Vector". I wanted more Buono! songs, but this is a killer live, so it was all good.

When Airi was finished singing solo, the Melon girls came back on stage for a MC and then performing "Pinbaka" all of them together. This was probably the highlight of the concert for me, just like last year Buono! were guests at MELON GREEETING and peformed "Onegai Miwaku no Target" together with Melon. The girls had a lot of fun on stage and since usually the Melon girls just improvise, so did Airi. She was a bit lost and also amazed by the Melon girls wackiness so it was very enjoyable to see.

After Airi had left the stage it felt like the show had started for real and Melon performed some really great live songs, such as "Saa! Koibito ni Narou", "Onegai Miwaku no Target" and "This is Unmei".

Another great show by Melon, and I didn't feel that bad about missing Mano's event afterwards. I should probably stay away from fan reports of her event though, lol.

I also just read the news that Maasa and Risako also got the flu now so Berryz concerts in Sendai on Saturday are postponed until 12/30. I'm glad that I had planned to go to Musume's concerts this Saturday anyway. Which, by the way, will be Risa's birthday concerts. I still haven't bought her any birthday present. 'Better take care of that tomorrow... orz

オマリー

Berryz fall tour -09 "Medachitaii!!" review

The last few days I've been pretty dead. Both physically and mentally. I haven't found the will to do anything else than slacking. I'm sorry for this late report of Berryz new tour.

I suck at doing reviews of concerts and events. Basically because I tend to focus on wrong things, like being a bit too into the dancing and cheering or just being completely numb while staring at my favourite member. Hopefully some people will find this interesting.

A lot of text so I'm sorry if there's grammar mistakes and typos.


Some thoughts on the set list:

1. Ryuusei Boy
- This was the first time I heard the whole song. Right away it strikes me as a typical upbeat and genki Berryz type of song. You get into the dance and the melody right away and overall I think it's a pretty good song. For some reason it reminds me of Seishun Bus Guide, maybe a bit more entertaining to watch but a bit weaker.

2. Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi
- The girls stayed on stage, keeping their Ryuusei Boy dresses on for this. A good live song with a cute dance. I've got nothing more to add.

Member Intro VTR
- The video consists of the members getting introduced with old pictures showing them growing up, all the way until they decided to tryout for H!P Kids because of their "will to stand out" (the meaning of the tour name, "medachitaii"). Some really cute shots. The big winner was definitely Chinami, of whom they showed pictures eating literally all the time before she fell asleep, woke up, ate more and then fell asleep again. It's also interesting to get reminded about how different Momoko was as a child. A serious, grumpy loner compared to the always so energetic and hyper self she is today. You who have watched the old H!P movies involving the kids should have a good idea about what I'm talking about.

3. Watashi no Mirai no Danna-sama
- This was also my first listening. A serious(/"mature") song from which I'd have to get the lyrics explained for me to understand. The girls wear dark red long dresses in which some girls fit better in and some not. I don't really approve of them. I've already forgot the melody, which is understandable because I'm pretty deaf when it comes to music. It really is boring though. I'm glad that Ryuusei Boy is the song getting more attention out of the two for this new single. Saki looked very cute though. Always something.

MC 1
- IIRC just bla bla talk about that the tour has started and etc.

4. MADAYADE
- A song that I really hated when it was realeased but which I've become quite found of lately. It's a fun song and great live for us wota to take a part of.

5. Munasawagi Scarlet
- Still in the dark red dresses, fitting well for this song. I like the song, but it's never really getting me that excited to see live.

6. Ohiru No Kyuukei Jikan (Chinami solo)
- I was, just like most other people, very surprised to see Chinami solo. I was half-way through still waiting for someone else to join the stage. She did it pretty well and was cute as always, but her voice was getting really strained at the end of the song. Maybe it will get better after a week or two into the tour. (Btw, I have no idea if I've ever even heard this song before, lol)

7. Otoko no Ko (Miyabi & Yurina duet)
- Oh, damn, wow. This made me end up staring at the girls with a hanging jaw, almost starting drooling on myself. A great song choice for these girls, who were wearing short skirts and heels. They did an awesome job with it, too. It was even better than the full group's performance of the song during this spring tour. Thank you, Tsunku!

8. Halation Summer (Saki, Momoko, Maasa & Risako)
- This is where the hilarity started. The girls enters the stage wearing huge sunglasses, looking incredibly ridicilous. I was laughing out loud even before the song started and was crying after like half a minute. I can't even describe how funny they make it. By far the best performance of this song I've seen until now.

9. Seishun Oodoori
- Zzz, zzz and zzz.

MC 2
- Eh. we just got some rest with the previous song. No need for a MC here! I don't even remember what was happening, by still being sleepy after the previous song.

10. Dschinghis Khan - beatboxing with Risako solo in the middle of the song
- I love how they stopped in the middle of the song for their beatboxing. They did it for Gag 100kaibun Aishite Kudasai in the spring tour, which was mostly entertaining because of Momoko's chipmunk solo. This time the girls had improved a lot and the higlight for me was Saki's and Chinami's part which was really funny. Risako sang the lines for the song alone, which she did really well.

11. Seishun Bus Guide
- Somehow a pretty disappointing performance. I liked it better when they wore the PVC space busguide outfits during the spring tour. The PV was so hilarious and is making live perfs lame. But it's not like it's a song that I'm very found of anyway.

12. Kokuhaku no Funsui Hiroba (Chinami, Maasa & Miyabi)
- A nice song, but nothing you get excited over to see live really.

13. Baka ni Shinaide (Saki, Miyabi, Yurina & Risako)
- Somewhere around here I got lost with the outfits. Oh well, anyway, this song is a killer. Saki also has a decent amount of solo lines, which I'm glad for since it's a good song for her voice. It's really one of my favourite songs they've released the last two years.

14. VERY BEAUTY (Momoko solo)
- Ehh, why is MOMOKO doing this solo? She doesn't even have any solo lines in the original, lol. I guess it made her and her fans happy, but it's so more suitable for Risako or Yurina. Maybe even Miyabi. I was too disappointed with the fact that Momoko sang it so I actually didn't like it. They ruined one of my favourite Berryz singles. No offence to Momoko, I do like her a lot.

15. Special Generation
- WOW, the LULS. All the girls except from Momoko coming on stage wearing huge fish outfits. I'm bad at describing it but yeah, they were dressed as orange/pink fish, dancing to Special Generation. I'm not sure if a perf of that song can be more awesome. Or well, I wasn't, until Momoko came on stage half-way through the song dressed as a fish market dealer, trying to catch the girls with a huge landing net. Maybe the highlight of the concert.

16. Nigiyaka na Fuyu
- The girls sing this song in a very silly way, still wearing the fish outfits. I'm not sure if I've heard this song before either, but it was funny as hell to still see the girls as fish. Miyabi seemed to surprisingly be enjoying herself a lot while running off the stage, lol. Damn cute.

MC 3 (Saki & Momoko)
- The girls talking about the other members, somehow. I didn't catch what was said and haven't talked to anyone who did yet either.

17. ~Berryz 1st Special Medley~
21ji Made no Cinderella
Omoitattara Kichi Desse
Gag 100kaibun Aishite Kudasai → Stop in the middle for one member playing the chorus on a xylophone
Kaccho ee!
Warera! Berryz Kamen
21ji Made no Cinderella
- I wasn't too thrilled over the song choices for this medley, but they made it really funny with the xylophone part and Kaccho ee!. Upbeat and entertaining, just like a medley should be.

MC 4
- From this I remember nothing, lol.

18. Suhada Pichipichi
- Like usually during the end of the concert before the encore they finish it with some upbeat songs. This being one of my favourite live songs. Very cute.

19. Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance
- This song and Dschinghis Khan was the songs that got me into Berryz in the first place. It's funny as hell and great live in all ways.

20. Rival
- So far the H!P song of the year for me. It's extremely cute and a good mood-raiser. Every H!P release should involve songs of this calibre.

ENCORE
21. HAPPY! Stand Up
- The girls came out wearing some cone shaped silverish hats, vests and shorts. It made me laugh again. The song is one of my favourites from the latest album, but I'm also a bit tired of it by now because it's so repetitive. The encores are apparently supposed to be bad, so whatever.

MC 5
- Thanks for coming, bye-bye, bla bla.

22. CLAP
- A great ending song which as it's supposed to be lets the audience take a part of it. Somehow disappointing to have just Chinami, Miyabi and Yurina singing though. But I like it.


Overall I'm pretty pleased with the set list. The spring tour had some better songs and it made me always work up a good sweat. This time I didn't even have to change shirt afterwards. However, this one is more entertaining to watch. The theme of the tour that is "wanna stand out" is presented in a very amusing way. A good Berryz concert that made me realize how unique they are and how much I've missed attending their concerts.

There's a big mystery though...
Why the hell didn't they perform "Dakishimete Dakishimete"?! It's one of my favourite Berryz songs and was realeased this year, god damn it. It better be performed during the mini live at the bus tour in a couple of weeks.

I'm also of course very glad that there wasn't any graduation announced. Before the concert started I was already pretty convinced again that they wouldn't graduate anyone this tour. Some of the girls made me worried before the final MC though. Yurina seemed to be in pain, with a sad look on her face and some of the other girls were not smiling either. Each of them had their final speech and I got more and more nervous, with Saki being the last one to talk. After the MC was over I checked around in the audience and noticed that most of the wota seemed really relieved and then I decided that I could relax as well, lol. I realized before the concert that it would just be stupid to graduate Miyabi because then they would have to disband Buono!. My #2 on the list for girls possibly leaving was Saki and I just couldn't imagine her graduating and leaving the girls behind, as the leader of the group.


This is a good show that I'm sure most of you will find being one of the best concerts ever with the group when you get to see it on DVD. It's time to really start looking forward to it now!

オマリー

Oh, I forgot Mano!

Since I forgot to mention anything about her in my last post, let's dedicate a full post to her instead.

Right now I'm terribly upset because I didn't receive a ticket to her "Premium Live" CD event. I went out to buy 8 extra CDs to apply for this event, after already have been purchasing 16 copies before. I didn't win a ticket and I'm going to miss the most likely best event this year.

Now, somehow, I feel bad for this. It feels like I'm a bad fan because I'm not going, lol. But what can I do? Not more than telling her tomorrow at her handshake event that I did do my best to try get to go. Apparently you have to buy 50 CDs to get to go to her events. Mano-chan, please ask Manager-san to not do it the same way next time. It's just stupid that you have to spend so much money to be sure that you will get to go.

I can't even buy a ticket second hand through auction because they are personal with name, birth date and everything. Sigh.

オマリー