Niigaki Risa, the 5th generation member with the longest tenure in the group, has officially graduated from Morning Musume and Hello! Project.

Details of the concert are a bit scarce right now since the concert just happened a few hours ago, but we’ll update the post with the graduation letter and the member comments once they are released. I’ll post info related to each member on each individual post since they each deserve to have their own post instead of detailing only the whole event, so please excuse any details that are mentioned twice.

We have confirmation that her graduation song appears to be Never Forget, which was Fukuda Asuka’s graduation song when she graduated back in 1999. The song might have been made for Asuka but it seems like the title fit in really well with the situation and really gives fans an idea about how much Gaki loves them and the group.

From the image below we get to see that Takahashi Ai, Kamei Eri, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Shibata Ayumi, Ishikawa Rika, Ogawa Makoto, Iida Kaori, and Abe Natsumi appeared at the event so far. We’ll probably get a confirmation that other H!P members were present later on, but the most surprising member to attend so far was most likely Kamei Eri since she hasn’t been seen in quite some time. It was a nice touch for her to attend and pose for the picture along with the other H!P members though, bringing Gakikame once again back on Gaki’s big night.

Here are some pictures of the concert and Gaki’s graduation ceremony:

Ado

Gaki has always been among my favorite members from Morning Musume (as the name of this site suggests), and while I have grown to like all of the members due to their unique characteristics, there is no one that can compare to Gaki. From the first moment I saw her on Sexy Boy ~Soyokaze ni Yorisotte~ I was a fan of her. Her smile, her energy, basically everything that Morning Musume stood for was part of her personality, making her what I consider to be a perfect Morning Musume member (in my opinion).

I didn’t become a fan of the group until 2008, but that’s nothing compared to how long Gaki has been in the group, currently holding the longest tenure in the group starting from August 2001 through May 2012, she is and will most likely be among the only members to remain in the group so long.

Gaki mentioned many times that she was a big fan of the group before joining, even going to shows and mentioning that she was one of the many fans who would cheer on the group with her uchiwa. Many years have passed since then and it’s easy to see that her love for the group has remained untouched throughout the years.

Graduations are natural and all members will eventually graduate, so I expected to see her graduation be announced soon after Ai-chan. Surprisingly it wasn’t announced then but a few months after that we finally got the announcement and I can honestly say that I was saddened since she was one of the main reason why I like the group.

Still, it’s a day of great change for the group since she is arguably the main source of energy for the group, happily smiling throughout the concert as fans cheered the group along endless amounts of concerts during more than a decade. Her energy, smile, personality, and much more will leave a vacant space in the group that will be hard to fill out for those of us who grew with her as part of the group.

Sure, in a few months we’ll soon have yet another generation to look forward to, and newer fans of the group will most likely not think of the group differently since they didn’t live through the moments we did, yet she was a crucial part of the group.

Momusu is a group that changes constantly so it’s hard to say that my feelings for Momusu have changed. Many graduations have made me realize that the group will never remain the same forever, and this is hardly something new since the group was founded with that theme. I still love, and will continue to love the group and I will continue to excitedly look forward to every one of their new releases, even if one of the main reasons why I love the group has left it.

Graduations aren’t meant to be sad moments, they’re moments where we thank the member for their many years as part of the group that has provided us with various songs, videos, shows, etc. It’s a small step from one group to an endless amount of opportunities in the entertainment world, where she will be able to better choose what she wants to do.

I look forward to finding out just what she will do in the coming months, since she has an endless amount of talent that is hard to ignore. Her energy, voice, and personality will be missed from the group, but instead of being sad, I’m happy since she has done everything she could do with the group.

Thank you Gaki for more than a decade of your voice, smiles, and energy!

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Thank You and Good Luck Gaki!

Niigaki Risa’s History

Mitsui Aika, the only remaining member of the 8th generation, has officially graduated from Morning Musume.

Details of the concert are a bit scarce right now since the concert just happened a few hours ago so the post will remain a bit scarce for now, but we’ll update the post with the graduation letter and the member comments once they are released. I’ll post info related to each member on each individual post since they each deserve to have their own post instead of detailing only the whole event, so please excuse any details that are mentioned twice.

We have confirmation that Mitsui Aika’s graduation song was Watashi no Miryoku ni Kizukanai Donkan na Hito, her solo song from Platinum 9 DISC with the 9th gen as back dancers. It was somewhat expected that she would choose that song since after all it’s her only solo song, but it’s upbeat and really shows off her personality well so it was a good choice despite that.

From the image below we get to see that Takahashi Ai, Kamei Eri, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Shibata Ayumi, Ishikawa Rika, Ogawa Makoto, Iida Kaori, and Abe Natsumi appeared at the event so far. We’ll probably get a confirmation that other H!P members were present later on, but the most surprising member to attend so far was most likely Kamei Eri since she hasn’t been seen in quite some time.

Since she graduated only from Morning Musume, her profile has been moved to the main Hello! Project site:

It’s unknown whether she will release something solo, but for now it’s a nice touch and a sign that she won’t be simply working from the background to support H!P.

Here are some pictures of the concert:

Ado

Mitsui has been to me one of the most under appreciated members that Morning Musume has had. She has a great voice, an amazing smile, energy, and dedication which has sadly been overshadowed by various other reasons. I can admit that I wasn’t one of her biggest fans, but I was still a fan, mostly because she has shown the most dedication from any other member.

Not many members suffer from various health related problems, and those who do usually rest before coming back, leaving the group for a few months and then appearing good as new. Not Mitsui. She suffered from various injuries, most notably two: acute appendicitis and a left ankle fracture. The acute appendicitis occured back in 2008, after which she recovered after about 2 weeks, an uncommon injury but still treatable and she was soon back in the group.

However, in May 2011 she suffered a fracture in her left ankle, requiring 8 weeks of rest before she could get back and perform. This was followed by another 8 weeks of rest, and a few more just in case. Most members would have remained at home resting, but Mitsui showed a strong spirit as she joined the group in various events singing, and appearing in various events and MVs for the group following the doctor’s suggestions by not dancing and using crutches to walk or a wheelchair to move, yet she continued performing for fans.

Mitsui is the only member from Momusu to have done that, and I was touched to see how much she wanted to be back and be among the other members, dancing and performing for the multitude of fans at concerts, events, etc, despite having an injury that prevented her from actively participating.

Not many can follow the physically intensive schedule of an idol with no injuries (dancing to dozens of songs up to three times a day is nothing short of amazing), much less with a fracture, even less by those who mocked her from the start of her joining the group. Still, there she was singing at concerts and appearing whenever possible with the other members.

She has remained out of the spotlight due to various reasons, like the joining of the first Chinese members in the group, and yet she has worked hard and made her best effort to give fans what they expect from the group, and for that I support her and really respect her.

Her decision to leave the group was sudden, but crucially necessary since health is among the priorities for all members, and if she had remained in the group she could have had a similar injury later on, and possibly a more critical injury. It is stated various times that this decision was not done with full support from Mitsui, since she wanted to continue to perform, but due to the doctor’s advise it was crucial for her to leave the group.

This, along with her statement that she was discussing what kind of work I can do in Hello! Project with Tsunku-san and the staff, make her one of the most dedicated members that the group has had. Not many members would do what she has done, and yet she was often overshadowed by others.

Today she leaves the group, and she had her own graduation ceremony, a moment where each member reflects on them and thanks them for being there. It’s a sad moment since we say goodbye to her as a member of the group, but it’s a new start for her as she will be able to work in Hello! Project in other areas.

Mitsui, thank you for years of hard work, performances, energy, and smiles, and good luck with all future activities!

[]

Thank you and Good Luck Mitsui!

Hello! Project Site – Mitsui’s Profile

Mitsui Aika’s History

Morning Musume will be releasing their long awaited 50th single which is a double-A side single titled One•Two•Three/The Matenrou Show.

It will be available in 7 different editions: Regular (CD), Limited A, B, C, D, E and F with the Limited editions A,C and E coming as a CD+DVD featuring different versions of the PV for One•Two•Three while B,D and F are CD only.

Limited A & B are 6th generation special editions, Limited C & D 9th generation special editions and Limited E & F 10th generation special editions, with each “special” edition featuring a different B-side for the respective generation.

Both main songs are assumed to be sung by all 11 girls according to SonyMusicShop.

Many rumors had been floating around concerning this special release and we didn’t get any official confirmation until now, and I must admit that this will be one of the most anticipated release from Morning Musume ever since it marks many special events such as it being their 50th single, first one for Michishige Sayumi as a leader, last one before the addition of the 11th generation members and the 2nd double-A side single in Momusu’s history which have both been released less than a year apart.

The titles for both songs have immediately been revealed and I really like how they sound since it’s been a while since some original and fresh titles, with One•Two•Three sounding like it could be the perfect happy and energetic song (reminds me of 3,2,1 Breakin’ Out! for some reason and I hope it’s the same style), while The Matenrou Show sounds like it could be a very funky and cool song with the members actually holding a show in the PV, but all those are just speculations and we’ll have to wait until previews are released to know what the single’s theme is all about.

Apart from that, this single will be the last one before the addition of the new members which gives enough time for the current lineup to establish themselves and allows the 9th and 10th generation members to show more of their personalities since they will definitely get more attention now that they are the center of attention in Momusu after Gaki and Aika leaving, so hopefully the wait won’t be too long until we find out more details since this is set to be a memorable release for all of their fans and for those who will have the curiosity to see what Momusu has become after 50 singles released.

Overall, I must say that I wasn’t that excited for their 49th single as I am now, so hopefully many will consider purchasing as many copies as possible to enjoy all of the various editions that come alongside a variety of tracklists to fit everyone’s taste, and to support Momusu on this special release.

Hopefully more information will be revealed soon, and mostly concerning the tracklist to know what the “special” editions are about, as well as a hint at the songs or outfits.

The release date is set for 7/4.

SonyMusicShop official info page

CDJapan page about Regular Edition

CDJapan page about Limited Edition A

CDJapan page about Limited Edition B

CDJapan page about Limited Edition C

CDJapan page about Limited Edition D

CDJapan page about Limited Edition E

CDJapan page about Limited Edition F

CDJapan page about Single V

The auditions for the 11th generation of Morning Musume Morning Musume 11th Generation ~Suppin Utahime~ Auditions (Makeup-less Songstress Auditions).have been announced a few moments ago at Morning Musume’s concert held at the Nipon Budokan for Niigaki Risa and Mitsui Aika’s graduation.

Michishige Sayumi has now officially been announced as the 8th Morning Musume leader.

Tsunku appeared on stage earlier and revealed that the auditions for the 11th generation members are now open, and the title of the auditions is somewhat very relevant since it seems like Tsunku is focusing more on the talents that will be present at this year’s auditions instead of the looks of the members, which seems like a great motivation for all Momusu fans who will probably be expecting a great new generation full of potential to come and complete the new Morning Musume.

Even though there isn’t much information right now since the concert is actually being held and we will have to wait for the info sites and reports to come up later on, the announcement is still a big excitement, but I will leave my full opinion with many more details when they are revealed.

Update: Like the previous auditions, an official site has been opened for everyone to submit their applications until June 25th (deadline), and girls aged 10 to 17 can apply for the audition.

Tsunku also left a message for everyone concerning the announcement and the auditions on the website.

Apart from that, everything concerning the auditions seem to have been released, and I can now say that I’m truly amazed by how fast the auditions were announced since I wasn’t expecting an announcement before Momusu released at least their 50th single, but I’m also quite happy since these new auditions will allow Morning Musume to become bigger with the new members having enough time with their senpais (Reina and Sayu) as well as the other members to grow in the fans’ eye and start to fit in before the eventual graduation of either Reina or Sayu.

Even though we don’t know if Tsunku will also choose 4 girls for this generation like the previous 2, I personally would like more teenage girls ranging between the 15-17 age gap alongside some newcomers since this would make Momusu a really steady group that can attract all kind of ages and personalities, but for now, we’ll just have to wait until the next announcement concerning the start of the audition.

Morning Musume 11th Generation ~Suppin Utahime~ Audition official website

Tsunku’s message

The title of Mano Erina’s previously announced 12th single has been revealed to be Song for the DATE.

With all of her recent releases including her PB, solo DVD and concert tour, Mano’s theme for the year seems to be “Date” for some sort of reason, and she has proven through previews of her latest releases that she is revealing more of her sexy character lately, but the information released about this single was that it will be a happy up-tempo song, so we don’t know what to expect exactly.

Apart from that, the title is quite interesting since it seems mature and cute at the same time, so even though there still isn’t much to say, we’ll have to wait for the previews to start flooding since Mano hinted that one could be revealed at the end of the month.

Hopefully her fans will start reserving their copies and more information should be out soon so that we can settle ourselves in the theme of this release.

The release date is set for 6/27.

Mano’s blog post

The preview is really similar to all digests we get from this type of DVDs since it features the making of of her last PB ASCESION, but I must admit that Risa looks extremely lovely there since she seems really happy and she wears a smile all along the one-minute preview.

There aren’t as many scenes as I expected there to be since there is one casual outfit scene featuring Gaki in a house standing next to an open window or lying on a sofa while looking calmly at the camera, and one bikini shot where she is wearing a purple and white bikini, holding her hair in ponytails and posing on a dock next to the sea, on the sand, etc, but even though it seems really simple, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her the whole time thanks to the great attraction she pulls toward herself with her cute and confident attitude.

Hopefully everyone can take a look and consider purchasing this last solo release from Gaki-san!

Video uploaded by: morningmusumechannel

The release date is set for 5/16.

1. Manatsu no Kousen
2. Furusato
3. Seinaru Kane ga Hibiku Yoru
4. Koi wo Shichaimashita
5. Chu! Natsu Party
6. LOVE Namida Iro
7. Kousui
8. Koi no Hana
9. Onegai Miwaku no Target
10. 25 ~vingt-cinq~
11. My Days For You

To commemorate her graduation, Niigaki Risa will be releasing a new H!P songs cover album titled Hello! Cover ~Niigaki Risa~ featuring all the tracks she covered for the project in 2010 alongside 3 new songs.

When I read the announcement, I was extremely happy to see that Risa will not only have had a solo PV and song, a special graduation single and many amazing additions like being the center of the Hello! Channel mook, but also a solo cover album that will almost be like a full solo album for all her fans to enjoy, which kind of makes up for the fact that they didn’t release an album as a group before she left.

The tracklist and covers were also released and as for the cover, I think it’s really beautiful since the picture and the title art reveals Gaki-san’s bubbly personality and she looks amazingly gorgeous alongside the fun and colorful text that seems to suit her, and the tracklist is really impressive since apart from the songs that she already released on iTunes as covers, there are 3 new songs that will please many since Risa has definitely one of the best voices in H!P and she manages to sound great in all type of songs.

Overall, Risa is going to have one of the most memorable graduations thanks to all the original releases and the many ways she has been featured as center lately, so hopefully everyone can support her and purchase the album to also enjoy this amazing soundtrack.

The pre-order session is until 5/31.

H!P official page about album

e-Lineup! page about product

A new android PB for Suzuki Airi titled Koisuru Otome (A girl in love) has been released.

Airi has always been one of the most photogenic and fun-to-look at members for a PB, so it’s really no surprise to see that they are releasing yet another Android PB for her filled with new pictures of her, and I must admit that even though I always root for the less-promoted members to have this opportunity instead of the popular members who get regular releases, I’m pretty impressed with the previews we got to see since Airi really looks amazing in all of the shots and her natural fun spirit shows off in every picture.

Among the many shots, my favorites have to be the ones of Airi in the small light-pink outfit with a high bun since she looks really cute and all cuddly in them, but the pictures of her in a seifuku outfit are also amazing since her smile shines bright in them and she looks as she is really having a good time, and while the last 2 pictures of her wearing a fur jacket are less impressive than the first ones, they still show off another side of her personality which I really like.

Hopefully many of her fans will be able to purchase the PB online to enjoy this great release from her and be able to check out all of the remaining pictures.

PB on the Android Market

Morning Musume have been announced today as performing artists for the Girls Award 2012 Spring/Summer collection ~All you need is LOVE~ event at Yoyogi Stadium.

This event is quite unique since it’s a fashion event where many designers show off the latest trends they have set on a big podium with many models walking back and forth, and unlike usual fashion shows, the models (including Umeda Erika and Yaguchi Mari who were announced) get to be really free and fun since they can move however they want to and flash big smiles to warm up the audience (mostly girls who are more interested by this kind of events), so having Morning Musume perform on this special event is really amazing since they are listed alongside Wonder Girls who are a very famous Korean group debuting in Japan and many other local celebrities, and judging by the event’s popularity, this is set to be a great promotion for the “new” Morning Musume.

In fact, this event will be the first one with Sayumi as the leader of the group and with Gaki and Aika gone, and as we can see in the group photo that is provided on the site for Momusu’s profile, it seems somewhat weird to see Morning Musume like this, but I’m actually really glad that the new members fit in so well since there doesn’t seem to be that much of a big age gap between the old and new members anymore and they all seem to have warmed up to the group’s spirit, so hopefully we can get some kind of report later on concerning the event and how it went for the girls.

The event will take place on 5/26.

Morning Musume profile on official Girls Award site

Nakajima Saki and Sengoku Minami will be starring in a stage play titled ”Junkers Come Here.”

When I read the title I was picturing something with a junkyard. I thought the play was about a gathering of car mechanics and technicians or something. The play though is based off an anime movie and here’s the the plot summary from Anime News Network:

The story is about a young girl named Hiromi Nozawa and her dog, Junkers (pronounced Yoon-kers). Hiromi is having troubles at home mainly because of her parents wanting to separate. As she is fighting the loneliness and sorrow which is tearing her apart………Junkers trys to comfort her because unlike any other dog….he can talk and grant her 3 wishes.

I read some reviews and the original work sounds very interesting so I’m curious how it turns out for the stage play. One of the main characters is a dog so I’m kind of wondering between Nakky and Minami who will be taking that role. I’m just imagining that they’ll be in a full dog outfit for Junkers and I find it a bit funny if they do dress that way.

Nakky and Minami have both appeared in a few stage plays so I’m confident they’ll do an amazing job like always. The stage play is still awhile away so more H!P members maybe added to the cast.

Other than that the stage play will be running from 7/3 to 7/8.

H!P Announcement 

Anime News Network Info Page