Graduations

In the seemingly happy world of Idols, there also come times for sadness. After many years in the business, some Idols decide to move on and pursue other careers. It is a sad time, both for the members of the Idol groups who must get attached to each other after many years of working together, but also for the fans who have followed the Idol careers of these girls, sometimes from childhood. Any thoughts from the community about the inevitable graduations of our favorite Idols?

Arihara Kanna



The last month or so has been tough on Idol graduations. First, in early July, it was announced that Arihara Kanna from C-ute decided to not come back to the group after some health problems. It was said that she was going to concentrate on her schooling. Kanna's leaving brought about several conspiracy theories about the true nature of her graduation. Her leaving was predicted by many people due to her being gone for a few months and not included in the C-ute singles and photoshoots. Kanna also did not get a graduation concert performance.

Umeda Erika



More sudden was the announcement at the start of August of the graduation of Umeda Erika, the oldest C-ute member and oldest H!P Kids member, who has been in H!P for 7 years. Erika, at 18 years old, decided to leave the group and pursue a career in fashion modelling. As sudden as this news has been, Erika was never a prominent member of C-ute which did not allow her true talents to shine through. Her leaving will allow her to work at her future goals - gambatte Erika! She is said to graduate at the last day of the C-ute concert tour on October 25th - making Erika the second H!P Kids member to graduate with a public graduation ceremony (Megumi, and Kanna did not have a public ceremony, Maiha did [1][2]).

C-ute 5nin



The two C-ute graduations in the last month beg to ask about the health and future of C-ute. With 5 members, C-ute will be quite a bit smaller than its sister group Berryz Koubou. Will they do fine with 5 members? Will somebody get added to the group? Who? (my bet is on the Korean audition winner but she might not be ready yet) I guess we'll have to wait and see! Any predictions?

More Graduations?



These recent graduations are making the fans uneasy. Shirow at Wotaku Now! brings out the (often unwanted) topic of Morning Musume graduations. There hasn't been one in several years and there is bound to be one probably some time soon. Once again, we'll have to wait and see, and pray that our favourites stay around forever!

P.S. Momo and Reina better stay forever!!!

Berryz Kobou - Seishun Bus Guide

Time for a new Berryz single (20th already). It is coming out on June 3rd, 2009 and it is a rare double A side single. This means that both of the songs on the single are treated roughly the same and thus both get a PV. The typical formula is a single A side and a less important B side so this is slightly different. The two songs featured on this single are called Seishun Bus Guide and Rival. The songs are quite different from each other but both have a very fun, playful tune and some hilarious PVs.

Let us look at the Seishun Bus Guide PV first. Sorry for the low quality of the screenshots since only the Dohhh UP! video has been released. Seishun means youth - so wasn't too sure what to expect from the PV since it isn't the first song to feature a bus. I definitely didn't expect what I saw! The PV is an awesome parody of the girls playing schoolboys on a field trip with some serious crush on the bus guide lady!

The bus guide is an older but quite attractive lady who is a TV Tokyo announcer. Seems like all the girls *ehem* boys are attracted to her.



The PV starts off with a view of inside the bus where all the bus guide has the total attention of all the boys (and momo is insane as always!).


Momo as usual is just insane! Oh gotta love her for that... She really likes her fancy yellow camera. The girls do make some very cute schoolboys! :P





Maasa got so hot lately! Also, in this picture, that uniform looks more like that of a priest. Brings a new meaning to the Church of Maasa.


Hamster-chan!


The girls' awesome reaction to the bus guide:


Risako looks quite frankly totally in love.


Of course, even as boys.. there is this chemistry between Chinami and Miyabi:


Awestruck!



Momo all of a sudden puts on a pair of funny glasses!!


Not sure what this is supposed to be but there is a moment where Miyabi coughs a few times and points to captain!


There is even a field trip where the girls are fighting over being close to the bus guide. Yurina has an awesome Japanese-style huge camera lens.





Of course, Miyabi is grabbing the guide's ass!


The girls play cards in the bus to kill time. Momo has this cheating look!


Awesome Momo moment! I like teeths!


Miyabi is going further and making a love card!


Yurina has a huge ass camera lens - bigger than Captain's head!


Another awesome Momo shot!


There are 3 different outfits used in the PV. The black schoolboy outfit, a purple space-outfit for the dance shots and girl scout outfits?! Strange mix.



Overall, the girls look the cutest in the closeups - can't wait for the closeup version!
Risako:

Miyabi:

Yurina:

Momo looking like a wet rat:

Maasa is ripping her clothes off while singing about jelousy!:

Chinami has cute hair

Captain:


And Momo will rule the world someday!


Video from DohhhUP!:

Morning Musume - Shōganai Yume Oibito

The PV for the 39th Momusu single is out on Dohhh UP! Rather early since there is still almost a month to the release. Shōganai Yume Oibito is a slower song but I quite like it (even though I prefer faster songs). It has that Momusu feeling to it and well..you can't not love it for that!

The PV is quite interesting. Similarly to Buono!'s My Boy, we see more natural on-location footage and basically no green screens (well.. there is this screen they girls are walking/standing in front but it doesn't seem to be used in the PV - maybe pictures?).

The setting for the PV seems to be a university. This is greatly enhanced by the girls wearing normal clothes (no strapped on dead muppets, etc) and they are quite mature looking and acting. It seems like they are going about their way studying, walking to class, meeting each other, etc. The girls look lovely with their mature looks (and no crying like in the last single).

Onto the image spam (video follows).

The video starts with the girls in front of some white screen somewhere outdoors, although they are just standing there or walking around. Unsure what the purpose of the screen is but it looks quite interesting. I just love JunJun's outfit :P



Aichan seems to be reading something from a book with a highlighter in hand - study girl, might come in handy someday :).



Aika looks awesome and she also is reading a book (or staring at it!).




In walks Reina! WOW! I mean WOW! She looks lovely in a natural way, but still preserving some of her fashion sense in her clothing. Come here my dear, I'll give you some teriyaki beef I just made.. you like beef don't you?!




Koha seems to be not too thrilled with all the notes she has to carry around. I wouldn't worry... unless this is a girls only school, she will find somebody (or a horde) to carry her books. She also looks quite lovely with her mature look (I really don't like her Kirari acting most of the time).



Risa looks lovely indeed! Love the hair!



I'm not too thrilled about Eri's look - she has looked better. Eri certainly likes to read (or stare at) books about Forests?! She's an environmentalist!




The pandas are walking together, talking, laughing. It looks very natural and very cute. JunJun is lovely! I wish I put her first on my cuddle list... oh wait, I did! well then! :P LinLin looks... well like LinLin :).




The dance shot reminds me a lot of Sexy Boy... not sure why.. maybe the dance, maybe the formation, maybe the dresses.



Aichan so cute and natural!



Reina... so lovely... I want to feed her and give her a hug!



Whoah...there is this one moment when Koha looks to the side then looks down than stares right at the camera - sends shivers down my spine! Wow... she can be so sexy sometimes!



Another good shot of JunJun:



Now, that's it... I'm packing my bags and applying for a professorship in japan! Damn!



Finally a nice closeup of Sayu (and a solo line, yay! :P). She's sporting a very sexy asymmetric haircut that almost covers one eye!




LinLin is playing games on her cell! Or she's texting JunJun (who is right next to her!)



Aika being the kitty she is, is rubbing her back on a seat.



Koha seems to be running (away from something) in the hallway.... there might be bears chasing her..who knows!



The PV ends with Aichan staring at the sky then the camera. She looks very similar to her drama character in Q.E.D.



Dohhhup video: