H!P 101 - Introduction

Current H!P minus four new members.

Note: This is the original introduction to Hello!Project I wrote for a friend (the H!P 101 document that inspired me to make this series.) Reading it now, it seems kind of lecture-y. So after the next video link, I'll give my own reasons for my passion for Hello!Project. Tell me which one is better! :)


Before diving into the world of Hello! Project (H!P), one must realize these girls are idols. Most of them can at least hold a tune and some of them have outstanding talent, but the key to appreciating them is not to scrutinize their singing ability but how they play on their audience’s feelings. That’s not to say you can’t expect them to sing better. But they are work-in-progress talents, and fans watch them improve and root them on. Sometimes I liken idols to football teams (complete with their own special colors for fans to identify with) because of how their fans cheer them on and get excited for their group’s success.

One of the appeals of Hello! Project’s idols is that they tend to have pronounced personalities, so watching them interact with each other on television is like watching a sitcom. (I think one of the reasons I fell in love with H!P is because I’m also a big fan of The Monkees and their TV show.) You can pick your favorite “character” in the group, follow her and collect her merchandise. When a member is ready to move on, either through furthering her career or retiring to a normal civilian life, she “graduates” in an elaborate ceremony at the end of a concert tour (with some exceptions, like girls that are fired or resign suddenly.)

And this is how H!P stays so young. Like stars, new groups and members are added and old ones graduate and fade. Morning Musume is now the only group that has stayed in H!P from the beginning, but none of the original members remain in H!P now.

Old-school Legends of H!P.

Why I love Hello!Project:

1. I find the manufactured personalities fascinating. Being the nerd I am, I like finding the personality "type" of each girl. I like the different characters interacting in character-based comedy. It's fun to see what happens when a girl has two "types." And even if I think I won't like a girl because of her "type", sometimes she turns out to be really likable and hilarious. I like those surprises.

2. Said personalities allow me to remain detached from the actual girls. One of the things that makes me uncomfortable with following celebrities and bands is that I feel I'm nosing around too much in their personal life. I prefer to be a fan of what they do than who they are. But idols have personae, so following their life (the one they allow us to see, the one they create) is like watching a television show. Because in most cases, it IS a television show. Reality television tends to make me feel sad or angry after watching it. But the fake reality of idols makes me happy and gives me giggles. It's magical, it's hard to explain.

3. Nerd facts and collecting! Idols have a running narrative, so you're in on the in-jokes if you're a regular watcher (and they can be repetitive so you can get in the know pretty fast after several appearances.) There's lots of trivia to remember. And history! Much like the thrill of being able to name all the Pokemon or know the weather patterns of all the planets in Star Wars, all the information is fun to gobble up. And if there were Barbie dolls of the H!P members, I'd totally collect them. It's a big nerd playground in H!P!

4. Cheering on particular groups and girls has the thrill of cheering on a sports team! It's fun to pick a number one and root on her with all your heart. It's sad if she isn't popular and doesn't get to do much, but every little victory, whether it's a solo line or a photobook will make you so happy and proud of her.

5. The music has variety and is generally very catchy! There are a lot of fun songs. There are a lot of cool songs, cute songs, beautiful songs, and even "just blew up the cat" crazy songs. And if I'm not too keen on one song, I can hope that I'll like a future one. Because H!P changes its underwear regularly and there are plenty of groups to hop between as well as old songs to keep me entertained.

6. It changes. Old girls graduate. New girls enter. Groups disband and new groups are promoted. New material is constantly coming out. When the machine stops and there is only the past to look back on, it's hard to be so constantly interested. But I hope I don't have to worry about that with Hello!Project for the foreseeable future.

But wait? All of these points describe most idol groups and idol collectives. But H!P has an aura, a vibe that feels right to me. And maybe it will suck you in, too. Maybe it won't. Maybe you'll find a different idol group to become a fan of. I'm here to give a starting point to decide whether any of Hello!Project's offerings are right for you. And I'll even include a section for other main idol groups so you can see if you like idols, just not H!P. So let's start with the current main acts in Hello!Project...

Morning Musume - A varied group with a long history, ever-changing members, and different sounds.
Berryz Koubou - Kids that grew into adults (except an insane midget) and their music and videos reflect that. Kind of goofy.
℃-ute - A synchronized, streamlined group known for their dancing.
Erina Mano - The ballady soloist.
S/mileage - Cutesy silly chipmunks.
Buono! - Pop-rock combination of 2 Berryz and 1 ℃-ute. Used to sing theme songs for the anime Shugo Chara.

If you are already a fan and you see something not right about my guide, please speak up! I want this to be something fans can refer their friends to! I'm not perfect, I even forgot Mai's concert color for some time (I still thought it was purple last month), so I'm open to suggestions and corrections!

Also! Check out these other guides to idols if you are interested in seeing what the idol fandom in general has to offer!

- Idol Theory 101 - Essays about idols in general.
- A brief history of Johnny's - The boy idol monopoly.
- Supermelion's article on AKB48, Team A, Team K, and Team B - Out of date, but a good starting guide for putting names to faces and knowing what AKB48 is all about.
- Aitakatta's AKB48 Glossary and Guide to Members - Another good guide.
- Aly B's Blog on Hello!Online - Dig around and find essays on EVERY Morning Musume girl ever, aside from the tenth (newest) generation.
- Fudanjuku Pimp Post - Guide to the crossdressing "all-boys" school themed group.

If you can think of any more, even H!P ones, please tell me so I can add it to this list! :)