Sunday, July 15, 2012

Fanart Corner - Fashion Queens

I'm going to upload the rest of my old Hello!Project art from a year or two ago. I need to bide time for the new art I plan to make (I've been focusing on commissions and my own non-fanart projects lately.) Also, I might as well upload, just in case someone out there is interested. I know I can be my worst critic, so I'll let my fellow idol fans decide what is cool or cute or not.

Mariko-sama

Mariko Shinoda of AKB48. Well, supposed to be. I gave her too long of hair, huh?

Miya

Caricature of Miyabi Natsuyaki of Berryz Koubou/Buono! Her facial structure makes her one of the easiest and most fun to draw girls in H!P ever. I actually liked it when she sometimes wore her hair similar to this. And this is another picture I want to color vividly if I ever get around to it.




Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Idol Challenge 27 - Peach Passion

Day #27: Idol you have special feelings for.


Yay, more gushing about Momo! First of all, I'll answer by example. I made a Momo collage/shrine for part of an art project in school. That takes special feelings.

But Momo... ah, Momo. She reinvigorated my love for Hello!Project when it could have fallen away (and then I probably wouldn't be following idols today. Who knows what I would be into now besides Pokemon, comics, Star Wars, and art? Maybe I'd have more time to distribute among those passions?) Nono, my previous favorite, fell out of activity due to her pregnancy. Momo filled that void. And it turned out I liked her even more. She wasn't paired up constantly with certain members (like how Nono was paired with Aibon), so she was able to deliver her comedy all by herself. There's some strength to that. And she has a complex real-life character underneath her idol persona that I really respect. She appears to be a very determined driven woman who knows what she wants. She seems to have her future sorted out. I truly idolize her!




Monday, July 2, 2012

Idol Challenge 26 - Her Momoments

Day #26: Idol with the best personality.


Momo. For me, the best personality in an idol is the personality that makes me laugh. When Momo's not trolling hosts or fellow members with her over-the-top cutesy character, she's the butt of the jokes. Her flawed character is meant to be laughed at with her tongue-in-cheek indignation. And it's so unmistakably Momo. I can't follow any other idol with quite her sense of humor. I also really appreciate the animation she puts into her character. She acts out her persona like a cartoon character come to life. Momo's personality makes her consistently entertaining to me. Girls with natural personalities and wit have their moments, but with Momo, it's always a moment. A momoment.




Sunday, July 1, 2012

Fanart Corner - Girlfriends

Chii and Miya

One third of Berryz Koubou in cartoon-style. Chinami Tokunaga trying to hug her "girlfriend", Miyabi Natsuyaki. Chii does not look like Chii (a pattern for the taller girls?) But Miya looks like Miya. Even for these two walking sticks, they are a lot thinner than they should be (if the heads were bigger it would be closer to my original cartoony concept. But their limbs are still too long.) Here, Chii especially looks like a pole. And Miya's pose looks painful. However, I think the outfits are cute though simple.


H!P's future rock star, Reina Tanaka! I think I captured her distinctive likeness pretty well here. I'm looking forward to coloring this with wild color.




Sunday, June 17, 2012

Idol Challenge 25 - Double Trouble

Day #25: Past group you miss the most.


Oh gosh, this is so cliche, but I miss W. The W we can never get back. Even if there was a reunion (i.e. a miracle), I would still be missing W. Aibon's revelations of the truth made it so I can never see her in the same light again. I feel sad for how her life has been these past six years, but she destroyed the idol magic when she began making her comeback under a different label several years ago and basically told the fans how messed up her life was and how "Aibon" was all a lie. It's like if the guy in the Barney suit stepped out of his costume and told preschoolers that Barney's not real. The kids probably already had an idea, but the revelation ruins the character, too. I'm not saying idols shouldn't move on or shouldn't speak up about their problems. But once something like Aibon's situation happens, there's no turning back. Fans will always remember.

Also, the W image would be hard to maintain with two mothers now anyway. Here's where the purity aspect of idols comes in. Let's be upfront (yay, pun): a lot of idols, if not almost all, eventually get a photobook or photoshoot or video with bikinis in some quantity or form. Nono released a photobook not long before she announced her pregnancy. After she announced it, I saw some images fans had scanned from the book on forums and fanpages. All of the sudden it felt wrong to look at the pictures. Not in a perverse way, I mean. The pictures were artistic, particularly the shots I remember, and in good taste (one of H!P's hallmarks when it comes to swimwear shots) of Nono in a forest. It was one of those "one with nature" types of shots. But pregnancy does come from something that is usually not considered pure in our culture. Instead of looking at pretty pictures of one of my favorite idols (who isn't much older than me), I was suddenly looking at half-naked pictures of someone's mom. I was embarrassed.

The idol-ness of W is gone forever. They aren't coming back unless I listen to my old CDs or watch old footage from before the scandals. I can only play back fond memories of the first idol group I fell in love with. And so I miss them.

And as for why I love them so much to miss them (besides them being my first idol group)? Their music was so cute and catchy, their voices melded really well together, and the way they played a bunch of dumb hungry troublemakers intrigued me so much. Through music and character, they led me into this hobby and culture of idol fandom.




Saturday, June 16, 2012

Idol Challenge 24 - A Sock o Soul

Day #24: Idol who is not your favorite but you still think is really good.


Risako Sugaya of Berryz Koubou. I admit, I was one of the people that thought Risako looked a little too full of herself, being the most pushed center. And I laughed at those unflattering pictures that cropped up in 2008/2009 that made her look like she had gained thirty pounds. But then the horrible comments people began making when it was discovered those weren't just bad pictures, she really was curving up, made me defensive for her. Next to the other girls, yes, she looks thicker. Put her in an oversize floral shirt, and yes, it makes her look bigger. But put her in a fitted dress and she can pull off looks the curve-less girls can't (and I don't mean 'fat'.) She's gorgeous.

And I think she's an awesome singer. She can pull off songs with soul, belting out lyrics with power. That power makes her stand out from the nasally and high-pitched singers prevalent in Hello!Project. I appreciate the variety she gives. Actually, of all the current groups, Berryz Koubou is the one with the greatest variety of voices, and I think Risako's is the power that binds them.




Friday, June 15, 2012

Idol Challenge 23 - Mari-a

Day #23: Past H!P member you admire most.


Mari Yaguchi. I really seem to admire or like the shorties: Momo, Nono, Kanyon, Chisa, etc. Mari's only 4'9", the shortest of them all! See, being among the vertically challenged myself, I admire these short women who stand out from their modelesque peers with personality and cuteness. But it's not really Mari's shortness that I admire. That's only one of the things I like about her.

It's what a cool person she is. She's the kind of person I'd want as a big sister. She's smart, driven, funny, sweet, spunky, cute, and ahh, I just really love her. She's a leader, too, training (what was at the time) the next generation of H!P idols. (I think she may have had quite an influence on Momo!) And she's vocal about her video game and manga nerdery and the fact she sleeps naked. She's awesome!




Thursday, June 14, 2012

Idol Challenge 22 - Colorful Closet

Day #22: Favorite costume.

S/mileage's "Uchouten Love"

I really can't choose between S/mileage's "Uchouten Love" costumes or Morning Musume's "Kare to Issho" costumes. Both of those are relatively recent, so I wouldn't be surprised if within the next year, I have some new favorites. But for now, the two aforementioned costumes reflect two of my favorite tastes in fashion.

For "Uchouten Love", they have a "that's so 80's" look to them. There's nice bright neon colors that still retain a cool vibe. I love S/mileage's hair styles (that's part of the outfit, too, right?) and the wide-necked tops remind me of the ideal high school I dreamed of when I was little (and the disappointment when I realized those were re-runs from the 80's and nobody dressed like that anymore except teachers for retro day.)

Morning Musume's "Kare to Issho"

"Kare to Issho", however, looks like a comic or cartoon brought to life. Bright and vividly colored with lots of quirky detail. It's an escape to a more exciting, happy world. And they look so fun to draw. In fact, I'm going to be working on some small cartoony illustrations of the girls in these outfits because I love them so much!




Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Idol Challenge 21 - Spitfire

Day #21: Idol you respect or admire.


Chisato Okai of C-ute. She may not be one of my favorite personalities or voices, and I think her talent isn't as high as others claim (she's no Airi, her rival), but she has a determination I strongly admire.

When less popular members of her group began graduating and then C-ute pretty much had an Airi solo for a single, it would have been so easy for her to quit, too. (And it would be easy to assume she would then try out for AKB48 or a related group for more fame, but to be honest, I don't she would have fared so well over there either. Or at least, the odds would be against her. At least in H!P you have a greater chance for solo opportunities, just because of the smaller number of girls.)

Nope, Chisa doesn't quit, she takes things into her own hands (with approval from staff, of course.) She uploaded dance covers onto YouTube, the first of which garnered over a million views in a relatively short amount of time. This was before official H!P music videos on YouTube came close to that amount. Then H!P banked on this popularity with a photobook and allowed her to stand out more in singles, as well as have other solo projects.

And she really does seem honest and a hardworking. She doesn't pretend that she is problem free, she just works with what she has, relishes it, and aims higher.




Monday, June 11, 2012

Idol Challenge 20 - Butterfly Charmer

Day #20: Most charming idol.


Zukki. She is able to draw my attention just by being her silly and cute self. Actually, Airi fits this, too. They are idols that are so likable whether their talent is rough (Zukki) or more polished (Airi). It's mind-boggling that they both have vocal haters: one camp thinking that idols shouldn't weigh over a hundred pounds ('cause you know, we have complete control over our bodies during puberty and any weight gain is the result of too much cake that we may or may not have eaten); while another camp is upset because the most skilled vocalist gets the most lines (C-ute now has solo songs for all the members and, well... ouch.) Despite both girls having sweet, modest personalities. But I think if just their characters are examined, it's practically impossible to hate them. Unless the hater happens to be a Care Bears villain.

Anyway, I choose Zukki over Airi, though, because I enjoy her sense of humor more. Airi also has great wit, but Zukki delivers her craziness with such enthusiasm and smiles to give me warm fuzzies and laughter every time. But that's charm, right?




Sunday, June 10, 2012

Idol Challenge 19 - Like a Confident Badass or Butterfly

Day #19: Who would you like to be for one day?


Haruka and/or Zukki. Haruka is very close to my self-image when I was twelve. But she seems to have way more confidence, so being Haruka for a day would be like re-living my past in a more ideal way (I really liked my 6th grade year and have many fond memories, but my tendency to avoid people and not talk in front of class made me get some poor marks and I wasn't able to go to my best friend's birthday party, even though she was moving that year...)


Zukki also seems to have tons of confidence, not afraid to make those strange bug impressions of hers on television and concert stages in front of thousands of people. Also, she seems super happy most of the time. It would be amazing to have a whole day feeling confident and joyful.

But the coolest thing about being either of them is being a Morning Musume member for a day and being able to enjoy it because of the confidence and happiness!

Basically, I'd like to be the girls I most relate to, because I'd probably feel strange or have nightmares coming back from a day being someone like Maimai, who I think is cute but I can't relate to at all. (At least going by on-screen persona.)




Saturday, June 9, 2012

Idol Challenge 18 - Kappactress

Day #18: The best actress.


To be honest, I've rarely seen the girls act aside from the acting they do as their idol personas. I know the girls act a lot in musicals and do have some movies and television shows they've starred or appeared in, but I haven't found them accessible and I don't have the time (let me know when Crunchyroll, Viki, or the like have them available to stream, though.) But I have seen commercials for some of the them, so I have concluded that Airi is currently H!P's best actress. (This is all my opinion from what I have seen, of course.)

She's such a goofy character as an idol, the laid-back absent-minded genius. So it really surprised me to see how cool, dark, even sadistic she appeared to be in the commercials for the horror movies "Ousama Game" and "Gomennasai". Looking fierce and such for a magazine photoshoot is different than actually acting out in a believable way on film (i.e. idols that can do sexy poses for modeling photoshoots but come off as dorks if they try the same pose on video, because they start laughing too hard.) In the commercials for those movies, I didn't just see Airi, the idol, but I saw an interesting character that made me wish those films (especially "Ousama Game") was available with English subtitles (legally, I mean.)




Friday, June 8, 2012

Idol Challenge 17 - Fangtastic

Day #17: N00b trying to bury their way into your heart.


Meimi. Unlike Haruka, who I liked practically from the start, I didn't know what to think of Meimi at the beginning. She was cute, both her face (yay, fangs!) and her voice. But she did have that weird forehead thing going on (though admittedly it made her stick out more and more fun to draw) and there seemed to be a lot of complaints about her. Normally in auditions, I just have my own opinions and the opinions of others aren't likely to sway me, unless there are some hilarious ideas for a girl's future in the group. We usually haven't seen all that the judges and producer have seen, only little snippets of what the agency wants to show us, so with all these girls we haven't seen much of, it really comes down to viewers' personal preference of which girl(s) will make the best addition(s).

But I wasn't able to see much of the S/mileage audition footage since I was busy and without Internet for awhile, and suddenly Meimi was announced as a winner. I was rooting for her, for the aforementioned cuteness, but then I had doubts. Did I miss the part where she was an annoying banshee that couldn't sing? And then I saw footage from Hello!Pro Time. And the live-streamed concert on YouTube. And then she became a lead singer when my least favorite member left. She may have messed up on her notes a bit in that concert, but she really can hold a tune most of the time and her voice is still so cute. And at least she sounds all right in the studio versions of the songs! (Maybe there is some recording "magic" going on, but at least it's to better appreciate her voice.)

I'm also a fan of her crazy hyperness, which makes her a lot more entertaining to watch than other members of the group. Any idol that can give me giggles has won a piece of my heart.




Sunday, May 13, 2012

Fanart Corner - Fresh Legs

Maimi - Airi

The other half of C-ute, the more promoted/popular half, Maimi Yajima and Airi Suzuki. Maimi's face looks off, but Airi looks like Airi. Though I am proud of their shapely legs (and Airi's cute hand on her chest pose), their proportions are too close to their actual proportions for this series.

Kanyon

Kanon Fukuda caricature. Back when she had longer hair. I think I captured her features and character well (those eyes are so sneaky and teasing!) But I think her face shape is more round than what I have drawn. Like most of these caricatures, the wrist and hands are terrible. I think I was going to fix them when I inked, because technically, these drawings were never meant to be shown to anyone until they were finished. But that hardly went anywhere (only one was ever finished.)




Sunday, May 6, 2012

Fanart Corner - The Smiles VS Linlinman

Sakichy - Yuukarin - Dawa - Kanyon

Old-school S/mileage in cartoon-style. I drew this around the time Sakichy and Kanyon had their haircuts, hence the visible edits. This reminds me of how much S/mileage has changed since 2009. Like C-ute and other drawings in this series I haven't posted yet, the heads look fine to me, what I was going for (maybe they could skew a little more in the cartoonish or realistic directions.) But the bodies are too elongated. I went from big-headed cartoon-characters to more realistic proportions to... you'll see.

LinLin

Part 3 (final!) of the Graduation Special! (Super)LinLin(Man)! Again, a One Piece reference. She's such a dork. But that's the only thing that really tips me off that it's her in this drawing, so I consider this one a failure. A costume and an aura are not the only ingredients in a good caricature.




Monday, April 30, 2012

Rival Waah - BABYMETAL's "Doki Doki Morning"


BABYMETAL's "Doki Doki Morning"... at first I thought this was weird and creepy and laughed at it. The concept is cute and hilarious: three tweens/teens moshing about to Death Metal with trolling bits of cutesy bubblegum in between. The older girl, the vocalist, makes some hilarious idol-y faces while still keeping a tongue-in-cheek badassedness. The younger girls, though; they may be scarier than the Olsen twins.

Eventually this song became more than just an odd novelty to me. I genuinely like this song now, even if the girls are still a little creepy to me (I think the lead girl is cool, it's just those neo-Olsen twins...) So when I hear about their new song, I was excited. But I think whenever something epic comes around, it dooms its follower. Their new song is just another creepy novelty song to me. Maybe it will eventually grow on me like the first song did. Only I doubt any of their future songs can match the feeling of watching "Doki Doki Morning" for the first time.

I kind of wonder what will happen to this group in the future. They aren't going to remain "baby"-like forever. And isn't their mother idol group the group that graduates girls when they enter high school? And even if the older girl can stay because of her vocals and image as the group's face, I get the feeling the other two girls can just be easily replaced by fresh screaming pre-teens. I guess I'll continue following this group and see what happens! (And maybe it will take a few more songs to break out of the high expectations I have due to "Doki Doki Morning"'s epicness.)




Rival Waah - Fudanjuku's "Love Spider"

Since embedding is disabled, please watch the video on YouTube here.

I'm in love with these "guys." Color-coded? Check. Cute and cool at the same time? Check! Goofy? Check. Nerdy? Check. No need for a cod piece? Cheeeck! There's even a manga about them, which I would seriously consider buying if it was released in English. The concept of the group is genius, at least from the perspective of a female idol group that wants to bait female fans just as much or more than male fans.

Fudanjuku's "Love Spider" is another song that has a "this is so 80's feel." Can you tell I like songs that incorporate retro sounds yet? Hee. And that beginning little tune that repeats later in the song! It's like a herald of awesomesauce and just those five seconds get stuck in my head. Which then recalls the rest of the song and it gets stuck in my head, too.

Fudanjuku may not sound much like a male group. Some of the girls come close, but many are unmistakably women, which dictates how the group sounds as a whole. But that doesn't matter, because they all look like gorgeous guys. If they didn't charm me so much as idols, maybe I would want more consistency between their sound and image (even if that meant altering their pitch and having them lip sync in live shows.) But no, I'm content to listen to this awesome song while admiring their gorgeous cosplay. This is a group built on fantasy and I don't mind playing along.

I love Yellow's nose, hehe. But otherwise, I don't have a favorite, they are all cute with their own precious quirks.




Sunday, April 29, 2012

Fanart Corner - Cute Bananas

Nakky - Maimai - Chisa

Half of C-ute drawn in cartoon style: Saki Nakajima, Mai Hagiwara, and Chisato Okai. Maimai is where the style started to degenerate/mutate into long-limbed giants. I wish I could keep the heads and re-proportion the bodies, but it's too late for this series. All but the Morning Musume ones need to be re-drawn.

JunJun

Part 2 of the Graduation Special! JunJun! Her obsession with bananas was awesome. Now it's like I can't avoid putting in a banana reference every time I draw her. I wish she could have tormented Yuko (who hates bananas~) while she was in Hello!Project, because Yuko is hilarious when she's pissed and JunJun is just plain hilarious.




Sunday, April 22, 2012

Fanart Corner - Cheesy Superheroines

Sae

Uggh, this one is so embarrassing, yet I laugh at it, too. It's supposed to be Sae Miyazawa from AKB48. She seems to be the silly, sporty, and manly member. At least she looks silly here? Uggh, she looks like a superhero reject here rather than sporty (what was I thinking?! Besides superheroes, who else wears their underwear over a body suit?)

Koha

Graduation special! I already posted the Eri caricature in an earlier post and the Aichan caricature on deviantART (the only one that has been inked and colored so far.) This time I post an earlier grad, Koharu Kusumi. It was fun drawing her, since a crazy expression fits her character. Such a goof. I grew to love her character (I found her annoying when I first became a fan, though.)




Sunday, April 15, 2012

Fanart Corner - OMG The Faces

Manoeri

Back around the summer of 2009, I drew Morning Musume in cartoon-style. Those scans were lost when I recently re-imaged my laptop, so I'll have to find them again to scan and post (they are actually in not so good shape because they were torn out of a large, flimsy sketchbook. They are probably fraught with creases by now.) Then I decided to draw everyone in H!P in that style (though the style skewed worse and worse later on.) From 2009-2011, I drew the rest of the girls. Here's Erina Mano, H!P's composite of famous faces and sole soloist. She actually doesn't look so bad, just not as angular as the original style I used for Morning Musume. She even resembles herself a little, gasp!

Rii

Caricature of Risako Sugaya. Well, this looks like her. The ears, lips, and eyes (kind of) are hers. But they fit together so awkwardly. I need to find a way to draw her that exaggerates her features but doesn't make her look so terrible, because she really is a pretty girl (despite what Hello!Project's fashion supervisors would have us think. H!P, please stop putting your thicker girls in granny clothes!)



Thursday, April 12, 2012

Retro Corner - The Alfee's "Sweat and Tears"


And now for something almost, but not entirely different. The Alfee's "Sweat and Tears" (1986) is another 80's rock song (this time a ballad), but is not sung by a girl or an idol. This would fall under glam rock, if I'm not mistaken. Just look at how pretty the lead singer is! Whatever happened to epic hair like that? I miss it, even though I wasn't even born back then.

Vocally, this song is catchy, yet repetitive (at least the main refrain is partly in English!) The instrumental is awesome, too- it would fit in well on a classic rock station, yet spice the playlist up for a non-Japanese audience, for whom this song is mostly unknown.

I knew this song was repetitive, but seeing this ten minute version on YouTube made me wonder if they crammed in another half dozen refrains. The refrain isn't bad, but there is a point where it seems like the spaceship on Spaceballs that never seems to end. But actually, there's more epic instrumental and more... cheese. One guy is totally working his booty. This performance is actually pretty adorable! (The estrogenic screams in the latter half are there for a reason.)




Retro Corner - Minako Honda's "1986nen no Marilyn"

Since the video has embedding disabled, it is available on YouTube here.

In my "Konya wa Hurricane" Retro Corner post, I mentioned that it sounded pretty standard for 80's girl-rock. Here is an example. Minako Honda's "1986nen no Marilyn" (1986) is a song that I associate with the overall sound of Japanese 80's girl-rock (or rather, idol-rock?)

Now when I say standard, I am talking about the impression the sound gives off, just like Western synthpop from the 80's has a particular sound. "1986nen no Marilyn" is still plenty unique, a song that I can recognize from any part of the tune. It's catchy, it's rockin', it even has a bit of jazz to the instrumental. Honda has a deep, rich voice, adding all the more power. This would be perfect for husky-voiced Morning Musume member Haruka Kudo to sing at an event or for a future cover album!




Retro Corner - Bubblegum Crisis' "Konya wa Hurricane"


This is actually a song I came across relatively recent, maybe a year ago, if that. It's from the anime Bubblegum Crisis, an anime that I came close to watching over a decade ago, but never did. Even though it sounded interesting from articles in anime magazines, I always ended up renting a Ranma 1/2 or Tenchi Muyo tape instead. If I just rented Bubblegum Crisis once, maybe I would remember this song as fondly as the Ranma songs.

So instead I was exposed to "Konya wa Hurricane" (1987) through multiple references at Anime News Network. Hearing praise for a retro song I had never heard before, I had to check it out! It's not quite as epic as I expected (my expectations were high after the multiple compliments about it.) It seemed like pretty standard 80's girl-rock from Japan. But standard or not, I do like that 80's rock sound, so it's still cool to me. It kind of makes me want to watch Bubblegum Crisis, if I have the opportunity.




Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Rival Waah - Denpagumi.inc's "Kuchizuke Kibonnu"


When other blogs mentioned this song, Denpagumi.inc's "Kuchizuke Kibonnu", they seemed to focus on the gimmick of the music video, which is "animated" with Polaroid photos being laid on a table. That is cool, yes, but without being a fan of the individual girls (and the photos themselves aren't enough to endear me them either... they are too small and go by too fast), I'm not so interested in the video itself.

But I love this song. The verses remind me of the 80's, the instrumental has a pleasing bass, the voices show emotion despite being rather cutesy. I listen to this song purely for aesthetic enjoyment and not because I have favorites "adding meaning." Is this really idol music? Not that I'm complaining.

But it also makes me realize that music has no bearing on whether I want to become a fan of an idol. Despite liking this song, I didn't have any desire to become fans of the individual members. Listen to more music from them, yes, but get to know the girls? I didn't have a reason to. I guess it really does take funny videos and pictures, or a music video full of character to appreciate idols as idols and not judge them solely as performers or artists.




Sunday, April 8, 2012

Fanart Corner - Cracky 'n' Creepy

Cracky Koha

Koha was already like a living cartoon character during her time in Morning Musume, so this wasn't hard to envision at all. I drew this late 2010/early 2011, around the time Eri, JunJun, and LinLin left or were going to leave. I was doing tributes because of the graduation (hence the tributes for the other three girls posted earlier.)

Nacky

Saki Nakajima caricature, a.k.a. Nacky. Okay, maybe this caricature is my favorite of all the ones I drew from 2009-2011. It's exaggerated, but it still looks like Nacky and it still looks cute. Sadly, most of the others don't come close to either of those criteria.



Fanart Corner - Buono!mon Yellow Version

Buono!mon Yellow Version - Momo

And finally, Momo as Pokemon Yellow's Pikachu. It fits, since Momo is rodent-like and has even drawn (and shared the voice of) a Momochu. However, Miya and Airi are still Red and Green in Buono! respectively. Momo is now Pink, to fit her name, so there really needs to be a Clefairy or Jigglypuff (Sing!) Version of Pokemon (a Pokemon Momo/Pink) for current Momo. I think Pikachu's Pokemon Yellow pose fits hyper Momo, though. Anyway, maybe I'll redraw this series, maybe I won't. I have plenty of other fanart ideas to work from.

Chii

Finally a caricature that actually looks like a caricature! It's Chinami Tokunaga! Now her hair is way shorter, though. But still, I think I captured the ever cheerful Chii!



Fanart Corner - Cyborg Facepalm

Mayuyu

Continuing my series of random AKB48 girls that I like, here's Mayu Watanabe, the C.G. cyborg-girl idol. Out of all these anime-style drawings of the AKB48 girls, I think I was able to capture Mayuyu's blank robotic expression the best. But I still have plenty more to share, so you guys can be the judge.

Maa-san

Maasa Sudou Caricature. The facepalm pose is because she used to seem like one of the main members that was always irritated with Momo (along with Chinami.) But now almost everyone seems irritated with Momo (even some of the newer, younger H!P members.) Now her character seems too helpful and gentle for the caricature to work.



Fanart Corner - Buono!mon Green Version

Buono!mon Green Version - Airin

The next in the Buono!/Pokemon crossover series! Airi as Venusaur from Pokemon Green. They fit in color only, though. Venusaur isn't even 1% as cute as Airi, and also is less popular than Charizard and Pikachu, wheras in Buono!, Airi is by far the most popular (though Momo is still very poplar in her own right, and Miya's standing in H!P is nothing to be upset over. In over words, all the Buono! girls are too good for Venusaur. Poor Venusaur.)

Captain

Caricature of "Captain" Saki Shimizu. I think I got her eyes right, but not her vase-shaped face (her chubby cheeks are super cute!) I consider her one of the more boring members of Hello!Project, so the sea captain theme was the best I could come up with for satirizing her "character."



Thursday, April 5, 2012

Retro Corner - Sheena and the Rokkets' "You May Dream"


Part punk, part The Ronette's "Be My Baby", Sheena & the Rokkets' "You May Dream" (1979) immediately hooked me. It's one of those songs I wish would never end (well, except when I need to stop listening to music.) All the parts are memorable, magical, and catchy.

It actually took me a while to realize the dialogue in the middle was in English. I also found a live performance of this song on YouTube, but I couldn't even tell she was singing in any language! So it doesn't seem to matter what language the song is sung or spoken in, and I'm totally fine with that.



Retro Corner - Momoe's "Rock 'n' Roll Widow"


I've been to Tupelo briefly, during a road trip. The waitress at the diner really did kind of sound like Elvis. Elvis impersonations are fun(ny), by the way, which could be why I like Momoe Yamaguchi's "Rock 'n' Roll Widow" (1980) so much. Indeed it is very rock 'n' rolling, something that would be fun to play on a jukebox.

When searching for this song, YouTube informed me that Tina Turner sang a song by the same name. I listened to it and it's not really rocking. So at least Yamaguchi's song does not mislead with the title!



Retro Corner - Yuuyu's "Tenshi no Bodyguard"



I don't know much about individual Onyanko Club members aside from a few names of the girls that went solo and that one of the girls married their producer, Akimoto. But if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Yukiko Iwai, Yuuyu (#19). I first noticed her in her solo songs and work in Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi. Her voice is super cute! And then when I looked up information about her, I found out she was short! Pretty superficial reasons to like someone, I know. But I like the songs she sings in, especially this one, "Tenshi no Bodyguard." (1987) It's catchy and cute, a combo that is hard to disappoint me! I really like the gentle parts of the melody. It's just adorable.

I always go into writing this "Retro Corner" column meaning to say some deep reason why I enjoy these songs and why others should give them a listen. But every time it's the same story- it's cute, catchy, beautiful, etc. The lesson learned here: don't come to me for deep, meaningful media recommndations. All you'll get is a bunch of cartooons and cheese.



Sunday, April 1, 2012

Fanart Corner - Buono!mon Red Version

Buono!mon (Red Version) - Miya

A while back, I noticed that Buono's Renai Rider colors matched the first generation Pokemon games (except Blue, which was a limited release anyway. I'm going by the Japanese releases.) So Miya, as Red, I drew in Charizard's pose from the box art. It would really rock if there was an actual tie-in like this, with a song and Pokemon inspired outfits. (Two of my biggest loves, H!P and Pokemon!)

Momo

Caricature of Momoko Tsugunaga. Hee, her pinky shtick connects her to Dr. Evil, thus the pose. Even though I've followed her as a favorite for about four years, I still don't think I've mastered drawing her unique elfin features.


Sunday, March 25, 2012

Fanart Corner - Trollololo-ing

Whack-A-Mole

Okay, so this is pretty mean. It was drawn months before Yuuka announced her graduation from S/mileage (I drew this last Spring.) At the time, Kanyon was my favorite member and Yuuka, my least favorite, got more attention from both fans and whoever is in charge of S/mileage. So as a jealous disgruntled fangirl, I imagined what "evil brat" Kanyon would do. I hope this wasn't too offensive to Yuuka fans (if I liked Yuuka more, I'd probably make meaner jokes about her, actually.)


Sakichy

Caricature of Saki Ogawa. Another girl with unique looks that was easy to caricature. I think I drew this when she was twelve, possibly thirteen, so it was before she got her short Oha Girl haircut (or before I noticed it, because at the time I was only casually into S/mileage. I liked their music, but didn't follow the girls much outside their music videos.) When Sakitty/Sakichy was announced as a member of S/mileage, I thought she was cute, but troll-like. I don't mean any offense by this! I thought she was cute. It's sad that she was the first to leave. Especially after her reactions to the new member business (which supposedly happened because she wanted to leave, but still suspicious.)


Fanart Corner - Punk and Pansy

Sayaka Akimoto

Another AKB48 illustration, this time of Sayaka Akimoto. I tried to accentuate her athletic and muscular nature, but I think I can do better on that aspect now. Right now the slight hint of abs looks strange. But I think her face looks alright. Not perfect, but enough for me to remember who I drew (can't say the same for some of the other AKB48 members I drew.)

Dawa

Caricature of Ayaka Wada, Dawa. S/mileage's original screech (which I made fun of in the background with broken music notes.) She's grown up a bit since I drew this, and changed her hairstyle, but she's still the cute, perky, sunshiny brat she's been since the beginning of S/mileage. Though now her trademark seems to be hilariously grotesque faces. I'm iffy on this caricature. It looks like her, but ten years younger. This might need a major re-draw.


Fanart Corner - Silent But Deadly

Junko a.k.a. JunJun

Junko the Chinese Assassin. I miss JunJun so much... and they didn't really utilize that one nickname. It would have been a wonderful running gag to keep up. I actually don't know what I scribbled on the back of her top. It could have been a dragon or a bunch of bananas, knowing JunJun.

Yuukarin

Caricature of Yuuka Maeda, Yuukarin. I am such a terrible person, always making references to her neck mole. But I think I portrayed her other features well (for a caricature) and portrayed the snobbish nature I perceived in her. (At least she's happy here! I usually think of Yuukarin as grumpy!) Her shirt is supposed to say "She's All That", like a movie title I heard of (the girls have worn Avril Lavigne shirts, so why not?) But the words on the shirt got cut off in the scan.

Fanart Corner - Forehead Adventures

LinLin

A tribute to LinLin. Besides her unfailing cheerfulness that would make her a great infomercial presenter, I'll always remember her for her love of One Piece. Sure Mari Yaguchi has more One Piece nerd-cred (Oda-sensei's autograph, a huge Chopper toy, and she even sang a theme song.) But when LinLin says she likes something, its like there is nothing better in the world. If enough people paid attention to LinLin, she may have helped the already insane One Piece fandom grow.

(But I don't have time to be part of the One Piece fandom or keep up with it, lolol.)

Maimai

Mai Hagiwara caricature. Maimai, Hagitty, whatever fans are calling her these days. Because she has such unique features (and a big head), she was pretty easy to draw and I think this actually looks like her. One of my better "caricatures."


Fanart Corner - Big Sweaty Panda

JunJun

A tribute to JunJun. She's eating a banana while a panda appears to be eating her. It's really supposed to be hugging her, though. I actually didn't like how fans (and even H!P) always associated JunJun and LinLin with pandas just because they are Chinese. Fans even called them "the Pandas." I found it demeaning. Yet I began to find myself even referring to them by that nickname and called my panda plushie JunLin. Does that make me a bad person?

Maimi Yajima

Sweaty Maimi Yajima caricature. The sweat is the only thing that looks like her, I think. In other words, she looks nothing like Maimi. She has high cheekbones and a strong jaw, but from there, her features were difficult to make stand out for me.What makes Maimi, Maimi?! Besides awesome legs, that is...


Thursday, March 22, 2012

Retro Corner - Jun Togawa's "Suki Suki Daisuki"


This lady is completely crazy. I actually came across her by accident when looking at Yellow Magic Orchestra related videos. The thumbnail for Jun Togawa's "Suki Suki Daisuki" (1985) looked very 80's and idoly. So I clicked on it. I was totally unprepared for the strange, awkward over-emoting (even by idol standards.) It was like, "What did I just watch?!" the first time I watched and then giggles and pure glee the second, third, and so on times. The expressions she makes when she says she'll kill her crush if her love goes unrequited are priceless!

She sings like both a hyper six-year-old and like an opera singer, which makes her voice both annoying and amazing all in the same song. It's complete madness, but I love it. From other videos that I watched, it sounds like her cracky voice is her trademark. I don't know whether she's considered an idol, but I never intended to write about idol-only retro songs anyway, just mostly idol. According to Wikipedia, she sang the vocals for some bands (like the YMO-related collaborations I first stumbled upon.) I definitely want to look up more of her work in the future, because I can never get enough crazy in my life, heh.



Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Rival Waah! - Clover Rangers!

I like groups with prominent color-coding (image colors.) It is easier to recognize members in an unfamiliar group and more fun to learn the members. And it gives an immediate recognizable symbol for being a fan, like a flag. Wear a pink shirt to a Berryz Koubou concert and fans will think you're a Momo fan. But outside the idol context, color-coded characters are probably more familiar in the form of super-heroes/magical heroine kinds of shows. Sailor Moon, Madoka Magica, Super Sentai... a.k.a. Power Rangers! It's not unusual for idols to actually play female Rangers. And H!P's Berryz Koubou and C-ute has used the concept of Sentai-style color-coded teams in their Berryz Kamen vs. Cutie Ranger concert (recently revived!) But Momoiro Clover Z's "Densetsu ~Owarinaki Kakumei~" took it a step further, with actual suits (as in with helmets, not just another funky themed idol outfit) and makes references that those familiar with Sentai/Rangers will appreciate.

(It's pretty lucky that the bottomless pit of the group has the image color 'Yellow'. Perhaps they started from there?)

I was worried that I'd lose interest in Momoiro Clover after Akari/Blue left last year. She was my favorite and I thought she was the best singer. As the first Akari-less video, "Densetsu ~Owarinaki Kakumei~" reassured me that the group was still going to be fun to follow. I still haven't picked a new favorite, so I'm still a casual listener, but these goofy girls are still worth my time to listen to and watch their music videos. Their music is actually really catchy and fun-sounding and they have cute anime character-like voices! At the moment, they are probably my favorite non-H!P group.

This was a roundabout way of saying every second of this video is pure awesome!




Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Idol Character - Haruka Kudo


Name: Haruka Kudo
Nickname: Kuduu
Birthdate: October 27, 1999 (12 years old)
Image Color: Orange
Bloodtype: A
Group/Generation: Morning Musume/10th Generation
Debut Date: September 29, 2011 (11 years old)
Other Groups: 
  • Reborn 11 (one-shot musical group) - (2011)
  • Mobekimasu - (2011 - present)


The professional character, she's a competitive prodigy that acts twice her age. Kudo has really taken the mechanics behind the idol industry to heart, making every decision she makes seem calculated. She has crafted her image from the very beginning, skipping the awkward stage when an idol grows into an image like a blank slate being written upon. She also has a boyish character that is quite different by idol standards. In outward appearance, she can look cute and girlish, but her mannerisms, interests (not just sports, she said she wasn't interested in girl toys as a child), and even voice are decidedly not. She's the kind of girl that could easily mask her gender if she communicated through written or typed words. It's wonderful that she breaks up the stereotype of girls, giving girls that follow Morning Musume but aren't interested in girly things like make-up and shopping someone to identify with. Oh, and she appears to be a little prankster. That's going to be interesting.

As far as talent goes... that voice. Her rough, husky voice is actually really cool to listen to. I'd love to hear her cover an 80's rock song, like Heart's "Black Velvet". Kudo has amazing talent in singing for her age, and I think she has potential to be one of Morning Musume's best singers ever. In the auditions, the singing instructor noted her lack of focus on the audience, and Haruka does look like she's constantly thinking while ignoring the outside world. It's her intelligence that I think is her biggest "talent", and if she uses it to her advantage while performing, as she does in her advanced public speaking, then she may even give Airi (H!P's current genius) a scare in the future. Haruka may be just what Hello!Project needs to get the girls super competitive. And Haruka will even critique her rivals! Overall quality of the groups will probably go up from here, in part from Haruka, because honestly, who wants to lose to the youngest?

In addition to singing and speaking, Haruka is athletic and a competent dancer. I wouldn't be surprised if she's up front and center along with Riho and Reina in Morning Musume's future singles.

Momo has been training Haruka since she was training as an egg, which I think is enough reason to take an interest in Haruka's future. Momo may have an annoying single-dimensional character, but we shouldn't forget that it's all crafted to make her image recognizable. Momo keeps getting invited on TV shows because they know she'll do something cutesy and silly. And now she seems to have seen that Haruka has the same potential, just with an exaggerated boyish and sharp personality. Her pranks and blunt honesty, which can annoy just as much as Momo's antics, could help bring more of a demand for Morning Musume's presence on television. I don't think Haruka's personality would be as strong at debut if it wasn't for Momo's behind-the-scenes mentoring. I love this Sith Lord/Apprentice combo!

And what's just as much and sometimes even more fun than following Haruka herself? Following her fan community! Already her forum threads and fanart have brought a new depth to her character. Right now she's somewhere in between mobster boss, Jedi/Sith apprentice, and Chuck Norris. If she was a Pokemon, her type would be Legendary. I think she's a major part of H!P's bright future.

Kudo-sama~



Saturday, March 17, 2012

H!P 101 - Buono!

Buono!
Formed: 2007

Buono! is Hello!Project's experiment, allowing a break from the typical yet varied idol songs and just lets the girls rock out. All three girls are great singers, with natural charisma. They even have a fun chemistry (sometimes they are like The Three Stooges, just less stupid.) I really think they are a great group for introducing new fans to idols.

They started out singing theme songs for the anime Shugo Chara in 2007. At first, they were still cutesy and idoly, just with a cooler and less sparkly fashion sense. But single after single, their discography filled more with pop-rock than any other genre. As the girls' voices matured as they reached their late teens and adulthood, their harmonies became more prominent, too. This idol group focuses as much on the quality of music as the charm of the girls (that can be said for H!P in general, but with Buono! this is even more apparent.)

And it's very cool when one can recognize references to other rock songs in their songs. They're just an epic group all around, and I'm glad they were still able to survive after Shugo Chara ended. Like a genie granted freedom.

The Members

* Though they don't play their own instruments (instead they perform with their backing band, Dolce), they do have "image instruments" they are sometimes identified with in photos. And they have even "played" those instruments a couple times!

Momoko Tsugunaga (Momo) / Leader / Berryz Koubou / 20 / Pink / Drums

Personality: Acts impossibly cute, to the point of annoying. Her character always seeks attention and pouts or glares when anyone tries to dent her overconfidence.
Talent: She's a high energy performer, and she's actually a powerful singer, when the song or particular performance calls for it. But she has her particular, consistent character, so her unique, nasally voice often sounds high and cutesy. She's like a voice actress playing a character rather than using her natural voice. She's a bit more natural in Buono!, though.
Quirk: She holds her pinky out all the time. She says it is an antenna to pick up the love from her fans. When she uses her pinky as a weapon, she calls it her "Pinky Drill".

Miyabi Natsuyaki (Miya) / Berryz Koubou / 19 / Red / Bass

Personality: Cool, chill, sometimes nicknamed the "ice queen". She can have fun and tease, but never hesitates to roll her eyes at Momo's antics. The most serious of the trio.
Talent: One of the most skilled singers in Hello!Project.
Quirk: Fashionable and constantly changes her hairstyle through cuts, extensions, and dyes. Has a long face.

Airi Suzuki (Airin) / C-ute / 17 / Green / Guitar

Personality: An easy-going, dorky genius. She's a very lovable person that makes hard work look simple.
Talent: One of the best singers in Hello!Project. But she's also a great dancer, actress, and artist. Signs point to her being a good student, too. Airi's the kind of person that if she sets out to do something, 9 times out of 10, she'll be a success.
Quirk: Her dad is a professional golfer. Her mom used to be one, too. Airi is actually not that great at golf. This may be the one thing she's not good at. Also, she created a type of being called Suu-san that she illustrates her autographs and messages with.

Music Recommendations

Young, rockin' Buono! and their humor! - "Renai Rider"

High energy pop-rock! - "My Boy"

Fresh and pretty ballad! - "Natsu Dakara"

Fresh and nostalgic rock! - "Hatsukoi Cider"