Idol Challenge 29 - The Model Leader

30 Day Idol Challenge #29: Who is your favorite idol leader?

Gaki. (I came up with these challenge answers before Gaki graduated. Now I would say Sayu, Morning Musume's evil pervert queen.)

Gaki is able to lead while not remaining in the background. She shares the spotlight very well. And she has an understanding nature that I think makes her a compassionate mentor. Videos of her backstage helping the newer members rehearse show her as someone that takes coaching very seriously. And she acknowledged that newer members now have it harder than she did ten years ago because of the large amount of material to learn to perform. Good leaders note things like that so they can see from the perspective of their charges. Also, Gaki strikes me as the more rational type, so she probably gives pretty sound advice, too.

(Okay, I know "leader" in H!P is a title bestowed by generation and age, not leadership qualities and this question was more "Who is your favorite among the leaders?" It's still Gaki, because her reactions to her silly group mates are hilarious and a lot more interesting than Captain and Maimi put together and even DAWA. But DAWA is closer to her when it come to the leaders I like most.)

Idol Challenge 28 - Same Stripes

30 Day Idol Challenge #28: Which idol gives you special memories of something or someone?

Aika. I tried to convert a close friend to idols because Aika reminds me so much of him. Alas, idols just don't appeal to him, somewhat because of the language barrier and probably somewhat because it's something I like and he would rather tease me about it (I don't know, if he likes something first, we can chat and laugh about it, but if I'm big into something, I'm usually not able to get him to take interest. But he's the one that helped get me into Pokemon, my number one fandom! But out of some H!P pictures I showed him, he admitted Momo was cute, so at least that's something?) Anyway, what especially links Aika in my mind to him is their love of animals. Whenever Aika talks about her favorite animals, I think, "He would so get along with Aika!"





Note: Yup, I'm finishing these after about a year hiatus. Has a 30-Day Challenge ever gone on this long? Maybe I'm special.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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?

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.)

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.)

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.

Idol Challenge 16 - Princess Sweetheart

Day #16: The Sweetest Idol.

Mizuki Fukumura of Morning Musume. She just seems so gentle and calm. I can't imagine this girl deliberately causing harm or upset to anyone (even though such a contrast hidden within her would make her more interesting.)

Part of me thinks she would make a good leader when the rest of the older members graduate (then again, it doesn't sound right that someone can become leader of Morning Musume before they are eighteen, yet Mizuki may become the youngest Momusu leader ever!) She'd be very kind and helpful, which would be great for 11th gen and onward. But then I also see the girls walking all over her and just doing what they want (Anarchy Musume!) Maybe she wouldn't want the leadership position anyway and pass the baton onto Eripon. Or Riho would ninja it from her.

At first I though Mizuki was boring when she joined. Even though she's still my least favorite 9th gen, I have come to appreciate this sweet-natured Musume.

Idol Challenge 15 - Momo's Apprentice

Day #15: Favorite Morning Musume Member?

Haruka Kudo. I'm so glad I've found a girl to obsess over in each of the new generations, so now newbies are topping my lists of favorite members. Anyway, Haruka is pretty much the second boy of Morning Musume (Yossie being the first.) It's refreshing and awesome to see a member who doesn't act girly, showing the variety of real females. Though it would be pretty funny if when Haruka starts going through puberty, she really does turn out to be a boy. Scandal! Nah, she's cooler as a tomboy.

The reason I lover her so much is that she reminds me of me when I was 12, or at least the person I aspired to be like when I was 12. She's tomboyish, intelligent, a perfectionist, a sponge for information, a mischievous teaser, and a bit bossy. And she has fangs! I adore fangs. I have a fang. She even likes my favorite colors! I'm a little sad she dislikes seafood, though. That's one of our major differences (the others are that I'm a pale, indoorsy person and not fond of meat.)

I enjoy rooting on kindred spirits. In Morning Musume, Kudo is that kindred spirit.

And it's very funny when she gets paired up with the hyper younger members (that are older than her), just to see the contrast! And Zukki making fun of her manly voice, hehe.

Idol Challenge 14 - The Original Pon's Work of Art

Day #14 - The Idol With the Best Body.

This feels weird to say, but of all the H!P girls' bodies that I feel most envious of, it's Erina Ikuta's.

When the promo images of Morning Musume's latest single, "Kono Chikyuu", came out with the girls in the shiny gold dresses, I realized how amazing her proportions were. They're practically perfect, fit yet shapely. And I know this is probably the work of Photoshop, but her skin looks really healthy and flawless, like a sculpture come to life.

I think she's only going to get more beautiful and grow into that cute awkward smile of hers. Watch out, Miya!

I also think Chisato's muscles are awesome and Zukki's cuddly figure is super cute, but Eripon just stands out. She could be a future model!

Idol Challenge 13 - She Turned Me Into a Brony

Day #13 - Favorite Berryz Koubou Member.

Obviously it's Momo, and I already said why I love her so much, so it's my second favorite Berryz' turn- Miyabi Natsuyaki!

She's an awesome singer, has beautiful, unique looks (neigh!), and she makes a great foil to Momo in both Berryz Koubou and Buono! Miya and Airi's varying calmness balance out Momo's hyperness, and the way Miya gets annoyed at or picks on Momo is often entertaining. And I still think she's one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful girl in the Project.

And I just have to be honest, all the horsey jokes make me love her all the more.

Idol Challenge 12 - Darth Cider

Day #12 - The Evilest Idol

There are plenty of girls that are evil, at least comically so, in Hello!Project (like Momo and Sayu.) But there also happens to be a possible sociopath among its ranks (and a cute little vampire, but she wouldn't hurt anyo- *chomp*)

Riho Sayashi of Morning Musume is just plain creepy. Okay, she's super cute, but also seriously creepy. She used to have a smug smirk on her face most of the time, but she learned from other idols and fixed it, turning it into a deceivingly adorable smile of energy.

Yes, the ambitious girl learns from her betters and quickly incorporates it into her talents, like some evil ability-stealing robot. I'd hate to find out what will happen when Airi, Miya, and Reina outlive their usefulness...

Imagine a dark, quiet place.

Rihoriho creeping out of the shadows, little red hammer fast in her right hand.

And then Sayu glomps her from behind, takes the hammer, clubs her over the head, and takes her back to her room.

That had a happy ending after all!

Idol Challenge 11 - Stuck-up Diva

Day #11 - The One Who's Not Your Type But Totally Won You Over Eventually.

Sayumi Michishige of Morning Musume. I liked cuteness, but not super girliness. And snobby characters tend to bug me. (Koharu was another member that I had to warm up to later... how she related anything to her name if possible annoyed me and made me think she was too full of herself.) Sayu seemed to be all the negative stereotypical traits of a female wrapped up in one. She was too delicate, narcissistic, too occupied with her appearance, and just too girly!!

I know what you're thinking. Momo. Momo came later for me and she was so over-the-top, it was funny.

But back to Sayu, the Rainbow Pink duo of her and Koha were my most disliked Morning Musume members for awhile. (I liked the song, though, for its annoying troll-worthiness.) But then that changed in 2009. I realized how boring 5th generation was and appreciated the silliness and strength of Sayu and Koha's female caricatures.

And Sayu turned out not to be as bad as I first thought. She's interested in Math and Tetris, and she admits her flaws. Plus she really is a cute and beautiful girl. A cute and beautiful person.

Idol Challenge 10 - Darn Kids

Day #10 - The Idol You Used To Hate and Now Like (Or Vice Versa).

The H!P Kids. All of them. Even Momo. I disliked them purely for the fact that they were kids. This was also one of the reasons I disliked Koharu when I first got into Morning Musume.

It's not that I didn't listen to them. I listened to a few of their songs (and was there for C-ute's first indies single) and even thought some of it was catchy. But for the most part, I stayed away.

I felt a little uncomfortable about them. When I got into Morning Musume, most of the girls were around my age. In fact, four of the ten were older than me and all but one of the ten members could have gone to high school with me at one point. The graduated members (with the exception of Aibon) were older than me. Morning Musume did not feel so strange for me to be a fan of (I already liked happy music, so no problem there.)

But the Kids were around the ages of my younger siblings. That was pretty uncool. So I was a fan of H!P (actually, Morning Musume and groups with its current and former members) for two years before I decided to take a deeper plunge into idols and watched every H!P music video I could find (with help from Wiki.ThePPN's discography entries.) Finally I learned the names of the Kids, picked favorites, and for the next couple years, liked Buono! and Berryz Koubou more than Morning Musume.

What opened me up to finally listening to them? How can a twelve year old and two thirteen year olds make my current top ten favorite idols list?

First was Aika Mitsui. I liked her best of the Morning Musume 8th generation finalists and rooted her on and she was only thirteen at the time. I just couldn't be a hypocrite anymore.

Then later, I also realized I really love idols. The music, the system, the funny personalities. But in the system, idols tend to range from age twelve to twenty-four, and I'm only going to get older. Someday the last 5th and 6th generation members of Morning Musume will leave and I'll no longer have any members close to my age to follow. I had to give the new kids a chance.

And finally, I enjoyed watching videos of older members from their earlier days. Like Aibon and Nono at age thirteen. I was still enjoying the antics of young idols even if Aibon and Nono are currently my age. Why should I wait for an idol to turn sixteen or eighteen before I go back and watch the silly stuff she did when she was younger? It's fun to follow them currently! It's hard to imagine that about four years ago I would have ran away from the Morning Musume of today!