3 posts tagged “kusumi”

You know… while I like this song very much (and heard so much praise from the International Wota comminuty at large), I’m somewhat disappointed at what I find. Don’t get me wrong - “Resonant Blue” is a grr-reat single Well,  I don’t really feel like pinpointing everything:
Pros

• I didn’t recognize you, Kussun! You’ve improved so much from the last time we saw you (and the last time those Kirari songs somewhat strain your voice). Then again, someone at YouTube said your voice in this song was edited (which I’m not afraid to believe somewhat since I heard your solo in “HOW DO YOU LIKE JAPAN?” on the Bon Kyu Bon Kyu Bomb Tour).

• Love the background the “blue” theme.  Whoever said this song was one of the more “cool” ones was spot-on (the ice at the bottom did/did not exactly help the case also).

• The dance on the break. Sexy, snaky, seductive-y, *insert -y adjective here*.

• Major bonus points for the fashion - kakkoii desu ne~! (Sure, let the lead singers be identified with their outfits as well ;P).

Cons

• If you didn’t like Takitty and/or Reina, you might not like the song since it’s basically “GAR & Takatanattsu (featuring Tsukishima Kirari).” I personally thought the lines were distributed more evenly but looking at the PV, I saw the truth. I don’t know what kind of ears I had XP. (OMG! I forgot Niigaki had gotten a line or two. Well, with TakaTanaka hogging handling most of the lines).

• I was somewhat bored throughout the PV - it was almost like one big dance shot.

• Just because we have a closer view on the dancing Musume doesn’t mean that it’s a “close-up.” Well, a “close-up” in the truest/most common sense of the word.

Other

• Sayumi’s “HELP ME!” at the end reminds me of “Shabondama.” (Others have spoken on that so...).
  

Now, let me go back to when it was just a radio rip, okay? read more

I’m sure you’ve heard the Resonant Blue preview. I must say this is my kind of song and it’s almost exactly like the kind of song I wanted the Musume Team to release.
If you’re a fan of Reina and/or Ai (I don’t even consider Koharu as a “lead” because all she does is say “Help me.” I’m sorry, Kussun but that’s the truth. Watched the PV again. You have some lines but you‘re still a guest singer. Wait… for some reason, after the third or fourth listen, you sound like Michishige! Either that guy was right about your voice being edited or UFA is unfairly having Koharu take credit for Sayumi’s lines! Let the former be true, please).

The night’s become hot and groovy, baby so let’s groove tonight!
You mean “steaming cold,” Magi-Kat, “steaming cold.” Don’t forget the ice that Morning Musume’s GAR & Takatanattsu featuring Tsukishima Kirari’s hotness (at least either in the mind of the wota or the wota themselves) have melted, leaving a little space for them to dance.

I actually don’t mind the single being pushed back because it doesn’t need to compete with their Hello! Project Kid Rivals. Berryz and C-ute already have releases that are guaranteed to battle each other for #1 position like shark fetuses in their mother’s womb (even if the Melons’ juicy new single is about the only “cool” musical release this month).
Yup, GAR & Takatanattsu featuring Tsukishima Kirari don’t need to compete with the Hello Kiddies - as popular GAR is, they’ll do just fine.

Time to check it off!
Now, a few questions and hopes to hopefully resonate in the heads of the Powers That be (which I doubt with UFA since it’s all about face, wota/sex appeal, and the Yen-jamins, baby) and not leave me blue (doesn’t hurt to be hopeful):

• Let the PV be kick-butt awesome! (At first, due to the “Egao” comparisons, I imagined a vid like that. Now, I imagine a sexy nightclub/nighttime city PV). Don’t get me wrong - the PV kicks major derriere (though I do admit that the slight lack of varied shots made it a bit bland). It’s just that it left me somewhat cold and blue (no pun intended). The focus on GAR made me somewhat let down (I wanted more 8th Gen since I was getting more into them and I don’t mind the minimal role Kussun plays also).

• Have the outfits in the album cover be consistent (even if some PV outfits appear deep In the album liner). (TBD)

• Have it go #1 in the Oricon charts (or within the Top 5). (TBD)

Of course, the single covers and (of course) the single hasn’t come out so I can’t exactly say for sure right now. However, I will keep track and pay attention. Now that the PV is out (and I’ve seen it), it’s only a matter of time before the covers come out so please, UFA, you’re starting off smooth but still rocky. Don’t spoil it for the Musume (I also hope the b-side has more even line distribution. If they wanted a unit made up of Ai and Reina, they should just get off of their butts and make one instead of shafting, like the other six members!).

It’s antics like this that makes people want to GTFO of the Hello! Project fandom but something makes me want to stay (like being optimistic about 8th Gen and the overall future of GAR & Takata- er, Morning Musume and the rest of H!P). (For some reason, after watching this PV, I was like “Takahashi, graduate already! You too, Tanaka!” Don’t ask me why. Maybe either can have a solo career or take my “form a unit” advice -like they follow through with what fans wish-. Maybe they can do it after the 9th Gen come or whenever Lovely and the Queen feel like leaving their background singers/dancers behind).

Before I fell in love with the cuteness that is Shugo Chara! (not only because Buono! did the theme), I often contemplated that entry I had promised myself I would do. That entry would analyze a very important aspect of my identity as a Hello! Project/Linkin Park fan, a common topic on IM conversations I had with my online friends, the one I mentioned on my thank you post. Ah yes, it's the one you have been dreading - the one where I analyze my apparent obsession with Koharu Kusumi and Chester Bennington, who are like apples and oranges.

The Why of Kusumi Koharu's "Kawaii"

Now, we are all familiar with the "Miracle Girl," right Won the second set of 7th Generation auditions, voices an anime character who wanted to become an idol to be with the boy she loves, formed a unit with Hagiwara Mai of °C-ute (according to (Japanese/English) Wikipedia, Kira*Pika supposedly disbanded in Episode 77 but I've seen Hikaru in previews of later episodes), and is living Tsukishima Kirari's dreams somewhat. Kusumin was the best selling soloist in 2006 and is really beginning to "sparkle" like an idol.

Now, here's the big question: why do I like her, especially since I found her ugly in her first few pictures (I even said that she looked drunk in one of her audition photos)? What made me like her so much? I heard she sounded horrible in a comment on YesAsia on "Iroppoit Jirettai" and I even...

Wait, wait a minute. I have noticed a correlation between my love for Kusumi and her "Kirarin" stage. Yeah, her little verse in  "Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari 3" gave me a better idea of her voice but as she released her solo work, I became a bigger fan of Kusumi, all the way to the level of now! Koharu is just so kawaii and her miracle is a beam of hope and energy into Morning Musume and beyond. As we can see from sales, she is a miracle in that she's putting more money in the pockets of the UFA guys but while I wasn't exactly expecting a "second Gocchin" (not that I cared much about her. Sad she left H!P but it was probably for her own good) but Kusumi-chan is a miracle all by herself in her little Koharuppoi way. Her very name means "little spring" or "Indian summer" so it may just be another indication (or a product of a fan's vivid imagination. Then again, it's vivid imaginations that created outfits like the shown "Happy" outfit and songs like the extremely catchy yet fiercely hated "Hana wo Puun").

Now is the part you'd want to know my favorite songs by Kusumi. That's a somewhat hard question to answer since there are so many favorites from the Kusumi collection but this is about the charm and cuteness of Koha-chan. She holds that possibility for H!P it's not funny. Plus, she has this ability to send me into a smile almost whenever I see her (unless she's smiling. If she's doing that, I return the favor almost instinctively). I noticed this essay goes on and on and on without exactly eplaining the cuteness of Kusumi Koharu and her appeal, even fi she seemed to have filled the void left by Mini Moni and later W! Then again... it's for the most part unexplainable why I like Kusumi just as much as I like... a certain guy from Phoenix.

The Why of Chester Bennington's "Moe"

Anyone who had to deal with teenagers and modern rock had to have heard his name or the name "Linkin Park" somewhere. Either as a positive mention in a fan's journal or in a scathing criticism of the American music industry, you might've heard of these guys from California (or, in Chester's case, Arizona). Heck, even Kd admitted to being a Linkin Park fan in IroIro Aru Sa! vers. 1.0! (Sorry, O Mighty Princess of Snark, of whom I consider one of my blogging inspirations and idols. Forgive me! As soon as I find that post, I'll link it!).

I became acquainted with Chester's "unique" vocals (I put it in quotes because my LP obsession caused me to learn that a few other male singers I listen to have similar voices to him, albeit with subtle differences) when a friend of mine sent me "Breaking the Habit" through AIM. I don't know why I consider him "moe." Yeah, he is handsome, has a slight "Valley Boy"-ish accent (which apparently died down by the time they filmed the "Shadow of the Day" video, though he wasn't speaking with the same tone as the previous episodes of "d'Fused" (a making-of show on FuseTV) that featured their videos). Maybe, like Kusumi, Chester possessed this strange yet delightful little charm, this charisma.

In fact, due to the fact I used to (and still do, to a somewhat small extent) listen to Shibuya-kei, where soft, child-sounding females were a bit of a norm, I grew a thing for soft-voiced male singers and Chester, despite his screams, growls, and hollering (as much as it's damaging to your voice), fits the bill perfectly. Being able to use this wide-ranged voice to suit the song is a sign of talent (which beats out Kusumi in this department. Even if they sing in different genres, Chester's vocals are undoubtedly stronger than Koharu's). We've heard his harshness in the likes of "One Step Closer," "Numb," and "Bleed It Out" but the softness of Sir Bennington's voice comes in with "Breaking the Habit" and "Shadow of the Day." In fact, imo, he sometimes(?!) sounds younger than he is (unlike 15-year-old Kussun, Chester's 31!).

Aisde from his talented voice, Chester possesses this... now, I'm rambling again. He's handsome, talented, and someone I respect and admire, not only as some rock star, but mostly as a person. After all, what kinda pulled me into LP was how "real" the lyrics were. Of course, since I wasn't much of an angsty teen to begin with (when I was introduced to the band the first time, I was a generally happy person), it took a while. It took Minutes to Midnight (and a New Year's resolution) to make me a (hardcore) fan again. I would go on to explain more but I'd end up repeating myself. Plus, it's a slight mystery as to why I like Chester and had gotten the sick mind to call him "moe" (which, as anime fans know, is a special form of "cuteness" and calling a 31-year-old rock star "cute" would get you some evil eyes. Then again, Sir Bennington's in a class of his own), and put him on the same level as a "weak-sounding J-idol" (despite her weakness, Koharu has potential and, like Chester, I admire her moreso as a person. There is a chance she would have the same attitude about her fans as Ishikawa Rika-san but that's another post).

 

Phew... what have I rambled about again? Ya know, this post wasn't exactly what I wanted to express. Then again, as I've said many times, my fandom for Koharu Kusumi and Chester Bennington is a labyrinth of reasons that would lead into a neverending series of mystery and wondering. Bright side: it's part of who I am! Magi-Kat, the blogger bold enough to juxtapose J-idol pop with American metal like a Fauvist, the one who puts "Nobody's Listening" after "Ramutara" (of which she listens to as much as Kirari "Ramutaa rattattaa ratta..."'s through the song) on her playlist, the one who adores listening to "Sexy 8 Beat" on her computer and "Hybrid Theory" on the stereo. She even considered making a comic of Koharu snubbing Chester's nose while singing that "horrid" song! (That's a death wish!). Now that you've had a glimpse of another one of Magi-Kat's sides, I humbly encourage you to enjoy the fireworks show because "Morning Meteora" is on the air! 

Welcome to my first review of Hello! Project-related media and commentary! This first installment is a double-feature PV review. First PV... 

Chance!

 

I've seen all of the videos of Koharu's solo career and I am rather impressed (I even liked "Hana wo Puun," believe it or not). In fact, why not say I just like Koharu's stuff since I'm such a major fan? She, to me, relishes in this cute image and this PV continues her "kawaii miracle." Back to the issue of the song and PV, I really like it (I saw that, Koha! At 2:52. I'm so terrible). (I'm a really bad critic XP).

(Wasn't able to find TV OP version. Sorry).

Enjoy!