Mano Erina’s First Solo Concert

Well, it seems Hello! Project is supporting Mano Erina extremely. Just a few days after announcing her first major single, Otome no Inori, the Hello! Project website has reported that she will have a solo concert sometime in June. With only four singles at that time it seems she will most likely be singing covers for part of the concert.

I think they saw her potential and they pushing, no wait shoving, her into the limelight with a major single, a PB, and a solo concert in the coming 5 months. Right now there are no dates for performances, but I’ll update you as soon as they are released.

It seems that since the report that Hello! Project was going to be only four groups: Morning Musume, Berryz Koubou, C-ute, and Mano Erina, they seem to be putting a lot more attention on these groups, now that the Elder Club is graduating. I think they are trying to raise Mano’s popularity to be on the same level as the other three, then they will try to raise H!P’s popularity through better songs (kind of unlikely but possible), just an opinion.

Be sure to be wary of Mano Erina’s progress because it seems H!P wants her to be the next Koharu Kusumi, minus the high-pitched voice.

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Tsuji Nozomi Opens Up Blog!

Tsuji, who we all now as the girl who sang with Kago Ai and married Ultraman, is doing something other than caring for her baby!

You heard right (read, in this case) she opened up a blog! Right now there are only a few posts, but as time goes by she will eventually post more (obviously) and this might (in the best of cases) mean she could return to singing. Although she might just be singing for the Elder graduation then go back to “maternity leave”.

Her blog is what you used to see her character as, cutesy, but now she looks more mature and if she sings she might start singing ballads. Anyway, hop over to see her blog, if you know japanese read and leave a positive comment (if you can, don’t know if you have to be a member of something to post, like Kago’s “Biscuit Club”) and if you don’t know japanese, enjoy the four pictures she has: the banner, profile, and two pictures from her posts.

Tsuji Nozomi
UPDATE: I linked to her blog, made it much easier than trying to figure out how to put a link in, sorry about that….and I added nice pictures

Mano Erina – Otome no Inori Release Date Announced

I’m extremely happy she is finally releasing something on a major label, she deserves it.

Her new single “Otome no Inori” (Maiden’s Prayer) is set to be released on March 18 in 4 (yes 4) versions: Normal, Limited, B, and C. Her single V release date has been announced, it’s going to be on March 25.

From her last single I know she has talent, both piano and vocal, and her singles (lalala-sososo, Manopiano, and Lucky Aura) are incredible and worth a look.

So, I’ll announce the covers when they release and update with a picture when I can post from somewhere that has a computer.

Berryz Koubou – Dakishimete Dakishimete Track List

Berryz Koubou is releasing singles like there’s no tomorrow, this is their 19th single, and if this trend continues they could very well reach Momusu’s 38 singles.

Anyway here is the track list, (I’ll update with a pic later):
01. Dakishimete Dakishimete
02. Sono Subete no Ai ni
03. Dakishimete Dakishimete (Instrumental)

I have to say I’m looking forward to this single since their last single wasn’t overly impressive… The single is released on March 11, reserve it at Yesasia and cdjapan, you know the drill.

Matsuura Aya – Chocolate Tamashii PV

Just released today, Matsuura Aya’s PV for Chocolate Tamashii. It’s Ayaya just sitting in a fancy storage room (at least it looks like it) singing, nothing much happens except for some sitting.

UFA messed up on it, the song was an improvement over her last single, and it is a perfect way of graduating from Hello! Project, and they could have made it epic….but the UFA PV budget seems to always be low.

They might be saving money to debut with a bang outside of Hello! Project, but considering her “mature image” she’ll probably do a few more ballads and fade as another solo singer, I hope that is not the case…. Anyway here’s Ayaya’s last PV and single with Hello! Project:

H!P Releases January 28

Todays releases include:

• Abe Natsumi – Abe Natsumi Concert Tour 2008 Autumn ~Angelic~
• Morning Musume – Morning Musume Concert Tour 2008 Aki ~Resonant Live~
• C-ute – 4 akogare MY STAR (Album+DVD) (Limited Edition)
• C-ute – 4 akogare MY STAR (Album)

The Abe Natsumi DVD is from her last concert as a soloist in Hello! Project, and it includes the first performance of her 11th single, Screen.

The Morning Musume concert started on September through November and it features 35 tracks, and also Niigaki Risa’s Indigo Blue Love plus solo’s from Kamei Eri and Michishige Sayumi performing Lemon Iro to Milk Tea.

C-ute’s latest album contains 11 tracks from her latest singles, the limited edition comes with a DVD with videos.

Pick them up at Yesasia, Amazon, and CDJapan.

Ice Cream Musume – Renai Revolution 21 PV

Most of you know by now that Ice Cream Musume is going to be Morning Musume’s “equivalent” in Taiwan, and it seems they are quite busy releasing PV’s like crazy, the newest being a cover in Chinese (I don’t remember if they are Chinese or from Taiwan, or even if China and Taiwan are the same, didn’t put attention in Geography class) of Morning Musume’s mega hit Renai Revolution 21. (Funny how the only Japanese part is the “Cho Cho Ii Kanji” part, and yes put “Cho” not “Chou” on the chinese subtitles)

As you may also now Tsunku declared that he wanted to expand through asia (evil plan to conquer the world through upbeat songs?), and it seems he is doing just that. The PV is of higher quality than other Resonant Blue – type videos, why? Judge for yourself, they even get a panda (which seems to be the Jpop symbol for Chinese singers, ex – JunJun & LinLin) while Hello! Project in Japan has a pink rabbit (Hello! Morning) and a cabbage man (Haromoni@)….that’s kind of depressing.

Anyway I like the PV, it puts more attention on each member and now they are doing more than dancing and singing into the camera. The dance is different from the original, and in my opinion it’s kind of boring, but we actually see more of the girls, especially scary Anchii (she looks like she is about to kill). They also dance in an ice cream factory, which seems dangerous to me.

I am officially a ReiRei (0:19-0:20) fan, she is getting used to having a camera on her during the PV, she’s cute, and she sings well. I advise you pick your favorite because they are here to stay, their album is on the 11th place on the Taiwan charts, last time I checked, so they are doing extremely well.

Next PV, Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai Darou (I actually know that by memory), I hope they relax a bit on the ice cream theme…anyway here is the PV: