It’s a sad day in j-pop history when its own fans do not bother to do their research and try to see things from a producer’s perspective before pointing fingers and screaming blasphemy. It is my desire, then, to address the main concern of the populace – the fact that French-Chinese Frances and Japanese-Chinese Aiko are only eight and six years old, respectively.

I suppose we must put aside the obvious fact that many members of Berryz Koubou and C-ute actually joined at a young age (Hagiwara Mai held the position of youngest member to debut in H!P until little Aiko stepped onto the scene, with a birthday just a few months later than Mai’s). Even though H!P caters to a predominantly Japanese market, let’s move down south a little bit and take a look at the culture of Taiwan, southern China, and South Asia, where Tsunku appears to be focusing his energy with H!P Taiwan.

our two newest shining stars, Frances & Aiko!

Child stars have always been a common thing in China, and even more so in South Asia. The “princess of Chinese songs,” Timi Zhou, was only 3 years old when she debuted on CMs and television (with her first album appearing two years later). She has grown up beautiful, happy, and very down-to-earth. No scandals have fallen her way, nor did anyone blame companies of “exploiting” her for money. She’s always carried a shining charisma and seems to be super happy on the stage. Frances & Aiko are no different – if anything else, they seem ten times as excited to be there in front of hundreds of people, singing and dancing just like their role models.

various images of young Timi Zhuo

If we go down further south, we run into Malaysia, where raising pop stars at a young age is typical (see my old post: Introduction to Malaysian Idols). Most of the current idols in Malaysia actually started their careers around the ages of 4 or 5, by making music video VCDs. Could any of them sing really well? Of course not. But they were pure, adorable, and carried a healthy dose of charisma that brought a smile to the faces of their fans. Nowadays, the two best-known groups Four Golden Princess and M-Girls are in their late teens or early twenties, and they are every bit as happy and “normal” your average girl.

Malaysian idols: M-Girls then and now

The pop industry in Japan and Korea is definitely not as easygoing as that of China/Taiwan, and likewise China/Taiwan aren’t as relaxed as those of Malaysia. I do see where Tsunku is headed, though, and I personally think Frances & Aiko are adorable. There’s also been a lot of discussion about whether this is “morally correct,” to which I must mention that the girls’ parents must have approved of the decision before UFA was able to supposedly “exploit” them for money. And contrary to popular belief, many girls at a young age know that they want to be singers and superstars. Even though I would personally not choose that kind of hard life for myself nor my children, I don’t think that fans have the right to rain on the parades of those who do want to pursue that kind of work.

I’m not saying that I fully support what these girls are getting into, but I likewise do not support fans badmouthing two young girls living out their dreams. It’s rude to assume that either the girls or their management “suck” just because they can’t sing on-key (they’re children, for Christ’s sakes!) and because they’re a bit younger than your typical Maki Goto or something. Can’t we all accept things from an objective viewpoint that takes into consideration that perhaps – just perhaps – Tsunku and UFA know what they’re doing?

Hanging with the Ice Creamusume members before the concert!
I look forward to seeing what both of these groups do in the future!

P.S. There’s also been a bit of controversy over the meaning of the song title, 大小姐. I’ve  heard anything from “Little Big Missy” to “Big Little Lady” to “Big Miss”. Frankly, 大小姐 is a euphemism in Chinese that is very hard to directly translate to English. When you say to a little kid, “Oh, you’re pretending to be such a 大小姐!” that basically means something along the lines of, “You’re pretending to be all high-class and bossy!” (in a joking way). It’s how you would describe little girls who dress up in their mommy’s dresses and parade around the house with a lace fan and oversized straw hat, admiring themselves in the mirror and decking themselves in plastic jewelry. 大小姐 literally means “Eldest Young Lady” (where “young lady” is a single noun, not an adjective + noun, and is often used to mean “Eldest Mistress”) – it’s what servants would call the oldest daughter (i.e. “young lady”) of the house’s master, but in modern times it’s also used as an expression for a snobby high-class girl.

When I was younger, my parents listened to tapes of many old-school Cantopop artists (such as revered “song gods” Roman Tam, Sam Hui, Anita Mui) on their cassette players. Whenever I hear these songs again, it brings me back to a time of my life where all seemed right in the world – when I had no stress of college, income, or living independently. A time when I could lounge around in the humid summer heat next to a rotating fan and admire the stillness of sunny day.

One of my favourite songs is actually Faye Wong‘s 容易受傷的女人 (Easily Hurt Woman):

Imagine my surprise one day, when I was listening to one of Nakajima Miyuki‘s albums… and lo and behold – it was a very familiar-sounding song!

I was both shocked and delighted to hear the familiar tune in another language in which I am familiar. Nakajima Miyuki is revered as one of the goddesses of classic Japanese pop, and her voice has impressed me before, but I never knew that one of my favourite childhood songs actually had roots in her original ルージュ (Rouge):. As a lover of both Japanese and Cantonese pop, I was happy to know that much of Cantopop was inspired from old-school J-pop.

In fact, the song is so popular it’s been covered countless times by singers all over East Asia in every genre possible! How about an 80′s Vietnamese dance version? Prefer something tamer? How about a typical anguished Vietnamese ballad? Try out some dance-techno! Maybe you’d like some folkish Thai swing/foxtrot? It’s even made its way into the English market with a reggae remix! And if you’re more into the original, try Trish Trang’s English version using the original instrumental!

They just don’t make pop music like they used to =(

First things first – IT’S OUT!! The long-awaited album featuring all of current Hello! Project, many of them shuffled into blasphemous “revival” groups like Tanpopo#… In fact, how do you even read that? Tanpopo-pound? Tanpopo-hash? Tanpopo-sharp? The last option seems pretty feasible, since all the younger girls have such screechingly sharp voices. Good choice, Tsunku. Good choice.

Putting all sarcasm aside, I offer up my thoughts on the album as a whole. Before we delve into my criticism, a disclaimer: I listen to old-school J-pop, and many of these songs are rearrangements of some good 80′s or early 90′s hits. Thus, should I ever diss Hello! Project’s arrangements, you will know why – I simply like the Silver Age of idol music way too much.

Track 01 – Diamonds (High-King)

The original song was by Princess Princess, one of Japan’s first girl bands (as opposed to plain singing). Not only that, the band specialized in pop-rock songs. Not surprisingly, the original song was also sung in a lower key. I was rather surprised that High-King sounded so high-pitched. In fact, they sound more like C-ute or “just another” group in the Wonderful Hearts division. I can’t say I really like this sound for High-King; many people liked them because Cinderella\Complex was lower-pitched and carried a lot of stylish flair. The High-King in this song sounds very typical-Hello! Project, and I must admit that I’m a little disappointed. Even Takahashi Ai doesn’t sound badass, and you know something’s wrong when that happens.

The harmonies were a lot more prevalent in the original version of the song, as were the guitar instrumentals. Hello! Project has taken the original pop-rock song and turned it into a gentler, cuter rendition. Not saying that’s totally bad, since H!P is known for producing cotton-puff songs like this, but a bit of variety once in a while wouldn’t hurt, right? I also feel as if the solos were very poorly chosen. At least there wasn’t Reina-dominance. I’m not sure what atrocity would have ensued if that had been the case.

Track 02 – Ai wa Katsu (C-ute + Manoeri)

An interesting tidbit – the original artist, KAN (a male, might I mention) plays the piano for the music video of this song. I’m pretty sure he also provided the piano in the instrumental as well. And there goes Tsunku, throwing Manoeri into the mix. Maybe she’ll play the piano when they sing this at a concert. Either way, I loved the original and was kind of apprehensive as to what the Hello! Project Squeakers would do to it…

I ended up being really surprised! I expected a super-high-pitched, nasally, overly-squeaky version of the song (which actually does happen during the solos, but I can survive that). For the most part, though, there’s REALLY good blending, and the chorus arrangement makes it really nice. I get that fuzzy happy-wedding feeling in the pit of my stomach when I listen to this – all I can picture is the happy bride and groom walking out of the church as flower petals fly around them. It’s a very congratulatory song, I feel =) Great job, C-ute, for you never cease to amaze me with your talent!

Now if only Arihara Kanna was in the album…

Track 03 – YES-YES-YES ([new] Aa!)

Although the official name isn’t “new Aa!” that is how I shall be referring to them. It’s not old-school Aa! without Tanaka Reina; as much as I dislike her in Morning Musume, I must admit she made Aa! what it was, and this new reincarnation can’t hold a candle to the Reina-led Aa!

This is also the first song on the album in which I was not familiar with the original song, so I did a quick YouTube search. Turns out it’s a ballad sung by an old-school boyband. It’s actually a really nice song, with overlapping effects in the chorus, gorgeous harmonies, and a very mellow, soothing sound. I fell in love with it right away, despite the somber lilt of the instrumental (I’m usually not a fan of slow songs, as you can tell). So I guess when I turned back to [new] Aa!’s version, I had high expectations.

I’m kind of surprised, actually, how nicely [new] Aa! handled the song. They emulate beautifully that soothing sound, but instead of mellow, it’s very clear and almost angelic. An interesting female twist on an originally-male song. I’d also like to applaud Suzuki Airi for not sounding like she’s on helium during her solos. I can’t say I love the song yet, but it definitely has potential. Perhaps after a few more scrobbles on my last.fm…

Track 04 – Tentou Chuu no Samba (Shin Minimoni)

First off – it’s NOTHING like the original by CHERISH (a super-awesome 70′s band – give them a listen). The 70′s hit sounds very… classic. You can picture how this song must have looked like performed in concert – pale-faced backup dancers in ankle-length skirts bobbing along demurely to the music, gesturing with their hands once in a while. It’s a very feminine and cute song, and I love it a lot.

Then BAM. Enter Shin Minimoni (headed by the fearless Linlin). It’s a super-peppy remix version, in true Minimoni fashion. Okay, -now- we have a samba party! It’s amazingly catchy and I swear I listened to it at least three times before I finished typing this section. The modernized instruments and staccato-style singing really helps pump up the energy. Shin Minimoni doesn’t sound all that bad, actually. I’m not really upset over the formation of another group; I’m just a little upset that these four girls are being compared to the original Tsuji/Aibon/Mari/Mika quartet. They will never live up to the original, but I definitely give them props for trying and doing so well =)

Track 05 – Kimi ga iru dake de (Pucchimoni V)

First off – THIS IS NOT PUCCHIMONI. Give me my money back. The original Pucchimoni never sounded so “girl group” generic.
Secondly – the original was done by KomeKome Club. Strong, tenor voices. Edgier, rockish feel.
Thirdly – Hagiwara Mai does not fit the bill of “Pucchimoni.” Saki, yes. Manoeri, wtf?!
This is definitely one song that does not deserve to be covered by the younger squeaklings of H!P. I hated it. The end.

Track 06 – Heya to Y Shirts no Watashi (Tanaka Reina)

*snore* Reina solo. Like this is anything new.

Oh wait. She’s singing a slow, lullaby-like song?! Nevermind, this is new. And strangely, she doesn’t sound too bad doing it until she hits her upper range. Then it’s just a one-dimensional, nasally melody line. Boooring.

Let me go back to snoozing.

Track 07 – Mamotte Agetai (Niigaki Risa + Kamei Eri)

About time the GakiKame duo got something on an album together. After Reina’s singing, Risa’s strong mezzo voice is a welcome sound. Matsutoya Yumi, the original artist, has a really nasally and edgy lower tone (that’s really more suited to rock, actually), and I feel like using Risa and Eri to emulate that was a wonderful experiment. The song is not my favourite (I found it rather boring), but the singers chosen for the track definitely do it justice. Risa’s lower notes and Eri’s higher notes blend together so beautifully. The chorus, while definitely in the upper register of both girls’ voices, still sound smooth and beautiful (no squeaking at all!) Such is the awesome of the GakiKame pair.

Track 08 – Cosmos [Sakura in Fall] (Takahashi Ai)

Oh my goodness. It’s an old-school ballad, akin to Teresa Teng’s Aijin! I have a certain weakness for songs in this genre (which I really can’t name). They are the Chinese and Japanese ballads of the late 70′s and early 80′s, completely separate from the idol-pop that was developing at the time. They sound sorrowful, anguished, yet mellow and overflowing with emotions. Such is the amazingness of Yamaguchi Momoe’s Cosmos.

For Takahashi Ai’s version, they kept the instrumental much the same, which I was surprised to hear. Then, Ai-chan starts singing and… WHOA. If I weren’t an Ai-chan fan to begin with (which I wasn’t), then I would definitely be one by now (which I am). I almost feel as if she does better than Momoe’s performance. It’s a lot smoother, and a lot more in-tune. There’s so much emotion in the song, and Ai-chan adds just the right amount of tone to draw out the beauty of the song without being overbearing. This is definitely one that will be going on repeat for a while.

Track 09 – Mirai Yosouzu II (ZYX-alpha)

My first thought was, “This sounds like Sakura no Hanabiratachi.”
My second thought was, “This is essentially a collection of some of the highest-pitched singers in H!P.” (if Risa doesn’t count)
My third thought was, “Damn this song sounds boring.”

And then I hit the chorus. And was blown away by the power and strength in the unified singing. There are some damn beautiful harmonies in there, and unfortunately, you don’t get to hear this beauty until you suffer past the boring verses and bridges. If only the entire song was as interesting as the chorus, or at least carried the same power and emotion.

Track 10 – ONLY YOU (Zoku v-u-den)

This is the point in the album where I’m getting tired of hearing all these songs and newly butchered groups. I think this track kind of pushed me over the edge. Let’s just say that out of all the revived groups here, I am most protective of v-u-den. I had really high expectations for Zoku, and unfortunately, they did not provide.

Old v-u-den: Ishikawa Rika, Miyoshi Erika, Okada Yui
New Ishikawa Rika: Michishige Sayumi, who unfortunately is WAY too squeaky to be charming like her predecessor
New Miyoshi Erika: Junjun, who – while having the correct range – doesn’t have a smooth enough tone to emulate Erika
New Okada Yui: Sugaya Risako, who – while having the correct nasally tone – is too unpolished of a singer to be Yui and she doesn’t have the chest either

Verdict: Zoku v-u-den is a disaster, and I will never listen to this song ever again.

Track 11 – akai sweet pea (Tanpopo#)

I’m really getting tired by this point. Ranting about Zoku v-u-den’s failures takes a lot of energy, you know. Thankfully, I don’t need to complain too much about Tanpopo#. Granted, they are definitely nowhere good enough to be compared to original Tanpopo, but the choice of song is nice, and I can tell they tried their best to provide that soothing, mellow Tanpopo-esque tone. Nothing spectacular, but nothing that makes me cover my ears and cry either.

Track 12 – for you… (Linlin)

I don’t like Linlin’s singing. She doesn’t deserve a solo. I rest my case.

Track 13 – Kanpaku Sengen (Berryz Koubou + Manoeri)

Firstly, I must ask why Manoeri is in three tracks in this album. She’s the only non-Musume to have this honor bestowed upon her, and I’m really wondering why this is so.

As for the song itself, I think Berryz is trying too hard to put some interesting folk-song-esque spins into their singing, and it really comes out as extremely silly. Not to mention I hate the original as well. Another one that I will never play again for the rest of my life.

Track 14 – Sekai wa futari no tame ni (Michishige Sayumi, Kusumi Koharu, Mitsui Aika, Junjun)

The song itself is rather boring, but the singing is gorgeous. Another very “angelic” track. And I’m not just saying this because the miracle girl of Hello! Project sings in it. I believe the lyric arrangement (solo verses followed by group choruses) works very well for this quartet. Each girl did fabulously on her own solos. They are a group of voices distinct enough from each other to have their own personalities, but they still blend together very well during the choruses. I am pleased that the final track on the album turned out so well. Sayumi’s singing is also gorgeous in this track.

Overall thoughts and musings

Some of the revival groups I can stand (Shin Minimoni). Some of them I can’t (Zoku). Manoeri gets marketed way too much. The album is a bit too long for my tastes (right after listening to it all the way through, I switched back to looping Nanchatte Renai). There were definitely some surprises (Takahashi Ai’s solo) and some all-too-typical expectations (Berryz). Overall, not a bad album, but should I ever decide to replay it, I will be picking out a select few songs to enjoy.

I was surprised when I learned Lips was her debut release – I wanted more musical goodness from this girl! And finally, several months later, I get it – in the form of her digital single Disco Party 1982, which doesn’t have any sort of track called that at all.

The lone track on the digital single (which is a really popular form of release in Korea) is Boy Boy (feat. JCO of Plastik Mic) and its remix. I don’t care so much for remixes, so I loaded up the original first on my music player and nonchalantly hit the play button. I was expecting something “typical” K-pop (i.e. a Sori-infused version of Nobody), but instead I was rather blown away by the style she has created.

Music: ★ ★ ★ ★

The backing track sounds exactly like a DJ Mystik remix. I wouldn’t really call it “disco” as the producers have, because I’m pretty sure back in the early 80′s, their synthesizers were nowhere as clean sounding as those in the song. In fact, I wouldn’t even classify this as a “disco”-esque song; rather, it sounds extremely 90′s electronica (and trust me, I’ve listened to enough to know what typical 90′s electronica sounds like!) However, being an electronica fan myself, I latched onto the music within seconds; it’s something danceable yet relaxed – something that you could picture as background music during a movie scene at a nightclub bar. It just fast enough that you could easily dance to it, but just slow enough that it wouldn’t be strange to opt for a slow, sexy trek through the dance floor as the song plays in the background.

Vocals: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I’ve always loved Sori’s voice – there’s just something special about it that sets her apart from the sultry Wonder Girls and the sugar-cute So Nyeo Shi Dae. Her voice is clear enough that it can blend easily into the synthesizer, yet not overly sharp that it sticks out. In short, I feel Sori’s voice is very well suited to the dance-pop genre. This song definitely brings out the best in her – you can hear some of her high notes, but she never loses that clear, crisp tone.

Personality: ★ ★ ★

Where Sori excels in tone and clarity, though, she fails at personality. Where she can blend easily with the synthesizer, she becomes just another melody in the intricate backing track. It’s kind of dull and one-dimensional, actually. At times I wish she did add a little bit of inflection and flair to her vocals instead of going along with the same style the entire song. Perhaps that’s why I prefer girl groups with distinct personalities and voice timbres (like Morning Musume), because after a while, the generic “pop” tone gets boring.

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ★

In the end, though, I’m very happy with this song and am equally glad to see that Sori’s finally getting some more exposure to the public eye. I’m interested in what the music video will look like, and if there’s plans to have her eventually make another album. I’d love to see her delve into some hiphop or rap as well, but at the same time I’m not sure if the cute-yet-coy Sori can pull that off without sounding like I do when I rap Miss Love Tantei…

When we speak of “East Asian” entertainment, most people’s minds automatically shift towards peppy J-pop girl groups (like Morning Musume), hot-and-spicy K-pop dance acts (like Wonder Girls), soulful Taiwanese solo artists (like Wang Leehom), or metrosexual-looking boybands (like Johnny’s Entertainment groups). Very rarely does one encounter a member of the East Asian music fan community that thinks of Malaysian singing idols as part of the “East Asian entertainment” umbrella.

Fortunately, the number of Malaysian idols is significant enough to make it a feasible part of the East Asian music industry. In fact, some of Malaysia’s top teenage stars have sold thousands upon thousands of albums both to their native country and mainland China. Just like the Korean idol industry carries specific traits that set it apart from its Japanese counterpart, the Malaysian idol industry has some peculiar aspects that render it quite the curious oddity.

Curious aspect #01 – the focus is not on singles or albums, but VCDs…?

The Japanese idol industry focuses heavily on the release of singles. For example, Hello! Project markets its singles higher than their albums, and almost never perform album songs at concerts or events unless it happens to be an important hit (ex. Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aishiaenai Darou on Morning Musume’s PLATINUM 9 DISC or Sayonara See You Again Adios Bye Bye Chacha on their Rainbow 7 album). On the other hand, the Hong Kong idol industry focuses solely on the album releases – Twins, the most popular Cantonese girl group of the new millenium, has never released a single their entire career.

Unlike either of their neighbours,  the Malaysian idol industry focuses on another kind of release – VCDs. In fact, most of the top girl groups release solely VCDs, with the occasional CD version to accompany. It’s a very interesting marketing strategy that I find both affordable (they usually cost about the same as the CDs because they’re so easy to make – the one above is roughly $20 for a 2-disc set) and flexible; since VCDs are region-free, it allows me to have a karaoke-like version of my favourite songs whenever I want. I can also easily rip the songs from the video should I ever want to put them on my mp3 player. VCDs are also very common in South Asia, so that may have been why the companies chose to market using VCDs instead of CDs.

Curious aspect #02 – Malaysian idols start young and stick around

If you thought Tsunku was pushing it with his Hello! Project Eggs, you must not have seen the Malaysian idol industry! These little ones above are Qiao Qian Jin, and all of the girls are around the age of seven. In fact, one of the best-selling Malaysian girl groups began when all of the girls were as young as four! Surprisingly, they also stuck around for more than a decade before disbanding. The life of a Malaysian idol is not as rigorous as their northern counterparts (there are no variety shows to attend or photobooks to shoot), so I guess I can see why this is possible…

Curious aspect #03 – the best time for sales is Chinese New Year

The New Year is a pretty big deal in Malaysia, and the music industry really does its best to provide for the festivities. Wayang, the company that handles several big-shot artists, spends a ton of money every year to take their artists and production crew to scenic places to film their Chinese New Year VCDs – from Beijing to Shanghai to Thailand. There are even collaborations between groups (the CD above is one such collab between the two best-selling girl groups, discussed in further detail below) and the artists oftentimes travel to local malls and shopping centers to perform for the public. Many of the songs on the CDs are usually new arrangements of folk songs or original songs modeled after folk songs, and an impressive team of background performers – from silk-clad fan dancers to lion dance troupes – are often featured in the videos as well. More than any other release during the year, the Chinese New Year albums generate the most sales, and fans hungrily await the news as early as October (CNY is usually late January or February). The VCDs themselves are usually released around Christmastime.

Curious aspect #04 – beauty is not as important

Angeline (far right) may have buck teeth, and Queenzy (middle left) may wear unsightly braces, but that doesn’t diminish the popularity of their group M-Girls at all! It almost seems as in Malaysia is still slightly stuck in the past – their current marketing tactics heavily emulate the trends displayed in the 1980′s during the “girl-next-door” Silver Age of idols, where an idol’s personality and character was much more important than her looks. Many of the most popular Malaysian idols can’t hold a candle to their Japanese or Taiwanese counterparts, yet their VCDs are a hit nonetheless.

And now, and introduction to some of Malaysia’s top-selling artists!

Four Golden Princess are the girl group that really helped solidify the trends of the Malaysian idol industry. It is true that the phenomenon was a bit slower to spread to Malaysia, but with the success of Taiwanese prodigy Timi Zhuo, Malaysian record companies decided to use a similar marketing system to develop their own niche. Four Golden Princess was contracted around the ages of 4-6, and their first VCD release, titled “Happy New Year,” was released in 1997. Most of the tracks featured the girls dancing around and singing cute arrangements of traditional Chinese New Year folk songs. Backup dancers completed the act.

Over the years, FGP has grown up and recorded everything from children’s songs to folk songs to New Year songs. They are now in their late teens and early twenties, and only after a 10+ year run in the Malaysian music industry did they finally disband.

Four Golden Princess - Don’t Need Your Red Envelope (Chinese New Year 2005 VCD)

M-Girls, quite arguably the most successful group after FGP, has undergone several iterations before they became who they are. The three main girls have been performing together since their childhood days (I own a VCD titled “Mountain Folk Songs” which precedes their M-Girls name), but it wasn’t until their mid-teen years that they were heavily marketed as the M-Girls. Unlike FGP, the M-Girls are marketed as having a more modern, pop style instead of folk songs. Many of their songs are originals instead of folk song covers. They are still going strong as the most popular girl group in Malaysia today.

M-Girls - Wishing Money and Prosperity to Your Home (Chinese New Year 2009 VCD)

The success of FGP has ushered in an influx of young prodigy singers trying to make it big. Parents allow their children, as young as 4 years old, to venture into the music industry. Like the Japanese Silver Age of idols, new groups pop up and disappear after a few releases, each one sounding like a clone of its predecessor. A couple of examples include the Bean Sisters, Girls4U, Pop Angels, DoReMi, Cute Princess, QQ Club, and Japanese Dolls. While some have acquired minor success, it’s probably highly unlikely that they will ever achieve the same status as 4GP and M-Girls.

Do Re Mi - New Year Medley (Chinese New Year 2007 VCD)

“Idols are too generic.”

I agree with the fact that idols groups are becoming very similar in their operations (“graduations” and “subgroups”, etc.) It’s not unlike the sudden boom of online cover singing groups, all of which feature the same structure, from the way they set up forums to their subgroup names (honestly guys, do we really need groups like “HoNey@K-UTE” and “Su*ba^ra*shii” and “Insert~Strange%Symbol$here! Project”?) But I won’t touch on that sensitive topic yet; I have a hidden grudge about it of which I’ll speak later.

Oh noes attack of the generic AKB48 clonesssssss!

Instead, I read through Amy’s entry and from the sound of it, she implies that the “generic” style of J-pop idols has been a fairly recent downward trend (“recent” meaning “probably between 2006-present”) by using timely words like “nowadays” and “just getting” and “ever since Perfume got popular.” She’s not the only one, however. More and more fans have been slowly noticing and pointing out the convergence of J-pop styles. I myself have noticed these reactions more ever since AKB48 became popular (bitter souls felt the need to point out Hello! Project’s superiority.) Not that I’m implying AKB48 is better than H!P (it really depends on what aspect of which you’re speaking), but it’s ridiculous – another idol group pops up and all of a sudden the J-pop community’s eyes are opened to the trends in idol groups. And you know what? The idea that H!P and AKB48 and Perfume are all copies of each other?

That’s been done ever since the 1970′s, when J-pop began.

Hey look it’s Jajauma Parad– oh wait. It’s just the same idea done in the 1970′s =P

I don’t understand why fans are suddenly noticing the similarity between J-pop groups and are starting to dislike J-pop because of it. From day one, the idol phenomenon was destined to be a ton of groups copying each other, competiting to see who could do what better. There’s only so many niches that idols can fill – singing, dancing, acting, DJing, etc. Likewise, there are only so many genres that they may perform before they aren’t even considered “idols” anymore. In short, the definition for an “idol” is highly specific, and it’s hard to break from that definition and still remain an “idol”. In fact, the idea of an “idol” was based on one very specific model – Sylvie Vartan.

All idols can trace their roots back to this French singer, when her movie was aired in Japan and the music industry decided to replicate her success. The definition of an “idol” back then applied for any cute singer-actress who embodied the ideas of innocence, youth, and feminism. We continue to see this today in photobooks (where the girls may pose in bikinis and miniskirts, but never nude – this displays the “innocence” principle, since an innocent girl would not know of the enticing image she is putting forth), in gestures (the peace sign has been around since the 70′s), in energetic and springy dances (youth), and in occasionally childish PVs (Dschinghis Khan, Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance, etc.) Of course, throughout the decades the common definition of what is considered demure and age-appropriate also slowly changes. That’s why v-u-den can get away with playboy bunny costumes while Pink Lady was considered alarming when they wore miniskirts. As such, slightly more edgy songs become more common as various musical trends develop throughout the ages, but the basis is the same. Thus, all groups of a specific era will inherently share common characteristics.

Thought the Tsuji-Aibon group W was original?
Think again. Meet Wink, the “twin” group of the 1990′s.

In the late 1980′s, the supergroup of idols named Onyanko Club broke up (and many don’t realize that MoMusu is just a copy of Onyanko anyways – sorry if anyone thought that MoMusu was a Tsunku original!)  After this disbandment, many many idol groups sprang up, each with quirky names such as CoCo, Ribbon, Qlair, Pumpkin, etc. All of them aimed to become the next incarnation of Onyanko on a smaller scale, or perhaps a revival of the Pink Lady/Candies hype from the 1970′s. This was the “idol boom” of the decade as the 80′s rolled over into the 90′s, and it’s a wonder anyone was able to keep them straight. All of them started singing songs that seemed manufactured from the same factory. While current idol-era fanatics like myself cannot distinguish the unique characteristics that set each group and song apart (they were all, by today’s standards, “generic”),  many of the old fans still remember with a smile – nearly 20 years later –  the group(s) that they supported most. To them, the groups all had their own style and special properties that distinguished them from any other.

one of my personal favourites from the late-80′s boom: CoCo’s “Yokohama Boy Style”

In addition, back then it was expected that the fanbase would do some “discovery” about their idol in order to learn more about her. Whereas today there are more resources (Internet, cell phone, etc.) to learn about idols, back then fanboys lived off of essay books, photobooks, the rare TV special or two, and live concerts. There was inevitably more work involved in learning about an idol back then, and so the producers tried hard to “market” what was special about each girl individually so that each could gain her own respective fanbase. Likewise, I don’t believe that idols nowadays are all “generic” – looking at the photo of AKB48 that Amy posted in her blog, I can identify most of the girls because I have taken the time to watch them and learn more about them. It may seem daunting at first, but after putting forth effort, you find out the girls aren’t generic or similar at all! It’s just that many new fans nowdays are either too busy or unwilling to put in the time investment to really get to know the girls. Producers no longer have the need to specifically market a girl’s traits because that information is readily available to us now if only we search. (Granted, things are a little different in smaller groups like MoMusu, where the personalities of each girl are greatly defined, but for other groups like Idoling!! that is not the case.)

you thought AKB48 was hard? Try the girls of Onyanko Club.

And perhaps this experience may replicate itself in the future as well: new J-pop fans of nowadays look at Hello! Project and squirm. To them, many of the songs sound alike and many of the styles are repeated (ex. compare the PVs for Egao YES Nude, Onna ni Sachi Are, and Ambitious Yashinteki de ii jan: notice anything similar?) However, longtime fans like me can definitely assure you that the Morning Musume of 2008 is much different than the Morning Musume of 2006, and even more so than the Morning Musume of 2003. Also, H!P spans many genres – don’t tell me that Buono and MilkyWay and Berryz all have the same style because they definitely don’t. Turning our attention to AKB48, we find a plethora of songs of every style, from the air of a noble matador (Kimi wa Pegasus), to a bittersweet imitation of living dolls (Nageki no Figure), to dark and disturbing (Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru), to cute and peppy (Seishun Girls), to badass (Mammoth), to pure epic (Hana to Chire!)

The Coconuts Musume of the early 90′s: Girls Club,
featuring five foreign or half-Japanese girls

In the 1990′s, though, the generation of idol followers from the 80′s starting leaving the scene. The newcomers of the 90′s were rather bored by this seemingly “generic” style (since many of the groups were formed in the mid- to late 80′s, their styles were still reminiscent of those from the 80′s era). This led in part to a decline in J-pop sales from around 1995 to 1998, when MoMusu came in with something fresh (though not really; it was just packaged in a fancier way) and helped to revive the industry. I have a feeling the future will be much the same – pretty soon fans will tire of the current H!P-style pop and we will experience a period of downtime followed by another boom of “fresh faces.” I can’t exactly predict when and what this “fresh” style will be like, but looking at trends from years previous, this whole “generic” thing isn’t anything new; it’s just another part of the J-idol cycle, much like economic expansion and recession.

Check 0:19 and 0:22… anyone getting Aitakatta deja vu?

In short, I’m not worried about generic-sounding/looking/acting idols; if anything, I like it more that they’re all putting out music in the same genre. That’s why Internet radio Pandora is so popular; it plays songs that are similar to ones you already like, so it’s like matchmaking music! And even if the general populace tires of our current J-pop trends, there will always be a revival after the downtime. It’s happened that way at least thrice in the past: (note: perhaps numerous other smaller “recessions” have occurred, but I can only name three large ones) the decline of Pink Lady in the late 70′s (revived by those wanting to be the next Pink Lady), the slowing of the early 80′s due to this influx of idols (Onyanko Club revived the industry), and the decline of the mid 90′s after all the small 3-5 person groups broke up (revived by Morning Musume). And guess what? After every “revival” it is literally a rehashing of old tried-and-true idol trends, just with a more “updated” and “modern” touch (for example, while we can’t play up the disco sensation of the 1970′s, we can mess with the more “updated” techno – hence, Perfume). In fact, the only true difference between J-pop of the different decades is that it adapts in style to what is currently “a la mode” and “in style” at the time. When 2010 rolls around you can bet people won’t be able to appreciate works such as Tanpopo’s “Last Kiss” as well as we older fans can….

Ah wait, that’s not Last Kiss… just a PV from the late 80′s that’s suspiciously in the same style.

To conclude, I’d like to say that the general J-pop fanbase is overreacting. It’s not a crisis, nor is it anything new that the styles are merging; that’s simply what happens when idols adapt to a current trend, and I guess right now the trend is large groups comprised of subgroups (a la Hello! Project) along with cute-but-cool styles. Since the idol business is a large industry, it’s either adapt or stick out like a sore thumb, so for the managers and directors, the best thing they can do is follow the current trend but try to do it better than everyone else. It sucks, yes, but it’s business; some don’t want to run the risk of expanding into other genres like hiphop and rock simply because that’s not what idols do – they’re the image of a young, feminine girl. And they sing pop, like it or not.

It’s like… idol economics. Idolnomics!

For more reading about the history of the Japanese idol industry, request the paper that I wrote for my world music class, titled “Let’s Start the Party! an analysis of the Japanese idol industry from its birth in the 1970′s to present day”

I suppose the best way to begin my blog is to introduce my interests in the East Asian entertainment industry, so here goes nothing:

• I am one of the biggest Kusumi Koharu fangirls you will ever see. She has yet to release a song I do not like, and she is one of my role models. The high-pitched squeal of “Koharuuuuuu!” during the entire Morning Musume concert at AnimeExpo? Yeah, that was definitely me.
• I mostly listen to girl groups, although there are a handful of token boy bands that I appreciate.
• I’m a sucker for multilingual things, which also explains why I listen to music all over the world, from Japan to Korea to Taiwan to Hong Kong to Malaysia to France to Norway to Russia!
• I am majoring in EECS and Management Science. I hope to someday work in the digital media industry with marketing technologies. And maybe run an entertainment agency on the side…
• I have a major weakness for dance-pop style songs and PVs with sparkly backdrops.

I think that’s about that much about me as this blog needs. I look forward to posting more and reading your comments! どうぞよろしく!

What’s this? For once Vivi decides to review something timely? Namely, she’s reviewing a preview of the PV for the upcoming C-ute single? Well, that’s a first – usually she’s about 5 years behind in reviewing music-related videos.

For those who don’t know, the upcoming C-ute single is titled Edo no Temari Uta II (there is no Temari Uta I, for those who are wondering), which means roughly “The Edo Hand-Ball Song II”. I’m not quite sure what that is in reference to, and the lyrics contain a lot of unfamiliar vocabulary so I can’t really discern what kind of crazy stuff they’re singing about this time (but after songs about Genghis Khan and monkies and pancakes, I think I’m ready for anything that H!P decides to toss at me next). So without further ado, here is the PV itself:

I hadn’t heard the radio rip yet, so my first impression was, “What?! From the single cover, I would never have guessed this was a tradition-styled song.” This is the first distinctly traditional-Japan style that I recall C-ute singing (they usually stuck to upbeat cute or fierce “I’m not a child anymore” songs), and to tell the truth I’m rather impressed by how they pulled it off with just the right amount of C-ute flair to make it unique =)

Set: I’m really impressed with the set that they chose for this PV. After Milky Way and Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance, I started having some confidence in H!P’s PV-making skills again, and this PV really confirmed that my trust was not invested in a wasteful method. The sunbursts in the background are gorgeous. Not only are they a brilliant shade of red-orange that really stands out, they really compliment the light flares (see below) generated at various points in the PV. The silhouettes of buildings and trees was a subtle but nice touch, as were the background dancers – just subtle enough to be noticed, but not too distracting that they diverted attention from the C-ute girls themselves. The neon lights were also a really cool addition (maybe I just have a weakness for neon lights), and they really complimented some of the costumes (Kanna’s, for example).

Lighting/camera: this is some of the best lighting I have seen in an H!P PV in a long time. There’s just something with the way the light shines that reminds me of the fierceness of Iroppoi Jirettai that hasn’t been seen for a long time. It’s got the right kind of “spotlight” quality without being a shiny cabaret like Onna ni Sachi Are or Egao YES Nude. In fact, the combination of dark background with colourful set pieces and costumes is probably what makes this and also Anataboshi’s PVs so attractive. Also, the moments where the girls were silhouetted were breathtakingly amazing. The camera angles were all positioned beautifully as well, especially in the close-ups.

Left to right: Airi attempting to be fierce (and failing slightly), epic head rolling (go Saki!)

Left to right: the awesome general set, Saki with the camera light flares that go really well with the suns in the background

Left to right: epic silhouette effect reminiscent of Osaka Koi no Uta and Iroppoi Jirettai, Saki being awesome with Kanna and Maimi in the background

Costuming: most of the girls really got the short end of the stick costume-wise. Poor Maimi and Kanna look like blood-red and teal imitations of the Liberty Bell, Chisato’s pointy shoulder pads look more suited for a Warera! Berryz Kamen PV, Erika’s face looks shadowed most of the time, thanks to her oversized hair accessory and dark outfit… and WHAT is that on Chisato’s head?! The only girls who are (in my opinion) flatteringly attired are Saki and Airi (on that note, damn Saki looks good in yellow). Maimi’s hair also looks nice. However, despite some of the sucky costuming, I guess have gotten used to enough of H!P’s eclectic styles to not really let the costuming affect my rather good opinion of the PV in general.

And now, onto observations of the individual girls…!

Yajima Maimi: she was really not feeling this single/choreography, I could tell. Half of her expressions seem half-hearted, and her dance is nothing brilliant as I have seen it be. The head-toss at 0:32 is rather nice but ultimately lacks the normal Maimi fierceness. Her first solo line was also really lackluster. As a side note, those huge skirts really don’t work well for the silhouette shots (which is probably why they stuck Saki in the middle for the first one). Her close-up at 1:54 looks nice, but once Saki, Erika, and Chisato appear after her, you can quite obviously tell that she’s not really charismatic in this PV. Her final post at the end was stiff and awkward (reminds me of Sayumi trying to act arrogant in Onna ni Sachi Are – it just didn’t click). All in all, not the best performance by Maimi but nothing that really stuck out like a sore-thumb either, so perhaps it’s best she ended up in the second row for much of the group dancing.

Suzuki Airi: ahh, Airi Airi Airi, the Reina of C-ute: extremely adorable; very pretty; tall, thin and model-like… but oh-so-very one-dimensional. This PV is no exception. Decked out some modern-looking and very gorgeous costume (hers actually reminds me of the Iroppoi dresses, for some reason), she performs all of her dance moves to a T, but in doing them with such mechanic precision there’s really something lacking. Airi is just being plain old Airi – the girl who is there simply to look pretty for the camera. She’s definitely got the energy of the dance down, but not the style or charisma needed to really rock it. Look at 0:50 to 0:55, and again at 1:06 – there is she is, with her wide eyes, looking like typical pedo-bait, staring into the camera. Her head-toss at 1:07 has the exact same feel as her close-up: head tilted slightly down, eyes directed straight at the camera, as if you say, “Mm-hm, you like me.” If you need yet another example, look at 2:02. OH HEY, IT’S THE SAME EXPRESSION. At this point, I’m stopping my assessment of Airi because no matter how far I play into the PV, she’ll be the exact same Airi. Yes, dear Airi, your style works for some songs (Sakura Chirari, anyone?) but it sucks when you try to put that eyelash-batting diva style to work in songs like Tokkaiko Junjou and this one. Moving on.

Hagiwara Mai: I was really disappointed with Mai’s performance in this PV. She really wowed me with her flair in Tokkaiko and Namida, and I was expecting a similar level of brilliance in this one since the feel is closer to Namida than LALALA, but I could tell Mai just didn’t -get- this song very well. At 0:32, Mai looks almost bored as she flings her head around, as if she really doesn’t get the feel of the choreography. In fact, for most the song she seemed to be confused between whether she should go for her typical cute little girl style or her serious “kodomo ja nai” style. As a result, she tries to smile cutely at times and be a bit serious at others, which makes for a really confusing display (look at 1:15 if you need an example: why is she grinning like a goofball while doing a pose like that?) … not to mention putting a fluffy white dress of the shortest member of the group really doesn’t help her appear as grown-up and seriously-taken as the others. Please attire Maimai in something proper next time, thank you. In addition, her solo line at 1:23 was probably THE worst close-up solo in the song (Chisato comes a close second) and her close-up at 1:46 does nothing to redeem it. If you’re looking for a good Maimai performance, this is not the PV to find it; go back to Namida no Iro.

Okai Chisato: my least favourite member, sigh. She was mediocre in this PV, and I really don’t have much to say about her because I’ve never noticed her much in the past so I don’t have much to compare against except for the fact that this is another typical Chisato performance. Her dance is subpar compared to some of the other girls (she seems to be the one having the most trouble with the little knee-twisting move they do; watch at 1:02) and her singing and facial expression hasn’t wowed me yet. At 1:31, we get her solo line, and it looks… really weird. Singing-wise she sounds fine, but unlike Airi’s “ee~ ee~” line earlier, Chisato has this facial expression that makes it look more like she’s got something stuck in her throat and is trying to get it out. At 1:55, we get a smug little look from Chisato that really doesn’t fit the song and for some reason kind of irks me. Her camera-flare pose at 2:23 is also, without a doubt, the worst of all the girls (Maimai’s at a close second). The wide-open-arms happy pose just doesn’t fit with that smirk on her face, making her look more like a grouchy teddy bear! Ah well, I didn’t expect much from the member I like the least (although to tell the truth.. C-ute is the only group with members that don’t -dislike-, just members I like on varying levels).

Umeda Erika: after this point, all of the girls I’m assessing are the ones that REALLY impressed me the most. And whoaaa, Erika. I have never been a huge Erika fan, but I’ve really mourned for the fact that she’s so underappreciated and oftentimes shoved out of the spotlight in PVs, but damn. She performed awesome in this one. Her outfit made her look like a flailing nun at some spots, but despite bad costuming Erika’s face and personality really came out in this PV. Although she arguably isn’t AMAZINGLY brilliant, I just think it’s really nice that she finally got some decent screentime and got a chance to really show her stuff. Her solo line at 0:53 was one of the best solo close-ups in the PV (Kanna bested her, just a bit). Her dancing at 1:17 was also really well executed, and she’s the only girl who looks good spinning in her outfit (1:22). Her pose was a little awkward (2:28), but that’s probably just due to the lighting and disgustingly long sleeves. Speaking of which, I know black works REALLY well on Erika in general, but I really do believe it was a bit dark for this PV and seemed a little out of place. Perhaps a really deep navy blue would have worked better? Also, they need to come up with some way to keep the hair out of Erika’s face – in many of the dance segments her body and moves looked really gorgeous but I could barely see her face because of her hair framing it too tightly and dangling in front of her eyes. Otherwise, good job Erika =) I usually don’t notice you but this time you definitely caught my eye.

Arihara Kanna: Kanna hasn’t really gotten much screentime the past few PVs, and she’s really not that well suited to the fierce styles of Namida/Tokkaiko. I remember I first latched onto Kanna after her trademark “Massara blue jeeeeeeans!” shout from the song of the same name. She became the little baby of C-ute that I started rooting for, but like Erika she’s severely underappreciated. In this PV, though, she’s one of the only girls who looks like she’s sincerely having FUN. She looks like a grown-up kid having fun playing around (which fits the title, but again, I can’t distinguish lyrics). Just look at her bouncing up and down in 0:19 with that genuine smile on her face. Although her head-tossing and snappiness isn’t as “fierce”-like as some of the other girls, she has a kind of childish innocence that somehow manages to fit really well with the moves that the camera shows her doing. At 0:57, she is the one with the best smile in that shot because, again, it looks so childishly innocent and adorable =) At 1:11 and 1:43, her pose is so cute – in this PV, she really reminds me of Mitsui Aika in Mikan: just childishly cute smiling and good fun. 1:26 gave me the BEST solo line close-up in the PV – Kanna got the feel of it perfectly. By 2:08 I was ready to just pick her up and give her a hug, she was THAT irresistable in this PV! Nice to see her finally shining in a PV that shows off her personality.

Nakajima Saki: let me just start out by saying that Saki has almost NEVER grabbed my attention. I just never felt drawn to her, and her performances in other PVs was barely noticed by me (not sure if that’s because I was too busy staring at the girls I’m most partial to, or if I just disliked Saki’s style in general). However, in this PV she is, hands down, the BEST performer in my opinion. Every little motion that Saki executed just felt so PERFECT. I tried and tried to find something to critique, but I just can’t find anything. She very clearly NAILED this song, and that’s probably why they decided to let her be a front girl for this one with Airi. Her head-roll at 0:30 owned everyone else’s in any part of the PV. Even at 0:40 where she’s not in the front, I immediately noticed the high energy of her movements. That’s probably why she did so well in this PV – she had the right amount of energy for the song. At 0:46 and 0:55, she looks so charismatic; and like Kanna, she has the childish smile at 1:04 that really shows how much she’s enjoying it. Her pose at 1:09 is THE best camera-flare pose in the PV. Something about the look on her face – the way her smirk slowly turns into a full smile – coupled with her excellent pose, really good camera angles, and beautifully coordinated colours of the backdrop made that my favourite part of the entire PV (along with Kanna’s solo line). Again, at 1:17 even when she’s in the background, my eyes are automatically drawn to her high-energy moves. At 1:40, despite the presence of one of my favourite girls (Airi), it is Saki that claims my attention with her coyly tilted head and energetic smile. At 1:50, I nearly screamed with joy – she just looked so PRO there that I couldn’t help but feel myself quickly being converted to a Saki fangirl. 1:55, and there’s that amazing little smile of hers – even though it’s slightly smug, it carries so much more of the “enjoyable” quality than Chisato’s smirk directly after Saki’s. Watch 2:04, and how her head slowly angles down to give a coy little look, and then tosses itself back up in a playfully arrogant show. Even though it’s subtle, it’s these little things that made me watch her the entire time. 2:20, and there’s that amazing head-toss of hers again. Damn. And did I mention that having Saki in the middle for the silhouette shot at 1:11 was ingenious? She looks so ownage there I can’t even start to explain it.

The song itself: er, I left this for last. I’ve watched the PV successfully about 10 times (once for each girl, and several times in between to get a general feel) and this song is really starting to grow on me. It doesn’t have the instant dance-around quality of a Tsunku production, but there’s something different and intriguing that I really like. Good job, H!P administration – you have not yet made one C-ute single which I didn’t like.

Looking back at the comments and at people’s reactions to the ordeal on forums, blogs, and newsgroups alike, I’ve found that most people reacted as thus:

OMG why didn’t SeeYa help the girl, I want to slap them, they’re such bitches for not caring about someone who could have died on stage, they’re so heartless

It really disappoints me that people nowadays are so quick to condemn. In fact, not only in this case but in many other uproars (such as the Ai-Reina-Koharu iron triangle in Resonant Blue)**, the general public rushes to conclusions without taking into consideration the nature of show business and what would be deemed “appropriate action” should anything really happen. I haven’t really had much exposure to the industry myself, but just from my participation in theatrical and dance productions, I have the levelheaded-ness to at least stop and think about -why- SeeYa didn’t help the girl themselves.

Putting aside the blaring fact SeeYa probably didn’t even -notice- the backdancer having a seizure, we focus on the adage “the show must go on.” Harsh as this sounds, it’s absolutely true. For example, in ballet productions in the 1980′s (and even today), if a performer falls or injures herself on stage, she is expected to gracefully and painstakingly take her leave and at least make it back to the wings before everyone rushes to her rescue. In theatre, if someone injured themselves on the stage during an important contest or competition (thought it has never happened in my presence), most likely the remaining actors would be expected to improv a few lines to explain why the injured actor needed to depart, and either stage crew or chorus/extras would assist the injured one off the stage.

Contrary to what people seem to have believed, SeeYa had absolutely NO obligation to help the girl at all. Does that mean they were “heartless”? No. Sometimes you need to leave the helping to people who are assigned that job. For example, in theatre, at times you do more harm than good by trying to “help” others – perhaps you had good intentions in trying to pick up that fallen prop, but in doing so someone’s scene may be ruined because the prop was -supposed- to be on the floor. Likewise, a general rule of thumb in the performing arts is to just do what you’re assigned. No one touches anyone else’s things, no one meddles in affairs that don’t matter to them. Yes, I realize the backdancer could have died on stage. The ones that -should- have instantly come to her aid were stage crew and tech members; if anyone should be blamed for not doing their job, it should be them, seeing as how the poor girl was left on the floor for 20 entire seconds writhing in pain before someone realized, “Oh shit, she’s actually injured and needs our assistance.”

I just wish people would put that in perspective before they start accusing the lead singers of being “heartless bitches”. This is show business, guys. It’s a rough world, but this was the path of action that is professionally appropriate for the singers and dancers. Crew, not so much, but I’m not a techie so I have no say in that area.

** Ai-Reina-Koharu ordeal: (thanks to Josephine for the correction; I’m a MoMusu fangirl and I -still- made an embarassing mistake, haha. My bad~) many fans were complaining that Takahashi Ai, Tanaka Reina, and Kusumi Koharu were “forcing” the other MoMusu girls into the shadows in the recording and PV of Resonant Blue. Does anyone realize that um.. this IS the music industry, and “fair” isn’t a legit excuse for anything? If the music industry was “fair” then good bands wouldn’t be dropped from labels, Britney Spears would share her limelight with lesser stars, Simon wouldn’t chew everyone out during Idol, S.H.E and Twins wouldn’t have a friendly rivalry, and Megumi and Momoko wouldn’t have dominated Berryz and C-ute songs. “It’s not fair that these three got center positions”..? I don’t know, maybe Tsunku thought that their voices fit the song best? Maybe they sounded better in their singing? Maybe – heaven forbid – they actually OUTPERFORMED the other members for this specific single? Last time I checked, if you could sing/dance the song well, you got a bigger part. Last time I checked, it was more talent = more time in the spotlight. Excuse me for not thinking with a socialist philosophy here.