Wednesday, July 7, 2010

AKB48's Unique Element

Unlike Hello Project where all the idols are signed to one agency, members of SKE, AKB, and SDN48 can be signed to a number of different talent agencies.  For many idol groups the push within the group and their outside work is decided by basically the same group of people.  The members of these three groups are automatically signed into the in-house management: AKS.  However, other agencies can still show interest and the girls can choose to transfer to a different agency.  During the Yokohama Arena Concert a number of agency promotions were announced.  If the girls choose to change it can also give insight to fans about the girls' future.

For a foreign fan that is not confident in her Japanese skills trying to gather information about each agency is difficult.  Some of their websites are easier or harder to navigate.  I could not find a number of members that were announced during the concert, ecspecially for Hori Pro.  This either means I just didn't find their profiles or they did not sign to this agency. 
Announced Transfers
Ogi Pro
Iwasa Misaki, Matsubara Natsumi, Nonaka Misato, Komori Mika

Hori Pro
Nito Moeno, Ishida Haruka, Ohori Megumi

Watanabe Pro
Oya Shizuka, Kuramochi Asuka, Sato Natsuki


Atelier Duncan
Katayama Haruka, Sato Amina

Ohta Pro
Sashihara Rino, Kitahara Rie, Noro Kayo

Mousa
Uchida Mayumi, Tanabe Miku

Dress Code
Nakatsuka Tomomi, Suzuki Mariya

Someday
Matsui Sakiko

Artist house Pyramid
Yonezawa Rumi

Flos 2
Maeda Ami       
My Confirmation Check
Ogi Pro
ALL

Hori Pro 
None Found

Watanabe Pro
ALL

Atelier Duncan
ALL

Ohta Pro
ALL

Mousa
ALL

Dress Code
Couldn't Find Website

Someday
None

Artist house Pyramid
ALL

Flos 2
Couldn't Find Website

My Very Little Knowledge About Each Agency:

Ogi Pro
This is the major home of sub-groups.  The agency has control of both major units of AKB48: no3b and Watarirouka Hashiritai.  Both of these groups are very successful and get a lot of work.  However, this agency is not spectacular in terms of solo work.  The best case scenario for these girls is that Ogi forms another unit because you don't see Kazumi Urano being super busy. 

Hori Pro 
This is one of the biggest agencies that I'm going to talk about, possibly the largest.  They have members from AKB48 and SDN48, plus Mai Mai!  I could not find any of the girls, but I heard Ohori was already in a good agency.  Maybe someone else might have better luck. 

Watanabe Pro
If you haven't yet heard, they have already formed a new unit (French Kiss) including some of their new talent.  This appears to be an overall good agency.  Yuki Kashiwagi has been doing well.  They have a ton of comedians.  They also have Nachu from SDN48!  All three have comic elements so I think they will do well here.

Atelier Duncan
I've already heard that this is bad for the girls.  They are the only two members from AKB48 there.  Both have been pushed as Undergirls by the producers, and fans have little hope now.  I didn't really see much potential here which is disappointing because I love them both dearly.

Ohta Pro
This is the agency you want to be in!  They had Acchan, Yuko, and Erepyon already.  All three do very well outside of the group.  All of the girls seemed thrilled to be signed here during the announcement, as they should be. 

Mousa
I don't know what to say about this agency. . . considering they only have four profiles.  All of the profiles are of members from AKB48, and none are close to the front.  I mean all of them are theater, possible Undergirls later.

Someday
I only found Mariko Shinoda's profile.  Although they have few profiles, I recognized quite a few.  Mariko does really well outside of AKB, but I didn't see any other members.

Artist house Pyramid
This also looks like a small agency, but they Yukari Sato, a graduate of AKB48 (Team A)/ member of SDN48.  Yukari has done well with gravure modeling, which I see as a possibility with Rumi.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Pleasure to meet you! - New Blogger

Hey everyone! I'm the newest contributing writer to WiT (Wota in Training), Kenta 'Ai' Tsuji! It's a pleasure to meet all of you!

Some of my favorite artists usually come from strange genres and I usually will focus on single artists as opposed to bands themselves:

Ai Kago, originally part of Morning Musume she has seemed to really blossom into a great singer as a woman. Her latest album has a very strong jazz feel and is a big departure from her days as a MoMusu girl.

Ayumi Hamasaki. She has been my favorite solo artist for a long time. As a part of the Avex track she's become a superstar. Her music videos come from all styles of music, from hip-hop to rock to pop to soulful ballads. She also seems to reinvent herself and comes out better then before!

Aya Kamiki. Aya Kamiki is a best of both worlds for me, she has the Japanese vocals matched with a western lite-rock feel. Some of her songs have a more urban feel as well and really combines the best of western pop and Japanese pop.

Lecca. Lecca's music is something that I hadn't anticipated to like so much but the J-Reggae vibe that she has in her videos really is something indescribable, it blends her strong vocals and soft

Nana Tanimura. Another Avex singer, Nana is another artist with an urban flare but is also very versatile in her sound. She's rather new to the label so I expect a lot of great things from her.

I'll leave a video from each of the artists so enjoy and greetings again!



Lecca:


Nana Tanimura:


Ayumi Hamasaki:


Ai Kago:

Monday, July 5, 2010

AKB 600 - Episode 1 Summary & Review


It Begins!  The show is a cross between a documentary and a stalker video.  The premise of the show is to follow around members for a day (secretly) and see what they do.  Then edit it down to 600 seconds, which is about 10 minutes.  The first target is the fashion leader of AKB:  


Tomochin (Itano Tomomi)





















The introduction is nice for those who are not familiar with the members.  The concept is interesting considering that the group's popularity is growing.  Kind of a less rude...(scratch that) disturbing?  No that is not right either... um... less distracting than the paparazzi.  It also suits the core fan-base because they like to know everything about their idols.  

She first leads us to a nail salon, which they provide the name of.  She is helped by two women (one for each hand) in a potentially empty room.  When they follow her the corners show a bag or something.  I wish they gave more of a clue as to how they are doing this.  Wouldn't she notice if someone was following her all day?  A manager maybe, but would she behave the same as she usually does?  Possibly, if she doesn't know she is being taped.
My Japanese isn't spectacular so I bet this is very intriguing for those who understand it.  I believe she talks about a TV program and food.
I'm going to start using captions now!  Why I never thought of this... I don't know.  As we know from the graduates of Morning Musume, being a top idol is very tiring.  Tomochin starts to dose off, and then she is out.  They wake her up when they are finished.  Poor thing.  Do you like me using captions?  I don't know... it is all centered.  Wait... I can change that too!
Next we follow her to where she eats lunch.
She eats soba(?) alone... loudly.  This also makes her life seem depressing.  I wonder if they set it up so they don't meet friends or anything.  I bet they give the girls a heads up or something because we aren't going to discover any secrets here.
She then enters Rose Bullet, a clothing store.  Not much of a surprise.
Tomochin struggles over which color dress she wants (pink or blue).  This makes me want to go shopping.  I would buy one color of the dress, but I also noticed a one piece (shorts?) that looks cute.  I would get that in the other color.  She goes back and forth for quite a while.

She then has a meeting with, I believe, her agents or her people.  Their age and appearance does not give off the family or friends vibe.  They order food.
She talks about Team A and Team K.  She mentions how she has Team A pride.  Well it was her team for a long time, she grew up with Team A.  However, she talks about the dancing of Team K.  The first name she mentions in the entire show is Oshima Yuko, but nothing bad.  This also leads me to believe that she is at least a little bit in on it or that anything undesired it edited out.
The END
Next week or whenever they show the next episode, they are going to stalk Haruna Kojima (Team A).  In the preview there is a lot of Takahashi Minami.  Will it be them on the set of their new drama?  A no3b promotional thing of meeting?  I didn't see any Minami Minegishi.

News

I'm back!  I was busy for a couple days with family, who also do not have internet.  I was too busy to post anyway.  I was lucky to miss all the wonderful events that those in LA got to enjoy.  I might just do a picspam of pictures that are being uploaded by other wota, but later.  There are a couple noobs that I've asked to contribute to the site and both are up for it.   Now lets start with all the PV goodies!

S/mileage PV Preview - ◯◯ がんばらなくてもええねんで!!

Goto Maki PV Preview - EYES


Berry Koubou PV - 本気ボンバー!!

4Minute PV - I My Me Mine

Now onto sub-groups news:
Nattou Angels Z is the second generation line up of Nattou Angels (Miho Miyazaki, Tomomi Itano, and Tomomi Kasai).  The members are Haruka Ishida, Nito Moeno, Miyazaki Miho and Sato Sumire.  Their song is titled Nattou Man.

French Kiss is a new sub-unit from AKB48 including Yukirin, Aki, and Mocchi.  They all belong to the same agency.  The single will be released under Avex.  It is the ending theme for an anime.







ずっと 前から


No Sleeves will be releasing another single, but they are also doing another drama!


Other News:
The idols that made media line for senbatsu will be releasing a pocket photobook (AKB48 Best12)

AKB48 has started another TV show where hidden cameras follow one member around for a day.  The first episode followed the recent birthday girl: Tomomi Itano!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

World's End Dancehall 「ワールズエンド・ダンスホール」 - Hatsune Miku, Megurine Luka



Joudan majiri no kyoukai senjou
Kaidan no sono mata mukou
Zenzen ii koto mo nai shi, nee
Sono te wo hii te miyouka?

Sanzan tsumazui ta dansu wo,
Sou, saidan no ue de odoru no?
Bouzen ni me ga kuran jau kara
Dou deshou, issho ni koko de!

Kandakai koe ga heya wo umeru yo
Saitei na imi wo uzumaite
Touzen, ii koto mo nai shi
Saa , omoikiri hakidasouka

「Mijikai kotoba de tsunagaru imi wo
Kao mo awase zu ni ke kirau wake wo
Sagashite mo
Sagashite mo
Mitsukaranai kedo

Hanikami nagara okottatte
Me wo fuse nagara warattatte
Sonna no, douse, tsumaranai wa!」

HOPPU . SUTEPPU de odorouka
Sekai no sumikko de WAN.TSUU
Chotto kuratto shisou ni naru shuumatsu kan wo tanoshinde

Patto furatto kiecha iso na
Tsugi no shunkan wo nokosouka
Kurukurukurukururi mawaru sekai ni you

Boukan sha dake no kuukan.
REESU wo saishuu densha ni norikonde,
「Zenzen ii koto mo nai shi, nee, kono te wo hii te miyouka?」

Nandaka itsumo to chigau.
Unmei no itazura wo shinjite miru.
Sanzan tsumazui ta dansu wo,
Sou, omoikiri baka ni shiyouka

「Tsumaran ugoki kurikaesu imi o
Oto ni awasete ashi wo fumu wake wo
Sagashite mo
Sagashite mo
Mitsukaranai kara

Kanashii toki ni odoritai no
Nakitai toki ni waraitai no」

Sonna wagamama tsukare chau wa!

POPPU ni SENSU wo utaouka
Sekai, utsumui chau maeni
Kyutto shichatta kokoro no oto wo douzo.
Madamada wasurenai wa.

Nante kirei na nagame nan deshouka!
Koko kara mieru fuukei
Kitto nanihitotsu kawaranai kara,
Kareta jimen wo hau no.

HOPPU . SUTEPPU de odorouka
Sekai no sumikko de WAN.TSUU
Chotto kuratto shisou ni naru shuumatsu kan wo tanoshinde

Patto furatto kiecha iso na
Tsugi no shunkan wo nokosouka

Sayonara, ogenki de.

Owaru sekai ni iu


Singer : Hatsune Miku, Megurine Luka
Type : Vocaloid
Composer : Wowaka
Lyric Source : @wiki

Pinky Promise 「指切り」 - Hatsune Miku



Koyoi wa anata no tame
Kono mi wo sazuke mashou

Anata to wa tokubetsu na no
Kore wa seji toka kuzetsu janai no

Aa atashi koi wo shite
Anata no me ni utsuru mono subete nikuku mieru no
Atashi igai wa mi naide

Kokoro no oto ga suru wa
Kitanai kasureta koe

Mae no otoko no yukue yori mo
Anata no mirai ki ni narimasu

Aa mitasa reru kurai
Karada mo kokoro mo zenbu tsuyoku oku no oku made
Saa motto atsuku sasete yo

Chiisana mise de yokotawaru
Hokori mamire no kono koi wo
Makoto no koi to yoba nu nara
Ima shimeshi mashou ai no akashi wo

Aa atashi anata nara
Kami giri mo tsume hagi mo koete yubikiri suru wa
Kawashi te kawara nu ai wo

Yubikitta


Singer : Hatsune Miku
Type : Vocaloid
Composer : すこっぷ
Lyric Source : @wiki

Your Star 「キミボシ」 - Hatsune Miku



BARANSU chigai no futari no ashioto
Tooku ni kikoete kuru fuyu no oto ni kasanaru
Kirei ni naranda kagebooshi futatsu
Deatta haru no hi kara sukoshi nobi ta kimi no se

Onaji ima o wakachi au bokura
Chigau asu o yumemite shimatta
' Soredemo ii ' to hohoenda
Kimi no egao ga setsuna sugite

Hokoreru hodo nani mo deki nakute
Tada kimi no soba ni itai sou negau dake
Tatoe subete kiesatte shimatte mo
Bokura ga ima, mitsuke ta mono
Kono basho de zutto
Hikari tsuzukeru kara

Fureau yubisaki nagarekomu ondo
Kimi to hitotsu ni nareru tada hitotsu no shunkan
Minareta machinami kawarenai boku wa
Sugita kisetsu no naka ni okiwasure rareteita

Bokura hanare banare no sekai de
Tagai o shitta furi o shiteita
Ano hoshi ni te ga todoku hi made
Dore dake omoi o kasanerundarou

Afureru hodo kimi ga itoshikute
Yoake mae no hoshi tachi ni negai o kometa
Yagate subete kiesatte shimau kedo
Saigo ni hitotsu nokotta mono
Kasuka na hikari
Bokura ga mitsuke ta kotae


Singer : Hatsune Miku
Type : Vocaloid
Composer : 40mP
Lyric Source : @wiki
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