1. Kaela Kimura – Hot Pepper
2. EXILE – FIREWORKS
3. Arashi - Everything
4. Ayaka – Minna Sora no Shita
5. Masaharu Fukuyama – Saiai
6. Aqua Timez – Plumeria ~Hana Uta~
7. Yusuke – Tanpopo
8. Anna Tsuchiya – Brave vibration
9. Kaela Kimura – Butterfly
10. JASMINE – sad to say
11. Juliet – Natsu Love
12. flumpool - MW ~ Dear Mr. & Ms. Picaresque
13. Miliyah Kato – Aitai
14. Thelma Aoyama – Wasurenai yo
15. Arashi - season
16. GReeeeN - Haruka
17. MINMI – Ave Maria
18. Superfly – Koisuru Hitomi wa Utsukushii
19. Tohoshinki – Stand by U
20. Michael Jackson – Thriller
21. mihimaru GT – Switch
22. Arashi – Ashita no Kioku
23. Crystal Kay – After Love -First Boyfriend- feat. KANAME (CHEMISTRY)
24. Yajima Beauty Salon – Hamaguri Bomber
25. AILI thanx to May J. & KEN THE 390 – One story

Hello! Project sadly announced that Kanna Arihara of C-ute has left both C-ute and the Hello! Project.  Around 4 months ago, she stopped C-ute and H!P activities while recovering from a pretty bad bunion on her foot.  Many fans agreed that this was a most probable truth when comparing pictures of her feet (because that’s not odd!).  Kanna has since decided that she no longer wants to be part of the idol world, and return to the life of a normal girl.

However, other sources have claimed that the bunion was not the only reason Kanna left the Hello! Project, and that a previous scandal which came to light almost a year ago involving her on a date with a Johnny’s Jr. member.  H!O has claimed that an inside source has told them that Kanna’s graduation (although no concert is set up for this) is linked to the boyfriend scandal, and new “evidence” being uncovered – pictures which apparently can’t be shown because Kanna is still a minor.  All in all, this sounds a lot more unsettling.

As fans cry out in an uproar, I actually think H!P have done the correct thing here.  Dragging Kanna through the same process Ai Kago was, when scandal erupted for her a few years ago, would probably be just as personally destructive to Kanna as it was for Kago.  Breaking her ties with the show business will also mean that the potentially damaging photos of her may not be published.  Let’s not forget, Kanna is only 16, pretty young by all accounts, with a life ahead of her.  H!P have to think of the business side of this too – wota don’t like their girl’s dating!  However, in the same breath, if this scandal involved Airi or Maimi, I do think it would have be handled very differently.

 We’ll all miss you Kanna, and hope you have a happy future outside of H!P.

1. Arashi - Everything (342,070)
2. Tohoshinki – Stand by U (182,068)
3. flumpool - MW ~ Dear Mr. & Ms. Picaresque / Natsu Dive (31,825)
4. Yusuke– Tanpopo / Kaizokusen / Sonote (31,579)
5. C-ute – Shochu Omimai Moushiagemasu (27,798)
6. AKB48– Namida Surprise (20,281)
7. GACKT – Flower (14,595)
8. John-Hoon – Blue Moon (8.214)
9. Arashi– Ashita no Kioku / Crazy Moon: Kimi wa Muteki (7,760)
10. JASMINE – SAD TO SAY (6.898)
11. BIG BANG – MY HEAVEN (6,528)
12. Boom Boom Satellites – BACK ON MY FEET (6,007)
13. Anna Tsuchiya – Brave vibration (5,726)
14. Hyotei Eternity – Sakamichi No Hate He (5,199)
15. Kalafina – storia (4,887)
16. Minami Akina no Super Mild Seven / Satoda Mai with Goda Kazoku – I Believe – Yume wo Kanaeru Maho no Kotoba – / Don’t leave me (4,828)
17. YUI – again (4,374)
18. Youko Hisaka – K-ON! Character Single (Heart Goes Boom!!) (4,003)
19. Toyosaki Aki – K-ON! Character Single (Guitar ni Kubittaki) (3,985)
20. Shiina Ringo – Ariamaru Tomi (3,895)
21. GReeeeN – Haruka (3,803)
22. Eisaku Okawa – Nani wa kotobuki (3,662)
23. AZU – I WILL (3,592)
24. SCANDAL – Shoujo S (3,578)
25. Masaharu Fukuyama – Keshin (3,533)
26. Sakurako Keionbu – Don’t say “lazy” (3,393)
27. GACKT - LOST ANGELS (3,170)
28. Tohoshinki – Share The World / We Are! (3,136)
29. V6 – Spirit (3,027)
30. Sakurako Keionbu- Cagayake! Girls (3,019)

1. Juliet – Natsu Love
2. Yusuke – Tanpopo
3. Kaela Kimura – Butterfly
4. Miliyah Kato – Aitai
5. Masaharu Fukuyama – Saiai
6. Sugar Soul feat. Kenji – Garden
7.  JASMINE – sad to say
8. GReeeeN - Haruka
9. MINMI – Ave Maria
10. High Speed Boyz – BAD CITY
11. Arashi – Ashita no Kioku
12. Hikaru Utada – Beautiful World -PLANiTb Acoustica Mix-
13. Yuya Matsushita – Negai ga Kanau nara
14. Superfly – Alright!!
15. May J. – Garden feat. DJ KAORI, Diggy-Mo’, Clench & Blistah
16. Miliyah Kato & Shimizu Shota – Love Forever
17. Michael Jackson – Thriller
18. JUJU – Ashita Ga Kurunara feat. JAY’ED
19. Kumi Koda – Hashire!
20. AZU – CLOSE TO YOU
21. B’z - DIVE
22. Kana Nishino – Kimi ni Aitaku Narukara
23. BIGBANG – MY HEAVEN
24. mihimaru GT – Switch
25. Kumi Koda – Lick Me

Is it surprising really?  A number of bloggers and fansites with press passes turned up to a press junket for special one-on-one (or should that be 9-on-one) interviews with Morning Musume at the LA Anime Expo.  According to reports from Hello! Blog and Hello! Online, all of them were chucked out to make way for the “real press”.

A lot of the sites have taken mass offence to Morning Musume’s management’s actions, but is it really that surprising?  America was never really on the group’s radar, and although the Expo is a big step, many speculate that the move was more for the benefits the girls would receive back in Japan than instead of expanding in the current market.

This aside, I do feel rather sorry for all those who prepared, prepared and then prepared some more for an interview that they were then shot down for.  It wasn’t out-of-the ordinary to assume that H!O would get an interview either. Despite many people being concerned that the tracker is the main reason why the site was rejected, they had previously got an interview with HANGRY & ANGRY.  Now fans are more concerned with the implication of Morning Musume’s management taking things into their own hands, and question whether events will be cut short / dropped.  For many fans it’s a disappointing start to what should have been a great weekend.

So after mass aruging and accidently offending people on the H!O comments board for this subject, I will establish that:

• It is a great shame that UFA did not make clear before or as early as possible they had no intention of including these sites in their interview
• Any H!P fan thinking they had the slightest chance of an interview would have clearly turned up to the press junket any way
• I don’t think H!O were turned away due to their track, I doubt UFA even know who H!O were.  Who are we really to UFA?  No one!
• I think this is a publicity stunt for Japan
• I’m now feeling a little better for being stuck in over-heated London than in LA!  Isn’t that evil!
• And finally apologies to anyone my half-thought comments upset, including Paul from Hello! Blog

1. Yusuke – Tanpopo / Kaizokusen / Sonote (176,185)
2. AKB48 – Namida Surprise (104,180)
3. BIG BANG – MY HEAVEN (26,039)
4. Teppei Koike – Kimi Dake (17,029)
5. GACKT – LOST ANGELS (14,548)
6. Kiyoharu – DARLENE (12,084)
7. Base Ball Bear – BREEEEZE GIRL (10,018)
8. Versailles – ASCENDEAD MASTER (9,596)
9. Arashi – Ashita no Kioku / Crazy Moon: Kimi wa Muteki (9,134)
10. Ai Ueto – Smile for… (8,854)
11. Minami Akina no Super Mild Seven / Satoda Mai with Goda Kazoku – I Believe – Yume wo Kanaeru Maho no Kotoba – / Don’t leave me (8,686)
12. V6 – Spirit (8,128)
13. JASMINE – SAD TO SAY (7,837)
14. Shiina Ringo – Ariamaru Tomi (7,538)
15. Youko Hisaka – K-ON! Character Single (Heart Goes Boom!!) (7,488)
16. Toyosaki Aki – K-ON! Character Single (Guitar ni Kubittaki) (7,225)
17. RAG FAIR – Marry Me!! (7,141)
18. YUI – again (6,358)
19. Kiyoshiro Imawano – Oh! RADIO (6,050)
20. Kenichi Suzumura – Mitochondria (6,031)
21. SCANDAL – Shoujo S (6,022)
22. GReeeeN – Haruka (5,409)
23. DRAGON SOUL – Yeah! Break! Care! Break! (4,540)
24. MINMI – Ave Maria (3,958)
25. GIRL NEXT DOOR – Infinity (3,910)
26. kotoko – Ao – iconoclast (3,786)
27. Sakurako Keionbu – Don’t say “lazy” (3,642)
28. JUJU – Ashita Ga Kurunara feat. JAY’ED (3,357)
29. mihimaru GT – Switch (3,334)
30. Sakurako Keionbu- Cagayake! Girls (3,242)

How the heck did AKB48 shift that many singles… ahh who cares any more.  I’m looking to post chaka uta rankings in the near future!

 Well here’s a surprise, and a very nice one at that.  Morning Musume have released their own PV for 3, 2, 1 Breakin Out.  While some fans are left a little angry that their “ideas” were stolen, others are welcoming the change to the usual Hello! Project PV storyboard, with something that’s a bit more fresh and fun, regardless of whether the PV was created before or after the competition for LA Expo began.

All this aside, whoever wins is getting paid, and all the clips belonged to H!P to start with – so really these arguments do seem a little null and void.  I suppose for once, in a very direct way, H!P were asking what their fans wanted, and considering the number of unsolicited OPVs on youtube, we shouldn’t complain.

Back on topic, the PV is a mesh of colours, using the clips of all 9 members on the original green-screen which was provided for the OPV contest, dancing, having fun, and dressed in…. well rather odd ensembles, which isn’t that weird for Morning Musume, considering some of the tat they wore on their Resonant Live tour.  For the sake of the PV, the costumes are awesome, but if I ever saw someone wearing what Aika was, I’d cross to the other side of the road.  Risa and Lin Lin’s hair styles also aren’t that flattering, but now I’m really being very picky at things I needn’t be!

The main reason why I prefer this PV is that it’s slightly reminiscent of the earlier Morning Musume PVs, and is definitely a change from the current format (dance shot, close up, moody poses, etc.).  Bright colours, fun back drops and an interesting dance routine as well as lots of “play acting” between members.  In fact, it’s almost like a Mini Moni PV.

Hopefully, H!P have learnt some valuable lessons from the 3, 2, 1 Breakin Out competition, and with the recent annoucement of the revival of many old units such as Tanpopo, V-U-DEN, Petit Moni and Mini Moni, it seems that maybe a new era is dawning for H!P.  Viva subunits!  Just bring back the summer shuffles now!

Recently, I’ve fallen out of love with Aibon.  When she first announced her come back, just over a year ago, I was 100% supporting her, but suddenly I had real concerns for her career when she released her photobook earlier this year, which seemed to translate into a rather “sorry-for-myself” story.  Not only that, but she began to spread herself very thinly – photobooks, DVDs, films and then the announcement of a single.  She was turning into the typical “tarento” who seems to lack any real skill but providing a lot of tabloid fodder.

Enter “No Hesitation”, and my mind changes slightly.  We’re bought back to earth with a beautiful song and PV which seem to hold more honesty to it than anything else Ai has done recently – and I’m happy for her, in fact, I might start supporting her again.

No Hesitation is a beautifully written song, it reminds me a little of something Chieko Kawabe might have sung, but it definitely has that feel good feeling plumping it up.  As someone rightly said on Hello! Online, it shows how a great PV can be made on a relatively small budget also!

However, I am slightly dissapointed with Ai’s voice.  I thought her vocals were at their most outstanding when I saw / heard some of her “Sakura-gumi” performances.  Unlike them, it almost sounds as if her voice has deteroirted a little (that’s what smoking does to you!), and the song, though beautiful, is a little too generic, and probably falls too much into the “easy listening” genre, rather than anything else, a slight dissapointment when they’;ve thrown big names around concerning the production.

Whether or not it’s a noteworthy single to relaunch a career on as a singer is another question however.  I almost feel as if it’s pushing Ai back into that tarento field.  Although it’s nice to hear her sing again, and I have started to like her image and personality through this song, I still feel that it may not push her forward, past her existing fanbase, but maybe will at least restore confidence to her existing fans.

 

The highlight of my summer is fast approaching – yes Ayacon.  For the last 4 years, believe it or not, con’s have often been my highlight – sad but true!

This year I’m also over excited as for the first time I’m running an event – J-Pop related of course.  Not only that, but Aya seems to really be pushing the boundaries and is looking like it will produce the best con ever held in the UK.  Obviously, UK cons in no way, shape or form are like US cons – a lower attendance and funds have meant they’re still pretty low key and don’t attract external attention outside the anime/manga/otaku/wota communities.

But still, this year, on a shoe string, the Aya community have come up with a great guest, Halko Momoi!  Coming from the opinnion of someone who has not watched any of the anime she was in, but has only heard some of her music, I am very excited.  Firstly, it’s the first time I will have been to a con which has a Japanese guest.  Secondly, it’s not an obscure person, such as an artist who wrote one anime opening, but someone who is actively involved in her work, and quite high profile for that reason.

Well done Aya!  I can’t stop giving my praises to a con ,which until last year, a lot of us thought we’d never seen again.  It’s already looking to be a much more promising event than last years big UK con, Ame!

Now, if you can all support me in the J-Pop Lounge, I will be extremely grateful!

1. GIRL NEXT DOOR – Infinity (30,641)
2. Mai Kuraki – Beautiful (29,446)
3. YUI – again (21,536)
4. GReeeeN – Haruka (20,253)
5. Arashi – Ashita no Kioku / Crazy Moon: Kimi wa Muteki (19,095)
6. GACKT – Koakuma Heaven (16,338)
7. Shizuka Itou – Honjitsu, Mankai Watashi Iro (14,803)
8. TUBE - Summer Greeting (13,656)
9. Plastic Tree – Fukurou (12,831)
10. Kazuki Kato – EASY GO (9,412)
11. JUJU – Ashita Ga Kurunara feat. JAY’ED (8,796)
12. MONKEY MAJIK – Aishiteru (7,686)
13. Masaharu Fukuyama – Keshin (6,760)
14. Higuchi Ryoichi – Tegami ~Shinainaru Kodomo Tachi He~ (6.375)
15. MISIA - Ginga / Itsudemo (6,319)
16. Ikimono-gakari – Futari (6,036)
17. Baba Toshihide – Fighting Pose no Uta (5,736)
18. 9mm Parabellum Bullet – Black Market Blues e.p. (5.578)
19. misono - End=Start / Shuuten ~Kimi no Ude no Naka~ (4,924)
20. Shiina Ringo – Ariamaru Tomi (4,809)
21. PENGIN – Asa Answer (4,296)
22. T-Postonz + KMC – Maji de Kansha (4,214)
23. Miliyah Kato & Shimizu Shota – Love Forever (4,099)
24. Kra – Love Lab (3,875)
25. GLAY – I am xxx (3,794)
26. Berryz Kobo – Seishun Bus Guide / Rival (3,741)
27. Sakurako Keionbu – Don’t say “lazy” (3,678)
28. Kaori Mizumori- Aki no Miyajima (3,387)
29. Sakurako Keionbu – Fuwa Fuwa Time (3,322)
30. Mitsuko Nakamura – Tsureai (3,309)

Wow, I got it out on time this week – and it must be summer as TUBE have released a single!  All in all, a pretty low selling week.  Berryz charted for 2 weeks though