731 replies to this topic

[Bane]

personally, i think for the miya scandal, it's too hard to prove that it was ACTUALLY her when there's fukuda saki around.

i remember this

problem is, that cap and sweater she was wearing was something she wore previously. and took pictures with, like the one at the radio station.
and i've seen her wearing the same cap in pictures several times

how bout this pic? same cap? hmmm


here's another

here she's wearing the same sweater/hoodie. even the double lines at the end of the sleeve match up

[greah]

2. Jun-jun and Lin-lin joining Morning Musume.

isn't JJ currently one of the most popular members?

9 Well i dont see an issue with these. They were an attempt to look at other markets did not work as well as they perhaps hoped but it was an attempt so should not be seen as a bad thing fundamentally.

japanese nationalism - maybe in wotas eyes UFA sold their idols for the lowest price?




In my opinion there is one, but crucial, reason why they're not as popular as they were about 3-4 years ago - stagnation. Tsunku and UFA are exploiting the brand to it's limits; for example - FOUR different versions of the same single while the other girlband :} just released their single in two versions but with four PV's and FIVE tracks. Instead of going forward, exploring new media (weekly magazine sessions?) and promoting girls everywhere where it's possible they (Tsunku and UFA) created something fully opposite to AKBs idols you can meet

[Amee.]

1. Choose Mitsui Aika at the 8th MM audition.

2. Jun-jun and Lin-lin joining Morning Musume.

3. Rejecting Mano Erina in the H!P Eggs audition.

4. Rejecting Maeda Yuuka in the H!P Eggs audition.

5. Promoting Aichan as Mizuhara Kana in Q.E.D. ~Shoumei Shuuryou~

6. Ignore the Natsuyaki Miyabi kissing scandal ~link~

7. Faking the reason behind Arihara Kanna's graduation. 

8. The little explination behind Koizumi Koharu

9. The needless and useless concerts in China, Korea and US.

10. Ignore the Kamei Eri kissing pictures ~link~

1. Why won't people shut up about Aika! She was perfect.

2. Nooooooo crazy people they are brilliant. (My favourites = 1. LinLin 2. Aika 3. JunJun)

3. TBH she should have been rejected from the whole of H!P.

4. Did they? Oh, that's pretty bad. But then she was only, like, 8.

5. Uhh, what's wrong about that?

6. Why would they want to get rid of Miya? I doubt it was her anyways.

7. Might not have been faking. But it was a nicer way to send her off. Sending her off with a scandal is stupid, for the fans, H!P and for her. Let's say it was a bunion!

8. Koizumi? Kusumi Koha~. We probably know the reason. She wasn't, uh... the most popular between the other members? Ai & Risa, Jun & Lin, Reina & Aika, Sayu & Eri and Koharu & ?. I mean, I don't think Sayu got on that well, they were more like rivals.

9. I think that's nice for the fans in those countries, and for Musume. You can see how much the enjoyed going to LA. They weren't pointless.

10. There was an Eririn scandal? Yeah, as if they'd care. Eri is quite an important member, really. Those pictures are really blurred, it could have been anyone. It could have even been my cat who is sleeping in front of me, wearing a wig.

[myrmidon]

7. Might not have been faking. But it was a nicer way to send her off. Sending her off with a scandal is stupid, for the fans, H!P and for her. Let's say it was a bunion!

They shouldn't have jerked C-ute fans around by saying she'd be out temporarily because of a foot operation, and then months later say she's not coming back at all without a reasonable explanation and a farewell message from Kanna to her fans. It just makes it look even more like they were trying to cover up something. They should have just used the standard excuse from the beginning, "Kanna has decided to leave C-ute to resume her education."

[chr0nik©]

1. Why won't people shut up about Aika! She was perfect.
Not according to the people that wrote the column and the people who commented it.

2. Nooooooo crazy people they are brilliant. (My favourites = 1. LinLin 2. Aika 3. JunJun)
LinLin and JunJun are not the most popular members.. they could be on this forum but I've barely read anything nice of them elsewhere

3. TBH she should have been rejected from the whole of H!P.
That's your opinion and not a fact. She's a fan favourite in Japan and they shouldn't have rejected her.

4. Did they? Oh, that's pretty bad. But then she was only, like, 8.
And that's why it's H!P Eggs... it's for younger people

5. Uhh, what's wrong about that?
Meh.

6. Why would they want to get rid of Miya? I doubt it was her anyways.
Check the link I posted it. It appears to be her

7. Might not have been faking. But it was a nicer way to send her off. Sending her off with a scandal is stupid, for the fans, H!P and for her. Let's say it was a bunion!
Not a nice way of sending off somebody who is a fan favourite.

8. Koizumi? Kusumi Koha~. We probably know the reason. She wasn't, uh... the most popular between the other members? Ai & Risa, Jun & Lin, Reina & Aika, Sayu & Eri and Koharu & ?. I mean, I don't think Sayu got on that well, they were more like rivals.

The issue is there isn't a clear reason why she's being taken off. I'm not a big fan of hers anyways but it's a matter of being clear to her japanese fans.

9. I think that's nice for the fans in those countries, and for Musume. You can see how much the enjoyed going to LA. They weren't pointless.
That's not what the japanese fans think. They see it as a negative thing.

10. There was an Eririn scandal? Yeah, as if they'd care. Eri is quite an important member, really. Those pictures are really blurred, it could have been anyone. It could have even been my cat who is sleeping in front of me, wearing a wig.
LOL nice way of avoiding the issue... Check the link I posted, it's most likely her and if they kicked out people before for similar things, why shouldn't they do it to her?

Being an idol + violated her contract = out

[Nouciel]

I remember a few years ago some Japanese fans used to say that the biggest mistake made by UFA was letting Takahashi Ai join Mini Moni

[Arche-JoIyO]

1. Not a fan of Aika but she does have her fans.
2. RACIST PEOPLE.
3. But then they acepted here, so what's the big deal?
4. Read 4.
5. BUT IT WAS PROMOTION. And the girls like acting in doramas.
6. I'm happy it was ignored.
7. OK I can't agree more here.
8. Kusumi Koharu? Again I agree here.
9. Needless? What's so "needless" about them? I'm happy some fans get the chance of watching them live. Japanese fan can be so self-centered sometimes.
10. Stop crying for useless things dudes.

[chr0nik©]

2. RACIST PEOPLE.

How are they racist? They don't like them on MM... nothing racist about that. I don't like nor want them on MM, does it make me a racist?

10. Stop crying for useless things dudes.

It's not useless... if you're an idol you can't have a boyfriend, period.

[яιвση♥]

This thread's very opinionated..

This isn't factual, you guys know that right? Just wondering, not trying to be mean~

[Nao-kun]

7. Might not have been faking. But it was a nicer way to send her off. Sending her off with a scandal is stupid, for the fans, H!P and for her. Let's say it was a bunion!

Since we have recent proof that injuries don't stop H!P Girls from being on stage I don't think anyone believes the bunion story anymore and as you can see from the original list, the Japanese still make a very big deal out of every smallest hint at a maybe scandal.

[liLcazza]

Ahem well, I agree with Himalia Like... everything on that list... EVERYTHING!!!!

[Arche-JoIyO]

2. RACIST PEOPLE.

How are they racist? They don't like them on MM... nothing racist about that. I don't like nor want them on MM, does it make me a racist?

I'm 99% sure they don't like them in Momusu because they're chinese. And yes that's racist.

It's not useless... if you're an idol you can't have a boyfriend, period.

Then just stop being a fan of Eri or whoever had a boyfriend and stop crying. Period.

[Zomboid]

I remember a few years ago some Japanese fans used to say that the biggest mistake made by UFA was letting Takahashi Ai join Mini Moni

Oh my god I couldn't agree more. I loved the original Mini Moni and yes I even loved Mika lol, but that sudden change to a "cooler" more grown up image totally turned me off. And Aichan just isn't cute enough to be Mini Moni material (sorry!).
On the topic of graduations, what I think people often forget is that the idol business is very short-lived and I doubt that any 13 or 14 year old girl (and that's the average age of the girls joining MM) thinks she's in for life when signing an idol contract. Come on they're only human, think about the crazy schedule those girls have, on top of their normal school and family life, of couse there comes a time when it's just enough. And I think Goto Maki or Yoshizawa Hitomi have been in the idol business for a long enough time before they eventually graduated. Of course it's sad and there are idols who are even longer in the business but as I already said, they were only teenagers when they started, filled with hopes and dreams, and they had reached those dreams easily by their graduations. I'm always impressed with those girls who work as idols for years and let their teenage years pass by so to speak. Sorry for getting so melodramatic but I just think that people should give the girls' personal lifes more thought when complaining about graduations. And I doubt that most graduations are really decided that suddenly on the inside.
Oh and I also think one of UFA's biggest mistakes was the downsizing and general ######ing up of Hello!Morning.

[chr0nik©]

I'm 99% sure they don't like them in Momusu because they're chinese. And yes that's racist.

Whatever floats their boat really, if they have reasons not to like them then so be it. They are the ones that buy H!P records, joining fan clubs and going to concerts. If they don't like a member for whatever reason, they are justified to complain and/or reject something they don't like.

Then just stop being a fan of Eri or whoever had a boyfriend and stop crying. Period.

I'm not a fan of hers to begin with, I'm just pointing out what's on the list. Btw, nobody is shedding a tear. If you don't like what I've written then don't come to this thread.

Look, the reason why I made this thread is to debate on other people's opinion of what's been damaging H!P and MM in the last couple of years but if you don't like what's in this thread then you can just not read it at all and go back to more innocent and pure (sarcasm) threads such as fanfics and stuff like that.

Take it easy, it's only the internet.

[Eeyore]

I would say that UFA have only made a few big mistakes:
1. Graduating girls at odd times for no apparent reason, leaving them in limbo (or Ongaku Gatas).
2. Not having the ability to really market / promote properly - especially the soloists but also the groups.
3. Swamping their own declining market with inferior product to cash in, rather than looking to innovate (as they did with Love Machine) and create a new market - and possibly a new product entirely.
4. Over-reliance on Tsunku as song-writer.
5. Complacency - resulting in an ingrained inability to promote effectively.
6. Not giving Ai-chan her own sub-group "Ai-chan and the Tettekettes" and her own solo-albums.

(okay, #6 is probably not going to get too many people agreeing with me... but I can dream! )

But I don't think too much has happened in the past 5 years that can be considered a "biggest mistake" that wasn't already set up to happen through one of these others (e.g. Yossy's graduation is included within 1, lack of tv-show = #2).

I don't see the original 10 in the OP as being anything other than "typical UFA".
I do note that Koharu's graduation is not among them but that the lack of explaination behind her graduation is?

So maybe I'm missing what the list is really about??

[Arche-JoIyO]

I'm not a fan of hers to begin with

Nor am I, actually she's like, one of the members I dislike the most, lol. But I'm happy they didn't do anything to Miyabi so why would I be happy with them getting rid of Eri?

If you don't like what I've written then don't come to this thread.

There're lost of things I don't like but it's fun to debate about. It's not that I don't like what you wrote, being it your opinion or being it japanese fans' opinion (it's actually pretty interesting to read). I just don't agree with some of those points, and that's, of course, normal.

Look, the reason why I made this thread is to debate on other people's opinion

And I'm debating, it's all cool dude I'm not taking this personally or anything. Sorry if it sounded rude. But your period sounded rude too lol.


BTW, it's ok if you don't like the pandas in Momusu. It's just that japanese fans seem to be so racist sometimes, and I'm sure most of them don't like JunLin for that reason. I don't think it's fair at all to dislike someone because they're not Japanese. And oh, japanese fans don't like 8th gen in general? That's new for me, actually

[myrmidon]

I'm 99% sure they don't like them in Momusu because they're chinese. And yes that's racist.

Well, I'm Chinese, and I don't like that JJ and LL were added either. The annoying thing is the motive behind adding the two Chinese members. If UFA spotted these two girls and said "wow, they're amazing! Never mind that they're not Japanese, let's add them into Morning Musume!", well, that wouldn't be so bad. But instead, UFA decided to throw in a couple Chinese girls to help market the group overseas. And the end result is Morning Musume is now stuck with two extra girls who aren't considered worthy enough to get any lines on the majority of singles.

Oh, and the goal of expanding into China didn't work out too well, either.
Excerpt from their interview last year in JapanTimes:
Morning Musume's move into China has been seen as the next logical step for the group. However, all has not gone according to plan. "The attempt to launch Morning Musume into China hasn't gone very well," admits Nishikata (manager). "CDs don't sell well, because they are soon pirated. Two years ago, when Lin Lin and Jun Jun (22) joined, we tried to push them hard to China, but it didn't go so well. We are still trying to find a way."
http://search.japant...20090313r1.html

Now that they've sort of established themselves in the group, I think it would be a mistake to boot JunJun and LinLin out, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a mistake to add them in the first place. For a group that was already in decline back in 2007, they should have been more worried about how to regain ground in Japan instead of trying to go global.

[Namie Hikari]

1. havin airi take over SHOCK! (i thought EVERYONE would have that somewhere =/) i know tsunku wants to make her a soloist, but he's doing it in the wrong way!
2. not taking in or at least graduating some eggs (i.e. kikkawa yuu, kitahara sayaka, saho akari, takeuchi akari, and in my opinion

Spoiler

arai manami

)
3. keeping Ongaku Gatas quiet for WAAAY too long!
4. not selling merchandise in normal international music stores (i mean C'MON! if you're gonna have a concert in other countries, make your singles available to them easier!!)
5. disbanding melon kinebi. (just when i was starting to like them ><)
6. letting megumi go or at least not adding another member then.
7. just kicking out kanna instead of waiting for recovery.

Spoiler

(heck i know she's unable to perform but there's a reason WHY they call it a hospital really!!!)

8. graduating Maiha from berryz. (edit: still keeping this)
9. graduating eggs without promoting them (this can be said for a LOT of former eggs)
10. not adding onto s/mileage (he'll have to do it eventually =/

Spoiler

this can also apply to #2

)

these are my opinions. whatchya guys think (please do NOT flame me for them.)

[Arche-JoIyO]

^ They didn't graduate Megumi. She quited because she wanted to. Not UFA's fault.

Maiha was actually the first H!P Kids to go. Then Megumi.

[Namie Hikari]

^ oh, thank you for the correction ^^ edited