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I'm baaaaaaack (since holding your finger down on a vowel key even while making up a name up for an H!P unit is now normal)

Posted by zabel, 06 December 2022 · 334 views

I'm baaaaaaack (since holding your finger down on a vowel key even while making up a name up for an H!P unit is now normal) For a full decade I stopped following idols totally, but recently the call of the idol has sounded in my head and cannot be ignored.

A lot has changed when you wake up from a 10-year Rip Van Winkle-esque sleep. I've discovered that:

- Morning Musume is the only unit whose name I could recognize at first. All other units are new and, to be honest, look like clones of one another. What happened to variety? There used to be big units, small units, solo units, duo units, units with different musical styles, units with older mature members, units with very young members, units with members who are all short in stature, etc.

- They upped their level of performance. Nice. But lamentably don't seem to be doing anything that could be called comedy. I miss the fun days of Hello! Morning. All the games and skits and minor celebrity appearances and even the news segments were hilarious.

- The girls themselves are likable as always which is I suppose what matters most. Oda is nearly the perfect idol. Chel has a way of making me smile. Mei is adorable. Riley seems like a smart pick. Ayumi got, uh, chubbier in the face--but is still likable.

- The OG/M-Liners are active on Youtube and social media. In fact, it was Gakisan's channel suddenly popping up in my feed one day that pulled me back into it all. I clicked that link and one thing led to another.

- Shortly thereafter Gakisan announced her second marriage. I was still figuring out that she had been divorced. Good to see Aichan is still happily married. Mikitty too, whose channel I occasionally enjoy.

- Aichan is singing songs about taiyaki and udon. Ok. I'll take it.

- I miss Kamei more than I could have imagined. Maybe we all do.

- Yossui...what were you thinking....

- Had I been paying attention during the Riho years I'm sure I would have been a huge Riho fan. At least she's in the public eye.

- Young Town is still going!? Wow. Surely no other radio show still is.

- Unofficial labels have been assigned to the eras of this the longest running idol group in history (it is, isn't it?), and the Platinum is respected. This is so great to see.


The only thing that hasn't surprised me is Tsunku not being producer any more, because I knew he was living in Hawaii, because I saw him walking in Ala Moana Center on one occasion, and brushed by him in a public restroom on another.

Well I'm gonna think about what to do from here. If I don't revive this blog I may start another.




You saw Tsunku but didn't talk to him?!

 

Miki looks super cute in that picture ^_^

 ^ I know I know. (><)  But it took me by surprise, and the bathroom doorway is an awkward place to talk.

To whoever it may interest, I've been blogging every day on Tumblr. Just short little writeups, mostly about Hello! Morning.
A smile a day on Tumblr