It might just be me, but don’t you guys just love how neat and organized H!P is now that all the trash has been taken out?

There’s too much stuff that I can ramble about regarding H!P happenings this year. It’s much easier for me to organize it into categories and work it out there. For some, it’s been an AMAZING year, the best of their career, but for some others… well, not so much. Of course, some other groups played it on the safe side. Then again, it’s all really Tsunku’s decisions and his choices for their releases.

Berryz Kobo

Truth be told, Berryz had a very… safe year. No graduations, no scandals, no wtf-y haircuts, nothing. They releases three singles, two being double a-sides, along with their first best album which included one new song.

The Good:

♠ Released awesome singles. The double a-side thing works for them.

♠ Put Natsuyaki Miyabi back in the spotlight she deserves. <3

♠ They look more stunning than ever.

♠ Sales are still stable.

The Bad:

♠ Kind of a boring year for them.

♠ No new album.

♠ Kumai Yurina still can’t sing.

The Future:

♠ Another double a-side single titled “Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! / Otakebi Boy WAO!” set for March 3rd.

°C-ute

Oh boy. Definitely the attention-drawing group of the year, and not in a good way. Apart from Tsunku giving them really sucky music, they’ve lost two members(one being my favorite -o-). With their upcoming, they seem to be going in the right direction, if it weren’t for the Airi hogging.

The Good:

♠ Their Alo Hello! °C-ute DVD

The Bad:

♠ Arihara Kanna and Umeda Erika leaving.

♠ Crappy singles.

♠ Sales are in a slump.

♠ Maimi’s less than spectacular haircut.

♠ Saki looks weird.

♠ New member colors.

♠ Still no attention on the rest of the members.

The Future:

♠ New Suzki Airi feat. °C-ute single “SHOCK!” out in January.

♠ Possibly more Airi hax.

Morning Musume。

Ahh… My wonderful Momosu. <3 2009 might be known as the “Emomosu” era I suppose. By the time Nanchatte Renai was released, I was honestly bored of that style of music for them, really. At least Tsunku is changing it up a bit now with Kimagure Princess and their upcoming single(<3). Still, if it weren’t for Eri hax in KP, I wouldn’t like it near as much. This year they released four singles, along with their 9th studio album and a b-side compilation.

The Good:

♠ Finally released a solid studio album.

♠ Their change in music style was temporary refreshing.

♠ Most a-sides were superb.

♠ Got their first #1 in the Oricon since Aruiteru.

♠ Eri hax in Kimagure Princess

The Bad:

♠ Kusumi Koharu graduating.

♠ Spotlight still mostly on Ai+Reina. More 8th gen love!

♠ Still no auditions.

♠ Sales are going doooooooooown.

The Future:

♠ New single “Onna ga Medatte Naze Ikenai” in February.

♠ Possible 9th gen?

♠ Opportunity for another member to take Koha’s sometimes center spot? Aika filling in for Resonant Blue live ftw?

Buono!

Winner of my favorite H!P group of the year is no doubt Buono!. A solid sophomore album, four singles(three of them being awesome) and already releasing another single, less than two months from their last. Lets face it, we all gotta love Buono! It’s pretty much the ideal group. Not to mention their unique rock-pop sound that sets them apart from other H!P groups.

The Good:

♠ Just plain awesome album and great singles.

♠ Constant new releases.

♠ Still keeping the line distribution even. <3 Don’t want my Miyabi to get pwned now.

♠ Best b-sides in the entire line-up.

The Bad:

♠ Apparently their sound isn’t as “Buono!” as it used to sound.

The Future:

♠ New single and album next February.

♠ Who will be in the center in photo shoots now? Momoko had an album+4 singles. Miyabi had an album+3 singles. Since Airi should also get at least three singles, so she’ll get the center in the upcoming releases. But what about after that? Back to Miyabi? <3

Mano Erina

Lolz, I’ve never noticed how huge her cheeks were before. Like her or not, you gotta give the girl props for being H!P’s only soloist, not to mention how freakin’ much she has developed since her debut. She released a whopping five singles and one album, which I would say overall were satisfactory.

The Good:

♠ Developed vocally and musically by a lot.

♠ Wasn’t afraid to try out different styles.

♠ Kept us entertained at least every two months.

♠ Even more gorgeous than when she debuted. <3

The Bad:

♠ Her music may still sound a little bland and boring to some.

♠ Her vocals, while improved, are still everyone’s biggest concern with her.

♠ Sales aren’t doing to well(only 5k the first week for FRIENDS!).

The Future:

♠ A new single for February.

S/mileage

Ahhh the H!P Eggs group. I love ‘em to bits. <3 They just shine with freshness, like the future of the new H!P(one which started when Tsunku kicked out all the oldies). They’ve released three indie singles this year with a very poppy, cheerful sound.

The Good:

♠ Their fresh sound and appearance is definitely a relief to lots of wotas.

♠ A ton of potential to really turn into a powerhouse H!P group. Imagine fierce/C-ute-ish during FOREVER LOVE single S/mileage. Awesome right?

♠ Solid songs so far.

The Bad:

♠ Their songs are a little bit too typical pop sound for me.

♠ Vocals have a lot of room for improvement.

The Future:

♠ Major debut next Spring!

Guardians 4

I’m loving how Tsunku is making these new groups by bringing together girls from the three main groups instead of just girls from the same group. Guardians 4 has kinda always been “there” for me. I really do enjoy their music, and the line up is great as well(minus Ms. Talksforsinging).

The Good:

♠ Best “anime” music in H!P.

♠ Well rounded group of members with complimenting vocals.

The Bad:

♠ It’s an anime group, so all we’ll be getting is “anime” music.

♠ Kumai Yurina still can’t sing.

♠ Those fugly outfits.

The Future:

♠ New single “Going On!” for January.

2010′S MOST ANTICIPATED

♠ Morning Musume auditions

♠ C-ute’s future releases

♠ Buono!’s album

♠ Mano Erina developing as a vocalist

♠ New groups!

♠ S/mlieage’s major debut

Back to Japan..

Sharing two new PVs from most popular JPOP girl bands. Both are very good (maybe best from PV sets this groups have).

Check and compare:

Buono! – Bravo Bravo (1440×1080 MPEG2 HD1080p).mpg

AKB48 – River.mpg

• Mano Erina – 1st Concert Tour Introduction ~Hajimete no Kandou~ (DVD)  CDJapan YesAsia HMV
• Buono! – Bravo Bravo (Single V)  CDJapan YesAsia HMV

Two releases today, Mano Erina’s 1st concert tour DVD and the Single V for Buono’s 9th single:

Mano Erina – 1st Concert Tour Introduction ~Hajimete no Kandou~: The DVD for Mano Erina’s 2nd concert tour which features the following songs:

1.Mano Piano
MC
2.Jasmine Tea
3.Lalala Sososo
MC – Kato Noriko
4.Sekai wa Summer Party – with H!P Eggs Sekine, Komine, S/mileage
MC Kato Noriko and Mano Erina Reading skit (roudoku geki) called “Perpetual Days” (パーペチュアル・デイズ)
5.aMa no Jaku – S/mileage
MC – Mano, Kato Noriko, S/mileage
6.Mizuiro Omoi
7.Kono Mune no Tokimeki wo
8.
MC – Mano, Kato
9. Rock’n Omelette (Moritaka Chisato cover) – Mano, H!P Eggs, S/mileage
(during Rockin Omelette interlude, threw ball into audience)
10.Happy Birthday Mama – Mano, H!P Eggs, S/mileage
11.Hajimete no Keiken – Mano, H!P Eggs, S/mileage
12.Lucky Aura – Mano, H!P Eggs, S/mileage

Encore
13. Otome no Inori
MC
14. Matsuge no Saki ni Kimi ga Iru (まつげの先に君がいる) – new song.
in the 2nd chorus, Eggs and S/mileage appeared.

A preview for the concert was released on Dohhh-UP a few days ago, and since I haven’t had a chance to see the concert in full I will base my review on that preview.

Mano Erina – Lucky Aura

Uploaded by: circusls06dd
Dohhh-UP Link To Video Preview of Mano Erina’s 1st Concert Tour DVD

I first have to state something since I haven’t seen someone work so hard on a concert tour than Mano. Basically she has to perform, dance, play piano and still keep a smile during her performance which is impressing.

The performance is somewhat calm but you can notice the huge difference from the recorded single and the performed version since the quality of voice has improved a lot.

During the performance she is accompanied by 6 eggs which are S/mileage and another two Eggs who I can’t identify immediately (possibly Komine Momoka and Sekine Asuza) and they do a great job of keeping the performance going by leading the crowd in the choreography.

Based on that performance I was impressed, and even though I haven’t seen the entire concert I know Mano did a great job in her performance and gave her best which is why I strongly recommend it to all of the Mano fans.

Buono! – Bravo Bravo (Single V): The Single V for Buono’s 9th single titled Bravo Bravo. This DVD features the Normal Ver, Close-Up Ver, Dance Shot Idol Ver, the Dance Shot Rock Ver and the Making Of.

The normal PV (link to PV on the right sidebar on the VodPod) is one of the best PV’s that I have seen in a while since they combine so many shots which keeps the PV entertaining until the end. Buono uses two costumes for this single: Rock and Idol, which both appear in dance shots and close-up shots with many interesting additions such as a live band and cheerleaders.

Uploaded by: noridora11

The Close-Up version of the PV features Buono in their Idol costumes, which are the ones they used during the cheer leading section of the PV. For the most part it is a normal Close-Up where all of the members appear equally, and even though it only features that Close-up instead of both the Idol and Rock versions it still came out well.

The Dance Shot Idol Ver features the girls dancing in their idol costumes, and while it is a normal Dance shot it is impressing how well the set for that shot came out. The costumes are different for each girl since Momo seems to have a light brown colored costumes while Suzuki has a grey colored costume and Miyabi has a white costume.

Uploaded by: noridora11

This version is definitely among my favorites since the dance is active and happy and it fits the song perfectly. As for the dancing in this version Momo is one of the most active and happy among the members since all during the dance you can see her bouncing more than the other members.

Airi is the next more upbeat, but she seems a bit more laid back and calm, although she still sometimes gets caught up with the music rhythm. Miyabi is the most mature of the group since she seems to have a more calm approach to dancing since she spends most of the time doing her moves perfectly and trying to keep a smile for the camera.

Uploaded by: noridora11

The Dance Shot Rock version features Buono wearing the Rock costumes on the set where the live band played. Basically the same opinions about dancing still hold true for the members since they seem to have their own personality: Momo -extremely happy and full of energy, Airi – full of energy as well but somehow restrains most of it, Miyabi – most mature and tries her best to perfect the moves.

Overall the Single V is perfect since it has enough versions of the PV to justify the purchase, and since I think this single is one of their best I highly recommend it to everyone.

The next release date is set for 12/23 with Matsuura Aya’s latest concert tour DVD and the 7th Yorosen DVD.

Buono Live 2010 telah mengumumkan dan berjudul “We Are Buono!” yang merupakan judul untuk album ke 3 Buono! yang akan rilise tahun depan.

Karena judul konser sama seperti judul album ke 3 Buono! mendatang, mungkin bisa diprediksikan bahwa sebagian lagu dari list konser berasal dari album tersebut.

Live akan diselenggarakan tanggal 11 Februari 2010 di Zepp Nagoya, 20 Februari 2010 dan 21 Februari 2010 di Zepp Tokyo, dan 28 Februari 2010 di Nanba Hatch.

Source : www.helloproject.com

There are 2 Dance shot versions, Idol Buono! and Rock Buono! and so far only one close up version for Idol Buono!. Hopefully, there will be a Rock Buono close up since that close up is shown more in the PV.

PV[HD] ~ Buono ~ Bravo☆Bravo ~ Dance Shot Ver.(Rock Buono!)

PV[HD] ~ Buono! ~ Bravo☆Bravo ~Dance Shot Ver.(Idol Buono!)

PV[HD] ~ Buono! ~ Bravo☆Bravo (close up version)

The title for Buono’s Live 2010 has been announced to be We Are Buono! which is the title for their upcoming 3rd album.

It was somewhat expected for the title to be related to the album because of the close release date, so I’m glad that we finally get a confirmation.

This probably means that the tracklist of the album will most likely be included in the set list of the concert, but we will have to wait and see what Buono will surprise us with at the concert.

If there are new songs on the album we will most likely get a chance to hear them at the concert but we will have to wait and see if there are any on the album.

The live will happen on 2/11 in Zepp Nagoya, 2/20 and 2/21 in Zepp Tokyo, and 2/28 in Nanba Hatch.

Official H!P Profile Page For “We Are Buono!”

Dibawah ini adalah link untuk mensonload video FC Buono yang rilis beberapa waktu kemarin, setlist yang menarik tersedia di video ini :

Buono! Theme
MC – Linda Linda
Buono Man song (Afternoon only)
Take it easy!
MY BOY
Rottara Rottara
Yume to Genjitsu (Aa new song)
Masayume Miyabi solo
Jiriri Kiteru Momoko solo
Natsu Doki Lipstick Airi Solo
VTR – Buono Days 2 trailer
Goal
Gachinko de Ikou!
MC（愛理はベッロ向き）
Honto no Jibun
Renai Rider
Kiss!Kiss!Kiss!
My Love
lady panther
Janakya Mottainai
Encore
MCHappy Birthday to Buono! and Miya
Warp!

untuk mendownload fideo ini klik link dibawah ini
for downloading this file click link below

PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
PART 5
PART 6
PART 7

1-7 join with HJ Split

SP 1
SP 2
SP 3
All Credit@ Best For Ong-keo

Bravo☆Bravo is Buono!’s 9th single and it was released on December 16th, 2009. It reached #4 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and has sold 18,086 copies.

♠Tracklisting♠

1. Bravo☆Bravo♠
2. -Winter Story-
3. Bravo☆Bravo (Instrumental)
4. -Winter Story- (Instrumental)

I’ve read around that Buono!’s latest actually doesn’t sound like Buono! music at all. In a way, I can see how this makes sense, but then again is completely wrong. I think it’s because Bravo☆Bravo sounds like a mixture between Rotarra Rotarra and MY BOY, thus creating a new sound never heard before from the group. But if this single were released earlier, lets say, before MY BOY and Take It Easy! then I don’t think it would receive the same response.

The a-side is extremely good! Not only does it have on of those great Buono! hooks(like Rottara Rottara in well, you know) with P-A-T-I(who I still don’t know who/what it is) but has a high octane instrumental with very easy to remember verses. I also liked the way they all sing together as a trio during the entire song, with each girl having one solo in each bridge, with Momoko getting her own shorter chorus near the end. It really is a great song and I’m loving the way Buono! is releasing their music now. A lot more mature from their debut music.

-Winter Story- is even one of their better b-sides! Although it does have a winter theme in its name and lyrics, the instrumental is just your typical Buono! style, but with a harder edge. The girl’s vocals are particularly crisp and on-point here, which is very refreshing. I was surprised that the song was so intense for a holiday type song(which is most evident in that awesome chorus) and that Buono! pulled it off so well. Props to Miyabi for great vocals.

♠Overall Rating♠

As I sit on my computer watching this clip I can’t help but realise why I love Buono so much. To me Buono started out as a mix of two things I liked, anime and the liking I was developing towards H!P at the time. This would have been when I discovered Shugo Chara and loved it instantly, and the thing that keeps that love alive Rima, Nagi and Kukai the music.

While I liked both songs that they had out at the time Honto no Jibun/Kokoro no Tamago, I’ll admit I had pinned Airi as my stand out since she was the only one of the three I knew. Though I still knew her as ‘the girl in C-ute that gets a lot of lines’ xD! I didn’t have a clue who Miyabi and Momoko were, just that they were from Berryz. How I am glad to say that’s all changed.

As Shugo Chara continued and Buono released more and more songs, I must say I was a very happy fan when I downloaded Cafe Buono. It is easily one of the most listened J-Pop CDs I have. I easily loved every single song on the album and listened to it for hours.

Unfortunately, when Shugo Chara started to go down, so did my appreciation for the music. I don’t remember how My Love goes, and while I loved how the girls looked in the PV, heck the PV itself and how well it suited the song, Rottara Rottara just seemed different to the singles before and couldn’t top the Gachinko de Ikou/Lady Panther combo. The biggest hit to me was the inclusion of SC!E to sing the openings of the anime. As much as I tried to like them, I just couldn’t bring myself to. I could listen to Minna no Tamago, but couldn’t stand Shugo Shugo. These songs really didn’t suit the direction of Shugo Chara and were a forewarning of how children orientated the show was to become.

While I liked co no michi, it didn’t leave a lasting impression, apart from one thing in the PV: Momoko. I had never been interested in her at all, but somehow she grabbed my attention. Instead of being the other girl, I felt like I had finally got into all three girls. It was also around this time Buono!2 was released. There was something about Buono!2 which didn’t hook me in like I had been with Cafe Buono. Early Bird sounds like it would be at home on Cafe Buono however a lot of the other new songs just didn’t catch my attention. That is apart from Goal!. Which was likely since I liked Coldplay’s Viva la Vida which has a distinctly similar sound.

It wasn’t until the release of MY BOY that my love for all things Buono was revived. This was also when Guardians 4 where introduced and I strongly believe Omakase Guardian and MY BOY solely saved Shugo Chara Doki. The maturer sound -which in Omakase was mainly due to the girls’ voices being more mature- began to fit the mood of the series. FINALLY. Not only that but they were actually both good songs in their own right and are solid favourites.

The next single, Take it Easy, didn’t have that same hook and took a few more listens than the instant favourites released before it. However, it is the most recent Shugo Chara opening and endings that actually make Shugo Chara Party bearable. While the show is now ‘what will these two little kids do today?’ it is once again saved by the music. The opening, PARTY TIME is Guardians 4 at their best, unlike singles from Shugo Chara! Egg, it can be enjoyed by people other than 5 year olds. It’s upbeat and incredibly catchy. It is the ending however that… I guess you can say makes the whole existence of Shugo Chara Party worth it. Bravo Bravo. Like the opening, it is actually the PV not Shugo Chara animation. The first thing it allows you to notice is simple, Airi looks damn good. However, as amazing as Airi is in the PV, I have to admit Momoko would have been a better choice for the centre. Not because ’she’s always the centre,’ ’she’s the shortest,’ or any other reason like that. She literally pulled my attention to her, she’s easily the one getting into the dance and putting in more effort than the other two. If you haven’t heard the song or seen the PV… Do it. Do it! Now.

Buono are definitely the group with everything going right and easily are the best you’ll find H!P wise. (Sorry C-ute, I still love you)  I can’t say enough how much I hope Buono stay around when Shugo Chara ends, and I hope it ends before it gets ruined any more than it already has been -misses good ol’ season 1-. Buono have meant many good things for me in the time they have been around and I wish for them to stay a unit for as long as possible <3

P.S.

I CAN’T BELIEVE I ALMOST FORGOT. In a Buono fanclub DVD one of the most amazing things happened. A group called Bello was formed to be a rival group to Buono. Bello was made up of Yajima Maimi, my favourite H!P of all time, Umeda Erika, my second favourite in C-ute closely followed by Chisato, and Kumai Yurina, my favourite Berryz member. These 6 are the majority of members in my top H!P members. I was such a happy fangirl. I just wish Erika had stayed for the slim hope of a Bello single ;-; That would have made my year. -cries in a corner-

Single ke-10 Buono Berjudul “Our Song”. Single ini menjadi ending theme song untuk anime Shugo Chara Doki.

karena single ini menajdi Ost sebuah anime, setidaknya kita akan secepatnya mendengarkan preview pada single ini setelah anime nya dimulai. dan setidaknya ada preview PV dari Buno seperti single sebelumnya.

Saya harap promosi single ke-10 ini lebih gencar lagi dari single Bravo-Bravo dan saya harap single terbaru mereka nanti akan memiliki sales yang baik.

tanggal perilisan single adalah 3 Februari 2010.

Setlist:

1.Bravo☆Bravo
2.MY BOY
MC
3.Rottara Rottara
4.Honto no Jibun
MC
5.Baketsu no Mizu (Main voice : Momoko)
6.Garakuta no Yume (Main voice: Miyabi)
7.Kimi ga Ireba (Main voice: Airi)
MC
8.Muteki Power
9.Gachinko de Ikou
VTR
10.WARP!
MC
11.Kiraisuki Daikirai
12.Rock no Kamisama
13.Nakimushi Shounen
MC
14.Kira Kira
15.Shousetsuten -Vanishing Point-
16.GOAL
MC
17.Renai Rider
18.Lady Panther
19.Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!

ENCORE
20. Mama Ga Santa Ni Kisu Wo Shita
21.You’re My Friend
22. -Winter Story-

Source: isma @ Hello! Online

Para member Buono! mendapatkan kesempatan bernyanyi solo untuk 1 lagu yaitu  Baketsu no Mizu dibawakan oleh Momoko, Garakuta no Yume dibawakan oleh Miyabi, and Kimi ga Ireba dibawakan oleh Airi.

Tour akan berlangsung 2hari, dari tanggal 27 Desember sampai 28 Desember 2009.

Album ke 3 Buono! berjudul “We Are Buono!”

saya harap untuk album ke 3 ini airi sebagai center pada cover albumnya. ^^

Tanggal rilis album telah ditetapkan pada tanggal 10 Februari 2010.

Source : hp.ponycanyon.co.jp

Sorry about that absence. Anyway, I’m back now with a small H!P News post, including new releases and just some interesting news.

Buono!

The Hello! Project trio Buono! will be releasing their 10th single entitled Our Songs on February 3rd, 2010. It is their first release of the new year.
Also by Buono!, will be a 3rd album named We Are Buono! on February 10th, 2010.

Erina Mano

Mano is just releasing shit left to right… Erina Mano will be releasing her 2nd photobook on January 20th, 2010. It will be called Tengoku no Doa which translates to Heaven’s Door.

S/mileage

After releasing 3 indies singles, S/mileage was surprised with the news that in Spring 2010 they would be graduating from their Egg status and become official Hello! Project members.

On November 23rd, 2009, Tsunku gave the girls the news by video message at the H!P Eggs Yokohama FIRE! concert. It was stated that they will graduate during the Egg concert in the Spring and debut with a full single sometime afterwards.

Shugo Chara Egg!
The new lineup to SCE! has finally been confirmed:
14 yro Akari Saho (Leader, Amulet Spade)
13 yro Mizuki Fukumura (Amulet Heart)
12 yro Irori Maeda (Amulet Clover)
10 yro Nanami Tanabe (Amulet Diamond)

Lol, I love how a 10 year old represents me…
(^ Think hard about that pun xD)

—
Okiez! There goes the little news post. But, in other news, IT’S SNOWING ON THE EAST COAST OF DA USA!!! YAY! I’m excited. I hope it sticks until Friday!!! Till the next post, ~Kio.

The title for Buono’s 3rd album has been revealed to be We Are Buono! on the Pony Canyon website.

For the most part the title sounds great and with more creativity than their second album Buono! 2 and even though album titles don’t suggest much about the album itself it is great to see that the title shows their unity as a group.

Since the first album cover featured Miya as the center, and the 2nd featured Momo as a center, we will probably see Airi as a center in the cover for this album.

All that is left is the tracklist and the covers which will probably be released in a few weeks, so I will update when they are released.

The release date for the album is set for 2/10.

Pony Canyon Site Confirming The Title “We Are Buono!”

Setlist:

1.Bravo☆Bravo
2.MY BOY
MC
3.Rottara Rottara
4.Honto no Jibun
MC
5.Baketsu no Mizu (Main voice : Momoko)
6.Garakuta no Yume (Main voice: Miyabi)
7.Kimi ga Ireba (Main voice: Airi)
MC
8.Muteki Power
9.Gachinko de Ikou
VTR
10.WARP!
MC
11.Kiraisuki Daikirai
12.Rock no Kamisama
13.Nakimushi Shounen
MC
14.Kira Kira
15.Shousetsuten -Vanishing Point-
16.GOAL
MC
17.Renai Rider
18.Lady Panther
19.Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!

ENCORE
20. Mama Ga Santa Ni Kisu Wo Shita
21.You’re My Friend
22. -Winter Story-

Source: isma @ H!O

The setlist to Buono’s first live tour 2009 titled ~Winter Festa~ has been released.

Like expected of Buono each of the members get’s a chance to shine by having one song each where they are the main vocal, in this concert tour it’s: Baketsu no Mizu for Momo, Garakuta no Yume for Miya, and Kimi ga Ireba for Airi.

They start the concert with their new single and they finish with the B-side to that single Winter Story which seems like a nice way to end a concert since it wishes everyone a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

The tracklist features 22 songs (including the encore songs), 6 MC’s and 1 VTR which together make for a great looking concert, so if anyone has a chance I suggest you go to a concert since there another two days and 4 performances left.

The rest of the tour will happen from 12/27-12/28.

EDIT: Updated setlist

It was announced today that Hello! Project trio, Buono!, will release their 10th single, entitled Our Songs and their 3rd album, We Are Buono!, next year.

Buono! – We Are Buono! (3rd Album)
価格： ￥3,059[税込]
発売日：2010/02/10 1枚[CD]
商品番号：PCCA-03078
レーベル：PONY CANYON

価格： ￥3,675[税込]
発売日：2010/02/10 2枚[CD+DVD]
商品番号：PCCA-03077
レーベル：PONY CANYON

Buono! – Our Songs (TVアニメ「しゅごキャラ!! どきっ」ED4)
価格： ￥1,050[税込]
発売日：2010/02/03 1枚[CD]
商品番号：PCCA-70268
レーベル：PONY CANYON
価格： ￥1,575[税込]
発売日：2010/02/03 2枚[CD+DVD]
商品番号：PCCA-03076
レーベル：PONY CANYON

Guardians 4’s 4th single titled Going On! and Buono’s 10th single titled Our Songs have been confirmed in an article about Shugo Chara Party.

The release date for Guardians 4’s single is being moved from 1/27 to 1/20, an entire week ahead of the planned release. The costumes for Guardians 4 have also been confirmed to be yellow for this single, which was expected since the 4 primary colors of Shugo Chara are blue, yellow, red, and green.

Now that we have a confirmation about the two singles we can now wait for the new season of Shugo Chara Party which will air previews of both of the songs (and hopefully parts of the PV like the last time).

The release date for Guardians 4’s single is set for 1/20 and the release date for Buono’s single is set for 2/3.

Buono’s 10th single titled Our Songs (tentative title) has been announced, it will be the ending for the anime Shugo Chara Dokki. The Limited edition will have a DVD and the Normal and Limited editions will both have a trading card included.

The announcement of a new single for Buono was somewhat expected since Guardians 4 already have a confirmed 4th single, so it was just a matter of time until we heard the news.

Since the song will be the ending to the anime we will most likely hear, and possibly see, a preview of the song soon when the new season for the anime starts.

The song will most likely also be played at their “Buono Live 2010″ since that tour starts on 2/11, which means fans will be able to get a chance to see the song performed live soon after its release.

Hopefully they promote this single more than the previous (not likely, but their Music Japan appearance might help them get other appearances).

The release date is set for 2/3.

Buono’s 3rd album has been announced along with the news of a 10th single, the title for the album is currently unknown. The limited edition of the album comes with a DVD.

The album is great news since it continues their pretty steady pattern of annual album releases (Cafe Buono – 2/20/08, Buono! 2 2/11/09).

The tracklist will most likely consist of songs from MY BOY to Bravo Bravo, although it is possible they might include their new 10th single Our Songs with the album along with some new songs, but the tracklist has yet to be confirmed.

The release was probably timed with their Buono Live 2010 since it starts a day after the release of the album, so I hope to see more promotion for Buono in the following months.

The release date is set for 2/10.

Full SCAN : KLIK

Mereka juga bekerja sama dengan Majalah B.L.T untuk membuat kaos untuk masing-masing member. Kaos ini pun gambar nya di desain oleh para member-member dari Hello! Project sendiri.

Source : net.blt.tv

As the year draws close we remember all of the things that happened this year and look forward to what next year brings us. While, this is not my retrospective year end post, it will make up a portion of my look back as the Pucchi Best 10 album features one of the most shocking developments of the year. 

Surprisingly, Hello! Project is really reduced to nearly this few girls.

That’s right, it was a big deal when it was announced… what just before summer? I’m talking about the revival of the sub-groups. Read more for my retrospective (you can call it a review too) for the album.

Warning… this is actually legitimately a long post, what with my required background check and all. Though if you are familiar with the sub-groups you may opt to skim/skip through it. I just felt like taking that stroll down memory lane ^___^. Also, do read the alternate text for images, as they contain some extra commentary.

Now as of this writing, the album has actually been released for a mere close to two weeks. So it is relatively new! Yay, I don’t feel like I’m reviewing something that’s old as hell. So as I mentioned earlier a core of the album is made up of the new sub-group configurations. Let’s take a quick stroll down memory lane to refresh ourselves (if not learn about it for first-timers) about sub-groups. I apologize for any inaccurate information and lack of consistency in coverage of each group. I have to admit that I did not love each sub-group equally back in the day. Also, note I am not covering the other revival groups that are not featured in this album, namely Zoku Biyuuden and ZYX-Alpha.

• Minimoni / Shin Minimoni

Above we have the most important sub-group in my history as a H!P fan. Minimoni was what introduced me to the H!P world. I’ll leave all of that for another post some time though. Minimoni was originally a group composed of Yaguchi Mari, Kago Ai, Tsuji Nozomi, and Mika Todd made in 2000. They were quite short, all 150cm or below. One should pay special attention to Mika who was a Coconuts Musume member (the others were all from Morning Musume) and also always wore oddly different costumes. Takahashi Ai was added in 2002 as Yaguchi got “promoted” to babysit the Berryz and C-ute kids in training. But hey, look where it got them, today! Surprisingly, Takahashi is slightly over 150cm but was put in because Tsunku was training her to be good at everything. Look where it got her too, ^_^. The graduation of Kago and Tsuji (arguably the most popular members of Minimoni) in summer of 2004 put Minimoni into “indefinite hiatus”.

Who knew it would actually come up again. This year saw the formation of “Shin Minimoni”, which is composed of Kanon Fukada, Akari Takeuchi, Karin Miyamoto and LinLin. I’m not very aware of the H!P Eggs. Though it must be nice for LinLin to have a reunion with some of the girls she worked with before she joined the big leagues. Which brings me to the funny point. Minimoni’s 2nd generation was led by Mika (the odd one out). Shin Minimoni follows this tradition by giving the senior member, LinLin, leadership. She’s not full Japanese (hell she isn’t Japanese period) and is significantly distinguished between the three other girls (though I guess you can argue Kanon’s case). Just something I wanted to point out.

• Pucchimoni / Pucchimoni V

I will admit I barely know anything about Pucchimoni, as is the case with groups other than Minimoni. But that doesn’t stop Wikipedia from educating me, ^_^! Pucchimoni was originally formed in 1999 with Morning Musume members: Ichii Sayaka, Goto Maki, and Yasuda Kei. With subsequent graduations the unit saw a lot of changes as we saw Yoshizawa Hitomi inserted after Sayaka graduated, Ogawa Makoto and Kimura Ayaka taking over the spots left by Gottsuan and Yasuda. They too were put into “indefinite hiatus” in 2003. But during that time they put out several good hits. I particularly remember having a fond memory of Baby! Koi ni Knock Out!

Tsunku’s magical hold on them was released this year as we saw the formation of Pucchimoni V. This formation consists of: the very relevant to my interests, Hagiwara Mai (have you seen her photobook!?), the becoming relevant to my interests, Nakajima Saki (have you seen her photobook!?), and the somewhat relevant to my interests, Mano Erina (I haven’t seen her photobook, have you??) . I don’t really get the V, but if you count the original formation, Yossie formation, loss of Gottsuan and Yasuda, and addition of Ayaka and Ogawa, I guess you can count the new version as the fifth version.

• Tanpopo / Tanpopoo #

Tanpopo was the first of the popular sub-groups. In 1998, it originally consisted of: Yaguchi Mari, Iida Kaori, and Ishiguro Aya. Ayappe’s graduation was displaced by Kago Ai and Ishikawa Rika. By 2002, Ishikawa became leader with Niigaki Risa, Shibata Ayumi, and Konno Asami rounding out the group. Funny… Ayumi from Melon Kinenbi just being dropped in there XD… Soon after that they were dropped into Tsunku’s magic box of cop-outs.

Today we have Tanpopo# which consists of: Kamei Eri (leader), Mitsui Aika, Kumai Yurina, and Okai Chisato. This is actually the only revival group that features no Eggs and features all three of the main H!P groups now. By the way for those who may not know, it is pronounced Tanpopo “sharp”. Apparently, # is pronounced “sharp” in Japanese. I only know this because of Guilty Gear, yay learning from video games!

• Aa! / Aa!

Aa! I don’t think I’ve ever listened to their songs from beginning to finish until now. But more on that later. Tanaka Reina was given two slaves in 2003 in the form of Natsuyaki Miyabi and Suzuki Airi. I presume this was Tsunku grooming Reina for popularity later. Well they released like one single and that was it.

Until today! Airi and Miyabi have sufficiently grown to hold their own (I mean look at the DIFFERENCE in the pictures). Tsunku decided to give them their own slave for their hard work, Saho Akari. I’ll be honest, I have no idea who she is. But you know what it doesn’t matter, because I don’t like Momo enough in Buono! And this is basically Buono with like random couple of lines sung by the Egg. Aa! = Buono! or at least pretty darn close to it. Buono! = Airi as far as I’m concerned ^_~ (Yes, I’m an Airi fan XD)

END OF RETROSPECTIVE : BEGINNING OF REVIEW

That wasn’t that bad was it? A very brief summary and a quick trip down memory lane is always helpful. Anyway onto the review of the album!

It’s pretty cool that they arranged the colors to make a 10. And LOL at Nacchi getting that top corner spot.

Much like all Pucchi Best albums, this one features a collection of the major hits of the year as well as some exclusive songs. I will admit that I’m somewhat confused by the song selection. Morning Musume’s one track is “Shouganai Yume Oibito” which was released in May. C-ute’s representation is “Everyday Zekkouchou!” which was released in September. And Berryz’s contribution was released in June. So the track collection isn’t exactly uniform… in terms of dating. I’m not exactly sure if you can determine the importance or popularity of one single over the other either…

1. Morning Musume – Shouganai Yume Oibito

I don’t understand why they didn’t put in Nanchatte Renai (considering it’s the 40th single and all). But I guess maybe the pre-AX single holds enough importance? SYO, love this song. I have to admit that the maturity of the song really makes Momusu shine. It’s not like Resonant Blue where you only hear three girls. It’s actually got a retro feel too, because of the dance moves and the style of the music. But hey that’s cool. And I will gladly promote any song where you hear the pandas get an exclusive line. I like when a group actually promotes group play ^_^.

~9 out of 10 dreams that I can chase with Momusu~

2. Berryz Koubou – Seishun Bus Guide

I must admit that I’m not a fan of Berryz. This is due to lack of exposure and my lack of effort to really get to know them. I mean I could’ve said this about C-ute, pre-Namida no Iro. For some reason, I always get annoyed at hearing Risako’s vocals. God, I’m gonna get flamed so much for this XD. The song itself is fine, though. I don’t like the costumes they have for it. … … Man, I’m sorry I tried.

~5 out of 10 bus guides are actually young~

I know… it’s not the right song, but this shot is so much cooler.

3. C-ute – Everyday Zekkouchou

I’m into C-ute and all, but not this song so much. This was Erika’s last single so I guess this is important enough to be the song of choice. It is an uplifting song which to me sounds just very generic. There’s barely any hook to reel me in, so it becomes very forgettable. I would’ve much preferred to have “Bye Bye Bye” or “Shouchuu Omimai Moshiagemasu”.

~6 out of 10 days are not in perfect form~

4. Pucchimoni V – Pira! Otome no Negai

Wow… this song… XD While I was initially excited to hear this song because of Maimai, I was not ready for the annoyingness of this song. But it has the right kind of annoyingness that at the same time, is quite catchy. I’m biased because Maimai is in this song. But, I had to watch the performance without her in it (poor Maimai). While annoying yes… it has that something that Everyday was missing. It must be ridiculous to sing this song. Try singing it, I have… I sound so dumb. But how can I complain when they’re wearing those shorts! ^_~

~7 out of 10 parapiraporaporappo1010101110l0l11110100001 aghhh~

Yurina is tall and I LOVE it <3

5. Tanpopo# – Umbrella

This is a fun song. I initially found this song boring when I first saw the performance in the Hello! Champloo concert. But it’s grown on me. Kamei is growing on me. Chisato is too. Yurina even! (wow, hope for Berryz!). Mittsi… well I notice her, but no noticeable growth yet. Work harder Mittsi! Like I said, this is a fun song. Line distribution is good. And that chorus, quite fun to listen to. And I love fun music.

~7 out of 10 umbrellas were thrown blindly and didn’t make it into the bin~

Aa! covers MY BOY because it’s that awesome.

6. Buono! – MY BOY

Wow! This song… And it’s not the same kind of wow, like Pucchimoni V’s tongue twister. This song is made of so many layers of awesome, Airi has to fan herself in her solo dance cause this song is so hot. Well that and Airi is hot in the song too. I have been loving Buono!’s material since I started listening to them from Gachinko de Ikou!. No exception for this song. You’ve got the rock that defines them. You’ve got the awesome PV and costumes. This song is just so awesome. Most likely my favorite on this album.

~10 out of 10 times, I will go O_O at Airi dance solo~

7. Mano Erina – Otome no Inori

I’m probably not alone on this but a lot of Manoeri’s songs bore me. This song is no exception. I will give this a full listen before I formally give up and give this song a low score. … … … Yep, nothing’s changed. Still a very boring song. It doesn’t have that magical H!P flavor to it. Come on Manoeri, get with the game.

~2 out of 10 times I’ve actually heard the full song~

I love this dance…

8. Yume to Genjitsu – Aa!

I was referring to this song earlier. When I said this group reminds me of Buono!, I’m not joking. This song sounds like something Buono! very well could have done. So here we have another wonderful arrangement of rock in the H!P world. I love this song, have been listening to it a lot lately. By the way, I love the dance they do for this song, especially the feet shuffling. I may be biased since Airi is in it. But that’s because she makes this song that much better. Oh and their costumes for the performance are awesome. I really like the instrumental too, especially the intro. By the way, I neglect to mention the Egg cause I seriously don’t notice her presence that much. Sorry.

~10 out of 10 Momoko’s were damaged so they needed to put in that random Egg~

One doesn’t belong, which is it? Hint: She’s taller than everyone else.

9. Shin Minimoni – Pen Pen Kyoudai

I was like “wth?” when I heard this song. I still am and I skip this song a lot, especially because Yume to Genjitsu <3, is right before this song. Admittedly, this song is not as genki-charged as I would expect out of Minimoni. But it’s Shin Minimoni so they deserve the benefit of the doubt. The “Pen” gets somewhat annoying. But otherwise it sounds like a kiddy song (as it should, since it’s Minimoni), complete with Tsunku backing vocals. That instrumental though… kinda catchy.

~6 out of 10 pens were broken in the production of this song~

Funny, my two favorite girls are in pants. ^__^

10. DESTINY LOVE – High-King

I’m surprised that High-King lives. Yay, for super unit! This song is a change from the more dance infused music they had for their previous songs. It’s I guess we can call it R&B? I’m bad at classifying genres. Actually, it kinda reminds me of Gomattou’s one song and they were also a super unit. The rap is pretty cool, though. It’s got that elevating feel of of fate. The rest of the song, good enough. Kinda forgettable, if I don’t account for the rap.

~7 out of 10 loves are destined to end in a rap battle~

Have I mentioned that I love how Yurina is tall?

11. Guardians 4 – Omakase Guardians

I have been avoiding the Shugo Chara stuff for a while now. Well, that is until I’ve unintentionally heard Buono! and other things. But I heard “Omakase Guardians” because of the Hello! Champloo concert. This song is pretty lucky, happy, makasete ne. I like the chorus. There here’s also good line distribution, something I’m noticing with how many times I hear Mittsi’s voice, which is hard to hear in some Momusu songs *cough*Resonant Blue *cough*. I really wanted to see those signs in the performance, though ><.

~8 out of 10 signs that go up in the PV~

12. Shugo Kyara Egg – Shugo Shugo

I’m not a fan of the Eggs. And this song becomes largely forgettable to me. It feels like it’s one of those songs made for an anime. Well, of course it is, since the group is tied to the anime. But there are a lot of anime songs that don’t have that “anime” generic feel to it. But this song is cutesy and upbeat and very generic to me.

~3 out of 10 eggs were left in the dining hall last week~

13. Tsukushima Kirari starring Kusumi Koharu – Happy Happy Sunday!

This is another anime tie-in song. Koharu sounds exactly the way I remember her. While, yes she has graduated and I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt now that she is gone, this song… Koharu’s vocals have always been special. If you like them, then you like them. But I don’t. The song itself sounds fun but her voice kinda ruins the fun for me. In order to properly review this song, I have to bear in mind that she has to be in character. And that requires her to modify her voice to that… voice. I’ll admit it though, I find myself singing along to the chorus. Oh well Koharu, good luck on modeling!

~6 out of 10 Sundays in this semester were actually happy happy~

14. S/mileage – aManojaku

At first I skipped this song when it came to the Hello! Champloo concert. But after some more listens it honestly has grown on me more. It’s a bit childish but mellow sounding. It has an uplifting feel to it too. So, honestly I like it. It’s good to cool down from all the energetic that you would’ve gone through had you been listening to this album straight through in proper track order.

~7 out of 10 tries I captured safety pants when I was capping this performance at Hello! Champloo concert~

15. Abe Natsumi – Screen

Now we get to stuff that’s totally out of the radar. At least in terms of my interests, I seldom follow the Elder Club soloists. But this, “Screen”… wow I don’t recall Nacchi sounding like this. I guess’ it’s really been that long since I heard her sing alone. This song continues the mellow environment that S/mileage set in. I like this song though. The chorus is cool. And yay for Engrish. Shows Nacchi can still sing. This is actually a big change for the latter part of the album. But it is welcome.

~7 out of 10 times, I imagine Nacchi’s head tilted while she runs~

16. Matsuura Aya – Chocolate Damashii

Here we have Ayaya putting us back on track to upbeat land. This was her last official single under Hello! Project, so this is a fitting track to put in here. This song is continuing her mellow upbeat stuff that she had been doing in the latter part of your career (versus her origins as an idol). While, I do prefer the younger Ayaya’s music, I don’t mind that she has grown into this kind of sound. The song sounds good and the chorus is fun to sing along with. At this point I’ve mentioned “chorus” a lot. Yes, I put a lot of emphasis on the hooks and draw in for a song. If it’s remotely memorable, that’s good in my books.

~7 out of 10 chocolate treats that would get thrown away because I can’t eat chocolate. I’ll save the other three for … ~

17. Yaguchi Mari – Seishun Boku

Hey this is the first time we’ve heard Yaguchi sing solo. The music is performed by “Airband” and its sound is completely unlike normal H!P sound. But hey it’s here because Yaguchi is in it. Sounds like a generic rock solo song to me. Somewhat unforgettable. Sorry… Yaguchi, you don’t pass.

~4 out of 10 “atsui”’s are in the first chorus~

18. Bye Bye – Satoda Mai with Hexagon Kyoudai

I hear Satoda’s characteristic voice! I’m aware that she has been surviving outside of H!P because of Quiz Hexagon. And here is her musical contribution. I actually don’t know if this is very popular, but it’s meh ok. Come to think of it, the ending of this album is just all the soloists/Elder club and was not really made in a way to provide a bang to the end. Though, lol, what better song to end than on “Bye Bye”

~6 out of 10 pop bands use a song that involves the word “Bye” or repeats of “Bye”~

So, if we total this mathematically the average review score is 6.5. That’s awfully low for something with relatively good hits. Geez, that’s how much Mano brings this album down XD. It is a compilation album however. That being said, my overall score for this album would be:

SE7EN

Yea, I went there. Listen to it though, it’s a good review for the past year of Hello! Project. Hope all have had a good read out of this. This is probably the first post that I’ve actually tried writing by taking my time and proofreading along the way. You can kinda tell I gave up near the end though, those songs don’t excite me enough…

~Siggy, who has heard Yume to Genjitsu equivalent to the amount of hours its taken to write this post up~

Buono! the super Hello! Project sub-group released last December 16 released a new single named  Bravo☆Bravo, this new single will be the ending of the new Shugo Chara Party anime. Last sunday the girls performed this new single at the popular Japanese music Show “Music Japan” and Here you can see this great performace:

And also, as a new beginning present for all of my readers, here you can download the latest Buono! single, enjoy it!

Buono! Bravo Bravo download.

See you latter with More News!!

After a year of no-Blogging, a blog (http://renaimachine.wordpress.com) deleted, and plenty of Japanese pop excitement and learning, i’m back, yes, i know many of you missed me, but well, here i am @ NihongoPop, my new URL, but the Blog is Still Love マシーン as you all remember…

So here i am, back in this blogging business, excited to be able again of sharing all of my knowledge of Japanese pop and culture with all of you! I’m happy to announce that this Blog is now going to talk about Japanese Movies and Doramas as well, and well, heres a list of the topics I’m going to talk about here, feel free to suggest more topics:

• Jpop: (Hello! Project: Morning Musume, Berryz Koubou, °C-ute, Mano Erina, S/mile Age, Hello! Project eggs, Buono! Shugo Chara Eggs, Guardians 4, Shin Mini Moni, Pucchi Moni V, Tanpopo #, High King, Zoku Biyuuden, Zyx alpha, Aa!; Up Front Agency: Morning Musume OG’s, Ongaku Gatas, Hangry & Angry, Melon Kinenbi, Yaguchi Mari, Satoda Mai, Tsuji Nozomi, Miki Fujimoto, Aya Matsuura; Johnny’s Entertainment, Arashi, Tokio, SMAP, V6, NEWS, KAT-TUN,  Tegomass, Hey! Say! JUMP, NYC boys, Kanjani8, Kinki Kids, Tackey & Tsubasa; Other agencies: AKB48, SKE48, No sleeves, Perfume, Idoling!!! Ayumi Hamasaki, Goto Maki, Kago Ai, I Wish, EXILE, Mihimaru GT, Koda Kumi, Utada Hikaru, FT Island, Tohoshinki, B’z, Remioromen, Monkey Majik, Super Junior, Namie Amuro, AAA, Ikimonogakari, etc.
• Doramas, like: 1  Litter of tears, Hanazakari no Kimitachi e, Hana Yori Dango,  Densha Otoko, etc.
• Movies that you suggest to critizice, Like Battle Royale or Okuribito.
• Japanese Idols

Since posting a description in all the groups above might be exhausting, i will only post about them as they release singles, but, by request i will upload Bio’s of such groups, Like Morning Musume .

So, please, everyone, enjoy this new blog, and i hope i keep you up-to-date on what’s going on on Japans busy and fun Pop Industry.

And now, for celebrating this New Blog, enjoy 3 of my favorites videos of this Year:

Morning Musume, Songs [Live]

FT Island, Raining (Japanese PV)

Morning Musume, Shouganai Yume Oibito, [PV]

See ya latter with more Jpop News!!

• Mano Erina – FRIENDS (Album)  CDJapan YesAsia HMV
• Mano Erina – FRIENDS (Album) (Limited Edition)  CDJapan YesAsia HMV
• Buono! – Bravo Bravo (Single)   CDJapan YesAsia HMV
• Buono! – Bravo Bravo (Single+DVD) (Limited Edition)  CDJapan YesAsia HMV

4 releases today, Mano Erina’s 1st album and Buono’s 9th single:

Mano Erina – FRIENDS: Mano Erina’s 1st album, which debuted at #14, features a DVD (only on the limited edition) with her life history in pictures and videos narrated by Mano. The album includes 12 tracks (5 unreleased tracks, 6 a-sides and a new version of Mano’s debut single “Mano Piano”) :

1. Otome no Inori
2. OSOZAKI Musume
3. Sekai Wa Summer Party
4. Itsumo Itsu demo
5. Lalala – SoSoSo
6. Hajimete no Keiken
7. Lucky Aura
8. Santa no Saxophone
9. Kono Mune no Tokimeki wo
10. Matsuge no Saki ni Kimi ga Iru
11. Oyasuminasai
12. Mano Piano (Album ver.)

Since I will be doing a review of the album I won’t go into much detail of the tracks, but I will say a few words about the new unreleased tracks. First of all my favorite, OSOZAKI MUSUME:

The song has a great upbeat feeling to it and a catchy chorus which in my opinion makes it a great candidate for a PV (since it could have been released as a single and done great if promoted well).

Itsumo Itsu Demo is a ballad which has a somewhat slow and calm sound to it, but it doesn’t stand out as much as I hoped it would, apart from the soft sound it has a catchy beat which sounds perfect for a ballad (similar to Mano’s earlier work but without a piano).

Santa no Saxophone is basically an upbeat song about Santa which has drums, trumpets, and a saxophone as instruments in the song (and what sounds like Santa himself singing chorus), and for the most part I think it’s a great song for the season which would fit perfectly with the Hello Kitty show Mano is in.

Matsuge no Saki ni Kimi ga Iru is a calmer but still upbeat song, and for the most part it is a perfect track to have on the album since it fits in with the other earlier songs. Oyasuminasai is one of the slower songs in the album and even though it is somewhat boring sometimes it really gives us a chance to hear her improved voice.

Overall Mano’s 1st album is a great collection piece for fans and a great way for new fans to get a chance to hear her voice in all of her different singing styles, which is why I highly recommend it to everyone.

Buono! – Bravo Bravo: Buono’s 9th single which features four tracks, “Bravo Bravo”, “Winter Story” and the instrumentals to both songs. The single debuted on the Oricon in 4th.

This single is, in my opinion, one of the best singles this year: it has a catchy a-side with a great Christmas themed b-side, and one of the best PV’s that have been released this year. First the PV, it features Buono wearing punk styled clothes, cheerleader outfits, and it also features a live band plus other cheerleaders in the background.

The look and theme of the PV is one of the best I have seen in a while because of the amount of shots the PV included and also because of the live band they added, which gave the PV a “live performance” look. It’s great that we got to see Buono “play” the instruments near the end and I also liked how they didn’t overuse the close-up shots during the PV (mostly during the solo lines only).

The costumes were one of the highlights of the PV since they look incredible. For one, the punk styled clothes fit in with the song because of the dark and cool look they had. The cheerleader outfits fit in with the chorus and they looked really cute on the girls, especially Airi.

The song itself has equal solo lines for the girls, and an incredible sound which reminds us of Buono’s punk rock roots. The effects for the song didn’t overpower the girl’s voices and they fit in perfectly when they were used.

The c/w “Winter Story” is a great Christmas and New Year’s themed song since it has a punk rock sound mixed with catchy lyrics and a Christmas instrumental (guitars, bass, drums, and bells sound great together). Like most of their songs all of the girls get a chance to sing solo lines, and even though the song was one of their best I would have liked to see a PV for it since it seems to have potential.

Overall the single was perfect, since we get a chance to listen to Buono’s original energetic rock sound in two great sounding songs. The contrast of punk and cheerleader costumes fit in better than expected and the PV was one of the best that have been released to date.

The only thing the single needed was a little bit more promotion since this group could easily become one of the main groups in H!P if promoted correctly because of their unique sound. I would definitely recommend it to everyone because of the energetic and happy sound the single has.

The next release date is set for 12/22 with Mano Erina’s 1st concert tour DVD and Buono’s Single V for their 9th single “Bravo Bravo”.