[Updated]Performances from Music Station Ultra Fes 2015

Update: Most 48 videos gone but i’ve found alternative sources. Check them out quickly if you haven’t..

This is a special episode to celebrate Music Station’s 30th anniversary. Show was 10hours long and featured many major acts including X Japan, Ayumi Hamasaki, EXILE, 48Group, Johnny’s Family etc.

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48/46 Group

Nogizaka46 – Nandome no Aozora ka
Ikuta Erika wows with her piano solo and opera voice. What a talent wasted as an idol!

HKT48 – Melon Juice
SKE48 – Pareo wa Emerald
NMB48 – Nagiichi

AKB48 – Ponytail to Shushu/ Everyday, Kachuusha / Koisuru Fortune Cookie (Kimutaku center)
The biggest winner from this performance is SMAP’s Kimutaku, who was forced into the KFC performance by Sashihara. Despite the annoyance on his face, he performed the full choreography perfectly, impressing netizens with his professionalism.In the end Kimutaku said “Music Station does things like this?”

Other members who attracted most attention tonight…

Many comments from GirlsChannel on Mayuyu’s growing beauty and how she’s shaken off the idol look.

Within 48 fandom, many gushed over cute Paruru’s healthy return to senbatsu. I have to say Paruru’s signature twintails are really cute! Many are calling Payuyu the strongest combi in AKB48.

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Johnny’s Family

Johnny’s performances are quite fun this time around as we have live video footage of Arashi from their Miyagi concert, and medleys where the idols are grouped according to their generation. It is quite interesting to see for example, Nishikido Ryo standing next to NEWS, and KAT-TUN performing Real Face with just 4 members. *Heart pinch*

Which Johnny’s generation do you belong to? Mine is Ikemen Generation.

Masahiko Kondo – Gin Gira Gin ni Sarigenaku

Arashi – Hadashi no Mirai/Carnival Night part2/GUTS!

SMAP – Yozora no Mukou /Dear WOMAN / Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana

Boys Generation
Johnny’s WEST – Eejyanaika
A.B.C-Z – Za ABC~5stars~
Sexy Zone – Sexy Zone
Hey!Say!JUMP – Come on a my house

Ikemen Generation
KAT-TUN – Real Face
Kanjank8 –  Zukkoke Otokomichi
NEWS – Chankapana
Tackey & Tsubasa – Venus

Ojisan Generation
Kinki Kids –  Glass no Shounen
V6 – WA ni Natte Odorou
TOKIO – Love you only

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LDH Inc.

GENERATIONS – Brave it out
E-girls – Follow me

EXILE – Choo Choo Train/Rising Sun

Sandaime J Soul Brothers – R.Y.U.S.E.I.

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Other acts

Fukuyama Masaharu – HELLO / Sakurazaka

Nishino Kana – Darling

Morning Musume ’15 – Love Machine

X Japan – Kurenai / Forever Love
Beautiful performance though i’m not a fan..

L’Arc~en~Ciel – HONEY

Ayumi Hamasaki – A song is born

Idol talk about relationships and graduation on UTAGE Summer Camp Special

This week, the regular guests of UTAGE embarked on a camping trip to Saitama. During the bus ride, topics about idol dating and graduation were brought up.

Morning Musume
NMB48 Sayanee asked ex-morning musume member Yasuda Kei: Did you date anyone while in Morning Musume?
Nakai: Does that mean you have someone?”
Sayanee: Yes…ah no!
Nakai: You just said yes!
Sayanee: *blabbers*
Nakai: How are you going to get around this? Do you mean how to go about hiding the relationship?
Sayanee: Well that could be it as well..
Yasuda: I didn’t have anyone. It was strict in Morning Musume so if there’s someone you like you’ll have to leave the guy or the group.Sometimes, the member would be exposed and she’d graduate..
Nakai: Whose that? Yaguchi right?
Yasuda: Yaguchi was photographed with someone and she quit.
(*This is probably the Oguri Shun incident.)

48Group
Nakai: Sashihara also experienced that? Like going bald or getting exiled somewhere?
Sasshi: Yes, but the punishment is different. Not sure about now but in the past there was punishment.
Nakai: So everyone observes the love ban rule?
Sasshi: Isn’t that the case? *silence dawns*
Nakai: So you girls don’t get into relationships *Sasshi stops responding*
Mayu: Yes. *Sasshi and Minegishi then echoes Mayu.*
Sasshi: During this time, if i declare a No, and in future if i get exposed, i’d get slammed for saying this on UTAGE!
Nakai: Watanabe do you have a boyfriend?
Mayu: No! I’m really careful about it.

E-girls
Aya: We don’t have the rule,but no time to date. The younger members live in a dorm, and after work they’d be sent straight there. Guys and even the parents can’t enter. There’s a curfew too.
Nakai: What if a guy was caught there?
Aya: That’d be a huge problem. Firstly, the members would talk amongst themselves.We set our rules.
Nakai: Would Hiro(LDH CEO) appear?
Aya: He won’t..but he might.

Regarding graduation
Nakai: If you continue this way, you’ll reach 40 sooner or later?
Mayu: But i won’t be in AKB forever.
Nakai: When will you stay on till?
Sasshi: Everyone’s close(to graduating).
Nakai: Watanabe are you graduating soon?
Mayu: I haven’t decided but it’s in my vision now.
Sasshi: I want to quit.
Sayanee: About time to plan..
Sasshi: From now, everyone will be graduating..
Busaiku’s Yokoo: Is that because everyone has their dreams like being an actress?
Sayanee: I want to be a solo artiste.
Minegishi: I haven’t decided yet. Because of that i feel scared of leaving AKB.
Sasshi: I haven’t decided but i won’t be singing anymore.I won’t be an idol too. I want to be in variety but there are many female talents and i’m somehow doing it..
Mayu: I want to do acting seriously, but of course while in AKB, jobs like dramas and stage plays can’t fit in.

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There are many pathways these girls can seek after graduation, but i think the long lasting option is to be an actress. Glad Mayu has chosen this path even though she’d do well being a singer any day. That said, she needs to graduate ASAP lest more actress wannabes from AKB enter the industry.

Ex-Morning Musume turned announcer Konno Asami dances Itano Tomomi’s “Gimme Gimme Luv”

I’m probably out of touch, but the ex-Morning Musume member Konno Asami who became an announcer at TV Tokyo has her own show, and the concept is dancing with pretty girls.

This week she met up with a fellow idol graduate Itano Tomomi and they dance off to Itano’s new single “Gimme Gimme Luv”.

The two spoke on first impressions of each other.

Itano: “Including her dance, she’s a very cute person.”
Konno: “She used to be a cute person,but she grew more mature and seeing her dance today, i couldn’t help thinking that again.”
Itano: “No no you’re the one who’s more mature too!”

On the draining dance steps

Konno: “Itano san’s songs have a really draining choreography. I had to spend 1 month to practise and remember the dance steps but she only took a short time, so i was embarrassed instead.”

On forming a unit with Itano

Konno: “I’m an employee afterall, that would be too presumptuous!” (laugh)

Source

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In other news, Konno Asami will be reuniting with the Morning Musume OG for TV Tokyo’s Music Festival later tonight.

Goto Maki is engaged to younger junior from her hometown

Goto Maki(28), who came back from her hiatus after 2.5years, is set to marry a junior from her hometown, who is 3 years younger than her.

According to Sponichi, her partner is a close friend from 7 or 8 years ago from the same hometown. He is a junior who is currently 25 years old. The 2 families have met and discussed marriage and the application papers will be submitted soon.

This is the 11th member from the generations of Morning Musume to get married. Goto Maki will continue to work after getting married. Having experienced several setbacks in her life, the most recent being the loss of her mother, this marriage is definitely a fresh restart for her.

Source

 

Performances from TV Tokyo Music Festival 2014

A music festival featuring some major jpop artistes was held yesterday to celebrate TV Tokyo’s 50th anniversary. Guests include TOKIO/V6/Kanjani8/NEWS/AKB48/SKE48/NMB48/HKT48/Nogizaka46/Morning Musume OG/Morning Musume ’14/Kahara Tomomi/Golden Bomber/Ikimonogakari/Nishino Kana/Hitoto Yo/Moriyama Naotaro/Sukima Switch/May J.

One of the highlights was Goto Maki’s return to Morning Musume OG after a hiatus of 2.5 years. Once the golden girl of Morning Musume, Goto Maki’s performance with the group brings us back to the days when Morning Musume was at its best.

AKB48 Kashiwagi Yuki, who is known to be a fan of Morning Musume, posted on her Google+: “Everyone in Morning Musume OG were shining brightly. My tears are coming. I like them after all! Ishikawa Rika san too! Goto Maki san is so cute!”

Morning Musume OG – Morning Coffee/ LOVE Machine/ Renai Revolution 21
Morning Musume ’14 – Password is 0

NMB48 – Ibiza Girl
The 48-group also showed up in full force, together with official rivals Nogizaka46. The new Queen of AKB48 Watanabe Mayu took up center for past hits previously centered by Maeda Atsuko and Oshima Yuko. The sister groups also showed off their new image after being reinforced with new members from this year’s grand reshuffle.

AKB48 – Labrador Retriever/Koisuru Fortune Cookie
HKT48 – Melon Juice
Another interesting performance was “Labrador Retriever”, as it was performed by the newly selected senbatsu members from the recent general elections.

 

NEWS – weeeek/ ONE -for the win-

 

Golden Bomber – Memeshikute
These guys are still popular for their one-hit “Memeshikute” and funny skits. Unfortunately, their skits are sometimes based on Japanese comedy so only the natives will get it.

 

V6 – Wa ni natte Odorou/Darling/Sexy Honey Bunny!
This is for the older Johnny’s fans. Anyone?

 

May J – Let it Go (Japanese version)
This globally popular song has been leading the karaoke charts in Japan for a very long time.

 

Kanjani8 – Zukkoke Otoko Michi/King of Otoko
Kanjani8 also went out of the studio to perform. Bringing us on a tour of TV Tokyo, they gathered a whole bunch of employees to join in on a mass dance.Even the CEO of TV Tokyo showed up.

 

Ikimonogatari – Arigatou/Love Song wa Tomaranai
This is for those who love pure Japanese music.

 

Who is the next leader of Morning Musume?

Michishige Sayumi from Morning Musume ’14 has just announced her graduation. The future of the remaining 9 members, including the appointment of a leader, is now a concern for group producer Tsunku. Which member will come out tops in the fight for the leader position?

One candidate for such a position is 9th generation member/sub-leader Fukumura Mizuki(17).  With a “healing” character and a nice bodyline, her first photobook was sold out. Her grandfather is rumored to be a super rich celebrity.

Her rival is 10th generation member/sub-leader Iikubo Haruna(19).   She hosts a daily radio show “Young Town” with Michishige and famous MC Sanma, and it is said that even Sanma is wrapped around her fingers now. She is close friends with Nakagawa Shoko and even boasts talents like manga drawing. She has announced her ambitions of being the group’s leader on the same radio show.

However, production staff are speculating the next leader to be Fukumura, due to the group’s traditions of appointing the leader according to seniority and age.

The member coined as the dark horse is 9th generation member Sayashi Riho(15). As the class president type, she possesses solid vocal and dance abilities, making her the center of the group.

“She may become the youngest leader of Morning Musume,” says a related music personnel.

Source

Live Performances from Ongaku no Hi

This is an annual music program from TBS that brings together the greatest idols/bands/artistes. Hosted by SMAP’s Nakai Masahiro, this year’s “Ongaku no Hi” will last for as long as 13 hours, making it the longest running music program ever.It is currently broadcasting live in Japan and performances are being uploaded as we speak, so check back to see your favourite artistes!

Disclaimer: As there are too many artistes, i will only post selected videos

AKB48 32nd single – Koisuru Fortune Cookie(In Love with Fortune Cookie)
It’s still 1.5 months away from AKB48’s 32nd single release so i was quite shocked to see them perform it way in advance. Anyways, this is the song that features Sashihara Rino as the center after she won AKB48 5th General Elections. Right away, i felt uncomfortable seeing her as the center. It doesn’t help that the song choice is kind of retro, and ….just not AKB style. I’ll leave my comments in my next post.

AKB48 – Flying Get/Gingham Check

AKB48 – Tenohira ga Kataru Koto

Watanabe Mayu – Rappa Renshuuchu( Practicing my Trumpet)

Kashiwagi Yuki – Shortcake

Takahashi Minami – Jane Doe

Itano Tomomi – 1%

NMB48 – Nagiichi / Bokura no Eureka

SKE48 – Uzukushii Inazuma

HKT48 – Suki!Suki!Skip!

Yamashita Tomohisa  – Daite Senorita/Summer Nude ’13

Nogizaka46 – Oide Shampoo/Girls Rule

Perfume – Magic of Love/Mirai no Museum/Laser Beam

Nishino Kana – Believe/Kimitte/Watashi Tachi

Golden Bomber – Dance My Generation/Memeshikute

ABC-Z – Song Medley

Sexy Zone – Bad Boys/ Real Sexy!

Kis-my-ft2 – Everybody Go/Kimi to no Kiseki

SMAP – Battery/Bang!Bang!Vacance/Mae Ni

Kubota Toshinobu – La la la Love Song/Corcovado

EXILE Atsushi-  Furusato