Platinum9DISC recap

I bought 'Platinum9DISC' from JapanFiles last night and gave it a few whirls in the past day. I know I'm a bit late to the party on this, but seeing as how this was the first Real MM album I was 'present' for, I thought I'd go over the material and make some points for discussion. I've listened to every Morning Musume album, maybe not in that order, specifically, but you'd think I'd know a thing or two about them.

If you're comparison-shopping, consider my favorites, in this order: 5, 2, 3, 7, 4, 1, 7.5, 8, 6.

Where to start? I think that overall this record was exactly what I was expecting. That's not a bad thing, at all. Coming off what I would consider an artistic peak of the 'Cover You' album, it seemed like the group was ready to turn another corner and re-start the original ass-kicking on a whole other level. Well, between listening to this record and getting a chance to see them live in LA this summer, I'm totally back on the Morning Musume boat.

1. SONGS
It takes a bit of time for this song to get off the ground, but once it kicks in, the polyrythm and voice-processing makes a great start to the album. It's almost a shell of a song, in fact, and it seems to be a way of saying 'strap yourself in for the ride'. Lots of synth sounds, very busy, but the tune is simple. I can just use my imagination to see the girls dancing about. I think the polyrhythm at the beginning of each verse is the best part, like, 'you think *you're* cool... well, here we come...'

2. Resonant Blue
I'm an unapologetic supporter of Resonant Blue, it's just an ass-kicker from front to back. The 'uu-ee' part is convincing enough, and the chorus part that begins with 'kanashimi no...' is the hook-from-hell, it just pushes the song into the highest gear possible. The one catch is whether they're saying 'happy' or 'help me' at the high point (it's 'help me', btw), so don't get too confused, it's not a happy song. Still, it's groovin'.

3. Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai darou?
I won't even try to give a translation, but something to do with love, the stars, and the rain not falling. The obligatory slow song from the first half of the album, it sounds hopeful. Though it may never top Aya's 'THE LAST NIGHT' or Berryz' 'BE' (good luck with *that*), it's enjoyable, and has a nice buildup. One of those songs that starts nice and quiet and before you know it you're going deaf, but all that does is make you turn it up all the more. I really like the addition of some Chinese words, so thanks, Chinese chicks, for taking it to the next level. Something 'THE LAST NIGHT' and 'BE' can't boast.

4. Take off is now!
Oh people, please listen to others online when it comes to good songs. I put this on repeat about five times this morning, trust me, everyone who says this song is good, they're right, completely. Tastefully executed; busy, yet consistent. Combining rock and heavy dance sounds, this song just WINS. I really hope this becomes a staple of the live show, as I would love to see them sing it in person, and they'd better bring dozens of colored strobes to accompany them. My only gripe on this song is that the 'outro' is much too short, it could really go on for about twenty more minutes before I got tired of it. Please please please, bring this song to the LA show, and make it so that the outro lasts about ten minutes while y'all get your freak on. I will still demand more, but it's a start.

5. Naichau Kamo
I will forever call this song 'Nacho Spider' but I really think it's cool. The video is okay, if you like watching girls cry; I'm sure that some misogynist is watching it non-stop right now. When they're not fake-crying, they look incredible, moreso than usual. But let's not let the video taint our impressions of this song. More hyper-dance from the group that does it so well, and even a part at the end of each chorus for idiots like me to recite 'naichau kamo kamo kamo kamo' with veracity, after the actual song has passed me by at a frightening pace. Not a big first-impression song, but this one will probably grow on listeners.

6. Watashi no Miryoku ni Kidzukanai Donkan'na Hito
I'm totally cool with Aika Mitsui getting her own song. How fitting for a 'turn the corner' album to feature Mitsui as the first solo song? Sounds a lot like most of the other songs on the record, hyper-synth-pop and all; at worst, a forgettable song, but it's not like she's not trying. I liked Mitsui before and in my future bleak days, will turn this on as a testament to individual accomplishment. More power to you, Mitsui. I'm the biggest reluctant fan you'll ever have.

7. Guruguru JUMP
Kusumi+Chinese Chicks=I'm digging it already. Is it upbeat? Another plus. Short sentences? Lots of 'em. Somebody should tell Kusumi that peppy songs are her forte. Yeah, there was hyper-beat on the previous songs, but let's step it up a bit. I don't have any words of wisdom here... either you like 'shopping spree' music or you don't. And if you don't, back the heck off of Kusumi, for crying out loud. She's seen several doctors to try and get that star-shaped tambourine out of her hand, there's just no cure, except for time itself.

8. Mikan
This is the song I'm hooked on, right now. When it came out I could have swore I've heard it before, but blame it on my love of Kusumi. This song is a total Koha-fix, top to bottom. No, let's make it catchier! Like Resonant Blue, the buildup to the chorus is worth it, and when it gets to the chorus, there's that extra push. I know no heavy metal song that kicks more ass, seriously. Be prepared to yell 'Oh yeah, one time!' when you get a chance. Oh, yeah.

9. Jounetsu no Kissu wo Hitotsu
The obligatory slow song for the back half of the album, featuring the same trio of singers from 'Take off is now!'. Of course, the second side always makes the slow song a bit more forceful. 'Dokusenyoku' from the 6th album might be an okay comparison, but 'Dokusenyoku' will always be better. Another stereo-buster, indeed, but just not as good; admittedly, it's a high bar to jump. The ending is abrupt and strange. I would hope for a better farewell from Niigaki, Takahashi, and Reina, so look for it in the future, if they ever decide to leave. Let's hope they don't, they're making some good music.

10. It's You
Who decided that a solo Sayu song was the way to go? I just wanna say thanks to that person. This song really does stand out on the album, and by comparison, (Berryz') Risako's 'REAL LOVE' seems flat and unexpressive, so that says something. Sayu's fans (and they're innumerable) are overwhelmed by this song. 'Hey you...' She's talking to ME! The sound of glass breaking at the climax of the song is one of the best touches UFA has put on one of the best songs I've heard in a while.

11. Onna ni Sachi Are
WARNING; if you should watch this video, each and every one of the girls will call you an idiot before it's over. Just take it in stride. I don't think I've mentioned hyper-dance in this post until now, but if you like that sort of thing, this is the group for you. This song does its job as the introduction to the current lineup of Musume. If you've listened this far and still need convincing, just turn it off and go back to your normal life. Otherwise, its placement here is just preaching to the choir. If we could just... get... to our... utility belt...

12. Kataomoi no Owari ni
Second to last song, better drink it in. Kamei Eri's chance to shine, and shine she does. Along the lines of the Mitsui song, it may not be your favorite, even if you're an Eri fan. Oh, who am I kidding, take it Eri! What more can I say? This song is representative of her personality and style on every level. Take it or leave it.

13. Kanashimi Twilight
A great song, no doubt, but I might be the only one who finds Fujimoto's voice a little out of place at this point. She's been gone for a while now, no shock to my readers, and suddenly she's on (and only on) the last track? Tsunku, you lazy so-and-so, please come up with a better ending than this. Keep this song where it is, fine... just give me some closure on this album. Again, not a bad song to close with, but if your thrust at this point is the future of this group (and it should be), less Yossie, and less Fujimoto on the last song. I suppose we'll wait another two years for #10, and it better be more cohesive than this.

So, overall, I will be listening to the album on a regular basis, because I want to get a feel for how terrible it is....

Going to California, Sans Heartache

No one should ever go so far as to call me a spontaneous person. I mainly just mind my own business and stick it out day after day, year after year, feeling as-stuck-in-the-midwest as anyone can feel. But my mood took a dramatic upswing in the last few days for very obvious reasons. Suddenly I have an urge to listen to every song ever written about California or Los Angeles, knowing that soon, real soon, I'll be seeing it with my own eyes.

Years ago, as a young rock-star-wannabe, I would stare at maps of Los Angeles for hours, trying to get a feel for how the town spreads out.  I would imagine where my future home would be, possibly tucked somewhere in the Hollywood Hills with plenty of parking available to models, other rock stars, millionaires, and party-crashers.  Also, I often dreamed of up-and-driving-there without notice to start a new life, because as pathetic as it may have turned out, I would have at least *tried* to bring change upon myself.  Those plans were at best unrealistic, and at worst really stupid.

I've been told many stories about Los Angeles;  most of them are unflattering, I hate to say.  I'm not sure if one of the best stories I've been told is true, but it's probably very likely, and a good story nonetheless.  

When a group of guys were trying to 'make it' as a big rock band in the 80's, their car (the only car any of the musicians had) was stolen.  Some days later, they found the car in a driveway not more than a couple of blocks away.  Whoever had stolen the car had not changed the locks or the ignition key;  so, having the key, the rightful owner got in and drove it home, only to find that a *wonderful* stereo system had been installed in the days it'd been gone.  There was really no recourse for the thief in a situation like that, so the hero of our story was blessed with a great new stereo and the car wasn't any worse for the wear.  If it didn't really happen to them, I'm quite sure this has been done in LA several times at some point.

People have asked me why I would want to live in Los Angeles, and in truth, I haven't wanted to in quite a while.   But there's just so much happening there, I'm sure that when I get back I'll be a little more comfortable on the city bus, laughing at the one horse we own, and feeling a bit more well-travelled than if I just stayed home and persisted in the mundane.  Los Angeles is, after all, the second-largest city in the US;  California is the most-populated and easily-most-eccentric place we've got, and I've never been there.  I may never go back, who knows, but I will unlikely be unable to forget what it's like.

Still, I'd like to think of myself as well-travelled, regionally, anyway.  I've been to Chicago several times and had the *privilege* of driving through it to a destination near Wrigley Field twice.  I'd taken the 'L' a few times with a friend who lives there, but on my last visit, took it alone for the first time, downtown, where it becomes a subway.  On the outside I tried to pretend that I'd done it so many times before, tried to give off the impression that if I could somehow get away from the daily grind of Chicago and get off this god-forsaken train that I had apparently known since birth, I would.  On the inside, though, I felt like a real farm-boy, though I haven't spent very much time in the rural areas, but nonetheless really nervous about taking the train by myself for the first time.  I lived to tell the tale.

So what happened to me?  Suddenly, without a lot of warning, I have agreed to spend a week in downtown Los Angeles, and it'll be worth it.

I still want to go to Japan, and still plan to do so, but this was too good of an opportunity to pass up.  Now, the reason I got into Japan and the culture wasn't the culture itself, but the people.  And to be more specific, it was certain people;  idols, to be exact.

If I were to go to Japan, attending a concert would probably be very unlikely, almost an afterthought.  So much time would be spent planning hotels and destinations, vacation time, money, and being able to read the signs, etc.  It would be very obvious that I was not from around there, and if I managed to find a good record store, I'd be doing good.  What are the odds that if I *did* go to Japan I'd manage to see any of the people who are responsible for my current obsession?

That all changed with the possibility of seeing Morning Musume perform at Anime Expo in Los Angeles this summer.  See details here, and go mad with jealousy at my comparative good luck.  Let me wallow in this for a while, because I don't get out often.  And on the other hand, I'm still not believing that this is actually going to happen.

I harbor a little bit of dissapointment that I won't be seeing °C-ute or Berryz Kobo, though if I'd seen them a little over a year ago, wouldn't have been star-struck anyway.  Morning Musume may have already reached its peak some time ago, and some of the most popular girls won't be there, but still, let's stop and think about who I'll be in the same room with.

For starters, no, it's not Aiko;  but at least two of them have definitely spoken to her, and shared some time backstage (or possibly the same bunk bed) with her during the Musume audition.

Let's see who I'll be seeing with my own two eyes.  A member of MiniMoni, albeit a latecomer, Ms. Takahashi Ai, and fellow 5th gen-er Niigaki Risa.  Both of these girls are hilariously gorgeous, have talked to Aiko at some point, were around back when 'Mr. Moonlight' came out, and by my calculations, hold the title for being in Morning Musume longer than anyone else in history.

Next, the 6th gen of Kamei Eri, Michishige Sayumi, and Tanaka Reina, all swimsuit models in a former life, apparently:

'Nuff said.

And, if that weren't enough, the almighty Ms. Kusumi Koharu will be there;  so Rainbow Pink, (my favorite super-group) will be reunited, so to speak, with a surrounding ensemble.  Plus, have I ever mentioned that I really like Koha-chan?

Mitsui Aika, the sole Japanese rep of the 8th gen, will be there.  As much as I tried to ignore her, seriously, tenacity is one of her better qualities, and if she encountered me alone on the street, proclaiming that she was a Musume, I'd stop her in the middle of her spiel.  "You're friggin' Mitsui!" I would exclaim, and then we would go back to my castle and live happily ever after.

Here's the hard part.  The other two 8th gen-ers Junjun and Linlin will also be there, but for the life of me, I can't tell them apart.  Blame it on me being racist and having a bit of trouble accepting Chinese girls into my favorite Japanese group.  Or, blame it on me looking the other way when they joined, and just generally not keeping up with Morning Musume in recent days.  Either way, a *lot* of good things have been said about these two, and I usually listen to my online peers when it comes to talent.  I just haven't seen much of them, and unlike, say, Yuko and Rika, there's not a big age/personality difference for me to latch on to.  I can't tell any other two Asian girls apart, so don't get too offended, I'm just an idiot about these things.

So, my goal in life is to see me some idols, and this is quite the collection.  No need to get a passport and the flight itself is about 1/6th the amount I'd be paying to get to Japan, no idol-seeing included.  Add to that the fact that I'll be amongst friends unknown, Japanophiles all.  I'm not a huge anime fan, but there'll be plenty of cool (and cutting edge) things to see there.

Consider this to be another notch scratched on my belt.  Been to California, been to LA, and if things hold out, I'd have stayed but a block away from Library Tower.  It's still partially up in the air, but in all actuality, I have a plane ticket to Los Angeles and admission to the Expo gate.  So it's as if I've already been there, short of telling Kusumi (to her face) that I love her.  Did I mention that I really like Kusumi Koharu?

The Hello!Blog poll, 2009, results explained.

I figured I'd do the polite thing and complete Tom's little challenge to select my top ten members of H!P. He's gotten a lot of responses so far and you have until April 10 to get your say, if you haven't already.

I started doing this, not really sure of what I was doing and just stared at all my options until I came up with a lineup that I'm very proud of, so I thought I'd explain why I put them in this order. This actually turned out to be pretty fun, I may become an idol-ranker in the future despite my pride.


First, honorable mention goes to Kayo Aiko. It's a cop-out, admittedly, but if it weren't for her, I wouldn't know who any of these girls are. Insofar as this site is all about her, it stands to reason that she is my 'real' first choice and nothing I've seen in the past three years has even threatened her reign at the top of my list. Not to say that I don't enjoy anything as much, just... Aiko, is all. For what it's worth, she would have done a great job with H!P and this is one of the few Tsunku moves I disagree with.


1. Kusumi Koharu, undeniably. I love girls who are very pretty and who act crazy most of the time, go figure. Aside from juicing up the 'Cover You' record with songs like 'Six seven oh oh!' and 'Pin Pon ...IKOU KA!?!?!?', she's got a presence on every song she's ever done, be it solo, or when she teams up with Sayu or Hagitty or MilkyWay, etc. Having first noticed her in the vid for 'Egao YES Nude' I've been paying attention for a while, and *some*body looks damn good in the 'Naichau Kamo' (Nacho Spider) vid. Songs like 'Happy Sunday' really keep me going, and there's plenty of good stuff on her latest record; did I mention she makes dog noises? Oh, so cute... Seriously, this woman is saving my life right now; when things are going wrong I hear her screaming like a crazy person and I just get the giggles. Thanks, Koha; you win this one easily.


2. Tsugunaga Momoko, or just plain Momoko, because this chick is just unique, there's nobody else like her. She's quickly gone from being the most annoying Berry (in my past opinions) to being the best. Perseverance pays, and she's always there, constantly reminding you that she's not going away, and you're just going to have to deal with it. I now have a pretty good knowledge of the group, but from that first day I could tell Momoko's voice from the rest. Perky, powerful Momoko, redefining the exceptional idol, gets hit by a bus and just keeps going. Wins a motorcycle race on a tricycle. Sorry, y'all, take a backseat. I shouldn't even *have* to explain this.


3. Hagiwara Mai, mostly to illustrate the order of my three favorite groups. Still, she's on a Koha record, which is as close as one gets to being a god in my book. Gets to rock the song 'Disco Queen' with Tom's favorite, Nakki. Appears on Morning Musume's 7.5 Fuyu Mini record with lines such as (and I'm loosely translating) 'Shut up or I'll kill you, Mikitty...' To which, Miki retorts, 'Stuff a sock in it, Hagitty...' She wears those 'flying ace' sunglasses in the 'Massara Blue Jeans' vid, and the list goes on. I might not say she's the best in °C-ute but she's my favorite to see, hopefully plenty more good things to come with her.


4. Michishige Sayumi, the other half of Rainbow Pink, or whatever the hell they call that duo that sings about pink Christmases and pink rainbows. After my first listen to 'Rainbow Pink' I couldn't believe what I just heard, it sounded like it was written by aliens. I think now that v-u-den and W are gone, this sickeningly sweet duo needs to get an album, one that turns anyone into a diabetic after listening to it all the way through. Anyway, Sayu's schtick about being the cutest in Momusu (and knowing it) has worn thin with a lot of people, but I've always enjoyed it. She's not wrong, I'll let you know, and aside from being obnoxiously cute, she's obnoxiously DEADLY in a swimsuit, hot damn! Go ahead, do a Google image search for some pics, and in three days, when you're done staring at that, this will still be here. Yes, she works out.


5. Tokunaga Chinami, are you seeing a pattern in my group selection, here? Being pulled from obscurity and winning the second Berryz slot takes some serious doing, and Chinami's been working it like crazy lately, flashing those hi-beams (her *eyes*, you pervs), and just generally being outgoing, fun to watch, and surprisingly down-to-earth as well. I've been told that we get to see a glimpse of her in a swimsuit towards this summer, so be on the lookout. Also, anyone who screams 'Everybody BANZAI!' gets high ranks from me. She's got Tom's vote, too.


6. Suzuki Airi, who really needs no boost from me to get a good spot in the overall poll, but let's count the ways. Cute, done. Sings 'Tsuugaku Vector', need I say more? Also, an outstanding job done on the Aa! single 'First Kiss' at the age of *9*! She ain't 'front and center' in °C-ute for no good reason, so you should totally be expecting her to keep owning as she gets older. Another choice that I shouldn't have to explain. Also, Buono!, so there. There's no comeback for that.


7. Kamei Eri, again, mostly for the latest swimsuit pics. Wins my ranking overall as a complete person; as an idol, she's got a little work to do, but no worries. To aid the police in the future, I'm publicly admitting here that if I ever see her in person, I'm going to steal her without regard to the law. There's no talking me out of it, I'm afraid, and as her captor, will take her to every clothing store in town and demand that she try everything on and show me how it looks, even tuxedos and old lady shawls, and (heart skips a beat here) pj's. Afterwards, take her to the best restaurant in town so they can say, 'I'm sorry, we can't serve you, your girlfriend is too hot and she'll cause all the steaks to be overcooked.' She'll kill all the lobsters in the tank after the water starts boiling, just standing there waiting for an open table.


8. and 9. Natsuyaki Miyabi and Sugaya Risako (almost a tie). The (not-so-aptly-named) 'gruesome twosome' who front the Berryz get punitive spots all the way down here, past the Momoko's and Chinami's who are actually singing for their supper. Yeah, they're still godawfully gorgeous, they've still got my eyes turned toward them no matter what, and we've got another member of Buono! (no comeback, see?) and as well, Risako just KILLS the speakers on 'Real Love' any day of the week. But my reasoning for putting them down here is this: girls, don't get egotistical and lazy, or else you'll be out of the top ten entirely. Keep kicking ass and maybe next year you'll do better with me. Even though everybody loves you gals, there's really no comfortable amount of breathing room here, ya can't slack off for a second or Chinami will have your head, for breakfast.


10. Ishikawa Rika, as in, currently, out of the rest of the group, the one I like the most. V-u-den, Hangry and Angry, Gatas, 4th gen Momusu, et al. A native of Kanagawa, where the prettiest girls in the world are manufactured (right, Aiko?) See, Rika was once a little girl like the rest of my votes here, then she was the *leader* of v-u-den, as in, people are telling Yui and Erika to get out of the way so they can get a glimpse of Rika, that's saying something. So now, she pretty much owns the world, I think. She came over the other day and told me to get out of my own house so she could have her ten boyfriends over, and I checked the law, I had to let her do it. Bonus point for her having a sense of humor where everything she says is completely *not* funny, but I can't help but laugh uncontrollably when she just stares at whoever she's told the 'joke' to, like, 'isn't that hilarious?!?' It's not, but if she could get any cuter, I'll be stealing her, too.

Not being in the top ten doesn't mean I don't like whoever I've left out; I could only pick so many, you know. Some of them, though, I have no idea who they are... Shugo? You can't *eat* that. Manoeri... who the hell is that? She must've been stuck in someone's chimney and they felt sorry for her and let her do a couple singles. And seriously, I'm not learning the names of all the Gatas, that's going too far. And I hope Yoshi takes top prize, honestly.

So there you have it, I can't wait for next year. Tom, if you're reading this, I can hear your maniacal laughter at me for going on and on and on about who's my favorite and why. Ah, I have done 'that which I vowed I would never do'. Pray for me.

Thanks be to Tom for getting this done and making us feel like we have *some* say in our favorite groups.  You get bonus brag points for converting me from someone who used to laugh at your long-winded 'favorite' posts into someone who also does long-winded 'favorite' posts.

Now, go and vote, dammit!

Confirmed!

I won't get too smug about it, but y'all should be happy that I do this.  I'm putting valuable time back in the hands of Kayo Aiko fans, so you don't have to spend the hours I've spent finding and presenting little tidbits like this.  Remember this picture?

Without a doubt, from left to right: Kago Ai, Ms. Kayo Aiko herself, and Takahashi Ai.  Hence, 'aiaiai.jpg'.  Also, Tanaka Reina is the person to their right.  So my status as an Aiko expert is upheld, ID'ing Reina gets me more points, and the result is not only confirmation that this is a picture of Aiko, but confirmation that she stood between Kago and Takahashi for this picture well after the Morning Musume audition.

The full image (albeit very small) is this:

And the guide to it (with similar family name sounds circled) is this:

How lame is it that the guide is a better resolution than the actual picture?  I've never seen any other pictures of this occasion;  you'd think they're out there somewhere.

Here is the page where I found it with description in Japanese.  I tried my hand at translating it, but could not do it coherently.  The most I can decipher is "on one hand, some of them won the audition, on the other hand, some lost.  I imagine they had quite a conversation.  Do you suppose the order was intentionally based on the sounds in their surnames, or is it coincidence?"

This blogger is one I can identify with.  It looks like he (or she) is an avid photographer of places and structures used in H!P photobooks.  If I lived in Japan and had the time, I'd do it, too.  So let's go get some Nicola pizza and have Blue Seal for dessert.

Also posing with Ms. Kayo Aiko are some Musume greats:

Iida Kaori, Yaguchi Mari, Tsuji Nozomi, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Ishikawa Rika, Kamei Eri, Michishige Sayumi, and Fujimoto Miki, at least.  The entire second gen of Tanpopo is there, for those counting.

A Word About Favorites

I spent some quality time this week listening to Morning Musume's gigantic music catalog and along the way I had some revelations which I thought might serve as interesting reading.

Everybody knows (well, now you do) that if I HAD to choose an all-time favorite Musume, I'd choose Kago.  Why?  She liked to pull pranks and wasn't particularly into education.  After about a week of being shy, she had tons of energy and endless confidence.  She's got big, dark eyes and an infectious smile, and more often than not was funny as hell.  She did impressions of other famous people, some of which were terrible, and some were right on.  She played coy with the public, pretending to be oh-so-innocent but couldn't hide that gleam in her eye which only meant that she was trouble (in a good and bad way).  Also, her unmistakable voice has a nice 'bite' to it, so whenever she shows up on recordings you can tell it's her right away.  Even if I'm listening at the office, I still want to scream "Kago-CHAN!" in time with the music after her lines.

Now that I've said that, this post isn't intended to be a Kago-lovefest.  I'll have plenty of those on my own time because I've made my choice and no wota can tell me differently.  

In choosing a favorite, I'm not saying that I hate all the other Musume because it's simply impossible to do so.  I may like some more than others, but really, all 25 members throughout the group's history have made a positive impression on me and I wish the best to all of them.

Still, anyone who's followed this group has picked their own favorite (sometimes it changes) and I'd bet that the most common reasoning is that "she's better than the others".  I could say this about Kago, although many would disagree.  So is it all just in my head that every time I watch a video she stands out in the crowd?  Am I making it up that her voice is so much more unique than the rest of the group?  From a completely impartial perspective, I have to say yes.   At some point I made a conscious decision to be 'on the lookout' for Kago, so that when the video (or the song) is over, I can say smugly to myself that she was the standout, and the rest were just there to support her.  Other people talk about their favorite member and I think, 'are you crazy?'  

Why would anybody pick Yoshi?  She's got talent, but always seemed a little too boyish for me (which might be attractive to others).  Her voice is unmistakable if you're listening for it.

Why would anyone pick Yasuda?  She's got talent but always seemed a little too plain to me (which might be attractive to others).  Her voice is unmistakable if you're listening for it.

And so on.  Not to pick on those two, because I think that both Yoshi and Yasuda have made the group better, and again, all the members have done that.  So why are they not my favorite, and why do I not hear them as individuals when they sing lines of songs?  Because they're not Kago, and I'm not paying particular attention to them, that's why.

And, for a completely unknown reason, (eerily similar member) Tsuji never gets a high spot on my list of favorite Musume.  She's my second favorite W member, and W always scores consistently high on my favorite H!P group list.  She's my third favorite Mini Moni member (hey there, Mari-san!) and Mini Moni always scores consistently high on my favorite H!P group list.  But as an individual, I can only tolerate others when they say she's so great;  I just haven't felt that way.  This anomaly only proves my point that once you've decided who your favorite is, objectivity goes out the window.

Sometimes you get so caught up with a certain member that you forget that others are even in the group.  Some, of course, are actually more popular than others, and this depends on a lot of things which I won't even try to list.  All in all, Morning Musume is an interesting cross section of the celebrity marketing industry, a topic which could span several hundred pages of investigation;  and we, the consumers, aren't as diligent as that when we make choices.  No matter how hard the marketing folks could try to push their favorite member on us, we'd still decide on our own who is the most favorable.

So when I say that Kago is my all-time-favorite (if I HAD to choose), I know I won't be converting anyone else to my belief.  Maybe, though, she's one of the members you've 'forgotten about' (but not very likely in this case)  and you might start trying to notice her a little more.  

So if I say that Kamei Eri is my favorite current member -- and she may or may not be -- some who've forgotten about her might wonder what makes her so intriguing to me, and start to see why I would think that.  Of course, in the end, it's up to whether I think she's better than the others.

So go ahead and pick your favorite members from whatever group you're infatuated with.  Because I could agree or disagree, and any mention (good or bad) only keeps that person in the public eye.  As well, they (the marketers) demand that you do, so they can find out what works and what doesn't, so they can keep your wallet open and keep on owning your wota ass.  But oh, how great it feels to be owned.