H!P HNPH News - GAM's Mikitty Lives her "Freedom" and Satoda Getting Busy

You know Hello! Project is getting too much attention, when a busy guy like me is creating 4 posts on a single day, and covering 5 news in two posts. ^_^ Not that it's forced upon me, but because things like this has to be historically documented somehow.

First things first...

GAM's Theme is "Freedom"

In an exclusive interview with Oricon yesterday on the 23rd, members of GAM, Matsuura Aya and Fujimoto Miki talked about their first album "Amai Yuuwaku" ~ "1stGAM～甘い誘惑" which was launched on the same day. The interview started off by mentioning Hello! Project caters to different listeners to their own age. Ayaya noted that because their busy schedules, the pair have to do their recording on different sessions and in order to do so they each have to imagine each other's presence. But given their long time friendship, their chemistry provided for great teamwork and have completed their recording without major problems. For example, when Ayaya sings the chorus, she is able to envision Mikitty's voice and singing style in her head to provide her part. The pair stated that they owed their rapport and chemistry to them knowing each other since their solo career days even though they have formed GAM only a short while ago.

Therefore Ayaya and Mikitty exclaimed that the theme for GAM is "Freedom". The pair wished to show the fans the GAM that they have created on their live concert, and is confident that they will enliven the crowd to sing along.

All this sounded good, and I look forward to their first concert. However it seems to me Mikitty have exercised her "freedom" a little too much, because...


Fujimoto Miki got Friday'd

The headlines on Friday tabloid on Fujimoto Miki isn't just a hoax. Friday have proven time and again on their reliability for such scandals. Love 'em or hate 'em, they're just doing their job. Had it not been Friday, some other tabloids would have covered the scoop, I'm sure. The good people at Hello! Online have further discovered more news about Mikitty's case. Here's a little quote from there ->

Friday reveals news of the two leaving a sauna, and having a 3-day-long date. Both are seen entering Shouji's 4WD car, going for a 2-hour-long dinner to a Japanese-style dining bar, then stopping at Miki's apartment and leaving in less than one hour for a sauna salon. Just after midnight, they are seen going back to Shouji's apartment.

Is this the end of Mikitty? Are we witnessing the shortest reign of being leader of Morning Musume at only 3 weeks? How will UFA handle this situation given the recent trouble caused by Kago Ai and Tsuji Nozomi?
Source here.


On the brighter side of things...

Satoda Mai getting busy

Busy with work, that is. Satoda Mai have been receiving numerous praises of being a wonderful TV talent. Other than her pioneering a new futsal league back her hometown, Satoda have been increasingly active in her "solo career" as sole member of Country Musume. Her activeness on variety shows and the like is only second to Nakazawa Yuuko. Even Yaguchi Mari is getting less appearances, but then again she has her own radio show and a regular show.

Satoda Mai have a solo single released, entitled "Oyaji no Kokoro ni Tomotta Chiisana Hi". Or rather a duet really, as reported in BARKS. The single will also feature the participation of veteran duo "Fujioka Fujimaki", whom have their own show called Oyaji Entertainment. I don't think this single is aiming at the top of the charts, but it's meant to be fun. Some Boys! Blog noted this news and provided a sample, please buy it if you like it.

In addition to that, Satoda gets her own regular column in B.L.T. magazine, named "Satoda My Favorite" starting today. ALSO, she will be next featured on Hello! Project Digital Books for the month of June. Yup, ANOTHER photo album eyecandy for us.

I guess we can quash that speculation of having Satoda, Yoshizawa Hitomi and Coconuts Musume Ayaka forming a buddy unit. BUT, as I always say, never say never! ^_^
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GAM steals the "sexy" tag

Something short and recent before I get back to writing essays.

Kd of Iroiro Aru Sa made an interesting post about the different departments in Morning Musume that appeals to the fans. This is why I love reading her posts - she always think outside the box. Basically, she highlighted some different styles that caters for the fans. Namely The Sexy Ones, The Cute Ones and The Cool Ones. I'll leave it for you guys to read the rest of it.

Currently, the obvious ones that is being pushed with the "sexy image" (or ero-kawaii, whichever you may call it) are Goto Maki, and Biyuuden. (I'm not including the PBs here.) Now, GAM is taking over that faction.



.... okay, to be fair, they are TRYING to take over the "sexy" faction. This picture compensated my previous remark about them high socks covering up the legs. That's the same outfit in the PV for the single "Lu Lu Lu". It would excite me even more, if they dance in them. There... I'm happy now. \(^o^)/

Ayaya has lost some weight lately, and looking better than ever. Reminds me of her role in movie Sukeban Deka. And Mikitty? Honestly... I'm growing a soft spot for her for some time already. She's still got quite an attitude, but I like her for her character.

On the "sexy image" part, I don't know how the overall fan reaction/acceptance to where GAM is going. But it will be interesting to see what the UFA will do, if they find that after all the hard work they invested on the image training for Gocchin and Biyuuden bunny girls, and GAM just strides in to snatch the trophy. ^_^




EDIT: If you're wondering what colour of them panties Ayaya and Mikitty is wearing under the white shirt in the first pic........ See here -->



No panties. Just... grey sweat pants. Bleh...
(Never mind the high socks though, audree says it's fashion)
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GAM - New Single, New Outfit

So after the much discussed Gay Great Aya and Miki single "Melodies", they have a new song coming up and a new outfit. It is their 3rd single now, to be released on March 21st. It's called "Lu Lu Lu".

Had a listen of the radio rip of Lu Lu Lu, and the supposedly coupling song (B-side) Family, it's a rip from Mikitty's Dokimiki Night radio show.
[ Note: For preview purposes only. ]



"Lu Lu Lu". What a title... The good thing about it though, is that it is easy to remember, even if you don't remember/like the song. It makes you want to look for that phrase, and when it's found, you're halfway to the song already. (But I don't think the songwriter/lyricist think of it as complicated as I do ^_^)


Honestly, I like the song "Lu Lu Lu" (or "Lululu". Not sure which is right). Sounds like a nice song to be made into a soundtrack of a movie. One thing though - Mikitty has gotta start learning how to do harmonies. You can't leave it all to Ayaya all the time. As for "Family", this rock & roll piece ain't a family song. ^_^
Tom has pre-ordered the single, and I hope he enjoys it.



But you know what pops into my head when I saw the single cover? 90's duo and pop sensation - Wink. Somehow something is telling me that the current GAM is an after-millennium version of Wink. (Maybe it's the hat? ^_^) If that's true, GAM may be much more popular with the release of their 3rd single, just as Wink did with theirs. But I may be dreaming, cos' I'm not sure if "Lululu" can top the Oricon charts.

We'll see if a GAM-only concert ever take place, just as boldly declared by Ayaya and Mikitty in the Hello！Project 2007 Winter Shuugetsu！ 10th Anniversary Concert. Maybe Aida Shoko (one half of Wink) can give the girls a few pointers. (Note that Aida Shoko is currently working with Up Front Works)



Lastly,..... mini-skirt one-piece for the outfit. Probably going for a 1920's kind of fashion, an era where the 'GAM' takes their name from.


What I don't understand is that if this outfit is for showing them legs, why are they are given high stockings that goes past the knees? Show the legs but cover 'em up again? What's the point?



Wink image taken from http://www.idollica.com/wink/Wink.html
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The Duo Unit Project

In the past, Hello!Project are notorious for their ever changing Morning Musume lineup, with their frequent graduations and newly added members combined. There was also the shuffle groups and subgroups, most shocking of all is the splitting of the Momusu lineup to Sakura and Otome gumi. What are they doing? Probably experimenting with group handling and finding out how/which kind of variation can help with sales and self-appeal. I can name two that have been immensely successful: Minimoni and Tanpopo. Currently UFA is moving on to the formula of duos.


W(DoubleU) was the first - a combination of the troublemaker and moodmaker duo of Tsuji Nozomi and Kago Ai. The concept of W was a twin duo group but not biologically twins. Stemming from their Minimoni image of cute and playful girls, W was formed almost immediately after the hiatus of Minimoni. Later, UFA felt it was safe to move them a level to the mature audience and gave them a kawaii and sexy image outlook, starting with their hit single "Miss Love Tantei". I am most sure that UFA have plans to go all the way with these two, seeing that their singles have been at most 4 months apart and have two albums to their credit within a year.

Until that fateful day, when Aibon was caught smoking by Friday. W is put on hiatus and Aibon was suspended indefinitely.

So UFA is shelving the duo concept away? Hell no! It's a marketable concept and W's track record have proven it. So in comes GAM.


GAM (Great Aya and Miki) combination of two long time best friends Matsuura Aya and Fujimoto Miki and that became their concept. Maybe my interest in W was too strong, but I can't help but see traces of similarities between GAM and W.


1) Same costume - It's common in Japan for duos to wear similar costume/uniform, but they don't have to do the same for GAM, they are different enough and can each carry their own weight. Still the bonding and association between the two have to start somewhere, hence the costume.
2) Shoujou-Ai - Long time fans of Nono and Aibon knows that both of them have less interest in boys, and both of them have been intimate enough to kiss. They have developed a chemistry that even by looking at each other's eyes, they know what the other is thinking. Ayaya and Mikitty can do the same.
3) Self-appeal - W's appeal strategy is to let them talk their hearts out on-air. Their closeness, talkativeness, bickerings, how well they know each other, how well they get along etc... are enough to promote themselves to the market. GAM is about the same. Although, yes, Hello!Project is known to use "let the product market themselves" strategy most times. But after GAM's appearance on Hello!Morning and Music Fighter, I feel they are stressing this point too much and too obviously.
4) Music style - I cannot help but think that their style is a continuation of what W's path could have been. The bits and pieces of unreleased W songs sung by Nono reflect on GAM's singles. (Just a little bit, in my personal opinion).

So what's next? Create another duo of course! This concept works, so why not spawn another one. Maybe not immediately, but I think another one is on the way. So who is the next two best friends within the Hello!Project or Morning Musume?

I can think of two:
A) Michishige Sayumi + Kamei Eri
B) Takahashi Ai + Niigaki Risa

The two sets above are well-known to all fans as best friends off-stage. But I don't think they will work. Combination (A) have two slow-pokes together, and they are easily rivals as they are best of friends - that's bad energy. Combination (B) cannot work either, since obviously Takahashi Ai is booked for a solo career in the future, adding the less popular Niigaki in will only lower Ai-chan's popularity. So, I'm guessing it's neither of the two combination, but one half of each: Eririn (Kamei Eri) + Gaki-san (Niigaki Risa).

Why? After watching Morning Musume related programmes and performances lately, I noticed that Eririn and Gaki-san have been paired up quite frequently.

Hello Pro Hour


Hakkan Commercial


Zekkyu Commercial


The latest Morning Musume Single "Aruiteru" Jacket shoot


And during previous performances, notably "Wonder Hearts Land Concert 2006" (past concerts too) and also the "Music Fair 21", they are paired up together again.

Unlike GAM and W, the Niigaki-Kamei combo is quite different, they may have not have the rapport and chemistry, but they are a perfect boke-tsukomi pair, for sure.

Right now, I'm just speculating, it may or may not come true. In any case, they are probably reserves for now, like a backup duo-group, in case GAM have any problems. (I see that UFA have learned from its past mistakes). Right now, I feel that Gaki-san and Eririn still lacks the chemistry but it's up to UFA to work on it.

There must be a reason why they don't pair the real-life best friends together. Maybe to UFA, their company goals and missions trumps all personal interests and situations. Kinda sad, but that's showbiz for you.


End note: Actually, it's hard to compare GAM with W. GAM is already unique on its own already, and I like them that way. But somehow, I cannot help but see W in them. I see GAM as how W could have been if they were not suspended.
Additionally, I hear GAM's next single is already in the making and will be released before the end of this year, and I'm looking forward to it.

Peace ^_^
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The GAM Kiss

Yes, boys and girls. After much speculation and rumours, it is official now. In GAM's single PV "Melodies" Fujimoto Miki and Matsuura Aya kissed at the closing seconds of the video. And the fans ran amok, excited over this footage.


Actually, it's not the first time we see members of the Hello!Project family kissing.

We had Nono and Aibon kissing.


We even had the four-way kiss, between Nacchi, Yaguchi, Nono and Aibon.


Young (Japanese) girls do that and it's nothing really. In a previous Music Fighter show, Ayaya and Mikitty even revealed that the two of them are so close together as friends that they shower together. Now if only I can plant my webcam in their shower box while they're at it... :)

One of the reasons why this news is so hot, is that fans already have a long time fantasy about lesbianism among Morning Musume or Hello!Project members, all the more since Ayaya and Mikitty are known to be best friends and all. It's not a-first, Yoshizawa Hitomi have been paired with Mikitty and also Ishikawa Rika too.

Another other reason is the concept of this video, which is shojou-ai - love and affection between two girls. It's a brave move, considereing that they want to break into the mainstream audience. (Or is it BECAUSE they want to break into the mainstream, therefore they chose to do it.) Now in Japan, such attraction between girls, are considered to be common (if not natural), especially amongst the senpai and kohais (in school or at work). Things like holding hands, kissing, gift-giving and touching are part of it, though I think the some of the touching part may be viewed as sexually explicit in the eyes of the West. Such love can be beautiful, and may range from secret admiration to absolute infatuation. So let's not be confused and stereotype it to just the sexual reasons. (It's OK to fantasize about it though)

My observation and findings:
- Ayaya is a watcher, she didn't even close her eyes during the kiss.
- If the two of them are lesbians, Ayaya will be the butch, since she is the one drawing the kiss.
- This may or may not be GAM's idea to do this. Either way, Mikitty seemed a bit more nervous than Ayaya. Unlike Ayaya, Mikitty didn't part her lips during the kiss. Shows the difference in terms of professionalisn between the two.
- Read somewhere else that the director for this video has another project that projects similar concept and script. He may be hired for this purpose.

All in all, it's still a hot thing to see. So get your hands on the video if you can. I got mine! ^_^
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