The more I see of Hachamecha the more that I love this group, they are kind of like an Indie version of Momoiro Clover Z. What I mean by this is they are just a free spirited ball of energy, which does just about whatever comes to mind first. Here is some must watch footage of Hachamecha out discovering the world around them, it`s pretty entertaining.
They make contact with the locals
In this they discover the wonders of the big city and that a broke idol can`t buy stuff .One wants to take a statue and they also discover alien life.
In this episode they head to the park with a cardboard cutout to try a start a space program that consists of helium balloons and trying to launch a member into space. They also try launching an orbiter into space.
And lastly they discover a new land with strange creatures, customs and eat bugs
Singing This is a Nico Nico screen capture, so the volume is not very loud So you may want to turn up your notebook volume some.
My Rabbits is a brand new unit who are the sister unit of S-Qty and is the cute duo of Miyu [16 photo on top] and Yumi [14] .They by the way have a really cool shirt; it has a screaming rabbit saying “TOMRROW’S ENERGY IS SENT TO YOU!!”
Right now there is not a lot of history with them; however it is a group we want to keep a watch on.
Toki☆Doki (トキドキ) is a group that when you look at them for the first time ,you see that they are your typical Indie style idols ,names and faces that may not stand out enough for you to take the time remember , costumes that don`t look like at times expensive circus tents like you see in a Major Idol house.
Instead you see groups that are much like BiS and follow the, we are who we are mentality, you`ll like us if you’re willing to give us a chance formula.
When you look past the outer coating of costumes and simpleness of promotional videos , you often discover that Indie Idols are really good singers ,who for whatever reason may have lacked something a big house wanted ,simply were overlooked or just enjoy the creative freedom that being an Indie Idol offers.
There are some Indies that I know of that are much happier being Indies than Majors, for they feel that they would lose who they are by becoming Major Idols.
But you see there is something very special about Toki☆Doki that I have yet to mention and that is
Toki☆Doki are members of the idol group DokiDoki☆ Dream Campus a group we have mentioned in the past on Pure Idol Heart.
Toki☆Doki are Marin Moriya who has an established Gravure Idol career ,Airu Natsuki also an established Gravure Idol and Miyu Suenaga also an established Gravure Idol.
Together they provide idol cuteness and a perfect blend of vocals to create a pleasing vocal trio, which is hard not to like.
While DokiDoki☆ Dream Campus is their main unit, Toki☆Doki are certainly an up and coming force on the Indie scene. A group well worth the time it takes to go check them out and one that you want to remember their faces and names if you’re a fan of the Indie Idol scene.
This is a good vocal group ,the thing about Indies is that groups at this level can be hit or miss at times ,this is one group we need to consider for more regular PIH coverage. In somewhat of a surprise Shikoku Island is turning into a hotbed for Idol groups as a number of groups that have been on PIH have come from Shikoku .
Another group making their PIH debut from Osaka is SO.ON project.
Another group with standout vocals and an army of members to choose from. This unit could really be something special down the road.
When you’re on the lower end of the idol genre ladder of fame , you have to be creative in promoting yourself .
Here is a look at what this unit decided to do one nght.
It`s not often that an active idol becomes involved with the creation of a new idol group ,yet that is exactly what Idoling!!! Member Kikuchi Ami has done.
Please welcome Babyraids [Baby Rays] and let me say upfront ,when you hear them sing ,you’re going to be very impressed . The quality of idol genre has upgraded with this unit .
So before we get into the members and Ami`s participation, let’s go right to the performance part of this presentation.
While Ami can`t claim ownership as they are officially under contract to the agency she works for ,"LesPros entertainment" ,she has to be one proud senior/advisor as she and LesPros have step up to the plate and hit a homerun with this unit.
So now that we know that they can bring the goods to the table ,let`s look at Ami and the Babyraids more closely in this series of introduction videos as Ami does her best Tsunku impression. She makes a pretty good one at that ,watching over the young ones like a proud mother, producer, manager, elder all rolled into one.
In these clips you will see Babyraids ,but also a different side of Ami then she shows on TV with Idoling!!!.
HSG is a new idol group they have a number of intro programs, USTREAM Show, and more.
If you’re looking for something new off the mainstream radar, you may want to give HSG a shot.
C＊LOVER has several units and idols under contract including Prima Rock [hard rock idols] they are the second group on stage in the clip above. Jewel, they are the third group on stage in the above clip. Ange and others.
Because some of these groups have more videos then others I have split this post into A & B parts.
As with part one these groups will be revisited with solo profile features.
Pinafore has almost 120 videos on their YouTube Account
Pinafore is a maid café/ idol group from Pinafore Café and directly related to Melody Lien
Because of that they get added to part two
Because some of these groups have more videos then others I have split this post into A & B parts.
As with part one these groups will be revisited with solo profile features.
# 6 PIECE
PIECE is a new unit that has not released an original single yet; however you want to keep their YouTube channel handy as they have a number of little clips on the site.
30 Fresh Faces is something that I have wanted to do for some time and that is present you the readers of this site with 30 idol groups or soloists that have never appeared on Pure Idol Heart.
Plans are underway for formal artist introduction posts after these previews. Each one of these artists have different levels of experience and in no way should they be compared to 48`s or H!P level idols ,if they were ,they would be in those groups . Instead these artists should be compared with the other artists in this series .
Regardless if an idol is performing in front of 50 or 5,000 ,they are deserving of our respect and support. If you’re a true fan of Idol genre , then a level of an artist ,should not matter to you if they bring you happiness in their performance.
So let’s get started
#1 first up is the charming Oota Yuuki
We have actually previewed groups on their label before , just never got around to Starmarie .Starmarie are with a bunch of pretty established Tokyo Indie Idol groups and soloists .
Momoko splits time as an idol singer and being a member of a rock band , and making Gravure books.
Of the two music genres ,she is more famous for writing the lyrics for the idol songs that she sings as an idol. She is also under the same record label as Starmarie
Stylips which stands for Brand-new style for lips!! Or Stylips and features the veteran idol lineup of Noto Arisa, Ogura Yui, Matsunaga Maho and Ishihara Kaori have released a teaser for their debut single STUDY x STUDY
STUDYxSTUDY is the ending theme for the anime High School DxD and will be released Feb 8th.
As a staff we decided that in 2012 we are going to bring you as many Independent, regional Idol units as possible. As hard as it may seem 90% of all idol groups are Indie groups and soloists . Most are working outside the major media outlets, while being major stars in their home Prefectures.
With each group the presentation will be different, depending on what they have to offer.
First up is from Oita the idol group CHIMO .CHIMO has been around since 2007 and is considered a Super Idol group in their region. The group has had several members go on to join national idol groups.
For CHIMO the best way to welcome them to PIH is to show them in Concert.
So sit back and take 30 minutes to get to know these hard working well loved idols. Some of their best songs are near the end of the performance as all Indies do with their live sets.
Here's the second installment of "Meika's Music for Thought"! As I commented in my first post, I'll try my best to be kinder to the newer groups, but that doesn't mean that I still won't be honest about my thoughts. So hopefully you can be honest about YOUR thoughts, too, and comment about them below! Idol Class- Makeru na Dreamer
In the beginning of the song, I like how nice the guitar and piano couple each other to make an awesome, slow entrance. The first part of vocals sound really sweet and the instrumental that backs them up really makes it sound great! In the first verse, the vocals and their unity went slightly downhill, but they still made it through and the harmonies were a nice surprise and effort. The instrumental starts to sound a little unchanged and boring as the song progresses, but when it gets to the chorus and instrumental break, the awesomeness just picks up again! And the vocals that go with it sound continue to sweet and adorable, although still a little un-united and "bad" at times. The mixing was mediocre, but the majority of the music and vocals made me look past it. ^.^b
When the PV started, I thought it was fun and cute how the girls were splashing each other with water. Maybe it's because some of the girls were screaming and trying to avoid getting wet, but whatever it was, I giggled and smiled throughout the whole scene! :P The corridor scenes were really simple, but it was okay when matched with the girls' charisma and spirit. The close ups were a bit awkward for the most part with their gestures, eye contact, facial expressions... Mostly everything, but it got better as the PV progressed. The "candid", I guess you could call them, shots of the girls were well done with the shakiness of the camera, the lighting and the faded tint. Or at least in my eyes.
I found the panning of the dance shot at the back of the auditorium really cool for some reason... And I have no idea why. O.O The shakiness of the camera, again, looked actually wonderful with the close-up shots of the girls and not weird at all. Maybe because it makes it look more... Edgy or something? ^.^; The start of the dance with the girls turning around at different cues was also simple but worked wonderfully well with the "Oomph" parts of the music. The dance during the instrumental break made me giggle a little since it wasn't as energetic and climatic as I'm used to, though that doesn't mean that it wasn't bad because it wasn't. The overall choreography was a lot better than that I have seen from other Indies group and they made it even better to watch with the enthusiasm they showcased.
Overall, I give it a 8.6/10; Lost a little points with some aspects of the song and PV, but it was still a great piece!
P.S. One of the girls looked like Kitarie (Kitahara Rie, AKB48 Team B and my Oshi!!!) for me, especially in her first close-up! YEAH!!! :DDD Can you spot her? :o Angel from MG - Angel
As the song started, I was mesmerized by the switching of mono channels. I always like those kind of effects because it sounds... Well, I can't describe it, but I always say it's "3D", for some reason. Especially when you listen through earphones or headphones. The music after was really rockin'! I think I said this before, but usually "pure rock"-sounding songs bore me. This time around, though, that one other effect in the instrumental made the instruments sound better! The echoing voice was an okay touch; what made me not like it completely was the pronunciation of some words. YES, I know they're not fluent in English, but it still kind of annoyed me. XD The instrumental after that sounded too familiar to another general rock song, but I still liked it a lot. :P I felt their voices kind of went off beat with the music at times, were shaky and they could've put more feeling into their voices, but they sounded good together. Some of the voice-enhancing effects felt unnecessary; at those points, I would've preferred that they left it natural. Overall, it's an above average song... I think I'd put it on my iPod for me to like with time. ^.^
Fading into the start, I was surprised to see the girls in a dance studio about to... Well, dance. :P I find the setting dull and boring to look at, but their dancing saved that; I'll talk about that later, though. ;) The stage setting during the live looked very chic, modern and stylish and their outfits were very idolish, cute, and petite with a little punk lolita flair. The lights, though... OH GOSH, THE LIGHTS!!!! They burned my eyes and made me have a mental seizure! NO MORE LIGHTS! >.<
I was honestly anticipating when colour would come into the picture, and I was glad to see that happen in the second chorus. Seeing the individual colours of the girls during the live made the outfits even cuter than before.
NOW the dance... Oh my goodness, their dancing... THEIR DANCING!!! <33333 It was so brilliant! The choreography, the energy, the mood, the unity, EVERYTHING!!! That is honestly all I can say about the dance because it leaves me near speechless.
Overall, I give it a... Actually, this is hard to rank because the song is alright, the PV was kind of boring, and the dance was amazing... Eeeh, maybe 7.9/10? Because the PV deducted some points, but it was some of the song and DEFINITELY the dancing that saved me there! <3 Dempagumi.inc - Kuchizuke Kibonnu
The guitar entrance was really simple, but felt... Comfy, I guess you could call it. I also think that the faded vocals during that part complemented the music well. In the first verse, the comfiness continues but the music goes more "complex" in just a little way. Like it doesn't sound as simple as the entrance. It's really relaxing~! -0-The voices are totally dainty and cute. I prefer lower voices more often, though these voices work well with the music. The chorus is catchy and adorable, yet still maintains the comfy factor! ^.^b Even though I was caught off guard by the rap, that was totally awesome! It reminded me of 575 by Perfume. :D I find high voices rapping weird 'cause it's out of the ordinary, but so wonderful at the same time BECAUSE it's out of the ordinary! The slowed down part of the song was pleasant to listen to! It was like a lullaby, especially when sung by those angelic voices! <3 The whole song was very homey and lovely!
When the PV first started, I was thinking, "Are you serious? Pictures throughout the whole thing? BORING~!!" But then I got it; it was like a story was being told through pictures! THEN my view became, "... OH MY GOSH, THAT'S SO COOL~!!!" and I still think that! They really used the pictures well and in a creative, fun way! The member intros in the beginning looked really plain but that's what I liked about it! Like it wasn't flashy and it didn't need to be because it looked real. The pictures after that were ordered in a nice manner, even including "pans" and going to the beats of the song! I admired the "effects" that the... "Picture Changer", if you will, did to the pictures, like changing the pictures fast to make the girl look like she was running (1:27) and showing pictures of the members that sang (I'm assuming, I don't know the members but I might soon! :D 3:17) The pictures were really well taken and whoever the photographer was, I need to pat them on the back.
Overall, I give it a 9.3/10; The song was great to listen to, but the PV is what really made this! <3 SIMPLICITY!
Houkago Princess - Uchuu Ichi no Christmas
A Christmas review to end! Well, the song is better than their first song,in my opinion, though still not amazing and outstanding. But the instrumental is lovable and upbeat, even if it may seem too similar to another general idol song. Their voices are as cute as ever and they really sound like princesses! The guitar solo was pretty cool and added an edgy twist to the otherwise adorable music. I find the way the lines in the chorus flow incredibly catchy and will probably be stuck in my head for quite a while. ^.^''' Besides that, this song will definitely add happiness to whatever holiday you celebrate!
The crowding around each other and laughing at the start of the PV... I'd be lying if I said that wasn't cheesy at all and I loved it... 'Cause it was cheesy and I was bluntly like "WTF" upon its arrival. They look pretty in their Santa costumes, though! :D I didn't know what the purpose of the circle, hand holding was, but I didn't like it either. XD However, the close-ups were an improvement! I found some of the shots kind of awkward, just like in the first video for the same reasons, but they looked like they tried their best for the most part, and I applaud them for that. Plus, the background during the non-Santa close-ups looked gorgeous with the blurred lights! Haha, I thought the posing in front of the camera and a photo being taken was extremely awesome! They looked like they opened up at that time and I giggled as I watched.
BUT the dance was the best part of the PV! After their trainwreck in their debut PV, I was actually worried they weren't going to improve since the choreo in that was INCREDIBLY simple. (OR at least in my eyes) To my delight, though, the dance this time around was more complex (Yet still simple again ^.^;) but they managed to be united with each other for the majority of the time and show more charisma and effort. They certainly improved from last time and let's hope they continue to do that!
Overall, I give it a 7.4/10; still kind of average, but their improvement is admirable to me!
Wow, honestly didn't mean to be THAT kind, (That was worded in a bad way XD) but all the PV's were just great this time around! As said before, please share your thoughts and thanks for reading!
Before I start the main part, an intro! Hello readers! I'm Meika, the new writer for PIH, and this is my first post! As Gaki has said earlier in my intro post (Or at least I think he did, I don't remember >.<), he's been busy with him and his daughter's music and due to that fact, he doesn't have as much time as he did before to update the blog and be up to date with all the latest idol news. So I've joined the team to try and lighten his load. With that being said, this is also the first post of a new segment on PIH - Meika's Music for Thought. In this section, I will be reviewing Jpop music videos and giving my personal opinion on them. Originally, this was supposed to be a section for both Gaki and I to do, but he suggested that I make this my section as a way to introduce myself to the reader of Pure Idol Heart. So please enjoy this post and give your personal thoughts on this segment!
I would also appreciate it if you would treat me kindly! After being a reader for a while, it's great to finally contribute to this wonderful blog! ^w^
Roman Stars - ICHIBANBOSHI
Regarding the song, it definitely reminded me of "one formula" that a general idol song would follow; it starts out sort of slow and "innocent" and after, picks up speed. I love those kinds of songs because it introduces the song really well and sort of shows a preview of what's to come. The instrumental is cute and upbeat even if it sounds familiar to another, general idol song with the pauses in the climatic parts, the sound effects used, and the fading out at the end. The members' voices are pleasant to listen to and though they could work on putting more emotion into their voices instead of just trying to sing well, it was overall a nice effort! At first glance, I thought the star background behind each girl was magical and that they fit each girl nicely in their close-up. I felt that they put the most emotion and effort into their close-ups out of all the shots taken. During the dance shot, the background was, again pretty and magical, but I would've been satisfied without the giant star that they have to dance on, especially when it's flashing like it is. During their dancing, the different energy levels and skills of the members kind of made the dance look bad. To make it worse, sometimes their faces looked uninterested and the effort they put in some moves was lacking. And the dance routine itself was already not the best I've seen. The room scenes were probably my favourite because they added variety to an otherwise boring PV. The camera angles were interesting to watch and the settings were reeeeeeeeally adorable! I would SO want to have at least one of those rooms in my house. Sometimes they were awkward to watch due to, again, their facial expressions, but overall, they did really great in those scenes. And them looking out the window to the stars made it even more neat, with the whole star theme in the song and video.
Overall, I give it a 7.8/10.
PINQ - We are PINQ!!
Hmmm... I really don't know what to think of the song. (Well, I do, but you know what I mean.) The instrumental sounds really boring and the bad mixing distracts from their voices, which are probably decent at the least. I understand it's due to budget restrictions but... Let's just say I wouldn't put this song on my iPod. The solo lines sound okay, (Even then, it may be only one person, but I didn't listen to it again to find out >.<) but some of the group lines don't sound united or something. The only part I liked was the fast-paced singing part before the last chorus. The PV... is interesting. They definitely are PINQ, pun intended. Maybe too much pink. I've seen pink used more than this, but even so, the girls in those videos put in a lot of effort, energy and emotion into their performance to make the pink the least of their problems. I think they (sort of) put that emotion into the close-ups and car shots, but during the dance shots... That was kind of a mess, in terms of effort, energy AND emotion. They were smiling, but I felt their smiling was kind of forced and awkward because it looked like they were trying to focus more on getting the moves right. The majority of the PV and song was just a whole disaster.
Overall, I give it a 4.3/10, and even THAT may be a bit too generous.
Sakulove - gyutto
Another song with bad mixing, but even if it had good mixing, I don't think I'd like the song that much. It reminds me of Dorothy Little Happy's Winter Blossom in some aspects which I don't like that much. The instrumental is a snooze fest and the only thing that made up for it were the pixel-like sound effects in the chorus. That's it. I didn't find their voices pleasant to listen to, either.
What I said when the PV started: "OOOO, nice intro, VERY nice intro!" XD The effects were well done and the magical sound effect made it sweet! I also found the hand with the flower cool and thought that that would signal the coolness for the whole PV. The scenery was beautiful and probably the best part about the PV. I thought that the pictures added in would make the PV look bad, but in fact, I thought they added a cute touch to it. The dancing was okay as the unison was there... Mostly... And their smiles were naturally cute... Again, mostly. But I found it weird how they just danced in random scenery. I preferred the inside, studio dance shots more. One of my favourite parts were the hand holding and hugging scenes, as that's what the title of the song suggested in terms of the theme. Another favourite part of mine was that handshake thing at 2:51-2:54. That was pretty awesome, if you ask me! <3 Their outfits were also really angelic and innocent. I'd steal a lot of the clothes they wore.
Overall, I give it a 6.1/10; the PV saved some of the song, for me, but not all of it. XD Idol College - Ame Nochi Hare
In the beginning, with the piano starting it off, I was scared it was going to turn into another PINQ or Sakulove disaster. Luckily, that wasn't the case. In fact, when the vocals came in, I thought, "Awwwww, how innocent and cute!". Ihe instrumental was, personally, well done, catchy, cool and nice. I was kind of surprised when it came to the music after the first set of vocals because of the more electro-like effects, but I came to like it when it reminded me of other songs that were like that. In the first verse, the "Perfume"-like, robotic voices also caught me off guard, but they sound nice enough with the cool instrumental backing it up. Their natural voices are really like little angels and I would seriously put that in a jar and cherish it forever. XD I'd definitely put this on my iPod! The PV... O-M-G, the scenery is so nice and they remind me of little wood elves or something. XDD If you can't tell, that's a compliment. XD It's sort of awkward to see them during their close-ups since they're mostly just looking around and so. But when they sing and smile and laugh (Being that they're natural, which they are for the most part), their charisma pierces through my heart and spreads all over it like a disease. That is seriously enough for me to enjoy this PV. Probably little to no budget used, but if they have the right energy and effort put into it, which they did in my opinion, then I can enjoy it fully. The last bit was a bit cheesy, but I couldn't hate it with their smiles! >.<
Overall, I give it a 8.7/10; Simple, but nicely executed. Time for Questions~!
1. Which song is your favourite and least favourite?
2. Which PV is your favourite and least favourite? 3. What could be done to your least favourite PV to make it better?
3. Do you prefer in-depth or shortened reviews better? (Probably will be hard for me to cut down on my writing since I have a lot to say... But I'll try my best. ;O)
4. What kind of music would you like to see reviewed? Indies, Major, J-rock, Visual Kei etc.
Please share what you thought; every thought counts!
LinQ is the fastest rising Indies group in idol genre today having only made their debut on April 17 and securing a record contract with Tower Records new idol label T-Palette Records shortly after their debut .T-Palette which started in June by the way is run by Minewaki Ikuo who is a self- professed "wota" and a ranking official of Tower Records is also one of the fastest rising labels in idol genre with a number of groups nationwide under contract.
LinQ are from Fukuoka and before Aki-P decided to put another 48 in their backyard had joined with several other Fukuoka groups to become the dominate idol groups in Kyushu .
The name LinQ comes from the groups desire to link all of Kyushu in energetic idol love and to make Fukuoka a city of idol culture .
When LinQ was created in February 2011 when a total of 1,162 girls auditioned ranging from the age of 12-24 .After the original roster was selected the group made their debut on April 17 and started to perform lives around Fukuoka and surrounding towns.
In June the group released their debut Indies single ,which resulted in Kyushu media and companies signing the group to endorsements and public appearances around the region.
The success of their debut also attracted attention in the center of the idol world Tokyo .This attention has resulted in the group becoming more active in Tokyo and the landing of a record contract with T-Palette to distribute their releases nationwide through Tower Records.
LinQ is one unit that you should keep a watch on ,if T-Palette is to be a major player in the idol genre it just maybe LinQ who leads the charge.
