The handshake tour dates
Nov 13 Apio Iwate
Nov 21 Hiroshima Prefectural Sports Center
Dec 5 Tsukisamu Dome
Dec 11 Ajinomoto Stadium [Soccer Stadium]
Dec 12 Fukuoka Kokusai Center
In related news, “Beginner” is currently at 865,988 copies sold.
In Breaking News
It took five tries; however, Suzuki Mariya got “Beginner” right on her blog posts. Those tricky single N`s and double E`s gave her trouble, however at last she figured it out
Morning Musume To Promote “Nissin Futomen Noodles.”
Little news catch up from yesterday.
Morning Musume is continuing with it`s food endorsements, this time it is for “Nissin Futomen Noodles.” For this promotion, Morning Musume will team up with the “Shocker” villains from the Kamen Rider series.
Together they will shoot a CM for the brand using the groups hit single “Renai Revolution 21”. The CM will first air on November 17
AKB48 “Janken Queen” Uchida Mayumi has been cast to appear in the upcoming LGMonkees`s PV “Life feat.Noa“. Uchida will compete with LGMonkees in a “Janken” game.
LGMonkees is a singer that has yet to show his face ,instead his videos has his monkey face logo covering his own face .
Can the “Janken Queen” keep her win streak going and take down another opponent?
In other news AKB48 Idols You Can Meet
This is a news clip on the large crowds that AKB48 draw to handshake events. One girl shows off her 80-handshake event tickets she got from the CDs she purchased.
The crowd featured ,Guys,Girls of many ages as well as cosplay fans.
Up and coming AVEX Idol group SUPER☆GiRLS have started a free event tour to support their December 22 debut album release “Chouzetsu Shoujo.
The tour will be stopping at outdoor plazas in the Itoyokado and Ario stores across Japan.
Passing shoppers will be treated to a mini live and MC events .The MC events when possible will be hosted by a member from the region.
For Kanagawa Shimura Rika served as MC and she offered up trivia about the Kanagawa area to the rest of the members and audience.
Following the mini live and MC events, a special store was set up, for fans to buy limited edition goods; .The goods are limited to the first 300 buyers at each location.
When asked about their upcoming release, the members expressed their excitement for the opportunity and Akita Eri said, “I will use all my power to work hard and grow!”
Itoyokado presents SUPER☆GiRLS Major Debut Kettei!
Ai ni Ikutte Yakusoku Shita Kara, Hontou ni Ai ni Kichaimashita 2010 Aki。
Novemver 3rd -Kanagawa -Ario
November 6th – Chiba – Ario Soga
November 7th – Saitama – Itoyokado Misato Store
November 13th – Chiba – Itoyokado Makuhari Store (Seven Farm Harvest Festival )
November 14th – Hokkaido – Itoyokado Fukuzumi
November 27th – Aichi – Itoyokado Owariasahi
November 28th – Osaka – Ario Otori
December 4th – Tokyo – Ario Nishiarai
December 5th – Tokyo – Ario Kitasuna
In Related News
SUPER☆GiRLS are teaming up with Nanaco to release a special pre-paid debit card that can be used at 7-Eleven stores across Japan. SUPER☆GiRLS will be featured as the image on the front of the cards.
The cards will be available at the following location events December 4th Ario Nishiarai event and the December 5th Ario Kitasuna
Time for some more fun with AKB48, see if you can spot the spelling error. The error was made by Suzuki Mariya [Mariyannu] .In her defense she is not good at English, but is cute as can be.
I really did not want to write about this; however, it happened and has to be reported.
On November 1 Morning Musume members Kamei Eri, Tanaka Reina, and Michishige Sayumi made some blog posts that created an international scandal. The blog post featured the three mimicking the eyes of Koreans .At first thought based on the original blog posts they were not trying to make fun of Koreans only in some very wrong way trying to pretend to ,well on second thought I am not going to say that , the photos were very wrong and showed a lack of maturity and cultural understanding , regardless of their harmless reasons for posting them.
The effects were immediate and wide spread ,not only did it make news in Japan ,it made news in Korea and Taiwan.
Morning Musume quickly went from the cute fun loving idol group , to being viewed as racist and with Eri saying in the post "This is my impression of Koreans" started a fire storm of anger among not only Koreans , but Chinese and Japanese fans and non fans .
It was a complete lack of maturity on their part and their agency to allow the members to post photos of them doing a 'slant eye' gesture .
This is not the first time H!P have slipped up ,remember in their 4 minute TV show when a not so respected world figure was used in a segment .
I have seen several Western based fan boards with comments saying ,"what is the big deal" , "hey any publicity is good publicity" ,in this case that is not true . For a group looking to expand across Asia ,this was by far the stupidest thing they could have allowed to happen.
Yet it is something they can make right and recover and move forward through. After the photos attracted the attention of news outlets , H!P management removed the photos from the blogs and a few hours ago both Sayu and Reina made formal apologies through their blogs . Sayu`s apology only briefly touched on the subject , mostly she talked about her feelings of not getting to blog and letting her fans down.
Reina was well Reina ,Reina wrote the following “At the time I put an inappropriate expression in my blog, it made people uncomfortable, and that is inexcusable. From now on I will not make such entries. Thank you for your support.”
Management also offered apologies to put this event to rest .
There was reports that the members involved would not be allowed to post for a while ,they did not for a couple of days . If that is the punishment handed down ,that may not be enough to calm some anti feelings ,when other agencies have been known to suspend blog privileges for a year for talent mistakes.
This is not a one year type punishment ,but an in -house punishment will come and both will grow from this . It is unfortunate that this episode happened to Morning Musume, when looking at the bigger picture ,they made a mistake based on poor judgment and each will grow into better idols from this.
Hold you head up Morning Musume and supporters as they move forward from this unfortunate mistake .
Morning Musume “Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game” CM Preview
A TV preview for Morning Musume`s "Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game" has come out, the 60 second preview does not offer a good picture if this is a turning point for Morning Musume or not,yet it looks interesting.
Having already heard a full live version of the song, there are parts that for some reason remind me of the opening theme for an anime.
Morning Musume will be facing a determined opponent on November 17 as SKE48 also releases a new single on the same day .SKE48 has the early advantage already by releasing 4 videos for their single package days ago and the fan base of all the 48`s to pull from.
However this single is not about which agency is stronger it`s about change and saying goodbye to three members of Morning Musume and preparing for the 9th generation debut.
AKB48 once again sits on top of the female idol world, as “Beginner” and it`s near 830,000 opening week [Oricon reports the topping out at 827,000 for week 1] have captured a number of records.
With each single, AKB48`s capturing of records grows more impressive. “Beginner” treasure chest of records includes the following.
AKB48 had the highest first week sales totals of any female group in history by passing SPEED's "ALL MY TRUE LOVE" which was released 12 years ago.
They became the third highest sales total for the first week by a female artist. Falling in just behind Utada Hikaru's "Addicted To You" (1999/11 release) with 1068k, Amuro Namie's "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" (1997/2 Release) with 828k.
First female artist to sell 500k first week for 3 singles consecutively ,while Hamasaki Ayumi holds the record with 25 consecutive #1 singles , AKB48 with “Beginner” has achieved their 5th consecutive #1 single .
“Beginner” also become the group’s third consecutive 500,000 + first week single.
In addition, if that was not impressive enough for you as of this writing AKB48 and “Beginner” currently sit at #9 on the top ten first week sales totals in history. If “Beginning manages to reach 830,000 they will move to #8.
“Beginner” impressive run ,is also being viewed as a sign of market turn around for physical singles as the current year income for singles is up by 105.6% from this time last year.
With what looks like a strong return by consumers for physical CDs, is there any record that is safe from the hands of AKB48 in 2011?
AKB48 Has signed an endorsement deal with 7-Eleven to promote nationally AKB48 member produced Christmas Cakes.
Ever wonder what AKB48 as a rock band would sound like? Well recently on Domoto Kyoudai they did just that as AKB48 performed “Beginner” with a live house band.
They also brought their charm and comedy to Mujack as AKB48 continue being the hardest working female Idol group in Japan with appearances airing almost nightly.
In sales news AKB48 continues to hold on to the #1 spot with 23,109 yesterday 791,295 total ,also “Heavy Rotation” shot up the charts to #10.
Mujack
Sayaka makes a guest spot as a skit comic role; this was one of their best guest appearances in a while. Lots of comedy and cuteness overload.
If training is a sign of things to come, then NMB48 2011 debut is going to be strong. On the recent episode of Star Hime Sagashi Taro, we get to see the continuing developments in the pre-debut of NMB48.
We also get to see NMB48 throw down their idol gloves and challenge big sisters SKE48 in a Yankii battle that would have been a great lead in for Majisuka Gakuen season 2.
I can tell you right now NMB48 is well trained and are going to do the 48`s proud . These pre-debut appearances are going to help their first single come out strong.
