 ANGERME recently released a triple A-side single consisting of Nana Korobi Ya Oki, Gashin Shoutan and Mahou Tsukai Sally. There are three words I can use to describe this release in a nutshell: exciting, fun and silly. Nana Korobi Ya Oki is exciting, Gashin Shoutan is fun and Mahou Tsukai Sally is silly. ANGERME had a reboot of a sort with the release of their previous single, re-branding themselves from S/mileage to ANGERME. This reboot was more than a name change and member addition, but also a clear shift in style, focus and presentation, as can be seen with their first single release as ANGERME and now this.  First up is Nana Korobi Ya Oki. From the moment the singing begins in this song you hear a very strong presence and form. Especially of note is how powerful Meimi sounds for her lines. This song is an example of how I tend to describe a lot of Hello! Project music. The beat is more for establishing the rhythm while the lyrics are the real sound of the music. You hear many songs in Pop where the instruments (whether it be synthetic or organic) tend to carry the song rather than the singing, but this song is carried by the lyrics. As a result, it really helps show off all of the girls’ strengths (and likewise, their weaknesses). They really have a unique synergy that helps them all feel like a very cohesive unit (something that isn’t always the case in other H!P groups, past and present). The reason I call this song exciting isn’t just because of the strong vocal presence, though. It’s also because of the fact that the song often times makes me feel anxious, in a good way. There are parts of it where as I’m hearing the song I start to get anxious and excited for how the next line will carry or how the beat may shift in order to force the singing to shift as well. It’s quite a fun adventure of aural pleasures and while it’s not my favorite song on the release, I certainly feel like it’s the best in regards to technicality.  Next up is Gashin Shoutan. While Nana Korobi Ya Oki has more of an emphasis on the vocals, I feel like this song has a bit more of a balance between the music and the vocals. There is more vocal talent that is shown off in this song, but they use the music to really help complement each other. It works out quite nicely. I call this one fun because it harkens back to the older style of very fun, jumpy and carefree songs that you can hear from older H!P music. To top it off it feels like it incorporates a Juice=Juice style of ‘cool’ music into what is starting to become a new ANGERME style. It’s a quite interesting mesh of various styles and features that ends up turning into the kind of song that immediately grabs your attention and makes you want to get up and dance.  Last, and most definitely not least, is Mahou Tsukai Sally. This one is actually my favorite of the trio, because I just find it so darn charming. It’s definitely not the most complex or the best example of advanced skills in the trio. It makes up for this by being extremely silly. The chorus consists of an ‘incantation’ and the lyrics are extremely repetitive and really only talk about Sally and her being a witch. Not the most deep or most inspiring, as you can tell. That being said, the song is exceedingly catchy and addictive. As a result of the simplicity, it is also very easy to follow along to. I won’t commend them on amazing talent or amazing musical composition (though the music is very silly and fun as well), but I will commend them on being able to do a song that is easy to pick up and very addictive. It’s the kind of song you’ll likely hear me singing extremely loud as I drive down the freeway not caring about all the weird looks I’m getting. While not directly related to song in regard to the music, I want to point out that the cute witch costumes they have for this particular song are the most adorable things ever! If ANGERME continues with this kind of exceptional quality, then they are bound for a very big future. I’ve been thoroughly impressed by them since they rebooted, in music, performance and personality. Let’s hope that with the 4th generation auditions they bring in more talent to better expand on their positive qualities and to hopefully fill in for the gaping hole that will be in place when Kanon Fukuda graduates later this year. Nana Korobi Ya Oki / Gashin Shoutan / Mahou Tsukai Sally released on July 22, 2015. You can get the single from cdjapan.co.jp or whatever Japanese music retail you prefer to purchase from. This one isn’t on iTunes, unfortunately. ANGERME is: - Ayaka Wada (1st Generation) - Kanon Fukuda (1st Generation) - Kana Nakanishi (2nd Generation) - Akari Takeuchi (2nd Generation) - Rina Katsuta (2nd Generation) - Meimi Tamura (2nd Generation) - Mizuki Murota (3rd Generation) - Aikawa Maho (3rd Generation) - Rikako Sasaki (3rd Generation) You can view the music videos for all of the songs below:
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 Country Girls return to a familiar retro Hello! Project feel with their new song and PV, "Tamerai Summer Time". While many of their songs up to this point have had a standard idol feel to them, not taking away from their greatness of course, it is this song that finally makes one remember that they are in fact successors to classic Hello! Project group, Country Musume. Harkening back to a very different time in idol history, this song does more than simply make me appreciate Country Girls, it also makes me appreciate the Hello! Project/Tsunku legacy as well as the genre itself. This song is one of two A-Sides from their upcoming single "Wakatte Iru no ni Gomen ne / Tamerai Summertime". A look at the first song can be found here. First off one has to talk about the song itself. I mention the retro feel and yes there is something akin to the Golden Age here in both its simplicity and its style. In short it's a beautiful song that does away with much of the modern frills, but still manages to draw the listener in. The song is penned by Miura Yoshiko who has a long pedigree with Mano Erina and Buono! amongst many others. She most recently penned Juice=Juice's "Ca va Ca va" and is quickly becoming a strong creative voice in the new Hello! Project. Nostalgia reigns supreme here and one cannot help but feel they are being pulled into the song itself courtesy of the five girls lovely performances both vocally and in the video itself. Vocal-wise while the song is top notch, I still have been struggling to find that one special vocalist in the lot that draws my attention more than the others, they all do an admirable job here. I must say however that this type of songs are usually the ones that I love upon initial listens and think are a treat when performed live, but I rarely find myself listening to them on a regular basis. This of course is a matter of opinion, but it's that type of ballad that I don't think actually lives up to continuous play. Maybe it's the tinge of nostalgia in the song that makes it hard to hear regularly for myself, but this is something best left to each individual listener to decide on. Onto the video itself. Now it does follow a very standard formula when it comes to content. Dance, close-ups, short drama sequences, call it a day. What makes this one truly unique is the location. Lovely Hokkaido is featured in all its glory. This is fitting of course as Country Musume was originally envisioned as a group made up of Hokkaido natives. Beautiful locations aside the video has a unique balance of colors that seems to put one instantly at peace. The girls look good here, no comments on the outfits and the dance is what is to be expected in a song like this. That selfie stick sequence though? I know it's referenced in the song as well, but I'm a sucker for selfies and this was a nice touch that made me like the song just a little more. While I personally still prefer "Wakatte Iru no ni Gomen ne" in this set, this one does well in holding its own. The true test for this song's longevity will of course be when the song becomes part of their live set. With that we have heard and watched both new Country Girls songs! We remind everyone that the single drops on August 5th. While that's nearly a month away from now, I'm sure that to all the fans the time will fly by! Make sure to get those pre-orders in! Watch and enjoy! Country Girls Are: ◆Tsugunaga Momoko (嗣永桃子) (Play Manager) ◆Yamaki Risa (山木梨沙) ◆Inaba Manaka (稲場愛香) ◆Morito Chisaki (森戸知沙希) ◆Ozeki Mai (小関舞)  Just weeks after the departure of member Shimamura Uta, Country Girls have released the PV for "Wakatte Iru no ni Gomen ne", one half of the new double A-Side single "Wakatte Iru no ni Gomen ne / Tamerai Summertime". Not a group to be overlooked, Country Girls does not skip a beat and they succeed in delivering a song that is sure to keep even the most diehard Uta fans interested despite the loss of the well-loved member. For more on Shimamura's departure, check here. In terms of sound, the song is a refreshing one that bears a style that is both familiar and unique to what one normally hears in Hello! Project. Lyrics come courtesy of Kodama Ameko who is quickly becoming one of my favorite Hello! Project song writers. (The first being Takui Nakajima) So this new style is probably becoming the new standard for the Tsunku-less H!P. Lyrically the song is great and the production and arrangement are spot on. One quickly remembers that unlike most idol groups, Country Girls did not have to enter the scene via the indies. The drama parts are entertaining and the girls' vocal abilities all shine throughout here. While I personally find it hard to pick a new favorite vocalist, I'm sure most fans won't be too hard pressed to find a favorite here if theirs was formally Shimamura Uta, as is the case with myself. While much has been said of the "new" Hello! Project, I think that it's fair to say that Country Girls are leading this new era in both their skill and the management's push with giving them good songs and PVs. Now onto the PV itself. While only a few things separate this from the typical Hello! Project-type video, with a central dance shot only broken up occasionally by close-ups, the locations are great and the girls do a good job in the in-between drama sequences. Seriously though, that kabe-don anyone? Acting in the aforementioned drama scenes is spot on as is the dance. Speaking of the dance, the choreography is a welcome step-up from what is usually seen outside the main H!P groups. Then again, I guess in this new era Country Girls is a main H!P group. The costumes run along the usual here, there are two and we can easily guess which one will be the one most featured live in concert, but what else can be said about Momoko's outfit and make-up? I will once again stop here and reiterate that I am still not totally sure what her continued presence will be in the group, but I am glad for it nonetheless! The wrap-around story sequences also do a good job breaking up the typical Hello! Project PV monotony. There you have it! We have an awesome new Hello! Project PV to enjoy and a short wait until the second one is released. Be sure to check it out and pick up the single itself when it drops August 5th. Enjoy! Country Girls Are: ◆Tsugunaga Momoko (嗣永桃子) (Play Manager) ◆Yamaki Risa (山木梨沙) ◆Inaba Manaka (稲場愛香) ◆Morito Chisaki (森戸知沙希) ◆Ozeki Mai (小関舞)  
On the 6th of June an official announcement was put out by Up-Front Promotion that Uta Shimamura’s contract with the company would be cancelled due to a disagreement on the terms of the contract. It was said that the family and Up-Front Promotion could not come to an agreement on contract terms that was satisfying to both parties, the contract was thus terminated. 
Uta originally auditioned for Morning Musume ‘14’s 12th generation of members, but didn’t make it all the way. She was eventually added to the new and improved Country Musume, which got renamed to Country Girls. With the shaky history of Country Musume, Country Girls managed to get off to an explosive start with their major debut release of Itooshikutte Gomen ne / Koi Dorobou. This was not just due to the music, but due to the amazing synergy all the girls had witch each other along with the timing of their unveiling (following along the heels of Berryz Kobo’s indefinite hiatus news). It helped renew faith and reinvigorate interest in Hello! Project all over again. It wasn’t the sole reason, but it was one of many that escalated this interest. Being a member of Country Girls, Uta quickly became popular due to her extremely cute demeanor and presentation. In many ways she rivaled even Momoko Tsugunaga, who has reigned over the realm of cuteness since Sayumi Michishige graduated from Morning Musume ’14. In recent times though, Uta had been silent from a lot of social media in comparison with her fellow members in Hello! Project, and this announcement helped solidify all of our fears. Statements have been left by all the members as well as their supervisor, Mai Satoda. The tone is almost universally the same: sorrow, surprise and a slight tinge of disappointment with a touch of hope moving forward. 
While this is tough to accept for Country Girls fans and especially for Uta fans, please do your best to support her and her family in this decision. Most importantly, don’t forget to continue to support Country Girls during this time, since the transition can quickly either go sour or move forward depending on how fan support goes. I wish Uta Shimamura the best of luck in her future endeavors. Below is a link to the Country Girls Fan Club Facebook Page’s post that contains translations of the announcement and the messages from the individual members. Member Messages (Click Here) Below are the music videos for their double A-side ‘debut’ single. -Bowser05  Hot on the announcement of their major label debut, LoVendoR releases the first PV from their double A-side single, "Iin Ja Nai?/Futsuu no Watashi Ganbare!"  The song featured in this first PV is "Iin Ja Nai?" which is not only the lead-off track of the single, but also composed by fellow Up-Front artist, Takui Nakajima. Nakajima has lent his talents to Hello! Project artists Abe Natsumi, Dia Lady and Mano Erina in the past. Most recently his songs "Taiki Bansei" and "Tsugi no Kado wo Magare" were concurrently recorded by ANGERME and C-ute respectively. Being that his style is far more rock than what one typically associates with idols, his work with LoVendoR (He has also written several of their songs in the past including their single "Ikujinashi") is something to take note of. The rock stylings of these four girls, led by former Morning Musume member, Tanaka Reina, is set to take the Japanese music scene by storm!  The video opens with Reina coming out of a trunk, or a box if you will. This is fitting as this song is hard to put into any traditional genre and indeed goes outside the box of what one probably first expects. Clearly rocking but complete with an accessible pop feel, this song is the proper major debut they deserve. Tanaka Reina and Okada Marina trade off vocals perfectly here and harmonize as well as they have in all their past releases. I've always said that I feel that Reina's voice is more suited to this style than what she performed when she was in Morning Musume and that stands true now. Marina's vocals are awesome as well. That said, there is one odd moment in the second chorus where she is singing into an imaginary microphone that I couldn't help but notice. I don't know if this was intentional or a slight error that made it into the video, but it definitely drew my attention. I can recall fellow ex-Morning Musume member, Kusumi Koharu, talking about the many retakes that had to be done on Morning Musume's "Iroppoi Jiretai" because she did the exact same thing take after take. Back to the song itself, Uozumi Yuki and Miyazawa Marin do an amazing job on twin lead guitars and lay down an awesome solo to round out the musical package.  Visually, the PV is very colorful both in location and in the outfits chosen for the girls. All is bright and cheerful matching the general theme of the song itself. There is the usual Up-Front simplicity present here (Group shots separarted by solo shots with little in between or much in way of "plot") but they always seem to know how to pull off simple well without it feeling plain. There is also a playfulness both within the song, and the interaction with the members, that make this song quite infectious. I defy anyone to not be singing along by song's end! There you have it! Check out the PV itself in full below and be sure to pick up the single, "Iin Ja Nai?/Futsuu no Watashi Ganbare!" when it drops July 1st! Remember "Those who have fun win!" Also, who is "Wilson"?.... -alavic_222 LoVendoR Are: ◆ Tanaka Reina (田中麗奈) (Vocals) ◆ Okada Marina (岡田万里奈) (Vocals) ◆ Uozumi Yuki (魚住有希) (Guitar) ◆ Miyazawa Marin (宮澤茉凛) (Guitar) Official Website: http://lovendor.jp/   One of the inevitable pains of being an idol fan is accepting the idea of graduations. This is when a member of a group retires from the group and pursues other goals, such as a solo career or a break from the public scene. Hello! Project has recently seen one of its most beloved groups go on an indefinite hiatus (graduate, for all intents and purposes). With this week’s episode of Hello! Project Station another graduation announcement was made: Fukuda Kanon of ANGERME (formerly known as S/mileage).  Kanon began by announcing that after almost 11 years in Hello! Project (almost 6 years in S/mileage and ANGERME) she would be graduating from ANGERME and Hello! Project this coming fall. The addition of the 3rd Generation members last year (Murota Mizuki, Aikawa Maho and Sasaki Rikako) kicked off a major change and shift for the group, along with a name change. Kanon stated that it was at this time that she started to think about her own graduation. She was careful to mention that this was her own decision, and that she wants to walk a new path in life. She’ll be taking a break from university until her graduation so that she can put her whole heart and time into ANGERME until her graduation. She didn’t specify what she wants to do after she graduates, but she did mention that she wants to study hard and graduate from university. The precise date of her graduation is still to be determined. To all the fans out there who love Fukuda Kanon, don’t forget to support her through to the end. Graduations are in the very nature of the industry. This does not make it any easier for the fans, but it certainly is to be expected. She came to this conclusion on her own, and her decision should be respected. It’s been a tough year so far for Hello! Project fans, but we have received some good out of it too. Remember to always love and support the idols you enjoy, and never forget the good times either!  Fukuda Kanon, born March 12, 1995, is one of two remaining 1st Generation members of Japanese pop idol group ANGERME. She began her career in Hello! Project as a Hello Pro Egg in 2004. After much practice and dedication she finally debuted into a major group in 2010: S/mileage (they officially started in 2009 as an indie group). Since then she has participated in various productions, many singles, survived S/mileage’s evolution into ANGERME and even voiced a character for an anime (Hime Chen! Otogi Chikku Idol Lilpri). Below is a link to a translation of the announcement done by Up-Front Link and below that is a link to the segment from the Hello! Project Station. https://www.facebook.com/notes/up-front-link/en-comment-of-kanon-fukuda-concerning-her-graduation/883216095070642 NOTE: The announcement starts at 7:55 and ends at 13:10.
-Bowser05 C-ute - The Middle Management ~Josei Chuukan Kanrishoku~ / Gamusha LIFE / Tsugi no Kado wo Magare4/13/2015  Two weeks ago, C-ute's 38th single (has it really been that long since their debut?) dropped. It's a triple A-side single titled, "The Middle Management ~Josei Chuukan Kanrishoku~ / Gamusha LIFE / Tsugi no Kado wo Magare". This is the first single from a major, established Hello! Project group to have songs not written by Tsunku to be the solely featured tracks. That doesn't detract from it though, if anything it adds new life to a group that was already achieving something like a resurgence in popularity recently. After its release, the single went on to sale an impressive 60,000+ copies and hit a respectable #3 position on the Oricon charts. This is an interesting time to be a Hello! Project fan and there is lots to say about these songs so let's just jump right in!  Up first is "The Middle Management ~Josei Chuukan Kanrishoku~". This song is amazing. That could be the end of the review right there, it is THAT good. I honestly thought that no C-ute song this year would top "I miss you", but I am pleased to say that I was wrong. This song is now the front-runner for idol song of the year in my book though I wonder if C-ute's next single will take that honor away. It's catchy, mature, edgy and has the kind of driving, danceable beat you expect from C-ute. With this said I must stop for a second and point out that this song may have amazing writing and production, but it is probably the most over-credited song in Hello! Project's catalog. It has five songwriters. This is a far cry from the days of just Tsunku or when just one person wrote the lyrics or music on any given track. I guess the song can't really be faulted for that, but I can't help but wonder just who to thank for this amazing song or feel that perhaps this song is good by way of over-production. This isn't so much a fault either, but I almost feel this song would have suited Morning Musume a bit more. I have no real reason for saying this except that it's something that I feel. Anyway, back to topic at hand. I mentioned the production values of the song and they definitely make their presence felt in the PV itself. While it still has the "budget" feel that one comes to associate with Hello! Project, there are some interesting locations used here and the bar was a nice touch. Shall we talk about the dance? C-ute has always been something of the "dance group" within Hello! Project and this song only serves to strengthen that notion. Choreography is spot-on here and the girls never miss a beat. Okai Chisato as center was an interesting choice too. Well, C-ute has grown up and it's nice to see them finally receive a truly mature song and PV!  Next, "Gamusha LIFE". This is one of those songs that I don't care too much for on the first liten, but will assuredly grow on me over the years. It's a nice fun song that has the kind of hooks that burn into you slowly. This song is written by SHOCK EYE, DJ from reggae band "Shonan no Kaze", and he delivers a powerful song that makes me hope that he contributes more to Hello! Project in the future. I mention the non-Tsunku songwriting a lot in these recent reviews, but that is to be expected as Hello! Project was practically defined by Tsunku for over a decade and it's interesting to note when a song comes along to fit the existing groups like a glove, but is written by a Hello! Project outsider. Back to my impressions on the song. Actually when I set out to write about this song I found it good, but a little forgettable on its initial listen. I mentioned a bit ago that I think it's a slow one to catch on, but as I sit here writing about it I am realizing what an amazing song it really is. The bridge in the middle is something that Tsunku never really tried before and brings back memories of some of Buono's later ballad material. There's something in the song that makes it feel like it'd be a good song for a graduation. The potential is there, but I am glad it is not being used for that purpose. It also strikes me as the kind of song that will be amazing to see performed live. The video is beautiful as well. It follows the simple Hello! Project format (which is basically a modified dance shot) but the location and setting are great and simplicity isn't always a bad thing. Dance is spot on here too, but it's the girls that really push the song forward and they look great doing it.  Last up we have "Tsugi no Kado wo Magare". I will admit that I am going to be very biased on this song right off the bat. This one is written by my personal favorite musician of all time, Takui Nakajima. This song (and ANGERME's "Taiki Bansei") were originally written and recorded for his latest studio album and exist in more rock-oriented versions there. In the past he's also composed "My Days for You" for Mano Erina and "Lady Mermaid" for DiaLady and I hope this is only the start of a long song-writing partnership between him and Hello! Project. With that in mind, you can really hear his style in this song, more so than in ANGERME's "Taiki Bansei". Very little was done to his original arrangement here. The song is an excellent choice for C-ute though and I almost wish this was the lead song on the single. It ties in well with the other two A-sides and helps give the entire single the proper "mature" feel that C-ute has deserved recently with being the current senior Hello! Project group. The heavier string section and additional layers in the vocals make this version unique from Takui's and I have to say that I think I prefer C-ute's version despite my bias. Let me add, that it's refreshing to have an idol song that a male fan can sing along to! Line distribution in all these songs is great and is fair here too, all the girls get a good amount of screen time and no one girl takes the spotlight for too long. Even though "Middle Management" has the catchy pop hooks and "Gamusha LIFE" is the song I want to hear live, this is the song that I feel truly stands out on the new single. It's subtle in its power and the message of its lyrics is just a notch above what you see in the others. Lyrically and thematically it's a fitting song for the new face of Hello! Project and C-ute. There have been many changes lately, Tsunku's career-ending illness, Berryz Koubou and Sayumi Michishige's graduations, S/mileage's image change and the addition of two new groups. If there was ever a time for H!P to be turning a new corner, it is now. Let's move onto the PV now. It's simple too, but the location here has a certain beauty in its simplicity and the way it's lit. The subtle play on colors is actually what makes this video unique. The variance of colors, from their complete absence to over-saturation, is something that most people might not be completely aware of when watching first watching the video, but it adds to the overall power of the song and video. Also, Kenshuusei in a PV in 2015? Truly Hello! Project is entering a new era! I'm sure Takui Nakajima didn't have a dance in mind when he wrote the song, but the one that we see here is perfectly fitting and it can't be a C-ute song without a strong dance. This song is the perfect way to wrap up the single. There you have it, I remember just a few months ago raving about "I miss you" being the be-all-end-all C-ute song and here I am citing three that are equal, if not better, than that one! If you haven't checked out the single do so now, you won't regret it! Listen, watch and enjoy!
C-ute Are: ◆ Yajima Maimi (矢島舞美, Leader) ◆ Nakajima Saki (中島早貴) ◆ Suzuki Airi (鈴木愛理) ◆ Okai Chisato (岡井千聖) ◆ Hagiwara Mai (萩原舞)  It's the first Friday of the month and that means it's time for Featured Idol Friday! This time around we will look at former Hello! Project soloist, Mano Erina. Mano Erina had a long career as an idol. She joined Hello! Project in 2006 at the age of 15. Initially she was a member of "Hello Pro Egg" (now called "Hello! Pro Kenshuusei") but quickly debuted as a member of the group "Ongaku Gatas". Ongaku Gatas was a group that contained members of the futsal group "Gatas Brilhantes H.P." and contained a wide range of members from Eggs to former Morning Musume members. Together they released several singles and one album. Mano Erina would only see two of those singles and the album before she graduated to a solo career. Here is the PV for Ongaku Gata's second single "Yattarouze!" It's this solo career that will be the focus on here. Her debut singles were penned by KAN and her early gimmick was that she was a piano-playing idol who would, and did, accompany herself both on record and live. This angle did not really last too long past her indie releases, but it is worth noting that all her concert tours featured a segment where she would play the piano with other her older songs or with more recent ballads. Her indie debut was "Mano Piano" released in the summer of 2008 and always stuck out to me for some odd pronunciations throughout the track that were not repeated in later lives nor in the song's re-recording on her first album. Here's a performance of "Lalala Sososo" from the 2009 Hello! Project Winter Concert Tour. Her popularity was slow to build and it wasn't until the following year that she saw her major debut with "Otome no Inori". This would come after two more indie singles "Lucky Aura" and my personal favorite "Lalala Sososo". Her initial PVs and lives were also unique in that she was often paired with them up-and-coming Hello! Project group, "S/mileage". Similar to the early days of "W" and "Berryz Koubou"'s joint lives and PV appearances, the effect of promoting both new artists worked well. Both her and the group (along with members of Morning Musume) would appeared in the drama "Hanbun Esper". Following S/mileage's indie, and eventual major, debut, Mano's concerts and PVs would still serve as a training ground for Eggs whose talent would eventually lead to a debut. These Eggs included future S/mileage member, Takeuchi Akari and future Up-Front soloist, Kikkawa You amongst others. Here is the PV for "Sekai wa Summer Party" which features S/mileage. In 2010 Erina took on dual starring roles in the horror movie "Kaidan" which saw a US debut at the "Club 2 The Max" event in Los Angeles that ran concurrent with that year's Anime Expo. She appeared at these premieres which also featured a short Q&A and a brief performance. Below is a picture from the event.  While she would continue her career as an idol with much success (even winning the "Best New Artist Award" at the 2010 Japan Gold Disc Awards) she was just as prolific an actress. Besides the aforementioned "Hanbun Esper", she also appeared in the dramas "Tokyo Shoujou", "Minna! Esper Dayo!" and "Suugaku Joushi Gakuen". She also starred in many net dramas like "Koisuru Seiza", "Mano Spy" and "Death Game Park". She even took a lead role in the "Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO MOVIE Taisen MEGAMAX" movie which featured the rare addition of a female Kamen Rider. All these roles served to build her career, but also created some confusion as to what her main focus within the Hello! Project collective was. Something that would not be completely cleared up within her time there. Below is the PV for "Genkimono de Ikou!" which features many familiar faces of Hello! Project, some cameos and some direction from Erina herself! Movies and television aside, music was still a strong focus in her career and she would release thirteen major singles, and three albums, before she announced her graduation in 2013. The announcement did not come as a shock to many as her career had been slowly moving towards that of an actress for years. While the sales of her releases were somtimes sporadic, her career spanned many interesting singles from "Love & Peace = Paradise", the PV of which featured Hello Kitty, and "Genkimono de Ikou!", which featured Mano Erina directing segments of the video and would become a live favorite. This author's personal favorite single is the Takui Nakajima-composed "My Days for You" followed closely by "Tasogare Kousaten". Both songs are strong ballads that feature amazing music videos with production values one doesn't always see in Hello! Project. Following the aptly titled "NEXT MY SELF", Mano Erina's solo releases would come to an end. Below is the video for "My Days for You"  Following the Hello! Project 2013 Winter Concert Tour, Mano Erina graduated and moved onto a career as an actress. Since this graduation, she's appeared in television dramas like "Kumokiri Nizaemon" and the "Minna! Esper Dayo!" revival. As for as film appearances, she has been just as prolific most notably appearing in the "THE NEXT GENERATION -PATLABOR-" movie where she also performed one of the insert songs. Her career is just as active as before and here's hoping it continues for many more years! I leave with the video for "Tasogare Kousaten". |
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