Chiakii’s Neighborhood

Gomen ne~ I'm so late in scanning the latest issue (ノロ≦。)！Kawaguchi Haruna is this issue's covergirl~ and this the first time I think she's making an appearance in UTB?...chotto that could be wrong~, she's currently starring Fuji TV's drama "Tokyo DOGS."

AKB48 continues to have many articles and picture features in UTB which has been a growing trend in these pages and (more ♥ for CK ne~!) they're really taking the idol group genre to chart topping heights in both position as well as sales~! Takusan~! AKB features in this issue!!! with both solo and group pictorials/articles on AKB48's Oshima Yuko & Maeda Atsuko, SKE48's Matsui Rena & Mukaida Manatsu as well as an AKB48 feature and a mini group named ”く～のね4”。。seifuku♥ so *kawaii*~!! ＾　＾

H!P who's been a mainstay in UTB also has *cute* features on Maimai with additional off shots not included in her 1st solo shashinshuu~, an upcoming preview of Riichan's new shashinshuu always so *adorable* ne~! and Maimichan's♥ ongoing photo feature continues towards the back of this issue with what I think is possibly her most *kawaii* photo shoot to date for UTB~! ＼(^o^)／☆

While the format of UTB has seen so many changes over the years one of their staples has always been their high level of photography, engaging articles w/ idol games...news...interests..hobbies♥ as well as the occasional idol♥room invasion~! (・д・`*) With their glossy covers and flat spines back now for some time~ UTB has really returned to their original prestige in idol♥ publications setting the standard so much~.

The extras which in the past has included pull out posters, clear files and a most impressive DVD in each issue...now published every other month~ are randomly inserted photo trading cards and you'll receive with each issue a chance for one out of three possible sets~! This month I received set "A" and for the most part your favorite♥ idols are divided up pretty well within these card sets so for instance if you're a fan of either H!P or AKB48?SKE48 you'll receive at least one member in your set no matter if it's A, B or C~ ＾　＾。

In addition...in the middle variety features section there's more on S/mileage with member profiles so you can learn their personalities much better, a solo shashinshuu article with Riichan♥ where she reflects on her previous pb releases~ and Nakki & Airiin preview C-ute's upcoming "best of" album which has a tentative release date of November 18th~!

Okay~! before I lull you into sleep ( 」´０｀)」Zzzzzzz with any more of my talk~…(^q^) here are those aforementioned article's scans.....I'm beginning with Maimichan's♥ as I think it's the most *wonderful* pictorial in this issue and really she's just so so *adorable* here as she portrays daily activity *moments*~ from waking to playing to sleepy time here's Maimichan in "Days" vol.5 up first.....

I was really quite apprehensive (ﾟﾍﾟ) of what this,...Momusu's now 41st single release would sound like as leading up to this weekend I've read as well as been told ( ﾟ∀(・－・)！quite a lot of varying opinions on the musical♪♪～ direction that Tsunku may be taking here with their latest offering~.

So with bated *breath* (・д・`*) I wondered if this could possibly be the very first Momusu single~ that I'm not very fond of? Hmm....so not the case so....um Henkka aka "Henttai" now (^-^*) you may still make fun of me being so easy to please and liking..."everything?"…(^q^)! I'm still waiting for their accompanying pv DVD single to arrive so for now there are at least two pv versions to enjoy in the meantime~ ＾　＾！

So this is Kohachan's last single with Momusu (;´□｀) and while I still long to hear more songs specifically written for graduating members as with "Never Forget" and "Koi no kioku", still this is a *wonderful* single to remember as Kohachan's last~. "Kimagure Princess" is no doubt a throwback song~ taking the listener way back to two most prominent singles...those being among Tsunku's most creative masterpieces I think...in both "Koi no dance site" as well as "Happy Summer Wedding."

Morning Musume's "Kimagure Princess" can be ordered here at Cdjapan.

Both Japanese & Korean versions of Morning Musume's "Kimagure Princess" can be ordered herer at YesAsia.

Morning Musume's "Kimagure Princess" can be ordered here at HMV Japan.

Admittedly at first after hearing of vocal manipulation and maybe possibly some oddness??....I was so expecting Tsunku to have penned a single among the likes of his most awesomely quirky ヽ(。´▽`。)ノ。"Chokotto Love♥!!"

Still one of the best strange songs that Tsunku has written to date~...the first time I listened to "Chokotto Love" I was like..E~h?! (・_・)； but by my second listen I was is love♥ ………(゜∀゜)………。with this so fun song~! The pv is also quite priceless too~ so I've included the music video just below of my babbling here ↓↓↓。

(*sigh*) it was Sayaka's first and last single with Pucchimoni as she was soon to leave even Momusu (;´□｀)。。。and it also marked about the central moment of Japan going from their most unique 3" CD single format to the conventional full sized disc for singles~. I say 'central' because I always found it quite interesting that Pucchimoni's "Chokotto Love" came in a full sized CD jewel case while the disc itself remained as a 3" sized disc~. Songs and Tsunku's imagination just doesn't get much more fun than this single♪♪～！！Quirky *perfection* o(*´∀｀)o゛～♥。。。

”まる○まる○まる～まる～まる○○○○○(^-^*)/！

Through the end of 2006 and throughout 2007 I didn't even know what a blog counter was (*´艸`)。。。until I saw it at Henkka's and added one from March of '08....and today 'MorningBerryz' has reached 200,000 visitors with over 234,000 hits within these past 19 months~. When I first began writing here I think there may have been maybe 2 or 3 visitors each day~ and now with over 10,500 visitors each month I am truly grateful for everyone supporting me always as it truly means so much to me~. While this blog has gone through so many of my odd writings~ (。ーωー。) and thoughts at times covering music♪♪～, idols♥, fiction, movies, t.v. shows, really strange thoughts..(._.;), dramas, personal life, racing♥ and many many other oddities I'm sure...・゜・(ノД`)・゜・。along the way~ I really want to say *thank you* so much for embracing me even with my numerous shortcomings as both a writer and a person~ (*≧m≦) as I hope to continue writing here for at least the next four months~.

I truly read each and every comment and PM left here taking everything to heart♥~ and although I know I've been late so often recently (ノロ≦。)！with replying it's really your comments and messages that have meant so much to me being here and writing this blog♥....I truly wouldn't be here without you♥~writing to me. *Thank you* so much for everything~!

♥MB o(*´∀｀)o゛♥♥♥~!

おめでとうございます～！！！！＼(^o^)／☆～！！！！

...now 3 hits and 6 RBI's in this game....and yet the Yankees may let him go next season? I'm really confused...(ノロ≦。)！

It's just the top of the 4th inning..........but~! ＼(^o^)／☆

(*Sigh*...) here's Kindai's final issue...it feels so odd to just say that~ (;´□｀) but so *wonderful* that C-ute got the final cover!!! ＼(^o^)／☆ And there's a few surprises inside as I hope to have some scans to share hopefully within the week as well as with C-ute's "Alo-Hello!" shot here in Hawaii~ and the latest issue of UTB~!

Hmmm...I'm a bit hesitant to open up the sealing on Momusu's latest single "Kimagure Princess" (._.;)! as I'm a bit worried that this may be the very first single by them that I'm not going to like? (*´艸`)！！While I'm yet to hear a single note or vocal from this single I've just been reading a lot of not so good thoughts on it so I'm very hesitant to listen as their singles stare at me from across the room......

And Yay~! a complete pv collection from Arashi♥ is finally here~!!! o(*´∀｀)o゛So many awesome pvs that we can finally watch whenever we want too♥~! I haven't watched "Sakura sake" in such a long time...(´⌒｀。)！！So many pvs♥ here to love so I think I'll just play them over and over until someone♥ makes me stop!!…(^q^)!! If you don't hear from me for awhile you now know what happened.....(。ーωー。)！

Here are the accompanying photos...in order♥:

Koha♥chan's is my favorite♥ in this set as she's so *adorable* here showing which smiley♥ is hers~! (￣▽￣)

...and Koha♥chan's set:

Fighto~ pose~♥!!

...and Manoeri's set:

(Fighto~! pose♥!)

Minna *kawaii* ne~♥!

＾　＾。

With the same laser process that goes into Blu ray discs, Sony has yet again improved clarity and now in the audio market where their audio releases have begun to appear since last year~. Happily their Blu-spec CD technology doesn't require one to purchase a new player to be able to listen♪♪～ to them as they're compatible with all standard CD players ＾　＾。

Matsu♥Takako's latest single release utilizes this very technology~ and here we're given 3 most *beautiful* songs to listen to~ っo(*´∀｀)o!

Both the title track "Kimi to nara" ("When I'm with you") as well as track two "Kitto tsutaete" (I'll definitely tell [you]" ) are very relaxing and *sweet* light contemporary jazz compositions while the third track "500 Miles" falls more as a standard ballad~. A full arsenal of musicians were assembled for these recordings and it really gives each song so much depth down to the subtle strings~.... the sometimes "Brubeck" like jazz piano chords~ as well as the light tingling of the percussion~. Matsu♥Takako's vocals shine so sweetly as she's become so accomplished in this sense with such an elegant delivery, but perhaps it's her song writing that's so very impressive as she continues to pen much of her own music as she composed both lyrics & music in entirety for tracks one and two~. More on Matsu♥Takako and her beginnings and history in drama, movies and music can be found here~....with additional posts here ＾　＾。 I apologize so much for the now broken video clips in some of those linked posts (;´□｀) but perhaps one day I'll be able to redo them~.

Matsu Takako's "Kimi to nara" can be ordered here at Cdjapan.

Matsu Takako's "Kimi to nara" can be ordered here at YesAsia.

Matsu Takako's "Kimi to nara" can be ordered here at HMV Japan.

"Kimi to nara"'s first pressing includes an additional DVD...it's a rather short clip though at just over 4 minutes but I found it to be a most entertaining collage of stills, road and in studio footage which were taken from '08~'09 in Los Angeles for the documentary "Time for music" with Matsu♥Takako being joined by a large array of fellow musicians~!