Kusumi Koharu to graduate from Hello! Project / Morning Musume
It was announced today at Morning Musume’s first concert of the Nine Smile tour that 7th generation member and former soloist Kusumi Koharu will be graduating from both Morning Musume and Hello! Project at the end of the current tour.
I’m rather surprised by this news as Kusumi is a pretty important member in Morning Musume and although her talent is somewhat questionable she’s a fan favourite.
I’ve never really been a fan but I’ll be sad to see her go, if only for Morning Musume’s sake. Kusumi will graduate on 2009-12-06.
Kusumi Becomes an Oha-Star Regular
It was announced on Oha-Star this morning that Kusumi Koharu will now be a regular on the show for Tuesdays. This isn’t particularly exciting as such as she was on the show a lot as Tsukishima Kirari. It’s nice to see that even though her anime is over Kusumi is still being kept as a part of Oha-Suta and this certainly can’t hurt her promotion or Morning Musume’s.
Note the lovely screencap of Koharu.
Upcoming Releases (2009~)
Lots of interesting new releases have been announced today, all of which will be released in January / February 2009! I’ll list them in order of release and you’ll also find them on the release-schedule page.
2009-01-21
- Matsuura Aya – Omoi Afurete (6th Album)
Who could have forseen this one? Most likely Matsuura’s final release with Hello! Project. Looking forward to this though I found Double Rainbow (her last album) a little boring.
2009-01-28
- C-ute – 4akogare MY STAR (4th Album) (Limited with DVD)
Woah! More releases? This could be interesting, especially that the girls are getting a little older now.
2009-02-04
- Kusumi Koharu – Happy Happy Sunday (6th Single) (Limited with DVD)
I’ll try not to judge too soon.
2009-02-11
- Morning Musume – Naichau Kamo (38th Single) (Limited A+B with DVD)
The title means “I might cry,” sounds pretty promosing to me and I hope it’s similiar in sound to some of their more recently popular singles; Onna ni Sachi Are and Resonant Blue to name two.
New Artist Images for Abe Natsumi & Kusumi Koharu
The Hello! Project official website has uploded new artist images for Abe Natsumi and her new single Screen as well as Kusumi Koharu for her new album Kirari to Fuyu. Abe looks stunning and for once I think Kusumi actually looks pretty cute!
Lots of New Upcoming Releases!
Hello! Project seems to be bombarding us with a slew of upcoming releases, below is a list of all newly announced products. Take note of the MEGA Best albums, these are interesting and pretty cool but at the same time have little selling power I feel. I think I’ll perhaps pick up Pucchi Best 9, Country Musume MEGA Best and Taiyo to Ciscomoon (T&C Bomber) MEGA Best if I can afford it!
2008-11-26
- C-ute – Untitled (7th Single)
2008-12-10
- T&C Bomber – Taiyo to Ciscomoon (T&C BOMVER) MEGA Best (Best-Of Album)
- Country Musume – Country Musume MEGA Best (Best-Of Album)
- Nakazawa Yuko – Nakazawa Yuko MEGA Best (Best-Of Album)
- Tanpopo / Pucchimoni – Tanpopo / Pucchimoni MEGA Best (Best-Of Album)
- Melon Kinenbi – Melon Kinenbi MEGA Best (Best-Of Album)
- V.A. – Shuffle Units MEGA Best (Best-Of Album)
- V.A. - Special Units MEGA Best (Best-Of Album)
- V.A. – Pucchi Best 9 (Compilation Album)
- V.A. – Pucchi Best 9 DVD (PV Collection DVD)
2008-12-17
- Kusumi Koharu – Untitled (3rd Album)
Today’s Releases (2008-09-17)
2008-09-20
- Kusumi Koharu – Koharu Nikki. -Making DVD Special Edition- (e-Lineup Exclusive DVD)
Today’s Releases (2008-08-27)
2008-08-27
- Niigaki Risa – Robby to Kerobby Vol.12 (Anime DVD)
- C-ute – Edo no Temari Uta II (6th Single V)
- Kusumi Koharu / MilkyWay / SHIPS - Kirarin☆Revolution Song Selection 4 (4th Anime Album)
- Abe Natsumi – End of Summer (9th Photobook with Making-Of DVD)
Nacchi releases her 9th photobook today, from the previews I’ve seen it looks pretty awesome! I’m also (uncharacteristically) excited about the Kirarin album as it has solo versions of MilkyWay’s single, which means a Kikkawa solo version of Anataboshi! SHIPS single is also on there for those of you who missed it, it was pretty good!
