New Single for Satoda Mai

Satoda Mai will release a new single with Gouda Kazoku on 2009-06-17, the single is titled Dont leave me. The group name change from Gouda Kyoudai to Kazoku is due to the addition of one new member, Kanbe Ranko.

News Round-Up!

Well, I’ve not posted in a little while due to various reasons; mainly ilness, school work and computer problems – in that order. Now for a round-up of all o the latest Hello! Project news!

Morning Musume in the USA!

Morning Musume will be appearing as the guests of honor at the upcoming Anime Expo ’09 in Los Angeles. There seems to be a pretty concentrated fan effort to welcome them and I’m sure it will be pretty awesome! Pity I don’t live in America!

Naichau Kamo & Believe in LOVE

2009-02-18

• Morning Musume – Naichau Kamo (38th Single) (Limited A+B with DVD)
• ravex – Believe in LOVE feat. BoA (2nd Single) (Limited with DVD) (Goto Maki featured on b-side)

These two are pretty big releases and both are pretty nice singles – I really like Naichau Kamo though I think Believe in LOVE is pretty awesome too – Goto Maki’s track is also very nice and of high quality compared to what we were used to her releasing while she was a member of Hello! Project. Naichau Kamo debuted at No.2 in the charts, fell to No.3 and then rose again to No.2 today! Not too bad at all!

Otome no Inori Covers

Limited A, B, C & Regular.

Oricon

Matsuura Aya’s latest single, Chocolate Damashii fared rather poorly in the Oricon charts selling 4,028 copies in it’s first week and charting at No.19. This is her lowest charting single so far – just goes to show that a more upbeat single won’t necessarily get anymore sells. On a more positive note Satoda Mai’s newest single has now sold 42,131 copies in it’s 5th week of sales and is still charting! The tables have certainly turned in Satoda’s favour since 2007!

Today’s Releases (2009-01-14)

2009-01-14

• Satoda Mai with Gouda Kyoudai – Bye Bye (2nd Single, with DVD)
• Berryz Koubou – Berryz Koubou Special Best Vol.1 (1st Best Album) (Limited with DVD)
• Kamei Eri – 20DREAMS (Idol DVD)

Today it would seem #4 is the magic number with Satoda Mai’s new single Bye Bye charting at #4 in the Oricon single charts, Berryz Koubou’s new album charting at #4 in the Oricon album charts and Kamei Eri’s new DVD charting at #4 in the DVD charts! Not bad all round~!

Satoda Mai with Gouda Kyoudai 2nd Single – “Bye Bye” 2009-01-14

After the Oricon success of their first single Satoda Mai with Gouda Kyoudai will release their 2nd, more serious sounding single on 2009-01-14. I like the promotional images for the single though the coupling track on their last single was called Bye Bye as well which makes me think that this is little more than a glorified re-release of that with solo tracks from Satoda and Misono included. Not that I wouldn’t love these solos but I don’t know if it justfies another purchase for most people. The included DVD however might just make this a must have！ Nevertheless I’m glad Satoda is still getting so much work!!! Pictured below is a low-quality small version of the CD cover and the tracklist;

CD Tracklist:

1. Bye Bye
2. Bye Bye (Satoda Version)
3. Bye Bye (Misono Version)
4. Bye Bye (Karaoke)

DVD Tracklist:

1. Bye Bye (Multi-Angle Video)
2. Mou Sugu Christmas (Multi-Angle Vide0)
3. Special Anime

Today’s Releases (2008-12-10)

I’ve stopped posting daily releases lately as I feel they’re sometimes a bit redundant but today we have a lot of big releases so I think it might be worthwhile giving them a mention!

2008-12-10

• Shugo Chara Egg – Minna no Tamago (1st Single)
• Abe Natsumi – Abe Natsumi Best Selection 15 Shoku no Nigaoe Tachi (1st Best-Of Album) (CD + DVD)
• T&C Bomber – Taiyo to Ciscomoon (T&C BOMVER) MEGA Best (1st Best-Of Album)
• Country Musume – Country Musume MEGA Best (1st Best-Of Album)
• Nakazawa Yuko – Legend (1st Best-Of Album)
• Tanpopo / Pucchimoni – Tanpopo / Pucchimoni MEGA Best (1st Best-Of Album)
• Melon Kinenbi – MEGA MELON (2nd Best-Of Album)
• V.A. – Shuffle Units MEGA Best (Compilation Album)
• V.A. – Special Units MEGA Best (Compilation Album)
• V.A. – Pucchi Best 9 (Compilation Album)
• V.A. – Pucchi Best 9 DVD (PV Collection DVD)
• C-ute – FOREVER LOVE (7th Single V)
• MilkyWay / SHIPS – Kirarin Revolution 3rd Tour Stage 2 (Anime DVD)

The Hello! Project compilation album Pucchi Best 9 as well as all of the Mega Best albums were released today, the highest charting being Abe Natsumi’s at #15 in Oricon; it’s bound to fall substantially though considering the success of her latest single (more on that in the next post).

Pucchi Best 9 has charted at #22 today and like Nacchi’s album will most likely fall out of the Top 30 very soon.

All of the other albums have failed to chart within the Top 30.

On a more optimistic note Shugo-Chara Egg’s debut single Manna no Tamago has charted at #5 in the Oricon Daily Charts – quite impressive for a group of newbies. We’ll see how that does all week I guess, let’s hope for a Top Ten ranking at the end of the week. Although the single isn’t my cup of tea I’d be more than happy for any Hello! Project group to have some success right now!

New Artist Image for Satoda Mai

The Hello! Project Official Website has uploaded a new profile picture for Satoda Mai and I must say Satoda’s looking fiiine! It’s about time she had a new profile picture though I can’t help but feel it’s a little late as she’s graduating in around 4 months.

Oricon Update

Lots of Hello! Project artists are in Oricon this week and I also have the sales figures for some of the artists from last week;

Milky Way;

Milky Way’s 2nd, TANTANTAAN!, single ranked at #63 in it’s 3rd week of sales and is currently at 22,624 copies. A lot less than their debut single. It’s currently outside the daily charts.

Berryz Koubou;

Berryz Koubou’s 18th single, MADAYADE, single ranked at #50 in it’s 2nd week of sales and is currently at 24,936 copies. Quite a bit lower than their recent releases but not too awful.

Buono!;

Buono!’s 5th single, Rottara Rottara, ranked at #8 in it’s 1st week of sales with 22,484 copies being sold. It’s currently outside the daily charts but ranked at #12 at the start of the week.

Satoda Mai;

Mai’s 2nd single ranked above Buono!’s in it’s 1st week of sales at #7 with sales of 25,788! A great success for Mai, it’s currently at #45 in the dailt charts.

HANGRY & ANGRY;

The Yoshizawa and Ishikawa duet, HANGRY & ANGRY’s debut mini-album debuted at #23 on the daily charts this weekand currently sits at #49. This isn’t actually too awful as it’s an indie release.

Ogamana;

Canaria Club member Ogamana’s debut single Spin Rock debuted at #15 in the daily charts and is at #20 today. This is pretty impressive for a relatively unknown new soloist from a relatively unknown indies group!