Denny’s letter to Mayu Watanabe upon her retirement

Dear Miss Watanabe,

I was very surprised to hear that you have retired from show business. Not just retiring from singing and idoling … but retired from acting, commercials and endorsements too? As of this writing I have only seen a few news reports:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200601_22/

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/06/a2a1d687452c-former-akb48-star-watanabe-retires-from-showbiz-over-health-reasons.html

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-06-01/mayu-watanabe-retires-from-entertainment-industry-for-health-reasons/.160121

They all say the same thing (in fact they all appear to be written/copied from the same person). There is little detail. It concerns me that you had to retire for “health” reasons. To me, you look at the pique of health for a 26-year old! You sure look good … er … and I mean that in a complimentary way. If your concern for your health is the reason you have to step away from the entertainment industry, I will respect that. I will not pay attention to rumors.

Mayuyu – if I may be so familiar to call you that – I wish you all the best in your retirement from show business. You definitely deserve a break from entertaining. Perhaps you will return creatively some other year.

You have always been one of my favorite AKB members … no, favorite entertainers … no, favorite people. You are one of the world’s most beautiful women. Much has been written in the fandom about your … um … assets, but I sincerely do not mean that it in a snarky way. You were and still are lovely.

We can be honest with each other here. I know, that you know, that I know that you know.

The early-era of AKB48 is one of the best things in all of popular culture – Japanese or otherwise. You were a big part of it. I don’t think that AKB would have been the same without you. For that matter … I would not be the same if not for you.

Original Kami 7

There was nothing like the original AKB team memberss. No one was ever better than you girls at your peak. I have worn many musical suits in my lifetime. Hard rocker, Heavy Metalist, Punk Rocker, New Wave, Nude Wave, No Wave, Nick & Dave. I have experienced them all. I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain. I once shot a man in Reno just to watch him die … and yes … I see that I have digressed, my dear girl.

You were a good singer, actress, comedian, model, spokesperson, etc. I would say that you are still at the top of your game. Your solo work is a primer for anyone in the idol-anime culture. More than a decade later, your early material still holds up well! Your work with Watariroka Hashiritai was among the best in pop music history. It was Power Pop that just exploded off the record. It is what idol music is all about!

You girls were better than the Beatles! (I know the Beatles had a lot more records, but you girls at your best were better than the Beatles at their best).

Mayu, you added a lot of beauty and good humor to this world. Know that you will be missed. Have a good life. I hope you raise a big family of little idols someday!

Respectfully,

Your fan,

Denny Sinnoh

Starlight: Mayu … I love you kid … I wish you all the happiness in this world and any of  the multiverses.

Update 2021 — her graduation song MV is finally on Youtube! See it here:

Readers: This is the last single which Mayu centered. Notice that she is wearing my red sweater that I lent her!

Denny’s top ten digits: Favorite members of the AKB48 family (pre-Senbatsu election).

I’m just counting Sakuratan.

The AKB48 election is ongoing, and the votes are being counted. I would not even attempt to PREDICT the results …  however I want to make my top picks of who I think SHOULD be ranked.

Several of my favorites have recently graduated, or have announced graduation. My oshi – Iwasa Misaki – left AKB for a solo career. Former-Favorite Members such as Miyuki Watanabe or Haruka Nakagawa have not officially graduated yet (as of this writing), but they are not in the running, so I will not consider them for my top-ten.  Members I love like like Aika Ota have also announced that they will not run this year, in order to support her teammates. Also, I have been a little out-of-the-loop in my fandom. The AKB legal department has blocked my usual sources of music videos and  information. There are some members I still like, but I’m not sure about their status. Please excuse my ignorance, if I missed something obvious.

Coming up with ten digits should be as easy as counting toes. Here goes …

Ichi. Yuki Kashiwagi. Yukirin has always done everything right. Perhaps this will be her year to reach #1. She certainly deserves it. I think that after her next big solo concert tour this year, she will announce her graduation. I would like to see her go out on top.

Ni. Mayu Watanabe. I was very happy when she was elected #1 a couple of years ago. I have always liked her solo songs, and she was so great in the WH7, and well … IS so great at everything.

San. Sayaka Yamamoto. She’s beautiful – she’s sexy. The dark-haired beauty is so much more than a pretty face. She is a good singer, and it is enjoyable seeing her develop as a musician. Sayanee is an adept guitarist in everything from punk to folk. Could she play any Todd Rundgren?

Yon. Sakura Miyawaki. I might rank the young goddess higher – but for the problem of where to put her. She will, of course, take the #1 position someday. Sakuratan is adorable in all dimensions of the multi-verse. Although SHE is flawless, I am disappointed that the AKB/HKT48 have not let her perform more solo songs. The recent B-side duet with Haruppi was a good step in the right direction.

Go. Haruka Kodama. OK, you have got me. The young lady is strikingly beautiful and she makes me wish I had majored in podiatry. I try to keep my lust for her in check … but her modeling work is very, very good. I feel guilty about ranking a member so highly based more on looks rather than singing.  I can’t really judge Haruppi on singing-talents alone, because when I see her sing, it is usually part of a group effort. She was amazing in “Sayonara Surfer” last year however. More please.

The next few might be the “Are you still here” category. ? Ha Ha. No …

These are still my old favorites, but are interchangeable to some extent. I love all of them, but I don’t think that these would crack my top-five.

Roku. Yui Yokoyama. I always jump to attention when commanded to by Yuihan. If there were more bosses like her I would not mind so much being “called on the carpet”.

Nana. Haruna Kojima. Or is it “Nyan Nyan Kamen”? I’m still not sure about this marketing scheme. Why does the world’s most beautiful woman need a secret identity? Kojiharu – I would still recognize you, even if you were in your underwear!!!

Hachi. Minami Minegishi. I think that Miichan said that this is her last election. She has been one of my favorites, ever since I discovered and started following AKB48 way back in in 2011. She looked like a baby then. She still looks like a baby, but this baby can still deliver the goods.

Kyuu. Haruka Shimizaki.  Paruru will rise to meet any challenge. If the haters get to you, I’m here for you sweetie.

Ju. Rino Sashihara. I do not rank her as high as many fans will, but I still love this Irishwoman. I may disagree with her, but she still has the legs to win any debate. I concede to you Sasshi.

Well, those are my 100 reasons. Certainly, all ten of these are deserving of being the #1 in AKB48. Argue with me in the comments.

Starlilight: Hmmmm … It looks like I will need more digits in order to get Jurina Matsui and Mako Kojima on my list …

In Birthdays today: The wholesome Mayu Watanabe

In Birthdays today: The wholesome Mayu Watanabe

Happy Birthday Mayuyu!!! Born March 26th, 1994. Wholesome, yes. If you were expecting images of Mayu’s butt, see someone else’s blog.

You should not be so “taken aback” Mayu, indeed YOU ARE are a very talented and WHOLESOME young lady.

How I think of Mayu. Far from the “cyborg” of her early days. Mayu is a sweet Lolita. She is like sweet cotton candy … only not nearly as sticky.

Mayu, you went to Ohio State too? So did I!!! …  come here and give your fellow alumnus a big hug! (Denny hugging Mayu). Mmmmmm … We will beat Michigan TOGETHER, Mayu …  Mmmmmmm. We will show that bad team from up north … Mmmmmmmmmmm … Just you and me Mayu … Mmmmmmmmm … That’s right …. Mmmmmmmm … just me and you Mayu …. Mmmmmmm … (Denny turns to readers mouthing words: I really didn’t go to Ohio State, hee hee.)

AKB48 Trivia: Not many fans know that Mayuyu is also the official spokeswoman for the Jehovah’s Waitresses.

(Denny inside the costume). Of all my hair-brained “Lucy” schemes, this one actually worked.

Few Idols mark “Chester Cheese‘s Birthday” as an official holiday, Mayu.

At first I was excited when Ensign Watanabe ordered me to  “swab the poop deck“.

Ha ha ha. You did not tell me your feet were so TICKLISH, Miss Watanabe … Ha Ha … You silly, silly girl, Hee Hee … let me try that foot rub again and

— BZZZT – BZZZT –  BZZZT –  BZZZT –  BZZZT – BZZZT – BZZZT – BZZZT –  BZZZT –  BZZZT –  BZZZT – BZZZT – 

Oh, damn that alarm clock!!! Oh, what day is it … oh crap-on-a-stick, I have to go to work today….

————————————————————————————————————————-

Oh, you can make your own lame captions …

… just wish Mayuyu a happy birthday (Japan is 12 hours ahead of me).

A song? Of course there should be a song. I love that little teacup.

Remember this funny Mayu moment from AKBINGO? Will anyone be KISSED? Funny in English subs!

Every once in a while, pure MAGIC is captured on low quality video. Sigh.

See more Mayuyu fashions on my Pinterest board for her linked here.

Starlight: Mayu Watanabe born March 26, 1994. I remember that day … I got fired. Well, they say that God closes one door but opens another. True, I was shunned by pompous narcissistic pseudo-intellectuals, but …

… BABY MAYU CAME INTO THE WORLD!!!!  

KIMONOS ON MONDAY: Keeping up with technology and kimonos with Mayu Watanabe.

It is hard to keep up with printer technology. Good thing that shark puppets and Mayu Watanabe can educate me on how photo-like my printouts could be with the new series of EPSON color printers.

It has been some time since I presented a Mayu slideshow, so today’s Kimono post will feature of Mayu’s kimonos I had been meaning to post.

Test your printer with this one! Or any of these …

Oh, you can be sure that I will be printing your kimono photos with official EPSON printers and paper, Mayu!

Starlight: I am already two years behind … and don’t you have a birthday coming up next month Mayu?

What? You say you’re going to open a can of “WHOOP ASS”?

Image

Well … You might open your can of “whoop ass” but I am going to beat you down when I open my can of “Paruru”!!!

Asahi soft drink corporation has released new promotional commercials for their product line of “WONDA” coffee featuring AKB48!  WONDA promotional campaign spokes-idols are AKB48 members Haruka Shimazaki (島崎遥香), Mayu Watanabe (渡辺麻友), Minami Takahashi (高橋みなみ), Yuki Kashiwagi (柏木由紀) and Yui Yokoyama (横山由依).

They are pretty cute “Japan-is-crazy-type-commercials” which we all know and love. (But nothing as crazy as the music video at the end of the post.)

I actually liked the older WONDA cans when they had the photos of the members on the cans. Then, you could really “open up a can of Paruru”!

I’m gonna open me a can of Shimazaki-san !!!

Still, I would like to have the promotional poster!

You can see more commercials — one featuring each member for each day of the week — at the post by AKB48-Daily linked here.

Oh, and these commercial themes are also going to be worked into a new AKb48 music video.  Here is the “short version”. The record company does not trust me with the long version. It is still 1:30 of funny.

Starlight: From the Sun to Neptune. Not all that long this time!

My Favorite Members of AKB48 and the 48 Family (this morning).

Image

I love these girls.  Er .. I mean, young women … and …ah … um … ladies… (Thinking, starting again) I love these popular-singing-Idols!!!

The late Astronomer-BioChemist Carl Sagan once quipped: “When you are in love, you want to tell the whole world”. He meant that he loved science so much that he loved teaching it, and he always wanted to talk about it with anyone who would listen.

My own personal cosmos is filled with a different kind of star however, but I still want to to lecture.  Today I will share this list of my top “Sweet Sixteen” Favorite Members of AKB48 and the 48 Family … my favorites, at least as of this morning. Enjoy the photos and my funny captions.

#1. Iwasa Misaki

 

Wasamin is a Southern Belle? “I do declare, Mr. Sinnoh, you are so  forward!” (blushes)

#2. Yuki Kashiwagi

Little known AKB factoid: In an emergency, Yukirin may be used as a flotation device!

#3. Mayu Watanabe

Whenever I have to face Mayu Watanabe on the mound, I try to “look at a couple” before I take my first swing.

#4. Miyuki Watanabe

You might be “The New Girl” Milky-chan, however I am not going to call you “Zooey.”

#5. Sayaka Yamamoto

Yes, thank you for the verbal reminder Sayanee … but there is NO WAY I am going to forget to buy melons when I go to the store today!

#6. Haruna Kojima

Readers: I could not find a photo of KojiHaru that was NOT sexy. Think I’m kidding? Try doing a Google-Image search for “Haruna Kojima”. Go ahead … I’ll wait … See?

#7. Minami Minegeshi

I’m not as THRUNK as you DINK …  Miichan!!!

#8. Rena Matsui

“Hey Rena … dah dah dah dah …the movement you need is on your shoulder … Na Na Na Na …”

#9. Jurina Matsui

Hey! Watch where you are swinging the wiener there, Matsui-san!!!

#10. Minami Takahashi

Oh, that little Taka-mina! She just trick-skated her way into my heart.

#11. Haruka Nakagawa

Well, life IS a marathon Haruka.

#12. Yui Yokoyama

Why yes, Miss Yokoyama, I do indeed have a Ph.D. in “Foot-rub-ology” … why do you ask?

#13. Haruka Shimazaki

Hey Paruru: Michael Nesmith called, he wants his cap back!

#14. Aika Ota

You know Love-tan, the Library has rules about being too adorable in the reference area!

#15. Mako Kojima

Young Miss Mako Kojima probably has the most infectious smile in show business … and .. wait what was that?

#16. Sakura Miyawaki

Um, Sakura-tan, when you said that you like “Heavy Metal Music” I did not know that you meant the tuba!

OK, some of my captions are pretty lame. If you have better ones, please list the Idol # and suggested caption. Don Draper follows my blog.

 

Surfing an INNOVATION WAVE with Watarirouka Hashiritai!

Image

This big guy is not me, but he might as well be.

“This is what Rock-and-Roll is all about.” was a phrase often utilized in Creem magazine in the 1970s.  If you ask this old geezer music historian, it perfectly applies to the short-lived AKB48 sub-unit the Watarirouka Hashiritai  (the hallway runners).  Yes, I am serious.  This outfit, with songs by Yasushi Akimoto, were one of my favorite all-time pop groups.

Unfortunately, the Watarirouka Hashiritai group disbanded, then gave their last performance in 2014. I wanted to make sure that I wrote about this piece of AKB History before the end of the year.

What is an “Innovation Wave” you ask? This is when a new idea or phenomenon diffuses across geographic space and throughout social hierarchies.  The analogy is when a trend or fad (like hula hoops) spreads from one area to another. In this case, a wave of popularity is flowing through this Japanese suburb, as the Watarirouka team performs.  The date is August 8, 2010.  AKB48 is growing in popularity in Japan, although their tickets were not yet as impossible to get as they are today. AKB48 subunits would sometimes  perform smaller shows for a specifically targeted audience.  In this case the Watarirouka Hashiritai subunit were performing for a student audience.  I believe these three videos capture the WH innovation wave. Please watch in the available HD!

The girls are singing to “canned” music of course.  That is OK, they do not have to play their own instruments in order to be a good power-pop/bubblegum outfit. The thing to evaluate here is not so much the performance, great as it is – but to see the reaction and interactions of the AUDIENCE. These guys are jumping out of their socks!

Watch this first video “Seishun no Flag”. In this, (Denny switches to his “baby talk” voice:) Mayu is just the “widdlest” soldier here. The crowd is very fired up. They have never seen anything like it. I can empathize with them — to be that close to the wonderful Mayu Watanabe when her star was just beginning to rise. Now this was before Mayuyu became one of the more popular members. I have to think that this was the greatest thing these guys have ever seen. I love how they are jumping around, cheering and calling out the names of the girls. It is almost like some type of nationalistic political rally — but I mean that in the positive way.

Be careful at time 0:35 seconds. Mayu’s skirt twirls up, and you see her bloomers (look away if you must). Notice I said “bloomers”, not “panties”.  She is wearing bloomers – like your Grandmother would wear.

Look for all the great shots of the audience, such as these:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Did you see that big goofy-looking dude? I feel like that guy is me, or would be me if I was there. I feel a lot of love looking at this audience.  I wish I was one of them.  All the girls look great in their “grown-woman-in-school-girl-outfits”.   So cute.  Ayaka Kikuchi has a great curvy figure, and her blouse is always coming out at all the right times. The audience loves it.

I wish I was there to observe – I can feel the INNOVATION WAVE pass through due to the emotional reaction of the audience. I WISH I WAS ONE OF THOSE JAPANESE KIDS! … or at least knew the language! Such joy is written on their faces!  (See the photo at the top of this post.) My heart is exploding with happiness …

The videos capture a very exciting period – the time when AKB and WH were getting better and better with each release. The fan base was growing like an expanding wave — increasingly larger, and as seen in this audience – more and more dedicated. What a great point in AKB48 History! This next video is the girls at their most kawaii.   Oh that Aika Ota!  Love-tan – you are killing me!!!  DOKI DOKI!  

I love the AKB girls!  I love the WH! Mayuyu! Lovetan! Nacchan! Ayarin! Haruna! I love every one of those kids in the audience!!!  I wish I could have been there to feel the innovation wave. I would have liked nothing more than to be there — but if I were —  I would probably have to take a VIAGRA just to keep from pi@@ing myself!!!

PS: You can watch the entire performance at this YouTube site, but it is very low res.  It still sounds GREAT though.  It is a great BUBBLEGUM power-pop show.  The audience is very exuberant. I suggest just minimizing the YouTube, then listen to the concert with headphones in your cubical.

Unfortunately, this will likely be my last Watarirouka post.  Would anyone be interested in a WH photo retrospective collection?

I am not sad that Watarirouka Hashiritai is over.  Even good things come to a conclusion, and the individual members will be moving on to other things.

My blogging year in review. Part I: The “tweets” or whatever …

Image

Oddly, a lot of people wanted to share this photo of Mayu Watanabe’s butt. To quote Bart Simpson: “Who would want to look at a girl’s butt anyway? That’s where cooties COME FROM!”

It is that time of year again! Time to compile useless “Top Ten Lists” for events of the past year. Although I created my WordPress account in November of 2013, I was not active until April 2014.  So, I’ve had a good year of “blogging”.  I’ve also had a good year of reading other bloggers posts.  It has led me to the following conclusion: There are many more people out there who are really a lot better at this than I am. I had hoped that creating a blog would help me “write more gooder.”  … but I digress as usual.

This top-ten list will be for my posts which have had the greatest number of social network “shares”.  At the end of my posts I have the share buttons, so my readers (and those that want to beat me up) can forward these to social media like Twitter or Facebook.

Personally, I would not get caught dead on Facebook.  I hate it. I had an account years ago, but I was banned for making jokes about Zooey Deschannel.  I do not miss Facebook. Don’t mind me though, if you use it, good for you.

Also, I have no idea why on Earth people use “Twitter” so much.  I am of the opinion that NO ONE HAS EVER, EVER SAID ANYTHING INTERESTING ON TWITTER. If you like it, good for you, tweet away. I too had a Twitter account albeit briefly.  That is some pretty dull and mindless stuff on there which I do not want to know.  I once subscribed to a Blue Jay, but all of its tweets were about birdseed. Pretty dull stuff, so I much prefer reading the blogs from my coterie of friends here on WP.

Turns out, this bird was a lot more shallow than I thought.

So … this list from my STATS page, is the “Top Ten Most Shared on Social Media”.  I cannot say that it is my “best” at all — that will be a latter post!  If you missed any, now is your chance!

1. Who’s That Pokémon? AKB48 Labrador dreams, and some clarifications from Professor Neil deGrasse Tyson — linked here.

2. I (HEART) you Mayuyu ! – linked here.

3. There are not a lot of songs about volcanoes! – linked here.

4. “She has a smooth face, because she thinks smooth thoughts.” – linked here.

5. Is Hanako Oku gay? – linked here.

6. Pokémon Nicknames: Girafarig – linked here.

7. Hanako Oku and the Books Never Written – linked here.

8. Finally, someone on Jpopsuki posted “Sakura no Ki ni Narou” with POLISH SUBTITLES!!! – linked here.

9. What I look like when I watch AKB48 music videos – linked here.

10. Hanako Oku “Tegami” Music Video — linked here.

The list above is NOT what I feel is my best work, in fact, I am a little embarrassed by some now. You all know how blogging can be. Sometime you put your heart and soul into a particular post, but never get any reaction or any discussion. Sometimes when I am composing a humor post, I am sitting there cracking up, thinking – people are going to laugh their pants off when they see this.  Then I hear crickets. Sometimes there is a song that has touched my heart, and I just have to share it.

Other times when I do not put a lot of time or thought into a post, and maybe just post a photo – and then that will get hundreds of views and shares. Oddly, my Hanako Oku posts get very few views, but they are shared a lot.  There were a lot of Oku shares that did not make this top-ten list, but she must be my most frequently shared topic. My “Pokemon Nickname” posts get hundreds of views, but almost never any comments, likes or shares.

Weird.

Anthony Burgess reviews my new Watarirouka Hashiritai Farewell Concert DVD

Image

“What’s it going to be then, eh?”

“This must be a real horrorshow film if you’re so keen on my viddying it.”

What are you spinning your warbles to these days droogies?  Johnny Zhivago? Heaven Seventeen? Well come with UNCLE! … Come and hear all PROPER!

My droog Denny lent me Watarirouka Hashiritai final concert DVD.  Oh, my brothers, it was gorgeousness and gorgeosity made flesh. I viddied that American thinking is for the gloopy ones and that the oomny ones use like inspiration and what Bog sends. For now it was lovely Watarirouka Hashiritai music that came to my aid.  Oh, it was wonder of wonders.

“It’s funny how the colors of the real world only seem really real when you watch them on a screen.”

Haruka Nagagawa crunched redgold under my bed, and behind my gulliver the sounds of Ayaka Kikuchi, Aika Oota and Mika Komori trumpeed three-wise silverflamed, and there by the door Kazumi Urano rolling through my guts and out again crunched like candy thunder.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Glazzies on Haruka only here: Viddy well brother … VIDDY WELL!

Mika Komori bored deep, like worms of like platinum, into the thick thick toffee gold and silver. I was in such bliss, my brothers.And then, a bird of like rarest spun heavenmetal, or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now, came the Mayu Wananabe solo above all the other watarirouka strings, and those strings were like a cage of silk round my bed.

The lips of Mayu were like red, red kroovy …

Then, brothers, it came. Oh, bliss, bliss and heaven.  Like a GREAT BIRD – the solo by  Iwasa Misaki.

O, Bog in heaven what pretty pictures I imagined

I lay all nagoy to the ceiling, my gulliver on my rookers on the pillow, glazzies closed, rot open in bliss, slooshying the sluice of lovely sounds. Oh, it made me dream such pretty pictures, my brothers.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

IT’S A SIN! The Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 to be disbanded? IT’S A SIN!!!!!!

But where I itty now, O my brothers, is all on my oddy knocky, where you cannot go. Tomorrow is all like sweet flowers and the turning vonny earth and the stars and the old Luna up there. … and all that cal.

Something organic that Bog tugs away free will?  Real horrorshow.

Cured?  I was cured alright.

I’m as happy as a schoolgirl (Part II)

Image

I’m as happy as a schoolgirl again !

I am all agog … like I’m on eggnog …

… and also very happy with my Watarirouka Hashiritai  farewell concert DVDs I have been watching.  Then yesterday I finally received by double-CD “best of Watarirouka Hashiritai ” album from Japan!  It has all the hits, plus some of the solo singles the members made while in the group.  Of course most of those are by Mayu Watanabe.

It reminds me why they were always my favorite sub-unit of AKB48 (see link). The songs are so sweet, fun and cute.  I loved listening to it in the car today. It makes my daily commute through all the bad neighborhoods* I have to drive through so much more enjoyable!

One thing though: I probably have never purchased a record that is this high-pitched and squeaky — at least not since I had “The Chipmunks” back when I was in second grade.

This example is pretty squeaky — PRETTY and SQUEAKY!

Got me thinking, you know, the WH7 DO do sound a little bit like “The Chipettes”.

Perhaps in the studio, it went something like this:

Akimoto-san: “Sounds great girls, but Mayu – you were a little flat”

Mayu: (not paying attention)

Akimoto-san: “Mayu …”

Mayu: (looking off into distance)

Akimoto-san: (irritated) Mayu!

Mayu: (still not listening)

Akimoto-san:  MAYU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mayu: Hai !

 Ha Ha. … No.

I love them.

* Get out of the way you alcoholics — I have Mayuyu : )