Is it too early for candy corn?

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Even before the camera moved up, I knew that it was Yukirin front-center here

I know that it is too early for Halloween, but I have been enjoying AKB48’s 41^st single “Halloween Night” released a couple of weeks ago. I think that it is a very good disco song. Yes disco. The group did a very good job at capturing what I hear as a 1970s-style sound.

That is a big accomplishment, because in the 1970s, I was one of those “heavy metal kids” with the “DISCO SUCKS” t-shirt. Most of you are too young to know about this: The 1970s hard-rock, FM rock community I was a part of back then, did not like the Disco trend which was taking over the nation in the late 1970s. We loved Led Zeppelin, The Who, Todd Rundgren, Jethro Tull, Emerson Lake & Palmer, etc. , but would not tolerate any disco music. Looking back, I should not have been such a music bigot. I was young, and had a long musical journey ahead of me. I listen to all kinds of music today, and there are few genres that I do not like at least a little bit.

But .. EEE-gads, if the long-haired, leather clad 18-year old Denny would have known that someday the (something-something)-year old Denny would be loving a disco song by a “manufactured” Japanese girl dancers pop group, he would have thrown up his 12-pack of Colt 45.

… or maybe I would have liked this kind of disco music. I might admit, that there were some disco songs I thought were OK. In fact, The Rolling Stones – who were worshiped by the hard rock crowd – were actually kind of “disco” when I think back on it.  There was no getting away from disco in the 70s, no matter how hard you rocked. Furthermore, most 1970s “chicks” were OK with the Disco. Even if they liked hard rock too, most of the ladies I knew liked to disco dance! The girls had it right. They might rock out at an Aerosmith concert, but they also knew that disco dancing was fun too. I guess I was too “anal” (which is the nice way to say what we heavy metal fans were). 

“Look, if you are going to talk to this chick, you are going to have to go out on the disco dance floor”. 

… and I’m wearing a “Black Sabbath” T-shirt.

Awkward.

Oh, getting back to the new AKB48 single. It is pretty cool. Sashi does a good job centering this single. (All is forgiven. You deserve to be center, Rino-chan.) The integration of occasional English words is pretty cute, and lends itself to that 1970s feel. That “Boogie Night” phrase kills me. “Ready? …”  So cute.

The official music video features the ladies in great (but freaky) Halloween costumes. However, I think that I prefer these shiny-silver dance outfits used in this promo performance video. I think these silver mini-skirts are cuter and sexier than the scary stuff. Overall, I am liking performance videos better than the official music videos these days. I think the TV appearances and other performance videos (PVs) allow for a better look at all the Idols. The official music videos (MVs) are usually cut pretty fast, and are often about something else than the song.

I like to watch the PVs and identify the members who I know. I don’t know ALL the members, particularly with all the recent graduations, and the creation of so many sister groups and sub-units.  I can only identify about 30 current members by name, but may remember the name when reminded in a subbed video — “Oh, yeah … her.” The funny thing is, that I can ID which one is Yuki Kashiwagi, just from looking at her legs. (See top photo above.)  As the camera pans over the dance floor, you just see the girls legs, but then before it panned up, I thought “oh, there is Yuki”. Ha. I am so much of a fan, I can now identify her just by her legs. Hoo boy … I should really get going to work today.

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Here is what some of the “Halloween” costumes look like …

… which you can see more of in the commercial — I mean — the “short version” of the official MV approved by the company..

Sakura is a great choice to be a jester. Mayuyu is adorable as a goth-lolita, and Jurina is a perfect black widow.

If you can get Jpopsuki to load, you can view the entire HN video here. You may have to “boogie” something while it loads, but it is worth the wait.

http://www.jpopsuki.tv/video/AKB48—Halloween-Night/d3e3617a69eda9fe181b4c95b7a5e55a

How do they get away with it?

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The music video has a lot of lighted-floor disco dancing — straight out of Saturday Night Fever. There are a lot of dancing dudes too.  “There are girls who look like guys, dancing with guys who look like girls.” I think that I actually owned some of those polyester shirts shown. The great thing about those polyester leisure suits those guys are wearing is that they did not need any ironing or special care. You could “boogie” all night in it, wash your car with it the next day, then hang it up and it would look fine.

We also get to see disco dancing styles from not just the 70s — but some 80s “break” dancing, those 1990s dances, and the more modern “whatever-the-devil-you-young-people-call-dancing-these-days.” It is a very fun concept video, but  I will probably stick with the performance video instead.

OH! If you want to learn how to dance AKB’s “Halloween Night” dance, instructions are linked here. I can only do the “bat” move.

STARLIGHT: Don’t point the telescope at all my embarrassing 1970s Heavy Metal T-shirts!!! … too scary …

Is a bear Catholic? OF COURSE I like Sashihara-san.

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Do I really have to say that? Congratulations to Rino Sashihara on winning the AKB48 election. I will admit, I have not supported her very much in the past, but I certainly do not dislike her either. I like the lady.

Who couldn’t love your face … er … voice, Sashi?

AHEM … Scandals aside … AHEM … COUGH … (Denny’s coughs getting progressively louder and more annoying), she has been an invaluable member of AKB48 since the beginning. I was also a big fan of the Not Yet sub-unit of which she was one-quarter. Three more quarters and I would have had a dollar.

I think that she is a doll. Hey, she is the #1 in AKB48 … so of course I like Sashi.

“…ARE YOU KIDDING … IS A BEAR CATHOLIC?”

She is also the leader/manager of HKT48, and I LOVE the HawksTown 48. They have become my favorite sister group (sorry Sayanee  and Milky). Sashihara-san has taken the rising HKT star Sakura under her wing. Sashi-Sakuratan-Harrupi are the “big three” in HKT48.

Nice mentoring Sashi!

Of course I like her. The HKT group would be different without her.

Also, but it may be a non-musical comment, Sashi has amazinglyfantastic legs. She is great dancing in HKT48. Yes?  “Oh the gams on this dame” Thank you, Mr. Bogart.

Plus, she is a Irishwoman. I am an Irishman myself (partly) .  Of course I support a fellow Irish and want to see them all do well. She IS an O-hara, right? One of the wee-people, right?

I LOVED her in the Kois Suru Fortune Cookie music video (see my opinion linked here.) I can’t wait to hear the new single where she will center! Some fans have mixed feelings about her becoming the number one again (see link). I think if you can sell a Pepsi to everyone in China, then you can make a billion dollars. You know what? New Zealand has 75 million sheep.

Denny singing: “… and I am over that … I forgot our little spat …”

Starlight: How many days until the next election?

See more of Rino-chan on my Pinterest board linked here.

SASHI WINS!

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My Funny Caption: “The homeless people living in this Tokyo parking garage have their own AKB election every year. Oddly, they have correctly predicted the #1 for the real election six out of the last seven years!”  

Ha Ha. I know what you are thinking … Denny you should write for The Onion.

Rino Sashihara (指原 莉乃 Sashihara Rino) has won this year’s AKB48 7th Sousenkyo Election 2015. Sashi re-claims the throne she had won in 2013.

Here is a list of those who ranked, the group/sister group team, and how many votes each received. Note that this year there were many non-AKB members dominating the list. Best wishes to all — they are all winners to me.

I (HEART) all of you.

SENBATSU

1. Sashihara Rino [Team H] 194,042
   02. Kahiwagi Yuki [Team B/NGT48] 167,183
   03. Watanabe Mayu [Team B] 165,789
   04. Takahashi Minami [Team A] 137,252
   05. Matsui Jurina [Team S/Team K] 105,289
   06. Yamamoto Sayaka [Team N/Team K] 97,866
   07. Miyawaki Sakura [Team KIV/Team A] 81,422
   08. Miyazawa Sae [Team S/Team SII] 75,495
   09. Shimazaki Haruka [Team A] 73,803
   10. Yokoyama Yui [Team A] 63,414
   11. Kitahara Rie [NGT48] 61,566
   12. Watanabe Miyuki [Team BII/Team B] 55,715
   13. Matsumura Kaori [Team KII] 53,667
   14. Takayanagi Akane [Team KII] 52,609
   15. Shibata Aya [Team E] 49,199
   16. Muto Tomu [Team K] 44,637

UNDERGIRLS

17. Kodama Haruka [Team H/Team K] 43,985
    18. Suda Akari [Team E] 43,665
    19. Minegishi Minami [Team K] 35,506
    20. Oya Masana [Team S] 30,021
    21. Tomonaga Mio [Team KIV/Team 4] 28,197
    22. Kizaki Yuria [Team B] 26,994
    23. Tani Marika [Team E] 26,051
    24. Furuhata Nao [Team KII] 25,650
    25. Takahashi Juri [Team 4] 25,421
    26. Kojima Mako [Team 4] 25,117
    27. Oba Mina [Team KII] 24,708
    28. Kato Rena [Team B] 24,569
    29. Okada Nana [Team 4] 23,237
    30. Takajo Aki [Team K] 22,502
    31. Fuchigami Mai [Team KIV] 22,487
    32. Tashima Meru [Team H] 22,191

NEXT GIRLS

33. Anai Chihiro [Team H] 22,146
    34. Shiroma Miru [Team M/Team A] 21,577
    35. Fujie Reina [Team M] 21,388
    36. Jonishi Kei [Team N] 21,135
    37. Sakaguchi Riko [Team H] 20,936
    38. Futamura Haruka [Team S] 20,590
    39. Uchiyama Natsuki [Team B] 20,437
    40. Yagura Fuuko [Team M] 20,354
    41. Ota Aika [Team KIV] 19,921
    42. Okada Kanna [Team KIV] 19,739
    43. Moriyasu Madoka [Team KIV] 19,401
    44. Mukaichi Mion [Team K] 18,392
    45. Miyamae Ami [Team S] 18,245
    46. Kojina Yui [Team H] 18,085
    47. Tano Yuka [Team K] 18,048
    48. Kimoto Kanon [Team E] 18,021

FUTURE GIRLS

49. Sato Sumire [Team E] 17,579
    50. Sasaki Yukari [Team A] 17,466
    51. Matsuoka Natsumi [Team H] 17,387
    52. Goto Risako [Team S] 17,330
    53. Isohara Kyoka [Team E] 17,278
    54. Kotani Riho [Team N] 17,132
    55. Souda Sarina [Team KII] 17,071
    56. Umeda Ayaka [Team BII] 17,019
    57. Mogi Shinobu [Team K] 16,867
    58. Shibuya Nagisa [Team BII/Team 4] 16,386
    59. Kato Yuka [Team N] 15,729
    60. Yabushita Shu [Team BII] 15,666
    61. Azuma Rion [Team S] 15,539
    62. Kato Rumi [Team E] 15,474
    63. Yamauchi Suzuran [Team S] 15, 157
    64. Yoshida Akari [Team N] 14,933

UPCOMING GIRLS

65. Saito Makiko [Team E] 14,916
    66. Kitagawa Ryoha [Team S/Team 4] 14,674
    67. Omori Miyu [Team 4] 14,669
    68. Umemoto Madoka [Team E] 14,605
    69. Nagao Mariya [Team K] 14,585
    70. Kamata Natsuki [Team E] 14,545
    71. Ishida Haruka [Team K] 14,319
    72. Ueki Nao [Team KIV] 13,961
    73. Kumazaki Haruka [Team E] 13,777
    74. Tanigawa Airi [Team M] 13,744
    75. Owada Nana [Team A] 13,685
    76. Takeuchi Mai [Team S] 13,569
    77. Ishida Anna [Team KII] 13,289
    78. Shinozaki Ayana [Team K] 13,170
    79. Ichikawa Miori [Team BII] 13,165
    80. Motomura Aoi [Team KIV] 13,116

For more discussion about the election, please see the great  “All Things Jpop” blog by WordPress friend Yuna linked here.

I will try to have a full tribute to Sasihara-san later next week. Now go get some sleep.

Stalight: Not sure what time zone I am in now : (

Well, Lewis Carroll is probably doing SOMETHING in his grave …

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I am starting to like the HKT48 a lot!. HKT48 stands for “Hakata” 48, as the group performs in their own HKT48 Theater in the Hawks Town Mall located in Hakata ward of Fukuoka, Japan. When I think HKT however, I think GO HAWKSTOWN!  HKT48 is centered/managed by (the somewhat older) Rino Sashihara. Now, why Sashi is in Hawks Town is … ahem … another story, but let’s just say that I am glad that they put this Irishwoman in charge. (What, she’s an O’Hara, right?)

The HKT48 are a lot of fun, and they have a lot of youthful energy! They remind me of AKB48 when the original members were first starting out years ago. They are always so happy and enthusiastic when they do their dances in their pretty outfits. I super-love their single “12 Seconds”. There is a great music video for it, but for right now, let’s view a live performance in 1080 HD!

I think that 12 Byou is a cool, rockin’ power-pop song. I especially love the uniforms that they use for the MV and for this dance. Haruka Kodama is amazingly pretty … and did you see those CUTE SOCKS?

You are killing me with those socks Haruppi!

I hope yourtube does not remove it, because I want to watch this PV all summer. Just in case, I downloaded the MP4 and played it on my PS3 USB, where it looks PDQ on the IT.

The more I watch HKT48, the more I like them! I also like some of those “kick” moves that they put into the dance. See time 2:00 — I actually make those same knee-kicks like that whenever my leg goes to sleep, or if I have a really bad “Charley Horse“! Thanks, young ladies, for showing me how to stay limber.

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Now for the music video: The HKT48 girls go “down the rabbit hole” and become part of Lewis Carroll‘s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland“. It is a lot of fun, and the sets look great. Unfortunately YouTube only has the “preview” version of the official MV, but you can find the full version out there if you know where to look.

I was able to find it on Jpopsuki website, but you have to wait a long time for it to load. Watch in a new window on Jpopsuki linked here.

Alternatively you could watch it in a new window on Voz48.com linked here. Much less loading time.  What a Lolita-styled beauty is the “Alice” here!

If all else fails, you can go with YouTube, but the company will only let me show you the preview. Dag-nabbit wabbit, it still sounds and looks so inspiring I’m interested in both the fine literature AND the pretty skirts!

The “Alice in Wonderland” theme here gives rise to the speculative question:

Was noted British author Lewis Carroll a pedophile? (Note: “Lewis Carroll” was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.) It is commonly known that the author based the “Alice” in his books on Alice Liddell, his neighbor, and the daughter of his church leader. It is well documented that he had a friendly relationship with Alice and her family, however the extent of their relationship has given rise to some speculation. (Link here.)

Denny turns his bar stool to face the reader: Look, regarding these famous writers and your English majors, scholarly professors and the like — they all go one of two ways: Either they are 1) a total “fruit salad” and thus are harmless to women, or 2) they are lecherous serial womanizers that think they are above common decency.  … but I digress.

Furthermore, a British documentary produced earlier this year investigates the relationship between Carroll, Alice and her other young sisters. They conclude that although Carroll was obsessed with the young girl, he was too “repressed” by his religion and conscience to act upon it. There is evidence that he took photographs of Alice and her sisters, but they were NOT sexualized images. Researchers uncovered an old photograph of Carroll and Alice in an embrace however. I will NOT show that photograph here, but it is available on a Pinterest page linked here. It is argued that the photo has been faked in order to diminish the author. There is no evidence that the late Mr. Dodgson ever had an inappropriate relationship with any child.

Ok, that being said, I think that Lewis Carroll would have approved of HKT48 and how they bring his concepts to life! I think he would also enjoy these performances.  Here is another PV of the “12 seconds” single: Enjoy the silky pastel colors version in 1080 HD!

Before I go, here is a rockin’ instrumental version with guitar by YouTube user Arif Hadianto.

“Party on Garth!!!” 

Starlight: You would have traveled 2,232,000 miles if you were going at the speed of light!