Sakura Mankai

Today it was announced that Buono! will have a Budokan concert of the 25th of August! They will be joined by C-ute (Airi's group), Country Girls (Momoko's group) and Miyabi's new unit. Omg, jeez, OMG! Buono! is totally making a comeback! How amazing is this? I hope they will release a single!! I need more Buono in my life!

It's fast, but with the end of 2015, the end of Morning Musume with Ace Sayashi Riho has come.  Morning Musume updated their profile picture with their new 12 member line-up.

Tsubaki Factory updated their profile pictures to match their second indies single! Don't they look great? I love the soft theme they are getting and hope they hold on to it.  The individual pictures are under the break!

Finally we get to see official pictures of the 2nd generation Country Girls members!  And do they look adorable. Country Girls will start 2016 as a 7 member group. Their site was also update with individual profile pictures which you can find under the break!

Today the Ace of Morning Musume graduated. Sayashi Riho, 9th generation member, graduated at today's countdown live. A tearful goodbye with a lot of meaningful songs.  I wish Sayashi the best and hope she can make her dreams come true.  Last picture of Morning Musume '15.

More great news form the Kobushi Factory front! They announced their second major single at today's countdown concert!  The single will be released on the 17th of Febuary and will be another triple a-side single. One of the songs will be a cover of Sakura Night Fever, which the whole H!P gang covered at this years Hinafest.  Great news for Kobushi Factory and it was about time! Edit: The full title for the single was release, but the order of the songs can still change: Sakura Night Fever / Chotto Guchoku ni! Chototsu Moushin / Osu! Kobushi Tamashii

At yesterday's 57th Japan Record Awards, it was announced that Kobushi Factory won the Beste Newcomer Award of 2015!  Congratulations girls! Before Kobushi Factory, Morning Musume, C-ute and S/mileage already won this award in the years of their debuts!  Amazing news for Kobushi! Winning such an important award is really amazing and I hope they will keep proving they deserved it! A good start of 2016 for them!

Tsubaki Factory will be releasing their second indies single during the Hello!Project Countdown.  Today they released the details for this single! The title was already announced to be Kedakaku Sakihokore! The cover was one of the things released today: Tracklist: 1. Kedakaku Sakihokore! 2. Kedakaku Sakihokore! (Instrumental) The cd will (for now) only be sold at the countdown concert, but it will be released online and in stores in 2016.  The cover looks kinda weird to me. The girls look shopped, which makes the cover strange. I do really love the whole sweet style they are going for. 

ANGERME's second gen member Tamura Meimi announced her graduation at today's ANGERME fanclub event.  Meimi will be graduating in the spring of 2016, although an exact date was not given.  Tamura wants to try and become a musical actress, which has been her dream since she was very little.  What a suprise and what sad news. Another member leaving ANGERME and so soon.. Meimi is the youngest of the 2nd gen and will be leaving first... Sad times.. http://helloproject.com/news/4010/

Morning Musume '15 released the covers for their long awaited 60th single! There are 6 versions in total, so let's have a look at them! Limited A This cover is for Tsumetai Kaze to Kataomoi and is it beautiful! This single is Riho's graduation single, so it was to be expected for her to center. The cover is super pretty and they all look super fab! For me Zukki, Harunan and Kudo really steal the show. I adore how simple this cover is, but still showcases the girls soooo well. Limited B The second cover is for Endless sky. This song will be focused on Riho, but for some reason Kudo is center and infront (not that I am complaining). The outfits are now a bit meh to me, but I like the use of purple and blue. Quite a simple cover but I adore the lettering and how they look into the camera.  Limited C The cover for One and Only and it's so fun. Everyone is looking so cute and happy. It is kinda weird to see them inside the letters of Momusu, beca

Tsubaki Factory announced their second indies single! During today's UP-FRONT RECOMMEND it was announced that their second indies single will be released during the H!P Countdownparty 2015 event.  The indies single is called: Kedakaku Sakihokore! Let's hope for another great release of Tsubaki Factory!

It was announced today that Morning Musume '16 will be going to Houston, Texas next year! They are the main guest of Anime Matsuri. The festival will take place from the 26th of febuary till the 28th of febuary. Great news for Momusu fans in the USA! And Yeah for a new picture! Sad to see them without Riho though...

Incredibly sad news today, Takamasa Sakurai passed away this morning.  He fell from a trainplatform at Nishi-Nippori Station and was hit by an uncoming train.  Takamasa was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead at arrival.  Takamasa is well known in the foreign idol community for all his work with japanese idols.  He has been posting a lot of interviews with idols and was present at a lot of foreign Japan events.  He did a lot of interviews with H!P members. I could not believe the news. I have been following Takamasa-san's interviews for quite a while now. He always had great articles and seemed such an amazing guy.  I hope he will be resting in peace now.  Here are some pictures of Takamasa-san with H!P members,  Some H!P members posted about Takamasa-san and were really sad about his sudden passing. 

Girls Beat!! announced their new member! A few weeks ago it was announced that Kago Ai would be returning to the group and that there would be an audition for new members.  The winner was announced today! Momose Yui Color: Yellow Birthday: 22 June Yui and Ryona are both listed as Kenkyuusei, which makes Kago the only full member.