True Life Seek

It seems like times are bad for Hello!Project. Berryz Koubou is going to release another uninspiring single. C-ute is going to follow up the fantastic Tokaiko Junjou with Lalala Shiawase no Uta, a song that’s already frowned upon by many after the 58th Kouhaku. Morning Musume’s next single is delayed. Natsumi Abe and Maimi Yajima’s single, 16sai no Koi Nante, did not sell well and I have a sneaking suspicion the blame for it will be laid upon Maimi. Risako Sugaya is dangerously risking overexposure by releasing a third photobook, which is unjustly coming before the first photobooks of Aika Mitsui, Li Chun, Chinami Tokunaga, Kanna Arihara and others.

Despite all of that, good news has arrived today! V-u-den is breaking up! It may not seem like it, but it is good news.

V-u-den was stale. You could look at sales to prove this. I am basing this argument on my own opinion and the reactions of others to the breakup news. The group has not captured the imagination and interest of fans for a long time. One of the most common responses that I am reading is that someone is “sad they broke up, I liked their early singles.” While this does not say anything bad about the last 2 years of v-u-den, it doesn’t say anything good.

Rika Ishikawa was the leader of the group. Rika had the popularity for a solo career. While not the most vocally gifted performer, the popularity was fueled by her charisma and personality, which are far more concrete than looks (although Rika was not lacking here).

Erika Miyoshi was something of an unknown. People had heard her name as the winner of a 2003 audition but not much more was known. It turns out that Erika was a solid performer. She didn’t have a look that really stood out. However, she could sing and had a personality and humor that interested people; very similar to how Eri Kamei came into popularity.

And then there was Yui Okada. Arguably, Yui had the best potential for upward movement due to v-u-den. While it would be hard for Rika to really improve her status and Erika was never going to set the H!P fans ablaze, Yui could do both. Although not horrible, Yui was not the best singer. However, much like Rika, her voice was unique. Like Erika, she was funny and charming. And let’s not forget that she was, quite frankly, stacked.

So where did it go wrong? Although all 3 girls had their own strengths, they never meshed together as a group. Erika and Yui had the chemistry with each other; but as a trio, they did not seem to mix. It is difficult to explain why and how some groups have chemistry. W had chemistry and it wasn’t just because Ai Kago and Nozomi Tsuji tried to look and act like the same person. GAM had chemistry and the reasons for it go beyond the fact that Aya Matsuura and Miki Fujimoto went the lesbian route. The chemistry in v-u-den, as a trio mind you, just did not click.

I feel one of the main reasons for the lack of chemistry was that, throughout the entire lifespan of v-u-den, the group was always, without fail, about Rika Ishikawa. It was truly a Rika solo act. This is a shame because Yui and Erika had talent and qualities that warranted a share of the spotlight with Rika. Granted, the spotlight rarely goes to the talented over the popular. However, in the last few years at least, Rika was not as popular as she once was. Furthermore, Yui and Erika had increased their status and I would argue that people were interested just as much in them as they were with Rika.

Yet the group remained focused on Rika. I’m not sure for the reason of this. Even if she didn’t want to give up spotlight, it should have been UFA’s decision to switch the focus of the group. This never happened. In fact, just the opposite. After Yui’s first solo photobook, when it became apparent to almost everyone just how beautiful and, yes, robust, Yui was, you would think that she would have gotten more face time. Instead, the focus never left Rika. From that point on, the group had a more sexed-up image. This wouldn’t have a problem if not for the fact that Rika is not good at projecting a sexy image. If they wanted a sexy appearance, they should have focused on Erika and Yui, who could pull it off much better than Rika. Furthermore, there were many failed attempts to show that Rika had bigger boobs than Yui (she doesn’t). What a marketing failure. Not only did it make Rika look ridiculous by trying to make her something that she is not but it also covered up Yui.

The good news is that this is all over. I can’t imagine that nothing is on the horizon for all three. Rika is a part of Ongaku Gatas and they are gaining popularity at a quick pace. She is also not trying to be sexy in that group which serves her well. Yui is only going to turn 20 and I cannot imagine that she will not make more of a name for herself. Even if she only does gravure, she will be doing better than constantly playing second fiddle to Rika. Erika has the least hope amongst the three, but it is clear to see that she is talented as a performer. I could see her having a less than glamorous solo career.

Ideally, Erika and Yui could have created a duo after v-u-den’s breakup. However, after 3 years of basically being treated as backups to the main attraction, they wouldn’t be able to sell like W or GAM did. It’s a shame but, then again, they both have come a long way. Yui was an older Egg and Erika was an audition winner that no one cared about. Coming from that and being able to have viable careers is a success story.

Who knows what the future lies ahead for Rika. I have grown annoyed with her even if it’s because of her agency’s decisions. If Ongaku Gatas becomes a Rika Show, I would most likely become furious with her. Rika is best when she never actually gains the spotlight. A personality that always wants to be the lead but never gets it is interesting. A personality that gets the lead and has nothing to warrant the spotlight is boring. This is Rika’s problem. She is at her most charming when she has someone else to work with. In order to have a foil or even chemistry with someone else, you need to at least be somewhat equals. I saw this with Yuko Nakazawa and Hitomi Yoshizawa but, unfortunately, I did not see this with Yui and Erika. A solo career of hers would be doomed to failure. A new group doesn’t seem plausible. I think Ongaku Gatas is a good option for her as the group has potential to rise beyond its current status. She better not not steal the spotlight from Arisa Noto, Yuri Sawada or Erina Mano though.

Posted on January 26th, 2008 by broomhead. Filed under Articles.
Tags: Aika Mitsui, Arisa Noto, Aya Matsuura, C-ute, Chinami Tokunaga, Erika Miyoshi, Erina Mano, GAM, Hello!Project, Hitomi Yoshizawa, Junjun, Kanna Arihara, Maimi Yajima, Miki Fujimoto, Natsumi Abe, Ongaku Gatas, Rika Ishikawa, Risako Sugaya, v-u-den, Yui Okada, Yuko Nakazawa, Yuri Sawada