Daite yo! Please Go On
Click to viewThe best thing about H!P is that they go on tour like clockwork and release DVDs for just about every one of them. Because they do so many tours, they can't just do regular performances of songs or things would be boring and repetitive. So there's always a ton of shuffles to make every concert unique.
For example, this classic Goto Maki being covered by High-King, comprising of some of H!P's best dancers. Despite the shitty outfits, they perform the shit out of this song, and you can feel the energy of the hall, from the flailing girls themselves to near-moshing audience to the other girls in the back holding their own party. This kind of relentless energy is what addicted me to Jpop.
And damn, I never realized those were locking moves before! <3
My first group was Berryz and the rest of the Hello!Project Kids(later to become C-ute) by association. So ironically my attention while watching this version tends to be on her backdancers. People may look at me weirdly for stanning a whole bunch of kids, but you watch them dance their butts off in a performance like this and try to tell me you aren't a little interested. The thing about Jpop vs. Kpop is not necessarily in talent levels, but that Kpop takes the time to develop that talent by teaching their idols the techniques with which to channel their talent. You can't tell me these kids here(Erika, Maimi, Miyabi, and Megumi BTW :3) didn't have the potential to be as good as the likes of 4minute. They were just never given the lessons. Look at how crisply Miyabi(orange coat) takes on those fast pose changes at the end. Megumi's smirk behind Goto right after the end of the music smacks of being high off of the performance, and matches Goto's own. Diva confidence at its best.
And damn, check out that audience!
Because of the lack of dance lessons, it's so rare to see proper dance solos. Other than Yui's disaster, you have to admit that each girl's solo contained some technique(some variation of the splits, lol) that even Kpop girls might have to work at. Tsuji's cartwheel was properly done with a full 180 split, which most people don't know is how the cartwheel is supposed to be done. Rika's Y-balance is Victoria-levels of flexibility, and to get up off of the ground from a split that fast is no easy feat. Erika does a controlled tumble out of a headstand(OW) straight into a split.(and quite quickly, I might add) Let's not talk about Yui's disaster. And then Maki...breaking? And that smirk afterwards? *swoons*
Look at this, she even performed it more than a couple times in Korea.
Semi-remix intro for the for Asia Song Festival 2005 Yes, Goto Maki was one of the Japanese representatives for the Asia Song Festival! And this back when she was still part of H!P, as well as still one of their big names. Remember, Morning Musume was listed as one of Sooyoung's favorite artists on her profile.(Which is still up at generasia)
In Korean! LOL TSUNKU YOU TROLL
In some MNet special First song is Ekizo na Disco. Awww, she even speaks a little Korean! Oh wow, this is the Korean version of the song again!