SHOUNEN CLUB 2016.02.03
Here is my commentary for the 1st episode of February! Not like anyone's anticipating for it, but anyway, I love this episode. Lol. But before that, I'd just like to mention here, for memories, that someone left Johnnys again. It has been known since February 19 that Yamakura Sharufu has left the agency, he has a Twitter account already which seems legit. I just mentioned him in my last post because he was one of Sexy Zone's Yo Marius's backdancers in his solo performance. Sharufu is not really one of my favorites, and I honestly don't watch him that much but it's always sad to see someone leave the agency. And it has been kind of worrying that some Jrs might not be as motivated as they once were because in just this year alone, we already have 3 who left. First was Tajima Shogo, then, Tamamoto Fumito, and now Yamakura Sharufu. It seems Morita Mahiro, who is in the new group Tamamoto Fumito is in, was also a Johnnys Jr. though I don't really know him. If that's so, then that makes it 4 who have left. There are rumors that Hanzawa Akatsuki has left too, but I'm not sure yet. He's not really a favorite but if ever, I'm gonna miss hearing him sing with Masuda Ryo, Jesse, and Kyomoto Taiga. (And if this is true as well, then that makes it 5! But I hope this is not true.) We're only in the 2nd month of 2016, but I hope there won't be much heartbreak from here anymore. I was sad when Tajima left, he's not one of my top favorites too but he's probably at least in my Top 30 if I would rank them. Being in the Top 30 in a whopping hundreds of jrs is not bad. XD Now, sorry for the long blabbing, on to my commentary!
The opening song is Hey! Say! JUMP's Asu e no YELL performed by the current band in Shokura composed of Yasui Kentaro (main vocal), Sanada Yuma (guitar), Morita Myuto (bass), Ishigaki Daisuke (keyboard/piano), Goto Hiromi (violin), and Hagiya Keigo (drums). I love this opening! Asu e no YELL is not an overused song in Shokura and it's a really lively and willful one, very appropriate as an opening! And the band members are really cool! I'll give it to Yasui, he just nailed being the main vocalist! Seriously though, I feel bad for the jrs who came in late in the song, they should've been given a separate performance in the episode than just having to backdance for around a minute. I'll name these backdancers anyway because one of my top favorites is there (he's even my 4th!) and unlike the agency, I'd like to give them recognition. The backdancers are Negishi Aomi, Meguro Ren, Matsuda Genta (my 4th favorite jr!), Tanimura Ryuichi, Nagatsuma Reo, Kaiho Jun (not sure about this tbh), Moritsugu Ryota, and one other Jr (Maeda Koki maybe?) I can't really say for sure. I'm really sorry for the jrs, I've tried my best but the cameras were really cruel. But from here on, I'll try my best to name the backdancers as long as there are not too many of them in a performance (you know when there are like 20-30 backdancers) and if the backdancers aren't too young (00line and so on) because I hardly know the young ones.
The episode theme is "Mirai" or "Future" in English. Like usual, the MCs A.B.C-Z's Kawai Fumito and Johnnys WEST's Kiriyama Akito asked questions. Sexy Zone's Sato Shori relates the theme with February being the last spurt of the examination season. For hopes this year, A.B.C-Z's Hashimoto Ryosuke said they want to appear in Kouhaku Uta Gassen or simply Kouhaku, which is if you do not known, an annual music show held every end of the year to showcase big and acclaimed Japanese musicians, it has the red and white teams competing but please just read more on that elsewhere. XD I think this might be a sign that they might appear in this year's Kouhaku. I mean, NYC and Sexy Zone made it there and they don't really have the most significant sales, Hey! Say! JUMP and Kis-My-Ft2 have better sales but they've never been there. I guess it's just which groups the agency want to send off there maybe. :) Not that I'm belittling NYC or Sexy Zone, I love both groups though NYC is not a thing now. I am just trying to weigh what's happening. XD The MCs asked Johnnys WEST's Kotaki Nozomu about his expectations but he just threw the question back at his fellow Johnnys WEST member Akito which somehow turned out funny. Then, they went on to introduce the next performance.
Fresh Johnnys Jr. performance which seems like an NYC medley is next(Oh I miss NYC!), wow HiHi Jet's Igari Soya was the first to appear I'm surprised.XD He's often left out in HiHi Jet's performances, but somehow I don't know why he still has a different choreography than the others. Anyway, he stays for the next song which NYC's Yoku Asobi Yoku Manabe, he leads the pack with Classmate J as back-up on this. Next Tensai Genius enters and sings NYC, Rinne must be glad to be able to perform this because it's a song originally sung by NYC where his beloved Yamada Ryosuke was a member of when NYC was still active. These three of Tensai Genius are good dancers, I must say. It's good to see them synchronize even if they're still a young group, and they can do acrobats too. HiHi Jet and Classmate J enters the picture again with more young jrs as backdancers. Tamamoto Fumito, Kawasaki Koki, Vasayegh Wataru were in the performance. I'm sorry I cannot name most of the really young ones ;_;
Next is talk segment with Sexy Zone. I appreciate Sexy Zone's Nakajima Kento trying to tell to people the charm of Matsushima Sou and Yo Marius. I guess he's trying to give ideas to the producers on what these 2 can do and take in as individual work. XD
Next is the performance of Sexy Zone's Cha-Cha-Cha Champion which they performed in Kouhaku in the same hall. The hundred jrs were there too of course. :) I have nothing much to say with this performance.
Next is what made me love this episode! Travis Japan part! Omg my beloved number 1 jr Abe Aran appears in Shokura again after 2-3 months. XD It's just Travis Japan otoutogumi like last time (November 2015) but I guess that's better than not seeing this guy in any video recording at all. I hope the next time would be the complete 9 of Travis Japan though! Anyway, the segment is Shokura Blog Special Edition, it's not the usual where someone just shows picture/s. This time, they actually took the photos at the location and they did it with a theme in mind, which is of course, "Mirai". Travis Japan's Miyachika Kaito served as the MC, while the contenders were Abe Aran and Yoshizawa Shizuya (Abe-Yoshizawa Team) and Kajiyama Asahi and Nakamura kaito (Kaji-Nakamura Team). Aside from the camera, they were given props and had the opposing team participate in their photoshoot. They all look great, it's so good to see them ;_; I love them so much!!! And Aran with that blonde, I'm dying 😍❤ He's just one of the prettiest beings on earth ever! Sorry not sorry, if this has become a flail post. Hahaha! I'm not going to say who won but the fun hasn't ended yet. XD The winners got to introduce the next song!
And the next song is? Hey! Say! BEST's Su.Ri.Ru performed by no other than Travis Japan otoutogumi. If I'm not mistaken this was recorded in October 2015, same time as their last performance aired in November 2015. Heck, their hairstyles/hair colors are different from the previous segment. XD Anyway, they are really great, synchronized and all out, like always. They don't really compromise on their dancing! ❤
Next is a talk corner. Jesse, Morimoto Shintaro (Shintaro), and Fukazawa Tatsuya (Fukka) were shown VTRs from when they were younger and were asked what they answered or what they did for certain segments to determine whether they still remember. This is such a funny part! Those videos from when they were small are priceless, and they were all so adorable. XD
Next is a Snow Man and SixTONES collaboration, performing "Daybreak". Something new again! This episode is so fresh! XD So cute how these 2 group has like, symmetrical in the other group. XD I love this performance too!
Talk corner with Johnnys WEST came next, I didn't try to understand their talk, sorry. XD
Next, A.B.C-Z performs Rock Your World. I'm not familiar with the song, and that means it hasn't been performed in Shokura too much which is good! :D But, their lip-syncs are so obvious this time lol.
Next is Tsuka-chan to Hama-chan no Totsugeki something corner. Sorry, I don't know the full name of this segment. XD They visited the dressing room of Prince, and Prince members had the most unnatural shocked reaction lol. I mean, I know the "sudden room visit" must be staged because A.B.C-Z's Tsukada Ryoichi (Tsuka-chan) and Johnnys WEST's Hamada Takahiro (Hama-chan) are both really loud outside the door already, there's no way they won't hear that lol. And if this is really a sudden corner and it's a dressing room, they should have something like their phones or whatever or some of them are still changing clothes maybe (No, it's not like I want to see this, but I'll appreciate if they show a little hahaha!) Anyway, back to the happenings in this corner, they had a little game where pairs try to guess what's under the kotatsu. There is the JinguIwa or JiguIwa team (Jinguji Yuta and Iwahashi Genki) and of course, forever alone Kishi (loljk) was paired with Tsuka-chan. Kishi/Tsuka-chan team were so funny, mainly because of Tsuka-chan, he was messing around too much. XD The losers did some impersonation(?), but I'm not going to say who they are.
Next is talk segment with Mr.KING, I didn't try understanding what they were talking about. Please don't misunderstand, I don't really hate them but I don't like to try too hard deciphering what they are saying because they are not really my top favorites hahaha.
Mr.KING's stage is next. They performed Tokei wo Tomete(?), A.B.C-Z's NEVER MY LOVE, KAT-TUN'S Tsuki no Michi, and THE DREAM BOYS. The backdancers were Moritsugu Ryota, Meguro Ren, Matsuda Genta, Negishi Aomi, Maeda Koki, Tanimura Ryuichi, Nagatsuma Reo, and Muraki Ryota. I wonder if these are all the same guys in the opening? I'm surprised Muraki was in this, because he's with Tensai Genius so usually if he would backdance nowadays, he will be with the 2 other Tensai Genius members. Anyway, Mr.KING had good vocal as usual. I really laud their singing voices, though they are lip syncing on this hahaha. It's still their voices anyway!
Next is Fumito introducing the next performance which is "3.1415926535" by Johnnys WEST. I don't know if this is a new song from them but I guess first time to be performed in Shokura? Not much to my liking though, but I like the bridge part.
Jr. ni Q comes next and the theme is "Dokidoki boku ga suki na hito" if I heard it correctly which is pretty much about the person who makes your heart beat fast from time to time and how he do it. The featured jrs are Hashimoto Ryo (Hashimocchan), Kouchi Yugo, Motodaka Katsuki, Iwamoto Hikaru, and Kyomoto Taiga. Hashimocchan talked about Hagiya Keigo and his drumming so Hagi-chan was called too, Kouchi answered A.B.C-Z's Goseki Koichi and said something about JOHNNYS World, Katsuki answered Fumito but ended up confessing that his admired senpai is Nakajima Kento (I know Katsuki is often called Motodaka but I prefer calling him Katsuki lol, btw he's my most favorite from 98line jrs), Hikaru answered Johnnys WEST's Shigeoka Daiki and said they get along well (starting from when they worked together in Bad Boys J I think), then Taiga answered Nagatsuma Reo(who was called as well) but I'm not really sure what did Taiga say then they ended up talking about what they call each other. The cute part is that I saw Taiga's habit to laugh while covering his mouth with his arm. Haha so cute! XD :)
Fumito and Akito then had the ending talk and introduced the ending song V6's Good day!! Prince started the song with Tensai Genius and Classmate J, and some more young jrs as backdancers. By the latter part, HiHi Jet entered the stage and served as back-up singers to Prince. Pretty goody-goody ending so all is well. XD
My favorite parts would be the opening (band performance of Asu e no YELL), Talk corner with Jesse, Shintaro, and Fukka and Snow Man and SixTONES Daybreak performance and of course, Shokura Blog Special Edition and Travis Japan otoutogumi's Su.Ri.Ru performance!!!
Took me awhile to finish this commentary. I'm too lazy to open my laptop lately, usually I just leave it downloading some files and surf the internet on my phone instead, if I can download big files on my phone and transfer them to a USB/HDD through my phone too, I won't even have to turn on my laptop everyday. I don't even watch my files on my laptop, I watch them all on TV through an HDD because I want them on big screen. XD But posting here on LJ forces me to be on laptop because it's hard to make a long post with the livejournal mobile site or android app. Well, enough of that. Hahaha. I just hope I can get to writing my commentary for the 2nd episode of February before sunday (February 28) because March episodes are coming soon!