Happy! Style: Clone of °C-ute?

You have to say this much about Tsunku: When he has a winning formula, he sticks with it. That is what makes the formation of Happy! Style such a pivotal moment in Hello Project history.

 

Notice the magic number: Seven. That ‘s what H!S will have in its lineup, just like current junior supergroups Berryz Kobo and °C-ute. A quick look at H!S's selections will reflect elements of both Berryz and especially °C-ute. Here’s why:

 

Start with 12-year-old Yui Ogura. She’s the Hagiwara of the new group only she has zero experience in the big time while Mai, also 12 but about five years ahead of Yui, has been one of H!P’s biggest stars, having started at age 7 and achieved megastar status with °C-ute.

 

Then shoot up to the central figure, Arisa Noto, otherwise known as “Nocchi” to Ongaku Gatas fans. No doubt Nocchi has the juice to be the leader of this group. Throughout 2007 she cut her performing teeth with Gatas and is now, in Tsunku’s mind, ready to be the key vocalist and dancer (she’s superb at both disciplines) with H!S. At age 19, ready to roll.

 

Nocchi will fulfill, say, the role that Maimi accomplishes for °C-ute. That brings us to a pair of raw lookers, whose visual appeal transcends any talent deficiency: Ai Suma, 16, and Asami Abe, 17. Suma represents the equivalent of, say, Suzuki of °C-ute, while Abe matches up more with Saki of °C-ute. You can learn the moves and the songs, but the looks are God-given.

 

Nana Nakayama, 16, is the counterpart to °C-ute’s Umeda in age and ability, while Manami Iwashima, 18, fills the type of role that Kanna does for °C-ute. That leaves Aoi Sasamine, the veteran at 21, who will do for H!S what Chisato does for °C-ute – provide physicality and energy, but who is untested on the big stage.

 

But so were °C-ute and Berryz Kobo not too SI☆NA long ago. And looking at this set H!S sang through just earlier today in Japan:

 

1. Go Girl～恋のヴィクトリー～ (Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~) - All
2. 大きな愛でもてなして (Ooki na Ai de Motenashite) -  SI☆NA
3. Thanks! - Asami Abe, Manami Iwashima 
4. 愛のバカやろう (Ai no Bakayarou) - Manami Iwashima
5. めぐる恋の季節 (Meguru Koi no Kisetsu) - SI☆NA
6. 桃色片想い (Momoiro Kataomoi) - Arisa Noto
7. 恋☆カナ (Koi Kana) (from Kirarin Revolution) - Arisa Noto
8. 陽春のパッセージ (Youshun no Passage) (from Idol Tenshi Youkoso Yoko) - Asami Abe
9. ロコモーションドリーム (Locomotion Dream) (from Idol Densetsu Eriko) - Manami Iwashima 
10. ファンシーララ (Fancy Lala) (from Mahou no Stage Fancy Lala) - Yui Ogura
11. チャンス！ (Chance!) (from Kirarin Revolution) - Nana Nakayama
12. HAPPY! SMILE! HAPPY! (from Di Gi Charat) - Aoi Sasamine (B: Yui Ogura)
13. 魂のルフラン (Tamashii no Rufuran) (from Evangelion: Death and Rebirth) - Arisa Noto
14. Give a Reason (from Slayers Next) - Arisa Noto
15. 涙、止まれ！ (Namida, Tomare!) (from ?) - Nana Nakayama
16. Fight! (from ?) - Ai Suma
17. 遥か君のもとへ (Haruka Kimi no Moto e) (from Harukanaru Toki no Naka de) - Arisa Noto (B: Aoi Sasamine , Yui Ogura)
18. Believe (from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED) - Arisa Noto (B: Aoi Sasamine , Yui Ogura)
19. ハッピーマテリアル (Happy Material) (from Mahou Sensei Negima!) - Arisa Noto (B: Aoi Sasamine , Yui Ogura)
20. ギャグ100回分愛してください (Gag 100kaibun Aishite Kudasai) - SI☆NA
21. ホントのじぶん (Honto no Jibun) - SI☆NA
22. 赤いフリージア (Akai Freesia) - Asami Abe
23. お願い魅惑のターゲット (Onegai Miwaku no Target) - Ai Suma
24. 原色GAL派手に行くべ！ (Genshoku GAL Hade ni Yukube!) - Arisa Noto
25. ブギートレイン’03 (Boogie Train '03) - Arisa Noto
26. ザ☆ピ～ス！ (The Peace!) - SI☆NA
27. I WISH - SI☆NA
28. ここにいるぜぇ！ (Koko ni Iruzee!) - All

Wow! Except for some anime covers, these are all Morning Musume, °C-ute, and even some Kusumi solo work and a Buono! song tossed in for good measure! What in the world does all this mean? Tsunku is prepping to shift many of these performers inot positions where they can be plugged into °C-ute or Berryz when needed – or making it possible for H!S to sub out Berryz and/or °C-ute completes if they have to.

 

Note also there will be shuffle groups, including the older-line SI☆NA , a few duets, trios and quartets – quite a variety. No doubt they will be backdancing for each other, too. It’s all quite exciting, and let’s see a DVD release of this first concert!

 

Why is H!S happening, and happening so fast? Only Tsunku knows for sure. But it’s great that a very intelligently put-together ensemble is carrying the H!P banner, and hopefully they will rock the world as much as Berryz and °C-ute have.

 

This is Radicalipton signing off – for now.