2011 Hopes and Predictions

Now that 2010 is over, it's time for my predictions for the new year. I'll break this up into two categories - what I want to happen and what I actually think/predict will happen in 2011.

What I want to happen in 2011

• Shuffle groups used more

There was a small revival of the old shuffles last year, but they didn't really do much besides perform a song or two at H!P concerts. At the 2011 H!P Winter concerts, the shuffle groups have performed, but no replacements have been made to make up for the recently graduated members. I'd like for new members to be added to the shuffle groups and for the shuffle groups to actually release new songs, like the olden days.

• Return of H!M

We've had so many different H!P television shows after H!M and HM@ ended, but none has come close to being on the level of those original two. I don't care if it airs 3 in the morning, I just want the old Hello! Morning back. Download + watch this episode and don't laugh. I dare you.

• C-ute's 2nd Alo-Hello that won't suck

Morning Musume's and Berryz Koubou's latest incarnations of Alo-Hello were glorified image videos (idols posing/staring into the camera) instead of the super wacky fun that Alo-Hellos used to be. Even if half of the DVD is IV style (which I'd actually welcome), I just want the other half to be of them playing games or just doing something.

• One more new group

Some of the Eggs are getting old and I don't want to lose them just because they feel like they won't get an opportunity in Hello! Project. Furukawa Konatsu, Sekine Azusa, Morisaki, Tanaka Anri, Kitahara Sayaka, Sainen Mia, Saho Akari, and Okai Asuna have all been a part of Hello! Project just as long as all of C-ute, and Berryz has. They actually have been in H!P longer than Aika (and obviously the 9th gen members), and Sayu and Reina have only been there longer by one year.

They've "trained" long enough. I'd like to see at least half of them joined together to make a new group. Maybe even with an adult-ish image like v-u-den and Gotomaki had.

• Second Miyabi PB

Okay it's been almost four years since she's last had one. If it's a self-confidence issue, well I'm sure she has that problem squared away (and she seemed to be perfectly fine in Berryz Alo-Hello 2). If it's a parent permission/age thing, well she will be 19 this year. I would definitely rank Miyabi in my top five most beautiful H!P members. Get that girl another photobook.

• Berryz or C-ute weekly #1

Morning Musume has multiple #1 singles under their belt, but no other current group has even one. I think C-ute has the best shot of doing it due to their consistent sales and they seem to have the most amount of nontraditional fans (female and casual). If competition is low (i.e. no big name groups releasing the same week) and they use the extended lottery tactic (offering wota the chance to attend events for two or even three weeks as opposed to just the first week and/or signed poster drawings), I think they can do it. I put this under the "want" category instead of the "think" category because UFA normally doesn't pick release weeks strategically like some other companies do.

•  H!P x other J-pop group collab

I'd like to see a H!P group and another J-pop group make a single together, similar to the Melon Kinenbi's Melon's Not Dead album. It would be cool to see Buono! x random J-rock band. 

• Return of H!P Sports Festival

Anyone remember the Sports Festivals a couple of years ago? I'd like to see it make a comeback. I'd actually rather see this than the H!P Summer concerts. It's not that I don't like concerts, but the girls already do so many things throughout the year and we already have multiple versions of the H!P Winter concerts. The sports festival would be a one or two day thing and have a mini-live at the end, which would provide the girls with most of the summer off and still give us Hello! Project DVD awesomeness.

What I think will happen in 2011

• S/mileage PBs

DAWA already has a photobook announced and with literally every other H!P member (not including 9th gen, but a Mizuki PB is certainly welcome) now having at least one photobook, I expect Sakichy and Kanyon to follow.

• Morning Musume sells 50,000 again

They almost did it with Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game (barely missing by 2000 copies), but officially the last time they sold 50,000 copies of a single was their magical 2009 year, in which 3 out of 4 singles sold more than 50,000. I'm thinking that the new members will get casual fans to check out Morning Musume again, pushing them over the 50,000 edge.

• No graduations

There have been rumors that more graduations are on the horizon, but I highly doubt that. The Hello! Project roster may not be set in stone just yet (I'm hoping for even more additions), but I don't foresee any subtractions for 2011.

• Promotion for Kikkawa Yuu

One thing that UFA does really well is promoting the crap out of their new artists and groups. It happened when Berryz debuted, when C-ute debuted, when Manoeri debuted, when S/mileage debuted, and it will happen whenever Kikkawa debuts (assuming she does stay on as part of H!P). The only problem is continuing that promotion. After about a year or so, UFA just gets by with the bare minimum promotion and lets the groups fend for themselves to see if they will sink or swim.

• More use of technology

In 2010 alone, UFA took huge leaps on the technology front like creating a bunch of official H!P Youtube channels, making multiple 3D broadcasts, releasing Blu-ray DVDs, original iTunes content (Hello! Cover), Ustream shows, live broadcasts, and many more random things (like the S/mileage webcam palm dancing thing). I'd look for more of the same in 2011. More Blu-ray is definitely on the way. Maybe we'll see a 3D Blu-ray release? Personally, I'd like to see bi-weekly Hello! Cover releases and Blu-ray releases of old concerts and stuff (would kill for Elder Club graduation blu-ray).