Contest #8: Honoring Niigaki is now officially over!
Thanks to everyone who sent in entries, we had the most submissions since the banner contest that I held last year. And not only that, but they all were truly great. So, like last time, I had the toughest time narrowing down all of the entries to just two (yep, there are indeed two winners). Thankfully this time I had Chobineko here to help give another perspective on things.
After reading, looking at, and/or watching every entry, there was one that stood out even among so many great ones, for many reasons. First of all, I have to applaud this person for their brevity. It's all too easy to go on and on with something, but being able to get your point across in such a quick way is really impressive. So much that Chobi and I both had the exact same reaction when we first played the video: "Only 30 seconds? Really?"
But, 30 seconds was all that this person needed to show something really cute and original. I'm talking about
Moon's video here:
That video is the reason why the two of us agreed that Moon deserves first place, no question.
Moving on, there were quite a few others that deserved second place (you guys truly impressed us, really!), but we had to pick just one. This person combined a really funny story with appropriate pictures that helped the story come to life. This person managed to make us both laugh from the story's humor and smile from the originality of it all. The person that I'm talking about is
Monkey Pop! Moon and Monkey Pop definitely are the most original people to take part in an Airii~n deshou?! contest, I think. But, you can read her entry and draw your own conclusions (it's a bit long, but definitely worth the read).
In the studio of the TV show “idolove”.
Presenter: “Hey everyone! Are you ready? Today
is a special day for all of you, Idolovers! And especially for Morning Musume.
fans… Of course, I’m talking about Niigaki Risa and Mitsui Aika’s gradua…”
???: “RISA! RISA! RISA! RISA! RISA! RISA!”
Presenter : “… What is that?… Hm hm, sorry! So,
what was I saying? Oh yes, today is…”
A crowd
of people all with green T-shirts invades the studio.
Crowd: “GAKI-SAN! GAKI-SAN! GAKI-SAN! GAKI-SAN!
GAKI-SAN! GAKI-SAN!”
Presenter: “WHO ARE ALL THESE MOTHERFU…?!!
Everyone, go out! We just need ONE guest! Where is she?”
A girl with a green T-shirt stands out from the
crowd raising her arms.
Girl: “Hey dude! It is me! All these people are
my friends!”
Presenter: “Oh, w… we… well. Please tell your
friends they have to going out.”
Girl: “Of course!” (to the crowd) “Everyone!
Don’t disturb the show but stay in the studio to put ambience!”
Presenter: “WHAAAAAT?!!!”
The crowd calms down and everyone sits on
spectators seats. The girl and the presenter are in the middle of the studio,
in front of cameras.
Presenter: “Hum… Well everyone! Excuse us for
this little… trouble! Let’s continue! Today with me, a fangirl, no, a lover, an
admirer of the wonderful Niigaki Risa!”
Audience: “GAKI-SAAAAAAAAAAAAN!”
Presenter (annoyed): “As you want… And here is… Monkey Pop!”
Monkey Pop: “It is me! Haha~ Hello everyone!
But please dude, those names don’t fit me… I’m just “a girl who loves and
supports Gaki-san with an admiration bigger than all known and unknown
universes.””
Presenter: “Sure, JUST that. Anyway… Can we
start this interview about your opinion regarding Niigaki Risa?”
Audience: “GAKI-SAAAAAAAAAAAAN!”
Presenter: “Gosh… Are they going to scream each
time I pronounce Niigaki Risa’s name?”
Audience: “GAKI-SAAAAAAAAAAAAN!”
Presenter: NUYCUEHZEYUGZIRRKE. *bashes head on
table*
“Egao ni namida ~THANK YOU! DEAR MY FRIENDS~”
song sounds and lights turn into green. The interview is going to start!
Presenter: “Hem hem… Act as if you didn’t see
anything, dear Idolovers… And now our fan interview about Niiga… Morning
Musume. 7th leader staaaaarts! Monkey Pop, what do you think about Niiga…
this girl’s place among all of Momusu.’s members?”
Monkey Pop: “Well… You don’t begin with a
question easy to answer!... You know, the group’s members have never really
been on an equal footing. I mean, you can compare “Morning Coffee” and “Renai
Hunter”, it will be the same: some girls are always just in front of the camera
while a big part of them stays in the back. Risa has been in the middle since
she joined. She has never been as popular as her generation-mate Ai-chan,
however she has been more than Makochii. However, to me, it’s not that which
determinates a member’s place, even if it’s important.
Presenter: “So what is it? What makes this girl
important – or not – within the group?
Monkey Pop: “Eeeeeeh guy! What is this “or
not”??! Of course she’s important! Every, each member has her importance and
her qualities! Excuse me if I’m not objective when listing Gaki-san’s
qualities, haha… Well, this girl is a goddess! She’s beautiful, funny, kind to
the others, has an angel’s voice, dances with talent… She loves Momusu. more
than everything in the world. And she loved it for a long time even before
entering it. She asserts she didn’t have any singing and dancing experience in
2001. She said it herself in her graduation memorial DVD: it’s her passion for
the band which made her chosen for the 5th generation. But Tsunku
surely saw in her something more than the crazy love she had for Morning
Musume. To my mind, she was, at that time, like a flower which was waiting to
bloom. Or a star still too small to shine strongly. I’m sure you agree with me,
man. You only have to look who she is now! A wonderful woman full of talent! The
flower has bloomed, the star shines powerfully. Have you ever heard her voice?”
Presenter: “Yeah… It’s really powerful.”
Monkey Pop: “True! And very deep too. She
surely has one of the best voices of Hello! Pro. And… during her last months in
the group, she was the last remaining one from Momusu. golden era. I mean if
you consider this period came to its end in 2001 and not 2000. She is also the
one with the longest tenure and one of the group’s leader, even though it was
her role for only few months. Ah, something else… She wanted to leave Morning
Musume. and Hello! Pro together with Ai-chan, but she accepted to stay a little
more in order to train and support 10th generation members. Isn’t it
the sign Gaki-san is a responsible person who thinks of the others before of
herself? To all this, add her funny character, for example as Reaction Queen; add
her great beauty, her deep eyes, her charm; add her expressive dancing and, we
have already said it, her singing full of feelings; add her limitless love for
Momusu. and fans. Well, how do you want someone like that not to be important?
Plus, her evolution is incredible: the little girl who thought she was not able
to sing and dance and be a real member of the group became this incredible and
loveable woman. Aah I’m gonna cry, haha.”
Presenter: “No, you are going to make ME cry!
We can feel you know very well Risa!”
Audience: “GAKI-SAAAAAAAAAAAAN!”
Presenter: “Oh wow, I had forgotten them. Well…
and what about you? What are your own feelings towards her? Her importance to
you?”
Monkey Pop: “Oh my God, I’m going to recite a
novel! So, let’s see… Gaki-san is certainly the idol I respect, admire and love
the most in the world. Really, this is not something I can doubt about. She has
that unique role in my existence, a so important role that no one could destroy
it. She lights up my everyday life and gives me this happiness that each person
who feels the same as me, no matter who their Risa is, knows. Well, I guess
Eripon agrees with me, hahaha. Actually, I don’t know what I’d be if Gaki-san
wasn’t here for me. Maybe someone without courage or determination. Or maybe
someone simply living her life and never thinking, not even one second, about
the things I am able to think about now. Really, I don’t know. The only thing I
am sure of is that my current life is better than all the other lives I could
have known if I didn’t had the chance to meet her. Yeah guy, I am sure of that.
With her by my side singing such meaningful songs, I have discovered what are
truly hope, friendship, love, fight, happiness…”
Presenter: “So, in one word, she…”
Monkey Pop: “She makes me happy. Finally,
that’s just that. She makes me happy and thanks to her, I have been able to
know what real life is when you live it deeply and move forward to reach your
dreams.”
Audience:
“GAKI-SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Presenter: “Aw, poor my ears… Really, we feel
your love. What you have just said is really beautiful. I think it’s a nice way
to finish the show… If you wanna let a video message to her, you can turn towards
the camera there and tell her whatever you want.”
Monkey Pop *turns*: “Yay! Gaki-san!
Congratulations on your graduation! Have you seen all this path you have walked
on for almost eleven years? I’m so proud of you. I’m so proud to tell the whole
world I love you. Thank you for everything! For your talent, for your smile, for
your love…. Gaki-san, you are the best! As you are here for me and for all of
us, I’ll be here for you, no matter how much kilometers we are separated by! Thank
you, thank you, thank you! I LOOOOVE YOOOOU!”
Audience: “GAKI-SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Presenter: “Haha, somehow it’s funny. So,
everyone! The show is coming to its end! We wish a nice continuation to both
Niigaki Risa and Mitsui Aika and we pray for their happiness and so on! Bye bye
dear Idoloveeeers!”
Monkey Pop: “Just, wait a second…”
Presenter: “Hm?”
Monkey Pop: “Do you know what Risa means? It’s
a Spanish word.”
Presenter: “No, don’t know
…”
Monkey Pop: “Laughter. It means laughter.”
The lights switch off.
“Wonderful…”
