New "angle of attack"?

[jafeijai]

I'm not sure if this was brought up somewhere, but a random thought entered my mind just now. We all know that H!M was a great way to start off the day on a Sunday morning (or whatever day you happened to be watching it), however it's gone on a bit of a decline over the years to now become HM@. Now, I'm not saying that HM@ is a bad show; in fact, it shows a more "natural" (for lack of a better word) side of the girls. However, I'm just thinking there isn't as much positive media exposure to the public than there was in the past. Sure, some have their own radio shows and Kusumi and Risa (and Mitsui, I think) have their parts in their respective anime series, but I'm feeling it's lacking.

I know that they have rather busy schedules, but I was wondering why some of the current MM members don't go and get some roles in dramas? I mean, sure, you can argue that an anime series is similar to a drama series, but it's just not the same. The roles that the members may portray will be rehearsed, but at least it'll show the Japanese public that they can portray different characters, which isn't a bad thing. It would also give a chance for Tsunku to produce some songs that relate to said dramas, adding to the exposure. Before anyone asks, I am basing this idea off of Johnny's Jimusho (insert fangirl screams here) as they seem to be able to pull this off quite well.

Any comments are welcome. Just....don't flame me too much? I like my meat medium-rare...

[frblckstr1]

MM (and H!P) almost every year have a (big) stage drama they are in.
Some even get released on DVD (not just FC DVD's).
Several smaller stage-drama's are done also (Berryz did one I saw a DVD posted of)

I think next HM@ will see an intro to the next drama MM they will star in.

With that busy a schedule they do not have that much time to also go and do TV-drama's.
Compare it to AKB48, even there one of the girls was in a drama, and it took upto the 5th episode of 1j59fun! to have her show up.

It depends on the agency (UFA I think in this case) if they do TV-Drama's or stage drama's.

[shirenuファクトリー]

I've been saying for years that a good way to pimp a H!P member would be to get her in a major drama, maybe one featuring a JE member (those always get viewers anyway). This might be *the only way?!* to make H!P seem "cool" again to that target audience that now despises them. Pretty j-drama actresses become popular all the time. HOWEVERRR maybe that door is just simply closed to them currently. Like maybe they wouldn't get a role even if their agency tried. If their acting is as poor as their singing... :/

The anime things (especially Kirari) have been a very promising addition, so I hope that UFA or whateva would look into dramas, too. Try to pull those strings no matter how hard it would be. Spread out. Focus on a few girls getting training in acting. At the time it seems like some H!P Eggs may have got the most experience on stage plays (Fukuda Kanon has done 5 plays [one musical], 6th one in April). And they acted with proper professional actors, it wasn't like.. Berryz Kobo acting with each other o-o Not to underestimate them, but you would learn more about acting with Robert De Niro than your classmate, right?

Actually that's really my problem with UFA. If they decided on putting a H!P girl in a drama, they wouldn't put just one and make sure she gets a good role in a good drama. Instead they'd make it some fricking lameass H!P collaborative drama with like 10 members acting in it. That wouldn't pull ANYONE besides wota to watch it. That is not the right way to reach out to new audience. (Yes I know they've let Maki and Nacchi act in proper dramas in the past [Yanpapa and Koinu no waltz come to mind], but that's just it - IN THE PAST)

However busy H!P girls' schedules are... I think they could do more. I mean look at Momusu's golden years; they were on TV every day, yet had extra projects as well (Minimoni, Tanpopo etc). It used to be hectic for them, right?? Now they're on tv what, once/twice a week? I understand that an idol's job is much more than just tv apperances, but the golden era MM had to deal with the concerts and releases and fanclub stuff ALONG WITH being in the media all the time. So I don't know exactly what the current MM's schedules are like, but I think they could squeeze in some extra stuff, like dramas, if they really tried to.

[jafeijai]

^ You bring up a good point with regards to their schedules. I have a feeling that Tsunku felt the girls were becoming overworked in the golden years and thus decided to slowly lighten the workload for the girls' schedules until it reached what the current members have now. However, it's true that with that extra time available, the girls could have some role in a drama. If there's still the worry for overworking them, some of the current tasks could be stopped or changed.

From a producer's point of view, I would think that anything TV-related would create more exposure compared to a radio show. I'm not saying that a radio how is a bad thing; no, far from that. I just think Tsunku should focus on more.."modern" approaches for exposure, since not many people use a radio in this day and age. Being voice actors for an anime series is OK too, but not many people would know who they are unless they actually paid attention to the credits or looked them up on some site. A drama would be different, as it would allow viewers to attach a face to the character, not just a voice.

Another thing that could be changed is the seemingly fixed pattern of concerts and single releases. As of right now in this point in time, the year seems to be planned out as follows (for MM, anyways): H!P concert in the winter and summer, MM tour in the spring and autumn (regardless of whether or not an album was released during the season) and 3 single releases spread out throughout the year. H!P concerts affect the whole company, so that would one of the LAST things to get rid of, but does MM really need to have 2 other tours during the remaining seasons? It's as though Tsunku (or UFA, whoever decides these things..) is saying: "Alright, you've already got your dose of H!P in the winter and summer. Let's keep that medication going by making our main group perform!" I feel it's not necessary. The time that's used for those tours could be diverted towards filming dramas, especially in the spring.

[BigDnm01]

I agree that an acting career, especially in dramas and movies, would give them more exposure as a whole, even if one or two members only acts.  but when UFA starts pushing for more H!P members, it'll turn into only a fan thing, which many normal people tends to stay away from.  As for musical or stage plays,  i dunno how popular they are, but having dramas or movies shown on tv, which everyone have, would guarantee more exposure than a theatre performance, imo.  But that doesn't mean that they shouldn't do it, that's not what i meant, if that's what you're thinking. 

But i wonder if it's that easy for them to just get a role in dramas and start acting.  As much as i love the girls, i'm not so sure about their acting skills.  Mainly cuz i never really see them act much, only in a H!P drama or musical.  I know that as H!P idols, they are trained in singing and dancing for the most part, but is acting part of the training?
Also, would most of the girls be interesting in acting.  I know that it's a great opportunity, but wonder if the girls have the time and the energy to spare to do it.  Do they even want to?  Compare to the past, i think they're probably doing less than what they did during their golden era.  But if they feel overwork and unhappy, maybe they wouldn't.  but this is all just speculations, not based on anything.  i dunno how the girls think... 

Well, if any of the girls really want to try acting and the opportunity arises, they should take it.  And UFA shouldn't try to ruin it to force most, if not all, the members to join the project as well, since it causes problems.  Don't try to turn it into an exclusive H!P project, it'll probably won't gain any new fans that way, the audience will most likely be already MM/H!P fans.  Rather, have the others do different projects if the choose to do so.  have them try out @ auditions and whatnot.  If the girls get to work in a non-H!P project, they'll get a better chance to gain new fans outside of H!P fandom.  And they don't have to be the main actress yet, they can start small as well, to help them gain experience and not put them in the spotlight yet with extreme pressure since they're just starting.  a supporting role is best, i think. 

that's all i have to say for now....
hope UFA could read this and understands...

[Kuja]

I have been thinking that UFA needs new ways of promoting the girls for a long time. Though any publicity is good I think that radioshows, stage drama's and HM@ as it is right now might not be the number one way to promote H!P. I'm not saying that those need to go, but there needs to be something new.

I've also been wondering if UFA even thinks that much about targeting other people than wota anymore? I would be glad myself to see H!P units have some younger fans. I think that some things aren't even hard to fix, like giving the girls a bit more fashionable clothes. More songs that can appeal to bigger crowds would be great too. Some of the recent MM singles and Tokaikko Junjou have been good proggress, but then we get stuff like Dschinghis Khan (I like the crack feeling to it and all, but how many teenagers my age in Japan do?) and I start feeling desperate. I feel like the people in UFA must see that it payed of to give a good single with nice costumes to C-ute, so why can we not go on like that?

And the drama thing is something I've also been thinking about. A role in a good drama or movie might be exactly what needs to be done. I do agree that it doesn't need to be a big role. But I think that if Eri for example was to get such a role, she might be wrongly promoted as "Morning Musume no Eri-chan". I think it might be better to not promote the girls that way but let them act and then if people get interested they will find out more things about the girls themselves.  This way people wouldn't be thinking about mowota and stuff like that while watching the drama/movie. The girls could get more like a fresh start and be known for themselves, not their otaku fans. This is only my thought though.

If MM has too hectic schedules I think letting some cute Egg act would be great too. They aren't yet known for the wota so they have better chances to attract attention just by being themselves.