Author Topic: Hello! Pro QUESTIONS (Read 337308 times)

Slack · « **Reply #740 on:** April 01, 2008, 02:44:43 AM »

That's the "Bow 30 Degrees" series, which they're currently doing as a stage show, I believe. It's basically one big advertisement for Skylark's Gust restaurants.

BigDnm01 · « **Reply #741 on:** April 01, 2008, 05:26:45 AM »

this may be rhetorical but i dunno...

What is the status of Hello! Project? Are they like an Agency? Who owns the rights to H!P? Tsunku or UFA? I know UFA manages them, but do they own them?

It seems that UFA does have alot of control of H!P, i know that.
But let's say, if down the road, H!P decides to break off from UFA and decides to start on their own or sign with another label, is it possible? Isn't UFA supposedly a record label company or owns several label company and distributes their stuff? won't H!P have the ability, even though not the capability, to control themselves and split from UFA?

I had this thought that H!P artists, once their contract with UFA expires, start breaking off and then rejoin on a different label while still retains the Hello! Project name...

Slack · « **Reply #742 on:** April 01, 2008, 07:11:16 AM »

Hoo boy, this is a really complicated answer that I hope will explain some other things as well.

This is actually a very interesting question that I bet a lot of people wonder about. I learned quite a bit about all of this from what I've been able to research. The interactions between Up-Front Group Co., Ltd. companies is actually a bit more complicated than most people realize.

I think an explanation of what Up-Front Group actually is will help. Up-Front Group is often described as a holding company, which means that it pretty much owns a bunch of other companies. These companies include Up-Front Agency, Up-Front Works, Up-Front Books, TNX, and Rakuten Sports Properties. Simply put, it's really big and has many different concerns in varying industries, from entertainment to food, to real estate, etc. etc. etc. (This explains why Hello! Project always promotes Rakuten Eagles goods.)

Each company under Up-Front Group has a distinct set of operations that it carries out:

Up-Front Agency is about "management and promotion" of individual artists/groups. While their company information page lists individual artists, such as Tsunku, SharanQ, Moritaka Chisato, and all the soloists and groups of Hello! Project, there is actually no mention of Hello! Project itself.

Up-Front Works is where Hello! Project is listed. From what I understand, they actually own the several record labels you may be familiar with, Zetima, Piccolo Town, and Hachama. What I think this means is that the actual music production is done under Up-Front Works, and that "Hello! Project" as a brand is under its responsibility and seems to be its property. TNX is listed under the same general grouping as Up-Front Works.

Up-Front Planning is responsible for concert/event planning and operations. I suppose this would be things like contracting stage builders and light/sound operators for concerts, as well as booking the venues. Up-Front Music manages the rights, and Up-Front Books does publishing.

I think the easiest way to explain this is that there's different companies under Up-Front Group for the "who" (Up-Front Agency), "what" (Up-Front Works), and "how" (Up-Front Planning) of Hello! Project. Just about every facet of Hello! Project's operation is under a different company's jurisdiction, while all being owned by Up-Front Group.

So, the answers to your questions boil down to this:
Hello! Project is owned by Up-Front Works, while the girls' contracts, management, and promotion are under Up-Front Agency. Neither Tsunku nor Up-Front Agency actually owns the brand. In fact, Tsunku is just another artist, in the context of Up-Front Agency. Depending on how it's set up, he might not even own the rights to Hello! Project songs!

As property of Up-Front Group, H!P can not break off from it. If any artists leave and sign somewhere else, the only thing that they retain is their name. No music from H!P or the H!P brand itself is transferred from Up-Front Group's ownership.

I assume this is in regard to Goto Maki's recent return to training, and perhaps signing with a different company. If she does this, she will not be able to do her old songs without Up-Front Music's permission, or have any affiliation with "Hello! Project".

...
Damn that was a lot of text. (tl;dr, anyone?) Most of this information came from Up-Front Group's List of Companies. If anyone has anything to add or any corrections to this, please feel free to share!

Edit:
Upon closer inspection, Goto Maki's name is still listed on the Up-Front Agency's artist list! This may or may not mean anything. It could be outdated information that hasn't been updated, but that page also lists the newly added Fukaya Ai (wiki page) as a member of Gatas.

BigDnm01 · « **Reply #743 on:** April 01, 2008, 01:12:38 PM »

Wow that's quite some info.... thanks, Slack. That's why ur the professor!

So UFG owns the entire H!P groups and artists... even TNX... and all their songs and merchandise releases. it's seem as long as H!P artists is under UFG, they don't have control over their career and it affects their personal lives as well. And once ur gone from UFG, since they own it all, u pretty much have to start all over without having ur old works. This is one smart, or should i say manipulating move from UFG.

So the only way for a company to have the rights to H!P and their artists and songs, they have to buy all the rights from UFA/UFG, if they're willing....
otherwise just start completely new with new songs but can't sing the old songs, rite?

Slack · « **Reply #744 on:** April 01, 2008, 07:11:01 PM »

That's certainly how it seems, yes. I don't think that this type of arrangement is particularly unusual for the entertainment industry in general, though. Otherwise, there'd be nothing stopping other companies from calling some random group of girls "Morning Musume" or "Hello! Project".

But for the songs, contracts can have vastly different terms for who owns the rights and who gets the revenues. I have no idea what kind of deal Tsunku has worked out for that, but he's actually listed as the "Managing Director" of TNX.

With the old songs, there might be some more leeway, since I'm not too sure about Japanese copyright laws. For example, Melon Kinenbi sang several songs in English for their Fruity Killer Tune concert and there was that "Hips Don't Lie" performance by Goto Maki. Only one of these ("I Love Rock and Roll") made it to the DVD, so licensing/royalties might be handled after the fact for live performances.

Click the "I" for the link to the real video.

coachie · « **Reply #745 on:** April 03, 2008, 04:54:29 PM »

The b-side of Berryz' Dschinghis Kahn "DARLING I LOVE YOU" says it's the BK version, but who did the "original" or what other versions are there?

tiny · « **Reply #746 on:** April 03, 2008, 05:21:13 PM »

°C-ute, the c/w of their next single Namida no Iro is "Darling I LOVE YOU (°C-ute ver.)"

coachie · « **Reply #747 on:** April 03, 2008, 06:11:24 PM »

^ ah thanx

shadowstar · « **Reply #748 on:** April 03, 2008, 07:17:28 PM »

What exactly is inside those Sweet Valentine boxes they have every year?

Anton_91 · « **Reply #749 on:** April 10, 2008, 05:00:05 PM »

I have rating questions, since Haromonis has been really sucky

What kind of rating does Yaguchis show(s?) have??
How was Uta Doki doing rating wise, early and late (roughly is ok!)? Is any Berikyuu rating up yet?

~thx

DaViNCHI · « **Reply #750 on:** April 10, 2008, 05:46:56 PM »

Quote from: Anton_91 on April 10, 2008, 05:00:05 PM

I have rating questions, since Haromonis has been really sucky

What kind of rating does Yaguchis show(s?) have??
How was Uta Doki doing rating wise, early and late (roughly is ok!)? Is any Berikyuu rating up yet?

~thx

Look here http://musumenavi.jp/mn/0803.html latest appearance H!P on TV with ratings

shurastriker · « **Reply #751 on:** April 17, 2008, 03:54:42 AM »

question: now that the girls of H!P kansai have graduated to form SINA... this means that the group will have new members at some point?

emifebruary · « **Reply #752 on:** April 28, 2008, 02:52:38 PM »

Hi !
I'm going to the MM concert the 17th may in Tokyo Welfare Meeting Hall.
Anybody here can help me and tell me the location of the hall ?
Thanks a lot

tiny · « **Reply #753 on:** April 28, 2008, 03:10:52 PM »

The Tokyo Welfare Meeting Hall (東京厚生年金会館, see link for picture of building) is not very far from Shinjuku station. Directions (in Japanese) are here.

See also .

emifebruary · « **Reply #754 on:** April 28, 2008, 03:17:42 PM »

Thanks a lot Tiny

I hope I will find it easily

shadowstar · « **Reply #755 on:** May 05, 2008, 10:34:21 AM »

What's featured in this dvd?

tiny · « **Reply #756 on:** May 05, 2008, 12:28:54 PM »

That's not a dvd. It's a "daily special paper jacketed photo stand" with two solo live photographs.

See the tour goods page here and look for "日替わり紙ジャケット風フォトスタンド".

shadowstar · « **Reply #757 on:** May 05, 2008, 12:34:28 PM »

Quote from: tiny on May 05, 2008, 12:28:54 PM

That's not a dvd. It's a "daily special paper jacketed photo stand" with two solo live photographs.

See the tour goods page here and look for "日替わり紙ジャケット風フォトスタンド".

My Japanese fails, and I didn't bother to properly read the description, haha. Thanks tiny!

cool_kickin_dude · « **Reply #758 on:** May 05, 2008, 12:40:32 PM »

here's a question: I have a video of Yuko singing with a guitarist and another singer..I was wanting to know what concert it was since I like to ask for it some other time..any help's appreciated..thanks!

tiny · « **Reply #759 on:** May 05, 2008, 12:43:19 PM »

It could be you're talking about Folk Days. But without a screenshot I can't be sure.