My least favourite member of H!P is former Morning Musume member Rika Ishikawa.
Some people who have just read that may be screaming "SACRILEGE!", but please allow me to explain why.
She just straight out bugs me!
There is something about her that strikes me as disingenuous, and airy (as in having airs, not, as some would presume, for being air-headed). No, for I believe Rika Ishikawa is the opposite of Charmy. Nay, if only she would have heeded the words of Risa Niigaki in the Hello! Morning World Children's Games with Akira (super-brute female wrestler) and, I'm paraphrasing here: "Charmy, go home!" And may I add, "Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out!"
I actually like this picture, it's too bad SHE'S in it.
Some people will argue that Rika brought a certain something to Morning Musume, an innocent sexiness enhanced by a tiny voice and possessing a confident persona. I'm sorry, but I just never saw it. To me, ever vocal utterance of hers was grating, and yet she was given the centre position and many spoken passages of many MM singles: The Peace!, As For One Day! (she sung her part, but it was almost monotone that it can be considered spoken), and Shabondama! Yet I happen to like those singles, despite her presence in them and the fact that no one else in the group could pull off those parts as well as she does. And yet still, despite all that, I still can't stand her.
Someone in UFA decided that we needed more Rika in practically everything H!P. She was loaned out to Country Musume, she was part of Tanpopo, Romans, Ecomoni, she became host of Hello! Morning, and Viyuden was created around her. But...why? Why was she so damned fucking popular?
She was also made a part of DEF.DIVA! DEF.FUCKING!DIVA!
One of these girls is NOT like the others. One of these girls just DOESN'T belong. Rika...I'm looking in your direction!
Someone in UFA decided that we needed more Rika in practically everything H!P. She was loaned out to Country Musume, she was part of Tanpopo, Romans, Ecomoni, she became host of Hello! Morning, and Viyuden was created around her. But...why? Why was she so damned fucking popular?
She was also made a part of DEF.DIVA! DEF.FUCKING!DIVA!
One of these girls is NOT like the others. One of these girls just DOESN'T belong. Rika...I'm looking in your direction!Suki Sugite Baka Mitai is one of my favourite H!P songs of all time. And DEF.DIVA is one of my favourite H!P groups, excuse me, super-groups, of all time. And yet it contains Rika. Putting someone else from H!P into that line-up just wouldn't have been right. Can you imagine Hitomi Yoshizawa or Miki Fujimoto as part of that line-up and singing the lyrics of that fantastic song? I can't. But it still doesn't make me like or appreciate Rika in anyway.
Vocally she's always been one of the weakest singers in H!P, a point I don't think many will argue, and yet she's been put into the most number of H!P units than any other member. The line-up of Rika, Asami Konno, and Sayumi Michishige getting the main singing parts for Namida Toumaranai Houkago was ear-splitting beyond words, especially when matched against the tonally perfect voice of Mike Fujimoto in that single. If it weren't for the great PV for that song with the girls in traditional Japanese archery kimono, it would be a forgotten MM single, as the low sales of the single can attest to.
But still, UFA keeps pushing her on us. Putting her in Sukeban Deka as Aya Matsuura's character's nemesis was brilliant because somehow I feel that Rika's bitchy character in that movie is what the REAL Rika Ishikawa is like. For that, take a look at her interaction (or lack thereof) with the 6th Gen girls in the Mechaike Okajo Special after each event, especially the high jump when Eri Kamei clears the bar. Cold! Then take a look at the Hello! Project 2003 Sports Festival (the famous Cavalry battle) and the 2006 Sports Festival when she wins the first 100m sprint heat. To me, those two instances there are the epitome of bitchy Rika.
Now, I like Viyuden, not for their songs mind you, and definitely not because of Rika, but because of Erika Miyoshi and Yui Okada. God only knows what they have to tolerate with Rika as their leader, but Viyuden should have no business showing up in a Morning Musume DVD Magazine as when they make an appearance in DVD Magazine Vol. 13. Without Hello! Morning Viyuden doesn't have much TV exposure, so please UFA, stop pushing Viyuden on us in everything else related to H!P.
And what's with the name "Charmy" anyway. From what I recall, she gave that name to herself, which, y'know, you just can't do.
Vocally she's always been one of the weakest singers in H!P, a point I don't think many will argue, and yet she's been put into the most number of H!P units than any other member. The line-up of Rika, Asami Konno, and Sayumi Michishige getting the main singing parts for Namida Toumaranai Houkago was ear-splitting beyond words, especially when matched against the tonally perfect voice of Mike Fujimoto in that single. If it weren't for the great PV for that song with the girls in traditional Japanese archery kimono, it would be a forgotten MM single, as the low sales of the single can attest to.
But still, UFA keeps pushing her on us. Putting her in Sukeban Deka as Aya Matsuura's character's nemesis was brilliant because somehow I feel that Rika's bitchy character in that movie is what the REAL Rika Ishikawa is like. For that, take a look at her interaction (or lack thereof) with the 6th Gen girls in the Mechaike Okajo Special after each event, especially the high jump when Eri Kamei clears the bar. Cold! Then take a look at the Hello! Project 2003 Sports Festival (the famous Cavalry battle) and the 2006 Sports Festival when she wins the first 100m sprint heat. To me, those two instances there are the epitome of bitchy Rika.
Now, I like Viyuden, not for their songs mind you, and definitely not because of Rika, but because of Erika Miyoshi and Yui Okada. God only knows what they have to tolerate with Rika as their leader, but Viyuden should have no business showing up in a Morning Musume DVD Magazine as when they make an appearance in DVD Magazine Vol. 13. Without Hello! Morning Viyuden doesn't have much TV exposure, so please UFA, stop pushing Viyuden on us in everything else related to H!P.
And what's with the name "Charmy" anyway. From what I recall, she gave that name to herself, which, y'know, you just can't do.
5 comments:
*laughs* I love it. I mean, I really do like Rika, but this was so much fun to read. And you're solid on every point.
She really was the weakest link in DEF.DIVA, and that's a shame. I remember laughing out loud at Cult of Pop's review of Kouhaku 2005 (I'm paraphrasing Ray here): "Rika enters and...well, she really looks good tonight!", in deference to the comparative vocal talents of the other members.
Great rant.
lol Amazing post. I don't have much to say about Rika, but like vee said, it was a fun read.
Yeah. I really dislike Rika, too. I agree with everything you said! She just...bugs me, too. Its like...she doesn't belong.
woww. such strong feelings!
Rika is an inbetween
my friend said that in v-u-den, rika seemed to used to hold erika and okada-da up. but now it's like they hold her up instead.
I think they are right
but she just needs a more different image.
I dont hate her. I think she can sing well and is a good front cover of V-u-den
a member I hate is Koharu... and Linlin.
and I think that's it...
good feelings!
That was a good read. I didn't think anyone else didn't like Rika. She might be my least fav.
H!P member too. (Sayumi might've beatean her to it, but probably not)
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