‘Battle Concert’ and the legacy of Hello! Project

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°C-ute in the April 20 ‘Battle Concert’ performing ‘Massara Blue Jeans.’

With the stunning success of Hello! Project’s so-called ‘Battle Concert’ last April 20 in which the Japanese music company’s “junior units,” Berryz Kobo and °C-ute, engaged in a good-natured “competition,” what happens now?

The astonishing career track that Berryz Kobo and °C-ute have cut is a two-edged sword. It is great to see such young performers cover so much ground in so short a period of time. Berryz has only been around since 2004, and °C-ute was formed a year later. From just kids, members of both ensembles have matured into crack professionals who turn heads along with bless the ears of anyone who has seen or heard them.

Saki of Berryz Kobo, performing with an injured and wrapped left knee, near the end of the ‘Battle Concert.’

But what of Hello! Project flagship Morning Musume? There was a time – between 1997 when Morning Musume was formed, and 2002, when founder and prolific composer Tsunku realized he would have to establish a “feeder system” to sustain his dream of a successful all-female music company. He did that by organizing the “Hello! Project Kids,” where young trainees auditioned, rehearsed, were mentored by Morning Musume and eventually grew into Berryz Kobo and °°C-ute.

Other units have followed, some successful, others less so. But the pipeline has been built, and the results are exceptional, especially in major joint events like the Hello! Project Winter and Summer concerts where all the company’s units – Morning Musume, Berryz Kobo, °C-ute, the Hello! Project Eggs, Elder Club and key soloiosts – gather to entertain a crowd consisting of a cross-section of modern Japanese society.

But is it all too much? Will Morning Musume be overshadowed by the younger groups? Right now, the delicate balance is holding firm. Concerts are full and DVD and CD sales, for the most part, are brisk.

Berryz Kobo lifts spirits at the ‘Battle Concert’ with C-ute on April 20 at Yokohama Arena.

The songs are nearly legendary. Borrowing from nearly every popular Western genre and peppered with Japanese and other Asian traditions, the songs of Tsunku ring out over the world with an overwhelmingly positive interpretation of humanity, and optimistic view of the future, and pure fun. It is an intoxicating combination.

One other factor: With Berryz Kobo and °C-ute, Tsunku has kept those septets largely intact over their existence. Morning Musume has been fragmented over the last decade with multiple “graduations” of personnel. It remains to be seen how long Berryz and °C-ute can be sustained, but right now, they are both going gangbusters, as is Morning Musume.

An indication of where this might be headed is the graduation this year of an entire unit, V-u-den, a trio that had been with Hello! Project for years. When the time comes, will Berryz and/or °C-ute be shut down all at once? Only time will tell.

Chisato of °C-ute is a fast-rising star and belts one out during the ‘Battle Concert.’

In the meantime, the body of work established by Berryz Kobo and °C-ute in just the past two years is permanently preserved on digital tracks and DVDs. Their impact on the music world will be as permanent as the stars above, for the eternal enjoyment and benefit of us all.

This is Rad signing off – for now.