Hello! Project 2010 SUMMER -Fankora-

The Hello! Project Summer 2010 Concert, aka "Fankora," is notable for relying on songs chosen by fans. Not necessarily a good thing, but hard to judge given that there were nine different set lists for this tour, thanks to nine shows, with a slightly different set list for each. The concert DVD gives us the last one, the evening performance at Nakano Sunplaza on Aug. 8. In looking over the other set lists, I see many numbers that I would love to have seen on the DVD. The one extra on this disc contains four additional numbers from another concert (a total of 10 min.). I would have liked a whole lot more. I don't understand why they couldn't have included a full hour of additional numbers, since they did at least 12 numbers in every concert that were unique to that concert. I understand that the Blu-ray release of this concert offers 22 additional numbers. (Time to spring for a Blu-ray player.) Past H!P summer concerts offered much greater range and far more surprises. And, before 2009, many more acts. In this one, Morning Musume, Berryz Kobo, C-ute, Erina Mano and S/mileage all have equal parity. Each act gets four numbers--two recent singles and two from the repertoire. The H!P Eggs offer backup. There are only two special units in the concert itself (High-King and Zoku v-u-den) and more in the extra, where we actually get a Buono number (Yaaaay!). The songs are not always the best, but they do tend to play to the girls' performing strengths. And that's where this concert truly shines. These girls are all at their peak and they make every number a delight. There wasn't a false note or slow moment anywhere. Berryz and C-ute are arguably the two best acts in H!P right now and every number they do is gold. S/mileage has gotten so much better and prove to be thoroughly delightful and charming performers. Mano has gotten much more confident and matches everyone else's energy level. MM does a fun redo of a classic number ("Koko ni Iruzee!") in which only two of the current lineup originally appeared and they make it their own. There are seven MC segments, which can sometimes slow things down. In the first one, co-MC Hitomi Yoshizawa, from MM's 4th Gen, makes the stunning announcement that three members of MM--Eri, JunJun and LinLin--will be graduating in December. Did I really need to see tears so early in the concert? Why not wait till the last act to announce it?