LaLaLu, Shinjuku

After going to school to figure out my classes for this semester, I stopped by Shinjuku Station to get a monthly subway pass. Outside the East Exit they had this big professional stage set up, with this group LaLaLu performing. It’s pretty obvious that they’re a Morning Musume clone, but they did a good job. They’re better singers than MoMusu, for sure. Part of MoMusu’s charm, though, is their crappy singing and really original, dynamic songs. LaLaLu is good, but they just might be _too_ good to be genuine. There were lots of people with big ‘brellas and cameras and such up in front, so out of the thirty(!) photos I took, this is about the only one that come out decently with all eight members visible. Some dudes were yelling really obnoxiously throughout the whole show, and I couldn’t tell if they really _liked_ LaLaLu, or really _hated_ them. Personally, I’m partial to Asuka-san (second from the right). Today was a jackpot for free stuff: in addition to the usual tissue packs that one would expect to get while walking around Tokyo, I also got a nice pen, a clear file, and a little washcloth thingie with cute characters on it. Bonus! I also got two packages today: one from my sister Katy and one from Craig. Katy’s package had actually been trying to get delivered for over a week, but I kept not being there when it showed up. Katy sent over yet another strange and esoteric shirt for my “freak out the Japanese” wardrobe. It’s got the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and his bloody stumps, saying, “It’s just a flesh wound…”. Classic. Craig sent over some Cheez-It and Ovaltine, which is terribly nice to see when you’ve got about an ounce of Cheez-It and four ounces of Ovaltine left. Craig also included some photos from his visit here, so I might scan some up and put them here. Jumbo thanks go out to Katy and Craig both. Who’s your favorite LaLaLu member? Left to right: Ikue, Sayaka, Fuuko, Hinano, Sara, Mae, Asuka, Noa.