An Ode to Tsugunaga Momoko

Because of work I had to miss out on the streaming of Tsugunaga Momoko's graduation concert. While I am bummed about missing it I have not searched for it to watch either. Instead I am staying safely in the 'denial' phase of loss and pretending if I have not seen the concert than I can think of her still being with Hello! Project a little longer. Or at least not have to think of H!P without her even though I know better. So this is not a farewell post, that will come someday, but rather one where I get to reflect on how much I have come to love Momoko.

Well before I got into Hello! Project I ran across Buono! and fell in love with the group. Their rock-pop songs were perfectly to my tastes and the whole concept of the band screamed "cute", and I have a great weakness for cute things. Though it was Miyabi and Airi that got most of my attention but once I did get into H!P and learned much more about the girls my like for Momoko grew. I can now say that I have no favorite member of Buono! and it remains my all-time favorite H!P group.

But with that growing like for Momoko also came respect for everything she has accomplished. From being one of the few H!P members to get the chance to go to and graduate from university. The fact that she created a persona with Momochii that was the perfect fit for variety shows, the heart of Japanese TV. I do not think I will ever be a Momochii fan but the persona kept Momoko relevant even when H!P was struggling to find how to build lost momentum in the idol industry.

Seeing her act as playing manager in Country Girls really drove home that she was more than ready to mentor. With Berryz Kubo she never really had that chance which is what CG gave her. I would say she did great with nurturing the young talent that entered the group despite it never having much of a stable line-up for various reasons.

Since she joined H!P as a literal child fans can see her grow up to be the young woman she is. And with all that she has already accomplished in her young life it seems like a no-brainer to have faith that she is going to continue to do well with whatever she wants to do with her life. And teaching seems like a perfect fit for her.

While I will be sad not to have Momoko the idol anymore I cannot help but feel grateful for the fact that I was able to find her and become a fan.