I was quite surprised when Maniac messaged me earlier today specifically requesting me to write about this Angerme/Morning Musume ’17 joint thing. After all, aside from a few mentions in other articles, a segment of an April Fools joke and the fact that if it wasn’t for Hello! Project, Up Up Girls wouldn’t exist, I’ve been advised not to fangirl too much over Hello! Project in these parts. Granted I usually ignore it what with me being very attached to HelloPro. They were my first idol fandom, after all.

But you see, this is an exception. This has Hello! Project’s top rivals decked in Samurai Gear, ready to resolve their ongoing feud once and for all with a fight to the death!

“Prologue
In the age of the great idol war .Across this land warring idol countries ,ruled by a female crown have waged war. Expanding their own powers , fierce battles have spread across the country. To survive this world of war ,the idol countries have entered battle with soldiers named “fans” . Every day great battles are waged with singing ,dancing ,crying and great joy.

In this time the country of “Hello Pro” the young princess has risen up in rebellion against the empress of “Hello Pro”. Under their great generals the empress and princess shall make war ,rebellion in the heart of “Hello Pro”. With great force the rivals march into battle ,four corps have been assembled , each corps with their soldiers united to build a mighty army of war.

Now the time for battle has come the empress Morning Musume ‘17, the young princess ANGERME with soldiers loyalty has been sworn ,the time for battle approaches.

First time in history the nation of “Hello!Pro” chaos and war ,a country torn in two. Idol fighters , pride of nations , the empress and princess shall make war ,the loyalties of soldiers ,and the loyalty of countries to steal in battle!
“Hello! Project Hina Fest” Idol Raw Battle “- National Stealing –The Unification War!!!!”

This is actually to promote Idol Nama Gassen, a smartphone game that Angerme and Morning Musume ’17 are both involved in, but a “live battle” event between the groups is not only going to be staged on April 17, but the bloodshed will also be livestreamed! Both groups have been split into four teams that will “fight” each other at this event. Unfortunately, despite my initial hopes, my best girl and Hello! Project’s resident alien queen Aikawa Maho is still on hiatus for health reasons, so she will be replaced by Juice=Juice’s Miyazaki Yuka during this event. So technically, three Hello! Project groups are battling each other now!

Hopefully we get some video from this. But as to what team Homicidols personally endorses? Well, as legendary as Morning Musume may be, Angerme have a (currently unwell) alien and two pretty damn good rock idol songs that would actually make them qualifiers for Homicidols fodder if only all their songs were like this:

[Maniac: Kerrie has full discretion over all things H!P; she started throwing me playlists yesterday in an effort to make the case. And remember: If it’s loud and it’s idol, it has a home in these parts. And then once the loud goes away but the genuinely FITH lyrics or whatever are the attractor, that’s okay, too.]