Stardust Planet started a new Variety Show this month. Titled "Momokuro to Iku! (Go With Momoclo!)", the show is being advertised as an "emotionally connecting road movie". Every week, 1 member from Momoclo and 1-3 other Stardust Idols will travel to a specific region of Japan and showcase things unique to the area. Sounds like they'll be visiting all 47 prefectures.
In addition to discovering new things, I think it's also meant to bring the Stardust groups closer together. In an article I read, Honoka (Team Shachi) says how all the groups only get together about once or twice a year, so it's great to travel in a random combination like this and talk about various things. Shiori (Momoclo) also mentions it's a rare opportunity for the three of them to get together like this and share their interests. I believe there is an additional purpose to the show. Stardust is holding another huge concert next year similar to Summer S with all the Stardust Planet groups. Momoiku is probably intended to bring attention to all the newer groups that fans aren't that familiar with in anticipation of the event. Something like this is a long time coming, so I'm glad they're finally giving more exposure to the division.
I originally intended to just give a brief summary of the 1st episode to help people understand the show better, but once I started translating, I couldn't resist digging deeper and I decided to make a full blog post on it. I won't be able to do something like this for every episode, but I'll probably pick one from each team up and do a write up for it. Without further ado, on with the show!
All 4 members of Momoclo are gathered around a table with a giant map of Japan. The Cheif Producer of BS Nippon Television (BS日テレ) enters the room. He thanks them for coming. Reni asks if the map has any significance, and the producer proceeds to tell them why they're here. Led by Momoiro Clover Z, this new program travels all over Japan with Stardust Idols! He also explains the "Road Movie" concept for the show. They will share with viewers notable products from the places they visit throughout Japan!
The members think about where they want to go. I don't know how it was decided, but they end up going to Kanagawa. Kanagawa is a coastal prefecture just south of Tokyo, and part of the Greater Tokyo Area. Yokohama is the capitol of the prefecture.
Shiori arrives at Koshigoe Station (腰越駅前) at 7:30 am. Even though map later points to the coast line of Kanagawa, the sign at the station indicates she's on Enoshima Island (江ノ島方面) which is off the Shonan coast. After introductions to the crew, Shiori comments: "Is is starting today? I'm a bit nervous. I don't know what to do."
Shiori is joined by Team Shachi's Akimoto Honoka and Batten Showjo Tai's Kiyama Ai. She comments on how they traveled from Nagoya and Fukuoka respectively. Shiori asks if Honoka or Ai have been to Kanagawa before. It's the first time for both of them.
A staff member gives them their mission:
"Report on the best items you found at the place you went to.
You can't return until you clear everything!"
The penalty comes as a shock to the members.
They're then given a card with a clue about what they need to find:
"Give a good reporting on a Koshigoe Specialty
Get that small thing!"
This will be the first of 5 episodes reporting from Kanagawa.
We then see the Momoiku! Rule Table, reiterating what's already been said:
1. To clear the theme, you must GET the product.
2. You can't go home until you clear all the themes.
3. The members must personally investigate.
4. ????????
The theme must be the item they have to get each episode which is hinted at with wording like "small thing".
(*Edit: After receiving some feedback, I thought I should clarify what it means to "GET" something. In Japanese culture "GET" simply means acquiring an item, but it also has a great feeling of success)
After exploring the area for a bit, the group finds a bakery. Ai goes inside to ask if they can enter. Once they receive permission, Shiori reads the card to the employee who informs them that a small specialty is "Shirasu (しらす)" which translates to Whitebait. Shiori is shook.
(*Whitebait is a collective term for the immature fry of fish, typically between 1 and 2 inches long. Such young fish often travel together in schools along the coast, and move into estuaries and sometimes up rivers where they can be easily caught with fine meshed fishing nets. Some countries use up to 23 species of immature fish, including the fry of eel, plaice, whiting, herring sprat and bass, along with shrimp, crab, octopus and even jellyfish)
They've received a heavy hint!! After getting the hint, there is a short profile on the bakery. They seem to use allot of lemon in their baking. After receiving a money purse, the 4th rule is revealed. This free pocket money is 5000 yen. It will most likely have to last them over the course of their stay in Kanagawa.
They present a program sticker present for the store before going outside. After enjoying their purchases, the team is still on stage 1.
After following the instructions of the bakery employee, they turn the corner and get a surprise when they see how close the ocean is.
Honoka: "Is that the sea already?"
Shiori: "I can see the sea!"
They approach an older man and look for more info on the item then need to get:
Shiori: "Do you know where we can get Shirasu around here?"
Older Man: "It's probably still too early."
After coming up short at an empty store front, Honoka spies a sign for the fishing port, so they decide to go straight to the source. They approach a fisherman and ask about Shirasu. This part is a little confusing. He says they fish for Octopus, but I think I'm still missing something. Judging by their reactions, it seems like they weren't expecting him to say that.
I think the members aren't entirely sure what's considered Shirasu, so they don't know if this will count. It's a small item, so the group decides to ask the staff if this is considered Shirasu.
The staff member asks: "Are you sure you want this as your final answer?"
Shiori responds: "But our final answer is our first answer", lol.
It's acceptable! Octopus is one of many creatures that are served as whitebait, but doesn't seem particularly common in Japan, so I'm still a little confused. I may have to translate this section again.
Fisherman: "The boat is leaving to fish the Shirasu right now"
Honoka speaks up: "Why don't we ride on it!"
This triggers the following title:
"A bold request from Honoka!!"
The fisherman approves their request. But before we get to the boat trip, random product placement time! Kanako, Arin, and Reni ate too much gyoza and are lamenting that they have stomach aches. Shiori doesn't seem to be feeling well either and reaches inside her backpack. She has something that will do the trick, "Ohta Isan" Ohta brand stomach medicine. It must be expensive because she doesn't seem to want to share, lol.
Back in Kanagawa, Shiori, Honoka, and Ai have suited up for their fishing expedition.
The boat goes to check some traps that they already set. The girls help pull up the traps and Honoka is a natural. Ai takes her turn and pulls up a big octopus in her trap. The Fisherman comments that it's #1 for the day.
The girls comment that they've caught some Gonzui (ゴンズイ), which is "Striped Eel Catfish". The title card comments that Honoka must only be able to speak to Gonzui since that's mostly what they
find in the traps she pulls up. Honoka is the only left who hasn't gotten an octopus. She tries yet again, but instead gets a "Gomodoki (ゴモドキ)" which is an armored catfish. In total, they caught 20 octopus.
(*Edit: Going back to the "GET" criteria, I don't know if the team achieved a goal or not in this episode. Their answer was acceptable, but it's not clear if they advanced to the next stage. As the above picture shows, they "GET" octopus, but I don't know if this really counts towards obtaining Shirasu. Since octopus is only an ingredient in Shirasu, I suspect they won't achieve their goal until they have the final product in their hands. I'm sure everything will become clear over the following episodes)
And that concludes this episode. The adventure continues in episode 2:
"The long cherished fishing of Shirasu.
The girls finally get to taste the item of their quest."
The first episode can be watched in it's entirety
here:
I hope this helps anyone interested in watching the show to understand it a little better. I haven't settled on a format for these write ups yet, so it's a bit rough. The next one should be a little more polished. Until next time!
