Tuesday, August 29, 2017

KUU KUU HARAJUKU: Super Kawaii Brings Adventure!


Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD from SHOUT! Kids Factory and the mind of Gwen Stefani is the hit series KUU KUU HARAJUKU: Super Kawaii.

The girls; G, Love, Angel, Music and Baby along with manager Rudy, are thrilled to be working in the garden growing vegetables but Luv can’t wait to show them the Kawaii Fire machine. Made to amplify Kawaii-ness the other girls are a little nervous about her latest invention. When a festival is a chance for the girls to perform in the battle of the bands, they are not happy with their bland costumes. Remembering the Kawaii Fire machine, they create awesome costumes and work together to put on a great show.

Getting ready for Super Kawaii Sunday, the girls are thrilled that a famous photographer is coming to town to find fresh faces. Hitting the shops the girls want to look their best and be fashion fantastic. When they show up at the mall they are a little dishearten and think they don’t really have a chance. When photographer Egal begins to take their picture while they are being themselves, a new Kawaii level is reached. Now, the camera Egal used has turned into a Kawaii monster and tries to steal people’s Kawaii! Don’t worry; the girls know just what to do.


Rudy brings HJ5 doughnuts and the girls notice a rainbow bubble. Ms. Shout wants the girls to participate in a Bubbleland competition that could lead to a recording contract. Once at Bubbleland, the girls are shown to their own bubbles before the competition. Quickly the girls learn Mrs. Shout actually wants quit and has captured HJ5, the Tanaka Boys and others to make that happen. The girls have to be clever if they are going to get themselves and everyone else out of the bubble!

The HJ5 girls are trapped in a rocket that has launched to destroy an asteroid. The problem is the rocket has explosives and once in outer space the girls only have twenty minutes to make something happen. Discovering that the asteroid is named Sparkle Star, she just needs help to get back on her space course. The girls figure that the explosive can help Sparkle Star regain her fire.

Rod the Robot is the girl’s new driver taking them to their next gig. The girls are getting ready for a performance when the underwater dome they are in springs a leak. Trying everything from Kawaii bandages and bubble gum, nothing seems to stop the inevitable. Once out of the dome, the little Octocorns see HJ5 as their friends and when they run out of gas in their vehicle, they make sure the girls – and Rudy – get to the surface.


The girls get a gig at the zoo along with a free pass to visit the animals. All is going well until Mr. Smyth, the head zoo keeper, cancels the concert because Music has been banned from the zoo. Her list of rule breaking is put out for the other girls to see. Luv manages to get her on probation so they can play the concert but Music thinks she might need special help to stay out of trouble.

Monotone Records wants to sign the girls to a record contract. The girls aren’t sure they are a good fit for the label. Immediately the executives want to change everything about HJ5 and the girls aren’t having it. They also learn that an evil super computer is controlling musicians to become monotone. They want to rob them of their individuality and while the girls continue to refuse to change, they are also planning their escape.


HJ5 performs at a beach party but critic Heddy Harumph wonders if the group is washed up. Now G is suffering from stage fright because of what Harumph said. The girls want to use dream therapy to fix G’s problem before the concert that is only hours away.

G is also in a creative rut and with a show coming the girls think it’s a chance for her to get new ideas else where. Creator Pigment is an artistic genius but doesn’t really help G with her slump. When a butterfly painting comes to life, it begins an art attack on Kawaii. Realizing its something Rudy did, they have to literally formulate an antidote before they all turn to art.

Luv shows the girls all her latest inventions. Rudy sets up a chance for the girls to perform on Twisty Tea’s next video. They have to house sit to get the gig but the girls are all in. That’s when Rudy tells the truth that the girls were supposed to be watering the plants for over a month. When they see the shriveled up plants, the girls use on of Luv’s inventions but Rudy once again causes the girls to stop chaos before Twisty Tea gets home.

Luv creates the Oops machine that can fix things that have gone wrong. Waking up the next day, there are five HJ5 gold records on the wall and it’s easy to see Luv is in an alternate universe. Now highly successful, this other dimension is twisted and people have no choice in their decisions. HJ5 have become the bad guys and the kitten-bots want to capture Luv. This isn’t the HJ5 universe Luv wants to be a part of.

Finally, Rudy takes the girls to his Aunts beauty salon. Trixie Latrell is the make-over maven who believes she can give the girls a fantastic new hair look. Angel is thrilled to be getting a make over for the Honey festival. When it doesn’t go well, the girls know they need to help Trixie come into the modern age. Using the internet and social media, HJ5 has a concert and brings the Baubles magazine editor in to see what’s new and exciting. When hair gets out of control, HJ5 comes to the rescue!

SHOUT! Factory has grown into a tremendous multi-platform media company. Releasing new animated features such as the exquisite Long Way North, and the epic fantasy Beauty And The Beast. Also their own original horror film, Fender Bender gives fans a good scare. For more of what SHOUT Factor has to offer please visit www.shoutfactory.com.


The DVD includes the Bonus Feature of Meet the Voice Cast! as well as all twelve episodes: The Kawaiifier, Super Kawaii Sunday, Delectabubbles, Kablooey Chewie, Water Baby, Music Zoo, The Dotted Line, Life is but a Dream, Oh G, Green House, Control+Alt+Dimension and Angel Hair.

Also, check out the “kawaii” soundtrack to the much-loved TV series, available for download now on itunes.com and Amazon.com or stream it on Apple Music and Spotify. HJ5: KUU KUU HARAJUKU features the show theme and five new songs from the hit children’s television series including, Dancing in the Sunlight, Change It Up and All For One.

This animated series brings music, fashion, color, friendship, loyalty and silliness together with so much fun. The show brings out such an amazing group of characters that all are unique in their own way yet work together to get themselves out of a lot of predicaments (to be honest most of them are because of Rudy!).

So enjoy a little fun and adventure from a group that always wants to do the right thing and take care of one another – we can all learn from that.


In the end – you can save the world and still look fabulous doing it!

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