It’s been too long since my last H!P puzzle … here’s a new one! I’ll keep the rules short:

• The contest ends 2009 February 23 at 23:59 UTC, or 96 hours after I receive the first correct submission, whichever comes later. This is to keep the contest fun and motivating for solvers even if someone’s already found the answer.
• The first person to submit a correct answer wins a 20 USD gift certificate to YesAsia.com.
• You can collaborate with whoever you want, but there’s only one prize.
• Submit answers by leaving a comment with your name and e-mail address; I’ve set the comments on moderated mode so your comment won’t be displayed publicly.
• You may submit more than once, but please keep your guesses to a minimum.
• If you include your e-mail address (or if I have other ways of contacting you), I’ll let you know whether or not your submission is correct.
• The answer is a word or short phrase having to do with Hello! Project.
• Knowledge of Japanese language and/or writing systems is not necessary to solve this puzzle.
• I may put up hints later.
• Good luck!

 

EDIT: I have reformatted the puzzle to display three separate grids instead of only two. It’s the same puzzle, just represented in a way that may reduce conflicting information.

 

Hints: (highlight to read)

• Title:
  • Yes, the title actually does mean something.
    • The term refers to a concept in H!P.

    • The °C-ute song has nothing to do with this puzzle.
• Flavortext:
  • If you don’t get what “pyon pyon fumu fumu yeah yeah” has to do with this puzzle, forget about it. It’s not essential.
• Grids:
  • The three grids roughly correspond to three stages of solving this puzzle. You can just focus on the first grid if you’re just starting the puzzle.
    • That said, information discovered in later stages may be helpful in figuring out parts of earlier stages.
  • The grids line up with each other.
• Grid 1:
  • What do the letters spell?
    • It’s an abbreviation of sorts.
      • “PPL” = “people”.
  • Do the icons remind you of anything?
    • If not, try watching Hello! Project PVs and looking at CD covers. The more recent the better.
      • The more colorful the better.
  • Put the icons in groups.
    • Don’t group them by color.

    • Put the icons in H!P groups.
    • Think about the colors in each group.
    • Each color in a group represents a distinct person.
• Grid 2:
  • Combine this grid with Grid 1 to get additional information.
  • Three letters have already been given to you. You need to find more.
  • Each letter corresponds to a square and can be deduced from the information in that square.
    • Names are important.

    • No one in H!P has a given name that is ten letters long.
    • Look at surnames and consider how you can get letters out of them.
  • If you have the right letters, patterns should emerge.
    • You should search for words.

    • This is a word search.
  • There are words you can make out of the letters, and there are words you can make out of the letters you can’t make words out of.
    • The words you can make out of the letters you can’t make words out of form a clue that describes a state of Grid 3 that you should attain.

    • After finding all the words, read what’s left over.
• Grid 3:
  • What are the dimensions of the grid?
  • The grid is a board.
  • What’s special about the squares with circles?
    • Do the letters represent anything?

    • The letters stand for different types of pieces.
  • The circles are pieces.
    • The pieces can move according to strict rules.

    • What color are the pieces?
  • What board game could this be?

 

 

Image Color
A Hello! Project Puzzle

 

pyon pyon

fumu fumu

yeah yeah