4 KSSs Down

So Nakano Rion, Hashimoto Nagisa, Yokogawa Yumei and Shimano Momoko have left Hello Pro Kenshuusei.

The member I'm saddest about is Momoko since I always liked her but even so, I wasn't really expecting any of these girls to debut. Nagisa was talented but at 19 she was a bit too old unless they planned to form a new group with her as the leader (which seems unlikely since Tsubaki Factory hasn't had a major debut yet). Yumei I will miss because I always thought she was really beautiful but her singing was pretty... unbearable and again, at 17 she was approaching the cut off point for being an idol. I was never a fan of Rion (her singing was bad and I never found her perpetual look of being about to cry cute) so I'm not really very sad about her.

I can totally see these girls showing up in other idol groups someday. Yumei could do well in AKB48 or one of the sister groups. Momoko and Rion are still young so they have plenty of time to debut. Nagisa would make a great addition to any idol group but I get the feeling that since she is in her last year of high school, she might have left to focus on university or getting a real job.

Exciting news

Oh H!P, you do confuse me sometimes. Two exciting bits of news to talk about.

Kasahara Momona has joined ANGERME as a 5th gen member. I hate to brag but I predicted this back in May (not that any of my other predictions have come true). I get the feeling she's going to be very popular, she's the type the wota seem to like.

The Hello! Project "Hokkaido Gentei" Member Audition actually has results! Who knew? For those who are unaware, we hadn't heard anythingabout this audition for almost a year and then out of the blue they announce that it is still a thing. The members are said to be going to be on the 30th, so I'll right about them in detail then. My expectations are pretty high, given the year of absolute secrecy needed to find them.

Team Okai new members.
Okai Chisato (Leader)
Fujii Rio
Hamaura Ayano
Ichioka Reina
Onoda Saori
Horie Kizuki
Ono Mizuho
Maeda Kokoro
Kanatsu Mizuki
Ono Kotomi
Kiyono Momohime

The new Team Okai will debut at Chisato's birthday event performing Brainstorming and Kanojo ni Naritai!!! on the 22nd and I really hope we get footage of it because I've always really liked this group. Plenty of kenshuusei this time around but no Takase... :(    Happy to see Maeda, Kiyono and Kanatsu in a unit.


I need to remember to never forget how crazy and unpredictable this company can be sometimes.