I looked right past the "for 2023 in 2024" part, and just assumed it was for the current members, so that's what mine is. Eh, I never like ranking graduated members anyway. As usual for me, top and bottom 10 overall, followed by group rankings. Some massive shakeups compared to my '22 ranking (in parentheses), as I fully embrace the move to a new era of H!P.
TOP & BOTTOM 10
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1. Dambara Ruru - JJ (2)
2. Inoue Rei - JJ (18)
3. Kamikokuryo Moe - ANJU (3)
4. Uemura Akari - JJ (13)
5. Yamazaki Yuhane - BIYO (7)
6. Nishida Shiori - BIYO (22)
7. Ebata Kisaki - JJ (44)
8. Hirai Miyo - BIYO (6)
9. Matsumoto Wakana - ANJU (26)
10. Yamazaki Mei - MM (11)
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57. Hashisako Rin - ANJU (53)
58. Hiromoto Ruli - OCHA (--)
59. Ono Mizuho - TF (25)
60. Onoda Saori - TF (36)
61. Nonaka Miki - MM (8)
62. Niinuma Kisora - TF (43)
63. Shimoitani Yukiho - ANJU (--)
64. Inoue Haruka - MM (--)
65. Ishida Ayumi - MM (51)
66. Ikuta Erina - MM (55)
My bottom 10 is reflective of where I'm at wrt to H!P's current old guard, which is ready to move tf on. It's usually dominated by n00bs, but this year by long-serving members of MM and TF.
MM
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10. Yamazaki Mei (11)
18. Sakurai Rio (--)
20. Oda Sakura (17)
22. Makino Maria (45)
32. Okamura Homare (35)
42. Yumigeta Ako (--)
47. Yokoyama Reina (30)
49. Kitagawa Rio (34)
56. Haga Akane (37)
61. Nonaka Miki (8)
64. Inoue Haruka (--)
65. Ishida Ayumi (51)
66. Ikuta Erina (55)
So, Nonaka took a bit of a tumble, yes?
I believe this to be the single biggest change in any of the rankings I've ever done, but it sums up my feelings for MM'24 fairly well. The bottom four OGs here could mass graduate tomorrow, and I'd be pretty pumped about it, because they represent an old, stale MM to me. There's something about KitaRio that's kinda off-putting to me, which is probably unfair, because she's pretty decent at everything and has a bit of a DGAF attitude, which usually appeals to me. I think it's how she seems more a part of the 12/13kis than the 15/16kis that she's actually a member of. I know it's petty af, but I'm happy to embrace my pettiness.
Rairi is fucking awesome, and about the only Musume with the natural charisma to challenge Maria in terms of stage presence. I'm buying low on Getta now, because I think she's got the tools to be really good, and she's adorbs.
ANJU
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3. Kamikokuryo Moe (3)
9. Matsumoto Wakana (26)
11. Sasaki Rikako (5)
23. Hirayama Yuki (33)
24. Kawamura Ayano (15)
28. Ise Layla (19)
44. Goto Hana (--)
48. Kawana Rin (46)
53. Tamenaga Shion (32)
57. Hashisako Rin (53)
63. Shimoitani Yukiho (--)
Kamiko feels like she's on the cusp of H!P Legend status to me, and this is the year she solidifies it as the leader and soon-to-be unchallenged center/ace of Anju. Wakana and Yuki are my Anju "it" girls atm, and Goto has my attention. I don't know shit about Yukiho, so she has the potential to surprise me.
JJ
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1. Dambara Ruru (2)
2. Inoue Rei (18)
4. Uemura Akari (13)
7. Ebata Kisaki (44)
13. Kudo Yume (28)
15. Matsunaga Riai (20)
34. Irie Risa (54)
35. Ishiyama Sakura (--)
46. Arisawa Ichika (49)
54. Kawashima Mifu (--)
55. Endo Akari (--)
They're still
my Avengers, even if they're no longer
the Avengers. Ruru has obviously always been a pretty special talent, but she ascended to rarified territory 2023 to join the best H!P has ever seen. Rei is so well suited for J=J than I often forget she was in Kobushi. The big mover here, though, is Ebata. She's proven to be a very good all-around idol capable of a heavy load in J=J, and while her bratty-little-sister persona might not age well, it seems genuine enough. Sakura seems to be as loveably odd as she is striking, and if her voice continues to improve at the pace it did last year, then holy hell she's gonna crack my top 20 by next year.
TF
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19. Tanimoto Ami (38)
26. Fukuda Marine (50)
29. Yofuu Runo (39)
50. Akiyama Mao (27)
51. Kasai Yuumi (52)
52. Yagi Shiori (48)
59. Ono Mizuho (25)
60. Onoda Saori (36)
62. Niinuma Kisora (43)
This has been TF's M.O. for me forever: one of my favorite groups, but comprised of lower-ranking idols, and with Kishimon gone, it's even more pronounced. Ami has been climbing based entirly off of her personality, and while Mao is still top 4, she's free-falling. With all of the original group's most important members gone, I'm ready for a full overhaul lead by Marine and Tofu.
BIYO
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5. Yamazaki Yuhane (7)
6. Nishida Shiori (22)
8. Hirai Miyo (6)
12. Okamura Minami (12)
14. Takase Kurumi (10)
17. Kobayashi Honoka (24)
21. Shimakura Rika (29)
27. Kiyono Momohime (14)
30. Satoyoshi Utano (47)
33. Ichioka Reina (40)
36. Eguchi Saya (9)
40. Maeda Kokoro (23)
Eguchi, Maeda and Momohime all took a bit of a tumble, while Shiori and Utano rose, but everyone else pretty much held their ground. I'm worried about Biyo, because whenever the first shoe drops -- and with Reina's age and health issues, it's likely *this* year -- it's going to feel like we all got cheated. In fact, it feels like the magic of Beyooooonds has already dissipated and we're just clinging to our memories of it at this point.
OCHA
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16. Kitahara Momo (--)
25. Yonemura Kirara (--)
31. Tsutsui Roko (--)
37. Tashiro Sumire (--)
38. Saito Madoka (--)
39. Ishiguri Kanami (--)
41. Nishizaki Miku (--)
43. Nakayama Natsume (--)
45. Kubota Nanami (--)
58. Hiromoto Ruli (--)
I get how Momo could be off-putting to some people, but I still love her. Kirara has the perfect J-idol look, to the point where if I didn't know she was in H!P I'd assume that she wasn't lol, and she's good at everything. Roko and Sumire were two of my favorites from the start, and have done nothing to change that. I like the entire group, but as I'm slow to learn about n00bs, it's still working itself out. The new album is a step up musically for them after a couple of decent but unspectacular singles.