Hello!Project Member Ranking for 2023 in 2024

[Shoujo Q]

Hello! Project Members Ranking - 2024 Edition for 2023
 
It's been awhile since we've done this, before the great BBS downtime. So consider this the reboot for 2023, even though it's 2024.

Previous rankings: '20, '19, late '18, early '18, '16, late '15, '15, '14, '13, '12


We also have a great up to date sorter for you to use too.

You can add all the members, omit certain members. Go wild. :D

I'll be adding my rank in later. It's been a few minutes (a very long time) since I've done one.

[JPope]

For stupid gaijin like myself, there's a version of the same sorter with romanized names.

[DonJuan]

I did find the '22 ranking, but that one was already a "oops we forgot to do that in 2021 lmao" It definitely has been too long, especially since so many people left and joined!

Imma be the one and add some visuals

Morning Musume.'23/'24 (depending on how you want to see it)



Ishida Ayumi (SL), Kitagawa Rio, Yamazaki Mei, Inoue Haruka (new), Yokoyama Reina, Nonaka Miki
Haga Akane, Ikuta Erina (L), Okamura Homare, Yumigeta Ako (new), Makino Maria, Sakurai Rio (new as of this ranking ), Oda Sakura

Also: Fukumura Mizuki (last)


ANGERME



Kawana Rin, Tamenaga Shion, Kamikokuryo Moe (L), Matsumoto Wakana, Kawamura Ayano (SL)
Sasaki Rikako, Hirayama Yuki, Ise Layla, Hashisako Rin
Goto Hana (new), Shimoitani Yukiho (new)

Also: Takeuchi Akari (last)


Juice=Juice



Ishiyama Sakura (new as of this ranking ), Matsunaga Riai, Irie Risa, Ebata Kisaki, Endo Akari (new as of this ranking ), Arisawa Ichika
Dambara Ruru (SL), Inoue Rei, Uemura Akari (L), Kudo Yume, Kawashima Mifu (new)


Tsubaki Factory



Ono Mizuho, Akiyama Mao, Yofu Runo, Kasai Yuumi, Niinuma Kisora (L), Onoda Saori, Yagi Shiori
Tanimoto Ami (SL), Fukuda Marine

Also: Yamagishi Riko (last), Kishimoto Yumeno (last), Asakura Kiki (last)


Beyooooonds



Eguchi Saya, Kiyono Momohime, Hirai Miyo (L), Yamazaki Yuhane, Maeda Kokoro, Kobayashi Honoka
Satoyoshi Utano, Ichioka Reina (L), Nishida Shiori, Shimakura Rika, Okamura Minami, Takase Kurumi (L)


OCHA NORMA


Saito Madoka (L), Ishiguri Kanami, Hiromoto Ruli (SL)
Nakayama Natsume, Nishizaki Miku, Kitahara Momo, Tsutsui Roko
Kubota Nanami, Yunemora Kirara, Tashiro Sumire


Hello Pro Kenshuusei Unit 2 (electric boogaloo)



Kamimura Rena, Murakoshi Ayana, Yoshida Hinoha, Hashida Honoka, Onoda Karin, Uemura Hasumi, Matsubara Yulia


The last (unaffiliated) Hello Pro Kenshuusei



Kawano Soara, Makino Toa, Hayashi Niina

(in Germany we call this "der Rest vom Fest", basically "the leftovers of the feast". But since they just joined in 2023 I've got a feeling that Up Front won't let go of the programme for now (and there will always be auditions!).

[DonJuan]

I will start then Might post an overall ranking later, I'm going to sort them manually by group for now.
To be fair, I have not cared much for H!P this year. Still love J=J, I love all the MM newbies, Biyo's year was tragic and Anju is a bit in limbo for me... and I'm not into Ocha. Well.

You know the drill.
Like a lot - like - okay - don't care - go away

Morning Musume.'24
1. Sakurai Rio (new)
2. Okamura Homare (3)
3. Yokoyama Reina (2)
4. Haga Akane (1)
5. Ishida Ayumi (4)
6. Yamazaki Mei (5)
7. Makino Maria (-)
8. Kitagawa Rio (6)
9. Yumigeta Ako (new)
10. Ikuta Erina (9)
11. Oda Sakura (-)
12. Inoue Haruka (new)
13. Nonaka Miki (12)
14. Fukumura Mizuki (13)

Things are shaken up! For the first time in years Akane is not my favourite anymore. I still like her and think she's improved massively, but her sucking up to Mizuki was a bit painful to read/watch. Also, Rairi is amazing! She might not be the songstress that I was waiting for but I just love her expressions and general way of carrying herself. I also hope Homare will get a bigger push this year, she is so ready for it.
The newbies are, well, new. Getta seems to have found into the group faster than Haruka, and Haruka... oof. Still waiting for her to bloom, because right now it's hard to see what made her pass the audition. She's not bad, but she's still way too stiff.
Bye bye Mizuki. Finally. Time for a change. Mizuki, to me, is a case of "staying long enough to see yourself become the villain". In her later years she was center, main singer and main visual of the group, and unfortunately often enough the mouthpiece despite not having developed a lick of character in her nearly 13 years in the group. Reading her big multi-part interview actually made me angry at times. I get that being a teenager in the entertainment industry is hard, especially in a group like Morning Musume. But the constant "I had it hard" talk while she has always been at least a middle row member (more like 2nd and 1st row) when others had way more pressure than her (Riho) or never got a chance (Kanon, Ikuta) while being a constant fan-favourite was. Oof. Also, reading that she was actually in charge of a lot of ideas, especially setlists, made me sad because a lot of concerts were a snore-fest. I do think Ikuta will go a similar way, but not exactly the same way, and she probably won't be leader for too long either so I'm a bit hyped for new Musume.

ANGERME
1. Kamikokuryo Moe (1)
2. Takeuchi Akari (4)
3. Matsumoto Wakana (-)
4. Kawana Rin (7)
5. Sasaki Rikako (-)
6. Kawamura Ayano (8)
7. Hirayama Yuki (11)
8. Goto Hana (new)
9. Tamenaga Shion (-)
10. Ise Layla (6)
11. Shimoitani Yukiho (new)
12. Hashisako Rin (10)

Yo. Not much to say here, except that I really came to like Narin and Yuki. Ranking Yukiho feels unfair somehow, I'm sure she's lovely, but Hana has completely stolen my attention for now.
I will miss Takechan. A lot. She was the one long-runner that could have run longer. But the good thing about Anju is that the older members know when it's time to go.

Juice=Juice
1. Dambara Ruru (2)
2. Matsunaga Riai (3)
3. Uemura Akari (4)
4. Inoue Rei (8)
7. Arisawa Ichika (-)
8. Ishiyama Sakura (new)
9. Endo Akari (new)
10. Irie Risa (-)
11. Ebata Kisaki (-)
12. Kudo Yume (9)
13. Kawashima Mifu (new)

All hail queen Ruru! I really hope that she and Rei will stay for some more years because damn, Juice is lacking people with experience (not talent, though). That being said, I think I finally feel Rei in the group. Also Riai. I've always liked them but was kind of weird about them.
Nothing against Yume. She's cute, but she never felt Juice to me. She's doing a good job, though. Everyone #5 an onwards (except for Yume) still feels so new to me that it's awkward. I'm sure Kisaki is great. I like Risa's smile. I love Ichika's talent, Akaringo's cuteness and Sakura's beauty. But they still need time. Bummer for Mifu, honestly.

Tsubaki Factory
1. Kishimoto Yumeno (-)
2. Akiyama Mao (-)
3. Yagi Shiori (-)
4. Kasai Yuumi (-)
5. Ono Mizuho (-)
6. Yofu Runo (-)
7. Fukuda Marine (-)
8. Asakura Kiki (-)
9. Tanimoto Ami (11)
10. Onoda Saori (-)
11. Niinuma Kisora (9)
12. Yamagishi Riko (-)

Uh, hi and bye. My long dream of getting rid of Riko has finally come true. Unfortunately she's taking Kishimon with her. To quote last year's ranking, "The group has bangers, but I don't really care for the girls". I wouldn't call this year's releases bangers but they were decent enough. Still very so-so about the girls.

BEYOOOOONDS
1. Hirai Miyo (-)
2. Okamura Minami (-)
3. Kobayashi Honoka (-)
4. Kiyono Momohime (10)
5. Takase Kurumi (4)
6. Maeda Kokoro (5)
7. Shimakura Rika (7)
8. Nishida Shiori (8)
9. Yamazaki Yuhane (6)
10. Satoyoshi Utano (12)
11. Ichioka Reina (11)
12. Eguchi Saya (9)

Biyo are my anti-Tsubaki. God, I'm still so mad that they butchered their year. Their whole run, honestly. Girls are changing, rankings are changing. I hope Icchan gets better soon or else we might have our very first Biyo graduation, and I'm not ready to see any of them go.

OCHA NORMA
1. Ishiguri Kanami
2. Kubota Nanami
3. Tsutsui Roko
4. Kitahara Momo
5. Tashiro Sumire
6. Yunemora Kirara
7. Hiromoto Ruli
8. Saito Madoka
9. Nakayama Natsume
10. Nishizaki Miku

I have in fact forgotten that Miku exists.
I like that Kanami at least works the camera in an idolish way. Kirara is a bit like Hamachan, way too center for the group's good. I have a love-hate relationship with Momo: On the one hand I love a girl that knows how to promote herself. On the other hand she feels fake and conceited lol. Also Madoka, I tried to like you because we're both Enstarries, but you scare me.

[sadude]

I'll do top 10, since beyond that it's not as interesting. It's clearly reflective of when I was a much more active fan and followed H!P:

1. Matsuura Aya
2. Tanaka Reina
3. Takahashi Ai
4. Suzuki Airi
5. Goto Maki
6. Miyoshi Erika
7. Yaguchi Mari
8. Mitsui Aika
9. Kamei Eri
10. Murata Megumi
10. Otani Masae
10. Junjun
10. Saito Hitomi
[...]
56. Kusumi Koharu

Ayaya wasn't in the sorter (...right?), so I added her in there. As a person/idol and in groups I didn't care for her that much, but her career, songs, albums, and concerts were pretty choice.
I still don't know a lot of the more recent members so couldn't really rank them.

[Shoujo Q]

Did my ranking twice, one I keep in my year end rank and the one I just did for here with the current lineup, post graduations.

A few drops and a few bumps from last year. Overall a few girls managed to, not move at all. Which is amazing, considering the amount of girls I sorted.

My top 4 didn't change. Sakurai really shined this year for me. I'm not sure if Wakana is safe anymore. I'm surprised myself.
Below is my official year end ranking with the graduates of 2023.
Past year ranks, since 2012

Overall Ranking in H!P with graduates.
1. Oda Sakura
2. Danbara Ruru
3. Matsumoto Wakana
4. Kishimoto Yumeno (I'm going to miss Yumeno.)
5. Fukumura Mizuki (I have no idea how she ranked this high. She always appealed to me, but was never oshi level.)
6. Kitagawa Rio
7. Sakurai Rio
8. Yonemura Kirara
9. Yofuu Runo
10. Kiyono Momohime
11. Yamazaki Mei
12. Arisawa Ichika
13. Hirai Miyo
14. Yamazaki Yuhane
15. Tamenaga Shion
16. Yagi Shiori
17. Kamikokuryo Moe
18. Takeuchi Akari (Middle of the road. I loved her. But the highest she ranked was a 15 for me.)
19. Kobayashi Honoka
20. Ise Layla
21. Nonaka Miki
22. Kasai Yuumi
23. Okamura Minami
24. Fukuda Marine
25. Goto Hana
26. Matsunaga Riai
27. Hirayama Yuki
28. Eguchi Saya
29. Yokoyama Reina
30. Kawashima Mifu
31. Inoue Rei
32. Kudo Yume
33. Kitahara Momo
34. Hiromoto Ruli
35. Ishida Ayumi
36. Ebata Kisaki
37. Okamura Homare
38. Nishida Shiori
39. Shimakura Rika
40. Sasaki Rikako
41. Haga Akane
42. Uemura Akari
43. Makino Maria
44. Asakura Kiki (Kiki's highest rank for me was an 11. But she kept falling. She ended where she started. At 44th place.)
45. Tanimoto Ami
46. Shimoitani Yukiho
47. Onoda Saori
48. Tashiro Sumire
49. Nakayama Natsume
50. Kubota Nanami
51. Ishiyama Sakura
52. Maeda Kokoro
53. Takase Kurumi
54. Tsutsui Roco
55. Ono Mizuho
56. Niinuma Kisora
57. Kawamura Ayano
58. Nishizaki Miku
59. Ikuta Erina
60. Yumigeta Ako
61. Saito Madoka
62. Akiyama Mao
63. Ichioka Reina
64. Irie Risa
65. Yamagishi Riko (Riko's highest rank was 40. I just never found her appeal. I'm sorry.)
66. Kawana Rin
67. Ishiguri Kanami
68. Inoue Haruka
69. Endo Akari
70. Satoyoshi Utano
71. Hashisako Rin


Current Ranking in H!P as of 2024

- My Top 3.
1. Oda Sakura
2. Dambara Ruru
3. Matsumoto Wakana

Current radar girls.
4. Sakurai Rio
5. Kiyono Momohime
6. Yonemura Kirara
7. Kitahara Momo
8. Kitagawa Rio
9. Ise Layla
10. Kobayashi Honoka
11. Arisawa Ichika
12. Yamazaki Yuhane
13. Yofuu Runo

Up and coming girls on my radar.
14. Okamura Minami
15. Nonaka Miki
16. Yamazaki Mei
17. Matsunaga Riai
18. Hirai Miyo
19. Yagi Shiori
20. Kamikokuryo Moe
21. Goto Hana

They peak my interest, and that's about it. Haven't made it to the next level.
22. Hiromoto Ruli
23. Haga Akane
24. Yokoyama Reina
25. Kasai Yuumi
26. Ebata Kisaki
27. Inoue Rei
28. Fukuda Marine
29. Eguchi Saya
30. Tamenaga Shion
31. Sasaki Rikako
32. Ishida Ayumi
33. Okamura Homare
34. Tanimoto Ami

Don't love or hate. Just, filler girls. OR, I just haven't gotten to know them yet.
35. Maeda Kokoro
36. Ono Mizuho
37. Hirayama Yuki
38. Shimakura Rika
39. Nishida Shiori
40. Onoda Saori
41. Kubota Nanami
42. Tashiro Sumire
43. Takase Kurumi
44. Niinuma Kisora
45. Uemura Akari
46. Makino Maria
47. Kawamura Ayano

Meh. Haven't made an impact on me yet. (Or maybe they never will.)
48. Ikuta Erina
49. Ishiyama Sakura
50. Inoue Haruka
51. Nishizaki Miku
52. Tsutsui Roko
53. Kudo Yume
54. Kawashima Mifu
55. Nakayama Natsume
56. Yumigeta Ako
57. Saito Madoka
58. Akiyama Mao
59. Ishiguri Kanami
60. Endo Akari
61. Kawana Rin
62. Irie Risa
63. Shimoitani Yukiho
64. Ichioka Reina
65. Hashisako Rin
66. Satoyoshi Utano


Group Ranking for 2023
Morning Musume.'23 - They have me a best of album AND a decent single. I found the joy of Sakurai too. Nostalgia wins for 2023.
Tsubaki Factory - I enjoyed the singles for 2023, I like the girls. But they couldn't grasp that #1 spot.
ANGERME - More girls to like, makes me bring you higher in the ranks. Yes. Let's see if 2024 can bring them up higher.
Ocha Norma - Fun songs are my weakness. I'm not ashamed to admit it.
Juice=Juice - Ruru couldn't keep this group afloat. As much as I loved their album release.
BEYOOOOONDS - Lack of releases sent them here. Shame on you UF.



Oda isn't going anywhere, well, until she graduates. The Rio's are joined at the hip for now. I can't separate them. Mei is moving up. And the two noobs need another year to marinate before they start to move in my polls. So Maria and Erina's bumps are probably only temporary. Mizuki ended up 2nd, probably for nostalgia sake. It's the highest she's ever ranked overall (5th). (In the general rank.)
Morning Musume Ranking
Oda Sakura
Fukumura Mizuki
Kitagawa Rio
Sakurai Rio
Yamazaki Mei
Nonaka Miki
Yokoyama Reina
Ishida Ayumi
Okamura Homare
Haga Akane
Makino Maria
Ikuta Erina
Yumigeta Ako
Inoue Haruka


I've finally seen the Moe light again. She's broken out of her cage and went back up the ranks. She was actually 17th back in 2018 and is once again 17th. Wakana doesn't know what it's like to be anything but 1st. Shion surprised me this year. And I adore Goto and Ise. It's been a LONG time since I've found appeal in Angerme. I hope 2024 is good for them. I want them to succeed.
ANGERME Ranking
Matsumoto Wakana
Tamenaga Shion
Kamikokuryo Moe
Takeuchi Akari
Ise Layla
Goto Hana
Hirayama Yuki
Sasaki Rikako
Shimoitani Yukiho
Kawamura Ayano
Kawana Rin
Hashisako Rin

The curious case of Juice. Aside from Ruru. No one is really safe. I'm beginning to like Riai and Rei. I never liked Rei in Kobushi, but here she shines and I don't mind it. Mifu managed to get her ranking on Kenshuusei energy alone. Ichika I like, mainly for her talent and character. I hope they release an interesting single or two this year. I need to reevaluate this group, especially once Akari leaves.
Juice=Juice Ranking
Danbara Ruru
Arisawa Ichika
Matsunaga Riai
Kawashima Mifu
Inoue Rei
Kudo Yume
Ebata Kisaki
Uemura Akari
Ishiyama Sakura
Irie Risa
Endo Akari

Just look at this ranking. I've losing my best, my core and my dead weight in a single year! But I do adore the next generation. So I'm not worried. One of these days I'll be able to tell Yagi and Kasai apart. I KNOW I like one of them more than the other, I just can't remember which one. Which is why Yofuu always gets ahead of the pack and Fukuda gets left at the end. But I love them equally. And no, I have NO idea why I don't like Mao. She's done nothing wrong. I just never got her appeal.
Tsubaki Factory Ranking
Kishimoto Yumeno
Yofuu Runo
Yagi Shiori
Kasai Yuumi
Fukuda Marine
Asakura Kiki
Tanimoto Ami
Onoda Saori
Ono Mizuho
Niinuma Kisora
Akiyama Mao
Yamagishi Riko


JUSTICE FOR BEYOOOOONDS! They fell SO hard in my rank due to lack of exposure. But Momohime seemed to be a beacon of hope for me. She jumped ahead of Miyo to become top this year. Yuhane also managed to catch my interest. Anytime I see Minami I just smile. IF something were to happen to Ichioka this year. It would be sad. And I hate graduations for medical reasons. BUT, I wouldn't think it was the end of the world.
Beyooooonds Ranking
Kiyono Momohime
Hirai Miyo
Yamazaki Yuhane
Kobayashi Honoka
Okamura Minami
Eguchi Saya
Nishida Shiori
Shimakura Rika
Maeda Kokoro
Takase Kurumi
Ichioka Reina
Satoyoshi Utano

Ocha is trying! Aside from Kirara, Momo and Ruli, I don't really know anyone. It's just a modge podge. And that's not exactly the best way to rank anyone. But if I can recognize your face and your name, that counts for something.
Ocha Norma Ranking
Yonemura Kirara
Kitahara Momo
Hiromoto Ruli
Tashiro Sumire
Nakayama Natsume
Kubota Nanami
Tsutsui Roco
Nishizaki Miku
Saito Madoka
Ishiguri Kanami


Bonus for BBS (Not on my Ranking List.)

Aside from Hinoha and Yulia, I don't know anyone nor have I bothered to... yet. I'm just doing this, because I'm curious to know where they land when I do my official ranking for the new group that forms from these girls at the end of the year.
HPK'23 Unit
1. Yoshida Hinoha
2. Matsubara Yulia
3. Onoda Karin
4. Hashida Honoka
5. Murakoshi Ayana
6. Uemura Hasumi
7. Kamimura Rena


Note to my future self at the end of 2024.
With Akari and Rikako set to graduate, I KNOW they will more than likely move in the ranks for year end AND then we have newbies coming in. (At SOME point.) And the new group and maybe potentially more graduations. I look forward to see how everything moves.

[JPope]

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
------------------

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)
-
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
-------
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
-------
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
------
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
-----
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
-----
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
------
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.

[DonJuan]

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.

I've heard this from a lot of people now, and I think it's because she doesn't exactly bring anything new to the table. She's pretty and can sing decently well, which basically fills in Mizuki's role, maybe a bit of Sakura in her non-sugarcoating, as you say DGAF attitude (despite not the vocals ofc). Compared to her Mei and Homare are more exciting and fresh, and Rairi is a completely different character. From what I've seen a lot of people were hyped by KitaRio because she seemed like she could challenge the old guard, but now it looks like she simply follows them in their step.

[JPope]

From what I've seen a lot of people were hyped by KitaRio because she seemed like she could challenge the old guard, but now it looks like she simply follows them in their step.

Yeah, that's what I was getting at with my comment about her feeling more like a 12/13ki than a 15/16ki. She just settled into the upper-classmen's lunch table a little too easily, lol. All my initial hype about her becoming a center was based on her forcing the issue through performance, but it seems like it's gonna be handed to her based on her ability and willingness
to fit in with the seniors. She really is the new Fukumura in that she's entirely competent, if totally unspectacular, in everything. I don't dislike KitaRio, but I'm annoyed at how much she's seemingly embraced an era that I'm keen to have MM move on from.

[DonJuan]

Oh I totally get that, that's why she's not really high for me either.

[JPope]

Hello!ProFandomInfo (@hpfandominfo) has been running "mini electioins" for H!P groups on Twitter, and this was the result of the MM vote:

1. Sakurai Rio - 172
2. Sakura Oda - 167
3. Ayumi Ishida - 128
4. Miki Nonaka - 118
5. Erina Ikuta - 107
6. Maria Makino - 102
7. Mei Yamazaki - 100
8. Reina Yokoyama - 99
9. Rio Kitagawa - 96
10. Homare Okamura - 94
11. Akane Haga - 76
12. Ako Yumigeta - 31
13. Haruka Inoue - 15

https://twitter.com/hpfandominfo/status ... 8507805128


H!P Twitter leans pretty heavily toward the longer-serving members, but even they can't deny the Rairii Express.

[kira]

I'm only posting top 20. My bias swang heavily towards j=j, tsubaki, and anju last year so my rankings reflect that. Reirei and Kamiko being top were not surprising, they've probably been my top bias for the past few years now.
1. Inoue Rei
2. Kamikokuryo Moe
3. Dambara Ruru
4. Takeuchi Akari
5. Kawamura Ayano
6. Fukuda Marine
7. Ono Mizuho
8. Akiyama Mao
9. Sasaki Rikako
10. Onoda Saori
11. Matsumoto Wakana
12. Matsunaga Riai
13. Kawana Rin
14. Yofuu Runo
15. Ebata Kisaki
16. Ise Layla
17. Tanimoto Ami
18. Sakurai Rio
19. Irie Risa
20. Kishimoto Yumeno