Zunu wrote:iceymoon wrote:℃-ute certainly isn't putting themselves out there personality-wise, they had many years when they were less popular than Berryz and they weren't doing anything special about it except trying to improve their skill, which all groups do. Berryz just can't show that off as much because they have more members and more diversity in the skills of their members, so while some have improved at dancing, some have improved at singing, some have improved at expressions, and some have improved at talking, there's always someone who is not good in those areas that drags the overall level of the group down. and then they still have the awkwardness due to their lack of cohesive look to contend with.
You're omitting the fact that C-ute jettisoned its members who didn't want to be there and that's why they are now so cohesive both as performers and (seemingly) as colleagues. They may not all be equally skilled but nobody's half-assing it on stage, because they all feel invested. Berryz still have their half-assed performers, and what's worse, they're half of the assets in the group. Forget subunit; at least two of 'em need to point blank graduate out of H!P and try their luck in one of the other Up-Front stables. Maybe they'll end up marrying millionaire sports figures. More likely, they'll shack up with some leftover J.P.ROOM performers.
EDIT: I should add that I really don't care about their poor sales. Plus, I think this single is awesome.
true, but i didn't want to make assumptions on how them girls would have progressed had they still been in the group. i definitely think ℃-ute benefitted from the graduations, though. the Maimi/Nakky/Airi combo already were able to provide good performances, and that's a majority. MaiMai took a while to catch up to their performance level, but she was younger and she did get there eventually. she definitely could have gone the way of say, Chinami, but she didn't. i think Chisato came close to (having admitted she didn't try very hard for the dances until she started doing YouTube covers) but eventually rose her level as well, though imo it wasn't that noticeable until she started getting more of a lead vocal role (which is also when ℃-ute was becoming THE dance group and so she probably had more pressure or self-awareness of not wanting to lag behind).
Berryz doesn't have that. it's okay to be mediocre at dancing cuz there are plenty of other mediocre dancers in the group. that's why i proposed them splitting up (not sub-unit.. straight-up break up Berryz and put them in groups that suit their strengths). Risako would need to stop half-assing dances if she only has Miya and Saki in front of her. i think she is plenty capable, she just has no reason to step it up right now. and it may even be easier because she would have more singing lines in a 3-person group with only 2 lead vocalists, so it might be easier to put more energy into the dance when you're spending less time dancing?
i could have proposed that the other girls just graduate, but 1) i want to give them a chance
if they haven't made the decision to graduate yet, maybe they really still want to be idols. but they do better with energetic/fun songs.. Chinami and Maasa and even Yurina just are more compelling in something like cha cha SING, 2) Momo does not need to graduate due to lack of talent/charisma/etc, yet if you put her with Miya and Risako out front she already messes with their cohesiveness.
so i think Momo is a combo breaker in the coolness that the leads of Berryz have going, and the the other girls bring down the group in terms of cool singing/dancing. my solution is to make Momo her own group, featuring the Berryz girls that shine more in the upbeat songs: Chinami, Maasa, and Yurina.
if anyone needs to graduate in this equation it's Yurina (and i love her). she is lacking charisma, and though she does better in energetic songs than in cool ones, she still is lagging behind. she's better in photos than in motion, so a life in modeling is probably more suited to her. Momo, Chinami and Maasa could pull off a decent fun-type unit.