New Kenshuusei unit Kobushi Factory

[Jessi]

I'm not saying Hamachan is an odd pick for this group though, or even wrong for H!P I think she'll be excellent. Just that it seemed strange she progress so far in that particular audition, which I suppose mean I've moved a little off the topic.

I don't think they were seriously considering her. They probably already knew that they wanted Sakura. So I think they were just using it as an opportunity to promote her.

I've never believed this theory for a second. Tsunku wanted a strong singer for that audition and Sakura was that and Hamachan wasn't.

Hamachan also cracked under pressure and began to cry. It reminded me of Mogi Minami. She probably just needed to grow up a little bit. I mean look at Maria she's grown a lot since that audition.

I'm sure Tsunku's been planning her debut for a while. Hamachan doesn't fit the Juice=Juice image and I'm guessing Hamachan doesn't fit Morning Musume even after the time passing or Tsunku doesn't let failed auditionees join and Maria only got in because of her connection to Sayumi... (Or rather on the insistence of Sayumi!)

I would have pegged Hamachan for s/mileage, but you know what I think she's gonna be center of this new group. And don't we always say that groups need only one center and not several. And with Rikako chosen for s/mileage it was probably best to save her for the new group.

[Panic Nancy]

I've never believed this theory for a second. Tsunku wanted a strong singer for that audition and Sakura was that and Hamachan wasn't.

I don't understand. Isn't that what I just said? They wanted a strong singer that would fit into the group nicely. They knew before Hamachan was chosen as a finalist that she wasn't a strong singer. She was just there so she could be promoted to a wider audience, like I said. Or it's possible that they were thinking of adding her along with the strong singer. (I thought Sakura was clearly the best singer of all the finalists, so I don't think they were really thinking of anybody else by that time. But that's just my opinion. I'm not saying that that's absolutely the way it was and there was no way it could be any other way or anything crazy like that.)

I didn't mean that they were planning from the very beginning to add Sakura, if that's what you thought I meant. I mean, they could have done that. But I obviously don't know.

[Obsidian]

Didn't Tsunku say they originally planned to have 2 members join from the final? So maybe that's true, she crumbled and they decided to go with just Sakura after all.

[Panic Nancy]

Yeah. I think he said that he was looking for a strong singer and a good dancer, and Sakura was both. Or something like that?

[aerosuffly]

I don't think they, or even Tsunku, know solidly ahead of times which kenshuusei they would be debuting and which group they would put them in, but all kenshuusei are always given chances to show their growth. If Hamachan blown everyone away in the 11th gen final exam, she might have been picked instead of Sakura, but she did not. They probably have some idea who they *want* to debut, but the there are too many factors to consider. Is the girl ready? Would she fit well with the group? How would the overall Hello! Project be? Would she be another Otsuka Aina ( )? Etc. Hamachan wasn't ready back then, but she is now. She is now an all-around performer. She has a big fanbase in Japan, including the Tower Record president . She is the most senior kenshuusei and has proven that she can lead the group. And they need a new group, so why not debuting her now.

This is getting interesting even though we just only saw one interview.

[jeiwa42]

19 more to go haha this is gonna be fun
Also, even though it sounds kinda bad, it IS understandable for her to be frustrated at Sakura, despite being her friend. At that moment, she viewed Sakura more of as "the girl who was chosen over me" more than "a person who is my friend and I should be happy for her".
She...really cracked in singing back then, but looking at her now she's no longer the same girl. Center material definitely.
Not sure if the competition was really just a show for Sakura, it might have been that they already wanted Sakura and was looking for a gen partner for her throughout the audition, or any other possibility.

Excited for more interviews, specially Murotan, Taguchi, and Minami's.

[Jessi]

I've never believed this theory for a second. Tsunku wanted a strong singer for that audition and Sakura was that and Hamachan wasn't.

I don't understand. Isn't that what I just said? They wanted a strong singer that would fit into the group nicely. They knew before Hamachan was chosen as a finalist that she wasn't a strong singer. She was just there so she could be promoted to a wider audience, like I said. Or it's possible that they were thinking of adding her along with the strong singer. (I thought Sakura was clearly the best singer of all the finalists, so I don't think they were really thinking of anybody else by that time. But that's just my opinion. I'm not saying that that's absolutely the way it was and there was no way it could be any other way or anything crazy like that.)

I didn't mean that they were planning from the very beginning to add Sakura, if that's what you thought I meant. I mean, they could have done that. But I obviously don't know.

I meant the theory that the whole audition was a set up and just for show so that they could add Sakura and have her addition seem legitimate. I thought that's what you were saying, but I must have misinterpreted.

[aerosuffly]

^x2 OH MY GOD. I really want to hear what Murotan is going to say. I never realize she is this awesome. I was at Hello! Con, and her singing blew me away. And she looks so pretty now or rather ... sexy? Yes the legs factor count, just like Hamachan.

[Amped]

Wada Sakurako interview
http://logirl.favclip.com/article/detail/292

it is the last week of January. Name should be announced this week.

[jeiwa42]

I dont really have a good grasp on Japanese but going on that link to get to Sakurako's interview, on the bottom I see a link to what seems to me might be Rio's interview (because along with it were links to Uta, Chisaki, and Hamaura's interviews).

It was posted on the 23rd, not sure if its really Fujii Rio's interview and it wasn't noticed or if its just some random article, but here it is:
http://logirl.favclip.com/article/detail/273