There's two kind of popularity, within the fandom and general public. Hinachima doesn't sell HS ticket more than Kaede, she's not a senbatsu member, but she's busy enough to miss Nogi's summer tour.
If you're a strong handshake seller, your position in senbatsu couldn't be undeserved or a "crime". Of all the 3rd gen members included in senbatsu since now she's not even the less popular one. I think some people understimate her, just because there are lot of strong 3rd gen members doesn't mean that some of the ones that aren't as strong as them aren't still doing great. And it's not like she's always been a permanent senbatsu member: she's been included in the last 2 singles on the 3rd row, but she could have a comeback as an under member in the next ones.
That's why I said "objective metric". Hinachima might be busy but are the thing she's busy with popular with the general public? How big are her stage plays? General public popularity is a lot harder to measure. And it doesn't really apply to Hinachima anyway since she always sells out her HS slots, she just only gets allocated 25 instead of 30. She sold out in the fourth round already. If you said its a crime Hinachima isn't in senbatsu, or also Yamazaki Rena who also has good HS sells, then I think that would be a fair statement to make. But I don't think that applies Junna. There is nothing that points to Junna being more popular than Kaede, Hinachima, or Rena, not with fans or with the general public.
Getting outside job is meant they know your name. Chima or Junna stage play maybe not that big, but it's better than don't have any I'm not saying Junna is more popular than Kaede, nor Kaede on senbatsu is a crime. It's just my opinion about popularity. In my opinion, popularity should goes two ways, within the fandom and in general public. Ikoma is not the best HS seller, but she's on of the most, if not the most, recognizable member by the public.
It means the casting director knows your name, not necessarily the GP. It usually means your management company has clout with the production company. Even members of Sakura Gakuin (who have absolutely no traction with the GP, especially compared to anyone in Sakamichi) have been in stage plays, since Amuse has clout in the industry and can get them auditions. Not to disparage Chima's or Junna's stage play work, it's awesome and commendable, I just don't think that's a good indicator of GP popularity. Ikoma is definitely someone who's GP popularity is higher than HS sales would indicate. But that's a lot harder to measure than HS sales.
I mean, ofc you'll be more popular than your HS flop results if you've been chosen by management as face of the group and center of their first 6 singles + got a Kennin position in AKB, when AKB was still way bigger than Nogi. But that's an extreme example cause that's fortunately the only case in Nogizaka where there's that difference. We all know Ikoma's case was special. Despite that, I'm pretty sure Maiyan is way more popular and known by japanese people at this point. She's literally everywhere there: in big CM companies, billboards, drama, shows, modelling, photobooks etc. And centered on JRA winning songs.
come on, Denji's push is not that dangerous. And very logic, imo. Be fair, her current state are better than let's say, Ririan (sorry Ririan). The two get two consecutive 3rd row sembatsu With senbatsu and a modelling push for GRL, Denji on positive trend. Her popularity is growing steadly. While Ririan continue to decline. Ririan is younger, but currently Denji has more appeal as Nogi member. With her photogenic look, balance posture (lean body and small head), no wonder that management put her as one of GRL image model. It's seem Denji recieve Maichun like push, in my opinion.
No it's not. It's just that you don't like her and you saw her as the easiest target to say "Junna deserves her senbatsu spot".
It's unpopular opinion, it's never a crime. I never get Kaede's hype as well even if her HS justifies her position. Especially people who says she's pretty. In terms of beauty I would say she is on the bottom 3 of 3rd gens.
If she doesn't appeal you doesn't mean her senbatsu spot is a crime. Facts are that she's not even the "weakest" senbatsu member and she's "stronger" than Junna, so her spot is not less deserved than others. Get over it.
She is the weakest senbatsu member though. Out of all the current senbatsu members she wouldn’t even touch top 20. CTFU.
What's wrong with Denchan? She's got lots of potential to become the cutest; I remember watching the Jinrou game (I think Game 1) and was floored by her beauty. It's just kind of inconsistent lol; there're times when she looks cute (like in her coming-of-age ceremony pics) and times when she doesn't (like in her profile pics). I think slowly she'll learn how to make herself stand out, and lots of people are realizing that including mgmt. I agree about Junna tho. She is really underated. Ikoma is a special case. She might not be popular in HS, but remember 35000 people come to tribute her last handshake. Fans might not oshi her, but they respect her greatly. She's sort of incomparable, especially to later gens, since I think many considers her something like a "founding member", who is no longer popular in HS but it'd be ungrateful to put her in Under.
Current Senbatsu Top 20 1. Maiyan 2. Asuka 3. Ikuta 4. Yoda Miona Mizuki 5. Manatsu Kazumin Kuboshi Momoko Minamin 6.Reika Ringo Hoshino 7. Maichun and Kii 8. Inoue and Renka 9. Riria Miria Denjirou Den chan is definitely at the bottom of senbatsu but that doesn't mean Junna is most deserving than her . I like Junna but she needs to deliver numbers to be considered . Maybe Junna could take Riria and Miria spot instead.
Instead of grouping members rank them individually. Kaede’s first senbatsu was Naachans last and her numbers certainly did not justify her selection. A great solution to this would be for management to reduce the size of senbatsu. It’s way too big and it’s letting in girls that back in e.g. 2014 wouldn’t be selected due to HS sales. Minus Ikoma for obvious reasons. I understand the fandom has drastically increased meaning more girls are gaining fans they wouldn’t have 2 or so years ago increasing HS sales etc etc. But still.
This. Handshake sales are a proxy for the revenue that a member brings in. Who's buying Nogi products? Who's watching the shows, reading the magazines? Who's making money for Sony and AkiP? You look at the handshake sales (and Showroom viewerships and gifts, and in-game purchases, etc.). Kawamura was the best singer of Nogi and she and Ichiki were the best dancers of Nogi. But if they're not bringing in as much revenue as others, if they're not as popular with the fans that literally financially support the group, then they become under. But it's not so bad now that Nogi is successful. As others have said, even being under isn't *that* bad, appearing individually in stage plays, tv shows, magazines, radio, etc. They used to do a lot more rotation in sembatsu, like before the 10th single (so that almost every gen 1 got at least one sembatsu single except for the relatively early graduates), but it seems that they've stopped that and now with perma-fukujin members, they really can only rotate between the row 3 and under row 1 regulars. Similar to what vshav said, I think Nogi in reality is currently 3 tiers. The first tier is fukujin, the second is row 3 and under row 1, and the third is the rest of under. You really can't rotate most of the fukujin out, as so many of them really are that valuable, talented, and popular. So for better or for worse, it seems there won't be much rotation from fukujin at least until all the perma-fukujin gen 1s have graduated. Going back to the other point, row 3 and under row 1 are quite close in handshake sales, so like gish0046 said, this is the (only) place one can really argue for whether it's "a crime" to have one member in or out. IIRC, the handshake sales show that management definitely boosted up Tamami to sembatsu this time while Renachi could have deserved it. If I had to guess who goes back to under in the future, it would be Tamami. Generally agree, except Mattsun IMO is way above the others you have in the 6th rank. I would put Manatsu and Mattsun in 4. Kazumin, too, probably. Sayunyan seems to be a solid row 3 (despite seemingly spending all her time in stage plays lol), but she does still have the handshake sales to back her up. I might put her in the same rank as Maichun. Agree but I think these two statements contradict each other lol. Junna's handshake sales are nowhere near Riria's and Miria's. The handshake sales have to be at least in the same territory before they can be rotated by management.
Iirc, on 21st single HS event, Ranze, Miria, Rena, Ayane, Nakada, Higuchi sold out their HS sales while Denchan is 21/30. But we all know who's getting senbatsu in next single between them. But after that Denchan is getting stronger on HS sales after her first senbatsu.
4th gen's Ayamen and kakehashi coming for Kaede's spot In an Ideal world ; everyone could be rotated if they are equal in popularity ; charisma and mgt preference but real world isn't like that. Some girls(Current FUKUJIN) have more value than others and there also an immediate priority to members that cultivate the field for nogi to prosper (1st gen Perma Senbatsu) . Miria ; ayane ; Tamami and Riria are the sacrificial piece for 4th gen to enter. Kaede's case is a unique one - mgt put quite a gamble on her
