Goodlookingstrippedsingers Es Http Auburn Edu Administration Univrel News Archive 11 02news 11 02pacemaker Good Looking Stripped Singers WOTA (in training) - Evaluation and Predictions of 9th Gen Morning Musume

I'm going to first talk about each of the audition finalists for two categories: singing and dancing.  My judgments will be based on this TV special that was aired and then uploaded online by fans.  Then I will make my prediction about who will make it in and who I would select for the 9th generation.  Feel free to share your predictions, choices, and opinions in the comment section.

Finalists
生田衣梨奈 Erina Ikuta, 13
Singing: She isn't that strong vocally.  Her voice sounds okay (it is high pitched) but she has difficulty holding the notes smoothly. 
Dancing: She is not the best dancer, but I would place her at second best of the five.

鈴木香音 Kanon Suzuki, 12
Singing: I thought she sounded off key, but I am comparing her to the other finalists who are all much higher pitched than she is.  She is the only one with a deeper voice.
Dancing: No good.  She seems awkward and lacks rhythm and flow, so even when she gets the moves right they don't look good.  After practicing she did improve the performance aspect by smiling and exuding confidence.  

鞘師里保 Riho Sayashi, 12
Singing: She seems fine in this department.
Dancing: She is by far the best dancer of the group.  She would be a good replacement for Kamei Eri who was known to be the best dancer of the 2 year, 9-nin line-up.

茂木美奈実 Minami Mogi, 11
Singing: I don't think she is that good.  It may be due to her nerves, which are a major problem.
Dancing: Worse than her singing.  Similar to Suzuki, dancing does not come naturally to her and she was slow to process the choreography.  Unlike Suzuki, when performing in front of Tsunku she didn't make up for her uncomfortable dancing with a strong face, but with a blank one. 

大塚愛菜 Aina Otsuka, 12
Singing: She is also seems set in this category.
Dancing: She is pretty good here as well.  She picked things up pretty quick, but I don't think she shined as bright as the other two better dancers.

EGGs
The Hello Project trainees were allowed to audition for the 9th generation.  We haven't seen them included in any of the audition videos, however, it has been announced that two EGGs have completed their training.  Sengoku Minami, a member of Ongaku Gatas, is one of them however she is scheduled to perform in an upcoming musical.  The other EGG, who had originally auditioned for Morning Musume, Kikkawa Yui only upcoming event is to be part of the opening for H!P's next concert (which is probably when they'll introduce the new members of Morning Musume). 

Prediction
I think the 9th generation will be: Kikkawa Yui (EGG), Mogi Minami, Sayashi Riho, and maybe Ikuta Erina.  Plenty of H!P fans have been wishing that Kikkawa would be added to Morning Musume and the fact that she has been promoted and doesn't have any plans is a good sign that she will be added.  Sayashi (I'm going to start calling her Inu Yasha because her name is similar) is obvious star-quality and performed with Morning Musume in their musical Fashionable.  Now why would I predict the least talented member, Mogi, to make it?  She got quite some screen time as the underdog and I expect that Tsunku will add her because of that storyline.  I don't know how many Tsunku is planning on adding; he tends to have four members in a generation (4th, 5th, and 6th).  Therefore, if I had to guess the fourth will be it will probably be Ikuta.My one fear is that Tsunku, like Akimoto, is kind of a troll.  Since they aired a TV segment he will select someone from the five finalists, instead of just walking away like he had done before.  I fear that he might only pick up one member like he did for the last two auditions.  He also could consider the whole of Hello Project and keep one of the talented girls for something else (Miki Fujimoto), or even not add her.  He has had a history of not signing girls that are definitely talented: Kashiwagi Yuki, Sato Sumire, and Koda Kumi. 
  
My 9th Generation
If I could select the next generation of Morning Musume it would be: Sengoku Minami (EGG), Ikuta Erina, Suzuki Kanon, Sayashi Riho, and maybe Otsuka Aina.  I just don't see Kikkawa as a member of Morning Musume; I don't think she has what it takes to be a strong member.  I would think that if she was added she would just get pushed off to the side after her first single with them because I don't think she would bring a new element to the group.  On the other hand, Sengoku looked and performed well with Ongaku Gatas and she has worked with some of the strongest graduates of Morning Musume (4th gen's Rika and Hitomi and 5th gen's Konno).  I see her as a reliable member, but maybe not an ace.