Posted 12 July 2011 - 12:23 AM
Even if there wasn't a senbatsu election, there would still be girls who "get to do jack squat".
It depends on many things. It depends on the girl, it depends on management, it depends on agency, it depends on TV shows (who do they want/choose for their show), it depends on fans (who do they like).
As for the girl, it's very easy: You don't have to be a good singer. You don't have to be a good dancer. You don't have to be super model pretty. What you have to have is personality, and more importantly, you have to dare to step out of your comfort zone, and put yourself in the spotlight.
Not everybody dares to do this. But those who do gets to showcase themselves. A girl like Chiichan or Micha for example have wonderful qualities, but these two are shy and silent. Where do you see them? What do they do? It's mainly the theater shows, otherwise it's rare to see them somewhere else. This is an important job of course. Do not underestimate that of being a good performer in the theater. This is the heart of AKB48. But perhaps fans wants something more from them or other girls. But not everybody can be a Tomochin or a Sayaka or a Yuko etc.
Something that does baffle me, is the case of Chikarina for example. Great singer, great dancer, hot body, pretty, extrovert, super happy. Yet very low on mixi rankings, and does not make top 40 in senbatsu. I guess she's just not popular. "Why" eludes me...
But to say that she shouldn't have auditioned in the first place is something I object to, and probably something she too objects to. She does get to do things, and she does appear here and there.
The idol world is not some sort of utopian democracy, or a kids-race, where everybody are #1 ("Yay we're all winners!! Woo!"). There will be super popular girls, popular girls, in the middle, below, not so popular girls and girls that are virtually ignored. Might not be so fun, but it's reality. Nothing can change it.
I can add something to this:
In the world of Japanese entertainment, there's many facets, many levels. A hierarchy if you will.
Of the struggling idols in the 48 groups, they are at the top level of where idol groups are, solely because the 48 groups are the most popular and dominating ones. If they were in say H!P Eggs, they would be much, much lower. If they were in Doki Doki Dream Campus or one of the idol groups at this level or below, they would be virtually unknown. These are groups that hardly even enter the Oricon Top 30. So, to be a low level 48 member is much better. It means you have opportunities. You have chances to make an impact.
Outside the sphere of these types of idols, theres also IV and U15 idols.
Some of the most popular U15 girls are girls who can't even compete against the low level idol girls of above (even if they have PB's, DVD's etc.). They are popular, but within a niche market that is extremely limited, both in scope and longevity. And in the world of IV and U15 there's countless of girls who struggle hard to make it there, a place where being on the top don't really mean much in general compared to the sort of idols we're into here on H!O.
So, having made it to AKB48 or NMB48 is a very good thing, even if you're not a front girl. You have a lot of opportunities. And even if you don't make a career for yourself outside of/after the group, you at least were in a popular idol group.
What concerns senbatsu when it comes to AKB48 my personal opinion is that it should be AKB48 girls in AKB48, SKE48 girls in SKE48, NMB48 girls in NMB48 etc. Not because I hate a group or some girls (I love all of them a lot, and I buy their releases) - I know some have this as reason for what I just mentioned, but not for me.
Anyways, the only issue I have with more 48 groups is that it possibly means more expenses for me, in addition to the fact that it gets basically impossible to follow everything.... So there's that...