Posted 09 October 2011 - 05:52 AM
Of course, popularity is a complicated thing. I'm just saying, I think talent is one of the many factors influencing it. You can't just discount talent entirely. Maybe Miyabi gets more lines because she's a good singer, and she's more popular because she gets more lines. Even if it's only having more lines that makes her popular, indirectly, she still is more popular because she's a better singer. The point is if Miyabi (not the prettiest and not the most interesting in the group*) also had a poor voice, she almost certainly wouldn't be pushed, so she wouldn't get the lines, so she wouldn't be popular.
It's easy to say that if a girl gets pushed more, she will become more popular, BUT they don't pick girls to push (or even add to the groups) at random (despite what some people here seem to think). They push the girls they think can draw in the most fans, so it's really a cyclical thing. They want to push the girls who have "star power", some outstanding qualities. Maybe it's a pretty face (Sayumi), maybe it's an entertaining personality (Koharu), maybe it's outstanding dancing skills...and loli wota appeal (Riho) or maybe it's a stand-out voice (Ai-chan). Part of the reason Ai-chan became such a star was her voice. I very much doubt she'd have become as popular as she did if she was a mediocre singer, both because she wouldn't have gotten such an overwhelming amount of lines, and because some people really are her fans because she has a lovely voice.
Right now, we've seen very little of 10th gen performing, but I expect Ayumi to get more of a prominent role in the songs than Masaki at first just because Masaki will likely struggle more with her singing and dancing, so they won't want to put her in front before she's ready. And IF I'm correct in that guess, Ayumi could end up catching up to or passing Masaki.
*I don't dislike Miyabi. I'm just trying to look at it objectively
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