1. Nakayama Natsume - Namida no Iro - 8.0/10
Above all else, Natsume is definitely a performer and puts that above anything else. I could ask for more vocal ability, and I think that she could deliver it if that were asked of her, but it would still be secondary any showcase she gave as a performer in the agency.
2. Yofuu Runo - Umarete no baby Love - 7.8/10
Runo seems way more stable than she has any right to be for someone so new to the program. There are some hiccups here and there, the rhythm could use some work, and nothing here is earth shattering, but her voice wouldn't sound out of place in any existing group.
3. Hashida Honoka - One Summer Night - 7.0/10
Unrefined excellence is a good way to describe her voice. Even if she doesn't quite have the skill, nothing about her voice in this performance is in any way offensive to the senses. Given time and practice, I could imagine her being one of the better performers in H!P.
4. Uemura Hasumi - Miss Love Tantei - 6.7/10
What she lacks in her voice, she makes up for in presence. She's all over the place and rarely had control of her vocals, but never let it get to her as she finished the song. That's a kind of confidence that will help immensely as she continues learning in the program.
5. Yonemura Kirara - Kiseki no Kaori Dance - 8.3/10
I've always had high expectations of Kirara, and she doesn't disappoint. Never one to take the easy way out, she picks a song that forces her to challenge herself. It doesn't show off her strengths, which is a regular issue with her song choices, but it also shows that there aren't a lot of faults to hold her back. There's still more she could learn to improve her vocal abilities, but she's already an excellent performer and I've felt that she's been ready to debut for a few years now. (Edit: Kirara confirmed on Harodori that she wouldn't attempt to win, because she would feel too nervous if that were her goal)
6. Kitahara Momo - Tokaiko Junjou - 7.7/10
I'd like to think I'm fairly good at spotting potential, so my ego gets a little inflated here seeing my first impression favorite out of the new batch of trainees deliver a performance that is at least on par with something I'd expect from a debuted idol's birthday event after being in a group for a couple of years. While not technically impressive, she was more stable than I'd have expected from a trainee at this point, and her stage presence is quite impressive.
7. Murakoshi Ayana - Tabidachi no Haru ga Kita - 7.0/10
As practiced as I'm sure every performance tonight will be, this performance seems particularly practiced, maybe even to a fault. She almost seemed a little too focused on her movements. Her vocals worked well enough and her dance was passable. If anything, it seems like everything was so practiced that she didn't try to show off any strengths in favor of making everything fit together. There's a lot of good here that I can see, but may need a little bit more work before her strengths can become more apparent.
8. Nishizaki Miku - Special Generation - 7.7/10
I'm fairly impressed. I'd have expected her to be a little more out of breath or to have a little more trouble, but she was in full control of her performance throughout. While there's no real bar for what is required to debut, this performance would surely pass those expectations.
9. Onoda Karin - HitoSore - 7.8/10
A brave choice in song, but she nailed it well enough. She doesn't have the vocals of J=J, but it was still a very strong showing, especially for a trainee. She might be able to benefit from a little bit more training, but there's nothing here that would hold her back from performing with more experienced singers and holding her own.
10. Kubota Nanami - Watshi no Miryoku - 7.5/10
Kubota's voice is really cute, but with a strength that helps her stand out. What she lacks in technical ability, she makes up for with an aura of confidence. There's still room for improvement, but this performance was still quite impressive and I'd like to see more of what she can bring to the table in the future.
11. Hirayama Yuki - Come With Me - 8.5/10
Is this really a KSS?? This performance went beyond anything I expected. Her technique isn't perfect, but her voice sounds amazing and took full ownership of that stage with a power that no KSS should have.
12. Saito Madoka - Konya Dake - 7.8/10
I love her voice, and she puts so much into her performance. I would love to see her debut and challenge herself a bit more. She can punch above her weight with her performances for both vocals and dancing, so moving up a level might be the best way to push her forward even more.
13. Ebata Kisaki - 21ji Made - 7.6/10
So cute, and she had so much fun with this song. Nothing technically to show off, but considering the song, the stability shown is still quite impressive. Add the dancing, and it becomes even more impressive
14. Tamenaga Shion - Daite yo! Please go on - 8.0/10
She's had a bit of time in the program to improve by now, and she didn't waste a moment. Compared to her previous exam performance, this was night and day. Not only has she improved in every percievable aspect, but it was just an outright good all-round performance. If there are any debuts under consideration, she should be in the running.
15. Matsubara Yuliya - Akai Earphone - 7.8/10
She has just gotta be the cutest. It's hard to believe this is the same person person that seemed so hopeless to even follow along with a lesson. She still has a lot of work that can be done with her voice, and her dancing still isn't as sharp as it could be, but she just has so much charisma and she's such a loveable goofball that I can't help but want to see her join a group and have a bit more freedom to come into her own.
16. Yamada Ichigo - Shall We Love? - 7.2/10
Ichigo has been a long-term project, but she's really coming along now. There's not a lot of stability, and things are still a bit rough, but the base level of her performance is rising at a reasonable enough rate that she probably still has more untapped potential to be seen if she's given more of a challenge in the future.
17. Ishiguri Kanami - Resonant Blue - 8.6/10
Resonant Blue isn't a song where someone has a lot of chances to be very impressive, but Kanami is an exellent performer. I've felt that she's been ready for a debut for a while now, and this certainly continues to contribute to that feeling.
18. Hiramoto Ruri - Tachiagirl - 8.2/10
This was a really cute performance. She wasn't in control at all times, but with her dancing and the level of performance she was giving, I'm surprised she wasn't any more out of breath by the end of the song. She has so much energy to give, she could probably give Ikuta Erina a run for her money, but there were some times where she seemed almost restrained like she was afraid to give more. This is another instance where I wouldn't be entirely surprised if she were given a debut soon.