There are a million other things I should be doing. Instead I'm sitting around speculating.

[matataku_hoshi]

Exhibit A: Graph covers.  I had to go as far back as 2002 in order to find siennes on a Graph cover who never made top (current non-top siennes don't count since they're still on their way up).  These were Asazumi Kei and Yumeki Noa...it seemed to be something of a wakate (young person) year, and their careers are always unpredictable I suppose.

Exhibit B: Graph pin-ups. They seem to have started in 2003.  Before then it was a special fold-out calendar with whoever was on the cover that month.  I can't find anyone who is not a current/retired top star or a current sienne on their way to the top.

Exhibit C: Talk Deluxe.  Sometimes this includes otokoyaku members all the way down to yonbante.  Sometimes it's just the the top and the nibante.  Whenever the sanbante isn't included, it seems to be a bad sign for their career.  To give an example, both Tatsuki You and Ryouga Haruhi were third from the top, but weren't included in Talk Deluxe.  Tatsuki You has retired, and Ryouga Haruhi will be doing so in December :(

Point 1: We Can't Seem to Get Through a Post Without Mentioning Micchan at Least a Little. Micchan was announced as December's Graph pin-up.  She also moved up to the A-side of the desktop calendars, which is where the tops and nibante tend to be (12 months in a year - 5 top stars - 5 nibante = two extra spaces.  Kimu has one, apparently Micchan has the other).  Nothing is a guarantee in this world (and especially not in Takarazuka Land), but these are good signs. 

I wouldn't say I resented the wakate (Masaki, Mirio, Tomomin, etc. etc. etc.) for getting covers before Micchan (as it seemed to be the theme for this year), but it always felt a little strange.  The announcement of the Graph pin-up to me shows that the company still is interested in her I never really thought she was in danger, but lately a lack of momentum is just as dangerous as anything else.  Honestly  I go back and forth on how I feel about Micchan as seriously star-track.  But since it's out of my control I will take the good points of whichever way it goes <3

Point 2: Miwacchi. Now what I don't get is Miwacchi's recent treatment.  Don't get me wrong, I'm fond of her.  But what is she doing on a cover, and with someone six years younger than her no less?

Miwacchi has been stuck in the hanagumi traffic jam for the last few years, but with Yuuhi transferring out she seems to have finally moved up to sanbante.  She even has a Graph cover, even if it's one shared with someone much younger than her.

...and yet she wasn't included in the Talk Deluxe along with Matobun and Sou.

I don't get it.  Is the company serious about her or not?

Point 3: Yumiko and Kimu. For all that I've tried to make the point that people on Graph covers almost always make top, I worry about Yumiko.  She doesn't appear on any calendars past April, and there is speculation that she's getting old.  I really hope I'm wrong :(

Also, Mizu probably only has a few years left in her at the very most.  Yumiko would seem like the logical choice as a successor, but if she retires, who is yukigumi's next top star?  Kimu is promoted enough that I could see her jumping up a la Osa, but then that dashes the idea that she would move into tsukigumi to be Kiriyan's nibante.

I worry about Yumiko retiring not just because I like Yumiko and think she deserves it, but also for Kimu's sake.  Kimu gets flak sometimes for being a fast-moving up-and-coming young thing.  Not everyone agrees with me, but I really think she is that good.  She's an incredible actress, has amazing stage presence, and is a pretty good singer to boot.  I hate to think of the backlash were she to be promoted over Yumiko.

But Hankyu seems to enjoy throwing us off, so it's not like things will turn out even remotedly how I'm thinking.  But I do attempting predicting XD

If you got through all of that, you get a brownie :D

Comments

[muirin.livejournal.com]

Speculation FUN (okay, probably less fun when it's about about retirements :/).

First off all, yay! for Micchan getting her first (right?) Graph pin-up. I think the position she's in at the moment seems comfortable and right. Since my Top-Star-Sensor is nearly non-existant, so my predictions are pretty much worthless ^_^;; Well, I'd like to see her shine like that some day <3

I was rather surprised by Miwacchi's current boost - not only the Graph cover, but her general coverage, her sanbante-ness & so on. Of course, she's gotten leads in the past years, but yet something feels different. Not that I'm unhappy about those current development. Even if she isn't doing much for me, I can still appreciate how an otokoyaku, who may not fit 100% into currently pushed seito "images", is getting promoted.
(Could someone please give Mattsu a good ol' push? Thank you.)

Well, as for Kacha - I'm very excited about what lies ahead of her. God, she's grown up so much <3 I can still remember how I started noticing her <3 So, Hankyu has surprised us already and I think she's also a very interesting type, just like Miwacchi. Maybe that's why they thought "Let's go for it!" with the current cover? :D

Yumiko :/ I have the worst kind of feelings :/ I really really like her and enjoy her so much on stage <3 Usually I don't regard making Top a necessity for every actress I like, because there are many of them who shine brightly as "supporting" characters and well, let's stay realistic :) But in case of Yumiko, I'd like to see her with those feathers standing in the center at least once <3

And concerning Kimu I sadly can't say much, not seen enough of her.

Maybe I should hand back the brownie? ^_^; I'm gonna add an extra muffin ^_^♥

[muffin-song.livejournal.com]

Ditto on Yumiko. I think it was because she was such a late bloomer, and she's worked so hard to improve herself and her charisma in yukigumi. It seems like a waste to not acknowledge that :/

Maybe I should hand back the brownie? ^_^; I'm gonna add an extra muffin ^_^♥

Yay, muffins! XD