So, rankings of the current line-up:
1. Takahashi Ai
She is absolutely fabulous. She has one of the best voices in H!P in my opinion and this girl can dance. I found she looked a little awkward when she first joined MM (but then again, the entire 5th gen did), but from her first solo line in "Souda! We're ALIVE" I was just wowed by her voice. Even in live performances, she sang it well (if you compare her singing her line in that song to Risa singing hers in live performances... well, there's just no comparison). So many people say that she has no personality, but I've always found her to be an interesting character to watch. I don't understand much Japanese (I'm working on fixing that) but while she's definitely not the most outspoken member, she definitely has her funny moments. And much like my reason for having Miyabi as my favourite Berryz member, Takahashi's consistency and talent just make her hands down my favourite MM member.
2. Niigaki Risa
This girl has definitely grown up from the 12 year old kid who joined in 2001. She wasn't one of my favourites back then because she was really inconsistent live. And she was awkward in interviews (as was Takahashi, but she was such a consistent performer, that I could overlook the interviewing awkwardness). However, she has developed both as a singer (I find she's pretty consistent during performances now, and her voice has matured into a nice quality than it had been initially), and in regards to her persona within the group. She exudes this energy all the time that just puts a smile on your face. She's definitely an interesting character.
3./4. Tanaka Reina and Kamei Eri
Not sure which one I like more from these 2. Reina obviously gets more lines, but I don't know whose voice I like more. However, I found both of them absolutely hilarious in one of the Hello! Morning episodes a few years back when they had a guy come in and teach them English. Reina with her "angry" story involving "people people people" on the elevator:
- Tanaka was in a full elevator, but even though it was full, people kept stuffing themselves in.
- "Reina! イっパイ elevator... man power? 人 ヒト! ヒ~ト! ジン! people? People イッパイ... マア イッパイ... walk walk walk.... Elevator people people people people.... Reina ポッ~ン... Wow! People people..... Wow wow wow party party. hungry?"
- http://wiki.theppn.org/Hello%21_Morning_Episode_265
- Kamei ate some cheese in the refrigerator before finding out that it was meant to be dog food.
- "Cheese Box Cool. Cool box. Refrigerator in cheese. Cheese in refrigita. Cheese in refri... gerator. My hand cheese hand in hand in. Hand in cheese? Cheese in hand. I eat cheese in refrigerator. But mother talk dog food. "dog cheese". My shock."
5./6./7. Mitsui Aika, Jun Jun and Lin Lin
8th gen... I dunno much about them, 'cause as I mentioned, I haven't been following MM very much recently. I see watch the PVs, but I haven't really watched interviews and I haven't been keeping up with Haro Moni. I can't remember off the top of my head which one it is, but from what I've seen, I'm not a big fan on either Jun Jun or Lin Lin's voice.
8. Michishige Sayumi
This girl just gets on my nerves. No offense to those who full out <3 the girl, but she can't sing and her cutesy image absolutely rubs me the wrong way. For some reason, this section of my post (and the start of #9) keeps disappearing, so I'm tired of re-writing this... I'm forgetting what I wrote already. Let's just say I find her cute image irritating rather than endearing.
9. Kusumi Koharu
Now I just don't understand the hype surrounding this girl. How Tsunku chose her as the "ace"/"miracle" girl will forever boggle my mind. She can't sing for the life of her and she's so prominent right now. Theppn mentioned she was the top selling H!P soloist for 2006. How in the world did that happen? >_< Unless, she was the one with the most releases... Seeing as Ayaya has been kinda AWOL in the music scene (though I'd take a break too if I was diagnosed with temporomandibular joint disorder). But then again, flat out cuteness does seem to sell over singing talent. It really bothers me 'cause she's terrible live. And when she's solo, I don't think I've actually heard her live (I only see her live in the H!P concerts, and it all sounds very lip synced to me). Another point from theppn: She said she prefers the "cool" personas over the "cute" personas, with Hitomi and Miki being the MM members she admired the most (back when they were members) and yet her mentor figure is Michishige?... How does that work? Unless she didn't choose her mentor... But yea... She wouldn't bother me so much if she wasn't singled out for her fabulousness (which I simply don't see). One thing she's got is that she's pretty. I'll give her that. And I fully believe that this girl is going to grow up to be gorgeous. Some pictures I've seen of her have absolutely wowed me. However, the quality of her voice is not good... Maybe she'll surprise me in the future and develop much like Risa did. But for the moment, I don't see the "ace" that Tsunku does.
A mix including former MM members:
1. Ishikawa Rika
The quality of her voice is definitely not the greatest, but her ability to ham it up has just always fascinated me. She is able to play off a cute persona without annoying the heck out of me. And her ability to laugh at herself and accept teasing from the other members has made her very endearing to me. She was the first MM member that caught my eye (keep in mind that the first MM PV I saw was "The Peace"), and something about her has just kept her in my favourites list. My love for Rika is irrational, but what can you do? I <3 Charmy!
2. Takahashi Ai
For the reasons above
3. Yoshizawa Hitomi
Her gruff/boyish character has always been a joy to watch. All of her characters in the Haro Moni skits were fabulous. I particularly love her old man character (where Rika played her wife). And Yossie has a fabulous voice as well. Her consistency to very good now, and definitely improved compared to back in the day. I remember watching some of The Peace! live performances and cringing at some of her lines (as well as some of Nacchi's). But once they released Mr. Moonlight, I was wowed by her voice. It's very distinct within H!P. I would be able to pick her out anytime (just as I could with Takahashi and Fujimoto).
4. Niigaki Risa
For the reasons above.
5. Ogawa Makoto
I thought she needed a bit more screen time in general. Her constantly "genki" attitude was always entertaining to watch. And I loved all of her skit characters. I enjoyed her voice as well, but unfortunately she never got many lines.
6. Konno Asami
As the smartest member of MM, as evidenced by the Mechaike Bakajo Kimatsu Test, Konkon grew on me. I didn't like her much when she first joined. Her singing voice is definitely not spectacular, but something about her is just so endearing.
7. Yaguchi Mari
SEXY BEAM!! MINI MONI! Enough said.
8. Tsuji Nozomi
Tsuji (partnered with Kago) has always been an amusing character. But I really started to pay attention to her after I watched the concert where they performed songs from the 4th album, 4th Ikimasshoi! Prior to that, she was always using her cutesy voice, but in that particular concert, there was a particular line that she had in "Ikimasshoi!" and I was just like... :O That was Tsuji?!? I was surprised and impressed by the quality of her voice when it wasn't cute and high pitched. So, while she's enjoyable with the cute voice, I really like it when Tsuji belts it out.
I'll just list the rest. No more accompanying paragraphs.
9. Kago Ai (4th gen comes in second).
10. Yasuda Kei - Enjoyed her English lessons with Ayaka.
11. Iida Kaori - Such fun to watch the dancing... XD
12. Nakazawa Yuko
13/14. Tanaka Reina/Kamei Eri
15. Abe Natsumi - Was never one of my faves, though I also enjoyed her English lessons.
16. Goto Maki - Another who was never one of my faves. But highly enjoyed GoMaki Penguin on Hello! Morning.
17. Fujimoto Miki - Very distinct voice, but was never a big Miki fan, even pre-MM Miki.
18/19/20. Mitsui Aika, Jun Jun, Lin Lin
21. Michishige Sayumi
22. Kusumi Koharu
* Note: Ishiguro Aya, Fukuda Asuka and Ichii Sayaka were graduated by the time I got into MM, so no particular thoughts on them, though was always amused by the "Nice body, body body" of Aya's in "Love Machine"
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