As unfortunate as this year’s Kouhaku performance was for Hello! Project, was it all that different from the treatment they’ve been receiving at this event in recent years?
For a while now, H!P has had to clump together various units under the guise of a medley just to get them in Kouhaku in the first place. W and Def. Diva immediately come to mind, and they had the advantage of featuring Musumes the general public recognizes, which the H!P Kids don’t. It would have been much more surprising - albeit more satisfying for fans - if C-ute and Berryz Koubo each received their own slot. It would have meant that they were recognized by Kouhaku as distinct groups with their own value, and not just the backup dancers and metaphorical little sisters of Morning Musume. That just hasn’t happened yet.
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