Haromoni News Segment

Yes, it's still keeping my mind occupied like nothing else these days ... okay, except for this year's Kouhaku, but while my mood resembles high on something whenever latter is mentioned, Haromoni's new news segment still has me worrying.

Not because it's the news segment per se. I wasn't really interested in the news back when we still had HPNews, HPH or even Maido Arii. For me, news always meant a couple of minutes with my favorite Musume on screen, which is rare to get once one of them graduates.

But news on Haromoni have always included Yuko ... until now.

Which makes me wonder ... why?

It's not that Yuko suddenly lost popularity among fans.

In fact, she's still ranked as one of the 15 most popular H!P girls in a poll spreading over various forums. #14, in fact, which may make her less popular than Ayaya, Gocchin, Nacchi or most of the current 10nin Morning Musume (except Makoto, Koharu and Sayumi), but it still makes her more popular than Nono, Kei-chan, V-u-den, and any of Berryz or Melon Kinenbi.

True, these forums are English speaking forums, but I can't believe that Yuko's charm suddenly lost any of its appeal to the Japanese fans.

So, why no news anymore?

There could be several reasons ...

1) The producers wanted to try something new. Maybe they thought fans were getting bored with the main caster never changing. If that's true, then why was Eri's last week's caster on the rollercoaster?

2) Yuko was bored of it. I can't really think of something to back this up, though, because why would she be bored of Haromoni all of a sudden? Sure, she's getting older, but that's no reason, ne?

3) She's leaving H!P. My first thought, actually, when I found out that she wouldn't be featured in the new news segment. But, seriously, if she really was leaving, wouldn't the news be plastered all over the net?

4) She's concentrating on other things right now, so less time left in her schedule. After all, she won't perform in the upcoming H!P winter concert because she's filming some tv drama at the same time, maybe they've already started filming? And remember that she's also got a concert on Dec. 23rd!

The fourth point seems to be the most plausible explanation. Maybe mix it a little with #1 and we have the result.

If that's true, then watch out, producers. This new news segment? Probably the worst ever.

Not that I don't enjoy watching Nacchi and Eri scream at the top of their lungs on the rollercoaster(s), but Eri didn't even try reading the news, and Nacchi wasn't any better.
So there was a definite lack of news in the news segment, and I'm guessing the next episode won't be any better (again, Nacchi).

Bring back Yuko as soon as she's finished filming, design a cute studio, put her in and maybe two other girls, and you'll see, the fans will love you for it!

Why not try bringing back Kei and Mari as well, while you're already at it? Or Kaori? These four sure as hell get too less exposure!