Hello!Spam :: 2026 ~Dancing, Singing, Exciting!~

[JPope]

This popped up in my YT feed tonight, and it's pretty cool: Juice=Juice performing "Future Smile" with the Tokyo Philharmonic. You have to click the link, because the video owner blocked off-site playback.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCXo-j5VAAY

[DonJuan]

I'm really sad about Kurumi's graduation announcement. I get it, girl is ambitious, but man. Considering how they've left Biyo in the dirt for such a long time it's just so... disappointing. Like even before the group debuted they were keeping them in limbo! Man.

Anyways, I thought about what could happen with H!P in the near future. We had these prediction threads up until 2020 but I guess with the 3-4 people posting here nowadays opening one now would be a bit silly lol.

What I think could likely happen:

2026
- March: audition winners revealed: 3 for MM, at least one good singer.
- April: Kiyono Momohime leaves Biyo and H!P because her condition is not improving
- June (?): Takase Kurumi graduates from Biyo (basing this date off of Rika's grad in 2025)
- July-September: new H!P audition is announced
- September: Inoue Rei announces her graduation for Fall 2026.
- December (?): Oda Sakura graduates from Morning Musume (basing this date off of recent graduation dates) and joins m-line.
- December: Inoue Rei graduates from Juice=Juice, joins m-line.

2027
- January: Makino Maria announces her graduation for Spring 2027
- January: Beyooooonds announce their disbandment for Spring 2027
- January: Akiyama Mao announces her graduation for Spring 2027
- February: audition winners revealed: 2 for MM, 2 for Juice=Juice
- March: Biyo's last concert; Eguchi Saya leaves entertainment business, Okamura Homare focuses on becoming an overall talent with stage plays and YouTube, Maeda Kokoro joins her brother's agency and goes into acting, Satoyoshi Utano becomes a choreographer, Kobayashi Honoka focuses on her classical music career, Hirai Miyo joins m-line. Nishida Shiori joings Rosy Chronicle as playing manager. Biyo's management also takes over Rosy's work.
- June: Makino Maria graduates from Morning Musume, joins m-line.
- June: Akiyama Mao graduates from Tsubaki Factory, leaves Up-Front.
- June: Tanimoto Ami announces her graduation from Tsubaki Factory for Fall 2027
- June: Dambara Ruru announces her graduation for Fall 2027.
- September: Nonaka Miki announces her graduation for Spring 2028
- December: Dambara Ruru graduates from Juice=Juice, joins m-line.
- December: Tanimoto Ami graduates from Tsubaki Factory, quits entertainment business.
- December: Onoda Saori announces her graduation from Tsubaki Factory for Spring 2028.

I won't lie; I'm not sure if Miki stays until 2028 or Ami until 2027. In fact, we do have a few members that have 10 years of tenure under them that could leave pretty quickly. The only group that seems save to me is Anju, considering Layla's young age. OCHA could be hit with new generations or "The Kobushi" (disbandment after 5 years) depending on how well they do. Rosy is too big for new members, so I thought having Shiori look over them would be a good thing.
Covid messed things up big time, and while MM seems to be through with their backlog more or less there's still other longrunners (Tsubaki, Ruru, Rei) that might surprise us. Overall looming health issues (Miki's hernia, Homare's overall shaky health, whatever happens to Momohime but also Nishimura Itsuki!).

We do have a bunch of great KSS, but they're all pretty young, so even if we get the worst case of Biyo and OCHA disbanding I can't see them pull another KSS!Unit until 2027/28ish.

Well, we're not safe yet

[JPope]

That's a lotta predictions, lol! We're about halfway through the transitional period that began with Fuku's graduation, and I think you're probably right that it won't be complete until 2027 comes to an end. You might have even nailed every move, so I'm just gonna hit on a couple that I think will go differently.

Makino Maria graduates from Morning Musume, joins m-line.

I don't see Maria in M-line unless it's as an incative member like Ishida*. I see her going into sports/variety media and modeling.

Nishida Shiori joings Rosy Chronicle as playing manager. Biyo's management also takes over Rosy's work.

You're a cheeky girl, aren't you? That's a BOLD predeiction! I like bold predictions. But I still think if she goes to any other group it'll be MM, for a couple of reasons: Shiori would be wasted on Rosy, and it would be an absolute demotion that I doubt she'd accept. It would have to be one of the Big 3 groups; J=J isn't out of the question with Ruru and ReiRei nearing the end of the line, but MM makes the most sense with Sakura peacing out.

OCHA could be hit with new generations or "The Kobushi" (disbandment after 5 years) depending on how well they do.

I don't think there's any chance of OCHA disbanding, because their sales are still pretty strong. Their last single dipped a bit on Orican, but it was their 2nd best selling on Billboard. For the purposes of projecting future viability, I'll go with the higher of the two numbers, because that's what matters to the company. I'd love to see OCHA get a couple of n00bs because I like them, and I kinda want them get the juice that new members bring to a group. They have a strong, young core with Roko, Momo and Kirara, and I think a strong 2nd gen might help define them more than they are currently.

Okamura Homare focuses on becoming an overall talent with stage plays and YouTube

Okamura who? Now that's a BOLD prediction!

*Speaking of inactive M-line members, what the hell is up with Akari Uemura?

[DonJuan]

Makino Maria graduates from Morning Musume, joins m-line.

I don't see Maria in M-line unless it's as an incative member like Ishida*. I see her going into sports/variety media and modeling.

I was actually thinking something like Yamagishi Riko, Katsuta Rina or even Sasaki Rikako. Not the music kind.

Nishida Shiori joings Rosy Chronicle as playing manager. Biyo's management also takes over Rosy's work.

You're a cheeky girl, aren't you? That's a BOLD predeiction! I like bold predictions. But I still think if she goes to any other group it'll be MM, for a couple of reasons: Shiori would be wasted on Rosy, and it would be an absolute demotion that I doubt she'd accept. It would have to be one of the Big 3 groups; J=J isn't out of the question with Ruru and ReiRei nearing the end of the line, but MM makes the most sense with Sakura peacing out.

Well, let a girl dream! Personally I don't think she'll join a group as a normal member, simply because she'd be among the oldest members from the get-go and the groups themselves are already in a restructuring mode. MM will need fresh blood and putting her in front of Homare or Mei would be mean. In Juice she'd be above Yume and Riai in seniority. Hell, she's been an idol for longer than Anju's Layla! Rosy would be a total demotion, but I think she could take on the adventure of leading a group into the right tracks.

OCHA could be hit with new generations or "The Kobushi" (disbandment after 5 years) depending on how well they do.

I don't think there's any chance of OCHA disbanding, because their sales are still pretty strong. Their last single dipped a bit on Orican, but it was their 2nd best selling on Billboard. For the purposes of projecting future viability, I'll go with the higher of the two numbers, because that's what matters to the company. I'd love to see OCHA get a couple of n00bs because I like them, and I kinda want them get the juice that new members bring to a group. They have a strong, young core with Roko, Momo and Kirara, and I think a strong 2nd gen might help define them more than they are currently.

OCHA's numbers are far form Kobushi's, that's true, and they're also way more girls than Kobushi was lol. Losing 2 members made me think they were at a much smaller number atm. Well, more years for OCHA!

Okamura Homare focuses on becoming an overall talent with stage plays and YouTube

Okamura who? Now that's a BOLD prediction!

OOPS. Haha, they need more diverse last names in H!P! I was thinking of Miimi of course.

*Speaking of inactive M-line members, what the hell is up with Akari Uemura?

She did a fanclub bus event with Yuka last year, but yeah, she's having some well deserved rest lol Then again, I don't see her doing more than some smaller events/dinner shows in general. Might as well let her contract fade out.

Overall, a lot of my predictions were heat of the moment, but honestly, once Morning settles we'll have Biyo, Tsubaki and Juice waiting, and once they are done Anju could be at it again, and by then it starts all over again

[Shoujo Q]

I’ve been slowly going through the Solofest.

I’m a little disappointed that so many girls chose songs from
their own groups.

But overall I found a few surprises, such as Rosy. When not being no shoehorned into songs that don’t fit their voices there are some hints of girls with decent talent who would
Shine if given the right material.

And then there’s Maria. She just keeps irritating me and then doubles down and does it again.

At least a few girls surprised me. I’m still not done. It’s 6+ hours.

[JPope]

J=J's performance on Music Station:

[Shoujo Q]

Show that Oda and Dambara were on. My greatest gift for my top two current H!P members to just be on a show singing their hearts out. I feel blessed. I know 95% of the songs and Oda singing in English. I can die a happy fan now.

[JPope]

Y'all thought you were gonna get out of here without hearing More! Mi Amore? LOL, it's 2026, bitches!

That was pretty fun, though. I knew more of the Japanese songs than I thought I would, thanks to the many covers H!P has done through the years, and one that Shiina Ringo did, as well. Others were still popular when I was first getting into Jpop, so I just knew them. This made me wish that H!P would do another Folk Songs album of stuff from the late 90s onward, because they have a roster that could do it justice.

[Tsukiki]

Hearing Oda Sakura sing in English was really beautiful, but what got to me more was her cover of Akai Sweetpea! Listening to it, I couldn't help but remember the Tanpopo# cover of it. Her singing at points sounded a bit like Kamei Eri's, and now I'm feeling emotional about Kamei ^^;
Sakura has such a great voice. I hope she'll do some solo work after graduation.

I'd love more H!P idols to do shows like this, too.

[JPope]

Sakura powering through several English language tunes was impressive, considering she clearly doesn't understand most of what she's singing. I think the only one who could actually speak English was the dude in the suit, whose pronunciation was quite good.

[Shoujo Q]

A little Ringo Juice action going on here.

[JPope]

I've secretly wished for Shiina Ringo to compose a song for an H!P group for forever now.