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The story
In a special segment of “Best Hit Kayousai,” Nogizaka46’s Aya Ogawa and Juice=Juice’s Rei Inoue covered Ayaya Matsuura’s “LOVE Namida Iro,” with Inoue tapped as center — and that sparked discussion on 5ch’s Hello! Project board. Since Ruru Danbara had held the slot for two years running, threads debated why Inoue took over this time, whether Nogizaka46’s Maika Sasaki really is an outspoken Inoue fan, and how to rate Inoue’s singing ability itself — with replies piling up across several angles.
What people said
Aya Ogawa (Nogizaka46)
Rei Inoue (Juice=Juice)
The Overlord (nickname for Danbara) just doesn't fit this song's image
Last year no Hello! Project members got to appear at all, so just being included this year is something to be grateful for
Homare said she was frustrated about that, didn't she
Don't talk nonsense — she's probably not even got Hello! Project on her radar
This is gonna end with someone getting introduced as 'an actor,' I bet
Nijika Inoue isn't here, but another Nogizaka46 member is
In fact there's a tweet going massively viral saying this year's lineup is 'stacked' precisely because me:I and Tokimeki Sendenbu — who appeared last year but not this year — weren't needed this time
That's just people brutally mocking it as 'Nijika got cut because she wasn't needed,' that's all that is
Cracked up at the comment saying 'Didn't Tokimeki Sendenbu and me:I already disband?'
Same deal as pushing Momoka Itō into center, right?
Akimoto-sensei loves that playbook
It's precisely because it's off her radar that she can root for her
Nobody roots for someone they see as a threat
Ah, that actually makes sense
Did the show's staff also feel a bit like they'd stepped in it
Probably because it ranked high in the show's idol-song popularity poll — same with 'Hatsukoi Cider' last time. Anyone could figure that out lol
They're in a different collab segment instead
Probably next year
Though they might not be around by then
Their audition is in the middle of a huge mess right now, so who knows how it'll turn out
I only really associate it with Maeken (likely a nod to pitcher Kenta Maeda, said to have used the song as his walk-up music)
True
Though if we're going there, 'Cider' isn't exactly a smash hit either
Rei-rei is the strongest!
Even if she doesn't, it's a job — she'll cram beforehand and show up acting like she's always known it
●A diva on MISIA's level
●Her singing alone is outstanding — she nails high notes effortlessly
●Normally high notes come off strained/shrill, but hers never do
●Her kobushi (vocal run), gana-ri (raspy belting), and vocal percussion are all top-tier
●Wide vocal range
Some of those clips looked like illegally uploaded YouTube videos
Makes you wonder if the 8JAM staff browse YouTube just to dig up reference material
Background and Key Points of the Discussion
“Best Hit Kayousai” regularly runs a segment where current idols cover past hit songs, and last year Ruru Danbara held that slot for two consecutive years. This time the slot shifted to Rei Inoue, which is what drove the thread’s curiosity about “why the change.” As for Maika Sasaki supposedly being an outspoken Inoue fan, one skeptical reply in the thread initially questioned it (“don’t talk nonsense”), but subsequent replies defended it by citing past radio comments, suggesting it’s treated as established knowledge among fans. Evaluations of her singing skill focused heavily on concrete technical points (how she handles high notes, her vocal range, etc.), which stands out as more of a genuine skill assessment than a simple popularity contest. The thread also mentioned that a vocal coach who trains Nogizaka46 praised her, but it’s worth noting this is secondhand information from a poster, not an official evaluation from the show itself.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “[Rei Inoue] Tapped as Center for Special ‘Best Hit Kayousai’ Segment — She’s Finally Reaching the Top of the Female Idol World lolololol.”
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