°C-ute’s catastrophic collapse continues

Umeda of ZYX in 'Fly High,' age 11, 2003: Future greatness was obvious from the start.

Why is Umeda graduating from °C-ute so soon (in October) after Kanna's recent retirement? Enough already. What in hell is going on, and why is all this happening all at once?

The only thing I can imagine is that Tsunku♂ has a master plan afoot on which he has already briefed °C-ute’s remaining five members, and that the rest of us just have to ride this one out. In my view, only the immediate insertion of Egg superstar Saki Ogawa will stop the bleeding. Saki-O could full the shoes of both Kanna and Umeda at the same time, if given the chance, and finally give Maimi, Suzuki, Saki-N and Chisato something to shoot for.

Umeda, right, January 2008, never 'measured down' to Chisato, Suzuki and Saki.

Notice I left out Hagiwara’s name in this mix. I just don’t know about Mai Mai. I love this kid, but at the ripe old age of 13 she will now have to shoulder much more of the load without Kanna or Umeda as the normally reliable bookends to what had been, albeit briefly and until recently, one of the greatest young dance ensembles of all time.

Only in the fall of 2006 when Megumi went down has °C-ute been in such horrific shape. But Kanna had been added earlier that year, and the seven-member ensemble appeared balanced for an indefinite period.

Umeda, left, makes the magic happen with Aichan, Yurina and Murata, summer 2007.

Then came 2007, the first few singles, the Japan Music Award for Best New Artist, the astonishing tours, shows and climactic Wonderful Hearts and large-arena appearances that launched °C-ute into low-earth orbit – eclipsing even Berryz Kobo and the flagship, Morning Musume, in both intensity and energy.

Umeda was a big part of "Jump!," which exploded in February 2007 and put °C-ute on the map:

http://www.bloggerparty.com/c_ute_s_jump_greatest_pop_song_ever

Tsunku♂ had high praise for °C-ute when he was in Los Angeles with Morning Musume in early July, describing that ensemble as the most athletic of all the Hello! Project units. And, indeed, they showed it, and apparently tore it up once again during their most recent tour despite being down to six from Kanna’s retirement.

Umeda, a ZYX snow angel in 'Shiroi Tokyo,' January 2004, Saitama Super Arena.

The more I think about it, the more I now honestly believe that Kanna’s main problem was physical. The toe thing was real, and it might have finished her. Fans weren’t too nice, either, continuously pointing out – falsely I might add – that Kanna was the weak link.

But Umeda? Damn, this is a painful pill to swallow. Umeda broke in like a Mack truck with ZYX, grew into a tall beauty unmatched by anyone in this company, and quietly meshed into °C-ute to make it the sensational group it was. To think they can carry on as five for any period of time is way over-the-top stupid. Dumb.

More on the short-lived but sensational ZYX experiment here:

http://www.bloggerparty.com/content/zyx-what-could-have-been-hp

Umeda, in yellow, fronts °C-ute, fall 2007 at their peak, Yokohama Blitz.

There is an answer: Saki-O, and maybe another top Egg – or even parachute one of Tsunku♂’s Korean or Taiwanese starlets in to the mix. Whatever. Get it right and do it fast, before °C-ute dies an early and tortuous death.

This is Rad♂ signing off – for now.