Fans shedding few tears over Kanna of °C-ute

Kanna showed strong feelings at the end of °C-ute's epic debut concert, February 2007.

Cracks are beginning to appear in two of the world’s top song-and-dance performing ensembles. Earlier this year, Miyabi of Berryz Kobo was apparently photographed with a boyfriend. Now, it’s °C-ute’s turn, with Kanna at the epicenter.

Kanna, center, was a raw recruit to °C-ute from the Eggs, January 2006.

Neither Miyabi nor Kanna are out of the woods yet. Our Miyabi report is here:

http://radicalpatriot.vox.com/library/post/if-miyabis-time-has-come-so-be-it.html

As for Kanna, this would appear every bit as dangerous as the Megumi incident of fall 2006 when that °C-ute star was squeezed out after being seen with a boyfriend. Dating by singers is forbidden within Hello! Project’s music company and for good reason – jealousies could arise among the all-female troupe and become a major distraction.

Kanna, left, has been destined never to step out from the shadow of Suzuki, right.

But, while the blogosphere bemoaned Megumi’s departure, there appears to be ambivalence toward Kanna – to the point of fans reducing the discussion to which of the other °C-ute members will get the deposed Kanna’s lines in a given song.

During °C-ute's 'Cutie Circuit' tour, September 2007, Kanna was at her best.

This is disturbing, because the underrated and underappreciated Kanna has been one-seventh of the perhaps the best performing ensemble of its kind in the world, and she has more than held her own. In recent concerts, she has been given a higher profile, but it’s hard to constantly be seen and heard with the likes of Hagiwara, Maimi, Saki, Chisato, Umeda and Suzuki and not get discouraged. Kanna has nevertheless marched on courageously.

Kanna, left center, pairs with Suzuki at Saitama Super Arena, July 2007.

Maimi is the world’s best dancer, and Suzuki has one of Hello! Project’s finest solo voices. Umeda is a comedienne, Saki is superlative up-and-comer on all fronts, Chisato has the cannon voice and Hagiwara has been a superstar since age 7. Who can compete with that?

Our case for °C-ute being the world's best ensemble of its kind is built here:

http://radicalpatriot.vox.com/library/post/why-c-ute-is-the-worlds-best.html

Yet, Tsunku saw fit to parachute Kanna in from the Eggs back in 2006, months before Megumi hung it up, and so far, the chemistry has worked out wonderfully.

'Jump,' one of Hello! Project's best songs, was a shining moment for Kanna, July 2007.

The fact is, however, that °C-ute is cresting now as a performing unit, and  it is inevitable that graduations and other changes are made. Same for Berryz. It actually began last year with Suzuki was broken off °C-ute to join Momoko and Miyabi of Berryz in the new group Buono! which is showing some promise as a standalone trio.

This is no reflection on Kanna, a super kid who would probably be a superstar in her own right if not for her linkage to °C-ute and that over-the-top talent that ensemble possesses right now.

Kanna, deservedly so, fronts the end of °C-ute's debut concert, February 2007.

Maybe, though, Tsunku might be different in this case. It was reported that Kanna’s meeting with this boy was strictly casual, that they sat through a movie, then went their separate ways. It could be, too, that Kanna is fed up with the restrictive “rules” of Hello! Project just as Yaguchi, Megumi and Miki were.

Only time will tell.

This is Rad signing off – for now.