I am just another person who posts links

[wao_wao]

Well well well, isn't this interesting.

Is it just me, or is Toyoko being singled out with other nibante on the Christmas Special poster kind of a big deal?

I don't know. You can explain it off by saying they had to put someone there so Hoshigumi would be represented -- maybe it means something, maybe it doesn't.

Speaking of Christmas specials,

Comments

[quinquin]

One would hope that Toyoko on the poster is a big deal, at least it is a nice gesture. :-)

I'm wondering if they are hedging their bets in regards to nibantes. I can't be the only one suspecting top star retirements in 2012 and Kiriyan/Marimo wasn't my first suspects so if there is a deluge the company would need as many nibantes as possible around to choose from. Unless they would pull a shocker and promote a sanbante to top. (Has that happened before?)

[wao_wao]

This is my conspiracy theorist mind at work, but I think whenever we the fans get information it's well after the company has been apprised. They knew Kiriyan and Marimo were going to retire and didn't put them on calendars for the second half of the year. I think they've already got people and shows lined up for new tops. /end theorizing

As far as "sanbante to top" happening before... The first thing that comes to mind is Zunko jumping from Tsukigumi sanbante to top, but that was a pretty special situation with newly-formed Soragumi. You could argue that Kimu moved quickly from sanbante to top, but it wasn't directly and people say she was "2.5-bante" before anyway. I also think there were some situations similar to Zunko's with the whole New Senka thing, but that was a confusing time ^_^;;

[quinquin]

Oh, they surely knew about Kiriyan/Marimo before us but I'm not sure how long Chie and Yuuhi will stay and if that would be enough time to get the high profile star tracked young ones into position. I suspect that they are keeping Sou and Toyoko as wild cards/short run tops(?).

And I think they have been "experimenting" with Toyoko for a while, 2 dinner shows (2010, 2011), guest in Dream Trail and now a lead role. That's not someone who is off the star track but left out of the calendars one can only wonder where she is.

Crassly I'm guessing that they need to give star tracked people time to build huge fan clubs and they need to figure out how to do that.

[caithion]

That was exactly my reaction!