Ever since her selection as Tsunku's ace, or "miracle," from the 2005 Morning Musume auditions, Kusumi Koharu has been something of a controversial member. Fans expecting the second coming of Gocchin were gravely disappointed; the 13-year-old Koharu was an awkward, gangly teen with no real natural aptitude for singing or dancing.Or volleyball.
What she did have in spades, though - and I'm sure Tsunku recognized this - is what I call idol quality.
By idol quality I mean charisma, of course, but specifically those charismatic traits that are relevant to the pop idol world. And to be clear, idol quality is toned quite a few notches down from star quality which describes a person who's almost divinely charismatic. Those rare beings with star quality practically compel you to love them, whereas J-idols humbly invite your adoration. If an H!P member, for instance, radiated too much star quality, it would diminish her girl-next-door appeal.* There's a subtler, more delicate aesthetic at work in the floating world of Japanese idols.
Certainly personality plays a huge role in idol quality. It also has a lot to do with looks but is not necessarily about beauty. And it's usually easier to recognize than to describe.
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I'll be using this blog to help me focus my thoughts on topics like idol quality and why I feel it's more important in H!P-styled J-pop than raw beauty or talent; why Koharu is so awesome (as well as several other oft-maligned members); et cetera, et cetera...
I can't promise that it will be consistent or coherent - in fact I can almost assure you that it won't be. Hah!
Ciao!
* For the record - and IMHO - the only H!P performer with undeniable star quality is Ayaya. And it suits her just fine.
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