I've been updating some threads and found something interesting!
Remember
Tashima Meru?
I would have picked Meru as another darkhorse but that's just me.
Tashima Meru
11, from Fukuoka
No prior singing or dancing experience
Why she'd be a good pick:
Seems to have good energy and smile when singing.
Good raw material for polishing: she could benefit greatly from a H!P makeover.
Gives me kind of a Zukki vibe.
Why she might not be picked:
Doesn't look or sound that great.
Even with a Zukki vibe, she doesn't compare favorably.
Even though she made the last top 10, she got a lot of bad reviews during the audition... but she's back!
She's part of HKT48's second generation and making her way to the top fast!
Looking at her post make-over photo she wouldn't look out of place in current MM.
However, I think the audition came just a year or two too soon. She's a 2000'er!
Anyway, should be interesting to see her develop and to think about what could have been