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Utada / Hikki - Utada obviously is losing popularity. Her only Japanese single was "Dareka no negai ga kanau koro" and english single being "Eazy Breezy" which had mixed reviews. Her American CD, Exodus, sold only 7,000 units in the first week in American stores. We are all hoping this is one of her 'creative lulls' but she hasn't made many public appearances AT ALL since October when Exodus was released. Is she hard at work in the studio recording more music? Aside from her upcoming single, "Devil Inside", what could be restricting her? We are all worried about her. After all, she talked about leaving to study sciences before.
Make it to 2007? Hard to say. Maybe the next single will save her. She has been strong so far though.
Ayumi Hamasaki - Ayu has had various rumors spreading across mixed media for months. Rumors of her leaving Avex, and even worse, quitting the music industry. She has stated before 'She was only thinking about it'. But after the many years as a singer, and her recent decline in appearances and sales, what is the future of this aging Ayu? Most singers her age had already been booted out of teh J-scene and everyone is rather confused about her position on her own future.
Make it to 2007? No, don't think so. Sorry Ayu.
Hello! Project - Oh my gosh. After Morning Musume's confusing 'lucky 7' audition decision-making, and waning record sales, fans have found themselves with sweaty palms about H!P's future. To quote Ruroshin from Jpop.com:
Everyone's favorite bubbly girl band doesn't look like it could fair another 3-5 years. What will the weather be like the day H!P falls off the charts? A very dark day indeed! H!P's ominent collapse is what worries me the most.To be exact Hello! Project 2003 oricon charts looked something like this:
057 Shall we love? / Gomattou
063 Morning Musume no hyokkori hyoutan shima / Morning Musume
064 Shabondama / Morning Musume
075 As for one day / Morning Musume
080 Ne~e! / Aya Matsuura
088 Kowarenai ai ga hoshiino~... / 7air. salt5 . 11water
Hello! Project 2004 oricon charts:
089 Ai Araba it's alright / morning musume
Make it to 2007? No, unless they create a miracle single or get REALLY good new members.
Amuro Namie - Doing better than she was a few years ago. Could Japan's former it-girl pull present day Jpop out of the slums? With the horrible life she has had, could she handle it? What with her current costudy case and her mother's murder still haunting her, I don't think she has the strength to. I don't think she will receive the blunt of Japan's ruthless pop music, but she won't necessarily come out unscathed.
Make it to 2007? Yes. She has been indestructible thus far. Even if she doesn't make it to the top of the charts, she will definitely 'hang in there'.
BoA - I am not the biggest BoA fan, but from what I heard, she is climbing the charts, slowly. Her Japanese career has already outgrown her Korean fan-base, easily, and she is young. She looks to be the next 'sweet heart' character. Like Hikki, BoA is starting in R&B but she - like Hikki - has moved toward the ballods. I see her as the Korean/Hikki/Ayu superhero because she combines alot of each of their features in her music and style.
Make it to 2007? Definitely.
Mika Nakashima - 'Mysterious Mika'. Been around for a couple years, but I believe since her October single "Legend" (which was Jawesome), her popularity has grown alot. Her fans went from saying "Oh? Nakashima-san's new single is out? Sweet" to "OH MY GOSH! I Just heard Mika's new single. It was so good I died and then came back to life to hear it and then died again. Awesome!!!!1 When will her next single be out?! 6 months?! I CAN'T WAIT!!!11!1111!!!!"
Make it to 2007? Sure, her artistic flare and mysterious dark mood seem to be original enough. If it is good enough for the Harajuku peeps it's good enough for me!
I tried to remain as unbiased as I could. It'll be sad to see H!P go though, because - in a way - they touched me the most. But I don't make the charts, the people watching MTV Asia and attending their concerts seem to. That's all for now, I am bored of typing. -_-
A lot of times the people we happen to like in America are the Jpop singers that are somewhat popular in Japan. Of course, Utada Hikaru has been known as the Pop Princess since she debuted when she was 13-14 as Cubic U. There will always be awesome singers in Japan. Gackt isn't going out anytime soon, the fangirls would have a fit. 
