Senbatsu Front Girls

For most singles, except the senbatsu single, the girls are selected by the producers.  There is some rumors that whoever wins number one stays number one through the whole year, but we won't know for sure till the 18th single.  I thought it would be nice to see the differences, clear and simple, between the creators picks and the fans'.

16th Single Front Girls: Atsuko Maeda Yuko Oshima Mariko Shinoda Mayu Watanabe Haruna Kojima Tomomi Itano Tomomi Kasai Miho Miyazaki Erena Ono Yuki Kashiwagi Minami Minegishi Minami Takahashi Jurina Matsui Sae Miyazawa Aki Takajyo Rie Kitahara

17th Single Front Girls: Atsuko Maeda Yuko Oshima Mariko Shinoda Mayu Watanabe Haruna Kojima Tomomi Itano Tomomi Kasai Miho Miyazaki Erena Ono Yuki Kashiwagi Minami Minegishi Minami Takahashi Jurina Matsui Sae Miyazawa Aki Takajyo Rie Kitahara Amina Sato Sayaka Akimoto Rino Sashihara Haruka Nakagawa Rena Matsui

It seems that the producers kept all their favorites, they just added room for five more girls.  I guess the girls that are pushed are pretty much guaranteed spots, it just matters if you are before the media line and which position.  Now lets look at the teams:

Team A 16th: 5

Team A 17th: 7

Team K 16th: 6

Team K 17th: 6

Team B 16th: 5

Team B 17th: 6

Team S 16th: 1

Team S 17th: 2

For most teams it is an increase.  I don't think anyone thought Team KII had a chance.  The only thing that conflicts with the producers is the media line.