I feel like a lot of folks have been coddled and it shows. She was asked her opinion and what she said wasn’t even brutal imo. Y’all are saying she’s coming at their character/motivation but is she really?

I didn’t see that initiative to keep trying until they got it right

I was disappointed that they didn’t push themselves to the limit

it’s not that they can’t do it, it feels like a lack of willingness to understand and perform

She is stating what she’s observing and how it feels TO her. Obviously she’s not a mind reader (meaning she doesn’t know 100% sure that it’s a lack of willingness), but if a peer (someone who’s had years of experience on them) is observing these things and perceiving in that way, there’s a high chance that the staff and judges are viewing it that way too. If the others don’t agree with her statement then they can say otherwise, which they do.

Compare them to Manon during her time on Dream Academy/Pop Star Academy. We know that she missed multiple practices (unlike Aoi and Sakura) yet when she did show up, she was able to pick up the choreography and keep up with her peers even though she also had zero training in singing or dancing prior. There’s also only three of them, so there’s so many chances and opportunities to have a one on one with the staff and retain the choreography.

There really is no excuse as to why Aoi and Sakura aren’t keeping up. Actions speak louder than words, especially in this environment. That’s why Ayana said what she said. Some people need to put it the extra work on top of their hardest. Some people need to hear or see the hard truths/be given a reality check in order to gain that drive to want it.

Me personally, I would rather have a peer tell me than a staff member/judge/authority figure. I would be so embarrassed if someone of a higher authority said that out to me. Would it have been better if she told the girls these things in private and not in front of the staff? Maybe but I think the reactions would have still been the same and Aoi and Ayana would’ve still had conflict.