Do you agree that Shimano's reels are downgrading and their rods upgrading?

So there's four new Shimano reels to replace the old models now. A Shimano Curado 200G, Citica 200G, Chronarch 200G and a Chronarch 50G (smaller version). The Curado is now $20 cheaper compared to last year's model, with that it has a plastic drag star and two less bearings. The Citica is $10 higher with no added features that I can see. The Chronarch is pretty much last year's Curado with a different color, for $200. The Chronarch 50 is exactly last year's Curado 50, only in a different color. It just seems ridiculous to me why they'd do that..

On the rod side, however, they did a great job. Every rod is made using the blank of the rod higher than it of last year. So, this year's Compre ($100) is made on the blank of last year's Crucial ($150). The Compre is essentially last year's Crucial with different (lower quality) guides. And for me, I could care less about guides..

Nice move for the rods, but I think I'll hear just a few complaints about the reels. Not use-wise but value wise..