User blog comment:JapaneseOPfan/Lesson 12 or something (Pronunciation)/@comment-1595565-20150813214305/@comment-1595565-20150813231108

I understand now. The key difference in pronunciation lies in the difference between an alphabet and a syllabary. Each length value in a syllabary is equivalent regardless of whether the sound is a vowel or consonant in the alphabet. Speed and naturally developed diction traits account for the seeming omission of the "u". Thank you.