I'd actually argue that being with Hyoutei and Rikkai helped 3rd and 4th cast, not hindered them. It got people watching them that would have normally not cared so much. Like me who has only seen pieces of ShitenMyu, doesn't even care about the new RikkaiMyus, and only saw HigaMyu just a few days before DL5th. >.>; But even being a huge Hyoutei fan, I loved 3rd cast in their own right 'cause they deserved the attention they got from me.