The months of August and September will introduce a wave of photobooks coming your way. Takayanagi Akane out of SKE48 has one coming up, Kotani Riho of NMB48 has some sort of photobook coming up, and Hashimoto Nanami has one out at the end of this month. Get them while they’re hot! As you’ve noticed, I do have a fancy for photobooks when it comes to the 48G and Nogizaka46ers. I’ve been a fan of collecting photobooks since I received my first one: Nogizaka Ha, the first group photobook of Nogizaka46. Since then, I have solo photobooks from members such as Kizaki Yuria, Yamamoto Sayaka, Watanabe Miyuki, Shiraishi Mai, Nishino Nanase, Yamada Nana, and Miyawaki Sakura. And yes, there are some photobooks I would like to pick up in my life, such as ones from Minegishi Minami, Sashihara Rino, Kojima Haruna, Shimazaki Haruka, and Tanaka Mirei. But then I was wondering this question: who has not released a photobook yet? This is a Top 10 opinion-based piece where I decide on 10 members, either from 48G or Nogizaka46, who should have a photobook released. I take all the gravure photos I’ve seen from as many 48/46 members as possible, and give reason as to why they should have a solo photobook. The rules for this list are: · If the 48/46 member already had a solo photobook released, they are not on this countdown. · This is about potential solo photobooks, not UTB or Young Animal cover shots. · All of these members have to had had at least one gravure photo released somewhere. · If members were somehow rumored to have a gravure book in the works, they are not counted (e.g. Jonishi Kei, etc.). · If members had photobooks that were never released, then they may be on this countdown. I will give my sincerest apologies for sounding a tad too lewd when making this countdown. Yes, there will be times where I explain why a certain member should have a solo photobook and the reasons may be too lewd for a PG-13 rating. So, if you do get offended or uncomfortable with what I may write, then a thousand apologies in advance. You ready? Here are my picks for the Top 10 48/46 girls who should release a solo photobook. #10 Kojima Natsuki Let me point this out there: when someone makes it on the AKB Shirabe list for “Top 10 Breasts”, you probably should have a solo photobook. Is it going to sell because of breasts alone? I would say possibly. But Kojima Natsuki has some pretty stellar gravure shots around the interwebs, and I must say she does have the body for it when it comes to gravure. If the entire photobook is going to be filled with Nattsun in two-piece swimsuits, I still may consider buying it. The only reason why Nattsun ranks so low is because she isn’t the most popular member among the many, many girls and women of AKB48. She has not ranked in any of the elections she participated in, but I would still pick up her photobook if she released one. I also know a certain someone who would love to pick up a Kojima Natsuki photobook (maybe even 3 or 4) but that’s a story for another day. #9 Yoshida Akari I don’t know about you, but Yoshida Akari has all of the makings of a model. She may not have the biggest breasts among her NMB48 colleagues, but she still has legs that can challenge that of Sashihara Rino. Excuse me for sounding too lewd. But I think if Yoshida Akari were to release a photobook, it may as well consist of half bikini photos, if not three-quarters of the book bikini or lingerie gravure photos. If you have seen her gravure photos, she looks really, really stunning in them. Yeah, it’s mostly because she is half naked in most of them, but hey, she does have that model look and model legs. A solo photobook by Yoshida Akari will turn out great. No, it won’t sell as much as Yamamoto Sayaka’s SY (Yoshida Akari is not at that level of popularity), but it will still sell, and I would gladly pick one up. #8 Shibata Aya This might seem like a strange choice, but the reason why I’m putting Shibata Aya on here is because, should she release a solo photobook, it may sell well since she made Sousenkyo senbatsu two years in a row. Only three members of SKE48 (Matsui Rena, Miyazawa Sae, and Takayanagi Akane) have photobooks released or will release one in the future. As for Shibata Aya, she does have the popularity to release one and she does have some pretty nice gravure photos here and there I must say. She looks primed to release one now if she wanted to. There is no guarantee if it will sell as well as Matsui Rena’s Hemeretto (37,000+ copies) or Miyazawa Sae’s Namida no Yukue (7,000+ copies), but when you make Senbatsu sousenkyo for consecutive years, fans are bound to pick up your solo photobook. Yes, I would be one of those fans who picked up a potential Shibata Aya solo photobook. I will admit that I do tend to stare at her eyes more so than anything else, whether she is wearing a bikini, if she is wearing a costume for a performance, or she is wearing casual attire. Her eyes are mesmerizing; don’t stare into them too long… #7 Eto Misa Yes, Nogizaka46’s most underrated senbatsu member should have a solo photobook released. If you didn’t know about Eto Misa’s career before the Nogizaka46 days, she had a lot of bikini gravure. I would go as far to say more than Shiraishi Mai and Nishino Nanase combined. The last time we saw Eto Misa in a bikini was with Nogizaka Ha, and she looked rather stunning in those photos. Look, as a Nogizaka46 fan, I do appreciate the conservative gravure touch that the franchise is known for. But I will admit that I would like to see a few members in a bikini once in a while. The only time we would see bikini gravure among Nogizaka46 members is when they have photobooks. Since most fans are familiar with the bikini gravure Eto Misa has out there, why not give a solo photobook a shot? I have no idea if it will sell as well as, say, Shiraishi Mai’s Seijun na Otona. But I am pretty certain that this photobook will be picked up by Nogizaka46 fans far and wide (possibly even some CHIMO fans if you’re into them). I too would gladly pick this one up. #6 Nagao Mariya Remember when I gave a thousand apologies for being too lewd regarding my reasoning? Well…if you have seen some of the photos that Nagao Mariya has when she’s modeling for Peach John underwear, you’d wonder why she hasn’t released a solo photobook yet. I will say this: she looks drop dead gorgeous. Like, when I see her bikini or lingerie photos, I’m taken aback for how stunning she is. Like, she is giving Kojima Haruna a run for her money. Why she doesn’t have a solo photobook yet is beyond me, but if she does manage to get one, it may be one of the best photobooks we’ve seen since Kojima Haruna’s Dosuru? Yes, I would imagine a mix of conservative gravure and bikini gravure, but I think the focus for Nagao Mariya’s solo photobook, should she release one, would be on lingerie. she does have a sizable fanbase among AKB48 fans, so I, as well as her fanbase, would gladly pick a solo photobook up if she ever wanted to release one. The Peach John photos she has are enough to make your heart palpitate. Imagine a photobook filled with them. #5 Ikuta Erika I never said that a solo photobook had to be filled with bikini gravure shots. As mentioned earlier, Nogizaka46 is not known for the bikini gravure shots, but rather a very conservative style of gravure that’s more or less family friendly. I could possibly imagine Ikuta Erika’s solo photobook to be filled with some shots of her practicing piano, relaxing on a train looking at the countryside, or burning food she’s trying to cook. A mix of all that plus the impromptu bikini gravy shot for the fanservice may make for a good photobook. Just look at Nishino Nanase with her photobook, Fudangi. It was filled with a lot of conservative gravure shots, but also had a very small handful of bikini gravure photos. Perhaps if Ikuta Erika wants to release a solo photobook, she should wait until 2016 or later to do so. If she does release one, I’ll be glad to pick one up since I’m a pretty big Ikuta Erika fan (she’s second on my Nogizaka46 favorites list behind only Wada Maaya). #4 Kodama Haruka The reason why I put Kodama Haruka on this list is because it’s not if she will have a photobook, but when. Just look at the last two members of HKT48 who have had photobooks released recently: Sashihara Rino and Miyawaki Sakura. You could argue that both of them are the respective aces of HKT48, but what about Kodama Haruka? She has been center in more HKT48 singles than Miyawaki Sakura, and was only one spot away from cracking senbatsu for the first time in her career during the last Sousenkyo election. Thus, the time is ripe for Kodama Haruka to release some sort of solo photobook. It’s going to be a quick seller just like Miyawaki Sakura’s self titled Sakura. Also, if Haruppi were to have the same risqué shots that Miyawaki Sakura had in her photobook, it would honestly be acceptable. Why? It’s because Haruppi is 18 years old. #3 Kitahara Rie Something I never noticed is that Kitahara Rie does not have a solo photobook released. Why? Why single out the new face of Niigata’s 48G team? I think Kitahara Rie is long, long overdue for a solo photobook. She doesn’t have to release one if she isn’t comfortable with gravure (as is the case for anybody on this countdown), but if she did, now would be a good time to get one. Kitahara Rie’s popularity has skyrocketed since the move to NGT48. No longer is she stuck among the high undergirls: the #11 spot during this year’s Sousenkyo election was the highest spot Kitarie has clinched, ever. You strike when the iron is hot. If Kitahara Rie would like to release a solo photobook, now would be the perfect time. I, as well as thousands of other fans, would love to pick one up. #2 Matsui Jurina If you look on CDJapan, you’d notice that there’s a photobook released July 2010: “SKE48 Jurina Matsui First Photobook”. This $30 USD photobook does not exist on Stage48 and you can’t even buy this photobook on CDJapan (it says “release postponed” on availability). Thus, the first Matsui Jurina solo photobook does not exist… …yet. Yes, Matsui Jurina is primed to release some kind of photobook in the near future. She essentially has the keys to the SKE48 franchise and no longer has to share the car with Matsui Rena. She’s in the driver’s seat now, and if Jurina wants to release a solo photobook, she can. No longer is she at the U-18 age where some risqué shots are too risqué for CDJapan to handle (I am looking at you, Miyawaki Sakura!), so everything is set up for her to release a solo photobook. I will admit that her gravure is pretty good, but she has the popularity to back up a potential solo photobook. I have no idea if I would pick one up, but I’m sure her first photobook would sell like hotcakes. #1 Shiroma Miru If you’re familiar with some of my articles, or you know who my NMB48 oshi is, you knew this was coming. Yes, if I’m going to put anybody at the top of the list for potential photobooks, it’s Shiroma Miru. Let me start things off by saying her gravure is some of the most risqué stuff I’ve seen in my entire life. She has matured in looks and body to the point where she looks like she’s in her early 20s if you put her next to Ichikawa Miori. She is somewhat of an internet meme among 48G fans simply from a segment of the “Durian Shonen” PV alone. If you search up Shiroma Miru on Google Images, you’re going to find so many bikini or lingerie photos that it may seem overwhelming. Basically, Shiroma Miru has some ridiculously risqué gravure photos left, right and center, and I will admit that she looks good in said photos. Really good, like Nagao-Mariya-modeling-Peach-John-underwear good. I say risqué a lot because she is not 18 yet. She turns 18 on October 14th of this year. So, if she is going to release a solo photobook filled with some risqué gravure photos, she probably should do it sometime in 2016. That way, she can go as risqué as she wants to and not a lot of people will bat an eye (I am still looking at you, Miyawaki Sakura!). Miru may not be the most popular among NMB48 members, since Yamamoto Sayaka and Watanabe Miyuki made sure of that. But since Yamada Nana graduated, the face of Team M can be Shiroma Miru if she plays her cards right. And yes, she is getting there faster than you think. Maybe this is just me boasting about how fantastic my NMB48 oshi really is, and how fantastic her gravure photos really are. But honestly, if Shiroma Miru would release a solo photobook, I would preorder and buy 2 copies without even thinking about it. And honestly, I am 100% certain Shiroma Miru will have a photobook in the future, filled with all sorts of lingerie photos, bikini photos, and the occasional silly stuff to show off Miru’s personality. Prepare yourselves, ladies and gentlemen. A Shiroma Miru photobook is coming. ~ So what did y’all think? Did you like this article? Is there a 48/46 member you would like to see release a solo photobook? Would you buy any one of the potential solo photobooks I mentioned? Let me know in the comments below. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to create a fund for idol photobooks…my poor wallet… -Nathan (L4verra) It has been almost a year since the Ebisu Muscats Facebook page was updated and some 2 years since the lineup disbanded. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, this post came along. It says something when there’s a countdown page on the Ebisu Muscats website. What is it exactly? Why put the time and effort to make a countdown regarding a group that disbanded some 2 years ago? Well, a few things come to mind, especially regarding the magnitude of this announcement. On this article, I am going to make guesses as to what this announcement may be. We won’t know exactly what it is until July 2nd, but whatever it is, it sure as hell feels like it will live up to the hype. When I write this, I leave you with this warning: the women I am going to mention on this article may have another career besides the lovely world of Japanese pop idols. Simply put, a majority of them are in the AV (Adult Video) Industry in Japan, so the second you search up one of them on Google Images, you may see some images that are a little explicit. So please take this as a warning: this article may not be safe for work. While the article itself is completely safe, I cannot control what you do the second you close this article, so just keep that in mind as you read. Ready? Here are the predictions for the big Ebisu Muscats announcement! The Ebisu Muscats Reunion This one is the easy choice. A lot of women seemed to come and go among the Ebisu Muscats roster. Imagine if management somehow brought them all back for a concert, variety show, or even an unreleased single. All your favorite Ebisu Muscats, from Asami Yuma, Kishi Aino, Yoshizawa Akiho, and so on, could come back one more time. To be honest, I would sure as hell like to see my original kami oshi, Rukawa Rina, perform J-Pop songs with the Ebisu Muscats one final time. Whether that would be the classic “Banana Mango High School” or something borrowed from AKB48 like “Heavy Rotation”, it would be a blast to see her again. However, there is pretty reasonable doubt that a reunion may not actually happen. Given that a lot of the Muscats had ties with Japanese Adult Video companies, those ties, for the most part, are gone. A few Ebisu Muscats retired or are retiring from the AV industry, including Kishi Aino, Asami Yuma, and in August, Rukawa Rina. The only way a reunion would take place is if the fans demanded one; the reunion would have nothing to do with the AV companies. There is an Ebisu Muscats fan base, and it still remains strong, even to this day. An Entirely New Roster This is yet another prediction that seems all the more realistic. Basically, the roster would be revamped to suit a younger generation of Ebisu Muscats, all of whom would be in the AV industry or gravure industry. There are many AV/gravure idols in Japan, but the picks from management have to stand out compared to everyone else. Take into account the lovely lady in the video: Sakura Yura. If there is anybody who could continue the Ebisu Muscats “J-Pop AV Idol” trend, it’s her. First off, Sakura Yura actually looks like an idol. She has the same aura that Rukawa Rina had when she was around. Yes, she is in the AV industry as well, so she would be a near perfect addition to the new Ebisu Muscats. She could even be the captain of this new roster; who knows. There are plenty of AV idols that I could name off the top of my head who would make a fantastic addition to the Ebisu Muscats roster, such as Kana Yume, Tsuji Yuu, Ogawa Meruru, Hasegawa Shizuku, Tsuruta Kana, Yumeno Aika, and Usami Mai. Remember what I said about searching them up. Honestly, I have no idea what the Muscats have in store. The countdown on the Ebisu Muscats website is getting me all excited for something I have no idea about. These two hypotheses are all I could bring to the table, but what if it were to be something really random? Could it be a new single with AKB48’s Kojima Haruna? Or maybe an entirely new album filled with new songs the public has never heard before? Who knows? All I do know is this. Bring my kami oshi back please!
-L4verra (Nathan) What a night. The Sousenkyo is over, and what a night it was, filled with surprises, broken records, and cameo appearances. A new 48G champion has been crowned the Sousenkyo pennant, and all sorts of new members ranked for the first time. This is an article based on the takeaways from this year’s Sousenkyo. It is a bit of an opinion piece based on my observations. So if I manage to anger a select few, my apologies. Let’s dive right in at the takeaways from a night filled with surprise. Welcome Back Suuchan I will admit that 2014 was not too kind to Sato Sumire until the arrival of the coupling song, “Ambulance”. She was transferred to SKE48 and she failed to rank in the 2014 Sousenkyo. This year, she has come back in a big way: as Future Girls center. I will also admit that I haven’t followed Suuchan as much as the average AKB48 and SKE48 fan, but I will say that she really blossomed at center in one of the best coupling songs in AKB48 history. Maybe it had to do with the nurse motif. Welcome back to Sousenkyo, Sato Sumire! A Round of Applause For Kojina Yui One of the biggest surprises, not only among HKT48 fans but also among HKT48 members, was the appearance of the punctual yet goofy Kojina Yui, ranking as high as Next Girls at #46. The thing is, the members who have no idea that they’ll rank end up with the best reactions (such as Tanabe Miku during the last election). Jiina was rather surprised ranking this high, evidenced by hyperventilation. All of her HKT48 comrades were rooting for her to start her speech. However, she needed the host to hold on to the microphone for a bit so she can take out a mirror to see if her makeup wasn’t smudged or anything. That alone was enough to capture the hearts of new fans. You go Jiina. Rock on with your goofy self! A Steady Vote Count Doesn’t Mean A Steady Rank Let’s look at the minimum amount of votes needed to rank this year: 13,116. Last year’s number was at 9,561. For some members, that meant if a certain member has a steady and consistent fan base willing to put in almost the same number of votes as last year, that certain member is very likely dropping a few spots. Even if the number of votes for a particular member has increased by a little bit (about 500-2,000 more votes than last year), that still does not mean that member is going to stay at the same rank as last year. Take into account Tano Yuka and Nagao Mariya, who received more votes than last year, however fell a few spots. This shows that the game is changing, and more votes are needed to allow a certain member to remain at a certain spot. SKE48 Fans Make A Statement Several members of SKE48 ranked for the first time, from Upcoming Girls (Kumazaki Haruka, Kitagawa Ryoha) to Undergirls (Tani Marika). You could also argue that the AKB48 vs. SKE48 rivalry has just heated up, given how more SKE48 members ranked this year compared to AKB48 members. Yes, SKE48 has 27 representatives in this election versus AKB48’s 23 representatives. And they did this without Matsui Rena. However, given that SKE48 had four members in senbatsu (just like last year), the group did not necessarily win this year’s election, despite the Sakae faithful voting in several new members. Home Field Helps This is the first time the AKB48 Senbatsu Sousenkyo took place in Fukuoka, where HKT48 is located. While SKE48 has more members rank in this election than anybody else, HKT48 members ranked but in a special way: three of them are centers for three lineups. Yes, Anai Chihiro is your Next Girls center while Kodama Haruka is your Undergirls center. Despite how only 15 HKT48 representatives made this year’s election, three of them are going to get the most screen time on the upcoming songs. Yes, I mentioned that three HKT48 members cracked the center spots, and one of them is Senbatsu center. Now it’s time to get into the Senbatsu takeaways, and there were plenty. Muto Tomu Is This Year’s Big Surprise In 2013, the big surprise ranking was when Shibata Aya made Undergirls center, beating Minegishi Minami to the punch. Last year, the big surprise ranking was when Matsumura Kaori made Undergirls center, beating Watanabe Miyuki to said spot. This year, Muto Tomu cracks the last Senbatsu spot, edging out Kodama Haruka for the spot. The reason I say this is the biggest surprise is because not a lot of people really predicted Tomu to make Senbatsu. This spot was usually predicted for members such as Kodama Haruka, Minegishi Minami, and Kizaki Yuria. Yet Tomu and her fans managed to edge all 3 out to clinch a Senbatsu berth. The Competition Is Way Too Fierce As predicted, Shimazaki Haruka, Yamamoto Sayaka, and Matsui Jurina all make senbatsu. All 3 of them received a whole lot more votes than last year, from 5,000 to 30,000. However, that did not translate to an increase in rank. Paruru fell down 2 spots out of Kami7 to 9th place. Jurina fell down a spot to 5th place even though she received over 14,000 votes more than last year. Sayanee received over 30,000 more votes than last year and still stuck at 6th place. This just begs the question: how many votes will it take to win the Sousenkyo pennant? Heartbreaking Yet Heartwarming This is Takahashi Minami’s final Sousenkyo election. Thus, a message to her fans was that she wanted to rank in first place, which would be a tremendous sendoff to one of the most influential AKB48 members in history. Unfortunately, while Takamina managed to crack the Kami7 lineup, she did not win the entire election; she placed 4th overall, her highest rank in Sousenkyo history. This is heartbreaking because Takamina does not have another chance at Sousenkyo center. While her rank was rather heartbreaking, there was a heartwarming cameo appearance right after. Maeda Atsuko, a former face of the AKB48 franchise, came to comfort Takamina right before she was about to sit down. For those of you who have been with AKB48 since its inception back in 2005, you would know that that was a big moment for fans of the franchise: this brings back the friendship between Acchan and Takamina (Atsumina) that has been around until Acchan graduated from the group. This was probably the most powerful moment of the entire Sousenkyo. While Takamina did not get her wish granted at the end of it all, it was nice to see Maeda Atsuko return to comfort an old friend. New Ways To Shock The World Since 2013, Watanabe Mayu has shocked people with her ranking on Sousenkyo. The 2013 year was the year most fans thought she would have won, but she ended up ranking 3rd behind Oshima Yuko and Sashihara Rino. In 2014, a lot of fans thought she would have lost to Sasshi, as evidenced by the preliminary results. Yet we all know how that turned out. This year, Mayuyu received about 15,000 more votes than last year, at 165,789 votes. This amount of votes was enough to win last year. This year, this amount of votes was only enough to secure third place. This also makes Watanabe Mayu the first ever Sousenkyo champion to rank lower than second the very next year. Even her fellow Team B comrade, Kashiwagi Yuki, beat Mayuyu by a little under 1,400 votes. Yes, Kashiwagi Yuki only secured second place with that ranking. That is just how fierce this competition was. Tough break Mayu… How to Break the Sousenkyo System
Remember when I said three HKT48 members managed to make the center spot for three separate units? One of them was Senbatsu, and Sashihara Rino once again claims the Sousenkyo pennant. This makes her the third 48G member to win twice and the first since Oshima Yuko. It also helps that this year’s Sousenkyo took place in Fukuoka, which means the HKT48 faithful came in droves. This was a lot better than 2013, where several 48G fans were leaving once Sasshi’s name was the last called. What makes this victory better than the surprise from 2013 was just how many votes Sashihara Rino received this time around: 194,049. Yes, one hundred ninety four thousand votes were given to Sasshi in order to win this year’s election. That’s almost one hundred thousand more than Yamamoto Sayaka. If you combine Matsui Jurina’s votes (105,289) and Miyawaki Sakura’s votes (81,422), those votes are still not enough to dethrone Sashihara Rino. This means that next year, a likely vote count of 200,000+ may be necessary to secure the #1 seed. This is how you break the voting system. Well, Sasshi did promise her fans a concert in a bikini, so... -Nathan (L4verra) As you may know, it is Sousenkyo season, which means it’s time to see the fans vote for their favorite member or members. For most fans, this is the time to show appreciation for their oshi and all the hard work they have accomplished throughout this past year. While some members may have more fans than others, there is always a warm feeling when a certain member ranks in Sousenkyo who hasn’t ranked for years. Remember when Tanabe Miku ranked for the first time, even though she has been on AKB48 since 2007? She felt amazed, shocked, but more importantly humble about ranking that she was brought to tears. If you’re a Tanamin-oshi, this gave you a sense of accomplishment and joy, seeing the member you support finally rank after all these years. Today, I wanted to share you a little story about my current AKB48 oshi, Minegishi Minami. This is an article explaining why she became my oshi in the first place, and a very important confession I have to make about her. Like Tanamin, Miichan has been a veteran for years now. She has been a part of AKB48 for almost 10 years, and she is the last remaining 1st generation member alongside Kojima Haruna and Takahashi Minami. Miichan is known for her skill on variety shows, her presence on the sub-units no3b (“No Sleeves” alongside Kojima Haruna and Takahashi Minami) and the now disbanded SONE (alongside Miyazaki Miho, Kitahara Rie and Sashihara Rino), and in recent years, she has been a captain for Team 4 and now Team K. She is also known for her spectacular dancing and singing skills. Basically, her resume on AKB48 is nothing short of amazing. However, let me tell you why she became my oshi in the first place. Besides the fact that she collects hats just like I do (I have 110+ New Era caps stuffed in my closet), there was something she did in the first quarter of 2013 that caught my attention. In January of 2013, Shukan Bunshun reported that Minegishi Minami was caught sleeping over at GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE’s Shirahama Alan’s apartment, thus breaking the “no dating” rule established by the management. She took the scandal to heart and, rather than shrugging it off, she shaved her head in penance. This in turn made news in media outlets not only in Japan, but around the entire world. The first time I spotted Minami Minegishi was after opening an article on Yahoo News titled: “Pop Star Shaves Head”. This was the first time I had seen a J-Pop star broken by one mistake. That said, to be 100% honest, the scandal is how she became my AKB48 oshi. Let me put it into perspective first. In early 2013, I was a die-hard Ebisu Muscats fan, and by no means an AKB48 fan. My oshi in that Muscats lineup was their youngest member, who was still one year older than I was. In early 2013, the only two AKB48 songs I knew were “Heavy Rotation” and “Aitakatta”. The Muscats just announced that they were disbanding at the end of March, so I needed a new group to pay attention to, or a new idol to pay attention to. While Kyary Pamyu Pamyu was helping me get through my J-Pop drought, this news story comes out and my first thought seeing Minegishi Minami was: “Even with the shaved head, this girl is still pretty cute”. Then I did a little research on who she was and what she has done on AKB48. That is when I started to like her even more. To be fair, the scandal came at a time where she had mental instability. With prior knowledge on the topic, I knew how Miichan felt at the time of the scandal. It didn’t help that when you searched her name on Google Images, the type of stuff some of the fans made wasn’t exactly kind. By late April, I was blasting almost all of the no3b set list. Miichan’s very own solo song, “Watashi wa Watashi” was something I played very often. I found myself enjoying her appearances while watching past AKBingo episodes and found that she was slowly becoming my 48G kami oshi. A year later, after being demoted to kenkyuusei because of the scandal, Minegishi Minami made it to the Team 4 lineup as captain, and became the only member in AKB48 history to be a part of every team (at the time), including Kenkyuusei. This was also a time where two groups were fulfilling my need for J-Pop: Nogizaka46 and NMB48. Then I meet a group of people who live in the Los Angeles area who like AKB48 and their related groups. When I started to collect photocards, whose did I collect? Miichan’s of course. 2014 was the year I paid attention to everything 48G. I found about and paid attention to members such as Watanabe Mayu, Watanabe Miyuki, Shiroma Miru, Miyawaki Sakura, Ichikawa Miori, Sashihara Rino, and the list goes on and on. Even up to now, I am paying attention to almost everybody in 48G, but the big question was: What about Miichan? Honestly, part of me forgot about what Miichan was up to. I was too busy paying attention to a whole lot of other members that I was close to smacking the oshihen button. This is what I meant by “important confession”. I was about to switch my all-time 48G kami oshi to someone who had several amazing gravure shots and had a knack for fishing her fans during handshakes. I was about to switch my 48G kami oshi from Minegishi Minami to Shiroma Miru. Don’t get me wrong, I like Miru an awful lot. In time, she became my NMB48 oshi, as I oshihenned from Yamagishi Natsumi to Miru. Really though, the entire reason she became my NMB48 oshi was because she was really, really damn attractive. Like, so damn attractive that she overtook Miichan for a while. Then Miru gets sent to AKB48 as a concurrent member, and then it was decision time: who is my kami oshi? After a week’s worth of thinking and with reasoning from my AKB48 SoCal friends, I eventually came back to my senses and stuck with Minegishi Minami. I mean, I was there during her darkest times back in 2013 and stuck with her then, so I probably shouldn’t give up on her now! So there’s my story about Minegishi Minami. Anything she does on 48G, from concerts, to variety show appearances, to the occasional Vine appearance, will sit well with me. But her election video for this year’s Sousenkyo struck a chord: Here, she claims that she wants to make the senbatsu lineup one last time. She also claims that some fans have been ashamed of having her as an oshi, and she wants the male fans to treat her like she is your girlfriend.
Wait…what? For starters, this is not January 2013. Yes, she probably lost a lot of fans, but her true fans stuck by her through thick and thin and probably forgot all about the scandal at this point. Yes, there are a few people who bring it up, but it is nothing to be ashamed of if you and the fans moved on from it. Yes, I was guilty of paying attention to Miru and a hell of a lot of other members. But I was never ashamed to be a Miichan oshi. Not one bit. Not back then, and certainly not now. That’s like Stephen Curry saying it’s challenging to be a Golden State Warriors fan. Or like Kyary Pamyu Pamyu claiming it is difficult to like her songs. I, as well as the other Minegishi Minami fans, will support her. Hell I know a few Miichan fans that live in North America and will stand by her no matter what the nay-sayers may say. I am sorry that I fell into the trap of oshihening because of Shiroma Miru, but that’s on me and not on her. Because of this, I will give Minegishi Minami my only vote in senbatsu. Yes, I only have one vote because I only bought one vote. Although I would like to support my kami oshi, I am not a type of person who wants to keep 30+ copies of the same CD (If I did that, I hope Goodwill likes AKB48). Also, I can’t go to Japan for handshake events. Not yet at least. One vote may make a difference between Next Girls center and the last spot for Undergirls. Given that she wanted to make senbatsu one last time, this convinced me that she will either not participate in the 2016 Sousenkyo, or she will graduate sometime this year or next year since Takamina is graduating this December. I have supported her for this long and yes, I did view her like a girlfriend. That’s what she wanted right? But I will give her my vote this year so I know that I contributed something to help her out in her time of Sousenkyo need. I do believe that senbatsu is an uphill climb, but maybe her last wish on what seems to be her last senbatsu can be fulfilled this one last time. If she announces graduation that June night, or if she remains the last 1st generation member, I will still support her on her journey through AKB48 and onward. Minegishi Minami, can you please visit Los Angeles again? I can give you some of my snapbacks! -Nathan (L4verra) We just had our first day of AKB48 Sousenkyo results, and only one word can describe exactly what the fans and the idols just witnessed: What. While the preliminary round of Sounsekyo should be taken with a grain of salt, there are plenty of takeaways for this one night alone. The preliminary round will not guarantee the final senbatsu lineup nor will it guarantee the winner, but let’s take a look at a few of the takeaways from this one night. Tani Marika is This Year’s Moriyasu Madoka Last year, Moriyasu Madoka placed 11th on the preliminary round, securing a spot in Undergirls when all was said and done. This year, Tani Marika placed 11th on the preliminary round, with 14,324 votes. If you place this high on the preliminary round, it is easy to say that you have clinched a spot in this year’s Sousenkyo. Last year, the minimum amount of votes needed to rank was 9,500, so Tani Marika will make Sousenkyo for the first time in her career. Senbatsu seems like a stretch, however Undergirls seems more realistic. A Push from Management Does Not Guarantee a Spot This really pains me to write because I am a Shiroma Miru fan (she is my NMB48 oshi now that Yamagishi Natsumi is long gone). But I did notice that Miru wasn’t the only one who did not rank in the preliminary round: no Kojima Mako, no Kawamoto Saya, no Nishino Miki, and no Anai Chihiro. Even members who did rank the past two years didn’t rank this time around: no Nagao Mariya, no Umeda Ayaka, no Ogasawara Mayu, etc. This does not mean that members listed here won’t rank. There is plenty of time for some of them to crack the Sousenkyo lineup. But this goes to show you that even if members get a push from management, a Sousenkyo spot is not as solidified as one might think. Look at last year’s final rankings. One of my favorite Team BII members, Shibuya Nagisa, was the first member to be promoted from kenkyuusei to 2 teams at the same time. She had the push from management. She did not rank when all was said and done. SKE48 Wins the Preliminary Round A lot of SKE48 members ranked in the preliminary round, most of whom did not rank at all last year. In total, 27 members from SKE48 ranked this round, only one shy of AKB48’s 28. Yes, these 3 members, Kamata Natsuki, Hidaka Yuzuki, and Kumazaki Haruka, all ranked somewhere. After SKE48 saw several members graduate in a short period of time, it is good to see that the fan base is still holding up strong, essentially giving these 6th generation members a chance to shine in an otherwise competitive Sousenkyo field. Also, SKE48 has 6 members in the preliminary Sousenkyo senbatsu. When all is said and done, I would not be surprised if the Nagoya faithful kept at least 4-5 members there. NMB48’s Turnout is Alarming I say alarming because there are members who have made it somewhere in the Sousenkyo ranking, at least for the past 2 years now. While I may say that there is still plenty of time to bring some of your favorite NMB48 members into Sousenkyo, that does not mean NMB48’s preliminary turnout was not alarming. NMB48 had only eight members rank in the preliminary round. Members such as Yoshida Akari, Ichikawa Miori, Kotani Riho, Umeda Ayaka, Fujie Reina, and of course Shiroma Miru, did not rank this time around. By the time the final results are revealed, perhaps NMB48 will have more members to represent their squad come June 6th, but these first day of results do seem pretty disheartening. When Yamamoto Sayaka is crying in frustration due to how bad the preliminary results were, you know that something is wrong. One Day of Prelims Can Throw Predictions out the Window I wrote my predictions article nearly hours before the preliminary results were released. Then they get released and my prediction to have Kizaki Yuria at 16th overall was thrown out the window. While the preliminary round can end up being horse you-know-what when all is said and done, seeing Yuria, Takajo Aki and my AKB48 oshi Minegishi Minami this low on the prelims is pretty disheartening. Last year, Yuria was at a healthy 24th place in prelims, while Miichan and Akicha placed 41st and 64th respectively. On that rainy night of Sousenkyo, all three of them ranked in the Undergirls lineup, so not all hope is lost. Basically, I would not be surprised if all three did manage to make Undergirls, or even if one of them can crack Senbatsu. But I would not be surprised if one of them fell to Next Girls or Future Girls. That is just how unpredictable the Sousenkyo can be. This Year’s Sousenkyo is Wide Open
Like I said in my Sousenkyo predictions article, this year really has no favorite to take the Sousenkyo pennant. Last year, Sashihara Rino was the overwhelming favorite, with a 12,000 vote cushion against Watanabe Mayu, but still lost on the final result by 10,000 votes. This year, Sasshi is still #1 in the preliminary round for the third straight time, but this year is different: she has about a 5,000 vote cushion against the #2 seed, Kashiwagi Yuki. There is so much intrigue with this year’s sousenkyo because any of these 4 idols could take the crown. Yukirin could win Sousenkyo in the name of AKB48 (and maybe NGT48 too?). Sasshi could win and be the 3rd 48G member since Oshima Yuko to win two Sousenkyo pennants. Mayuyu could be the first ever back-to-back Sousenkyo winner. Jurina could be the first ever Sousenkyo winner to represent SKE48. This is anybody’s race, which is what makes this year so exciting. Again, preliminary results in a competition like this should not be taken so seriously. Members who ranked now may not rank later. For example, last year Hirata Rina ranked in the preliminary round but ended up not ranking at all during that Sousenkyo night in June. A lot can change in the span of a few weeks. June 6th is going to be one wild and crazy night. -Nathan (L4verra) Today, the senbatsu lineup for the 12th Nogizaka46 single has been revealed. There are some good things about the lineup and some bad things about it. Matsui Rena is no longer a part of the lineup, which means a senbatsu spot for a new member is open. Who will be the one who takes it? Who is your 12th single center? Who falls out of senbatsu? Let’s take a look. This is what your back row looks like. Just like last time, a new 2nd generation member gets a spot at senbatsu. This time, it’s your office-lady/barista/model idol Shinuchi Mai! Big ups to Maichun for securing a senbatsu spot! As for the rest of the lineup, fan favorites from the undergirls lineup, such as Saito Yuuri and Inoue Sayuri come back to senbatsu. Overall this back row lineup looks the same as the 11th single, with someone missing. This is the first time Hori Miona did not make senbatsu. This is a bit of a problem because this shows that just because you have been center for a single before, doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to be in senbatsu forever (see “Barette”). I personally did not like seeing Miona gone. Yes she did not start as one of my favorite members when she became center (At the time I was like: “Wait, who’s that? Why are you center?!”). As time went on though, she somehow grew on me and has become a member that I like. I am probably not the only one like this; Miona has been well received by a lot of Nogizaka46 fans. To see her fail to make senbatsu is pretty disheartening, but she can lead the undergirls lineup alongside Nakamoto Himeka and continue to do amazing things. This is the 2nd row. This looks nearly identical to the 11th single, but this time Takayama Kazumi makes the 10-member Fukujin lineup, rather than the back row. So if you are a Kazumin fan, you’re in luck. Here’s your first row, which consists of the five faces of the franchise. There are some interesting points to mention though. First of all, Shiraishi Mai is not your center; she got moved to the side of the 1st row. After getting snubbed several times for center, now she just got moved to the side; you can’t help but to feel bad. Shiraishi Mai WANTS to be center and this is yet another round where management chooses otherwise. But maybe she can be center for the 13th single. There is always next time.
Yes, Ikoma Rina is your 12th single center. After her stint on AKB48, I see this more as a test from management to see if she learned anything during said stint. She has been center before, so let’s see if she can make this 12th single really sparkle. She’s done it before (see “Seifuku no Mannequin”) so I believe she can do it again. Also, big ups to Hashimoto Nanami for making the 1st row! So there you have it. This is your senbatsu lineup for the 12th single. Yes, it does look more solidified if anything, and it doesn’t seem like much will be changed in the 13th single (maybe Sasaki Kotoko replaces Shinuchi Mai, but that’s really all I can say). This isn’t a bad lineup by any means. But maybe this is just me, a Wada Maaya fan, being rather salty about another senbatsu lineup she didn’t make. I guess, so long as Saito Asuka is in senbatsu, Maaya has no chance. Oh well. At least Maaya can teach her fellow members English or something. -Nathan (L4verra) I will admit I am late to the party, but yes Majisuka Gakuen 4 has come to a close after 10 episodes. In the past we’ve seen Maeda Atsuko, Watanabe Mayu and Shimazaki Haruka fight their way to the top, now, it looks like Miyawaki Sakura wants a piece of the action. Just what is Majisuka Gakuen 4 and why is it one of AKB48’s staple shows? Well, let’s take a look. Please keep this in mind that this review is through the lens of someone who submerged himself in AKB48 only a year ago, which means he hasn’t seen the first three with Acchan, Mayuyu and Paruru as the leads. Also, major spoiler alert. Plot: Rappapa, the wind Instrument Club, has taken over Majisuka High School solely through the strength of their fists. However, new transfer student Sakura, played by Miyawaki Sakura, aims to take the top spot of Majisuka High and is willing to fight in order to do so. To this end, she aims to defeat the head of Rappapa, Salt, played by Shimazaki Haruka. Before Sakura is able to get her match with Salt, she has to defeat the 4 Queens protecting Salt at all costs. Will Sakura make it to the top? Well, the answer for you is no. Yes, Sakura goes through every episode with a simple formula: fight opponent, struggle for a bit, then defeat said opponent. There are times where she needs help to achieve this, but overall I had this feeling that Sakura was near invincible, no matter how much punishment she took during some of the fights. However, by the time we reach the end of the series, and the big Sakura vs. Salt fight, Salt defeats Sakura and the series ends. The near invincible protagonist simply doesn’t struggle enough. There’s also a sub plot that ties in with Sakura’s aspirations for the top. A rival school, Gekioko High School, has a nursing department that has aspirations to take over Majisuka High. Led by Antonio, played by Yamamoto Sayaka. This sub plot involves Gekioko High’s plan of action and yet another fight against Salt. However, the entirety of the Gekioko High School plan gets scrapped by a not-so climactic final act when Antonio and Sakura face off with Sakura ending up the victor. If Antonio lost to Sakura, the Antonio vs. Salt match up that was somewhat hyped throughout the season would have ended in one or two punches. In all honesty the plot is not that important: what is important is seeing your favorite senbatsu-caliber members of the 48G family in fight scenes. Fight Scenes: I hope you don’t expect any of your favorite 48G members to be the next Jackie Chan, Tony Jaa or Ronda Rousey. But in all honesty the fight scenes are pretty decent. Yes, I had little expectation to see how idols such as Miyawaki Sakura, Kizaki Yuria, and my oshi Shiroma Miru, would do in a fight scene. The action scenes won’t stimulate you like kung fu action scenes would, but they do their part to make the series flow. Characters: There are several characters in the story but obviously the two most important ones are Sakura and Salt. Sakura is…lacking. Her back story does not necessarily warrant the need to just beat up fellow students to get her way to the top. It goes like this: her father walked out on Sakura and her mother and left them with debts. Because of that, she will not give up her quest to make it to the top of Majisuka High. That’s really all I can say about Sakura. She does hit hard though, evidenced by her numerous fight scenes and by the fact that Sakura ends up besting everybody except Salt. In terms of acting ability, Sakura is not exactly the best actress the 48 family has to offer, but she’s still young and there’s time for her to improve. The deepened voice that Miyawaki Sakura uses to portray her titular character is something that you may need to get used to. Imagine Christian Bale’s Batman in the form of a 17-year-old idol from Kagoshima. That’s the best example I can give you. As for Salt, played by Shimazaki Haruka, she is a mysterious, eerie, intimidating head of Majisuka High. Shimazaki Haruka does a good job portraying Salt, but there are times where she does overact her role. Despite this, she makes for the best antagonist the show has to offer. As for the Four Queens, only two of them have real rhyme or reason to be there while the other two were just there for the management push. Otabe, played by Yokoyama Yui, is the hardworking right hand to Salt and will protect her at all costs, while Bakamono, played by Kawaei Rina, has superhuman strength yet acts like an idiot most of the time. The other two of the Four Queens seem to be there just for the sake of being there. Yoga, played by Iriyama Anna, does not speak to anything Annin has done involving yoga. Magic, played by Kizaki Yuria, does not relate to Yuria’s “Peace” nickname, which was something she had in Majisuka Gakuen 3. It would have been better to make the Four Queens distinctive of what they are known for in AKB48. Can the Four Queens fight? Yes, but again they are just there for Sakura to beat one by one without much of a real struggle. Perhaps if a fight lasted for more than one episode, we can actually take into account Sakura’s struggles. The sad truth is that at the end of the day, the Four Queens are not that memorable. I will give Bakamono some credit however, since she had the most hilarious antics throughout the season. Hopefully we’ll see something different on the next Majisuka Gakuen show. A key fault to this season is the fact that there are far too many characters. It isn’t just Sakura, Salt, the Four Queens and Antonio. You have Kamisori (Kojima Mako), Zombie (Owada Nana), the five Team Hinabe girls, the rest of the girls at Gekioko High school and the numerous cameos you catch throughout. Put simply: Too many characters. Yes, I understand that this show is meant to push certain 48G members, but let’s be honest: the only characters you might care about are the ones you like or selected as an oshi. For example: the characters I paid the most attention to in the series were KY and Shirogaku. Why? They are played by Tani Marika and Shiroma Miru, respectively. I really like Tani Marika and Shiroma Miru is my NMB48 oshi now that Yamagishi Natsumi is gone. Yes, I should care for Sakura as much as a normal person would, being that she is the lead, but I was more excited to see how Shirogaku would whoop Sakura. Needless to say, Shirogaku was the one who got whooped. Whooped against a blind Sakura… Overall:
Let’s be honest here, this is a show for the wotas. If you want to see 14-22 year old idols beat the living hell out of each other, then by all means this may be the show for you, but to the casual viewer, this may not be your cup of tea. The show itself as a whole isn’t god awful, but there are many things hat Majisuka Gakuen 5 should fix once that season comes out. If you’re a Sakura oshi or a Paruru oshi, it’s a must watch. But if you’re, say, a Sayanee, Milky, Kojimako, Yuihan, Peace, Annin or Mirurun oshi, you probably don’t want to see your oshi get their ass kicked by HKT48’s finest. Do you? I will say that these past 10 episodes were somewhat enjoyable, and I am already curious about the past three seasons (especially Majisuka Gakuen 2 since it has Watanabe Mayu as the lead). But again, there are other ways to catch your favorite idols, whether through variety shows, concerts, photobooks, and radio shows. Majisuka Gakuen 4 may not be one of them. -L4verra (Nathan) During the Spring Shuffle, not only was the senbatsu for the new single, “Bokutachi wa Tatakawanai”, revealed, but members were shuffled, removed, or added to the already existing AKB48 lineups. In the midst of all these announcements, one member announced graduation that night. That member was Kawaei Rina. The official reason given for her graduation was her wish to pursue a career as an actress. However, it is hard not to see that this announcement came due to the stress and issues that arose from the “Iwate Incident”. Her graduation speaks volumes of something that AKB48 management has failed to do: that is take into account the psychological issues one faces on a daily basis.
Let us recap the Iwate incident. This was the incident I wrote about here where a man wielding a saw came to a handshake event and proceeded to slash both Kawaei Rina and Iriyama Anna. Security staff and others were attacked as well. All who suffered injuries eventually healed and the man wielding the saw is currently serving a prison sentence. What was not talked about were the psychological wounds that Kawaei and Iriyama faced that day, wounds that take much longer to heal than cuts on one’s hands. Kawaei Rina announced graduation because of the newly reinforced fear that came with the Iwate incident. Fear is something that can be learned. The fear of this incident happening again is something that may have sparked in her mind. This is issue that must to be addressed with professional help or, at the very least, a strong support system. It is clear that she needed some sort of behavioral therapy to ease up the fear that came with the Iwate incident. It could be anything, from negative reinforcement to systematic desensitization. There are a myriad of things that could have helped her recover psychologically. Sadly, management did not care for her psychological issues and we have the current outcome. Think of all the current and former AKB48 members who experienced psychological issues with ranged from depression to anxiety. Minegishi Minami. Sashihara Rino and Iriyama Anna to name a few. Even Maeda Atsuko experienced depression issues during her tenure with AKB48. None of them received any sort of professional help from the management and I am assuming Kawaei Rina was not given the help she needed either. I mean, look at me as an example. I experience some anxiety issues during everyday things in my life. Whenever I go to work, I am always afraid of making mistakes, because not only do I suffer from feelings of indignity, but I get affected by work associates who tend to say things and talk trash if I am too slow at certain positions, or miss one, two, or thirty things. The anxiety becomes so bad that I spiral into depression and basically feel like I want to cry my eyes out for being such a horrible worker. The funny thing is the psychological issues I have are by no means as bad as what Kawaei Rina has. I may be struggling at my hospital job, but she escaped a near-death situation. To end, I just want to say to Kawei Rina: Thank you Kawaei Rina for all you have done for AKB48. You made the sousenkyo senbatsu last year and your “baka” inspired character was hilarious and cute at the same time. It is pretty unfortunate that you will not face off against my Nogizaka46 oshi in Wada Maaya to determine who is the most “baka” of them all, but I wish you the best in your future endeavors and wish you the best in your journey to become an actress! Also, try to get the therapeutic help you can if the resources are there. It is a shame that AKB48 management never considered psychological issues. But maybe this piece I am writing will send a message not just to AKB48 management, but to a lot of people who seem to brush it off: Psychological issues are pretty damn important. -Nathan (L4verra) AKB48 shuffles their lineup…again. This year we did not see the silly shuffles of past years such as “Nishino Nanase to Team A”, “Matsumura Kaori to Team H” or “Matsui Jurina to Nogizaka46”. Nothing like that happened this time around. Rather than repeat those questionable decisions, we instead see several members lose their concurrencies, gain new ones to AKB48, or get sent to other AKB48 teams. Keep this in mind: This is more of an opinion piece on the shuffle and who has been affected. This piece may go over certain members who got moved and certain members who are no longer part of AKB48. It may read as a bit scattered and unorganized, but this is coming from someone who can only name like, half of the main AKB48 lineup, and that is not including Team 8 or Baito AKB members. Let me use what I know! Let’s start with the kennin members. Several concurrencies ended with the spring shuffle, from Yagura Fuuko and Kotani Riho ending their tenures with AKB48, Takayanagi Akane and Kashiwagi Yuki ending their tenures with NMB48, to Tanaka Natsumi and Watanabe Miyuki ending their tenures with SKE48. That’s not all though, the concurrencies that caused the most controversy ended as well. Ikoma Rina is no longer a part of AKB48, and Matsui Rena is no longer a part of Nogizaka46. This one-year experiment came to a close, and now Nogizaka46 can continue their work without the connections to the 48 groups (though Kojima Haruna may have something to say about that). Here are some of the new members announced to AKB48 as kennin members. Welcome back Watanabe Miyuki, as she is granted a second stint with Team B. Yabuki Nako is also a part of AKB48 now, which was a surprising choice given how neither Tanaka Miku nor Tashima Meru had their chance with AKB48. Nako gets the kennin first, and if her concurrency remains successful, perhaps Miku and Meru will have their chance too. Team A gets Shiroma Miru as a kennin member. I had a bit of a feeling that she would get a kennin with AKB48 given how much gravure and media exposure she has had in the past year, and giving her a senbatsu spot on “Kibouteki Refrain” reinforced that thought. Unfortunately, she acts as a replacement to Yagura Fuuko’s spot on Team A. Miru is getting pushed tremendously and Fuuko is starting to lose some of her spotlight because of it. It is unfortunate to see that because I honestly feel really bad for Fuuko. She could have been sent to Team 4, but instead she lost her kennin altogether. Sadly, that is how management sees things. As a Shiroma Miru oshi (given how Yamagishi Natsumi is long gone), I am really stoked for Miru and what she’ll do during her tenure with Team A. This may mean more gravure and perhaps an AKB48 single senbatsu spot or two. Also, this could mean that Miru may rank as high as undergirls this year for sousenkyo, but that’s a story for another day. Kitagawa Ryoha gets a kennin with Team 4. After becoming center for “12-gatsu no Kangaroo” alongside Miyamae Ami, she gains a concurrency with Team 4. It is likely that she may be the next face of SKE48 should Matsui Rena graduate (and that has been hinted at; Rena is not participating in sousenkyo this year). Just like Tashima Meru and Tanaka Miku, perhaps Miyamae Ami may be a part of AKB48 someday. There are other kennins that honestly make no sense. Nakano Ikumi, Yamada Nanami and Sakaguchi Nagisa are kennin members with Team K, Team A and Team B respectively. What makes no sense is that these three members are all part of AKB48’s Team 8. This sparks the idea that Team 8 seems more like a separate entity among AKB48, and is a sister group in the disguise of another team. If anything, sending all of Team 8 to Niigata would have been a better option, rather than making them seem more separated than they already are. Team 8 could very likely have been NGT48 in disguise! Speaking of Niigata… Here are two members who have been revealed for NGT48. Kitahara Rie has been transferred from AKB48 to NGT48 and will serve as the captain of the franchise. Kashiwagi Yuki will now be a kennin member with NGT48 since her concurrency with NMB48 ended. Sending Kitarie up to Niigata will spark possibilities for her, since she has not make senbatsu since Labrador Retriever. She could take the Sashihara Rino route and become the face of the franchise along many up and coming members. As for Yukirin, giving her a kennin with NGT48 makes no sense. She won’t exactly be there all the time, but at least she’ll be there in the NGT48 senbatsu right? Yukirin does not need to have a kennin to keep her fans, her popularity, her senbatsu spots, and her sousenkyo votes; she’s done that with AKB48 for years now. The only thing I can see with NGT48 would possibly be a somewhat older idol group, which hasn’t been done since SDN48 or the Ebisu Muscats. I have no idea what is in store for NGT48, but that is an educated guess given how Kitahara Rie and Kashiwagi Yuki turn 24 this year. Or, Kitarie and Yukirin may have to babysit a bunch of 12-14 year old Niigata idols like Sasshi did with HKT48 for a few years. Again, there’s no telling what will happen with this group. We can only sit back and relax. Yokoyama Team A Now let’s get to the newly shuffled teams. Team A remains largely unchained with a few welcome additions to help bolster the lineup, such as Miyazaki Miho, Owada Nana, Ogasawara Mayu and Hirata Rina. I always saw the Team A lineup as the most balanced, with a mix of up and coming members, early generation members, and a few kennin members. However, Team A just got a new captain. Your newly appointed AKB48 General Manager, Yokoyama Yui, has become the captain of Team A. Team A now has both Yokoyama Yui and Shimazaki Haruka in the same lineup, so you 9th gen fans and/or YuiParu fans can now rejoice. Team A looks like it will be one of the strongest lineups among AKB48. That can’t be said for the next team, which didn’t solve the problem it had last year. Minegishi Team K Team K now has my AKB48 oshi in Minegishi Minami as captain to replace Yokoyama Yui. Muto Tomu joins Team K to bring her back with Tano Yuuka. Mukaichi Mion also joins Miichan from Team 4 to Team K. That’s all fine and dandy, but the same problem that affected Team K still affects it now, albeit worse than last year. Yamamoto Sayaka and Matsui Jurina are still the faces of this team. Don’t get me wrong; I love Sayanee and Jurina. But they are the faces of NMB48 and SKE48 respectively. They become the faces of Team K simply because they are kennin members, which means AKB48-based members of this team lose senbatsu spots, especially if the senbatsu is the traditional 16 members. The four faces of Team K who aren’t kennin members are Miichan, Mion, Tanochan and Tomu. They all made senbatsu for the upcoming “Bokutachi wa Tatakawanai” single, so there’s hope for non-kennin Team K members. But ask yourself this: for the upcoming election, do any of these four have a shot to crack the Top 16? It pains me to say that because this team has my oshi (she ranked pretty high last year at Undergirls and looks like a dark horse for senbatsu this year). But there was only one AKB48-based Team K member who cracked the Top 16 during the sousenkyo last year. She’s with Team A now. Kizaki Team B Gone are the days of Kuramochi Asuka as captain of Team B. Straight out of Team 4, Kizaki Yuria has been appointed as the new Team B captain. New members of Team B also include Iwasa Misaki, Tatsuya Makiho and Kato Rena, among others. The team overall feels relatively the same, with Watanabe Mayu and Kashiwagi Yuki still as the faces of the team. The new kennin members seem like great additions as well. However, maybe this was me, but I somewhat got used to Ikoma Rina on the AKB48 lineup, especially on Team B where she blossomed. As a Nogizaka46 fan, yes I was surprised with the shuffle to send her there. I got used to seeing her in AKB48, seeing her make the sousenkyo senbatsu and seeing her team up with Watanabe Mayu during some concert performances. It is going to be different without her, and I know that she learned an awful lot during her year on Team B. She’ll make senbatsu on Nogizaka46 and that’ll be a lock unless she graduates, but gone are the days of Ikoma Rina at center, especially when Nishino Nanase, Ikuta Erika, Shiraishi Mai, and maybe Hashimoto Nanami look primed to be the upcoming centers for singles. I think this is me saying thank you Ikoma Rina for everything you did on Team B. Keep rocking the Nogizaka46 lineup! Takahashi Team 4
Let me say this about Team 4 before I get on with the new additions. I always saw this team as a farm system for AKB48. In sports like baseball and basketball, a farm system is a team that is meant to give experience to younger members so that they could move on to higher levels. The kenkyuusei system technically does this, but that’s supposed to train members to be regular members of AKB48. Team 4 trained members to become the next faces of the entire AKB48 franchise. Think of the members who were a part of Team 4 before the spring shuffle. Kizaki Yuria. Mukaichi Mion. Kato Rena. Think of the members who were and still are a part of the team. Komiyama Haruka. Nishino Miki. Okada Nana. At least one of them will be the next face of the franchise come 2017 or later. With Minegishi Minami as the leader, it seems like she was the senior member the younger members could look up to for guidance on how to navigate AKB48. This made for one of the most powerful lineups on AKB48, with up and coming idols, a motherly 1st gen leader, and the fan support to back them up. Heck, Team 4’s “Seijun Philosophy” was also the #1 track during Request Hour 2014! This time around, Minegishi Minami has moved to Team K and the lineup is now led by Takahashi Juri. I’m going to be honest, but I have absolutely no idea how this lineup will turn out. I don’t know that much about Takahashi Juri, but I do know that she has fan support and I’m guessing her fans will love seeing her lead at captain. I have no idea what her leadership qualities are like, but she has a year to prove herself. Perhaps this lineup will surprise a lot of people this year? Also, Team 4 may be missing an idol to represent the entire team. Team A has Yokoyama Yui, Shimazaki Haruka, Takahashi Minami and Kojima Haruna. Team K has Yamamoto Sayaka and Matsui Jurina. Team B has Watanabe Mayu and Kashiwagi Yuki. Heck, Team 8 has Nakano Ikumi. With Team 4, the face of the franchise looks like someone transferred from another team. This looks like it can be Kojima Mako’s team when all is said and done, since she too is an upcoming member who will represent the entire franchise in the near future. Maybe the same can be said for Kawamoto Saya, who made senbatsu for both “Kibouteki Refrain” and “Bokutachi wa Tatakawanai”. Perhaps she can be the next face of the team if she plays her cards right. Who knows? There you have it for the new teams. Again, this was meant to be an opinion piece on the members who got switched out. What were your thoughts on the shuffle? Did your favorite member get shuffled to another team? Let us know in the comments below. -Nathan (L4verra) AKB48 has recently released their newest single titled “Green Flash”. With every single comes a boat load of songs that come based on what version you buy. For example, the Type-A version could have a song with a specific unit, while the Type-B version could have an exclusive song by SKE48. It all depends on which version you ultimately decide to pick up. Each type of “Green Flash” single gives you two exclusive songs in addition to the title track. There are five versions of the single available: Type-A, Type-S, Type-N, Type-H, and the Theater Edition. If you catch on quick you'll notice that there is an exclusive song by SKE48 in the Type-S version, an exclusive song by HKT48 in the Type-H version, and so on. But which songs out of this single are the best? Let me give my two cents. I won’t give any scores for each song, but rather just what comes to my mind when I play them. AKB48 – “Green Flash” Yes, the lead track has your favorite AKB48 senbatsu members rapping. They may not be as good as NERDHEAD or m.flo, but at least they’re trying right? Regarding the video, for a song that was supposed to center Kashiwagi Yuki and Kojima Haruna, you really don’t see them that much, compared to other members such as Matsui Jurina or Shimazaki Haruka. Overall the song is pretty good. I get this half J-Pop vibe and half R&B vibe which has not been done too often with AKB48. The lyrics also give a very positive message of never giving up when times are tough, and never giving in to anxiety when it seems like the world is on your shoulders. Maybe I need to play this song a lot more. I have anxiety issues from things like work and graduate school applications, so yes this song does help me overcome anxiety issues. AKB48 – “Majisuka Fight” Okay, so maybe I got into the AKB48 scene a little late, and never took a look at the Majisuka Gakuen series. We are nearing the end of the 4th season, and yes, this is the opening song for Majisuka Gakuen 4. Does it fit the series as an opening song? It does its job. To me, this sounds more like an opening for a detective drama than a drama where a 16-year-old idol beats the living hell out of the student hierarchy. This song may or may not wow you, but all in all it does its part as an opening theme. You should also take a look at Majisuka Gakuen 4 if you never got the chance. Miyawaki Sakura does her best Christian Bale-like Batman impression throughout the whole series. AKB48 – “Yankee Rock” This is more like it. This song serves as the ending theme of Majisuka Gakuen 4, and is a lot more intense than its opening counterpart. The emphasis on electric guitar definitely gives this song a lot more adrenaline than “Majisuka Fight”. Heck, doesn’t this song make you feel like weight training at the gym or starting a fist fight outside a school? This song could have served as both the opening and closing theme of Majisuka Gakuen 4, and I honestly wouldn’t be complaining. AKB48 – “Haru no Hikari Chikadzuita Natsu” Before I say anything about the song, have you noticed the lineup? This is an AKB48-only senbatsu that has no kennin members or members from different groups. No Yamamoto Sayaka, no Matsui Rena, no Miyawaki Sakura. Only AKB48 based members. This is kind of a big deal because this has not been done for a long time. Overall, this is a bright, bubbly, synthesizer-oriented J-Pop song with Watanabe Mayu at center. You may mimic the dance choreography for giggles, but to me, it’s good to see Kitahara Rie and Minegishi Minami back in a 16-girl senbatsu lineup. The strength of the song oddly does not come from the song, but rather the lineup. You have the up-an-coming members (Mukaichi Mion, Kawamoto Saya, Owada Nana, etc.), the faces of the franchise (Watanabe Mayu, Kashiwagi Yuki, Shimazaki Haruka, etc.), and the early gen favorites mentioned earlier with Kitahara Rie and Minegishi Minami. This may not be the song that stands out, but the senbatsu lineup for the song sure does. NMB48 – “Punkish” Yamamoto Sayaka is a badass. Yes, this is a Yamamoto Sayaka-centered NMB48 coupling song, and there’s a punk rock vibe that goes with it. It was kind of easy to figure that out with the song title “Punkish”, but the first thing that comes to my mind whenever I play this song is a mosh pit where everyone is pushing each other. Or maybe riots in the streets after a concert or something. Usually some of the coupling songs can make it as full-fledged singles. SKE48 had theirs with “Escape”, since that was a coupling song with the “Kimi wo Hohoemi wo Yume ni Miru” janken single. NMB48’s “Punkish” is good enough to be its own single. This song is fun to play, it gives you a rush of energy, and it showcases how Yamamoto Sayaka is a badass. The video looks like a punk rock-based version of “Kokoro no Placard”. At least, that’s the vibe I’m getting. But basically, if you love Yamamoto Sayaka, you will love this song. Let me reiterate: Yamamoto Sayaka is a badass. HKT48 – “Otona Ressha” There seems to be a consistent trend with HKT48’s songs. It’s not that they all sound the same because no I’m not saying that. What I can say is this: this is your throwback idol group with most, if not all, of their songs sounding bright, bubbly, an easy to hear synthesizer and a guitar solo. This song does not change this trend. Is the song bad? Absolutely not. This is what HKT48 does best. Maybe it is just me, but I am getting vibes of a brighter and bubblier “Hatsukoi Butterfly”. It’s fun and upbeat, and that’s really all I can say about it. I am still waiting on HKT48 to get their own version of a single or coupling song like “UZA”, “Kamonegix”, “Seifuku no Mannequin”, or “Escape”, mind you. SKE48 – “Sekai ga Naiteru Nara” Whoa…what is going on? I think the strength of this song comes from how twisted, dark and confusing the video is. Because the first thing that comes to mind when I’m playing the song is…a haunted house. I have no idea if this is just me, but if this song did not have a video, then that would be the first thing that comes to mind. But there is a video, and yes it’s even creepier than a haunted house. You may have to watch the full video a few times to understand it, because it’s twisted, intense, and fun to watch. This is one of the fast paced coupling songs and is pretty enjoyable in its own right. It isn’t the best song SKE48 has to offer (because “Escape” takes that title and it shouldn’t even be close), but it’s still a pretty good song. AKB48 – “Hakimono to Kasa no Monogatari” Here’s your piano ballad. It is a pretty soothing sounding song. Will you cry when you play it? Not exactly. The video however, might make you cry. The preview video is only over a minute long and I was almost tearing up. We have heard our fair share of piano ballads and they seem to round out a set list of coupling songs. With the hard hitting “Punkish” and “Yankee Rock”, and the bubbly “Otona Ressha” and “Haru no Hikari Chikadzuita Natsu”, this song stays smack in the middle as a powerful ballad. This song is relaxing and tells a story. This was also the theme song for NHK’s “Minna no Uta” program for a few months. AKB48 Team 8 – “Aisatsu kara Hajimeyou” The entire video takes place on a YouTube spinoff. This was a clever idea and gives you a vibe that shows the Team 8 idols are people too, who hang out with their friends and seem to do dorky things now and then. The song itself is not terrible but it seems to be the weakest of all the other coupling songs. Again, this song is not bad, but it sounds a tad generic and doesn’t exactly stand out. Much like Team 8 themselves. Probably the biggest reason why this song is a tad bland is because I can’t tie it in with anything else the few times I do listen to it. With the other coupling songs, it’s pretty easy to do that with or without a video. But if you are a Team 8 fan, you may find it pretty enjoyable. That just about does it for “Green Flash” and its coupling songs. I am missing one song, “Hatsukoi no Oshibe”, but I don’t exactly have the song on me and the song doesn’t have a video attached to it. Also I don’t know a lot about Tentoumu Chu! or Kabutomu Chu!, but if hope that someone I know has the Theater Edition so I can play it one day. Which song was your favorite? Which song did you dislike? Let us know in the comments below. …but wait. Wait a minute. Someone else had a release in March you know! She may not be classified as an “idol”, but she is a major staple in the J-Pop industry. Maybe she may not be as massive of a staple as AKB48, but still pretty powerful in her own right. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu – “Mondai Girl”
Yes, I had to review Pamyu’s new single. I couldn’t pass this up, even if she isn’t tied with AKB48. Let’s start with the song. There’s more of an 80s new wave vibe compared to some of her other hits. This is by no means a “PONPONPON” or an “Invader Invader”, but it’s still fun to listen to. Honestly, this song could very well fit in the 80s if Kyary were born in 1963. As for the video, it’s just as wild as her other works. It does seem like Kyary is maturing, as she is no longer that weird, childish girl when we first saw her in “PONPONPON”. There’s honestly a bit more risqué things here and there, such as censoring what seems to be a nude Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. I wish Kyary had more songs like this, with the 80s style new wave vibe. This seems to be a staple that can work for her, and she can be like Dale Bozzio of Missing Persons or something. Kyary certainly can pull that off, with her own kawaii grotesque spin on things. March has a boatload of new songs released, not only from AKB48 and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, but also from Nogizaka46 and SKE48 as well. There’s a lot to look forward to! -Nathan (L4verra) |
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