Taguchi Manaka (Manaka)

Had quite a decently long handshake with Manaka yesterday, in maid outfit,
as well as 2shot https://twitter.com/elbisuki/status/919125565508001793

 

Congrats on centering the Kimi Wa Pegasus senbatsu!
And being the top on singing and dancing on the audition
She managed to make that strict teacher cried on her singing audition too!

 

Congrats to Taguchi and Maeda Ayaka.
They are now members of Team A.
https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/akb48/news/201712080000777.html

Taguchi filled with tears of joy. (3:40)
Mod edit: removed dead video link

 

Happy Birthday Manaka

Congrats on the promotion to Team A

 

I know several people have asked here about whom she resembles.

Seeing recent pics, and looking at her skillset / potential, she reminds me of a young Iwata Karen.

Hope she has a great 2018!!!

 

I thought I was the only one who thought that!

 

Yeah, I definitely didn't back in the audition time (majimesugi), but she's been going more and more Karenwards. I approve.

 

Woaah, Manaka is soo cute !

And no, you are not the alone about thinking that Manaka is exactly like Karen Iwata guys, but younger than her, me too I think it since yesterday evening !

I love her (very !) short hair, her round face and her chin !

With Kanabun, Harimachan, Kururun, Zukkii and Zunchan, she is my fav of the 16th gen !

 

Slightly off-topic, but for anyone else looking for “The Next Karen”, the other top candidate as far as I'm concerned is STU's Kokoa Kai, she's a riot. I'd love to see the two of them (Kai and Manaka) doing something together.

 

Picked this up from my twitter feed

Manaka singing Mushi no Ballad
https://twitter.com/yuiriii_susio/status/975331381394915328

 

poor Manaka.....keep up with your vocal training

 

Bit dissapointed with next single senbatsu member result, once again She didn't choosed for it

 

I think she got the initial push and it didn't pan out, now she's going to start climbing up on her own strength. Which I think she's quite capable of doing, but it will take time. I imagine a Naachan-style arc: initial push, then dropped, then slowly growing her own fanbase, then finally recognition.

 

Yes, hope for it too, hope She will gain her momentum in this year senkyo,

 

Was she getting a push before? Hopefully they're just delaying until she actually debuts to start really putting her up front. She is still pretty young after all. If she has to do it slowly herself though I'm sure she'll be able to~

 

The initial push is over for her. Wait for the next one when she is more developed in all areas. That next one will probably last longer.

 

maybe after the all OG graduates, she will shine enough to make it to the senbatsu spot.. the best things she had for AKB single just include in the Maebure couplings back then..

 

There was that showroom when she cried because she saw a bunch of her fans at D3 handshake and that her own lane got much emptier than before.

I guess she was also a little upset that she didn't make senbatsu this single.

I think she's at the point of growth where after everything started going well for her (initial push, started selling out slots) comes the challenging times when increased expectations aren't met by reality. That she needs to figure out in order to become any more successful or else ends up as just another random unknown member in the group.

Personally as a (former) manaka oshi, I get frustrated supporting her when she seemed to care less about herself than I do about her. Half the time when she wasn't happy about her own result she would let it slide / not face it directly by mentioning how someone else in 16 gen did great. For example, even when she's sad that her fans are moving on to D3, she said in showroom to "come back to us 16 gen" and not herself specifically. Her mobame on sousenkyo didn't emphasize that she couldn't rank last year but rather that she's glad Orin did. While it's nice to care about your peers, I feel like in this idol world you need to first prioritize your fans, which means prioritizing who they prioritize which is yourself. And this also means to not escape disappointment by cuddling in the comfort of group mentality in exchange for for personal growth.

 

I think being yuyui shadow in team A is a great opportunity for her
hopefully she can grab another chance in there

Being akbingo semi-regular member in their first year, when the most pushed 16th atm (zukki) only invited once (not included their first appearace)

 

True. Didn't seem long enough though :/

I still think she's got tons of ace potential though. Way more than yuiyui, in my opinion.