[GENERAL] The Sakurazaka46 / Keyakizaka46 Thread

I'm not so sure about that. Maybe for Kobayashi, but for Risa I've always felt that she's more than happy in her current role with not having the pressure of being the center and yet being more prominent in modelling which is what I think she is more interested in.

And being the center for the 9th single might even be a double-edged sword at the moment. If sales drastically drop, the 9th single center will be constantly compared to Hirate and that is a lot of unwanted pressure.

And at the moment, Japanese twitter has gone from shock to anger to management and even to the other members. So many opinions flying around about the sudden withdrawal, sections of the fanbase saying that they will continue to support Keyakizaka46, some other sections saying that they will move on from the group, and even some others calling for disbandment and wanting the group to crash and burn. I think management needs to be strong at this point and state specifically why she chose to withdraw from the group, before rumours and opinions turn to hate and unwanted backlash. I even saw Shida Manaka tweet out something about the news but it was very vague and she immediately deleted the tweets a few minutes after that.

 

So we, just lost the 2 best dancers of the group, beside the incredibly Techi ... wow, haters must be really happy, they screwed up this girl so much, she gave up, Keyaki its not gonna be the same without her, it even lost that magic and touch, is gonna become an average nogi or hinata, theres not sense anymore, they lost the power house called Techi, it will be hard to go through this, it seems all Techi supporters graduated, it seems theres something going on inside the group we didnt know, it seems like all the other girls really didnt liked Techi centering all the singles.... and the Techi supporters all left before, Manaka left, Yone, Neru, Shii chan, and Suzumoto..... gonna miss the Keyaki I felt in love with..

I see it really hard for Keyaki to recover from this that it hurts so much...

Shii, I will miss you ....

 

on another-nother note.. i really hope they learn from this issue & don't do the same with Hinatazaka or even worse... do the same again with Keyaki when they manage to bounce back

 

You know, I really like Keyaki's concept but its biggest flaw is the huge toll on the members. All that heavy dancing and stuff comes at a cost, now it's showing up as clear as ever.

I still have some favourite girls left: W-Watanabe, Sugai-sama, Habu,...and I'm not gonna take it for granted

Will see how the 2ki would do...

 

Man the tarot card reading for the group fate for the year were spot on..

 

Can't say I am that surprised. That Nana would graduate was a 50/50 chance and I think her decision to graduate also made Miyu graduate.
If their truly are problems within the group/between members then Shiori may have deicided that studying abroad while everything is sorted out might not be to bad, or hey, this might also just be a girl who thinks of her feature after her idol career. Either way, taking a hiatus to study is justifiable to me.

Then Yurina, where to start? First of all, personally, I think this was bound to happen sooner then later, someone above said it right; every time she appeared somewhere she looked as if someone forced her at gunpoint, she clearly wasn't happy. About the cause we can only speculate at this moment but I think she doesn't want/likes to be a center attention but management forced her to be it constantly. This would also explain her choice of words as with a graduation she would be buried under a huge amount of attention.

Aboout the future of the group:
First of all I would like to adress those claiming the group is finished without Yurina: No they are not, they are a group, they are not Hirate46 but Keyakizaka46. They indeed might suffer a dip in sales but that is managements fault.
If I have learned anything in my time as an Idol fan it is that you should never, never expect to be a certain member to be there forever, Idol gradutions/quitting is part of the game.
I didn't like Yurina to be the constant center, not because of Yurina but because it made the group dependant on her, also it made the group vulnerableas we see now with people wanting the group to call it quits, management should have made sure their was a member everyone would focus on in case Yurina (like she does now) would leave. They had their chances numerous times, for instance; when Yurina was on hiatus for a while they could have released a single with someone else as center but what did they do instead? Postpone the release. Management failed hard in this regard, very hard.
This also would cause problems within the group itself as it makes the efforts of other members futile and may cause thoughts like "Why am I doing this?" "Does management even think I matter?" and I am sure this caused some graduations (with Neru being the worst one)
I hope Yurina quitting serves as a wake up call for management and as a warning to the management of Hinatazaka46 that having an eternal center is something which brings huge risks that are, to me, not worth it. Eternal centers is not the way an Idol group should follow.

 

It saddens me that techi’s career in keyakizaka46 ended just like that no graduation just plain “I’M OUT, BYE”
I hope she bounce back after all of this and become an actress.

 

Well considering I knew all 4 were leaving the group since last Oct I cant be too surprised. Either way, they'll be successful in whatever they choose to do.

 

At least she got a solo song uploaded in Keyaki Official Channel.

 

It's the beginning of 2020 and this is what we get. In just a few years, a lot of them are gone. I guess when you soar so high, the harder you fall.

It's my first time being a fan from an idol group. Yui's graduation really broke my heart, so this was what it feels like to be a fan of an idol. Then Shida's came, Yone's, Neru's, and lastly the three... (Oda, Mon, and Techi). Suzumoto and Hirate are my favorite members, and they just have to quit this early 2020, and man, it's a big blow for me.

I could definitely understand Oda's and Mon's departure, their reasons and decisions; but Techi's withdrawal is just too sudden... Considering how amazing they performed last December. It saddens to think we are all expecting a great comeback this year, but now I'm just so worried for the next new centers to have constant pressure and comparison now that the face of the group is gone, our hardworking Captain Yuuka's and Vice Captain Nen's feelings, and the whole group.

I could only say goodbye and good luck for their futures in life. Sato's hiatus for studying abroad is a huge opportunity, and I wish the best for her as well.

Even though my oshis are gone, I will continue to support the group. They helped me a lot during my rebellious high school days. I should be stressing my midterm exams rn, but this one takes the cake. Sorry for the long post, now let me binge play their songs and cry.


[source: https://twitter.com/EnnLuna25/status/1220422183333388288]


Thank you Keyakizaka46~

 

Can anyone with better Japanese language skills verify this by Nikkan Sports that was posted in the last few minutes?

https://twitter.com/nikkansports/status/1220530916570750976

https://twitter.com/nikkansports/status/1220531066496110592


To my understanding, they are basically saying that the word "withdraw" was used instead of "graduate" was because she didn't choose to leave but she was asked to leave (probably by members? seeing that she left the group but not the company - either way there appears to be some internal disagreements from within the group that we don't know of. That would explain why she said that she didn't want to talk about it at the current time and maybe some time in the future when she is ready instead of just saying she's leaving the group because of health reasons etc, and then playing Kuroi Hitsuji in its entirety while practically sobbing).

I think management needs to send out a clear statement of why she withdrew from the group instead of graduating, or the rumours will cause the group further hate and backlash.

 

I never thought that I‘d get so emotionally invested in an idol group, but here I am feeling heartbroken.
Mon comes as a favorite second only to techi and they’re both leaving at once... I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get over this empty feeling and keep supporting the group. Perhaps detaching myself from keyaki might be better for me, rather than watching all first gen members leave one by one.
I’d like to know from people whose oshi graduated how they were able to stick with the group.

There are various opinions but personally I agree with those who say that techi doesn’t want a grand exit, nor does she want to drag it too long, so she just left. It sounds very techi like, though she has yet to explain herself.

Sorry but this is some ass attitude right here. Nobody wants to hear that members might be happy that their oshi is leaving, so don’t bring it up? Btw risa is friends with both neru and techi

 

That’s not true at all. What Nikkan reported was that Techi personally chose the word “withdraw” and not “graduate”. Mmg was simply respecting her choice of word. Nowhere in the articles suggesting internal conflicts.

 

I never said that the articles mentioned internal conflicts. I just said that it was what I gathered when I read the two articles.

The title of the first article, "平手“脱退”に最上もが僕は「抜けざるを得ない」と" is translated to me as "Hirate withdraw - I have no choice but to leave". That's why I asked if there is anyone here with better Japanese language skills who are able to translate the articles into context.

 

Shii-chan says in her blog that she has been given time off to go and study art overseas. She talks about graduating from college last spring and seeing people she knew starting new lives. I'd be a bit surprised if she came back as a member, but also surprised if she didn't keep a relationship with Seed & Flower in some way. She seems to me a sensible and mature person.

Mon and Oda, no surprise: they were already withdrawing. Oda for obvious reasons ("scandal"). Mon in her blog says that performing was always what she loved but it became less enjoyable. She kept hoping the thrill would return, but it didn't. Maybe there's more to it than that, not sure.

Techi hung on, despite having a future as a solo act, but something happened to cause her and management to give up on continuing. Maybe it was that amazing Fukyouwaon performance on Kouhaku. Maybe it was Morita Hikaru's effective performance of Kuroi Hitsugi. Really, it's a wonder that they kept together this long, with Techi's physical and emotional problems, and the tensions between Techi and management, and probably between Techi and some members. It really may have been her fault, as she sings in Kuroi Hitsugi, but she's an individually-oriented artist, not a group-oriented idol, and concentrated on being true to herself. But she was also overworked (which I thought was okay at the time...), maybe to the point that her mental and physical health suffered.

I wonder if management finally decided the 2gens were ready to become more prominent, and even to stand at centre, and felt able to take Techi solo.

This past weekend was the Japanese national university entrance exams. I wonder if Techi took them, since this is the year she normally would. Back when she was 15-16, she talked about not doing homework and talking back to the teacher, and getting zero on tests, so it's a question.

Some Memi fans are thinking of a Techi-Neru-Memi trio. Others add Zumiko and Shida. Techi, Neru, Shida and Memi have been friends. But Techi is so much more talented as an singer/dancer than those three that I can't really see it. Nor do I see Memi returning to the entertainment world any time soon. In her Millennia Girl appearance, Mona seemed to want to push forward as a model, at least. No news of Neru, but I expect her to go to school overseas, maybe starting last September.

It's a new world. I hope something can happen to give Keyaki a boost. Just having a single come out would help...I think. I hope and believe that we will continue to see Techi as an entertainer, in film and on TV.

 

I see more and more tweets about putting blame on s&f and they hope Hinata will have a smooth idol career and not get pushed for a fixed centre of the group.

We all know this has been a internal issue among mngmt for a very long time now. It can't be avoided anymore and fans are worried it will never stop. This mngmt has had so many times to change but still didn't do anything about the situation until it got worse. Having Keyaki postponed from new releases in 2019 is on mngmt and not on members. It was mngmt's choice and Hirate is now leaving because she is tired of it. They overworked her and some fans don't understand what hell she has went through with that mngmt. It could have ended different if Keyaki had a better mngmt.

 

I feel so sad and disappointed right now, although not disappointed by something the girls have done. I'm upset about how graduations have been handled...

I am with Keyakizaka46 always. I trust the members of Keyakizaka46 and I know they will face this. I trust the fans too. I will not abandon them.

 

Maybe she don't want to use graduate because is a official term used by Idols, and I think Techi do not like do be a Idol(traditional) anymore. She love performing and dancing, but all the other stuff, she was done with.
She stayed because the other members, and because she doesn't wanted to quit, but she reach her tipping point.
I hope all the best for her, she was a strong kid, now let's see she go as a strong woman.

 

I checked the articles you cited again. The wording choice was from the article previous to the ones you cited. Sorry for the confusion. As for the two article from your original post, the first one is about the “withdrawal” of the lady in the photo. They were just saying she used the same word as Techi and explained why. As for the second article, Nikkan reported Miichan’s tweet yesterday wondering the difference between “graduate” and “withdraw”.

 

Techi being herself even until the end of her career with Keyaki. Remember how she used to withdrawn first after each stage performance, coldly? Though it's quite heartbreaking, she stays in her character. Well, to me that's one of her charming point.

And the scheme where she chose to be "out" instead of graduate, make me think she's like a villain character which everybody can't help but love. Mysteriously come and go as they like (I know it's not the case for Techi, but duh! she sometimes did that) For example like Joker or Darth Vader, who likes to make people hurt but still fall for their charm. (I know it's too abstract to compare her with them, but don't know why she always gave me that impression)

Graduation usually related with tear-falling, so perhaps she doesn't prefer them.
Tbh, I like this kind of 'out' style.
But still, I'm gonna let myself be emo for today, grieving over the loss of my otter.

And it's weird but despite the not-so good situation, I found the Dani-Mon graduating together kinda romantic in some ways. Not platonic maybe, but still cute. I bet Keyakake will be a bit boring for a while, because well, Dani is one of the member who can pull of the comedic situation with her abrupt and frankly speaking (Mona and Dani was the first rank to actually make me laugh during Keyakake, the other being Fuu-chan, Oze, or Pe, but they don't get enough camera time).

The one whom most surprising is Shii-chan. Man... these days she kept getting prettier and talented, I was thinking maybe the chance where she would shoot for a photobook is getting higher. But no? Okay Shii, it's fine. Take a rest for a while but don't give us another shocking news next time you come back, please.

9th single will be quite heavy for the rest of member, especially for 2ki since most of them participate.
With this situation means Techi and Shii-chan won't participate in 9th single, right? So is there a chance for Rikopi and Ten-chan to fill the place?