Single AKB48 59th [Moto Kare Desu] (2022/05/18)

If so, what was the single song? Nemohamo Rumor?

 

Well, it was never released so there's no real way to know. Doubt it was Nemohamo Rumor though, that song is too appropriate to the time of its release.

 

Thanks for the info @wlerin and @Rurouni

It does make sense that AKB was planning something, cause I remember thinking how weird it was that the SG (and the Sakamichi groups) kept going on with their releases while they just... did nothing. This was all pre-vaccines, so I imagine the restrictions and the impossibility of some SG to travel all the way to Tokyo made it impossible for the single to come to fruition. And knowing that without the SG help, the million streak was gone... everything cornered management into admitting it was an AKB-only release or it would be nothing.

I think it was for the best in the end, and if we get the same senbatsu for a series of singles that strengthen the core of the group, I'm all for it. I kinda miss the pre-2011 releases and performances where you could tell there was chemistry between the girls because they actually knew each other, so the change is welcome.

As for the single sounding K-popish... AkiP didn't even make the Izone songs sound Kpop, why would he care about AKB lol
If anything, it's time for a new RIVER type of song that uplifts the group and the nation in these uncertain times and blablabla.

 

I think the concern is not that it might sound KPopish, which is even ridiculous since AKB has done several dance-heavy singles in the past, but rather the kind of comments we'll hear from Izone or Kpop fans who'll check it out. Comments that allude to how KPop groups are superior and more skillful.

I don't want JPop idols to be well-oiled synchronized robots dancing with perfect precision. I'll just watch any random KPop group if I want to see that.

 

I think the main issue is that some might trying too hard to search the KPop influence by searching for tiny details that no one doesn't care of or making the "too general" of assumption (if it is dance-oriented, it must be KPop influence).

With the issues of AKB48 only senbatsu, I am not seeing that it will be last that long. Pandemic will be end eventually. When the time comes, management will include SG members to snach that 1 million sales again.

Like I said previously, to develop the system that enable you to have 1 million sales after 10+ years after debut is an achievement in itself.

 

Hmm I feel like if HKT's outstanding is any indication, izone fans don't give a damn about what nako and hiichan are doing rn. They care much more about their achievements, so they'll praise their wins like being center of the single, but they won't actively watch their activities or support them. This is coming from a huge wizone who has felt nothing but frustration this past year seeing other wizone's and even some of the members just basically ignore AKB or HKT activities while both nako and hiichan actively support and promote their own solo/group activities. Of course I have no doubt we'll get the annoying fans who make annoying comments but I don't think it will be nearly as bad as what we dealt with during produce48 era.

 

So, pop music is a property of Korea now? 'kay.

 

Really ?

Hiichan's doppleganger spoted

 

It looks like it will be a remix of the Sheila B. Devotion late 70's oldie :
if the video does not show watch the video here

 

IZ*ONE 48G members are popular based on number of Instagram / Twitter likes and followers

 

Really? I don't follow IzOne that much but I thought several members there care for their Japanese peers.

As for the Kpop fans being obsessed with "tEh aChIeVeMenTs", that's one of the main reasons for me to drop kpop altogether and go back to JPop. It has become a shitshow of e-pen** contest i.e. who has more awards, who has the most views, who has the most followers...etc.

 

In short, yes. One fairly obvious example is how when Eunbi, Yuri and Yena had their solo debuts, all the izone members who could do so actively took part in promoting their activities on social media like performing the dances on tiktok. Nako and Hitomi are always seen promoting their members solo activities, but when Nemohamo and Outstanding was released, non of the korean members bothered to promote it. Some people are speculating that it's due to some kind of clause making them unable to promote japanese releases but that doesn't make any sense to me lmao.
All this being said, I have no doubt in my mind they still care for each other. Minju is my izone oshi and she mentions jline quite often. Hyewon mentions them often too. But overall, when it comes to promotional activities, there isn't a lot going on in support for NakoHii, and that is reflected in the fandom as wizone aren't willing to support them outside of izone.

None of this is fact tho, but this is just my experience seeing how receptive wizone and kpop fans are to jlines 48group activities. They only ever come out of the woodwork when there is a significant achievement that they can add to their izone twitter rankings and charts, or to mention how Jline "wouldn't be where they are today without izone"

 

I guess it has something to do with the long-standing strained relationship between Korea and Japan. Maybe they're afraid of the backlash they might get from the hardcore nationalists in their country, which really baffles me, but that's a topic for another day.

To those people in particular, KPop is impeccable, their artists are the only ones who know how to dance, only ones with fantastic voices (dAt hIgH nOtEs dOe), only ones with attractive looks, oh and the cringey "tHeY pAvEd tHe wAy" thing...bla bla bla. (sigh)

Anyway, I can't wait for this single to drop out, I've pretty much enjoyed "Nemohamo" and I really hope AKB48 becomes relevant again. Competition is good.

 

THIS, If I remember correctly Sana TWICE (I forgot which one) got slammed by knetz because they giving congratulate message to their own country (Japan) entering new era (Reiwa era)

 

Yes. Either that or Sakamichi.
"Oh wow this song sounds kpop"
"Oh wow this song have sakamichi/nogizaka style to it"

 

So funny whenever there is someone here who said kpop used sexyness to attract viewers. While it is true because management sucks, but whenever there seems too sexualised, the fans WOULD PROTEST over and over agains especially when they see the idols keep fixing their clothes in front of cameras. And, most importantly, the kpop idols over there didn't randomly and regularly put one piece swimsuit or bikini or some skimpy outfit just to do a photoshoot for desperado. And not too mention, before the rule by Japan gov, so many young idol under 15 were doing skimpy gravure for magazine which got no protest at all from the fans and the fans are old enough to be their brother, dad or grandpa.. disgusting. And yeah, i really dont like any girls who are forced to be sexy especially the one who is still in highschool.

 

Tbh, I keep hearing the former more than the latter out there. Actually, I just learned there are people who would say the latter from you. Maybe, it was used frequently here, I don't know.

 

Honda Hitomi is the perfect center choice.
That IZ-ONE system has been so criticized but honestly thanks to that, AKB now has a really strong member like Hitomi. She's really popular on Tik Tok and Instagram and has lot of young fans. Also, I often see her on tv shows.
I would say that AKB is doing a good job at slowly climbing again as the top idol group. Of course it will never be again as big as it was at its peak, but now that Nogizaka is kinda declining and disappointing, these girls could take advantage of that with their current popular members and have a second wind and establishing again AKB as a top idol group.

 

AKB is already an old group that has many competitors today, being on top again is harder than ever.
BTW, what? Nogizaka declining? What are the signs that Nogizaka is declining? I'm not into 46G recently so I don't know.

 

All their really popular aces known by the GP have graduated. There's only Saito Asuka left but she's gonna graduate soon too, probably this year. Of course new gens have popular members too, but they're nowhere as popular and as well known as Nogi names like Shiraishi, Nishino, Asuka, Ikuta etc.
I would say that Honda Hitomi is currently more popular for the GP than any Nogi current member apart of Saito Asuka.

Their sales and MV views have slowed down a lot. Their HS results are kinda disappointing and the worse of all the sakamichi groups I would say. Yeah, there's popular members who easily sold out, but it's full of many other members with disastrous HS results. They sell more than Hinatazaka cause they have double amount of members than them, but they don't sell the double amount of copies than them, just "a bit" more.

The music they're releasing is disappointing since a while, you can really see that Aki-P isn't putting effort anymore on them (on a recent radio interview he even said he's finding bothersome to write songs for Nogizaka, and that the "noginess" shouldn't exist), and the worst has been with the new single that has been unanimously panned by fans, especially the center choice and the "keyakizaka wannabe" formation with her as center and others being her back-up dancers.