[GENERAL] The Sakurazaka46 / Keyakizaka46 Thread

Not likely to appear on stage. They'd be in the kankeisha section.

 

Watching the Watanabe Risa Graduation Concert on Bilibili was also a very emotional experience for me as well as was for @turbogig and I gues most of us. I realized once more how much I LOVE Keyakizaka...

I will NEVER get over these 21 girls, their group and repertoire...

Deep inside I was expecting Keyakizaka songs. So many times I have expressed my wish for this repertoire not to be forgotten and there... Futari saison! My heart was throbbing the moment I saw that huge Keyaki tree on stage: the glorious past started unfolding before our eyes and ears...

What a sign of respect from the 2nd gens to leave the stage for the remaining nine... My eyes melted not from the song but from the image of these nine girls and the memories of twelve more... Yet, afterwards, when the concert ended and Risa-sama passed the gate, I was left with a huge feeling of emptyness... And then I realized that for me, Keyakizaka46 was a time-gate for a second adolescence, and oasis of youth within my adult life, a break for everything that occupied my every-day life in a boring and crisis-hit European country that took me on a dream journey to a beautiful country with the most pretty girls in the world, singing songs with real melody, and long, meaningful lyrics...! And that gate closed yesterday...!

As @turbogig said, these songs may not be repeated again (or at least we might hear some of them again in one of the future 1st gen graduation concerts - for captain, Pon and possibly Habu-chan which have chances to get one). As much as I WANTED these songs not to be forgotten, these are part of the 1st gen heritage. And although the 2nd gen (not so much the shin 2nd gen as they didn't have the chance to experience the old repertoire), have assimilated these songs (they did had a Tokyo Dome together with their older sisters agter all), I don't expect them to feel the same for this repertoire compared to the Sakurazaka songs.

And with the coming of the 3rd gen these songs will most probably pass to oblivion...

And then an idea hit me: Just leap a few years into the future, some time when Ten-chan is at the current age of Risa, a year that the newly arrived Sakurazaka 5th gen would get on stage. Wouldn't be nice to have a single event each year (or even every two years) - just ONE event - named "The Origins" or "Sakurazaka Origins" or "Our Past" (or something like that) in which all girls perform the old Keyaki songs? It would be an event to pay honor to the songs that fueled the group to success, an event full of memories for the older fans, and appreciation for all the effort, devotion, love and good work senpais, song writers, costume designers, staff and Takahiro and Akimoto sensei have put together.

Having seen the Nogizaka 10 years live, I wouldn't imagine anything less from Sakurazaka. "Seifuku no Mannequin" may not say much to a 5th gen Nogizaka other that a song they liked when they were 10 years old but they would kill to perform it on stage. The same should be with a future Sakurazaka noobster that would have the HONOUR and privilegde to perform "Silent Majority" some time in the future.

 

https://sakurazaka46.com/s/s46/news/detail/E00104?ima=3009
W-Keyaki Fes will be on July 21st-24th at Fuji Q Highland
details and agenda/itinerary later

 

oee exciting 4 days as well

 

So, it's W-KEYAKI Fes, not W-Saku Fes, right? Just checking...

 

There is only one Sakura, after all. And two Keyakis (Kanji and Hiragana)

 

Actually W-Keyaki festival IS misleading as nothing is actually true: My beloved (kanji) Keyakizaka is no more and Hiragana is now Hinatazaka.

A more accurate name would have been possibly EVO-Keyaki festival.

EVO from evolution as Keyaki has branched and evolved in two different groups and EVO is already a Japanese "invention" if I'm not mistaken, from the Mitsubishi supercars for Rally Racing.

 

"Saku-Hina Fes" maybe? Hmmm, doesn't have the same feel...LOL

 

How 'bout "Saka(michi) Fes" (potentially leaving room for bringing in Nogi as well, if deemed feasible in the future)?

 

After hoping for Hiragana/Keyaki songs from last year's W-Keyaki fest and only getting one as the last song, I'm not holding my breath for anything special this year. I do wonder what they'll do with that extra day though. Maybe something like this?

Day1: Hinata's day
Day2: Sakura's day
Day3: Combo Hinata/Sakura concert
Day4: repeat of day 3's set list with a few songs switched out?

 

Maybe management got a big clue from Risa's graduation concert and begin to slip in a few of the old (yet great) Kanji songs? I get it, we want to move forward and all that good stuff, but it is part of their freakin' discography after all, and can't just be ignored.

 

I think they are expecting the fans to be able to get the context on their own.

I personally disagree with the "evolved Keyaki" view. Sakura is not Keyaki, it is a new group, not some descendant of it. Likewise Hinatazaka isn't treated like a heavily modified Hiragana, it is considered a new group.

This is why Sakura makes little to no reference to Keyaki nowadays. It would just lead to comparisons with the past, which management probably thinks would result in the public having a lesser view of Sakura.

The name could still certainly be changed though. W-Keyaki is unclear. What is the purpose of bringing both groups back together anyways? Even the members weren't entirely sure and each gave a different interpretation in their blog posts about it after last year's.

It is possible, however, that that is the point. Deliberate vagueness so each can remember Keyaki in their own personal manner, not some regulated celebration.

Also, now that I think about it the name probably comes from W-Keyaki no Uta. Which actually makes a little more sense.

Well it is supposed to be about Keyaki. They perform W-Keyaki no Uta at the end.

That said, a different event bringing all three groups together would be cool.

 

@SunlitZelkova Well, not exactly so...

In any case you contradict yourself as when you're replying to me, you cut any ties with Keyaki for both current groups, while, when you reply to @hinatasucker you say that the festival is about Keyaki...

We begin by agreeing that no festival name is because of ONE song. So the reference to the W-Keyaki no Uta as the reason for naming the festival is vague. It's just providing a very convenient tag (W-Keyaki) for an event that is based on two different groups with A COMMON origin that perform together.

And we come to the crucial part: There exists at least one fan (as we say in Mathematics) - and that's me, who believes that Sakurazaka is an immediate descendant from Keyakizaka, and exactly the same for Hinatazaka as well. Hinatas (god bless them) always include Hiragana songs in their concerts. Sakurazaka don't and it annoys me. I understand and respect their rebranding, and yes they have my support. But ALL current members have applied to be KEYAKI let's not forget about that.

Please do not misunderstand me: I was discussing with another fellow member of the forum in a PM that yes, the Keyakizaka model could not fit to the current state of girls. Keyakizaka was a model of angry, awkward, rebellious, emo teenagers and would not fit the current image of Habu, Sugai, or even Morirena and therefore it was a chapter that HAD TO be closed. But the songs are theirs and it's their heritage and PRIVILEGE to (ask to) perform...

And here is my reply to @Jsprite that asks for more Keyaki songs: I strongly believe that it was Risa-sama's wish to perform some old Keyaki songs. Therefore management doesn't have to "discover" that it would be a good idea to include Keyaki songs in performances. What it needs is just for the members to ask for it. And something tells me that even 2nd gen girls are "crazy" to perform old Keyaki songs...

(I would bet even the future 3rd gen girls - and any future girls that enter Sakurazaka, would dream to perform Simajo or Hiraishin or whatever black-green... If not them then who would?)

 

No one knows and personally I'm not a fan of this joint festival at all. Hinatazaka went through a lot and I feel like it would be better for them to be as removed from Keyaki (which includes Sakurazaka) as possible. The association is pointless when Keyaki isn't a thing anymore. Maybe management isn't confident Sakurazaka could sell enough tickets? But it's not like they're not able to sell tickets for the day when it's just Sakurazaka. I honestly don't get it.

 

We are not talking about company reunions. This is not working at all. It's show business and this is so common: artists unite and perform together and have a great time (both them and the audience). Their COMMON origin (and as long as there are Kumis and Koikes and Mireis and Pons around) would also reinforce that such a "joint-venture" would be fun.

Wasn't it fun last year? I guess it was, for buddies and ohisamas alike.

Now it goes without saying that any of the two could fill the venue so tickets is not the issue. (If it were for either group, than it would have been about time for management and Sony music to pull the plug off - or call in a new gen ASAP).

I think that as long as the girls like it and benefit from it and the audience is having a great time, W-Keyaki or whatever they call it would at least get MY ticket from the other side of the globe!

@hinatasucker As for the Nogi participation: As much as I would enjoy such a triple Sakamichi joint venture, I don't think it would work and that's for two main reasons IMHO:
1. Conifer forest in Fuji-Q has become a Keyaki (Kanji+Hiragana) annual tradition. Nogis are having theirs. Their presence there would seem like being a "guest" to an "inside event".
2. The Nogi repertoire is too big and the inevitable dilusion would not satisfy the average Nogi fan among the audience.

 

As for your reply to me, the members may ask for it, but I believe for Risa’s concert it happened because of the weight of Risa in the group. I doubt if Aoi asks for it, it’d be granted.

Now, I do agree with the rest of your response. I’m sure the girls would jump at the opportunity to perform (and the fans would just love it). Imagine:

1. “Teo wo Tsunaide Kaerouka” with the main protagonists/fighters being Masumoto and her “frenemy” Kousaka
2. “Aozora ga Chigau” being made up of Hono, Rena, Karin, Onuma, Hikari
3. And yes, the heavy hitters too, with all the girls…

Bonus: Either Morita/Ten/Hono/Karin centering "Dare no Koto wo Ichiban Aishteru" (Technically a Sakamichi-AKB48 collaboration, but it is basically a Kanji song with Kanji choreo)....................

 

Trying to imagine this and my brain explodes as the sprockets reach terminal velocity... OK you're the official "godfather" of this amazing idea... I just hope that someone from the S&F staff reads this.

As for the "Dare no Koto wo Ichiban Aishteru" my brain has stuck with Karin at its center...

Speaking about old songs, how about AM 1:27 with the "heavy dancers" Hikari, Onuma and Ozono (having as well approximately the same height). It would be a real hit!

Regarding your comment on Risa, I think it was evident that Risa would have get whatever she had asked for, since it was her concert, but as far as Aoi is concerned, what you said may be true, yet it's so sad... Discrimination based on HS sales is (for me who is not following THIS specific facet of the idol world) the real black sheep of this kind of show-biz. However, I believe that girls, in general, have a saying as to what it's being performed.

 

Of course you're right and my ignorance about concerts and Nogi is to be blamed there, sorry sorry...

(...but still, what would you think of a crazy idea like this? A MONSTER concert, held once a year or even every other year, with all three Sakamichi groups: 46 SONGS, 15 for each group + ONE JOINT SONG, specially done for the occasion )

 

It's not abt selling tickets or what sort. Why is it that most of such post looking down on Sakuzaka? They are selling even more than hinata given the recent updates on most selling groups in concerts. Hinata had more tour venues than Sakuzaka but they weren't in top 5. Sakuzaka is selling as well as hinata so it isn't that. KEYAKI is the history of both groups and as much as hinata has suffered, so has Sakurazaka. Just because the blame is put on them doesn't mean they haven't had the worse too. God i'm so tired of ppl looking down on Saku

Any way that aside, both grps originated from Keyaki. Both groups were formed from trauma and pain. They share more than we expect. Mgmt, with that selling view of docu made, created a distance between fans that they wanna bridge but hey the harm is done already. Wkeyaki is what they are holding on to close that gap and it's a good idea. Last year, there were equal numbers from both sides so no fandom surpassed the other. It's just a good time for fans who enjoy the past and the present of both groups, and the 2 grps themselves.

 

To be fair, they had performed DareIchi before at Keyaki Republic (back in 2017 but it's still a possibility). One thing I'd like to see personally is a song swap, even if it's just one or two songs.