Single AKB48 61st single [Doushitemo Kimi ga Suki da] - (2023/04/26)

Thanks.. wait, do they also have a "meet and greet" at Tower Records Shibuya? I thought they were only raffleing of the panel displays.

Here at Tsutaya right now. There are a lot of people and it seems the staff have failed to prepare line guides, and its quite disorganized right now.

 

It’s equally disorganised here at Tower. They’re using a staircase for the queue. I’m on the 6F landing, the queue continues behind me and then doubles back down past me beyond the 5F landing and out of sight. I’m guessing there might be a late start if there’s issues down the street at Tsutaya.

This is the event page at Tower:
https://towershibuya.jp/2023/04/22/181315

Apart from the start time the text appears to be the same as with the Tsutaya event (including the signed apron lottery). I’ll report later but it probably won’t be until I’m back at my hotel.

 

Day 1:
282,115 copies sold
https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/d/2023-04-25/

It's better than what I expected, around 12k increase from Hisalip

 

I'm also at Tower Records Shibuya but near the front of the line. Wow, the line is going all the way up to the 5th floor? And yes, staff let us know that they will be starting late. I know some people were wondering how they'd be able to make it back to the theater for the livestream at this rate.

 

if the video does not show watch the video here

EDIT: Concerning sales, it is as I suspected. Even though it looks terrible in the tables the black list and the presential meetings do raise the sales a bit. It makes me wonder how many empty sales were before.


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

I knew Netafuri had a hidden center

 

Netafuri MV with member reactions which is mostly just kawaii repeatedly
https://twitter.com/y_y_yuchann/status/1651181667321802753

Edit: MV on Youtube

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

They brought up something interesting afterward, what would the theme have been if the Takoyaki or Croquette Club had won. I wonder if the song would be the same with different imagery?

 

Myao reacts

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

My story of today starts at Tower Records this morning at 10:30. Last night I discovered about the event there which seemed to be the same as the Tsutaya one but happening an hour later at 18:00 which would give me time to visit the Theater event. Ticket sales started at 11:00 but already when I arrived there was about a hundred people in the queue 30 minutes beforehand. Bad organisation meant that the line moved glacially slowly and I didn't get to the front until 12:15. I bought a set of 3 CDs and received 3 event tickets and 3 signed apron lottery tickets.

By now it was 45 minutes after the start of the ticket sales at HMV Ikebukuro Esola. I got there at 12:45, however the 1st slot was already sold out - but not the second one at 14:00 with Komi! Relieved at that news, I was able to have a leisurely lunch before returning to HMV at 14:00. However buying a CD just got you a couple of seconds each with Harupyon, Karen and Komi, very disappointing, but at least it was enough to see that Komi recognised me. I've got 8 tickets for her for the offline meeting on 5/6 so I'll be able to talk much better with her there.

So on to Akiba and the Theater. I got there before the end of the 1st slot so I bought one CD to get a ticket for Manaka to see how it all worked. Basically you could only buy tickets for one member per slot but you could buy up to 10 CDs and thus get 2 minutes talk. None of the members wore masks even though there were no screens but of course no handshaking. The event took place in the Theater itself so at long last I could pass through the hallowed doors. The floor plan was posted outside and as nobody seemed to be bothered about people photographing it I took a picture of the one for the second slot:



As for Manaka she was very lovely and very pretty close up. I said that she was good in 'Moto Kare desu' and wished her Good Luck in OO48. When she presented me with the CD she dropped it and as we both went to pick it up our fingers briefly touched. She was wearing a very pretty dress but high-necked.

For the second slot I chose Megu (I bought 3 tickets for her) because she's my highest-ranked member who I couldn't fit into my schedule for the meeting on 5/6. Also my previous meetings with her, both offline and online, have been a little disappointing. This one though was very different, she was much more lively and we had a good conversation in both Japanese and English. I told her that I met her in Japan 3 times between 2016 & 2018, she didn't remember me but she did understand me. I wished her 'ganbatte' to be back in senbatsu for the next single and I told her that I loved her very cute smile. Finally I complemented her on her new brown hair colour, she asked me in English if it was my favourite and I said it was.

Seeing as there was no chance today to meet Nagi (but I do have tickets for her on 5/6) I headed back to Tower Records. The post from @Jurinavenclaw over at Tsutaya alerted me of a possble lateness of the start and indeed the members didn't arrive until 18:30, some 30 minutes late. Added to the terrible organisation of the queue, by the time I'd passed the members for the third time it was 19:45 and there was still about 100 people waiting in line. I've just been watching the live Theater YouTube broadcast while I type this and I see that the senbatsu members didn't arrive until just before 21:00.

But rant over - as I said I passed by the senbatsu members 3 times. They were on the stage in the store's basement event area behind screens. For the first pass the members seemed to have been arranged in order of seniority with Yukirin first and the 17ki members last but it was more mixed up for the second and third passes. I got 'hearto' signs from Zukkii, Erii and Mogi, and HIICHAN BLEW ME A KISS AHHHHHHHHHH and Yuiri called out something to me but I couldn't hear her.

So the end of a very long and tiring day, but a very special and highly memorable one!

 

You were still an event away of becoming a real fan. Pity.

Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!

But how did you waste the chance to make eye contact? Imagine you two staring at each other with your fingers touching: "Here's looking at you, kid."

I think she was asking if she was your favourite. Oh! See, @sscrla ? He also writes favourite.

"Deibido-saaaaaaaaaaaaaan!"

How can a group of people who are supposed to host large scale handshake events be so amateurish for a much smaller event like this one?

 

61st Single (Doushite mo Kimi ga Suki da) - 6th Sale Round 0 (Started on the 26th of April 2023)

Legend:
sold-out IRL dates/available IRL dates + sold-out online dates/available online dates = combined dates (+/–difference from previous round) Member Name

Example:
01/30 + 23/24 = 24/54 (+02) Oguri Yui (29+1=30 slots nearly sold out)
Yui has 30 slots available IRL and sold out one of them. She has 24 dates available online, and has sold out 23 of them. This makes a total of 24 out of 54 sold out. The number in brackets signifies the difference from the previous round (i.e. 2 more than previously). The numbers in brackets after the name show how many dates IRL + online = total only have a few tickets left to win/nearly sold out.

Spoiler: Team A

16/20 + 24/24 = 40/44 (–06) Honda Hitomi (1+0=1 slot nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
00/20 + 15/24 = 15/44 (–01) Mukaichi Mion (0+3=3 slots nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
01/20 + 20/20 = 21/40 (–05) Iwatate Saho (–10 slots)
00/20 + 04/20 = 04/40 (–02) Chiba Erii (0+1=1 slot nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
05/10 + 24/24 = 29/34 (–03) Okabe Rin (–10 slots)
00/16 + 00/16 = 00/32 (+00) Nagano Serika (–8 slots)
03/12 + 12/12 = 15/24 (+02) Shimizu Maria (–6 slots)
00/12 + 02/12 = 02/24 (+01) Muto Orin (0+2=2 slots nearly sold out) (–6 slots)
00/12 + 00/12 = 00/24 (+00) Komiyama Haruka (–6 slots)
00/08 + 01/08 = 01/16 (+00) Takahashi Sayaka (–4 slots)
00/08 + 01/08 = 01/16 (+01) Otake Hitomi (–4 slots)
00/08 + 00/08 = 00/16 (+00) Nakanishi Chiyori (–4 slots)
00/08 + 00/08 = 00/16 (+00) Fukuoka Seina (0+3=3 slots nearly sold out) (–8 slots)
00/04 + 01/04 = 01/08 (+00) Saito Haruna (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Ma Chia-Ling (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Michieda Saki (–2 slots)
00/00 + 00/00 = 00/00 (+00) Yoshihashi Yuzuka

Spoiler: Team K

00/20 + 17/24 = 17/44 (–03) Yamauchi Mizuki (0+1=1 slot nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
00/20 + 14/24 = 14/44 (+00) Oda Erina (1+0=1 slot nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
00/30 + 11/20 = 11/40 (–01) Mogi Shinobu (–10 slots )
00/20 + 06/20 = 06/40 (+00) Taguchi Manaka (0+1=1 slot nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
00/16 + 04/16 = 04/40 (–01) Yamane Suzuha (0+2=2 slots nearly sold out) (–8 slots)
01/10 + 12/12 = 13/22 (–06) Onishi Momoka (–10 slots)
00/12 + 00/12 = 00/24 (+00) Takahashi Ayane (–6 slots)
01/08 + 01/08 = 02/16 (+00) Hattori Yuna (–4 slots)
00/08 + 00/08 = 00/16 (+00) Kobayashi Ran (–4 slots)
00/08 + 00/08 = 00/16 (+00) Shimoguchi Hinana (–4 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (–01) Yamabe Ayu (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Ichikawa Manami (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Uemi Sorano (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Okuhara Hinako (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Yumoto Ami (–2 slots)

Spoiler: Team B

20/20 + 24/24 = 44/44 (–10) Oguri Yui (2nd Sale 1st Round SOLD OUT) (–10 slots)
16/16 + 24/24 = 40/40 (–08) Kashiwagi Yuki (2nd Sale 1st Round SOLD OUT) (–8 slots)
01/20 + 14/20 = 15/40 (+01) Sakaguchi Nagisa (0+1=1 slots nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
00/20 + 07/20 = 07/40 (+01) Asai Nanami (0+1=1 slot nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
00/20 + 06/19 = 06/39 (+00) Omori Maho (0+2=2 slots nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
00/16 + 02/16 = 02/32 (–01) Suzuki Kurumi (–8 slots)
00/08 + 04/12 = 04/20 (+01) Hashimoto Haruna (–8 slots)
00/08 + 02/12 = 02/20 (+01) Tokunaga Remi (–4 slots)
00/08 + 01/12 = 01/20 (+00) Sato Minami (–4 slots)
00/08 + 01/12 = 01/20 (+00) Shinozaki Ayana (0+2=2 slots nearly sold out) (–4 slots)
00/08 + 00/08 = 00/16 (+00) Ishiwata Sena (–4 slots)
00/04 + 01/04 = 01/08 (+01) Yamada Kyoka (0+1=1 slot nearly sold out) (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Kitazawa Saki (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Hidaritomo Ayaka (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Fujizono Rei (–2 slots)

Spoiler: Team 4

20/20 + 24/24 = 44/44 (–10) Murayama Yuiri (2nd Sale 1st Round SOLD OUT) (–10 slots)
15/20 + 24/24 = 39/44 (–06) Kuranoo Narumi (2+0=2 slots nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
00/20 + 03/20 = 03/40 (+00) Taniguchi Megu (0+1=1 slot nearly sold out) (–10 slots)
00/20 + 10/10 = 10/30 (+00) Shitao Miu (–10 slots)
00/16 + 03/16 = 03/32 (+00) Nagatomo Ayami (0+1=1 slot nearly sold out) (–8 slots)
00/12 + 00/12 = 00/24 (+00) Gyoten Yurina (–6 slots)
00/12 + 00/12 = 00/24 (+00) Sakagawa Hiyuka (–6 slots)
00/12 + 01/12 = 01/24 (+01) Tada Kyoka (–6 slots)
01/08 + 00/12 = 01/20 (–01) Sasaki Yukari (–4 slots)
00/08 + 00/12 = 00/20 (+00) Yoshikawa Nanase (–4 slots)
00/08 + 01/08 = 01/16 (+01) Okada Rina (–4 slots)
00/08 + 01/08 = 01/16 (+00) Kurosu Haruka (0+1=1 slot nearly sold out) (–4 slots)
00/08 + 00/08 = 00/16 (+00) Omori Miyuu (–4 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Utada Hatsuka (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Takaoka Kaoru (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Kahawara Misaki (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Sato Kiara (–2 slots)
00/04 + 00/04 = 00/08 (+00) Yoshida Karen (–2 slots)

Spoiler: Kenkyuusei

00/16 + 09/16 = 09/32 (–01) Hashimoto Eriko (0+1=1 slot nearly sold out) (–8 slots)
00/16 + 08/16 = 08/32 (+00) Sato Airi (–8 slots)
00/12 + 07/12 = 07/24 (–01) Mizushima Miyuu (–6 slots)
00/12 + 04/12 = 04/24 (–02) Yamazaki Sora (–6 slots)
00/08 + 04/08 = 04/16 (+00) Masai Mayuu (–4 slots)
00/08 + 02/08 = 02/16 (–01) Ota Yuki (–4 slots)
00/08 + 02/08 = 02/16 (–01) Hirata Yuki (0+2=2 slots nearly sold out) (–4 slots)
00/08 + 01/08 = 01/16 (–01) Hotei Moka (–4 slots)
00/08 + 00/08 = 00/16 (+00) Kohama Kokone (–4 slots)
00/04 + 01/04 = 01/08 (–01) Hatakeyama Nozomi (–2 slots)
00/00 + 00/04 = 00/04 (–01) 18th Generation (0+1=1 slot nearly sold out) (–2 slots)

Total: 100/808 + 360/877 = 460/1,685 [27.30% of all tickets sold] (–64 since previous round) (–420 slots)
Team A: 025/186 + 104/208 = 129/394 [32.74%*]
Team K: 002/162 + 065/172 = 067/334 [20.06%*]
Team B: 037/168 + 086/195 = 123/363 [33.88%*]
Team 4: 036/192 + 067/198 = 103/390 [26.41%*]
Kenkyuusei: 000/100 + 038/104 = 038/204 [18.63%*]

Comparison with 60th Single (5th Sale 5th Round) (Final Round)
Total: 614/2,096 [29.29% of all tickets sold] -1.99%

*Note: The percentage of tickets sold is based solely on sold-out slots. The actual number is probably higher but inaccessible to the public.

Additional notes:

• Dates for the 6th and 7th of May have been removed.
• The single has now also released Flying Get Day sales, and it sold ~12k more than Hisashiburi no Lip Gloss. So despite the fact that the numbers for this single have been consistently lower than those for 60th single, the actual sales are higher.
• Iwatate Saho and Shimizu Maria sold out their online hanashikai.
• Despite the loss of slots from May, the total percentage and every team's percentage have increased. The smallest increase was for KKS, who went from 18.36% to 18.63% (+0.27); the biggest increase was for Team A, who went from 28.83% to 32.74% (+3.91).

Also, if anyone spots any mistakes, please let me know. They removed a lot of slots so there's a good chance I missed something.

 

That's the kind of operation I wonder how on earth the management never thought about before ?
It make so much sense to make as many members as possible participate in the release, and matches very well the concept of "idols you can meet".
It's also a good opportunity for non senbatsu members to show themselves to a lot more fans, instead of staying at home doing showroom for an allready conquered audience.
(EDIT: turns out, the last time was in 11nen Sakura days)

Kudos to Universal / Emi if the idea comes from them.

 

Was this a voted for single?

 

No, Management Senbatsu

 

Find Deibido-san.

Spoiler: S

https://okmusic.jp/news/519042
https://www.lvtimes.net/music/45427
https://www.bubkaweb.com/2023/04/70882

 

They never got this desperate?

I am really curious about why they changed labels though. Did king records abandon them? Or did they see better deal with universal record?

 

^
I'd go for the 2nd option.

Day 2:
10,819
https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/d/2023-04-26/

It's been quite some time since they last managed to reach 5 digits numbers in 2nd day.

 

Since Jiwaru DAYS.

https://twitter.com/HEARTSTATION648/status/1651512456739704832


But there must be a reason behind that since not even the last two million streak singles came close to those numbers.

Spoiler

It seems that Nagi was initially included in the senbatsu...

Spoiler

 

I mean, this is how AKB started and I think also why fans were so attached to the OG members. They got to meet those members on a regular basis - the "theatre edition" was called specifically that because you used to be able to go to the theatre and get a CD directly from the members. When they took off and became really popular, it wasn't really feasible to do that anymore, since too many people would want to go.

I'd also like to point out that this is technically "first day", since the day before is "flying get" day and only includes pre-orders. "2nd day" (according to Oricon) is actually the day when people go to the shops to buy them.

I do think the events were really good for their sales and I would like to see this become a more regular occurrence for future singles, until they reach a level of popularity again some day where it would be too much to do that.