[GENERAL] The Sakurazaka46 / Keyakizaka46 Thread

There’s another post now regarding best seats. Pay cash for charity merchandise to get one of the limited 200 front stage seats per day

https://www.facebook.com/1000790972...spJDiARtKfXt8DEP7DHeBD8Ys97l/?mibextid=K8Wfd2

 

Rock in Japan. Saturday 12 August 2023.(Day 4 of 5).

New hakama-inspired outfits: blue under, golden over for 1-2 gens; blue under, pale over for 3gens:



(click/tap to enlarge all images)

Set list:
Overture
① BAN (Murayama)
② Jouken Hansha de Nakete Kuru (Ten?)
MC①
③ Buddies (Kojima)
④ Sakurazuki (Yamashita)
⑤ Drone Senkaichuu (Hono?)
MC②
⑥ Natsu no Chikamichi (Taniguchi?)
⑦ Dead End (Taniguchi, Matono)
⑧ Start Over!

The 3gens continue to rise: Murayama centring BAN, Nagisa doing Buddies, Shii-chan doing Sakurazuki, and Airi/Mio centring Dead End. As a Japanese comment said: "The 3Gens are already up to standard." Another comment: "Murayama doing BAN didn't feel off at all." "Miyu's BAN was marvellous, emotional."

Lots of very positive comments: about the outfits; about the 3gens; about Karin ("cool/kakkoii," "handsome/ikemen", "beautiful/bijin"); about Ten-san; about the members and the crowd; about the whole Sakurazaka live.

Brief Twitter video of the whole group.

 

Thank you God of idols, Thank you!!!

 

And now comes the first Sakurazaka "Real Meet & Greet" event, the new in-person Meet & Greet, closer to the old handshake session. Here is a video explaining how the new system works (but there will be staff assisting, rather than other members, lol):


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

if the video does not show watch the video here
【JUMPMV】HUNTER×HUNTER(Yoshihiro Togashi) × Start over!(Sakurazaka 46)

 

For what I gather, are fans still required to wear a mask? Also, it sems the fan can't take his/her phone when talking to the member (no pics). Finally, I thought Masumoto would be the one pulling the fan away from the member, instead of Chuke !

 

... pulling the fan violently away from the member...

That's what you surely meant, but were polite enough not to...

 

@Jsprite: yes, guest wears mask. And leaves phone in basket. Not sure who's taking photo during meeting, or with what camera.

News item including clip from Rock in Japan festival performance.

HUNTER x HUNTER collaboration:
Also these images from fan artists:




credit: image 1 images 2-3

 

Saturday performance in Kuala Lumpur, at a "Japan Expo" in a major shopping mall. Full show from fan's phone:


if the video does not show watch the video here

Enthusiastic crowd of Malaysians, Singaporeans, Indonesians and some Japanese. I loved the cheers that went up when Karin started to climb the hill of idols in Start Over.

Leaving Japan. The photographer/fan got up at 4am to go to the airport. He was thrilled with the responsive friendliness of Hono and Ten. (click/tap images to enlarge)


In Kuala Lumpur:


Japan Expo Malaysia 2023 Set List ～Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2023.08.19 17:00～17:45 (Japan time 8/19 18:00～18:45)
Overture
① 流れ弾 Nagaredama
② 摩擦係数 Masatsu Keisuu
MC①
③ なぜ恋をして来なかったんだろう？Naze Koi
④ 桜月 Sakurazuki
⑤ Buddies
MC②
⑥ BAN
⑦ Start over!

More from Twitter/X.

EDIT: Further post in the Overseas Performances thread.

 

Yeah I was rhere too. My angle.



Also, after the last song and their photograph with the crowd.
They actually came out for a short interview with the Japan Expo official MCs, which they were asked what food they enjoyed and what else they wanted to do in Malaysia. Finally, they were presented a bouquet and final photographs with the organizers.

[edit] also notice that Hono went backstage towards the end of Nagaredama and only came out during certain parts or MC. Could be injured or not feeling too well beforehand

 

Let's digress for a moment to remember and celebrate the 8th anniversary of Keyakizaka46, only 5 members of the 1st gen remain. Here is to the ups and downs, the joys and the tears. Thank you for the unique members we fondly remember and the ones that still remain, thank you for the awesome songs and choreos. Thank you for all the magical moments despite the turbulent ones.

I wish the best for Sakurazaka46 and its future, but in a corner of my heart will always live Keyakizaka46.

 

Eight years? Amazing! Yes, let's remember and celebrate.

I have recently been looking back at early Keyakake episodes: the oh-so-charming first introductions of confused teenagers, stepping hesitantly into the entertainment world. The athletic test in which Techi "runs like an athletic boy" and Manaka throws a softball what seems like half the length of a football pitch.

The hidden-camera episode in which my oshi Mon, after eating chestnut sweets brought by Techi for the group, rushes out of the dressing room saying: "The idiot goes home." The surprise "fashion check" in which a clothing designer unexpectedly shows up to critique what the members were wearing that day.

The wonderful episode in which the group premieres Futari Saison in the gym of a girls' school -- which turns out to be the school Ozeki had graduated from -- to a crowd of stunned and screaming teenage girls. I felt as if that was when the members truly realized how popular they were.

And of course the glorious coming of Silent Majority (corrected link). Yui on the bike. And Techi and Mon projecting the power of a new kind of idol group. Japanese YouTube now shows 181 million views!

EDIT: And the Debut Countdown Live on screens across the country the day before SaiMajo came out. The brief interviews backstage just before they came out to greet a sea of cheers and green lightsticks.

And my favorite Keyaki live of all: the Christmas One-man Live at Ariake Coliseum. The link is to the first in a chain of videos covering the whole concert. Follow the chain. The now even more poignant songs of the Yui-chans. Techi in a red lamé suit singing from the midst of the crowd. Wonderful, fresh performances and wonderful fresh enthusiasm from the crowd.

May Kekaki live forever. And congratulations and thanks to Uemuu, Mii-chan, Yui-chan, Fuu-chan and Habu, who have survived all the ups and downs to continue to give Sakurazaka a link with its glorious origins.

 

1ki are so strong for surviving until now. Keyaki went through a lot. Bullying allegations, "techizaka", terrible admin, grad waves, promising members leaving, members colapsing, the whole hiragana x kanji rivalry(this one stills exists lol)... I can't really judge those who left the industry after all of this, it must be tiring.

So proud of Koike, Ponpon, Fuu, Uemu and Habu who are still holding strong despite all of this. Some may disagree, but they still have a relevant supporting role in sakurazaka.

 

Weird, the link that ukifune left for SaiMajo direclty links to saying that the video's blocked, but if I go through and look for it manually, it'll play just fine.

 

From the official YouTube channel:
Keyakizaka46 - Silent Majority - YouTube

BTW, Yuipon fell face down from that bike while filming, it's fortunate she didn't scratch her face or broke her nose. Idol life can be tough at times.

 

Good times
I may organize a Keyaki marathon too in the weekend, it's always good remember where everything started and why.

But in truth, right now I don't feel Sakurazaka so disconnected from Keyaki.
I feared the differences between the two groups would be way more deep of what they are.

You can change as many colors as you want, but the legacy is always that one.
The group has evolved, shaped accordingly to 2kis and it will shape accordingly to 3kis someday, but the soul is the same one, and it felt to me like every new member, every new choice just consolidate this impression.
I'm not saying things aren't different from Keyaki and Keyaki-times, but I feel that if you streep down Sakurazaka to the core, what remains is the same courage and uniqueness that made those introvert girls step up and try. Try with all they had.

Man, it has been a long journey; but between Sakurazaka and graduated members, I feel the road ahead will be as much amazing as it has been so far.

Weirdly enough, the Keyakitte episode that comes to my mind when I wonder which one I have loved more is the one with just Ozeki and Risa.. just the kids playing around

And, ehy, happy anniversary to all of you Keyakids

 

Excellent points. Look at Hinata MVs compared to Sakura MVs: it's obvious which one is the direct descendant of Keyaki. Hinata has branched off and created its own royal road idol style -- not a style I prefer, but excellent in its own right. Sakura, however, continues to refine and develop Keyaki. And the 2gens who soaked up Keyaki from the 1gens and grew from there, may now be passing their version of Keyaki on to the 3gens. Struggle and angst below the surface. Honest feelings. Socially meaningful lyrics. Excellent dance....

 

I went to the Shin Sekai exhibition a couple days ago.

It was a little expensive but it was cool. There was lots of materials from the planning and development of MVs and CD jackets. The entrance also had every single uniform from the Keyaki era to the present on display. The end had some hanging banners with the members remarks on what they want Sakurazaka to be like in the future.

Fuyuka wrote that it first hit her that Sakura has international fans when the Buddies did that big display in Times Square. Now she wants to perform all around the world to go see them.

Although I didn’t speak to anyone, it was very interesting being around other Buddies for the first time.

The very end had a section where members who have visited sign their name and do their own version of the exhibition logo on the wall. Unfortunately my oshi (Koike)’s signature wasn’t there, but Hikaru’s was really cute so that eased the disappointment.

I bought some goods from the on site shop, but I’m unfamiliar with Japanese terms related to purchasing stuff so there was a bit of a communication break down at the checkout and the cashiers had to pull out their phones and use a translation app

Then I ate at the Saka Cafe that is present at the exit. There are a variety of sweets and a curry dish available. I was with my dad and sister so we tried pancakes, crepes, and some Japanese sweets. They were all great! I also had a Nagaredama Float (milkshake type thing) and it tasted good.

At the cafe, if you purchase one of the floats you get a coaster with a design by either Rena or Mizuho. But I forgot to grab mine when I got up!

I think the exhibition runs until October so if you are in the Tokyo area I definitely recommend it.

EDIT- Just in case this gets buried here I’ll post it again in the experiences thread.

 

Sakurazaka performed three songs at the Seventeen magazine "School Festival" on Wednesday. They did Sakurazuki, Natsu no Chikamichi, and Start Over. The squeals of delight from the many female members of the audience were great to hear.

I believe Sakurazuki was the first time a 3gen had appeared with the main group: Shii-chan danced in Yui's spot. Of course she did well. Not sure why Yui was not there.

 

She has the start of the Osaka leg of her stage play today so she traveled down from Tokyo yesterday for im guessing tech rehearsals