[GENERAL] The Hinatazaka46 thread

Konoka-chan and Miku-chan on Yuugata Paradise.


if the video does not show watch the video here




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NOTE: I was really busy so I had not enough time to upload fast (Christmas live worth it ).

 

I really have to strongly disagree for the reason that both groups have their own show at this point. There's no way in hell they'd go through all the investment and effort to pull together an entirely separate show without planning on having it running for a solid amount of time. If they knew they were going to combine the groups within the next year they would just keep what they were doing going and having both Hira and Kanji on Keyakitte or alternate like Keyabingo and save a ton of money. If they do combine, what happens to the shows? You could keep both running, but for what purpose? The shows are there to promote the two groups. If you only have one group to promote you only need one show to do it. You could cancel one but then which one? Logic dictates Hiragana Oshi would get the ax, but the wrench for that plan comes from it just being a significantly superior show. Everything management has done so far has pointed solidly at keeping the two groups related but not connected. Does Hira even perform Kanji singles anymore at their concerts?

Also, at this point Kanji feels like the bigger risk, not Hiragana. Hiragana feels just straight up more reliable than Kanji in pretty much every regard and management seems to agree by giving them this years Christmas concerts for 3 days instead of trying get in a day or two for Kanji also.

 

I couldn’t agree more with the comment above me. No way would they combine Kanji with Gana when the Ganas have outdone themselves in every way. Some are even saying they’re the superior Keyaki which I agree with wholeheartedly. A Hiragana single is actually possible and realistic. They already have two songs and both used for separate CMs. Why both investing in CMs promoting Hiragana as their own group if they’re gonna revert back to that 2016-2017 bullshit.

 

hiragana will be on MAMA PREMIERE in KOREA on December 10th (((
https://twitter.com/OH_mes/status/1062150897516503040

 

I am so upset about this. Istfg this better not be Sony thinking Hiragana are still expendable and shipping them off to Korea thus ruining everything! Hiragana actually have momentum

 

I can guarantee you they're not losing money on Hiragana Oshi. They wouldn't have done it in the first place if they didn't make money from it. Its not just for promotion. People pay a monthly fee for cable and they also have advertisements. If they weren't making money from it they would cancel it regardless of whether the groups combine. And cancelling it wouldn't be up to management, it would be up to the TV network.

And keep in mind that when I say the groups will combine, all I mean is that the A-Side will be a combined senbatsu featuring members from both groups. But otherwise the status quo will remain the same. And thats just my own prediction anyway. I could be wrong.

I also think that Hiragana is the better Keyaki in pretty much every possible way. I actually think a combined senbatsu would be better for Hiragana than their own single.

So lets say Hiragana gets a single. It sells notably less than the most recent Kanji-fronted single. Hiragana will be forever labeled the "other, lesser" Keyaki. Hiragana may never get another single. it will become a novelty in the history of Keyakizaka46. They'll forever be the de facto Unders group.

But Hiragana members get on a combined A-Side. The first time its 2/3 Kanji, 1/3 Hiragana. These members become more popular. Hiragana becomes more popular. The next single is 1/2 Hiragana, 1/2 Kanji. Hiragana crushes it in handshake. Next comes a single that's 2/3 Hiragana, 1/3 Kanji. Kanji members get old and wrinkled, and start graduating one after another. Kanji 2nd gen can't compete with the high standard set by Hiragana 2nd gen. The next single is 100% Hiragana. Hiragana is now the supreme Keyakizaka group. The public forgets about Kanji. The people of Japan collectively forget how to write 欅. Memi is elected Queen.

Think about it.

A combined senbatsu puts Hiragana on a clearer path towards equality with Kanji than a single would IMO.

 

https://www.kpopmap.com/mama-2018-artist-lineup-in-korea-japan-and-hong-kong/

Gana-chan in MAMA 2018 ?! Any reason?

 

A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one

 

I just wanted to know.. As for the performing artist in MAMA 2018, the list isn't finalized right?

I mean we have The Fan's Choice event in Japan and maybe Kanji will get the chance there??

And Gana-chan is performing in Premiere omfg!
I am happy for them but I just have a complex feeling about it.. Why this decision? Is something in action behind the scenes? I am so spoiled right now! They better not mess with our hearts...

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I actually love both the group but if we talk about efficiency of the members, then Gana has won it.. They are quite engaging and make it lively in their show.. The Senbatsu of Gana has rotation that Kanji doesn't.. As rotation is important to pull out the best from members no matter where they are..

Everyone is filling the gaps for each other.. So we can only wait and watch.. I am sure Kanji has realized that they have to up their game..
So we might get a surprise from both the groups

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They've been aware of this since Hiragana first gen showed up and they still haven't done it so it doesn't seem very likely to actually happen.

MAMA was the event AKB was at when Produce 48 was first hinted at. We could be looking at Produce 46 soon maybe?

 

You got me with that one, lol.

Yes, a single that sold, say, half what Ambivalent did, might be a blow against them. And whether I like it or not, the additional members mean a senbatsu system is coming, one way or another, to both groups. Another possibility is a double A side for a release or two.

One thing I would say, though, is that the main advertiser on GanaOshi (and I think on KeyaKake, too) is Sony Auto Insurance. So really Sony is paying most of the cost of putting GanaOshi on.


I know nothing about MAMA, but it looks like a step toward the international exposure that Aki-P is supposedly beginning to look for. Next stop Taibei? Shanghai? Bangkok? Maybe I don't understand, but it seems more good than bad: they can get to Seoul in just over two hours, so the whole thing could take 2-3 days max. And does this mean that Aki-P and Konno-san think they have a performance ready that will impress even that audience? Might pushing in there at that time support the idea that they will have a single (or part of one) out then?

I remain a huge fan of Kanji, and of Hirate, but her difficulties mean they haven't really done much recently. They may be the better dancers, but Hiragana are better singers, and have more impact and eagerness in variety, etc. And overall are prettier?

As for "upping their game," I think Kanji do a great job in MVs and concerts (especially when Techi is there). It's sad for them that none of them, capable as they are (Pon, Monta, et al.) can do Hirate songs anywhere near as effectively as Hirate herself. She's just special, in my opinion. I blame the staff of KeyaKake for letting that show get stale. It's their responsibility to find a way to activate the group and show them at their best -- as the hosts and staff of GanaOshi are doing. Kanji will never be a normal idol group. Doing that stuff just doesn't come naturally to a number of them. They have to find a format that will show them at their best. As usual, their strength (being natural and different) is also their weakness. And of course, Hirate is both their greatest strength and their greatest weakness.

 

once they start combining senbatsu, neither kanji or hiragana will be real groups anymore, but more importantly if it happens under the current structure that would be like management telling hiragana they're not good enough. personally i don't see why kanji can't do a b side on a hiragana led single much the same way It's done for kanji. the sales would do just fine.

 

https://twitter.com/MnetMAMA/status/1062160668562837504?s=20
It’s confirmed everyone, Hiragana are gonna perform.

 

I don't think management will ever tell Hiragana they aren't good enough. That would be (a) false, (b) a waste, and (c) telling the 1gens that for a second time. I'm really more worried for Kanji, despite their success, than I am for Hiragana.

In other news, the CoCo Ichiban campaign has started, and otaku have already posted pics of their meals. Here is Memi's tomato-asparagus curry.



Another poster says that all the CoCo Ichiban stores are playing the song from the adverts on the hour, every hour: Kimi ni Hanashite Okitai Koto. Here are the two CMs:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Am I the only one happy Hiragana are gonna perform at MAMA? lol
I feel that at the speed the are going right now, it's an obvious step to take.

 

Congratz Gana-chans! This will be another good experience for them. Just never imagined, these girls who didn't know where they have to move to 2 years ago, suddenly get a chance to perform in other country.

 

not directly obviously, but mixing them with kanji on an A side single sends that message imo

i think It's awesome and am happy to have at least one mama performance ill watch

 

Why invest in promoting Hiragana if they're going to go back to treating them like they did in 2016 and 2017?

While I agree that Hiragana have been really strong this year and were mismanaged in 2016 and 2017 I feel like you're ignoring some of the context. Hiragana didn't get the opportunities they deserved in the beginning because they were introduced too early. They were announced when Neru joined before Silent Majority was even released. Kanji was still establishing themselves and they had a really good thing going with the fixed 21 member senbatsu. During the first 2 years Kanji were incredibly successful which is why they were prioritized over Hiragana.

This year however hasn't been good for Kanji and management have instead put a lot of resources towards Hiragana. From the Budokan shows in January onwards, Hiragana have excelled with all the opportunities they have been given. I think that the hiatuses that Kanji has had this year have made a huge difference. They've consistently been missing between 1 and 5 members for the past 11 months. I can't speak for Japanese fans but I feel like the English speaking community on here and on twitter have lost some confidence in Kanji. The last page of this thread for example has been pretty harsh towards Kanji.

The point I'm trying to make is that combining the two groups doesn't mean they'll go back to treating Hiragana like they did early on. So far only half of Keyakizaka46 has been successful at any point in time. I don't think this will be the case next year. Once the new members join and Kanji is back up to full strength the gap between the two groups will shrink. Resources can be spread more evenly and the entire group will be able to grow together.

Right now Kanji only has 16 consistently active members. Of course Hiragana is the stronger group at the moment.

You make it sound like just because we've seen 2 members graduate from Kanji that the other members are going to start dropping like flies. There's always going to be members that graduate early but the group is still relatively young. Silent Majority isn't even 3 years old yet. Most of the members could continue to be idols for at least another 5 years if they wanted to.

 

It really doesn’t and this post is so demonising and ridiculously negatively deterministic seeing as they could easily sell 300k+ with a single

 

As I said some time ago "Kanji are in a comfort zone" they have no internal competition like Hiragana have with the strong 2nd Gen members (they woke up the monster). Many fans (including me and friends) gonna insist that Kanji needs a 2nd Gen urgent and all of you will see the changes.

About MAMA, is not a big surprise because we know Keyakizaka46 is pretty popular in Korea and have a strong fan base (you can saw them on HS and concert). So I think this can be a strategy between Aki-P and Sony to push Hiragana harder.

Korea use that "perfection" concept for their idols and AKB left a "standard, childish and colorful" image (cultural differences can be see it as prejudices). So I'm thinking that Hiragana fresh and elegant image can attract more people, a different group of fans, people who wants something more natural and less forced.

We know that Hiragana is multi talent and how easy they can be adapted, but I really don't want something like Produce48 on Sakamichi groups.