[GENERAL] The Sakurazaka46 / Keyakizaka46 Thread

So glad the RunRun push happened before anyone else, well deserved.

Personally I'm okay with RunRun until the third single, then I think then it will be time to give someone else (ehem, TenTen) a crack at it.

The Last Live was IMO so much better in terms of production that the first Live Online but With You - fewer scattered cameraman shots, and they really took advantage of the production format with no fans in attendance. I guess the first online live was a learning experience.

 

I like the clean look.

 

https://twitter.com/toomuchidea/status/1316222115322843144?s=19

Seeing this article, thanks to tmi. For a reporter to equal what they went thru to be 'bullying' speaks a lot, given that other reporters caused it. I remember how it was here. I had to leave this place for a while bcos it was too much. Baselessly making conclusions from gossip. The hate they carried from all those bunsh*t nonsense. And all for what? They are just girls who want to achieve their dreams. They are expected to live normal lives even if they are public figures. They are just teens and young women. It really hurts me a lot when I remember those days. Wow. It was really bad here. And I will say again, true or false, I am glad I stood by them. I feel this happiness as I see them now and all bcos I was positive then.

Thanks to this reporter for raising this up. Such negativity without any real source and making a typical normal life feel like a sin when it comes to them, shld truly be frowned upon.

 

I'm sure Ten will center one (specially if the song veers towards the dark/serious tone). I get Hikaru as we are moving forward, but that leaves a question for now...and Yui-Pon?

 

I'm going to end up parroting what's already been said.

- The introductions for the 1st gens leading into their songs was a nice touch. Having the footage with scenes we may or may not have seen before was good. Seeing Pon take that spill off the bike in the SaiMajo footage made me wince in pain.
- Across both concerts, I feel it was a great set. I really liked seeing Shibuyagawa, I think closing with Silent Majority felt appropriate, closing with what started it off.
- The thank you credits with both the graduates and Hinatazaka was touching. Has there been an explanation why Mon was left off?
- Nobody's Fault sounds like a great debut single. Congrats to Hikaru on center.

Going forward, I'm hoping for rotating centers with no more than two in a row. I'm not saying they can't center again after being picked, but really, let's give everyone a shot. After Hikaru, I'd like to see Pon and Koike get center at least once before the fifth single drops.

 

OK, "first contact" report...

So, Nobody's fault on Youtube yesterday night was completely unexpected. I wouldn't even dream that just after the last live (which I haven't seen yet) we would be blessed with a first single...

Mature, sarcastic, confident and elegant... Thank god, not cutesy, not too happy, not naive and not "light" or "dark". Great beat and nice scale modulations. It IS a new style and I liked it very much. It kept me so excited that I managed to fall asleep at 5:30.

The senbatsu was smart. Of course I was a little disappointed about my dear Fuu-chan but I was completely prepared for that. I would expect Inori in but I would not complain about ANY girl that made it. I am happy for all selected. I am even more thrilled about the "promise" of equally strong songs for the girls not selected and eager to see how this will unfold...

Now, the center... My 2nd gen Oshi , that cute little tornado, just killed it! Although there were hints of influence from Keyaki previous main center (...ahem), Hikaru managed to strike some amazing poses. That tilting of the head and narrowing of her eyes (around 1:40 of the video after singing "...nobody's fault" for the first time) and the sly smile ware just... too much! At the start of the song, her voice, a combination of being both childish and husky will be iconic!
Overal, Runrun, the ...expected outsider for taking over the center, was elegant, confident, amazingly energetic and, yes, sexy!

For the future? I hope we get to see many girls taking over the center and create different sorts of atmospheres matching music, dance and different girl personality for variety.

Unfortunately, from all the other girls the only one that really shined beside Runrun was Risa: Maybe it was me, but I couldn't focus on specific girls (too little screen time for Pon, Sugai, Habu for example and just noticed Rei-chan and Ozeki) but Risa... Oh Risa, she stood out magnificently. Her beauty transcends time and place, she stood out like an ancient statue of elegance and beauty.

Regarding all the rest I am happy to say that I like the new aura. The costumes are great, I liked the "buggy" feeling and the "movement", that impeccable "warm" white and the slight coloration near the edge of the skirts. God I'm so relieved after that roller-coaster of feelings after all these months...

Things are looking good and shiny! Sakurazaka has too strong and great a past not to be able to get in with a big bang and sky-rocket once again to the very top they deserve!

 

The moment that article came out, calling them 'mature & glamorous', I knew it wasn't for nothing lol. We are so gonna get some glamorous concept starting with 'nobody' s fault'. I'm sorta glad they can fit any image now. They were so cool as keyakizaka46 and they look so good with this still-unknown image. I am so eager for future singles

 

Last Live combined ticket sales: 80 000 (1st) + 110 000 (2nd).
For reference, Live online, but with you was at around 90 000.

 

I don't think this can happen, in the first singles it's better to stay focused on a girl until she consolidates with ace.
Rotational center only after the 4th single.

 

^oh god no, please no lol
i'm fine with runrun center for the first and maybe second, but by the third one give it to pon or hono or koike even. i can see tenchan centering in a couple years, i would prefer for them to wait but i wouldn't mind her starting off early as long as they don't push her too much. the last thing they want to do is push a center for too long and repeat the same mistakes from the past.

 

Agree. Agree. Agree. Agree.

I can see Ten as center, and she looks so damn ready since the first second XD I like her confidence. And of course I can see Miichan too

 

Hinano is left out too, so I think (or at least I'd like to think that) whoever edited the video missed them, and there is no QC done to check it (Since they misspelled "Management" too in D1 lol)

 

The teaser of the new show can give more hints about the concept


Something like the diamonds on the 1st image or the background on the 2nd. But I think I'm just thinking too much.

 

Pointless observation. All of Sakuza members having front bang hairstyles lol.
Not judging on their personal styling choices, just pointing it out since we had Suzumoto and Sato with the no bangs style before.

Personally, I like Akanen with no bangs. Slightly bias pick thou hehe

 

Probably gonna get heat for this but....PonPon had one center too many in the Live for me, so I'm kinda pleasantly surprised in a good way that RunRun got it. PonPon is very solid, its true, but for the first single we needed the little dynamo RunRun in there.

Its not pointless at all LOL, an Akanen with no bangs is

 

It is not repeating a mistake, it is necessary to give the image of the group to the general public.
Nogi and Hinata also had the same girl for the first 4 singles.

 

Deko Nen is justice.

/runs

 

I support Morita as the center, but I hope the (upper) management doesn't take this rebranding and the next few months to ease out the surviving first generation members. Of course I'd expect more 1st generation to retire (age catches up on everyone), but it should be the members' terms and not some high handed approach by the (upper) management.

 

Yeah you better run

Watching the Last Live was a heart stopping affair every time a 1ki member was being featured or doing a speech, since Yuuka announced the name change and Shiichan graduated very fast, we never knew what would happen

Some of the 1ki are at that graduating age, still, hoping that because they chose to still remain in Sakurazaka, that they at least have 1 full year of activities without any graduations.

Except for Techi who withdrew and Nijika who got caught up in the host scandal almost all grads were given proper send offs I think.

 

Imaizumi, Yonetani, Shida, Nagahama, Oda, Suzumoto, and Sato, made a final appearance on Keyakakke. I'm not sure if Nagasawa did, but that can be explained by the COVID situation and the suspension of live shows (not sure if they did a video call). Otherwise, only Hirate and Ishimori did not do a final appearance.

Sugai and Pe are the oldest members. Pe didn't make it to the current senbatsu, but I'm not sure if she has any plans to stay within the industry if she leaves in the near future (she doesn't strike me as someone with plans for the future...). She may do a Yonetani and return to being a ippanjin. Sugai is still the captain but I think one of the longer serving ones to date (compared to the 48s).


*Edit*
I missed out Nagahama(!!!)