Hayakawa Seira (Seira) / 4th Gen

I have a bad feeling that she's going to forced to apologize...

 

That would be disastrous for her I believe. If other members can corroborate Seira’s story or share similar stories about this producer then she has a chance to stay without any reprisal or negative repercussions.

 

I won't be surprised. It's the culture anyway. But regardless if she apologize, I hope she stands by her statement and doesn't retract it. She can just apologize for causing commotion, that's all (although she doesn't have to)

 

I doubt it.

Idols are forced to apologize when they do something that might cause fan backlash (and make the company lose money). No fan cares about Seigo and, if anything, making Seira apologize would be what causes fan backlash. They have nothing to gain by making her apologize. Traditionalist companies might make her apologize but Sony is generally a little more common sense and usually doesn't dumb things that might make them lose money for the sake of office tradition.

However, what might happen, and arguably be even worse, is Seira getting pulled from Senbatsu and languishing in Unders for the rest of her career because of petty management retaliation.

 

Yeah I agree. The fan support for Seira has been astounding so they can't just back up their management guy like nothing. As much as they would love to.

The fact that everyone has been radio silent on this is probably a good indication that they are still wondering wtf to do. I feel an apology would have come very quick.

 

This reddit post has a transcript of Seira’s radio clip and other details about the broadcast.

I've also translated it, but since you can just read the one above for the basic gist, I’ve added more technical notes. Remember to take all translations, including mine, with a grain of salt.

Spoiler: Seira

「ライブやっていて、本当に、あの……演出家のSEIGOさんという人がいるんですけどね、超ドSなんですよ。演出家さんなんですけど。結構、まあ、『死ね』とか『ブス』とか、『お前1人いなくてもいい』とか……」
[When] we’re doing Lives, there’s really, uh… There’s a concert producer named Seigo-san, but he’s extremely sadistic. He’s the concert producer though. He’ll say [to us], um, “Die” or “Ugly” [ブス, “ugly woman"] or “It’s fine if you’re not here” [1人 “one person” singles out one member as okay to lose, probably because there are many other members to perform]...

「私、関西人なんで流すんですけど、あの……」
I’m from Kansai so I let it go, but, uh… [Kansai people are stereotypically more blunt with language]

「多分、私、皆を心配して言ってくれているんですけど、今回のライブのリハで『沙耶香が事故ったのはお前らのせいだ』とかいろいろ言われて、『自業自得だ』とか言われて……怖いなと思って、ライブから落ちるのが……でも、そういうのにも配慮しないといけないと思って」
Probably, [he] was worried about me, about everyone, [thus he was] saying this to [me/us], but during the rehearsal for this Live, [I was / we were] told many things like “Sayaka’s accident was your fault” [plural “your”; probably implies group collective responsibility but might mean a certain set of members or “people like you”], or that “it serves [you/her] right” [no grammatical subject, but in context should mean Sayaka]… It’s so scary, to think about falling from a Live… But [I/we] had to be concerned about that as well.

Fans have been scouring the past for complaints about concert producers. None of the following incidents mention Seigo by name or sometimes even by job, so some could be other people. Although Seigo has been involved in many (some fans say most?) Nogi concerts.

From this twitter compilation:
-- People rarely got upset at Karin, but there was one time that the [producer?] got so angry at her (Misa thinks it was because of Karin messing up her timing) that she was removed from 5 of the songs from the Live that day, including the opening intro. The incident became known even among the 3rd gen, as a story that “even Karin gets people mad at her sometimes.”
-- Maaya, around the time of her graduation, recalls that even though she did her best to memorize a performance, the [producer?] got mad and was like, “You can’t even do that…”
-- Manatsu says that during her graduation concert rehearsal, she got yelled at for going somewhere she wasn’t supposed to, but otherwise the mood was overall nice. Kazumi says it used to be harsher in the past, they got yelled at: “It’s fine if you don’t appear [in the performance]! Don’t come out!”

From this website's compilation:
-- During Asuka’s final Showroom, she says that after working for years with a concert producer, they were able to have an understanding and she could share opinions, but when she started out, she couldn’t do anything and the concert producer got incredibly angry at her.
-- Shiraishi answers “When in your life were people most upset at you?” on a talk show, by describing how when she had just entered Nogi, the Live producer yelled at them like “Do it properly!” and called her and others out by name without honorifics (“Shiraishi” without “-san”).
-- In the lead-up to her graduation, Momoko said on the radio that the concert director got angry at her and she felt sad.

The Japanese word used throughout, 怒られる, can have a range of translations depending on context: scold, admonish, reprimand, yell at, get angry at, etc. I chose “anger” because of Seira’s accusation, but a lot of these incidents could’ve had a more charitable interpretation before. This exact point came up before in a 2020 forum post about members getting 怒られる at rehearsals, where I wrote:

Looks like it was outrageous. Hmm...
Inoue Sayuri posted an Instagram story (screenshot and more translations here) where she basically wrote that nobody ever said “unreasonable” things (理不尽, the same word Seira used in her blog) and she never witnessed such things in her 9 years with Nogi, there was mutual respect in the creative process. She suggests the newer generations took what was said in the wrong way, and that people who don’t have a sense of professionalism and responsibility aren’t suited to being idols. She deleted the story quickly, but her name ended up trending on Twitter anyway.
Despite my “Hmm,” I guess it’s possible that she hasn't been culturally hegemonized and Seigo is worse at different times to different members. That wouldn’t require Seira to be lying though, so it’s uhh not the best thing for Sayuri to post.

 

Guy literally directed 80% of all Nogi concerts and other idols concerts too for years. Forget about the guy apologizing, the management will just continue sucking up for their own connection convenient. It will be lucky enough if Seira will go without needing to apologize but her career already in risk anyway because the noxious poisonous industry where even a senpai who you respect already brainwashed by it.

 

I really admire her courage to speak out about the toxic culture and I believe she also wants the newer gen to thrive and not normalize that kind of treatment. I hope the mgmt will get her back and protect her, maybe I'm too optimistic here.

Edit: If we start to piece things together, Runa's sudden announcement about not joining Asuka's graduation concert almost the last minute and Yurichan's graduation announcement could be linked to the concert producer. This is a conspiracy theory and might be nothing related to the case, but some of 4ki might have suffered from that and Seira could not tolerate that and spoke up.

 

With Yuri, i think management just decide to rush it to try to shift fans attention. However with Runa, i kinda agree that it might be the case. There's a rumour that she was a subject to bullying in her youth, it must be traumatizing for her to get yelled 'die!' by a full grown man. She seems in a percect condition during the last youtube live streaming.

This is might be the case. Momoko is soft at heart, you can't just yell a bad word to her and expect her to just accept it.

 

I don’t think so. In her blog post, Yuri mentioned that the grad reason is for studying overseas, and that her announcement was actually delayed to let Asuka’s graduation pass first.

 

But isn't a strange time to announced a graduation? Usually they will wait untill new single announced. This one remind me to Misa's sudden announcement just after Nanase gradcon.

 

I think it's really bad for Seira if that director continue directing Nogi like nothing happened. She called him by name on the national radio. I'm afraid to think how that director would treat her in the future. I really hope he would not be used again, but that's a really slim chance. I really hope Seira will stay though...

And very sad for Kakehashi too. She already has to endure so much due to the accident. To be told "that serves you right" is just crazy. I believe that thing he said about Kakehashi is Seira's last straw, she just can't take it anymore. Just a totally awful guy....

 

The best outcome I feel is that Sony fires Seigo. I’m sure they have more than enough resources to find another live producer. The timing may be hard with Summer Tour around the corner but so be it.

 

Spoiler: Just a thought

I'm not saying it's related but remember last year Seira pulled out from her ongoing stage play with reports she was heard crying and also hyperventilating (?) Makes me think what happened before that. I just suddenly thought of it.

I'm probably overthinking but I just wonder if any members who went on hiatus in the past 'due to poor health condition' suffered from this kind of harsh treatment from staff.

It's sad but not surprising this kind of thing is still happening. For sure just one of the many these members are dealing with behind the camera, during practice or rehearsal. Lots of individual working with different staff, different attitude. That guy is probably one of the worst.

Quite a vulnerable position for Seira. What makes me worry is if they already reported something similar in the past but were told to just suck it up and 'let's just do our best'

If they continue working with this guy, that's the absolute worst for Seira. To all the member actually. I read one comment earlier that this could end in a tug of war between that director and Seira. Either get rid of him or Seira graduates. Crazy idea but who knows. The guy was exposed. Can't imagine what could happen next. I just hope nothing bad for Seira.

Edit: Great news. SEIGO out. Nothing to worry about anymore. Protect all members at all cost

 

That wise decision from the mgmt! That man could have caused more trouble and long-term damage to the psyche of members. I'm glad Seira does it, let her voice be heard and loud!

 

Does anyone know if Seira was scheduled to be on next week’s Rajira Sunday? I hope she didn’t get dropped in light of the SEIGO drama.

 

She just announced her graduation and retirement
https://www.nogizaka46.com/s/n46/diary/detail/101543

 

That's some bs is anyone going to believe she wasn't bullied off in retaliation?

This may be the first thing that ever turns me off from this group.

 

So Japan has mafia after all. In the entertainment industry and they kill personalities.

I'm officially disgusted. If not for the 5th gen, nogizaka46 died for me today...

Good luck sweet, dynamic child and God bless you to anything that you'll do from now on...

 

Tbh she definitely already thought fully about it even during her hiatus,people might think its because the recent incident but I just think she feel that incident was her last gift for the group.
She know the entertainment industry is tiring so if it can help other members then its worth it especially if she gonna retire anyway.

It's just a speculation but we know if she still stay it will be much harder with getting future work in the entertainment industry.
Must be sucks and sad for 4ki, one person still didn't return and 2 already leaving. Wishing the best for Seira future and whole 4ki.