Hopes, Fears and Predictions for 2014

HOPES:
- Just like Request Hour, Sousenkyo gets extended from 64 to 80 or even 96. The 48group has grown bigger, and I think it would be a nice idea to include more girls.
- Akarin goes back to UG where she belongs.
- More top members graduation. I would be the first one to cry and feel nostalgic, but if the Party really Is Over and AKB's really Starting Over, this needs to happen.
- The three musketeers rank in UG.
- AnRi make it into senbatsu. Re ranks.
- Sasshi remains Number One. I honestly don't see anyone else sitting on that throne.
- More AKB girls rank.
- New stages for everyone, for real.
- ONDO SINGLE !!!!
- Wasamin graduates and focuses on recording beautiful enka songs.
- Nattsun ranks and finally get the recognition she -and every theatre girls- deserve(s).
- When new concurrencies are announced: Tano to SKE and Kojima Natsuki to NMB. And why not Iwatate to HKT.

FEARS:
- Graduated members are still allowed in Sousenkyo and Mariko-sama applies just to troll everyone and steal a spot in senbatsu.
- More SKE girls in senbatsu. Three is already too much. That Shibata Aya better lose momentum.
- Yamamoto Sayaka graduates. Kind of an irrational fear, I don't think 2014 is her year, but I have a bad feeling...

PREDICTIONS:
- We will say goodbye to NyanNyan and Yukirin.

edit after reading my post: I swear I'm not an SKE hater, I love them!

 

I generally don't like to comment on the Hope, fears, predictions threads, as I feel it should be the one places in the forums where you should be able to write what you believe with out criticism. Having said that...

Aw man, I had not even considered Sahoo for HKT. But now that you wrote it, Yes Please!!!!!!!! As a HKT fan and a Sahoo fan, I would welcome her arms WIDE open, shouting "YA-HOO... SA-HOO" the whole time. It may well be an irrational idea. But my bias won't allow me to form any argument against it.

 

HOPES:

- Sousenkyo rankings will increase, probably make it a 100 or something.
- 3 Musketeers, Moe, Yuiri will rank
- Ricchan makes it into senbatsu
- Aya, Kaotan or Yuria enters senbatsu
- More SKE/NMB/HKT members to rank
- All tentoumo chu members will rank
- New stages!!!
- New subunit formed (KSGK subunit, dance senbatsu unit too please )

FEARS:
- Yukirin and Rena graduates
- Rie, Akicha, Mocchi graduates
- Scandals, scandals, scandals
- Jurina faints because of too much work lol

PREDICTIONS:
- NyanNyan graduates
- Someone from team 4 will get a concurrent position in HKT
- Sales will continue to decline and million streak will end.
- Team KIV, T, 4 II, 4 III or whatever gets formed
- AKB title track songs will again be damn boring while the B-sides will be too awesome

 

The KKS are performing with the teams more than ever. Maybe you meant they don't have their own KKS Stage?

 

hopes:
- fresh single with some fresh members
- team 4 not disbanded
- sae return to team k and became captain
- hirari get rank in general election
- akb48 asia tour concert

fears:
- miichan & kojiharu graduate, nosleeve disbanded
- jurina is too tired and graduate
- umechan graduate
- scandal
- shit happens

predictions:
- team shuffle: - tano move to team k
- kaigai member return
- bunch of draft member promoted to permanent member

 

Hopes:
- Kinoshita Momoka (NMB, Team M) gets a concurrent position in AKB's team K, and raises her rank from Waiting Girls to at least Future Girls
- New unit maybe
- Increase Sousenkyo numbers to about 100
- More and shorter request hours, not super many but maybe a Stage Song RH, Single RH, B-Side RH etc.
- Official International Fanclub perhaps? [clap]

Fears:
- Kojiharu graduation, even though I think her time is up
- Tons of graduations basically.
- Scandals, of course.
- Another Sasshi center

 

Most unrealistic hope: All major events and concerts will be streamed free online!

I'd love for a shuffle to occur and Team K's new stage begins before Yuko leaves.

I watch a pretty good amount of variety tv, even non-akb related. I have to say, off the top of my head only Mechaike has done a great job of pushing newer members in AKB. It would be great for this to continue which would hopefully lead to more work on other prominent shows for the members.

 

Here we go...I'm clearly a New Team 4 Oshi, Lol

Hopes:
• Stages get done. (Yeah that's not happening)

• Seijun Philosophy does well in RH.

• Kojiharu, Takamina, Miichan opt out of the election.

• Unrealistic as it may be, I hope at least 5 members from Minegishi Team 4 rank (with Miichan sitting out).

• MG4 featuring Team 4!

• Team 4 is not disbanded until the members are "ready" (I guess Miichan announcing her graduation would be a sign of this).

• Documentary, or at least some way we can get to see the Team 4 promotion scene in full.

• The 13th gen makes up for lost ground.

• "Watashi wa Watashi" on AKB48 SHOW!

• Something new from No3b...if it's a disbandment single/album, then so be it =/

• No3b becomes a "once in a while we get together and do stuff" sort of thing (a la Speed) after the members go their separate ways.

• Yuko's sendoff is massive.

• Other team K girls finally get more recognition!

• Sister group subunits.

• KABUTOmu chu!!!

Fears:
• Stages don't get done.

• Stagnation.

• Team 4 is disbanded/shuffled into the other teams before they are ready.

• New-gen graduations.

• I'm not too afraid of my oshi, Miichan's eventual graduation, but I dread the moment when she will have to break 15 girls' hearts in doing so.

• Bland songs.

• Scandals.

• Accidents/etc. (ie. someone getting hurt, or worse)

 

Why do you want the trio to opt out? [shock] AKB senbatsu is becoming less star-studded with each ori-gen graduation and I would hate to see the election single that Sasshi hopefully centers be the one that breaks the million streak.

On the topic of Miichan though- I'd like her to center something other than Gyakuten Oujisama for once. Such as her own team. That's kind of a tall order though since management is dead set on pushing the 3 of them to no end.

 

Hopes

- Amina to get some sort of goodbye present when she leaves/good career afterwards

- Muto Tomu push and to be actually in a single

- Election to be extended from more than 4 groups

- Graduate members to be super successful on there own is they are already not! (Tomochin, Yuko, Amina, Sayaka)

- MG4

- Yuko to get an Aachan style send off!

- Sashi to be center again!

- Better theatre portraits

- Takamina gets bangs again

- Another single from French Kiss

- A Team K ace that is not Jurina (hoping for Tomu but could be Maryagi)

- for the dance/dark singles to be.....dark (I do like Heart Ereki though but prefers RIVER, Beginner, UZA etc)

- Team 4 to be more successful than the old Team 4 and not disband

- Rena to center a single alone

- Akarin to join Jurina and Rena and make AKB's singles

- Shibata Aya to stay in SKE senbatsu

- SKE48 expand there media franchise and shows (e.g. overseas theaters, there own documentaries, more SKE members in variety show appearances and more songs in RH)

- Jurina to get some rest and relaxation

- Umechan to get more recognition for her hard work as former team E captain

- higher sales for NMB48 singles

- NMB48 members to make more appearances in AKB b-sides

- NMB48 team shuffle (Basically I wanna see Sayanee, Milky, Akarin, Keichi, Maachan, Ripopo, Miru and Kanakichi shuffle and go into other teams)

- Kishino Rika to make senbatsu again

- More team M and BII members ranking and gaining exposure

- Yamada Nana push

- More gravure opportunities for Murase Sae, Kishino Rika and Yoshida Akari.

- To become more familiar with NMB's kenkyusei (I only know Shibuya Nagisa. While in AKB I am familiar with most of them now like Mion, Owada and Tsuchiyasu and previous before that 3M and Moe; SKE has Uha, Kaotan and Kumachan and HTK has..or had a lot of them. In NMB48 I just only know Shibuya not much else about the others. Do I think apart from Shibuya Nagisa, it is Yamao Rina that is the "No.2" of the Kenkyusei right?"

- More stunts in choreo unlike Kamonegix

- Muro Kanako push and to rival Akarin

- Team BII gains more recognition and the members to become more prominent (Shu, Emichi, Uuka and Murakano)

- Sashi to keep her Mc/Mariko style role in HKT48

- Lovetan to take up a similar position (if she already hasn't already)

- Murashige and Nakanishi to also take up a more mature role with Sashi and Lovetan

- 3rd series of hakata hyakkaten (with members from other sisters e.g. Akarin, Sayanee, Masana, Nana, Fuuko, Yuria etc)

- Harrupi to center at least one single

- Harrupi to keep her concurrency like Jurina and Milky

Fears

- Nyan graduating

- Older members getting the shaft (Umechan, Kitarie, Akicha, Mochi etc)

- graduations in general

- the severe transition from older gen to younger gen

- Mayuyu not getting her time to shine, lossing her freshness and peaking

- Another popular/senbatsu/pushed member wins the Janken

- older members not ranking (includes sister groups) such as Oya Shizuka, Miyazaki Miho, Nonaka Misato, Nakata Chisato etc.

- scandals that cause members to graduate or become punished.

- Ishida Anna out of senbatsu

- older members falling into UG

- Team N overshadowing M and BII

- election to be held in an outdoors arena again

- sales dropping

- members who never ranked...never ranking at all (especially those that have been around since the 1st election e.g. Tanabe Miku, Uchida Mayumi, Nonaka Misato, Chikano Rina, Kato Rumi, Goto Risako, Deguchi Aki etc)

- the draft happening again which i liked at first but now I am not too fond

- Less special stages e.g. special medleys, dance breaks, a different member as center, collaborations etc

- less chances for AKB to show off there variety shows and hilarity e.g. mechaike specials.

 

I posted this on Ebi, but I'm reposting it here with a few changes

Hopes:
- Successful debut of the Draft members and a new Draft event as good as the 1st one (in terms of members) (But with a more dynamic and less confusing event)
- Some Draft members and former Kenkyuuseis return (13th Gen!!!111)
- Older members don't join the Election, leaving more space for the newer generations
- More Nogizaka46 2nd gen and NMB 4th gen!
- NMB stop being so focused on Team N (Not going to happen haha)
- Kenkyuuseis start to be promoted
- New event (or at least something new)
- Darker songs for everyone
- Crazy Election
- New stages
- At least one of my favorite unpopular members (Naana, Marinchan, Aaya...) rank at the Senbatsu Election and Micha and/or Tanamin finally ranking!
- Aki-P finally hire some lyricists, at least for sister groups and sub units/solos
- Senbatsu Election with have all the Top 100 revealed (and maybe the event will be separated in two different days)
- 16th gen will be even better than 12th gen/13th gen

Fears:
- Draft members don't reach a good popularity and become "outsiders" (So no participation on singles etc.)
- Massive graduation (or transfer) of "unpopular" members/Kenkyuusei
- Nogizaka46 2nd Gen = Hori Miona, NMB 4th Gen = Nagisa, AKB 15h Gen = Naanya...
- Boring AKB singles with boring line ups. And too much (boring) Team songs.
- HKT stuck at sales and NMB start to sell less
- Nogizaka46 and HKT start to have more graduations
- Kenkyuusei Selection ( [flip] )
- Any of my favorite members graduate (Obviously)

Predictions:
- Kojiharu graduate. Maybe Miichan too depending on the "condition" of Team 4.
- Some older SKE Senbatsu members (Masanya, Churi and maybe Rena) graduate, but no massive graduation
- Massive AKB graduation, especially from "unpopular" members. (Please don't ) And more graduations on NMB and JKT.
- No graduations on HKT or just a few (Maybe two or three) of them
- New Kennin members and (maybe) new Team Kaigai members
- Big changes on the Draft
- Boring AKB singles with boring line ups. And too much (boring) Team songs.
- Goodbye sub units. And less solos.
- Sister groups (especially SKE) stuck at sales
- Scandals [devil]
- Meru win the Janken Tournament playing only rock lol
- A lot of new generations (JKT 3rd gen, AKB 16th gen...), some new Teams, some concerts, 5 singles in a year and all the rest that we already know

KKS are replacing the team members now, but after the Draft Members debut officially, they will probably stop performing with the teams (that will have over 16 members on all groups, not only AKB). So when everything is established, KKS will only perform on their own stage.

That's what I understand that is going to happen but, how I said on my post, everything is still very confusing [think]

 

I don't know, A and K have more than 16 members and they usually have some KKS performing with them, so that really means nothing.

I really hope the draft girls get to participate SOMEHOW in the 35th single.
It isn't that hard to give them a song and a PV.

As for new generations... I really hope they stop this year. If anything, only HKT is in need of members to actually complete the group... but SKE and NMB? They have more than 20 KKS each!
In AKB's case it really depends on whatever they want to do with Team 4. If they disband it and shuffle it in A, K and B, then it's time for new KKS... if they keep it, the KKS could be promoted to the 4 teams and be done with it for a while.

 

AKB's old stars are fading, it's true, and so why not light new ones?

1st gen's time is running short as it is and it may be better to make the transition now while they're still around instead of scrambling to patch holes when they're already out the door.

Miichan's Team 4 task aside, what more do the 1st gens have left to prove? They've already accomplished nigh everything that's been required of them and their fans include some of the longest-standing in the group.
Moreover, every new girl that has followed has been either inspired or otherwise influenced by them. This could be said of all the top old-gen members. They're busy enough as it is and don't really need the election for themselves.

(I would like to see Takamina centering the fall single though, like Kojiharu did)

But you have a good point. I don't want the million streak broken either, and with Mariko and Tomochin already gone and Yuko leaving, Takamina and Kojiharu sitting out is probably too jarring. So I don't know, maybe the two of them should stay for one more...

As for Miichan...well, of course, part of it is I'm afraid her rank will drop. X_X
History is against her: no member who has fallen out of the top 16 has ever made it back in. Then again, there has never been this many open spots either and Team 4 does give her more forward momentum than others who fell out in the past.
But I don't think Miichan cares much about where she ranks in the group. If she sat out now, she might instead call on her fans to vote for her teammates. Helping and (I hope) seeing them rank, I think, would make her happier than a chance to get back into senbatsu.

 

The election this year is gonna be one to remember.

Supposing everyone goes up 1, 2 or 3 spots to fill in the blanks, the last 3 (or more) places in senbatsu are going to be a hell of a battle.

Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Yuria and Kaotan made it into senbatsu.
As long as Ricchan gets in, I'm happy.

But I wonder where will they draw the line... and call it an SKE single.

 

Eh, fully expecting Rie and Miichan to leap back in to senbatsu tho. We'll see, I felt that the latter gained quite a bit of good attention after getting back in to senbatsu, Team 4 Captain etc.

 

Since it's 2014 Predictions and Sousenkyo is only two AKB48 singles away.
I want to predict sousenkyo early and then just reflect back when it's only weeks away.
there's still almost 4 months away before Sousenkyo. anything is possible to happen within that time-frame especially graduations and scandals. 2013 was the most rough year of AKB48 in my recent memory of AKB48 history. but I guess 2014 might be a little different or might also be much worse.

on Sousenkyo.
AKB48
I think AKB48 members will have a tough fight for most of their members to rank on the Sousenkyo.
I don't want to admit it but it seems like AKB48 members is in a losing fight against sister group members at this time especially now that almost all top senbatsu and non-senbatsu Old Gen members is graduating. though this time I think AKB48 has a high chance to win back the no.1 rank on Mayuyu with the help of Yuko's graduation while Team 4 is slowly stepping up to the plate. if AKB48 new gen members might not have a good standing this year then certainly 2015 will be a whole lot different.
SKE48
clearly, the last Sousenkyo proved that SKE48 is already stepping out to AKB48 shadow maybe. it is because of the mass graduation of SKE48 members that burned up the passion of their fans to support them or Nagoya is really keen on supporting their own group. whatever the reason is. I want to see if SKE48 members rankings will still continue this year and not because it was just a good timing that AKB48 Old Gen members are in a declining state and AKB48 new gen members are still in development stage at that time.
NMB48
the problem with NMB48 is that they're style of pushing members only centers on very few members. if you look at the last Sousenkyo 6 members of HKT48 rank while 8 members of NMB48 rank when NMB48 had been much longer than HKT48. but for NMB48 aces. this year will be lucky for them since 3 original Kami-7 members have left the spot open for another 48G members to occupy.
HKT48
I think many HKT48 members might rank this year and hopefully, Sakura will leap-frogged again and break the curse that surrounds the no.26 spot while HKT48 top member Sasshi will have a good fight with Mayuyu for the rank no.1.

that's it 4 months and 2 AKB48 singles away before Sousenkyo.
On AKB48 regular senbatsu
Current Position:
Mayuyu (center) Yui (debatable next-in line AKB leader) Takamina (Still AKB General Manager)
My Opinion:
Mayuyu Center 2014
there's no doubt that AKB48 new gen center is Mayuyu and with Yuko's grad. Mayuyu can be consider now AKB48's top member. but in terms of the 48G center and top member Mayuyu still need to prove it on the upcoming Sousenkyo.
Yui Leadership
I don't know if there is a Team A complex where the center and leader comes from. but since Mayuyu on 2013 is pushed as center and been assigned to Team A while Yui had been chosen as a regular senbatsu member and then assigned to Team A is currently build up as the new leader of AKB48 with Mariko choosing her to replace her as Team A captain.arguably since this is the former position of Takamina. the leader of the 48G. I think it's not too much to say that Yui is the next-in line leader of AKB48. but let's see on 2014 if Yui can bring the leadership that Takamina had showed all this year and if ever in the future if Yui can elevate and be the 48G captain but since it's not just about AKB48 anymore. then i guess it's not just multiple center on AKB48 but also multiple captain/leader of the 48G.
Takamina still AKB48 member on 2014
not only AKB48 but the whole 48G is not yet ready to lose a leader. The 48G still needs a pillar to hold them all together and a light to guide them and that is Takamina. but I don't know if Takamina still have the passion to still stay on AKB48 till the end of 2014.
Regular senbatsu:
Mayuyu, Takamina, Yukirin, Yui, Ricchan, Paruru, Kojiharu (hopefully till end of 2014), Rie (hopefully) Miichan (back to senbatsu) Annin, Sayanee, Milky, Sasshi, Sakura, Rena, Jurina
My Opinion:
I think Rie or any Team K member will be included on Senbatsu since Team K doesn't have any representative on the senbatsu line-up when Yuko is gone. I hope it's RIe because she is the 3rd Team K member to rank high last year with the exception of Sae rejecting her Team K concurrency. but since we're in the transition period before all new gen members are the only senbatsu members. Tumo, Nagao Mariya or a much younger Team K member might be chosen.

 

I predict Kitahara Rie or Kuramochi Asuka captain for Team K.

 

For the sake of the group, I really hope this doesn't happen.
Having Miichan in Heart Ereki wasn't as bad cause it was Ricchan and Annin's first senbatsu, but... I just don't see her adding anything new (nor I'd see KitaRie).
I guess the whole Team 4 thing gave her some purpose in the group, but I hope the Tsugi no Ashiato cover is somehow a prophecy and that Kojimako comes in as the 16th member.
And if she co-centers the next single with Yuko creating something about the old gen passing the baton onto the next gen or whatever, I'd cry rainbows.

 

@Trinu
Team 4 Trio Aces
I don't know if all of the three Team 4 aces will be added into senbatsu right away since there's only one spot open and Yuko will be leaving without a Team K member on senbatsu. I don't really count Jurina since her position on Team K is just temporary for almost 2 years already. I guess someone on Team K will be added maybe Tumo or Nagao Mariya someone that belongs to the new gen category. the three Team 4 aces might be added if all three of them can be in senbatsu since they're like a package. these 3 girls are build up as a trio and breaking them for one to go in senbatsu won't be good for them imo. among the next gen the three Team 4 aces have the most strong team up. like how we see Team K trio, W.Matsui, SayaMilky, Acchan and Takamina. this chemistry that they possessed is what will made these three girls be a top members for the next years to come. it's hard to find members that have good chemistry together so, for me the three Team 4 aces should not break up in any way and be together up until all three of them can have a spot on senbatsu and then it might be alright to shuffle them to different team or better be on one team that will make they're bond and chemistry much stronger. and this what I don't like the new gen. seriously, the new gen doesn't show any good chemistry yet.
for me, the three Team 4 aces are considered next gen members. they're like a little sister to the new gen. they might be a senbatsu members in years time but they're position might be compared to Mayuyu on the Old Gen until it's time for next gen to take over.
On Miichan
I don't see any problem with Micchan getting back to senbatsu since first, Team 4 needs a representative and clearly Miichan is the best right choice imo. and second, look at Sasshi and Yukirin. they're age range with the new gen is almost the same. so, Miichan still can be a regular senbatsu member.third, if it's about the scandal. then, just look at Sasshi.Miichan's scandal was not really a total exposure compared to Sasshi. the only mistake Miichan did was shaving her head and uploading an apology youtube video moments later. Miichan is stepping up to be an older sister for new and next gen members. like Yui said
"they need someone mature and adult like figure on they're group"so, for me Miichan deserves a second chance just like everyone else.
On Rie
I don't know if anyone had noticed lately. that Rie is being pushed slightly by the management. maybe she really is the next Team K captain. Rie rank no.21 on Sousenkyo despite having no big push or no push at all by the management.

 

They have already broken them.
Just watch the last Kouhaku. Kojimako gets a solo while Miki and Nana share a song with MeruMio.
And the cover of Tsugi no Ashiato? Where are Miki and Nana?

They're pushed as a trio because it's easier for management, I guess. But Kojimako is management's favourite.
Miki and Nana are for her what Takamina and Yuko were for Acchan.