Kakizaki Memi (Memitan) / 1st Generation

Stepping forward, indeed. It's sad to see new girls moving ahead of those we know, but this is how they will become a group marching up the same hill as the Kanjis. I think gen1 members, Memi in particular, have been energized by the challenge. Three pics from other blogs (since Memi seems to be concentrating on the play and not posting that much):



(Hina/Risa/Ozeki + Memi Hime.) In that centre pic, Memi looks, as she sometimes does, like a zashiki warashi -- the mischievous but friendly spirit that supposedly haunts some homes. It seems Memi may be friendly with Ozeki recently. She apparently asked Rika-chan to do a Showroom together. And who can forget this pic from earlier in the year? (That's Memi behind Rika-chan, apparently -- and confirmed by slippers and dress.)

 

Reaching another level.



From twitter @keyakimas. Looks like it's from a gravure, but I haven't seen it except on twitter. Maybe it's from a while ago somewhere.

 

She really is the best 1st gen hiragana

 

Another pic with Ozeki, from Ozeki's blog:



Rika-chan doesn't say much about Memi in the post, just gives her the encouragement of "do your best on stage, eh."

 

Memi blog post: Mii-Pan and Kage-chan, Takase loss... Ayumi stage play.



Also new goods sold at the play.

 

From the latest Keyaroom:
Memi is too clingy (of course we all know about it) to members, especially those who are older than her. Poor Kage, she didn't get any.
Memi winks to almost anyone (members) who meet her eyes. My girl got some addiction here, huh?
And, Memi weird face lol'ed me.

Yet, she still looks beautiful to me.

 

fanart of Memi

source

 

Memi blog post: Ayumi is ending, Takemoto, Mirei, lots of photos.



@MasToppu -- Memi has said that she is trying to stop clinging to people and bothering them. But there's a pic today of her hanging all over Takemoto as she takes a shot of the two of them. And recently, when she was in a shot with Mirei, you can see her fingers digging into Mirei's shoulder. She's just touchy-feely...and strong. Months ago, Kyouko got angry with her and said she really was "S" and attacked people (particularly by tickling Kyouko). I think it's Memi's way of asking for support...and alienating it at the same time. But she began at 14 and is now only 16, and seems to getting more control over herself. But lack of control can lead to honesty and good entertainment, lol.

People have said that Kage is always trying to get closer to Memi, but Memi seems to drift away. Really, they are very different people, it appears. When the group was first introduced in 2016, they were all nervous, and Kage tried to hold Memi's hand, but Memi was so confused she didn't hold on. Kage was much more familiar with the idea of being an idol. Memi was in a daze, maybe wondering what she had got herself into. She wept at her last Showroom audition, not believing there was any chance she could be picked. She kept apologizing for not being able to talk well -- at the same time as I was finding her so fascinating and real.

In a Showroom earlier this year, she refused to do her super weird face (that one). But it seems the staff got her to do it this time. She and Toshi were the most amazing when the whole group did faces, earlier last year, in the final ep of Zankoku na Kankyakutachi.

To be honest, even though I enjoy all this mouing and blowing kisses and stuff, I regret she has gone in this direction. It only started a very few months ago, it seems. She may have been told it works and she herself appears to be able to get into it. But it means she is crossing the border into being a real idol and faking things (convincingly). I prefer no fakery, fewer big smiles, more simple reality. But this is probably not possible here, especially for someone who is not a huge singing or dancing talent (as far as I can see so far). The thing I liked best about her in her auditions was how you could see her honest reactions flitting across her face as she quietly read the comments and decided which to respond to. And also how she often looked straight into the camera, making direct contact with the audience, conversing instead of presenting.

 

@ukifune soon or later you'll start a (fandom)war with all that "faking" talking lol

I don't mind the winking and stuff if it means Memi believes in herself more than she did at the beginning. I think there's an high chance someone complimented her for it or told her it's working, but behind that there's someone who is growing out of their comfort zone and into a job that requires smart thinking and a lot of charme, especially when there are so many other girls around Japan doing the same thing.
Personally, I hope she doesn't lose her clingy side. With Manafi, or Mirei or Ayaka doesn't matter, (Techi would be better, but whatever, I'll wait for better days) as long as she deesn't change completely.

 

Excellent points, especially the first one. I do tend to say what I really think, which is not always the wisest thing for getting along with people. I should hold back more, just out of courtesy, if nothing else. In any case, "faking" is probably the wrong word, in most situations. It's more like pushing things, or expressing things extravagantly. Not saying things one doesn't believe so much as expressing them in an extreme manner that puts me off. Just a personal reaction, not a moral judgment. I'm getting used to the smiles on cue, I guess.

And I continue to watch and learn. I really do not understand the idol space very well, but I'm starting to. The idol style, including the parts that don't do a lot for me, has evolved naturally among performers, management and fans, and there are natural reasons for all the things I may think are weird. For one thing, if idols were really themselves all the time, they would lose the protection that formal distance brings. And being constantly watched by thousands of people is a situation that has to be managed properly, for one's own psychological health.

You are very right to say that the winking, etc., goes along with the amazing increase in Memi's apparent self-confidence. I remember how she giggled and blushed when she was first asked to do these things. Now she just goes ahead and enjoys attracting people...at a distance. I think the competition from the 2gens is one of the things that has got her going, as well as the natural maturing coming from her age and her two years of experience as an idol in Tokyo. And I can't help thinking that she may have been promised something pretty good on the album, and is feeling good about herself and the situation. From the fact that management put her at co-centre from the start and has kept her in the front row, they must have high expectations for her. But I do feel that there is so much talent of all kinds in the 2gens that this may be the time she has to show her stuff or drop back.

By the way, I also agree about the clinginess. From a fan's point of view, I don't see the problem. It's only a problem if it puts other members off, which I think it has done. I keep hoping there will be a 2gen who likes it, lol.

 

@ukifune "pushing" sounds someway better than faking, though I have no problem with the word.

I found your thoughts about idols own protection really interesting. I have the feeling fans notice and question more stuff when they are new. Because there's a point in which everything becomes sort of granted. For the good or the bad.
Right now I'm putting one foot in kpop world, and I never understood your words about idols "having fear in their eyes" like now that I'm watching PD101 (a talent show survival style)
So far though, I don't see that in Hiragana... and frankly, I hope to never see it in them, let alone in Memi.

My 1 euro bet is on Hiyo, she'll accept Memi clinginess. She doesn't give me the feeling of someone who's gonna reject that.

And, btw, since the time they are taking for this album, I expect a lot of Memi parts. A solo song would be too much for her skills, I think, but a sub-unit song or something like that is not out of her possibilities. Crossing my fingers and patiently waiting still

 

@Dill -- I'm glad you don't see the fear. I do, but maybe I'm wrong. I don't see it in Memi, really, but I do in almost all the other 1gens. I always thought it showed in people who really understood the situation they were in.

Watching last week's KeyaROOM and now this GanaOshi, I continue to feel Memi is pretty open. I love how she honestly seemed pissed off and confused in KeyaROOM. (Personally, if they did start a "personal space" school, I'd make Memi the teacher, not the student, lol.) And I find the way Memi expresses herself pretty stylish. I also loved how MeiMei objected every single time they said she was like a baby.

I've been surprised at how suddenly Memi seems to have gained confidence on-screen. She's not giving us the amazing active reactions of Kage, Toshi and Kumi, but that's not her. I honestly have very little idea of what her singing and dancing skills are. All I know is that she was as in-tune as anyone but Kyonko and YuiPon in the a capella episode. And seemed to have a sense of rhythm.

 

I'm watching Keyabingo only now.. and Memi is the only one I didn't recognized from the pictures going around.
I keep watching it asking myself who "he" was
I'm ashamed of myself

 

I just can't look at Memi face on this week Keyabingo. She is just too damn cute.

 

Memi blog posts (two posts on Wednesday):

1. Kage-chan turns 17.

2. Hiragana Keyaki's 2nd anniversary.

Quoted for truth. It appears from the credit roll that Memi herself suggested the dansou (dressed as a guy) events. She looks great....but it's hard for the feminine Memi to come across as a guy. We'll see how she does next week, in the amusement park with Hina-chan.

 

Here is a blog post translating all the members' questionnaires used in the early eps of GanaOshi. Memi reads auras. And she says her charm point is her ears that stick out. I would have said her eyes, then her big hands, then those ears. And for nickname, I remember Memi hinting on Showroom in February that she liked what a few people call her: Memi-Memi Hime ("Princess Memi-Memi").

Do people think we could actually hear Memi's voice in the studio Ima ni Miteiro on Hiragana Oshi? From 22:02 to 22:07. If so, I like the sound, Livetuned as it likely was (like everyone else's voice). Overall, I thought they used the recorded sound, but sang on top of it and had their voices blended in to the sound track. Does that make sense? It sounded like the recording, but mixed differently, maybe to bring out each separate voice?

EDIT: There was an earthquake in the northern part of Nagano prefecture at 10:30 Saturday morning. Highest level was a "5 weak" by the Japanese scale, in Nagano city itself. Memi's home town was only a 3. The 5 can produce some damage (objects falling off shelves, cracks in some walls) but a 3 doesn't amount to much. (I'm a bit blase because I also live in an earthquake-prone area.)

EDIT: Memi will be one of four members -- Mii-Pan, Ayaka, Nao, Memi -- to appear next Saturday morning on the Kinki Kids show. Promo video here.

 

Now Memi has gone nine days without a new blog post. I'm hoping she's just busy (with work and school) and concentrating. It seems she finds blog posts a chore. She posts less than any other Hiragana. But enough for me, certainly. A few Message posts, but mainly a quick "good morning" or "good night." Today comes a Message with a photo of her in practice shirt, making a point of holding a microphone prominently. I'm hoping that's a hint she's featured in a song on the album. Another outstanding photo, from my point of view. Each new photo the best ever, lol. Frustrating not to be able to post them.

Having watching both eps more than once, I'm thinking now that Memi was the least masculine of the "guys" on KeyaBINGO, but the cutest. An unbelievably cute "little brother." Some classic images of Memi with Hina:



I'm not going to go overboard on any relationship between Memi and Hina. At one point in the show, when Memi put her arms around Hina, Hina drew back a bit. Lol. They do probably go to the same school, and likely are even in the same class. Not that they go to school every day or anything. They are probably going to a school that has special arrangements for entertainers, allowing minimal class attendance and providing lots of tutoring. But Memi, while friendly with some 2gens, Hina in particular, seems slow to really accept them, to my overactive intuition.

By the way, 2channel's Memi support thread has left the fairly unbearable raunchy posts behind for months now, but today in reaction to "Memihiko," there are a small number of such posts imagining Memihiko as a guy. Of course.

Memi continues to have more posts in her 2ch support thread than any other Hiragana: Memi 8130 posts, Kyouko 7162. But it's a 2gen who is coming up fast, with Paripi already at 6938.

 

Memi and Manafi, from Manafi's blog (Japanese). Manafi says Memihiko seemed unfaithful in the show (the bit with Hina), but actually stayed faithful to her. (That's a joke...sort of.)



Photos by Memi, it appears.

 

Memi blog post: On the KinKi Kids TV show with Mii-pan, Take-chan and Nao-chan. It was shown live on YouTube and is now available there for viewing:


if the video does not show watch the video here

Well-done variety. The 40-year-old rockers were expert at this, and all the members looked good. Mii-Pan in particular was effective. Take-chan impressed with her love of the smell of fish...and feet. Memi talked about feeling insecure when she first came to Tokyo because she didn't see mountains around her, as there were all the time she was growing up in Nagano, and how it made Tokyo feel cramped. But she's quite used to Tokyo now. Nao-chan was decorative but lady-like and quiet. Memi never looks her best in uniform, it seems to me -- or with her ears hidden -- and TV lighting makes her face seem rounder. She looks amazing in this loose shirt, however (despite the weird, cobbled-together English text):




Don't forget that you can now vote in @kanjo's "Sakamichi General Election" poll. You can vote for your oshi(s) as often as you like.

 

Props to Memi fan @keyacrhyme (Twitter), who went to her home town and ran in a half-marathon. He's from elsewhere in Nagano. He ran well enough to just enter the top eight.



Stuff like this reminds me just how intense wota fandom can be, as I try to come to terms with Mona's situation.