Single Keyakizaka46 7th [Ambivalent] (2018/08/15)

^I think it's both the fans and girls (and management) fueling the whole "humility, kindness, bonds" mantra so much when referring to the 21 members that before we knew it, it became the image of the group. And then the whole Zuumin absence thing happened and again, everyone had this "if it's 20 it's not keyakizaka" mentality, even though there was 11 other girls there lol. Fans pick up on really tiny things and run with it, but management and the member fueled it just as much until it became obvious that it's not helping anymore.

 

This. Management stoked up this image of Keyakizaka (Kanji) aided by obliging tv stations and magazines but it's hard enough to maintain an image like that in a group of 5 or 6 members let alone 21 and eventually it (or they) break down, that's just how nature works. Management also built up this image of the new acchan-jesus wonder-centre with the temperament of a moody, rebellious artiste which worked for a while but became a massive burden that she's had to shoulder.

 

i don't see how anti bullying is related to the various relationships between the members or the group overall.

 

I really have to warn that we shouldn't assume we know anything but the most superficial of facts about the girls relationships with each other. Making assumptions on such limited info just causes problems.

 

That's because fans thinks that their relationships are like rainbows ALL THE TIME.

Maybe I am on the side of the minority, but I prefer that in the group there are stories of conflicts like those of Yone-Neru or Aoi-Risa those that will come in the future, to say that in the group there has never been friction. It seems more real to me. Relationships are always complicated, I don't know why a relationship between 21 people should not be complicated. If there are links between them or not, we really can't assure it, they can be bonds that have been created with a lot of effort, just yesterday, those ties can also be only of mutual respect. Again, maybe I see things from the wrong point, however, can't their motto mean that ties are not created from nothing? But don't pay much attention to me, I'm just a too sensitive fan lol

About what you say about the interactions, I may be wrong, but I always see the girls appearing on blogs of other members. Also we don't know how they interact in private.

 

It's not a surprise if the link between all members is not perfect. It's impossible to maintain a perfect atmosphere for a long time, because it's human. Someday it will break.
For example, in your classroom, you're not friend with all 20+ classmates. You have people you like/love/hate, even someone you have barely talked with, it is normal.
Problem like 1st Zuumin hiatus, Techi's attitude or Shida hiatus don't help to keep the alchemy perfect.

 

Naturally, idol groups will have cliques if they reach Keyakizaka size. @minaeshi basically summed up my thoughts on the 21 bonds idea. Specifically though, the bullying theories are based on the idea of two imaginary cliques: members who support Hirate center and members who don't. Antis take rumors seriously (or pretend to take them seriously) and bully members on and off the net. It's festered for so long they have their own sort of mythology about what is happening in the group and they imagine Zumiko as the primary villain. So, it is not based on much of anything concrete.

Because it's mostly on the internet it's difficult to tell how many people are involved. However, Hirate brings it up frankly and consistently, Akimoto wrote lyrics about it, and it's been referenced in a MV so I worry about it. And yeah, I agree, the promotional strategy about 21 bonds and Center really does not help.

Oh, and keep in mind a lot of fans of Keyakizaka are pretty young so they could be taking it all too seriously.

 

Keyaki fans seem to take it all too seriously regardless of age imo.

 

Yeah there's mental age too. But the idol industry does intentionally build an emotionally charged environment.

 

Akimoto definitely prefers conflict I agree. If it's carefully managed @Siniy is right it can be interesting for fans/members. But it has its risks as well.

 

If I have to imagine bullies in kanji, Shida is one of the first members who come on my mind. She has that kind of attitude... I've seen several times on their shows her mocking and laughing at other members, especially the ones who aren't considered cool but are more classical and femminile. So Shida absence to me could be could only be great by that point of view.

 

Trying to guess who might be bullying who is the root of the problem...

 

Its always be a pleasure to read keyaki’s single thread in this recent quiet time of s48

 

the stereotyping of kanji fans is why the antis are pretending to be fans of other girls.
the real discussion should be if\how can the handshake incidents be stopped?

 

I imagine if there was a threat being permanently banned from all future events including concerts it would curtail it some but not stop it completely.

 

In the recent BRODY interview, they asked each interviewed members what they think about the "21 bonds", and each of them have different opinion about, but i think the core of it is the same.

Yuuka's, Pon's, Uemu's

 

You don't HAVE TO imagine who's the bully in Keyaki, you just want to and this kind of GUESSING is probably the first reason rumors and fanwars start in the first place.

Friendships and companionships are thankfully made by teasing and laughters, among other things, and I feel fans should just be thankful the chance to witnessing it, instead of fabricating theories about bullying.

@glsone even not stopping it completely would be a step forward to the situation we are now. I don't know how much - or what - fans can do themselves to make their own fanbase behave. If mngments aren't the one pushing a policy, there could be little to nothing that can be done by fans

 

Not sure how many of you are subbed on mobame but Zumiko's mobame is kind of hinting at a mental/health (or maybe even mental health too) break.

Spoiler: mobame stuff

She says something about returning to her fav people after waiting for 2 years? (dont put too much faith tho, my Japanese is meh so G translate did the work here).
Also says sorry for missing 7th single handshake (something about having a seperate one? idk)

 

I believe in the usefulness of the "humility, kindness, bonds" mantra. And in the all-21. But the all-21 started going too far when the girls themselves decided not to replace Zumiko the first time she was absent. I thought that might have been some (or one) of the less popular members protecting their own position by protecting Zumiko's. That's my speculation, lol.

As for taking things too seriously, this is entertainment. If we enjoy the speculation (and I do, although I don't report all the things I speculate) then that's entertainment. Maybe some longer-time idol fans take things too seriously in the other direction, imagining our talk has more effect on the members than it really does. Japanese talk, however, really can have effects, I think. It's certainly true that we have only the slightest knowledge of what's really going on inside the group. Leaves a lot of room for speculation, lol.

 

Zumiko is actually overjoyed. She is referring to Watanabe Miyuki. Watanabe was in NMB/Yoshimoto and they had a clause in her contract requiring her to stay out of the entertainment industry for two years after she graduated. Watanabe just restarted activities. Zumiko said she waited two years for her to came back.