Nogizaka46 Member of the Year 2018

Here we are at the end of the year. Let's continue this tradition of picking the Nogi member who you think had the best year. I like to quote from the first version of the thread:

Previous Years:
2017 2015

Member of the Year
Umezawa Minami

I haven't jumped on her bandwagon. Yet. But she did have a really good year. She was an Under for Synchronicity, but then she made senbatsu on the summer single for which she also centered the coupling track, Sora Tobira. And now she looks like she's gonna be fukujin for the rest of her career. That front row for Kaerimichi really surprising, but very deserving. I think she'll be a force as she moves forward. Plus, she also coined the winning 2018 Nogizaka buzz word.

Runner Up
Saito Asuka

Almost since we've started this, I think Asuka can claim this title every year. Except this year she has definitely stepped up into the ace role she was being groomed to be. She was more prominent in everything Nogi did this year and she really was that third that was missing since Nanamin's graduation. Asuka's been appearing all over and she's just been fun whenever she's been around. That 'batsu' point she gave Shitara just was a winning move.

Honorable Mentions
Yamashita Mizuki

 

Member of the year
Shiraishi Mai - I don't think an explanation is really needed, but if you still desire it : centered an amazingly well-sold single; ad queen for 2018

Most improved member
Umezawa Minami - She entered senbatsu as fukujin, next single she is front row. I strongly believe that she has become a stable fukujin (I might be biased since I really like long-haired girls, but shh)

Honourable mention
Saito Yuuri - when she was dropped in the 20th single, I didn't expect her to come back for both the 21st and 22nd.

 

lol my list probably on reverse from your list.



Member of the Year
Yamashita Mizuki

2018 was a very great year for zukki as i ever said on her thread. senbatsu debut , 3 consecutive first row , movie appearance , nogi stage play lead role , CanCam official model announced + drama lead role on 2019. she's been running fast without break in a whole year after a very slow start on 2017. Finally !

2. Umezawa Minami , Sora Tobira center + Senbatsu debut at the same time was a double great achievement. but i believe she gained a lot of benefits by Ikoma graduation + Kubo hiatus. i wouldn't say it was a pure luck , but obviously the hole ikoma left will be her spot , she's the upfront in terms of popularity + sales to snatch that spots. with Kubo hiatus + putted on under , i believed she's the most likely to got the first row while Miona being moved to 2nd row. she had a great run too in 2018 , lots of solo magazine shots , stage play. i could see she can signed an exclusive contract with some popular fashion magazine in 2019. also i could see she will be perma 1st row after how well the response she got in the past months.

3. Saito Asuka , always been a great year for Asuka. i can see management try to bring her upfront to being the ace spot which nanase had left in the future. subbing lot of center position ( ikoma + nanamin spot ) in live performance. and 1 lead role from a successful movies.


Honorable Mention

Nishino Nanase , hands down for greatest idol ever took down the exit path

 

There are a lot of girls who has wonderful achievements this year. But I will choose the top 2 members which I think has very impressive year.

1. Shiraishi Mai
I thought 2017 is her peak. But I was wrong. She might have graduated from her modeling career. But her career continued to climb this year. Hopefully, we will be able to see her impressive achievements in Nogizaka in the next year, 2 years, or even 3 years later.

2. Saito Asuka
2018 is Asuka's year. She's the definition of from zero to hero, from nothing to something. I'm sure she'll keep climbing in the next year.


Honorable mentions.
Yamashita Mizuki, Umezawa Minami, Inoue Sayuri, Ikuta Erika, Ozono Momoko, Shinuchi Mai, Suzuki Ayane, Nishino Nanase, Takayama Kazumi.

 

Lol. Ima enjoying this

Best Player : Saito Asuka
The merit of flowing opportunities, performances, meet with own charismatic persona and fandom acceptance, Asuka continuing her smooth move toward stardom. Impressive year (more than last year) with the accolade, establish more of her position as nogi's representative, along with top players like maiyan and ikuchan. Rest assured, the future is on the right hand.

Top Scorer : Shiraishi Mai
This term could be just interchangeable for the best player category but since i just gotta pick one - kind of devaluing just to make "runner up" position. Culmination of her strong presence and hard work in all those years, 2018 establishing her as one of the commercially viable talent in showbiz so far. with such milestones and accolades, the peak hasnt come, yet!

Best Graduate of the year : Ikoma Rina
Of course there worthy competition of choices in between waka and naachan tho' my strong bias could have just won this one. to continue pursuing her dream in showbiz ikoma hasnt showing act of slow down so far . one of if not the most versatile and consistent performer on the field, lovely nerd accomplice, kinda miss her presence in current nogi :/

Breakthrough of the year : Umezawa Minami
It's not so surprising to see where she is right now, among third gen members that i considered as future perma-fukujin . Maybe it just bit unexpected to see that's she come this recognition so fast, quiet rapid. well, opportunity arises then here she is. Still long way to go for her but still, impressive

Surprise of the year : Sato Kaede
to see her rise as third rower and kind of positive acceptance in recent hs sales, not very expected, to my view. Not to devalued den chan -There merit ofc - while she has likeable personality, at first im always see her as rough under material that has long way to go or even potentially "buried" inside, lack of popularity.
there still will be turbulence, to see her (and riria) likely get rotation. not in safe position obviously as the competition kinda tight, to even mention many members also worth the spots. Maintain the position with the incoming of graduate vacant spots and 4th gen arrival will be challenge, but now i can see her could establish herself as regular third rower or even perma senbatsu in the future

Unlucky of the year : Suzuki Ayane (and co)
To go with kubo but that such will be mainstream opinion
Yea, know what, life in general is sucz for 2nd gen so far, as third gen hype and consecutive push halted bit of their momentum, especially ayane. Next year better they bring her back - and more of them to senbatsu.

Best young player that isnt kylian mbappe : Yamashita Mizuki!
There no words to explain this "beast". I mean, really Its just real hard to not make any category for her

 

Member of the year 2018: Shiraishi Mai
-She is the CM queen of 2018, center of Synchronicity and she has bought a washing machine, a rice cooker which can use your elbow to close . And the gig hyokkorihan is so cute.

Runner up: Saito Asuka. A great year for her, a movie role, and is a center of Jikochuu de ikou. She is really so cute.

Funnest member of 2018: Wada Maaya. Her 1x1=2 was so epic, her Apollo 11 answer was pure genius .

 

There is no denying that Maiyan and Ashu are slaying everything on their path. They grew lots in the previous years, and this year is no different. This year, also members such as Umezawa and Yamashita seemed unstoppable.

But my member of the year award goes to Ozono Momoko. Compared to the above mentioned members, she may not be an unstoppable force in terms of presence, job opportunities or other showbiz related achievements, but when it comes to personal growth, she is my heroine. When I think of Momoko in the early days, crying over about everything, it is actually amazing how much self confidence she gained. Although it was entertaining to see back then, it was also a bit worrying. Could she actually handle the stress and anxiety, or would she graduate early? Making her center for Nigemizu with Yoda might have been a baptism of fire, but with a good outcome. We now know she is here to stay and I am very happy for that. Of course, there is still the occasional tear, but seeing her full of optimism in various shows and on stage inspires me greatly.

 

nice pov somehow when it come to this stuff, we tend to be that boring "career oriented" guy :')

Momoko might be like stereotypical jp heroine when it come to her personal obstacles, the ability to push-overcome oneself and imo she turn to be the most natural one in this regard. as inward, indecisive person myself it's the attribute that im really jealous for :')
Another aspect that i really like from her that i feel it become more and more prominent this year is she showed herself -again naturally- as personal space "invader", the one that quickly gather, getting close with others. She's protag material tbh

 

Member of the Year
Shiraishi Mai

Runner Up
Saito Asuka

Honorable Mention
Umezawa Minami, Takayama Kazumi

Most Improved
Ozono Momoko