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Saito Asuka (Ashurin) / 1st Gen

Discussion in 'Nogizaka46 Graduated Members' started by ~~kumako~~, Feb 20, 2012.

  1. juniorbeho

    juniorbeho Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    May 11, 2018
    She's worked so hard thes last 11 years she deserves to do whatever she wishes. She's literally the top of the idol world but I think what she's achieved will be felt for a long time. Not just in what she pursues after graduation but in the sure to be numerous girls who dream of being an idol because of what she's done and who she is.
     
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  2. yaya

    yaya Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2017
    Oshimen:
    saitoasuka
    A creature that weak to loneliness- I'll miss idol Asuka
     
  3. Joe Yeung Chung

    Joe Yeung Chung Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    May 12, 2019
    Oshimen:
    saitoasuka
    Happy Graduation Asukachan, she is my one and only oshimen.
    I am sure she will thrive at whatever she chooses to do after Nogi.
    Love the song and choreography of the 31st single. Really happy she got a good one.
    Hope it does well.
     
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  4. Zeng

    Zeng Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    May 5, 2018
    I think it all started in 2022 this year. Something had happened that made her changed her mindset. You don't leave a top female idol group as a top ace just like that. I guess the real reasons for her graduation will forever be wrapped in mystery, never to be known.
     
  5. sambelteri12

    sambelteri12 Next Girls

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2018
    Most of member has decided they will graduated, eventho they haven't decided the date. Shiraishi said she start to talk about graduate to mngmt when she hit 25, 3 years before her actual graduation. Shinuchi said all 2nd, maybe apart from Ayane, gen knew their time when they hold Miona's gradcon. Nanami, Nishino, Ikuta leave the group at 24, Ikoma left when she's 22, so it's not a mystery at all when Asuka left at 24.
     
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  6. unknownsensei

    unknownsensei Upcoming Girls

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2020
    Why would it be mystery??? It's been 11 years, they deciding it's time is not mystery at all.
    It's sad but graduating at 24yo is just right to move on the next step especially if she staying in the entertainment industry.
     
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  7. miwa

    miwa Upcoming Girls

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2019
    Oshimen:
    Sasaki Mirei
    It's not even about her age right now, it's about how long she's been in the group. She might just be tired of it or maybe she feels like it's time for 3ki and 4ki to lead Nogizaka. Who knows.
     
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  8. Thundrakkon

    Thundrakkon Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2017
    I think everyone above made some good points, such as how long she has been doing this. Pretty much all the people she had this journey with is gone. Manatsu is the only one left in the 1st generation.

    However, more to your point, I do believe it has to do, at least in part, with management obsessive compulsion to carry on Nogizaka after Shiraishi's graduation. Here they have the absolute and undisputed top ace, Asuka Saito, the final goddess left in Nogizaka. But instead of showcasing her, they've been essentially side-lining her for 3 years in their desperation for who is next. I was shocked when I saw that she did not center a Single for 7 straight singles. Not since the 23rd single has she centered a single, and it's now the 31st single. That's like management almost pushing her out in pursuit of some lofty goal and using her popularity along the way.

    And what has management shown for this? There is no clear who is next right now. Their desire and desperation made the ill choice of selecting Aruno as the center for the 29th single. Of course, they tried to recover and used Asuka again by subbing her into center to cover up for their mistake. Now management has to hope that 5th gen can get up to speed, since no one is pushing Nogizaka up right now.

    As a side note, considering all the film, commercials, modeling, etc. that Yoda Yuki is doing, I would have expected her to be pushed to center. She is probably the most popular member after Asuka right now, but management, with all their wisdom, wants to permanently sideline her. Whoever is in charge of making decisions in Nogizaka right now really needs to take a long, hard look at himself.
     
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  9. Xena55

    Xena55 Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    May 10, 2022
    @Thundrakkon I agree with the premise that Asuka was underused after Sing Out! I don't think anyone will disagree with that. A couple of more centers wouldn't have hurt anyone and likely would have been more successful than the singles we got but maybe management didn't want to depend on a single person after losing Nanase and Maiyan. I agree with them there.

    What I disagree with your post is that there is "no clear who's next" Yoda, Zukki, Saku and Kakki are an excellent front row core. Probably to be joined by Nagi from 5th gen and who knows who else can rise because there is always someone taking an unpredictable leap. Personally I love that Nogi doesn't depend on one single person to still feel like Nogi I know a lot of people prefer having a clear ace but that's just differing opinions. And I'm not saying that they are, or are going to be equal to Asuka who is irreplaceable but the group isn't left with chump change either.

    And I agree that Yuuki needs to be pushed more as well. Again, everyone likely agrees with that but I dont think things are as dire as you make it seem.
     
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  10. unknownsensei

    unknownsensei Upcoming Girls

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2020
    I agree recent singles should be a great opportunity if they make different song with her as the center.
    But still even with lots of the experimental singles and centers, what i believe great with Nogi is their ability in making multiple aces and building new face for the future. They did well in doing that since the past although along the way some consistency get sacrificed.
    Sidelining or whatever you want to say it, they did great job running the group while still preparing for the future.
     
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  11. NyanNyan's Pet

    NyanNyan's Pet Next Girls

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2016
    I wouldn't say Asuka was sidelined. Remember she's Route246 center, though not a regular single. She's center for coupling songs or the lead of a unit (Boku no Kotto Shitteru, Romendensha, Fantastic Sanshokupan, Wilderness World, Fukayomi). She remained the face of the group without being the main center. She's already an established member, appearing on TV, CM's, magazines and other events. Using her popularity? Isn't that the whole point? Nanase, Maiyan, Ikuchan. That's why as TV guests, on music shows, etc. they carry the group name "Nogizaka46". Speaking of Ikuta Erika, arguably the most talented and very popular member not given another center position until her graduation. Imagine that.

    I think it's only right to look for the next who so they are better prepared. It's the same old formula. They took a chance on Asuka for the 15th single. They tried Momoko+Yoda, Endo (with Kaki and Ayame), finally made Yamashita center, gave Kaki her push, went extreme with Aruno, and the expectation is Nagi will be next in line. Not everyone will center and those who did will not stay forever. We might not agree with all of their decision makings but I believe they are trying their best to sustain the group which is always the goal. Thanks to her age, Asuka managed to stay for as long as she did. Now she's ready to move on and she's in a very good position to be successful outside Nogizaka.

    If we're talking about "who is the next face of the group?", I somehow agree with this. But when it comes to the group's future, Nogizaka is in good hands. A lot of able and talented members. Nothing much to worry about. Pretty confident this 31st single will be a success. Let's wait and see what's their next move in the coming new year.
     
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  12. Philosophy Senpai

    Philosophy Senpai Next Girls

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2019
    Location:
    Athens
    Oshimen:
    Saito Fuyuka
    In my humble opinion Nogizaka never stagnated. For many reasons, management did a fine job in creating the "National" idol group. Personally I like the fact that Nogizaka carved their own path in history without relying on just one "pair of shoulders", instead, generated a small but solid number of "queens" to build its legacy: Ikoma at an early stage, Maian, Nanase, Ikuchan at the development (sky-rocketing, actually) phase and Asuka mostly at the mature/established phase, surrounded by the Momoko-Kubo-Yoda-Yamashita quartet. The coming of the charismatic 4th gen secured the future (even though some were considering productions during these years as the beginning of a "stagnation"). Now with the even more charismatic 5th gen (imho again), I wouldn't worry at all for the future of Nogizaka.

    I fully agree that Asuka seems to graduate as a result of a natural process. She "aged" nicely like exquisite red wine, without getting "old". She is the rarest combination of a youngest and yet mature idol! I am sure she felt her ascension in Nogizaka has reached its ceiling. She is at her peak! And therefore what more perfect moment for her to move on to even higher grounds.

    Asuka and Nogizaka are currently both at a win-win state... They can both thank each other for the cherised past and move along their paths to their future!
     
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  13. Thundrakkon

    Thundrakkon Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2017
    Except it is not. If Asuka was center for 7 straight singles, then you do have a point. But she wasn't. She was kept out of senbatsu center for 7 straight singles. Imagine ever doing that to Nanase or Shiraishi. The problem was management kept looking and looking, and they haven't produced what they are looking for. That's why they kept looking. If they were actually successful, they would have moved Asuka back in center much earlier. It's their "failure" of finding the "next".

    Now if they would have treated Asuka to the same old formula, like you said, then she would have been center at least once or twice in those 7 singles, and she would have likely stayed another 2 years. At that point, some of the younger talent might emerge enough for her to pass the baton. As it stands, what Nogizaka currently has is ok at center, but not what management is looking for. If it was, then you wouldn't have the ill conceived decision of Aruno.

    I understand everyone's post about the point to spread out the star power and look for who is next, but management went about it incorrectly is the bottom line.
     
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  14. Generic_User

    Generic_User Under Girls Stage48 Donor

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2016
    Location:
    Isulando
    Oshimen:
    The Ikuta Erika
    Maiyan 6th single center. Maiyan W-center on 13th single. Not hard to imagine.

    Why do you think they didn't find the "next?"

    If you exclude Maiyan's grad single, it's 2 for both Kaki and Endo, and one for Yamashita and one for Aruno. I think they've found their next in 4th Gens. Management is quite clear that Asuka's successor is Endo. They have built a narrative around Asuka being close with Endo over these last few years. Type B of the 31st single shows you who's next -- Endo is there. (I know. I know. So is Yamashita) Endo also was center for the single after Sing Out!

    What even is this "next" we're arguing about? Is it center? Is it ace? Is it nationally popular member? Center is just the front row, middile position and they've had a few. Ace is hard to judge, but Endo, Kaki, and Yamashita can fit that role. Nationally popular? Hmm. Harder to find considering that this idol age is waning. But relatively they have members ready to fill in and step up.

    I've got to mention a couple things occurring between Sing Out! and Kokoni. First, Maiyan's graduation is the point upon which management decided to look to the future knowing that 1st and 2nd Gens time was coming to a close. The whole narrative around 26th single and Yamashita center was to declare that Nogizaka was going forward with the younger gens. Second, the pandemic didn't help. That lost year of 2020 extended everyone by a year. Even then Asuka was center of Route 246. Maybe in the multiverse that is the 26th single.

    Personally, I thought that it's been Asuka's Nogizaka since Nanase's graduation even with Maiyan around for one last year. Asuka certainly stands tall as the face of Nogizaka during this time even though she didn't center much. She was out front and leading Nogizaka by supporting her kouhai.
     
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  15. unknownsensei

    unknownsensei Upcoming Girls

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2020
    Why are you guys so obsessed with "7 straight single", after Sing Out, Yoakemade was necessary because its 4ki first senbatsu, then we have Shiawase Hogosyoku for Maiyan where Nogi lost the biggest face and more og members graduating that they need more aces hence bokuboku with Mizuki first.
    I still remember clearly after Shiawase promo ended during corona moving to digital singles where they promote it as big as an actual single that the next single the fans don't really want Asuka center for awhile.
    Then during GomenFin where they trying to make Sakura the next face and KimiShika with Kaki first, people do want w centers with Asuka but i still agree with their decision during the whole mass graduation. Moving to Actually, now thats an experiment gone wrong blowing the entire fanbase. Now at that point I agree they should make Asuka center.
    Sure 7 singles are facts and she can center once or twice in the middle but I don't think what they doing are totally useless aiming for the future along the mass grad. And the narrative that she will stay a bit longer if she center once are baseless, it's 11 years, move on fans, she want to move on too.
     
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  16. miwa

    miwa Upcoming Girls

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2019
    Oshimen:
    Sasaki Mirei
    Not to mention that the pandemic ruined management's plan, I'm convinced Miona would have had a graduation single if the pandemic hadn't happened.
     
  17. NyanNyan's Pet

    NyanNyan's Pet Next Girls

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2016
    Nishino Nanase - 4 solo center, 3 W-center - 7 in total
    Ikoma Rina - 6 solo center
    Shiraishi Mai - 3 solo center, 2 W-center - 5 in total
    Saito Asuka - 4 solo center, 1 W-center - 5 in total
    Endo Sakura - 2 solo center
    Kaki Haruka - 2 solo center
    Hori Miona - 1
    Ikuta Erika -1
    Yamashita Mizuki - 1
    Nakanishi Aruno - 1

    She's one of only four members with at least 5 center position. Not a bad resume if you ask me. Not bad at all ;)
    Can we just celebrate her achievement (for a job well done) and enjoy her remaining time with the group? Yes? Great!!! :approve:
    [​IMG]
     
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  18. sambelteri12

    sambelteri12 Next Girls

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2018
    Back then people crying in hope they didn't see another Asuka center, now she's graduating people cry because mngmt underused her. Make up your mind.
     
  19. humbal

    humbal Next Girls

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2017
    Oshimen:
    yamamotosayaka
    asuka in the cover of SWEET magazine

    FjTc-NmUYAUSbhp.jpg
     
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  20. humbal

    humbal Next Girls

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2017
    Oshimen:
    yamamotosayaka
    2nd cover of sweet magazine

    FjvJULkUoAI-vP9.jpg
     
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