@sakurasucker If all it needed my good friend for you to change your avatar's name from Hinatasucker to Sakurasucker, was Airi, then she, the 3rd gen and Sakura management are on the right track to attract fans and increase the fanbase...! And of course, as I happen to know something more, kudos also to Sokosaku and the variety capabilities of the girls... Their variety deeds managed to pull someone from orbiting the "variety Queens" that were Hinatas, to Sakurazaka. However, personally I still enjoy both groups' variety shows. I have too admit that Hinata 4th gen are also a very succesfull bunch of interesting, funny and strange cuties.
LOL man, it was actually a slow process, and Airi-chan just happened to be the last straw (or rather, last cherry blossom petal) that ended up breaking the camel's (errrrr I mean ohisama's) back... No, seriously, I've been falling out of love with Hinatazaka for months...all the while liking Sakurazaka more and more...it felt natural to switch from being a sucker for the former to being one for the latter, simple as that...
So finding out in a roundabout way through various Twitter/Blog posts, apparently Airi's 151cm tall, "towering" over Hikaru by 0.5cm. Info here: http://keyakizaka46matomemory.net/archives/48529918.html
She did amazing job as center, her dancing is powerful yet elegant . I keep replaying the song, it's so good, but I don't really get the lyric. When she stands alone, she looks tall and slim. I'm surprised she's that tiny. Same case as Hikaru, I thought she's tall too. Ofc, they're both so smol and cute.
I don't know if you're looking at the YouTube subs, but I did a translation and subs that are in this post. Not making any special claims for my own translations, but I always try to have them at least make sense (to me). I think the singer just wants summer to come quickly so he/she will have a chance with the object of his/her affection. Nothing deep. I appreciated the MV even more seeing it in the new documentary episode, with Airi and the group sitting there watching it for the first time, filled with joy and pride. This group seems full of talent, but I think Airi is something special, combining dance talent with expressiveness and beauty. One more thing: I've added heights to my member chart (link in sig).
High quality profile picture (2993x3991) and her handwritten profile (translated) Source (and thanks to): Twitter @ "airifiles"
It's Airi time! Shared Blog: https://sakurazaka46.com/s/s46/diary/detail/49479?ima=5017&cd=blog Important parts: She's the oldest in the 17years old group Her penlight colors are purple and red She talks about Omotenashikai and Natsu no Chikamichi. She says it's hard for her to espress herself and she worried about the MV, but her fellow 3ki members supported her a lot and so did fans as soon as the song started. She talks about BAN too. ...I think that song will be part of every 3ki members for a lot if time Since my japanese is not even remotely near to the point I can translate something on my own, this is what google said to me; I just put it here for future or passing fans. @ukifune (or anyone else who actually knows japanese) please correct this if you see some mistake
Natsu no Chikamichi will be to 3rd gen what Sonichi was for AKB48's original Team B: The song that will forever be associated with their happy and struggling times during training, as well as the road ahead in the future. It's the kind of song you want to perform one last time as you graduate.
Airi 2nd blog She said she was (understandably) nervous in her first SokoSaku recording BUT... she looked way more relaxed than I thought! And so freaking cute my brain just melted (exactly like I thought lol) original blog https://sakurazaka46.com/s/s46/diary/detail/49594?ima=5222&cd=blog Sakurazaka101 translation https://sakurazaka101.com/its-the-second-airi-blog-2023-03-22/ I'm trying so hard to peel eggs like she does, but so far it's a disaster
...you didn't say the appropriate spell my friend: "here we go... c'mon... here we go... c'mon... nananana, nananana, nananana, natto..."
Now that you mention it, I have to agree to some degree... Kotoko indeed, both full-moon face and same delicate facial characteristics.
Happy 18th Birthday to you Airi She's a big girl now I'm really excited what the upcoming year has in store for her.
Airi at age of 11. I think this is some of the members from Max Girls. if the video does not show watch the video here She grown her voice 2 years later and turned a EGOIST cover into a power ballad version. if the video does not show watch the video here As the voice trainer said, she has unexpectedly stable voice, like, you can rely on her. We might have a talent here. Normally the talent is always from Eastern Japan. But this time around the roles are reversed. We have a talent from Western Japan. Based on talented idol singers signed to Sony have all been from Eastern Japan: Momoe Yamaguchi, Sonoko Kawai, Minayo Watanabe, Sayuri Kokoshu, Sanae Jounochi, Marina Watanabe. I don't count Hirate because she released her solo songs within the group and not as single releases. She didn't even released her own album like Momoe Yamaguchi and Minayo Watanabe did. Vocalists are important in order for the group to evolve. Both Hirate and Imaizumi were crucial for Keyakizaka. But Akimoto or even Sony didn't took the opportunity to foster Imaizumi. I wonder if they have big plans for Airi because last time they blew their chance and Imaizumi went to Avex.
@Rev4 -- Time will tell how good her singing really is. Excellent in the circumstances of the MV. But however good her singing is, she is very, very cute and able to play beautifully to the audience. I think she has tremendous appeal. She also seems quite majime, serious about her work and trying hard, not overly proud. I just hope that she can stay in tune better than even Imaizumi seemed to, to me. S&F succeeded with Hirate -- with my full support at the time -- but may have broken her in the process, and broken Imaizumi by not giving her enough opportunity to shine. The Japanese entertainment world, I guess like all other entertainment worlds, is a harsh place.
Not only harsh... In my humble opinion (and no matter how much I love the Japanese people), it's also unfair, lopsided, biased towards false starts/beginnings, (selectively) unforgiving, and - quite often - unable to learn from mistakes...
@ukifune I think Mugon no Uchuu was a bad choice of her to show off her voice at the hospitality party. Most songs from Sakurazaka have been very frenetic both in lyrics and choreography which has been my biggest criticism with Sakurazaka. In fact that Sakurazaka was still riding on the past with Keyakizaka lyrics despite name change members couldn't change the worldview of the group. With the entrance of 3rd gen I see a monumental shift in mental attitude which is crucial to do 180 with worldview. As much as I like my 2nd gen and remanining 1st gen they can't move on from their previous worldview without help from members who are breathing something else than pessimism. it's hard to start something new when you have already built a foundation for what you are. As a former captain of Keyakizaka and Sakurazaka Yuuka will witness something in Sakurazaka by 3rd gen she hasn't seen yet. In case with Airi she is straight opposite of what Hirate's beliefs were. As I wrote in the general thread she shines optimism along with 3rd gen that something Hirate lacked. The glass is half full for 3rd gen while the glass is half empty for Hirate. Two different worldviews. I enjoyed the pessimistic worldview of Keyakizaka which only Hirate could utilize with her emotions (anxiety, anger, sadness, and despair), but at the same time it got very repetitive and songs got more technical which led us to frenetic style for Sakurazaka early on. Audience is ready for something new. Keyakizaka's pessimistic worldview and underground theme was fresh in 2016 but as time went on fandom got smaller. Takahiro was also locked on technical songs. That's why I appreciate Natsuno Chikamichi is going back to basics. Try to express the emotions of the theme and worldview with good outfits. Akimoto's full-fledged authority. Airi and 3rd gen have a challenge upon them to integrate their mental attitude with the seniors to establish a optimistic worldview in Sakurazaka with a sea theme to go along with it. The sea symbolizes optimism in society. I also think the flap on their uniform can be symbolic for Sakurazaka's uniforms going forward like shoulder loop was for Keyakizaka's uniforms. I remember you said they need a reboot and I guess this is the reboot we have been wanting. The lines on the sleeve of the uniform are pointing up. Silent Majority's sleeve had lines pointing down. You could say they are symbolic for mental attitude on members. Up represents optimism and down represents pessimism. A true departure from Keyakizaka. I'm hoping Airi will shine more in this optimistic worldview than Imaizumi shined in the pessimistic worldview.
