[GENERAL] The Hinatazaka46 thread

@Navicon46 I couldn't be mad at Neru. Even though on paper the group was made for her she spent most of her time with Kanji. She felt like it was not fair to Hiragana and staff thought she was being overworked so she made the best decision she could at the time.

I don't think Hiragana would have been in Neru's shadow. Neru would have been a great ace to have because she synergizes well. Everyone she works with comes out looking great. This is speculation, of course, but Kyoko or Kosaka may have had faster growth with Neru there. Memi could have been better off too, I think, since Neru was the most popular member she a strong vibe with.

 

Not for a minute. Part of the charm/problem with Keyaki members, at least most of them maybe all now that Imaizumi is gone, is their preferment for being comfortable over ambitious. They give the vibe they would be perfectly content with never becoming the top idol group in the nation so long as they were together and enjoying themselves.

 

Seeing the current Hiragana, maybe it is just me, I think Neru won't fit in this group. So, the management decision to transfer her to Kanji were correct decision. I don't think if Neru stay, she will overshadowing other members. However, the status of "Hiragana were created because of Neru", could be a burden for both, Neru and other Hiragana members. And maybe, it will limit their growth.

I am seeing this condition now more as a problem rather than charm. I don't know how is it going to be in the future, maybe they will succeed with it. But, imho, this comfortable feeling will only limit their chance after graduate from group. I remember what Tsuchida said in one of KeyaKake episode. He said that idol is only small part of members' long career in the entertainment industry. And, coincidentally, he said it to Mao, when Ganas came to the show as a guest. Maybe, this is one of many reasons, why Gana members start to show each other value to audience, and make them, from my perspective, looks more interesting than Kanji members.

 

Cocoichi de HAPPY campaign video with Kono-chan, Miku-chan and Hina-chan.


if the video does not show watch the video here

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Cocoichi de HAPPY campaign CM making video.


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

I agree, I've always thought of it as a problem but I know a lot of people around here see it the opposite so I included it as well.

 

Response to the Christmas lives has been so great that they have now opened stage-side seats and standing room at the back of the second balcony. source. I can't really figure out the sales periods, but the fan-club sales period has left many people unsuccessful, and now there's a Lawson pre-sales period, to be followed, I think, by general sales. This group will probably end up having sold out Budoukan for six nights this year (not counting the Kyary Pamyupamyu combined night). 90,000 seats or so. Not bad for a group without a single, lol.

@glsone -- The notion that the Kanjis are not trying hard is a new one to me. I'll take a while to process that. They are not all trying to force themselves to perform the act accepted as normal for idols, I guess, and the naturalness that I consider a strength is certainly also a weakness. But in any case, I think they are generally feeling depressed and that's not much fun to watch. Of course, their main problem is that they have such an outstanding centre that her absence is a huge blow, even psychologically.

Neru? I think that ship has sailed. I think it would have been good if she had stayed, but if she came back to Hiragana now, she would overshadow top members and hold back the progress of the group. Neru has her overwhelming special charm, but her singing (much as I like the things she has done) is not accurate enough to fit with this multi-talented group. However, I never really felt badly toward her for leaving. I liked her too much for that, lol.

In any case, Hiragana is a highly talented idol group, and the 2gens have lit a fire under them all. They are pretty well all working hard to be top idols. As long as they can break through the feeling that they are junior members of the club, I think they have no ceiling. We'll see if Miho and the other three who danced in Ambivalent will use that experience to help to raise them closer to Kanji's level of dance. I think they already sing as well and look as good as any group.

Miho, Nao and Miku were auditionees whom I just did not like as people. They seemed arrogant. Well, I like them better now: I think Hiragana as a whole is now benefiting from that arrogance, which is a necessity if you want to rise to the top of any field.

 

what are you guys favorite gana songs?

 

Mijukuna Ikari! I love the combination between latin acoustic guitar and traditional Japanese flute. Moreover, it also sound mature.

 

I'm dreading the moment when 2nd gen got treated this way too by same people whom acting like kanji need 2nd gen asap currently.

I believe this fans tendency is vexing, and burdening member greatly. Gana or Kanji.
Maybe this is why Neru transfer feels uplifting Gana instead as it rid them from similar image prison.

 

Yeah, I'm not sure where the sense of naturalness is coming from especially since we have had members straight tell us they act against their nature to fit the image they want to portray like Ozeki, Oda and Nijika said they did to be more Yuipon like. Who knows how many others did or are doing the same.

 

no war in the future
hiragana de koishitai
bokutachi wa tsukiatteiru
happy aura
senkou hanabi
knock wo suru na
saizenretsu e
sanrinsha ni noritai
kitai shitenai jibun

 

Ima ni mite iro, Yakusoku no tamago, Natsuiro no mule, Happy Aura.. and just from the previews alone i think JOYFUL LOVE will be my new favourite once its released

 

Takahiro is giving Kanji most of the harder dances but not because Kanji's level of dance is higher. If he gave more challenging dances to Hiragana right now they'd be fine.

 

Honestly I'm not so sure about that. They can barely stay in sync even with the simpler dances they have now, and some really struggle *cough* mao *cough*.

But to be honest I actually really like Hiragana's bouncy never-quite-totally-in-sync dance style. I think its cute and it fits their carefree, youthful, "happy aura" vibe.

 

Kanji has not set a very high bar though is all I'm saying. Akane, who they had to sub for, is nearly as bad as Mao for example. It's just not as hard as Kanji fans sometimes make it out to be. If they only needed to be as good as Kanji they'd be perfectly fine if not better I believe. At the very least, we cannot say with certainty they would do worse.

Also, neither group does a very good job of dancing in sync. The skill levels vary too much like they do in many other idol groups.

Edit: Iguchi's gonna be on Sanma Goten! https://www.ntv.co.jp/goten/
(Region-locked video though)

 

Mao-chan's upcoming appearance with Sanma-san is an inspired idea. As long as they don't ask her to sing, at which she is even worse than at dancing. But she is one of the members I loved in her auditions, which were totally over the top. It would be great to see that dangerous spirit released again, as it may be beginning to be in Snack Mao. Japanese comments talk about this move being an attack. And about the possibility of disaster. Exciting. Here are some caps from that promo video mentioned by @plus1plus1.



When Mao-chan was accepted into Keyaki, one of her teachers told her it made them think less of the group (I think that was a joke, but...). I'd love to know what that teacher thinks now, seeing her on a big show like this.

EDIT: In her blog on the subject, Mao-chan mentions that her father once told her that he would only recognize her (as an entertainer) if she appeared on a Sanma show. Gotcha, dad. She goes on to say that she herself thinks she's not ready for this yet.

 

The Hiragana stageplay/musical Magia Record will be on TV this Saturday night at ten. On the satellite channel TBSchannel2. 11月24日(土)22:00～　CS放送チャンネル　TBSチャンネル2

It's a side-story to Madoka Magica, and features Kakizaki Memi, Sasaki Mirei, Tomita Suzuka, Ushio Sarina, and Watanabe Miho; with Nibu Akari, Kawata Hina, Saitou Kyouko, Kanemura Miku, and Katou Shiho. The reviews and impressions I saw when it was on stage in the first part of September praised the acting, the singing, and the stage-fighting.




EDIT: Zambi 23 November

There are various reports from the Team Blue performance on Friday night.

• Memi/Katoshi's after-live was great again.
• their duets were the same (Haus and Hiragana Koi), but they each did new solos: Katoshi did Nogi's Ushinaitakunai kara. Memi did another Neru song: Mata Atte Kudasai. As Toshi apparently said: "...a song by her beloved Neru." Yes, that's true. Neru is Memi's big sister, passing on clothing to her, etc.
  
• the crowd, in which there were lots of Nogi fans, was right on with the standard calls for Haus (you can see those calls -- in kana -- here). Even Keyaki fans were shouting "me, too" after the line "I sort of love you, love you, love you."
  
• the Nogi members -- Kubo Shiori and Umezawa Minami -- had the main roles and were excellent. Katoshi and Memi didn't have that many appearances in the play itself, comparatively.
  
• one commenter said Memi and Toshi were right on with the songs in the show itself, so they expected the after-live to be good, but it was even better than they expected
• in the show itself, Katoshi sang particularly well.

Smart for Memi to do Neru songs (she did Wait 100 Years last time) also because they are designed for someone without great singing ability. Memi is a stronger and more in-tune singer than Neru, but still not an experienced singer. Her voice disappeared occasionally in the duets; someone speculated that since she didn't seem tired, it might be throat problems. But she remained stably in tune. Someone praised her for an energetic voice going right to the edge of breaking. People were continually struck by how cute she was, as she kept providing various cute gestures.

 

Did most japanese wotas say this? Or do you mean in general both the international and japanese fandom

 

Hiragana Keyakizaka participated on the music event Livejack SPECIAL 2018. They were full of energy and the public react positively. Also, they wear new uniform. I attach members pics as uniform reference.

(Notice the uniform second version on Konoka-chan pic).





Event Playlist.
Overture
① Hiragana de koi shitai.
② Happy aura.
MC
③ Kitai shitenai jibun.
④ Hanbun no kioku.
⑤ Dare yori mo takaku tobe!
⑥ NO WAR in the future