Unjo Hirona (Nappi) / 4th Generation

A story in Nikkei Style about being center of 3-2.

"HKT48 has released "3-2 (San Hikuni)" on April 22nd. This is the first single in about a year since Rino Sashihara graduated. The 21st-year-old Hirona Unjo, who entered the first selection in the previous work and stands in the center for the first time in this work. Although she was from Hokkaido, she joined the Hakata-based HKT48 in her 16th year as a 4th generation member, yearning for Sashihara that she saw in magazines. Although it seemed calm at first glance, the strength of the core and occasional smiling face became popular, and the fans pushed it up and pulled it out.

“When I first listened only to the melody, the song“ 3-2 ”that stood in the center for the first time felt refreshing. I felt that it was a new type of song because there are many pop and bright songs in HKT48."

She got help from Hana on the choreography.

"Each choreography is big and fast, but we also needed an expression and an atmosphere with a feeling. In the music videos I've used up to now, I used to put it in the morning and shoot that day, but this time there were several dance lessons with everyone before the shoot. I also practiced a lot, but I was worried that the first center would work. Hana-san (Matsuoka) helped me with that. When the center was decided, she sent me a message saying "Congratulations" immediately, and when I was worried in front of the mirror in the lesson, she gave me some advice. Thanks to that, I was able to grasp the flow line and height through my arm, and the small fluffy movements."

About HKT48

"After all, when I hear that it is HKT48, I think most people only get the image of Sashihara. But now, if you're talking, Murashige (Anna) is the leader. Matsuoka (Natori) and Motomura (Aoi) are the leaders. It's Hana who makes everyone feel bright. Miku (Tanaka) has a high profile. There are other members with a lot of individuality, so I think we all have to polish what we are good at. ''




https://style.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO58794660W0A500C2000000?channel=DF280120166614&n_cid=LMNST011

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDqrd3lJ3Sv/

 

If not for David61, you, and me, the thread would be almost totally empty!

 

This is my first time posting here, I think I'm becoming a fan of Nappi! I first noticed her this year when she became center of HKT. Actually, among 48G sister groups, in the past, I was mostly following NMB and SKE, and just a little for HKT. The only HKT member I really loved and supported was Sakura. I didn't think I could love another HKT member, it's also because their music and image wasn't really my type. However this year it was very different!

First when I saw that they picked Nappi as center, I heard of her name before but never really paid attention to her. After seeing her, I thought she looks really pretty and cute and I was surprised that they picked a center who was 21 years old (she turned 22 earlier this month btw. Happy birthday even though I'm late!), because usually HKT push the younger members (both in age and looks) so it was surprised that the new center was someone who's older than 20, and I liked this change. So I looked forward to the single!

Once 3-2 was released, I thought this is so different than the usual HKT releases, it's like they tried a more mature sound. The song is great and the music video as well, the choreo and clothes are good too... I really love it and for me it's one of the best 48G releases in the past 2 years. So yes I completely like this HKT with Nappi as center and with this type of songs!

I decided to follow Nappi on Twitter after taking a look at her page some months ago, she is posting really pretty and cute photos so I followed her! Everytime she makes an update, the photos look great! She's very good at taking pictures. and now after a while, I think I want to know more about her and possibly become her fan, I'll start by watching the videos posted here that still work (there are not many, and there's only 3 pages so it will go fast LOL) I'll be back to share my thoughts ;D

 

I just read the 3 pages of this thread and I watched the videos posted here that still worked, in total there was only 3, with 2 of them being election appeal videos LOL

First about the election appeal videos, Nappi only participated in 2 elections. The first time in 2017, it was around 1 year after she debuted, and she did not rank. Then she participated in 2018 (the last elections), and here she ranked, her 1st day preliminary result was #69 and then for the final result she ranked #84.

I watched her election appeal for 2017 and for 2018, I noticed her way of speaking changed between the 2 years LOL I guess she became more adult, in the 2017 video she was 18 (soon 19), in the 2018 video she was 19 (soon 20), she sounds less nervous and more calm and mature, this is the way she speaks now too. I think she was really cute in the 2017 video, in the end she shout her goal, and I think she said: "I want a lot of people to remember my name!". For the 2018 one, she said that her goal is to rank at #79. I guess she ended up not too far from it, it was a good start. There is actually an official english translation of her appeal in the description of the video so I'll share it here:

"HKT48 Team KIV, I'm Hirona Unjo. The past year, in the Unit Janken Tournament, I was able to win as part of the unit fairy w!nk, and release a debut CD. I was also chosen as Senbatsu for HKT48's 11th single, and thus able to receive many opportunities thanks to my fans. Thank you very much. At this year's Olympics, "Sodane Japan" - Hokkaido's curling team, won 3rd place, and I gained courage from them. As the only member from Hokkaido in HKT48, I hope to make great progress. My aim is 79th place and above. I ask for your support, thank you!"

Then she ranked #84 with 17,557 votes, this was her speech, I translated it:

"I'm Unjo Hirona from HKT48. To everyone who voted, thank you very much. I came from Hokkaido to Fukuoka, I started working in HKT48, I had a lot of anxiety, I was wondering if it was a good thing for me to have joined HKT, but to have met the fans today like this, I feel really happy. I'm really grateful to you."

I'm also posting her 2 election poster photos, they were never shared here -



She looks really cute on them, and in the 2018 one, she also wrote her goal (#79), I wish she achieved it ;_; it's too bad that elections stopped because I think girls like Nappi could get a lot of help from elections. I have a feeling she would have ranked up a lot in the next years and that it would help many more people to know her name and face. She would become more popular. She's cute, so I have no doubt she would attract more fans. I'm kinda sad she didn't have the chance to get a popularity boost from elections and that they stopped it before she could rise in ranks. I hope she can receive other opportunities to become popular >.< Being center of HKT was a great start, although it was in a difficult timing so I don't think they could make a lot of promotions. I hope she has many more chances in the future and find more success

 

I recently watched an episode of HKT48 no Odekake because it was posted in this thread in the past (it was one of the only video links that still worked among what was posted in the 3 pages of this thread, haha), apparently it's episode 189 that aired in 27th October 2016, so around 4 years ago. At that time, Nappi was 18 years old and she joined the group 3 months before this episode! She was very new, this was probably one of her first variety show with HKT. Also I found later that this episode has been subbed here.

At the beginning, Nappi did a short intro along with other 4th gens, she just said that she's 18 years old and from Hokkaido, then around the end when they went to visit the eldery, the members tried to entertain them and Nappi did a short imitation of her grandpa, it's around 19:46 in the episode, I think it's the only time she talks. it was very random and cute, haha

I took a few screenshots, her "grandpa" pose was really cute LOL her little laughs and her embarassed expression when she finished were so cute too ^-^



Adorable

 

if the video does not show watch the video here

I found this video with Nappi doing her catchphrase in 2019! This was discussed earlier in this thread, this is the catchphrase she's using now which is different from her original one. I'm wondering if this video is one of the first times she said her new catchphrase? Because she looks shy and embarassed LOL before saying it, she laughed and said "yada..." ("no") XD and after she said it, everyone said "cute" but I think a fan scream "it's embarassing" (for fun) and Murashige said something like "That's wrong, let's do our best with Nappi and say that it's cute" and then the fan screamed "it's cute" LOL it's a fun video and Nappi is sooo adorable

Btw this is the meaning of her catchphrase (taken from wiki48) "When calling out for Nappi? Please say (Ruururururu!) Let's go meet the fox together! I want to become everyone's cutie! I'm Unjo Hirona, also known as Nappi." it's very cute

 

Thanks for the correct translation, somehow I thought that the fan said "hazukashii dayo" because Nappi looked so embarassed, but listening again now it does sound like he says "sexy" LOL well that's unexpected XD and yes I'll keep posting here! I still learn about Nappi and I'm finding a lot of informations, she's just so cute! I'm glad that my posts are appreciated

 

I read the "History" part in Nappi's wiki48 page and it says that in April 2014, Nappi "auditioned for AKB48 Team 8 in Hokkaido, but failed the auditions in the final round." oh wow that's really surprising! To think that Nappi could have debuted 2 years earlier, as a part of AKB. if she did, I would have noticed her earlier probably since I follow AKB more than HKT, but who knows what kind of career she would have had... I wonder how come she didn't pass, because she's really cute, but maybe there was too much competition. For information, the Team 8 representative for Hokkaido is Sakaguchi Nagisa and she's one of the members who was in the spotlight when Team 8 debuted so I can see why management prefer her than Nappi, but thankfully Nappi debuted as HKT! The fact that she tried to get in 48G again after trying with Team 8 makes me think that she really wanted to be in a 48G group, I'm glad she did

I should start posting Nappi's social media updates here because she takes the cutest photos, and I hope that more people can start following her! Last week on 17th September, Nappi posted some very pretty photos along with 4 emoticons to represent her 4 expressions (although the first emoticon is "sad" but she doesn't look sad in the photo XD) she's so pretty!



CUTE!!!

 

@Reveen If you mean like in the first photo on my previous post, yes I also noticed that she sometimes bites her bottom lip when smiling, I think it's really cute I was wondering how often she does it, so I just went to her Twitter, and the last time she did it before 17th September was on 21st August with these photos that she captioned with "??" (so random LOL)



She's too cute