Single AKB48 56th [Sustainable] (2019/09/18)

Just heard it for the first time
I personally haven't liked many of the latest singles at all, thought they were really bland. However, I don't know particularly why, but I really enjoy this song! Moeka works as a center for me and the other girls, specifically in that FNS Uta no Natsu Matsuri performance, seemed like they had really nice shining spots. I really like the lyrics, too. And, those outfits! Very nice choice.
My only complaint is the lyrics don't match the... upbeat tone. I kind of get this from their performances in a lot of songs, sometimes, I feel like they're performing with a standard presentation in mind instead of to the song's particular feeling. In the theater it's always better. Like it's always wide grins and wide eyes, and I know that's what Idols do but I'd just personally prefer a change of pace. Some more emotionalism instead of appeals.
I also liked how this didn't feel like a k-pop song, felt very true j-pop. I've been worried they were going to start pandering to the k-pop crowd but with this song, to me, it feels like they're saying "no we're not going to do that" lol.
I'm sure y'all are all more knowledgeable than I but I was just really pepped up seeing this for the first time. Dancing was great, sounded great, looked fantastic. Turned my mood around a great deal on where the group was heading.

 

In my memories, they first revealed the song in a choir contest or something hence the tempo was 0.25 speed and was just bunch of members standing around so people shat on it, (I remember people, including myself tried selling people its actually good song because it has very good lyrics despite the choir style performance) until the MV came out with fancy costumes, elegant dance moves and normal play speed which saved it from actually being irrelevant.

The most recent undermined akb single was Jaabaja for sure, it came and gone so fast ppl dun even remember Naachan center happened because everyone talked about produce48/teacher teacher/yuiyui center hype rip

 

I followed AKB48 even before Produce48. Of course the song is all about Produce48 but is it mean it is full of KPop influence? I don't think so. It is a single that celebrate the participation of AKB48 group members in Produce48. That's all. Like I said just compare the dance of No Way Man, Yoshimotozaka46 Unit Red, Kimi no kuchibiru o hanasanai and Fabulous Sister. The style is quite similar. If No Way Man is KPop influenced, the other dance is KPop influence. Even if there are KPop element, it is the most general one (KPop=Harder dance). Honestly, if AKB48 is really try to attract KPop crowd with No Way Man, it is very lame. What kind of message are you trying to convey to KPop crowd with old guy dancing in the beginning of MV? There are other song which is better in attracting KPop crowd like UZA which have better execution not only just the choreography (although the MV director doesn't have good relationship with KPop fan. That another different story.)

 

I remember people being disappointed with the PV though being about the school that was going to be closed down. And the choreo wasn't really shown in the PV which was also a let down.

I'm hoping Sustainable goes back to AKB's roots of having school themed PVs

 

That's too bad! I really love that song and think it's a very interesting mv. It's poignant and bittersweet, the children reading speeches in front of their proud but sad parents. It's the level of nuanced presentation of a social topic that elevated the group a bit in my opinion. Showed that AKB was more than just pretty girls in pretty dresses but also a voice of their time. Lovely song too, really a gem.
I agree too though, I would love to see AKB go back to the roots as well, maybe it's just what they'd need to reconnect their new girls to the first gen sensibility.
Even though Sustainability was very much a continuation of the current style, which makes the name fitting, and I really like it, I think most fans can agree that some shaking up of style while not straying too far from the core concepts and sounds would be very welcome. A nice healthy mix of new and classic style singles would be a step in the right direction.

 

Spoiler: Sources

https://twitter.com/HEARTSTATION648/status/1156547572158230528
https://twitter.com/HEARTSTATION648/status/1156547788601057281

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1156547372857430016/pu/vid/264x160/e6qD1qT2wVYKLheN.mp4
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1156547661643673603/pu/vid/264x160/qtSrfhZll63elM23.mp4

 

The full song is how I imagined it to be. Not much surprises and lots of instances for the girls to do cute poses (and scrunch their faces)

A summer tune that is upbeat, uplifting and designed to make people happy. Oh wait, isn't that the ideals of the aidoru to begin with?

(on another note, is it just me or I can just hear Naachan voice carry throughout the song?)

 

Just wondering... How did Mayuyu perform at HS before her graduation? How were her numbers compared to Yukirin in general? I didn't follow the numbers back then!

 

I'm sorry this is not an answer to your question but I just don't understand why someone gave you a disagree reaction to that post... It's a question. How does one disagree with a question?? Dislike I could understand but disagree??

I don't know, but I would assume that her HS were better considering she also garnered more votes in SSK.

 

I just listened to the full version of Sustainable from the radio rip, and I love it! it sounds more upbeat than in the live. and it's very refreshing too! I love the verses a lot. Now I'm waiting for the music video and I really hope they make a colorful and cute and fun Mv that will suit this song, please

 

i really hope the mv gonna have that "short story" scenes just like the mvs back in the day.

 

Probably someone thought I was kinda dissing either Yukirin or Mayuyu. But anyway thanks for your reply!

Yes please!

 

You can check who gave you which reaction. At the top, next to conversations and alerts, under your name is a "Reactions Received" button.

 

Both are called HS queen for something. Lol
I think Mayu was the fastest seller in AKB back then until her graduation.

 

Really? I don't remember Mayu being known for being a fast seller in HS. I mean sure she probably sold all her slot but I remember Yuko, Yuki, Matsui Rena, Yamamoto Sayaka being more known for selling slots fast.

 

I think the question is "before her graduation" and my answer is "in AKB" and yeah, even though they have kennin back then I still count Sayanee and J as NMB and SKE respectively. And Rena...should I count her as SKE or 46?

 

Before her graduation as in her last HS or throughout her stay? I mean of course for her last HS that's expected. For her tenure as a member though, I just don't remember her being known for being the fastest seller.

 

Well she was. So I don’t know what to tell you.

It’s like Sasshi both were fast handshake sellers, and a big part of
It was bc of their General popularity

 

I'm too lazy to dig the data again. If you remember that much maybe you can answer david's question already
Oh yeah, please also post the data from her last 10 singles. I also want to see.
Pretty sure it also covers Yuko's last singles as AKB.

From what I remember vaguely, she usually sold out everything on 3rd round. Just like Yuiyui nowadays.
Which is normal because you cannot apply that many in first and second round. Tbf, not as crazy as NMB's Sayanee. But at that time, who sell faster than her in AKB? Dunno...maybe Yukirin?

 

Not HS as such but I had 2-shots with Mayuyu in 2016 and 2017 and my recollection is that for both events she had sold out by the third round, but she definitely had sold out and she had long queues both times when I was there.