Single AKB48 58th (Ne mo Ha mo Rumor) [2021/09/29)

No handshake events, no sister group.

 

Do you not know how this group works?

 

Just read back the past 2 weeks posts.
It's all discussed

 

Scandals, of course.

 

The drop in sales was an expected outcome due to the lack of physical handshakes, no sister groups, aces leaving, etc.

Doesn't take away from the fact that the song is good (imo) and the sales are still pretty good all things considered. It's not the end, just rather, a new beginning for AKB48.

 

Checked Oricon Weekly today and it was quite interesting:
NGT48 at #2 with 17,927
Nogizaka46 at #3 with 14,261
SKE48 at #4 with 10,039
AKB48 at #12 with 3,779
Iwasa Misaki at #13 with 3,388

Also the Daily:
Sakurazaka46 at #1 with 303,232
Nogizaka46 at #12 (Kimi ni Shikarareta)
AKB48 #23 (Nemohamo Rumor)

 

Kobayashi Ran and Yoshihashi Yuzuha were paparazzied practicing
https://twitter.com/uwasaAKB48/status/1448559304735219715

 

So, I finally listened to the single fully and tbh I was super fucking confused why we had a "First Generation" and "Second Generation" groups and songs, but then I saw the members listed and it's essentially the oldies and newbies, but why are they called 1st and 2nd gen?? Honestly baffles me. As for the songs...they were just ok. like honestly super unmemorable, but I did enjoy 2nd Gen song more.

Ne mo Ha mo Rumour, is actually quite good. Repetitive really, but I found myself really jamming along...which just means light twerking while applying too much eyeshadow (Sorry Pat Mcgrath, but I now have glitter everywhere - it's a look).

I don't remember what the Team 8 sounds like...but most likely it was trash lol. Team 8 has delivered before so I was disappointed. Let me tell you I learned all the prefectures in Japan because of Team 8 so I need more educational idol songs ok. Sing a song about each of ur presidents or the creation of Ramen (idk sis I'm just saying they have options) but this song was not it for me.

I forgot Yui announced her graduation and I didn't even watch her MV cause again I forgot about her so her solo song surprised me, but as with every grad song, it's essentially a decent ballad that is really safe to listen to. I actually really fucked with Mii-chan's grad song tho. That one was just really good song. So was, Takamina's and of course Acchan's. But Yui falls under the unmemorable grad songs really. Up there with Mariko-sama and Kojiharu (she deserved a way better song, her grad song was TRASH).

That covid song is nice. I actually kind of like it, but also it's like PTSD from all the lockdowns LOL so no thanks AKB, but the song is nice.


All in all, it's a fine single. Could have been better and I was expecting a lot more since it's been so long since they've released any music. It's so weird to think that they gave us really nothing for this single when they had A LOT of time to really come up with good shit. I mean more than half of these girls don't do much anyways. I feel like they were more creative with songs back when they released like 4-5 singles a year. I still listen to a lot of those B-sides. A lot of the time the B-sides were the true highlights of an AKB release with all the music videos and interesting song choices (remember the dog poo one for Team B? DOG SHIT. Like the talent. WOW). I hope next single is filled more with dog shit, but until then I'll enjoy Ne mo Ha Mo Rmour as it's the best song in the single.

 

They've had this separation between members for a while now. They also performed as 1st Generation / 2nd Generation at THE AUDISHOW. In Japanese, they're literally called 1st Generation and 2nd Generation, whereas what we call 1st Gen / 2nd Gen is called 1-ki, 2-ki. So there's no confusion there

 

Did they ever explain why they are grouped as such?

There was also that EKB48 or something audition. Whatever came of that?

 

I have truly never heard this before. 1-ki and 2-ki and so forth, yes, but calling all the older members "First Generation" (Was it spoken in english?) is just weird. It's the same meaning in the end. I mean honestly it doesn't really do much either way, both of the songs could have been swapped with either "generation" and u wouldn't notice a difference.

 

Black Jaguar is a sexy song for older members.

 

now if they did a "Teacher Teacher" or "How Come?", we can accept the sexiness through the song alone, but I don't see this song as "sexy" at all. They had a prime opportunity to bring some SDN48 flare with this "first generation" group.

 

Black Jaguar sounds mature but I'm not sure if it's sexy, I don't understand the lyrics so... it's kinda hard to tell without a music video or choreography. I wish they had b-sides MVs ;_;

Btw a fan account on Twitter just posted a mix of Ne mo Ha mo Rumor performances: watch here

 

Yes, 1st and 2nd Generation are called this way in English, not a Japanese translation thereof.

Also, while we have chosen to translate 期 (ki) as generation, it can also mean period, time, era, etc. It is a bit confusing in English, but really different in their opinion, probably. The 2nd Generation (consistent of 16th Gen, Draft 2, Draft 3 + Ma Chia-Ling) was also meant to hold a solo concert in July (this was announced at the AUDISHOW) but right now I can't remember whether it ever actually happened? I think it was cancelled because of COVID.

Anyway, in my personal opinion, Seikoutoutei (Team 8's song) is the best song on this single, closely followed by Ne mo Ha mo Rumor itself. I think I would like Hanareteitemo more if it was a new song. It is good and it makes me happy to have some original members and superstars from sister groups in this song, but I just can't get over the fact that we've already known this song for over a year and they could have recorded something new instead.

Seikoutoutei > Ne mo Ha mo Rumor > Kimi ga Ikanu Naru 12gatsu > Hanareteitemo > Osawagi Tengoku > Black Jaguar

I originally liked Black Jaguar but after listening a few times now, I always think it sounds like a H!P song and they start to annoy me rather quickly. There's only a handful of their songs I like even after months.

 

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1x44y1t7G5?p=2

Listen to this in loop for an hour while you do other stuff...

https://www.tiktok.com/@akb48_official_tiktok/video/7012202745373543682
https://www.tiktok.com/@akb48_official_tiktok/video/7018798327034580225

I didn't like the song that much, I thought it was the most generic eito song ever. But...

Anyway, who are these songs centers?

 

that's oddly confusing for no reason lol. I'm getting it and see what they're aiming for, but it definitely falls flat.

not ya'll trying to turn me into a Team 8 stan LOL. The performance was adorable and I'm starting to really like the song, but I blame the performance lol.

 

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!? Masaka!

As I always say: trust the process. Would you like to hear about the Great Octos and his followers? We have cookies!

Tomu can't let it go...

https://www.tiktok.com/@akb48_official_tiktok/video/7019278883392408834

 

Tomu looks amazing lol. I was honestly distracted that I didn't even realize the Team 8 song was playing in the background lolol. Team 8 domination I guess. I mean I definitely like Yui and Hii-chan from Team 8. There was Nanami, but she graduated long time ago I believe. Idk what happened to Narumi? Is there her name? Wasn't she like super popular for awhile and like the main girl from Team 8 even though they had an ace (who graduated awhile ago too). I felt like I was more into Team 8 during their early years. Definitely drifted away from the group like before covid hit, but since like 2020 I have no idea what's been happening in their world. I just followed Izone for awhile and Hii-chan was apart of it.

 

In the first couple of years the most popular were girls like Nagi, Naru, Yamada, Nanamin. As you mentioned, Ikumin was selected by the management as the center but it never worked. She had skills, dancing skills, but not so much popularity. Then came Yuiyui and Berin. Hokkaido-Tohoku used to be really strong, but with TV shows in Kanto and Kansai and also a bigger push for the Kanto member the focus shifted to them. After that, other girls started to grow, girls like Abe Mei, Kurena, Shiorin (how could she?), Tsumugi, but especially Ota Nao. Alas, all of those graduated and also Ikumin, Yamada, Nanamin and others.
It's funny to think that Hii was the most popular Kanto eito while Yuiyui was insignificant, but then Yuiyui rose to the top while Hii gradually lost the momentum. And now...

Naru ranked pretty high in 2016 and 2017, but to be honest that was more Team 8 fans trying to push one eito to the senbatsu. When it was clear that they had other girls like Yuiyui and Berin she fell to fourth most voted eito in 2018, after Yuiyui, Onishi and Nagi. That was the last Sousenkyo we had. She's still very popular though, only Yuiyui, Berin and Hii sell more.

The new batch of girls failed for two reasons: COVID-19 and scandals. But even so, we got Hiyuka and Remi and they're planning on staying.
Recently some girls began to grab the attention of some fans, like Shitao, Gyoten, Nanase, Ayane, Pyon. You see, Team 8 had many graduations, mostly members that many of you don't even remember but also some popular girls left, but the core is still there and strong. They went from one senbatsu member to seven in this single and the truth is that you could actually add more.

If they had a 16-member senbatsu, based on sales, SNS and some managerial decisions, it would be something like this (by prefecture order): Sakaguchi Nagisa, Yokoyama Yui, Okabe Rin, Honda Hitomi, Shimizu Maria, Takahashi Ayane, Yoshikawa Nanase, Oguri Yui, Oda Erina, Nagano Serika, Onishi Momoka, Shitao Miu, Gyoten Yurina, Kuranoo Narumi. The last two spots would be disputed by Hattori, Missaa, Hatsuka, Hama, Fujizono, Hiyuka, Remi. Not bad. Right. FISHBOY?


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