Kodama Haruka (Haruppi) / 1st Generation

I think you got a wrong picture!It's Sakura!I was thinking more something like this (or well slightly more messier)

Spoiler

 

Or like a Mari-tail, that was probably my favourite Shinoda Mariko hairstyle.

And I'd agree with you that Haruppi looks really smexy when her hair is messy, like at her Team K seitansei



@kinakomochi - I disagree with your assessment but I wanted to thank you for expressing it in such an eloquent way. I think comparing two members rate of progress in the way you did doesn't really take all the factors into account. Sakura's fans did a great job in pushing her to 11th place in senbatsu but that's Miyazawa Sae territory and she never got an AKB centre position. With that unexpected big push Sakura zoomed to prominence and then it became like the phrase "success breeds success". Haruppi's progress was steadier and more linear but it was inexorable progress nonetheless, two centre positions in a row with HKT, front row position with Team K, national tv show appearances, lots of gravure shoots and hopefully Haruppi fans will push her into the AKB senbatsu in the sousenkyo.

@violin - I think the only way we'll see Haruppi with long hair is if she gets extensions for a pv or some kind of tv work or something. I love her hair short anyway, especially when she swooshes it behind her ears

 

^I saw 2 gifs of that part of the performance!Sexy indeed!

Put them behind her ears like this?

 

Hello everyone. Long time lurker, first time poster. Just a brief introduction. I've been what I guess you can call a fringe follower of AKB48 groups since around 2007-2008, I think. I use to watch a lot of J-Dramas and as I saw AKB48 girls appear in some, I gradually learned about them, the group, and subsequently found various shows (e.g. AKBINGO!, Shuukan AKB, etc.) that featured the group. As I found more and more subbed shows of theirs, I got more and more involved with the groups.

As far as HKT48 goes, my introduction to them was watching them in the subbed Hakata Hyakkaten shows. I was never much a fan of one specific girl. There were some I paid attention to more than others, of course, but the idea of a kami-oshi was something I never though I'd have. Thanks to this thread and the various people that have subbed anything Kodama Haruka is involved in (shows, blogs, articles, etc.) I slowly became a big fan of hers. I found myself really hoping for her to rank high in last year's elections. And I was so happy for her when watching the senbatsu video for the 4th single.

It's been lots of fun watching her grow in to who she is today. While I enjoyed watching her do corny things like cracking eggs on her forehead for attention, what I really love is that through all her hard work with singing and dancing, she has regained her center spot in HKT48. She's now a solid performer brimming with confidence, ready to ascend the ranks of the AKB48 groups.

That was a bit longer than I was planning...

Anyway, my main reason for finally joining now is because of the elections. I don't have an interest in purchasing any of the singles to get the voting ticket. Something like what SnipaKill posted about in post #4702 seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. I have some questions about the process and I'm hoping SnipaKill, or whoever knows, is able to help:

-When is the deadline?
-The form mentions getting voting codes by May 19. Does that mean I need to do the voting myself with these codes? If so, hopefully this isn't a difficult process. I'd hate to get codes and fail to navigate through the voting forms correctly.
-I assume PayPal will use something close to the current exchange rate from Japanese to US currency? I'd just like to have a general idea of how much in US$ I'll be spending.
-No offense to SnipaKill and the people who have set up the site, but can anyone give me some extra assurance that I'm not just gonna send my money to some black box and never see it again?

Thanks!

 

Thanks Reveen... as always, I welcome informed criticism from more veteran posters -- I'm here to socialize but equally to learn, and I *will* miss seeing the whole picture due to my limited access to things 48GP. Thank you for recognizing there's no will to pick fights, just expressing opinion at the present time... don't mind at all being educated with as much consideration for the forum and its posters as I have for them.

That's a very good way of putting it -- 'success breeds success', like 'it takes money to make money' -- and Sakura certainly amassed a lot of fan AND mgmt currency very quickly... and now with her (for me, quite surprising) new physical development... rather than plateauing... she'll more likely bring in even more fans. The dynamics of push (mgmt + fan-based) is something that I'm not as familiar with (as vets who've seen more SSKs), as I am with Japanese society and business trivia knowledge through family, + some time as a H!P fan back in the early '00s... so this is actually quite a relief -- Haruppi isn't as restricted in her options as I thought.

The centre issue confirming Haruppi's progress isn't at all meaningless, but she did centre most of HKT's singles, correct? While Sakura's progress has involved far riskier projects... but to be fair I don't think Sakuratan willingly took the initiative with mgmt to say 'please give me this gig', at least not in the beginning (I bet she's confident enough now, though) -- so Haruppi's steady, linear progress (esp as regards K efforts) isn't as static as I thought. I'm sure she feels a contrast though, one she wants to up her game to match if at all possible (which with your knowledge, I know now means more visibility through established channels to gain more fan-side push AND gaining mgmt trust in her, than high-profile, high-stakes gigs as Sakura did, coming up to this SSK.

This may seem to you all like I'm a Sakura fan at the expense of a Haruppi fan... that's just not true. I simply have a very strong feeling from the TV-biased view I have of 'Ruppi, that this is something that's bothering her... and when something bothers her, that sparkle in her eyes seems to go away... which makes me feel for her...

...but now, that stage where she looks smexy -- now THAT I have a very good feeling about exploring further! ... the timing to pursue that part of her chara isn't quite right yet... but soon. I think she'll have a new tool to wield and surprise us with before we know it. A foundation has to be laid first... that stage could be testing the waters.

On a lighter note... Haruppi + long hair doesn't quite mesh yet for me... but if she ever nails a 'smexy' facet to her chara... you can bet her hair will lengthen. I like her bob though... when in a K-style routine, I tend to see more Kusanagi Motoko (Koukaku Kidoutai) than hayakuchi-kotoba-onchi (tongue-tied) Haruppi.

Love this board... been treated with nothing but respect since joining the forums. Thanks, all!

 

I translated the Haruppi interview from BOMB last month. It's a bit late coming, so I hope it hasn't already been done

http://www.akblogs.net/en/article_translations/321-kodama-haruka-interview

 

i think the best way to look up for answer is to send a private message to the person rather than posting here. The project of supporting Haruppi with cheap codes is a topic among others in this thread but it is no way affiliated with it. We are not involved in this project

EDIT : thank you as always neve

 

Bingo...

She looks far better with RH (right-breaking? ) bangs than 'left-breaking' bangs... I think it has something to do with the asymmetry you mentioned. My first impression with RBB is positive, while the opposite, negative. The Chome-chome EP I keep referencing, also uses RBB, but with a LH ...'bangburn'? What is that called, anyway?

But enough about Breaking Bangs... let's toss a thought pizza on a theoretical roof.

One of the challenges with Haruppi's physical development is 1) that asymmetry and 2) the way her face is growing, at the bone level. Compared to her younger days (pre-Sasshi), her tapered face was devoid of a lot of extra tissue and bone in her cheeks and jaw. But over time as she's aged, more's formed there, which removes much of that anime-like proportion in her face that was so appealing. It's quite subtle but comparing widely-separated years, obvious. Matters not a whit to me if I'm in akushuukai with her, but to the ambivalent non-fans she needs to charm... it'll be a bit harder.

Not sure what is up with Japanese photographers shooting Haruppi and some other idols, but what is the deal with ignoring the pupils when shooting gravure? The hard-wired reaction in both males and females when seeing dilated pupils, is 'interest', 'arousal'. When the pupils are small or pinpoint, it inspires feelings of rejection or disinterest. If Haruppi had big pupils in those playful eyes... I'd be charmed for sure.

 

@gocchisama , He did address me personally, so I don't see any harm in it or how he involved anyone else. These are questions everyone will want to know the answer to, so I'm glad he posted it in the open, plus this thread is where the project and the team sprung from so it's more than affiliated with it.

Hello, @SOW48 , you're kind of the reason this project exists for From time to time I like to know that the work we do in the thread or on social media is fruitful somehow, even if it manages to pull one person in. And I'm even more optimistic seeing your reaction towards signing up for the voting codes offer; it only shows you're serious about it.

- As far as the deadline, I just talked to Satoshi-san, it'll be on the 31st of May. End of this month.

- Yes, you'll be sent a picture with the voting codes, that's more of an assurance for me, the person whose spending money for tickets to use them myself and make sure they're going for the right girl. I'll post a step by step process of how to use the AKB voting website when the time comes, don't worry, it's an easier process when all you have is the code. And there will be some kind of verification for us or Satoshi-san that the tickets did indeed go to Haruppi.

- I'll leave this one for @Reveen to explain in detail for now, as I have not used PayPal's services personally. But you only have to pay 800yen for the ticket itself. PayPal sets the exchange rate though. The rate you get will usually be 3-4% beneath the usual rate. So if the USD to JPY rate is 79.59 for instance, you can expect a rate of 76.41 or so. PayPal adds a fixed fee plus about 3% of the total payment to every transaction. But it depends on where you live.

- As far as trust goes, we're not the ones personally selling the tickets, but two members of our team (@Reveen & @emily) have bought off Satoshi-san and the Haruppi committee last year, and they had no problems whatsoever. I will ask them to provide photos of their purchases and votes soon. These are people who are dedicated and committed to Haruppi in every way, they have gone to such extent as providing us with cheap tickets while paying for art least 3% of each ticket we buy off them, when they're still a smaller fanbase than say Miyazawa sae or Takahashi minamai, the usual fanbases who provide such cheap tickets. This is the Satoshi-san's Google+ , during last year's election he pretty much documented everything the committee did and the votes they used, you'll just have to scroll through a bit to get to know him. About Team Cwush, we've done a lot of tangible work ourselves for Haruppi in the past two years, most notably her two birthday books, one of which went on her own Google+ and since last year we've been in contact with holding online meeting sessions and planning at various stages to promote Haruppi together. I understand where you're coming from, it's our first year after all, and we need to build a profile, but your and hopefully many peoples' purchases this year will build up that profile for us so that next year we can use them as evidence of a good and trustworthy transaction, there's a first time to everything.

I'll update the shop thread soon with all these questions thoroughly answered and to point, but I don't mind if anyone wants to ask questions here since the shop is only visible to members and this project is open to everyone and anyone who wants to support Haruppi.

@hjr1891 , Thanks for the signature promotion

 

Hi, Snipakill already answered but I'll take your points in detail to clarify things.

1. The deadline for ordering is May 31. The single goes on sale on May 20 and codes will start to be sent out on this day. The last day when votes can be submitted on the election website is June 5th as the event is on June 6th.

Entering the codes on the website is an easy process, we'll post a guide closer to the event to clarify things but it really is foolproof.

2. Yes that's right, Paypal will use the prevailing exchange rate at the time and will add about 5% which is it's profit margin.

3. I bought codes from the Japanese Haruppi election committee last year and I received the codes and used them successfully. The Japanese committee handled everything in a prompt and efficient way. I have had the responsibility of final edit, printing and shipping the Haruppi birthday books as a member of the Team Cwush team and I wouldn't endorse this offer if I wasn't confident in it's legitimacy.

@kinakomochi - I guess it's a matter of personal taste but although she was very cute pre-Sasshi I felt her face was a little undefined. Over the last 3 years she's matured, lost puppy-fat and her face structure has become more defined. She's got a heart-shaped face which for me is the most attractive type rather than long narrow faces like Tanaka Natsumi or round faces like Shimada Haruka (note I'm not commenting on the attactiveness or otherwise of these members I'm just using their example to illustrate different kinds of face shapes).

Haruppi has slightly asymmetrical eyes but it isn't a major difference and is usually only noticeable when it's directly pointed out. Kuumin formerly of SKE48 has similar eyes and it didn't detract from her attractiveness or popularity either. Pretty much everybody has some level of asymmetry but it's something that the brain glosses over unless it's told to directly concentrate on it. From my point of view Shinoda Mariko was one of the most beautiful members of AKB but if you look at her face in profile her nose is actually a little too long but it doesn't matter because the total package of her facial features is very pleasing. If you look at the picture of Haruppi that Samara Morgane posted, the curve of Haruppi's jawline is perfect, her cheekbones have just the right prominence so that her face doesn't look flat but yet her cheekbones don't dominate everything else (like say Nito Moeno perhaps)

Regarding gravure shoots. It's important to be aware of the intention behind idol gravure shoots... especially those of younger idols like Haruppi...is not to show them as sexual objects but as if they were girlfriends...or perhaps girls who are friends and could be potential girl friends, if you see what I mean. If a young idol looked slutty (for want of a better word) then this would be bad and would probably lose as many fans as it gains. It would be a turn off for many fans (just look at how conservative Nogi46 girls photoshoots are).

It's hard to explain but they're going for a look that is attractive but that isn't ero. They are looking to appeal to a general audience and try not to be typecast as appealing to just one demographic.

 

@Reveen

Spoiler: apologies, long post

While digesting the truths in your reply... I have a confession -- I'd been made aware of a bias in play I'd embarrassingly forgotten to take into account for a few posts now (which my fiancée just reminded me of... Shel says hi ) -- my ASD.

[TL;DR: I have ASD and forgot about it] I'm a high-functioning ASD sufferer of the visual type... an aspect of which is hyperprocessing imagery (all humans subconsciously process faces, but ASD makes any asymmetry really stand out to me, in addition to magnified discomfort vs. neurotypicals). Taking a face, I break it down into smaller and smaller pieces, compare them, judge them versus a (very unfair) ideal. This is why (as my girl loves about me but knows I forget I do with others) I tend to notice detail unremarkable or unresolvable to most... and react subconsciously when perception is such. This also means that in the past (before diagnosis) I'd not surprisingly wondered why others don't see the world in as much detail as I do... this is why I raced motorcycles well (I can follow the leaders, and figure out what they're doing to be fast, even leaned over in a 150-mph turn), or became a motorcycle tech (so easy to see if something is out of kilter, or assemble a complete engine correctly after disassembling it), or got into graphic design and illustration in the past (drawing was therapeutic pre-diagnosis, because when a line was drawn 'correctly' to my brain, it actually made a sort of 'sound').

Tomu is my oshi due to her eyes -- and I'm glad I'm among millions that agree, but she also has asymmetry there that, instead of inspiring a visceral sense of 'something's wrong'... is quite pleasant -- perhaps one face in a month of normal interaction. Not surprisingly my Shel was also that to me in a moment long ago, an island in a sea of unpleasant asymmetry, day-in, day-out, that only I could see.

[TL;DR: section on Haruppi] Anyhow, that should explain why many of my points don't land re: Haruppi's asymmetries/hairstyle balance preferences -- while they do exist for most people when you look, to those same people they're negligible or imperceptible... while for me they stand out like horns. Same with the pupils, to a point. There's another aspect of my post there I'd like to make more clear, though -- all humans, regardless of race or ethnic stock, react to dilated pupils. Not necessarily with arousal -- that's what I didn't make clear. People *feel* viscerally more accepted and the person's face looks more pleasant, when seeing pupils that are larger. Why? When we evolved these perceptions, it was due to the person we were looking at, liking what they saw, and allowing more light in. Thusly we all evolved to react to this, explicitly or implicitly. Of course during more intimate moments they become *very* dilated , but that's not what I want Haruppi's pupils to look like in gravure, not at all. I'm not sure if it's an artificial standard in place in Japanese culture... but at least for 48GP shoots I'd seen, they aim lighting so the pupils become pinpointed , probably with a fine scatter filter so it doesn't create harsh shadows. This, at least to me raised in the West with Western standards, feels off-putting (and then there's the ASD's contribution to that). But if the Japanese demand it, to know what the intent is behind the shoot... I stand corrected. But if not, I think a bit more pupil would go a long way in surreptitiously winning some hearts in future shoots.

There's still a bit of reservation I have about large pupils being suggestive to 'slutty' though... this is an entertainment group that parses fondling each others' breasts and commenting about other more intimate things at Haruppi's age level or younger far more frequently than in the US (Europe in general to me is a lot more pragmatic about things than the US, having lived in Germany while in the military)... so if the Japanese are holding large pupils in face-dominated shots accountable, and Sakuratan's, Kojimako's, Mion's, & esp Nattsun's and Aaya's past gravure among many more examples, not... then it's rote hypocrisy.

Lastly... about her facial development -- an aspect I think that Sakura genetically has over Haruppi, is the bone/tissue dev in Haruppi I mentioned makes her face look ideal only at certain angles, while in others it tends to magnify the asymmetries/imbalances. Of course this is tempered knowing I have ASD, but feel it's obvious enough comparing a collection of shots over time, that there's merit to it. Sakura retains more appeal at wider range of angles ('Ruppi's cheeks come into play more often). Another idol of late that I've noticed this in, is Sayaya, who has a similar but much less pronounced issue around the jawline, straight-on -- which is why most of her best shots are all upper quadrants, where on 2015 'Ruppi it's MRHQ, URHQ, or UCQ. In the early days, the same lack of definition actually made her easier to shoot.

(Shel's laughing at how long this 'clarification' is -- but you should've seen posts on other forums before being diagnosed. )

 

So you mean that you would rather see picture like this one?Her pupils seem more dilated in this one!

Spoiler

While I understand your point,I don't mind when light hit the eyes because it sometimes brought up some color shades more and I like it!I don't know if it's a good example but like here it's nice!

Spoiler

 

Yes! But I think the photographer is intentionally selling 'Ruppi as sexy here, thus the greater pupil area ( I don't think intentionally -- the lower light level suggests intimacy/sexiness -- esp the shot on her back looking up). What I don't like about when they saturate light into her tamer shots though, is that it really pinpoints them -- which to me IRL is a sign the other party doesn't want to look at me, much less be around me.

Notice the angle of the shots -- UCQ, ULHQ. Even leaving out the crash-dieting idols go through in advance of gravure shoots... these particular angles for 'Ruppi tend to de-emphasize growth around the zygomatic process and mandible (cheekbone & lower jaw) in order to hide them in parallax. Another thing your awesome hi-res pics of her also show me, is Haruppi's pupils have a less defined border to them, esp pinpointed, than say, this idol:

Spoiler

if the video does not show watch the video here

whose natural but exotic-for-Japanese lighter shade of brown (sienna, really) makes her black pupils pop at both extremes. Eye shape also has a lot to do with perception of the iris, just due to more contrast with the whites of the eyes. Kanna here is gifted, because she has not only very light brown irises, but a nearly-black border around them that pops them even more against the white, plus nearly symmetrical almond lids that juuust brush the iris's edge. The archetypical anime eyes, in the flesh... where Haruppi's don't rest at as large an opening (her color is way closer though, than say Sayanee's eyes, which I also like but that's for a whole other post)...

My solution would be to have 'Ruppi in shots that let her open her eyes a *teense* more -- surprised or playful shots, where her pupils are opening because she likes what she sees -- this would not only let more light bounce off her eyes and make their reflections pop, but play down the lack of contrast elsewhere in the eye. The same Japanese go nuts over Hashimoto Kanna (age 16) as are audience to 'Ruppi's shots, so I don't think it's a fluke she's as popular as she is.

 

I'm not going to spend much time on Hashimoto Kanna as this is Haruppi's thread , just to say that if any idol's appearance is obsessively analysed then flaws will be found. For example HK has a weak jawline which means that from certain angles her features look unbalanced and her mouth too big. I'd imagine that given your opinions on photographic style that you'd be disappointed by HK's photobook seeing as many of the photos suffer from "tiny pupil" syndrome.
==============

Back to Sakura's seitansei, Ithebigc posted a translation of Haruppi's letter to Sakura. With due respect to the previous translator, I knew it was lacking tone and personality.

Also Ithebigc posted Sakura/Annya's comments after the show

Sakura: Yeah, I thought that writing style was Haruppi's *about the letter*
Aanya: Oh, you guessed?
Sakura: Yeah, it wasn't very Aanya-like
Aanya: ...
Sakura: Don't take it the wrong way! It's just that Haruppi & I have been meeting, going out for food & talking together a lot
Sakura: We've been discussing the current state of HKT, its future, etc. seriously so the letter seemed like something Haruppi would write

 

I think I covered most of those points:

- Kanna's (just an example, this why it was behind a spoiler) eyes have much more distinctive pupils, as well as the annular ring around the iris. If it wasn't made clear, these are what make both her dilated *and* pinpointed shots superior to 'Ruppi's. Just the reaction of the public to her from her explosive debut to her success today esp in gravure... is enough to allay any concerns about a weak Kanna jawline - besides, she's 16, things may change. As a JA raised and familiar with Japanese aesthetics though, I just don't see what you do (you'll probably agree if I don't see it, it's beyond most people's druthers) ... further, I'd even wager there isn't much overlap between Haruppi and Kanna photobook buyers, for these reasons.

Not wishing to belabor the points here, just defending them against misinterpretation.

Haruppi's tone in that letter... is so serious. I hope she leans on Sakura more to help her find her sweet spot in moving forward... wanna see that sparkle more!

 

Haruppi may not be the in the management's top16 right now, which is displeasing, but she sure is close in the queue, if we enlarge it to a top20 selection

Front cover of AKB48総選挙注目の100人

Haruppi managed to also get in two of 4 Nikkan Sports top16 senbatsu predictions.
http://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/akb48/news/1472774.html

A reminder is that I've updated the shop thread with the new details and FAQ, please spread the link to the form around, and post your feedback on the transaction for those of you who will go through it soon.
http://stage48.net/forum/index.php?threads/kodama-haruka-senbatsu-sousenkyo-2015-voting-codes-♛-deadline-31-05-2015.9687/

Team Cwush is working on a couple of things for the election as well, so please keep a lookout in the upcoming week or so. You can follow us on twitter @teamcwush or on our tumblr HappyHaruppi, to get frequent updates.

 

@SnipaKill and @Reveen, thank you for your answers. Sounds like a great service you're providing. I'll be purchasing some codes this weekend!

Is there any sort of strategy Haruppi's election committee has requested for supporters? Specifically, I'm curious as to whether or not the votes should be cast on the first day. Of course, depending on timing of when I get the codes and when I'm able to actually enter all of them, this may be moot.

 

the Haruppi fans strategy has always been to hit the first day as hard as possible and I haven't heard anything yet to contradict that.

 

Saw this pic in the Sports Festival thread...

^ I think Haruppi was competing in the who can look most unsexy by wearing their pants super high while tucking in their t-shirt... event. LOL. IMO she just looks so cute though in that pic... I wonder what they were looking at... Tano and Abe look concerned and while Haruppi seems to be trying to hide her laughter or something. And yah... Jurina is just being Jurina by smiling at everything.

Anyway... IMO the one good thing about the team reshuffle...

From Haruppi's G+



We get a Haruppi and Miion 2 shot!

EDIT:

And here we have the Charlie Chaplin Film Festival poster... oh no wait... that's Haruppi's election poster! IMO the image looks kinda weird... like her head was cut out of a different Haruppi pic and just pasted on... like the head and body angles don't match or something. But I think that might just be an optical illusion created by the contrasting yellow and white.

EDIT x2:

Yah, stole this from the Mayuyu thread...

^ What the heck is that? No way that can be manga-san's election senbatsu prediction right? If so... dude be crazy. *cough* Except for number 11 I mean... that one looks pretty good IMO.

 

if the video does not show watch the video here

Haha, what are you doing haruppi?! This is hilarious.

Liked the way she tucked her hair behind her ears though, it shows her seriousness.